Last night, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Mitchell S. Jackson, award-winning filmmaker Crystal McCrary McGuire and Founder & CEO of FYI Brand Group Tammy Brook, joined forces to present “Between the Lines,” a riveting discussion at the intersection of fashion, sports, and activism. Mitchell S. Jackson took center stage to showcase iconic style evolution photos, conduct a reading of his latest book Fly: The Big Book of Basketball Fashion, and open a vibrant dialogue with New York Fashion week as a backdrop.
This event was held at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, a cultural institution and public research library devoted to the research and preservation of global black experiences and history. Established in 1926, the center’s collection now boasts over 11 million items, including manuscripts, recordings, and photographs. The panel of speakers were joined by the associate director, producer, president, and other staff from the Schomburg Center. In attendance were former NYC mayoral candidate Ray McGuire, Tom Kalenderian, of Italian luxury fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna, NBA agent Javon Phillips, fashion designer Kai Wonder, and more.
FLY “Big Book Of Basketball” Book Conversation With Mitch S. Jackson, Crystal McCrary And Tammy Brook
FLY “Big Book Of Basketball” Book Conversation With Mitch S. Jackson, Crystal McCrary And Tammy Brook
Back in July, the late director John Singleton’s daughter—Cleopatra Singleton, filed a motion to prevent her grandmother from stopping her allowance after she graduated from college. Singleton’s mom Sheila Ward, has been in charge of John’s estate since his 2019 death, recently asked the court to allow her to stop paying Cleopatra $2,700 per month. Cleopatra said her grandmother’s request should be shut down because she’s currently enrolled in an online school.
The judge just ruled in favor of John’s mother.
Radar Online reports:
A judge has sided with John Singleton’s mother Sheila Ward in her fight with her late son’s daughter Cleopatra over a monthly 4-figure sum she had demanded, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, a hearing was recently held in Los Angeles Superior Court on the matter.
Singleton’s mom explained the allowance was initially approved by the court in December 2019. The funds were to be used to help Cleopatra because she was a “full-time student who did not have other sources of income.”
In her filing, Sheila claimed Cleopatra graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in May 2021 but was still being paid.
Singleton’s mom asked that Cleopatra’s final payout from the estate be reduced by the amount she was paid after her graduation date.
Singleton’s children Justice, Selenesol, Hadar, Massai, Cleopatra, Isis, and Seven will share a 1/7 interest in his estate.
This year Hip Hop is being celebrated for all it has contributed in almost every sector of media, entertainment and beyond. This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop and a celebration of Black cuisine and culture, JJ Johnson’s The Cookout: Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary Celebration featuring DJ CASSIDY, Rev Run, Ice-T, DJ MICK, Tamron Hall & Angela Yee will take over NYC Pier 86 Sunday, October 15th.
A Star-Studded Culinary Experience
The New York City Wine & Food Festival has gathered some of the brightest stars in the culinary world for this extraordinary event. Joining the event is none other than the James Beard Award-winning chef, JJ Johnson, and the legendary Rev Run, founding member of Run DMC and star of the TV show “Sunday Suppers.” Together, they will bridge the worlds of rhymes and refreshment throughout the day.
Chef JJ Johnson has handpicked the best Black chefs in New York, and they are ready to take you on a culinary journey like no other. Similar to hip hop, Black cuisine is a storytelling art form, where chefs are the artists, reconstructing and fuse flavors while honoring culturally relevant ingredients and techniques. Prepare to be dazzled as they showcase their signature dishes, each one a masterpiece in its own right.
A Record-Breaking Culinary Feat
And if you thought it couldn’t get any more exciting, think again. Chef Johnson is on a mission to set the world’s record for the largest amount of jollof—a delectable West African rice dish—cooked at one time. Witness history in the making as this culinary maestro takes on the challenge.
The Music That We Love
As the sun sets over the pier, get ready to dance the night away to the electrifying beats of DJ CASSIDY and the iconic ’90s sensations, Rev Run and Ice-T, both Grammy award-winners. Hosting this unforgettable evening are none other than Tamron Hall, Emmy award-winning host of the Tamron Hall Show, and Angela Yee from Way Up with Angela Yee on iHeart Radio’s Power 105.1. With this star-studded lineup, you’re guaranteed a night of entertainment like no other.
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One – 15th Anniversary Dessert Party sponsored by Average Socialite hosted by Kalen Allen with special performance by Rev Run
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One 15th Anniversary Dessert Party sponsored by Average Socialite hosted by Kalen Allen with special performance by Rev Run
Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without a wide selection of libations. Enjoy plenty of beer, wine, and cocktails perfectly paired with the mouthwatering cuisine and infectious beats.
Join the Hip-Hop and Culinary Celebration of a Lifetime at Pier 86
This closing event of the 16th annual New York City Wine and Food Festival promises to be a rapper’s delight and a food lover’s dream. Make sure to check out the incredible lineup of chefs here and secure your spot for this unforgettable celebration of hip hop, Black cuisine, and culture.
Aoki Lee Simmons called out social media users who attacked her body shape on Instagram. It all started when Aoki posted an innocent photo of herself and began discussing her tiny frame. Aoki decided to call out body shamers attacking her online but laughed off comparisons to Popeye’s girl crush Olive Oyl,
Aoki took to her Instagram stories to call out the negative attention,
‘Yall forgot your manners on this one cause whatttttttt (olive oyl was funny I’ll allow it but the rest!! come on guys)
Growing up in Harlem NYC back in the 90’s, it was a common thing for young men to ‘holler’ at a girl passing by in the street. Many times if that girl didn’t respond or ‘thought she was cute’ one of the guys would throw a bottle in her direction and everyone would laugh. I was always in the streets, so seeing this behavior became oddly normal to me. As a defense mechanism, I became tough. Some would say a ‘scrapper’ and my answer to dealing with this aggressiveness daily in Harlem was to become just as tough as the men were. That was until I filled out and puberty began to take over and men began to approach me too. I’ve had bottles thrown at me, fought men off to protect my own vagina and sadly, much much more.
This weekend, a Houston woman released a video saying she was hit in the face with a brick after a man asked for her number and she told him no. The details of the incident are limited but in the video, the woman has a huge knot covering half of her face, which she said was caused by being hit with a brick.
She said that a guy approached her, asked for her number, she told him “no”, and then he picked up a brick. The woman said that a group of black men stood by and did nothing as she was struck by an unidentified man who sped off in a car. When she angrily approached the group of men asking why they did nothing while she was assaulted, one responded—“What are we supposed to do?”
This was triggering for many black women in the comments on social media because this is a far too common thing. Women feeling scared and giving out fake numbers to appease a man who could possibly turn violent. The truth is we are alone in this battle. Many people will make excuses for our feelings while the proof is painfully honest. We are forced to be ‘strong black women’ in spite of what happens to us, what is put on us and what we have to endure. I pray this woman finds justice and this man is brought to the light.
To all the black women out there that suffer through countless attacks daily and are forced to be strong, I see you and I respect you. May we all get the royal treatment we truly deserve.
Watch the horrific videos below.
Thoughts?
Mahn this is so pathetic. Able-bodied men standing around watching a woman get hit in the face with a BRICK and asking what they shoulda done. Niggas can swim across a lake to join a dock brawl when it’s time to defend a man but get scared when a woman is at the receiving end of… https://t.co/S8bDokRmLB
Ta’Kiya Young did not have to die. When it comes to a black woman, no one ever stops to think of her story. Unlike ‘Karen’s’ who have the ability to cry and get a response with a phone call, black women’s feelings, conditions, marital status, or mental health is never considered at first sight.
The senseless shooting of the 21-year old black woman, Ta’Kiya Young led to protests and an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation into the use of deadly force by the police in Blendon Township. The pregnant mother was accused of stealing liquor when she was pulled over and killed in less than one minute.
Young was an aspiring social worker and mother of two boys, ages 6 and 3. She had been expecting a third child in November.
The Columbus branch of the N.A.A.C.P. has called for the officer, who, video shows, opened fire as Mr. Young drove forward, to be fired.
Ms. Young’s family said in a statement on Friday that the body-camera footage shows that her death was “not only avoidable, but also a gross misuse of power and authority.”
The police showed the video to Ms. Young’s father, grandmother and other relatives on Friday morning before it was released to the public, according to the family’s lawyer, Sean L. Walton.
According to the Blendon Police, two officers were in the parking lot of a Kroger supermarket on Aug. 24, helping a woman who had been locked out of her car, when a Kroger employee approached one of them and said that Ms. Young had stolen bottles of alcohol.
The video shows one of the officers walking up to Ms. Young, who was behind the wheel of a car in a parking spot, knocking on the window and telling her repeatedly to get out of the car.
“They said you stole stuff — do not leave,” the officer says.
Ms. Young remains behind the wheel and tells the officer that she did not steal anything, the video shows.
During the confrontation, the second officer walks directly in front of the car, commands her to get out and then draws his gun as she turns the wheel, the video shows.
As Ms. Young drives forward, and appears to hit the officer, he fires into the windshield, striking Ms. Young, whose car then rolls slowly forward and crashes into the wall of the shopping plaza, the video shows.
Ms. Young was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to Mr. Walton, who said that Ms. Young’s family believes her death should lead to an indictment of the officer who shot her.
In a statement released by Mr. Walton, Ms. Young’s family said, “As if the pain of losing Ta’Kiya isn’t enough, we must grapple with the knowledge that her unborn daughter was also robbed of her life in this hateful act.”
John Belford, the Blendon police chief, called Ms. Young’s death “a tragedy in our community.”
“Ms. Young’s family is understandably very upset and grieving,” he said in a statement. “While none of us can fully understand the depths of their pain, all of us can remember them in our prayers and give them the time and space to deal with this heartbreaking turn of events.”
Chief Belford said that he had placed both of the officers on paid administrative leave after the shooting, although the officer who did not fire his gun has since returned to duty.
Chief Belford did not release the names of the two officers, saying that they, along with Ms. Young, were “possible crime victims” whose identities cannot be released without a waiver under the Ohio Constitution and a state law known as Marsy’s Law, or the Ohio Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights.
The officer who shot Ms. Young was a “victim of attempted vehicular assault,” Chief Belford said.
The officer who was standing next to the car had his hand and part of his arm in the window when Ms. Young drove forward, making him “a victim of misdemeanor assault,” the chief said.
Chief Belford said he had asked the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to investigate the shooting.
A bureau spokesman said on Friday that the investigation was continuing and that the findings would be sent to the county prosecutor to determine if criminal charges were warranted.
The Blendon Police also released a version of the body-camera footage narrated by Russell Martin, a former sheriff of Delaware County, Ohio, and a former chief of police in Delaware, Ohio.
Chief Belford said he had asked Mr. Martin to “make observations and provide contextual comments” about the shooting without drawing conclusions about whether it was justified.
In that video, Mr. Martin says that the officer who shot Ms. Young was in “a clearly vulnerable position” directly in front of the car and adds, “Police officers are trained to draw their firearms when threatened with deadly force, which can be from a gun, a knife or a vehicle.”
Mr. Walton, the Young family’s lawyer, said that the officer had violated department policy, which states that officers should take reasonable steps to move out of the path of a vehicle instead of firing.
He also said that, according to a witness, Ms. Young had not stolen anything from the store.
The Blendon police referred questions about the theft accusation to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which declined to comment, citing the continuing investigation.
In the days since the shooting, protesters have gathered outside the Kroger to express outrage at Ms. Young’s death and to demand accountability.
“Whatever she did, it doesn’t warrant her being shot and her unborn baby being killed,” Nana M. Watson, president of the Columbus branch of the N.A.A.C.P., said in an interview on Friday. “It’s tragic, and it’s horrific for this community.”
Nicki Minaj is getting the Barbz ready for Pink Friday 2 and she just announced that she will be going on tour. After pushing several singles this year, the Queens rapper released the single “Last Time I Saw You,” and just celebrated the single going number one on iTunes in 37 different countries.
Nicki announced on social media:
“Giving a big virtual hug to all these countries,” Nicki Minaj wrote on Twitter. “Omg can’t wait to see you guys on TOUR next year. #LastTimeISawYou seems like it was decades ago~ and seeing some of you for the first time ever.” Not only that, but this suggests that the Trinidadian MC is actually hitting multiple countries on her trek. Nothing’s official yet, but it’s very possible that Pink Friday 2 will take her all over the world.
With “Last Time I Saw You,” Nicki Minaj feels all the more grateful for this success, and shared some kind words with fans. “I can’t thank you enough for your love and continued support,” the 40-year-old shared. “I have not been excited about the release of a song to this extent for maybe, I don’t know, I can’t even tell you, I don’t even remember when!”
She continued, “I hope that it’s therapeutic for you. I hope that even after, it makes you reflect. If you are reflecting on a time, or a person that you wish you could go back in time and have a do over etc… I hope that you are still able to smile at the end of the song by realizing that you now have a chance to treat the people that you love, that are still in your life the way that expresses to them what they mean to you. In the meantime, please enjoy the song as much as I have enjoyed creating it. Just know that Pink Friday 2 is going to be the best album that’s been released in years!!! LOVE YOU.”
Check out the post below.
Giving a big virtual hug to all these countries. Omg can’t wait to see you guys on TOUR next year. #LastTimeISawYou seems like it was decades ago~ and seeing some of you for the first time ever https://t.co/HC58AhPYL9
Last night, fans at Beyoncé’s Renaissance show at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium got a special treat when Queen Bey brought DJ Khaled out as a special guest to entertain the crowd before her set.
In true DJ Khaled fashion, he brought out a load of heavy hitters including, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, Roddy Ricch, Coi Leray, Offset, and Lil Wayne, to perform with him.
DJ Khaled breezed through some of his biggest songs, including “All I Do Is Win.” Wiz Khalifa played “Young, Wild, & Free,” as the two sang along to the carefree track and Coi Leray performed her hit song, “Players’.
Celebrities spotted at the Los Angeles show included Kris Jenner, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Sofia Vergara, Pedro Pascal, Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer, Kelly Rowland, Lil Wayne, Offset, Roddy Rich, Issa Rae, Lebron James, Sarah Paulson and Tracee Ellis Ross. Fans attending Beyoncé’s SoFi Stadium second show will also get a chance to see DJ Khaled as an opening act — possibly with new and/or returning special guests to join him. He first revealed the big news through Instagram.
“I’m telling you now GET THERE AT 7 PM!” DJ Khaled captioned his post from earlier this afternoon. “Trust me! History in the making!”
Check out some more clips from DJ Khaled’s opening set at Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour below.
Offset in the house too! Lil Wayne was the finale but his mic delay made him peace out early, not gonna post video of that. Beyoncé up next! Really fun stuff from DJ Khaled. pic.twitter.com/n9JiqTxQ6F
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson have donated $10 million to establish a fund that will give direct cash assistance to Maui residents displaced by catastrophic wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes on the island.
The People’s Fund of Maui will give $1,200 a month to adults who are not able to return to their primary residences because of the recent wildfires, including people who owned and rented their homes, according to the fund’s website. The fund will also seek donations to extend the length of time it can provide the support.
“How do we help?” the “Young Rock” star said he and Winfrey asked each other during the wildfires, saying in a video released along with the announcement that they grappled with how to best direct their efforts. “You want to take care of the greatest need of the people, and that’s giving them money.”
They are looking forward to the help of “every person who called me and said, ‘What can I do?’” Winfrey said in the video. “This is what you can do.” Winfrey, who lives on Maui part-time, visited an emergency shelter on Maui in the days after the wildfire hit and worried about effectively getting resources to residents. At least 115 people were killed in the fires, though an unknown number are still missing. The fire that ripped through the historic town of Lahaina on Aug. 8 was the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century.
In the announcement, Winfrey and Johnson said they consulted with “community elders, leaders and residents including Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Keali’i Reichel, Archie Kalepa, Ekolu Lindsey, Kimo Falconer, Tiare Lawrence, Kaimana Brummel, Kaleikoa Ka’eo, Brian Keaulana, Kaimi Kaneholani, Henohea Kāne, Paele Kiakona, Ed Suwanjindar, Shep Gordon and Jason Momoa.”
Two years ago rapper T.I. and his wife, singer Tiny Harris were sued by their former friend Sabrina Peterson for defamation of character, invasion of privacy, interference with prospective economic advantage, and emotional distress. Peterson publicly accused the couple of being sexual predators and luring women with drugs for their sexual pleasure.
Now T.I. and Tiny are seeking reimbursement of their legal fees after Peterson quietly dropped the case.
Radar Online reports:
Rapper T.I. and his wife Tiny want their ex-friend Sabrina Peterson to pay a 6-figure sum to cover the legal fees they racked up defending themselves in the lawsuit she brought accusing the couple of a coordinated harassment attack, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, T.I. [real name: Clifford Harris] and Tiny have demanded $164,650.56 from Sabrina.
Now, in a newly filed document, T.I. and Tiny asked the court to award them $164,650.
“The Harrises’ request for $164,650.56 in attorneys’ fees and costs is reasonable and in line with fee awards regularly affirmed in this district. Given the complexity of the legal issues, the time necessary to adjudicate Peterson’s seven causes of action over a two-year period, and the additional costs of appeal, the amount requested should be awarded in full,” the couple’s lawyer wrote.
A judge has yet to rule. The case remains ongoing with the remaining claims.
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