Month: July 2021

Landis, a startup that is using the classic rent-to-own strategy to make home ownership more accessible is raising $165 million in a new series of funding from investors that include Will Smith’s Dreamers VC and Jay-Z’s Arrive, the investment arm of Roc Nation.

The Series A funding round also included investments from Signia Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, and even the founders of fintech leaders such as Plaid and Cash App.

The company, founded by Cyril Berdugo and Tom Petit, helps aspiring homeowners get on the road to ownership by purchasing their desired home and renting it out to the client while they build up their credit in order to qualify for a mortgage. To do this, the startup also coaches the client on best practices to building their credit, saving for a down payment, and cutting down on their debt.

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“Financial inclusion is really important to us,” said Berdugo. “An aspect of Landis that we’re very proud to be a part of is wealth creation for low-income Americans.”

In the grand scheme, the client ultimately purchases the home back from Landis at a predetermined [price for up to two years after Landis purchases it.

“We are proud to have invested in Landis,” says Will Smith, in a press release. “Landis is an innovative company that also has a social mission we are aligned with. We are excited to be part of a journey that helps Americans achieve homeownership through financial education.”

Neil Sirni, co-founder and president of Arrive adds: “We believe that Landis is determined to build a company that consumers can trust. Our investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting Landis on their mission to make the path to homeownership more accessible, transparent and empowering.”

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lope truly weren’t given a fair shot at love when they first started dating in 2002. After meeting and starting a relationship on the set of the 2001 film Gigli, the couple broke up in 2004. However, fans and romantics have been overjoyed to see the couple reunite throughout 2021– they became Instagram official earlier this month.

Those wondering what changed this time around for the couple need to look no further, as Affleck’s friend and fellow actor Matt Damon sat down and spoke on Desus & Mero to describe the changes in the relationship, revealing that the paparazzi were particularly irksome when the two first started dating.

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“The press was particularly terrible to them 18 years ago, so what’s nice is at least they’re being nice this time around,” Damon told Desus & Mero while promoting his new movie Stillwater. He admits that it’s weird to have a friend’s relationship so publicized, but still remains close to Affleck while the coupe’s on vacation: “They’re on vacation right now, but he still responded when I hit him up about the Red Sox yesterday.”

Just recently, Damon spoke with Extra about his excitement for Affleck: “[I’m] just so happy for him.”

Rumors started circulating that the couple got back together in May when they took a trip to Miami. They’ve since confirmed via shots of PDA, on top of their own IG confirmation.

Do you think it’ll last this time?

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Heading into next season, the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors are two teams that need to improve if they want any chance at going far in the postseason. After winning the NBA title back in 2019, the Raptors have regressed as of late and in 2021, they were unable to make it to the playoffs. Now, the team is gearing up for the exodus of Kyle Lowry, who is now going to become a free agent next week. As for the Blazers, they need to keep Damian Lillard happy, and in order to do so, some moves need to be made.

In a new report from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, it was revealed that the Raptors and Blazers have reportedly discussed a potential deal that would send Pascal Siakam to the Blazers in exchange for CJ McCollum.

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Per Fischer:

“There has also been an intriguing CJ McCollum-Pascal Siakam trade framework discussed between Portland and Toronto, though talks between the teams have yet to generate significant momentum, sources said. Rival executives believe the Raptors’ selection of Scottie Barnes seemingly reinforces Siakam’s availability for trade.”

McCollum has been Lillard’s right-hand man for many years now, however, it seems like it might be best for the Blazers to move on. As for Siakam, he has been unable to recapture the magic of his 2019 run, which could very well mean he’s ready for some new scenery.

Keep it locked to HNHH for more news from around the NBA.

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Kyle Kuzma has been through a lot of ups and downs during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. When he first started out with the team, he was one of the franchise’s number one options on offense. Once LeBron James and Anthony Davis arrived in town, Kuzma was forced to take a step back which didn’t exactly work so well in his favor. Kuzma struggled to find his footing within the Lakers rotation and it led to some bad games that had Lakers fans on his head.

Throughout the offseason, there have been various rumors surrounding Kuzma, however, it all came to a climax on Thursday as Kuzma was traded to the Washington Wizards in a package deal that brought Russell Westbrook to Los Angeles. Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are the two other Lakers players who were traded in the deal.

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Now, some are wondering what Kuzma’s role will be in the Wizards offense as he will be paired up with the likes of Bradley Beal. Recently, the Ball Don’t Stop Twitter account, known for lamenting the importance of “pure hoopers,” offered praise for Kuzma noting that he is a beast with the ball when placed in the proper situation.

Kuzma agreed with the sentiment as he quote-tweeted the post saying “Laugh now cry later” with some praying hand emojis. Needless to say, Kuzma wants to prove all of his haters wrong this season, and rightfully so.

If Kuzma can get back to his old ways in Washington, then he will certainly be back in the good graces of NBA fans. For the sake of Wizards fans, we hope he does it.

The history of Black hockey players hasn’t been fully explored in popular media. Drake, LeBron James, and Maverick Carter are aiming to change that. The three businessmen, along with Adel “Future” Nur, are set to executive produce a documentary called Black Ice that will be premiering in Canada.

James and Carter are producing via their The SpringHill Company imprint, which has also been responsible for Space Jam: A New Legacy, More Than a Game, and The Carter Effect. Drake and Nur will produce via their DreamCrew Entertainment imprint. The two groups of entrepreneurs have worked together in the past, most famously to revive Top Boy. Black Ice will also be produced by Uninterrupted Canada.

The doc will center around Black hockey players facing racism in hockey, and will be directed by Oscar nominee Hubert Davis. The doc will outline the historical marginalization of Black hockey players in Canada by exploring the early pioneers of the Colored Hockey League. The doc will also cover the state of hockey when it comes to inclusivity today.

“Despite the hardships and struggles, this story is about resilience and how society views itself today while offering a path forward to a more equitable and inclusive future,” stated Uninterrupted Canada chief content officer Vinay Virmani. “I think it is more important than ever before for all generations, particularly young people of colour, to understand and see the diverse faces who have contributed and shaped one the essential fabrics of our country,” added director Davis.

Bell Media will release Black Ice on Canada’s TSN, Crave, and CTV platforms. A distribution deal for the United States is currently being negotiated.

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