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She recently came forward to defend her real estate purchases, it’s being reported that Patrice Cullors is leaving her position with the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. We previously reported on the controversy surrounding information that Cullors purchased multiple properties in Georgia and California to the tune of $3 million and soon, anti-Black Lives Matter advocates accused the activist of skimming funds from the foundation. However, Cullors bit back and stated she didn’t take money from the organization, citing her work as an artist, best-selling author, and various other ventures.

Even after the finances for BLMGNF were broken down for the public, the scandal remained. On Thursday (May 27), Cullors made the official announcement of her departure from the organization on Instagram where she shared in a video that she would now be focusing her time on a television deal as well as a new book.

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“For over seven and a half years, I was in the day-to-day of that organization, working with our chapters, working alongside elected officials, challenging the police,” said Cullors. “At the end of 2019, many of don’t know this, I actually stepped back. I didn’t make a public announcement. I really wanted to see the next generation of leadership lead. And when the uprising happened last year, folks inside of Black Lives Matter asked me to come back and I had to really think about it.”

“It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of responsibility, I love the work and so yes, I came back,” she continued. “It was always supposed to be interim and so, now is my time… I’ve created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave,” Cullors said. “It feels like the time is right.” Cullors assured viewers that there are “amazing, competent” folks at the helm of BLMGNF and she looks forward to what’s to come. Check out her video below.

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Destiny’s Child members, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, reunited this week to discuss the release of Williams’ new book Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life And Can Save Yours, and visit with Rowland’s new son Noah. In the Instagram posts revealing their mini reunion, which include pictures of the trio as well as audio clips from their hangout, they discuss the impact of Williams’ book as well as the member’s battle with depression during her run with the group.

When asked by fellow member Beyoncé what she hopes people learn from the book, Williams states: “It’s okay to not be okay and it’s okay to tell somebody you’re not okay.” She also admits to wishing she would have opened up to the other members about her mental health earlier: “Because I obviously — I should have done that with y’all. I’ve been open about a lot of things but I never was really truthful with how I really was. Even though y’all have proven to be safe — friends, safe sisters. Sometimes people have to know that you’re not going to be looked at differently if you say, ‘Y’all I’ve been sad too long.’ It amplifies one’s bravery and gives them courage. Like oh it’s okay.” 

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Knowles then responds with “I just know Kelly and I feel so honored that we are now your safe place where you can express any and everything. And we know that you are that for us and you’ve always been that for us.” The audio ends touchingly with the singers reminiscing about the cherished friendship and experience they have with each other, with Williams offering: “I’m thankful, so thankful for connection. This is 20 years, y’all of relationship.”

Despite the mental health focus of the link up, Beyoncé fans will be happy to know that the singer has new music in the works while jokingly freestyling.

Check out the Instagram posts below.

Will you be reading Williams’ new book?

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There has been increased awareness regarding mental health and many rappers are lending their voices to the cause. Discussions were already being had about taking care of one’s emotional and mental health, but after enduring a global pandemic and subsequent yearlong quarantine, people are becoming much more vocal. Joey Badass recently sat down with journalist Kim Taylor Bennett for the Best Advice Podcast, and the rapper spoke about the “taboo” topic and how he’s approaching taking care of himself.

“Well Emotional Intelligence 2.0 like it changed me, right,” Joey said of the acclaimed book by Jean Greaves and Travis Bradberry. “I feel like every day, even just with the topic of mental health, is such a taboo topic, it’s such an invisible thing.”

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“It’s such a hard thing to just grasp, and pinpoint,” he added. “Like, there’s people that we talk to every day that we would never even know are going through extreme mental pitfalls with the Emotional Intelligence book I feel like it really brought in my awareness on just picking up on, on nonverbal cues and stuff like that from the people that are in my life every day. Even understanding my own emotions and, and you know, how to deal with that.”

“And you know, just the ties to it as being a young Black man in America and how like… We grew up feeling like we had to throw off our emotions or ignore them. It gave me just a new perspective on embracing those feelings and embracing and those thoughts and understanding like, why I was feeling certain ways that I feel or why other people who feel the certain way they feel or why they might even say things and it be like, really covering up things that are way under the surface, that they really are trying to get out.”

Check out the episode below and listen to what else Joey Badass had to say about balancing fatherhood and his career, ditching an Obama movie gig to perform at Coachella, and much more.

A legal rift between Australian promoters and The Game has finally concluded. Back in 2017, The Game was all set to tour throughout Australia thanks to the Tour Squad promoters. The rapper was slated for a seven-date experience that traveled through areas like Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, but behind the scenes, it’s reported that The Game and his team were at odds with Tour Squad. It ultimately fell through, but Tour Squad took Game to court and scored a legal victory.

According to the Daily Mail, The Game began adding on all sorts of expenses and even increased his performance fee, but a judge reportedly ordered the California rapper to pay up.

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It’s reported that in addition to his $32,100 performance fee, Game wanted Tour Squad to handle financial responsibility for a tour documentary to the tune of $3 million. He also reportedly told promoters that they needed to cover all expenses for his entourage of 15 people while also upping his fee from $32,100 to $51,340.

A judge found Game in breach of his contract with Tour Squad and he’s been ordered to pay them $478,119 in damages, not including the interest of $78,508. This isn’t the only time The Game has had a hiccup pertaining to traveling in Australia; in 2016 he canceled a portion of his tour after he was denied entry due to his visa.

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Throughout their social media, reality television, viral careers, the Kardashian-Jenners have ignored rumors. Many times they have opted to dismiss allegations from the public but lately, we’ve seen that Kylie Jenner has been showing face and standing her ground. Following recent reports that she not only reunited with Travis Scott but the couple now had an open relationship, Jenner took to Twitter to call the gossip untrue.

Jenner has returned after a TikTok video went viral from Victoria Vanna, a model who said she was allegedly bullied by Kylie while Vanna was on set for Tyga‘s music video.

“This was like, years and years ago,” said Vanna. “One time I was doing a music video and I’ve done a couple in L.A. I was doing a music video for him called ‘Ice Cream Man’ at the time and Kylie was on set with Jordan and Stass and another girl who was assistant I believe. Anyways, as soon as I walked out, she was looking at me up and down, whispering and pointing and making fun of like, how I was dancing. Just making fun of me. Clearly.”

“Thank God one of my best friends was there with me on set,” she added. “Even Tyga’s friends told me she was intimidated so. That’s the time that I met Kylie Jenner and her friends.” In another video, Victoria added that TikTok is a place where people can share their experiences and she wasn’t mad at Jenner for their alleged previous interaction.

However, Jenner has called foul on Vanna’s accusations. She hopped in TheShadeRoom‘s comments and wrote, “This never happened.” Elsewhere she stated, “Anyone that knows me personally knows this is a false story. why would i do this. i also love women and would just never intentionally try and put anyone down . ok moving on. lol.”

Check out the posts as well as the music video for “Ice Cream Man” below.

Kwame Brown has been in the news quite a bit over the past couple of weeks thanks to his feuds with Charlamagne Tha God, Matt Barnes, Stephen Jackson, and, of course, Stephen A. Smith. Brown is tired of the constant slander that surrounds his name and it is easy to see why. He has been disparaged his whole career and he is fed up of everyone giving him a hard time.

Recently, Smith noted that he wouldn’t be responding to Kwame as he is entitled to feel however he wants. However, Smith has since gone back on that pledge, and now, he is slandering him into oblivion. On Smith’s Disney Plus show Stephen A’s World, he decided to react to a lowlight reel of Brown, which shows him making numerous gaffes out on the court. A lot of the plays are embarrassing, and Smith sticks the knife in the wound throughout the entire process.

Smith didn’t seem to care about the repercussions of such a segment, although perhaps he will be made privy to said repercussions in the coming days. By repercussions, of course, we mean one of Brown’s signature Instagram rants, where he goes after those who roast him. We’re sure he wasn’t a fan of this segment and it wouldn’t be surprising if he were to let those feelings be known.

Despite all of this, Smith has never been scared to voice his opinion, and this was yet another example of this.

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