Yesterday afternoon, a gunman entered a Queens restaurant and opened fire, leaving several guests running for cover. Footage obtained by the Long Island City restaurant’s security camera shows the gunman storming into the Boishakhi Restaurant wearing a red hoodie. As he wields his gun, various patrons, including a couple with a young child, are also seen running down a nearby staircase to safety.
One man was shot in the buttocks, and later taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition. Though the motive of the gunman is currently unclear, he seemed to chase his victim in the footage. “My body is shaking,” a restaurant worker claimed following the attack. “I [heard] the sounds, but didn’t know if it was a shot or something,” he added, revealing that he was in the back of the restaurant at the time of the shooting. The gunman and the victim reportedly knew each other, and the victim was his target.
The restaurant’s owner, Abu Taher, spoke on the incident. “At first gunshot he did that side. We had a lot of customers inside,” the owner explained. He continued, “Once he move around, then he come here and shot and went behind my counter and did the third shot to one of my employees.” Taher says the gunman “didn’t say anything. He just come and shot and ran away.” He went on to say that he’s “Definitely scared, you know. It’s a very small business.” Taher continued, “I’m really scared to run a small business in New York City. It’s not safe, actually. We are not safe. Our life is not safe.”
“The guy didn’t even know he got shot until we saw him bleeding and then from there helped him I just helped him and I called 911,” Nelson Burgos, who was working nearby explained about the victim. He continued, “He seemed calm. I kept him calm and I just told him wait for ambulance, it will be alright. He wasn’t bleeding too crazy, so I think he’ll be alright.” Police are currently still searching for the gunman.
Eric Metaxas, a Christian author and radio host, faced severe trolling on Twitter this week. A few days ago, he took to the social media platform to recount an awkward encounter he had experienced. According to his story, he was jogging through Central Park when he spotted four minors smoking weed. Without hesitation, he yelled out to them, “Smells like failure!” However, his self-congratulatory and embarrassing story did not go well with Twitter users, who criticized him for his alleged racism.
As he claimed the incident occurred in the mostly Black neighborhood of Harlem, some people believed that Metaxas’ actions stemmed from bigotry. Following the incident, Justice reform activists, social commentators, and others participated in the roast session and hurled many insults such as “nerd,” “narc,” and “total tool” at Metaxas. Despite the backlash, Metaxas has yet to respond to the trolling directly. However, he did share a link to a Telegraph article that explored the alleged connection between weed use and schizophrenia.
Changing The Conversation Around Weed
Today on my run up through Central Park in Harlem I saw four teenagers smoking weed. As I passed them I shouted in a firm but friendly voice: “Smells like failure!” and kept going. I said it as an act of love, honestly. I hope that at some point one of them might think about it.
Late last year, President Joe Biden announced his plan to pardon all federal marijuana offenses. This was a huge step in the right direction for the US. The government has long been criticized for criminalizing weed to the extent that it has. “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said at the time. Many people praised the move, but Eric Metaxas obviously disagreed. Moreover, the Biden administration went as far as to acknowledge the disparate rates at which black and brown individuals are affected by the criminalization of marijuana.
“Criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And that’s before you address the racial disparities around who suffers the consequences,” the president said in the announcement. “While white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people are arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.” Again, while this is a step in the right direction, the conversation around weed clearly hasn’t changed for many. Like Metaxas, many others still see marijuana as something dangerous that should be illegal. What do you think of the tweet? Let us know in the comments below.
Janelle Monaé is enjoying every bit of the spotlight. Even though the artist hasn’t been releasing much music over the last few years, that certainly doesn’t mean she has been out of view. Monaé has appeared in several acting roles, including a critically acclaimed turn in last year’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The film was a sequel to the hit 2020 film Knives Out, which starred Daniel Craig. Monaé’s role in the film even earned her several awards. However, many fans have been eager for new music. The artist’s last release, Dirty Computer, was released more than five years ago.
Luckily for fans, Monaé has still managed to keep fans satisfied with a few singles. Since her last album, she has also released the singles “Stronger” and “Say My Name (Hell You Talmbout).” Additionally, she contributed to the Lady & The Tramp soundtrack with her song, “That’s Enough.” Earlier this year, fans finally got more music from Monaé. In February, she released her latest single, “Float,” after a two-year break. While Monae showcases her vocal skills in the song, she also incorporates hip-hop elements. It was a bit of a switch-up in style for her, but “Float” is a catchy tune that’s likely to get stuck in your head.
Last night, Janelle Monaé was in attendance for the Met Gala. Upon arrival, she was demure and elegant. She paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, as was the theme of the event, with her stylish red carpet look. When she arrived on the scene, she was wearing an oversized monochrome Thom Browne coat. Then, in a stunning reveal, she stripped it off to show off her body in a two-piece and see-through hoop skirt combo. Monaé owned the look and flaunted her trim figure as she walked up the stairs to the gala.
At the afterparty, Monaé let loose completely. In a video posted to Instagram by The Shade Room, the singer can be dancing on top of the bar at The Boom Boom Room in NYC. In the spicy clip, Monaé is adorned in the same two-piece from the carpet look sans-hoop skirt. A crowd cheers her on from behind as she moves her body to the DJ’s beat. It looks like she’s really living her best life. What do you think of the clip? Sound off in the comments below!
Diddy and Yung Miami attended the 2023 Met Gala together on Monday night in New York City. The “date night,” as Yung Miami put it on Instagram, comes after she recently said that the two broke up. For the event, which celebrated the legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, the two rocked matching black outfits. Miami shared pics from the event on Instagram afterward.
“Date night x Met Gala,” Miami captioned the photos. Jayda Cheaves commented on the post, “STUNNING,” while Saweetie replied with several heart emojis. Other followers of Miami questioned her and Diddy’s relationship status. The two addressed whether they’re dating again while walking the red carpet.
Diddy & Yung Miami At The Met Gala
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 01: Yung Miami and Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs attend The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
“We definitely go together real bad!” Diddy told La La Anthony at the event. “She’s my date for the night. … We don’t put titles on it. Everybody wants us to put a title on it, we don’t put titles. This like my best friend in the world, one of the most beautiful people God has blessed me with. And I’m blessed that she’s my date tonight.” Miami agreed, “Yeah, it’s just a good date night.”
The comments come after Miami previously admitted that the two broke up during an interview with The Cut. “We’re still friends! We’re still good friends!” she said at the time. “But we’re single. That’s not my man. We had our own situation. I’m not gonna put a title on it. We were fucking with each other hard. We were together every day at one point. He supported me, I supported him. I’ll let the internet call it whatever they want to call it.”
While Yung Miami and Diddy attended the event together, they weren’t the only exes to reunite during the night. Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson also bumped into one another, although it wasn’t a date for the two.
With winter well behind us, we’re now in the prime travel season. Aside from hitting up all the upcoming festivals (Coachella anyone?), you’re going to want to make time this year to hit up the places that make for great travel destinations year-round, like New York City. With a city as iconic as NYC, it can be tough to figure out where to go and what to do, which is why we reached out to electronic music producer and DJ Austin Millz. Millz calls the legendary neighborhood of Harlem home and is currently reshaping the sound of the city that raised him.
“Harlem was instrumental in my childhood and my upbringing. It raised me and I’m truly a product of my environment,” says Millz, “From taking the A train to and from school to hanging with my friends in the neighborhood, the memories are endless.”
Millz is known and beloved for his unique sound, which combines all of the best elements of soul and dance music. His latest single Freeway serves as the perfect early spring and summer bop to help usher in those warm weather vibes. Featuring vocals from Estelle, Freeway is four nice and tight minutes of dance floor pop perfection as Millz provides Estelle with a driving beat and lush synths that serve as the perfect sound for her cool and breezy vocals.
As the title would suggest, Freeway is ideal driving music, and naturally, ideal travel music. It’s impossible to watch the video for the single and not want to hop in a car and drive wherever the road takes you. Freeway is set to appear on Millz’s forthcoming EP, Breathwork, which will also feature collaborations with Sabrina Claudio and a tour stop at this year’s Coachella. Give it a listen and check out Millz’s exclusive guide to his favorite Harlem hangouts and food spots below.
The first thing someone should do when visiting Harlem is go to 125th Street! That’s the mecca right there. You can experience everything from fashion to music to all kinds of people. You can really feel Harlem at its core on one two five.
It doesn’t get much better with food in Harlem. I’ll give you my favorite three at the moment. Famous Fish on 145th Street — I’ve been going to this fish staple for as long as I can remember. At first, I took this place for granted but as I traveled the world and my food palette increased, this place still remains up there on my list. It’s just a place where you know you can expect quality food. I can guarantee every Friday this place gets so packed that the line goes through the door and wraps around the street. I get the classic fish & chips, sometimes even with shrimp.
Ricardos Steak House on the East Side is a place I’ve gone to since its opening. It’s a place where I go and can expect to hear good music and have delicious food. From the appetizers to the main course, you can leave satisfied and this place feels like Harlem from the inside out.
If I want some classic soul food, I go to Charles Country Pan Fried Chicken. Now, this place is fairly new but it’s already on my list of best soul food in Harlem, and that’s saying a lot because there’s tough competition. Soul food and Harlem are synonymous.
Over the years places have come and gone in Harlem in terms of places to party, but Harlem does come alive at night. There’s a place called Shrine where you can always have a good time and dance. And if you’re into jazz, Ginny’s Supper Club is the place.
My favorite breakfast spot in Harlem is called Jimbos. You can find Jimbos in every 10/15 block radius in Harlem. It’s a diner but the food here is immaculate. They know how to do breakfast well and also the cheeseburgers too. You really can’t go wrong here.
Where To Escape: Central Park
Andrea Belussi/Unsplash
My favorite getaway spot in Harlem would have to be Central Park. Taking walks in the park and just going through nature helps me decompress and reset when needed.
The best late-night food spot is Hajjis on 110th Street. This is a Harlem staple for one reason and one reason only. This is the home and creator of the beloved and world-renowned meal we call the Chopped Cheese. If you don’t know what a Chopped Cheese is, you’re going to have to Google it. Harlem is the place where the Chopped Cheese was invented and it was created right here at this spot called Hajjis. If you know, you know.
What You Need To Do Before Leaving: Visit The Apollo Theater
Felix Soage/Unsplash
One thing everyone visiting Harlem must do is attend a night at The Apollo. It’s one of the world’s most famous theaters that’s so rich in history, and I think everyone should experience it if coming through Harlem.
On Saturday (March 25), the world was shocked by the news of Jonathan Majors’ unexpected arrest. As DailyMail reports, he was taken into custody yesterday morning. He’s currently facing charges of “strangulation, assault, and harassment,” according to NYPD officials. The accusations come from his 30-year-old girlfriend, who called authorities after sustaining injuries to her head and neck. Despite the evidence coming out against his client, the Creed III actor‘s representative is vehemently denying any wrongdoing.
“He’s done nothing wrong. We look forward to clearing his name and clearing this up,” they shared in a statement. Less than 12 hours after he was arrested, another update regarding Majors’ case came out. At the time, photographers captured him leaving an NYC courthouse. He was notably wearing a cap that reads “FREEDOM FREEDOM” and a COVID-19 mask. By his side was either an attorney or assistant, who shielded the 33-year-old from the rain with a translucent umbrella.
Jonathan Majors Enjoys His “FREEDOM” After NYC Arrest
Jonathan Majors leaves NYC courthouse in hat saying FREEDOM after being charged with strangulation pic.twitter.com/g9nLv35heH
While many details regarding the situation that resulted in Majors’ arrest are still under wraps, we have heard reports claiming that the couple broke out into an argument during a taxi ride. The alleged victim apparently saw another woman text her man’s phone, resulting in an altercation that’s said to have turned physical. The Ant-Man star is being accused of slapping his partner when she tried to view the messages before putting his hands around her neck, ultimately resulting in visible injuries. Among them was a “laceration behind her ear, redness, and marks to her face.”
At the time of his arrest, Jonathan Majors was promptly cuffed and hauled off to jail. Police reportedly “felt there was enough evidence for probable cause.” At the same time, his girlfriend was taken to a local hospital where she was assessed and thankfully declared to be stable. The reason for and conditions of the 33-year-old’s release remain unknown at this time, though we’ll surely receive more updates on the situation in the coming days. Read our initial report on the incident here, and check back later for more pop culture news updates.
(@yungmiami305)
