Dwyane Wade is someone who has been thrust into the political limelight. Overall, this isn’t necessarily because he wants to get into politics. It’s actually because he is a good father to his transgender daughter Zaya. D-Wade and Gabrielle Union have been accepting of her identity, which has subsequently led to criticism. Additionally, the Wade’s have decided to leave Florida due to the anti-trans laws that plague the state.
However, Wade could be coaxed back to Florida as he is now being considered as a potential Senate candidate. According to Uproxx, there are various Democratic donors and officials who think a big name like Wade could challenge Rick Scott in the Senate. Although this feels like a long shot, there are some people out there who want to see this happen. If anything, Wade could help pass legislation that is more favorable towards trans people.
Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looses the ball after colliding with Pat Garrity #8 and Grant Hill #33 of the Orlando Magic February 14, 2006 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)
“Dwyane Wade is a Florida legend, whose leadership past and present has a lot of folks in our state sending feelers out,” Democratic donor Ray Paultre said. “We have seen former athletes, in both parties, bring something special to the political landscape. He hasn’t been officially approached, but he is on the list of four or five dream candidates to challenge Rick Scott.” Moreover, there is also some fanfare around Grant Hill. One donor even said that the former NBA player could raise a whole lot of money.
It isn’t like it would be the first time that celebrities have ran for some type of office. However, neither Hill nor Dwyane Wade have actually voiced any intentions to run. For now, some donors are simply thinking about how they can win back Florida, which has become more right-wing than ever before. Let us know what you would think of a D-Wade or Grant Hill Senate run, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from the sports world.
Kanye West’s political team is experiencing even more shake-ups. On Monday morning, his campaign committee treasurer, Patrick Krason, announced his resignation. Krason made the decision official in a letter filed to the Federal Election Commission.
“I have notified the campaign of my resignation and they have been made aware of the requirement to name a new treasurer within 10 days,” Krason said in his letter, obtained by TMZ. “I have also made them aware that they cannot raise or spend campaign funds until a new treasurer has been named. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.”
Kanye West and Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in N.Y. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Krason’s resignation comes days after Ye fired right-wing pundit and white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In doing so, West also re-hired Milo Yiannopoulos to the team. TMZ also obtained an email Yiannopoulos sent to Fuentes confirming his termination. “As you may know, I have been in Los Angeles for the past week with Ye. discussing his presidential aspirations,” Yiannopoulos began. “The result of those discussions is that I will be taking the reins once again as director of his political operations. Your services on Ye’s exploratory team are terminated as of this letter, and will not be required for any possible future campaign. But I am writing to inform you that you may, if you choose, offer yourself to Ye as a remote unpaid advisor. This private and confidential position may not be made public.”
It was previously reported that Ye pulled out of the 2024 presidential race altogether. According to Rolling Stone, West was unhappy with infighting among the advisors during his campaign. In recent weeks, Kanye has spent time co-parenting his four children with his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian. He further attended his son Saint’s latest soccer game in Tarzana over the weekend.
Lil Durk says that he met up with the Mayor-elect of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, to discuss “saving kids’ lives.” He confirmed that the interaction had nothing to do with album promo in a comment on Instagram, Monday. DJ Akademiks initially shared a photo taken from behind the scenes of their meeting.
“It ain’t album promo it’s saving kids lives,” Durk commented on a picture of the two speaking with one another. Fans had initially believed that Durk was attracting attention for the release of his new album, Almost Healed. “Marketing team says otherwise,” one fan commented in response. Another joked, “Nah… bro jus making sure he gon duck that RICO if he ever get hit w it.”
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 04: Union organizer and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson speaks after being projected winner as mayor on April 4, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson won in a tough runoff against the more conservative Paul Vallas after the two outpolled incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot in February. (Photo by Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)
Almost Healed drops on Friday, May 12, and will be Durk’s first full-length studio album since last year’s 7220. Durk discussed his aim with the record during an interview with XXL, earlier this year, when he was still planning to title it The Voice 2.0. He said his biggest focus was “growth.” He explained: “That’s what the 2.0 stand for, just be on another level. Just not only music-wise, like the things around me like I told you, growing from the friends around me, management. Sitting with the mayor. We doin’ big charity things. Neighborhood Heroes, the foundation I got. So, we just doing different things, ’cause if you say you The Voice, it’s like, OK, you The Voice of the Streets, so what happened? What you do? I did this, this, cool. OK, now what you do for the kids? Nah’m sayin’? So, now we just breaking it down. So, we doing this, we doing this, we doing this. Not only on Thanksgiving, not only on Christmas, just on a regular basis, helping people.”
The federal minimum wage in the United States has been set at $7.25 since 2009. While states are allowed to offer a high minimum wage than this, 20 states abide by the federal minimum. The highest minimum wage currently available in the United States can be found in Washington DC. Currently, the nation’s capital has a minimum wage of $16.50.
There have been many attempts to raise the minimum wage since it was set 14 years ago. However, the proposals have been overwhelmingly rejected by bipartisan efforts. Congress, whose members make a salary of $174,000 a year, argues that there are too many severe economic consequences in raising the minimum. While many of these arguments have been debunked by economists, the Congressional view persists. This is joined by a public sentiment that primarily stems from discriminatory views of labor. A common argument heard in the discussion of raising the minimum wage is “Why should a burger flipper at McDonald’s make $15 an hour?”
Bernie Leads New Charge To Raise The Minimum Wage
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 04: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a press conference on raising the federal minimum wage outside the U.S. Capitol Building May 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. During his remarks Sanders announced that he would be introducing a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The last effort to raise the minimum wage came in 2021 with the Bernie Sanders-led “Raise the Wage Act”. That bill was killed in both houses, including seeing 8 Democrat senators vote against the legislation. But Bernie is undeterred and is once again pushing to raise the minimum wage. “Nobody in this country can survive on $7.25. And maybe some of my colleagues in Congress might want to live for a month on seven-and-a-quarter and see what that’s like,” Sanders said.
Sanders’ new proposal would go beyond his former proposal, instead raising the minimum wage to $17. However, even this might not be enough to actually tackle the crisis Sanders is trying to find a solution to. According to economists and economic forecasting, if the minimum wage had risen with inflation over the last four years, it should currently be around $25 an hour. Despite this, it remains to be seen if Sanders has the votes to push through the legislation. Unlike in 2021, the House is now controlled by the Republican party, and the Senate is essentially Republican-controlled, thanks to the prolonged absence of Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is firmly in its second year. At the time of writing, Ukrainian forces are successfully holding a frontline in the far-eastern regions of the nation. After initial gains early in the war, Russian forces are currently limited to the regions of Crimea, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia. However, fighting remains fierce, with Russian state media recently claiming Ukraine had launched a drone strike on the Kremlin. Ukraine denied the allegations, stating they only fought in their sovereign territory.
A key aspect of the way has been supplies. While foreign nations have been able to provide Ukraine with aid, it is still a dire situation for the nation’s 43.79 million inhabitants. Tangentially, there has also been the issue of what Ukraine supplies the world. Ukraine is a major grain exporter. The European Commission estimates that Ukraine accounts for 10% of the global wheat market, 15% of the global corn market, and 13% of the global barley market. They could be a global crisis in regard to grain supplies if exports from Ukraine were to falter.
Ukrainian And Russian Officials Clash At Grain Talks
To prevent said global grain crisis, talks have been underway to ensure the safe passage of Ukrainian agriculture exports. The proposed solution would allow Ukrainian exports to cross the Black Sea. The Black Sea nations are currently meeting in Turkey to find a solution before the current grain agreement expires on May 18. While the main talks are occurring in Istanbul, the related Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization Parliamentary Assembly is happening in Ankara. During the summit, Ukrainian delegates had loudly protested as Olga Timofeeva, Deputy Head of the Russian Delegation and Deputy Head of the State Duma, spoke.
It was here that a physical altercation occurred between a Ukrainian and Russian official. Oleksandr Marikovskyi, a Ukrainian parliamentary member and economist, was posing for a photo while holding the Ukrainian flag. Valery Stavitskiy, the secretary of the Russian delegation, approached Marikovskyi and grabbed the flag out of his hands. Marikovskyi proceeded to chase Stavitskiy across the room, striking him several in the head and body before recovering the flag. Video of the altercation went public after being posted to Marikovskyi’s Facebook page. Additionally, the caption “Paws off our flag, paws off Ukraine…” was included along with the video. Beyond the viral fight, talks are expected to conclude positively next week.
Former President Donald Trump is currently in the midst of a civil trial over claims that he raped journalist E. Carroll Jean in the 1990s. Jean’s suit also alleges that Trump made defamatory comments about Jean when she went public with her accusation. Jean initially went public with her allegations in 2019 as she tired from Elle magazine.
The trial is expected to conclude on Monday with closing arguments, as President Trump has declined to take the witness stand. However, the last major development in the trial is the video deposition of President Trump conducted last October. While a written transcript was released publicly earlier year, the video of the deposition has been sealed until now.
Trump Deposition Explained
The deposition begins with questioning in relation to a post Trump made of Truth Social on October 12 2022 denying the allegations of rape put forwards by Jean. The post also calls her book “crummy” and said he “doesn’t know” and “doesn’t want to know” Jean. While defending the post in his deposition, Trump is heard remarking that “The woman — there’s something wrong with her in my opinion.” He later doubles down on the sentiment, calling her a “wack job” and saying “I think she’s sick, mentally sick.” The testimony is long and rambling. At one point, the deposing official even states “So, again, just so the testimony is clear, because you tend to give long answers,” while trying to get Trump to answer a question.
On multiple occasions, Trump claims he has no idea how Jean is beyond the fact she is suing him. This is in spite of a picture being entered into evidence showing the two meeting during the 1980s. Trump also attacks the deposing official, at one point saying, “You’re a political operative also. You’re a disgrace.· But she’s accusing me and so are you of rape, and it never took place.” As Trump has refused to take the stand in this case, his video deposition will be the only testimony the jury hears from the mouth of President Trump. HotNewHipHop will be sure to keep you informed about all the latest developments in this case.
Congressmen Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Hank Johnson (D-GA) from the Recording Academy® joined them at a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce the reintroduction of the Restoring Artistic Protection Act. The Restoring Artistic Protection Act would restrict the use of song lyrics in court, a prevalent practice that disproportionately harms rap and hip-hop musicians. It is intended to preserve artists’ freedom of creative expression.
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Academy, and Rico Love, the chair of the Academy Black Music Collective, among others, spoke on behalf of the industry and as artists about the significance of adopting this law and guaranteeing that all artists can freely express themselves without worrying that their work would be criminalized.
The announcement follows the Recording Academy’s Annual GRAMMYs on the Hill®, a two-day event that recognized 13-time GRAMMY® winner Pharrell Williams, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senator Bill Cassidy for their steadfast support of music creators. It also brought together music creators and members of Congress from both parties to advocate for the Restoring Artistic Protection Act, the HITS Act, the American Music Fairness Act, and reform of the Recording Industry Association of America.
“GRAMMYs on the Hill has been bringing music creators to Capitol Hill for more than 20 years to elevate policy issues that impact our community. Today, we’re proud to see our Academy members’ commitment to advocacy come to life with the reintroduction of the Restoring Artistic Protection Act. We must safeguard artists’ freedom to create at all costs and work to eradicate the biases that come with the unconstitutional practice of using lyrics as evidence. We are grateful to Congressmen Johnson and Bowman for their unwavering commitment to music people and look forward to working alongside them to advance this issue.”
– Harvey Mason jr., CEO, Recording Academy and Rico Love, Chair, Recording Academy Black Music Collective
“This legislation is long overdue,” said Congressman Johnson. “For too long, artists – particularly young Black artists – have been unfairly targeted by prosecutors who use their lyrics as evidence of guilt, even though there is no evidence that the lyrics are anything more than creative expression. When you allow music and creativity to be silenced, you’re opening the door for other realms of free speech to be curtailed as well. The government should not be able to silence artists simply because they write, draw, sing, or rap about controversial or taboo subjects. The Restoring Artistic Protection Act (RAP Act) would protect artists’ First Amendment rights by limiting the admissibility of their lyrics as evidence in criminal and civil proceedings.”
“Rap, hip-hop and every lyrical musical piece is a beautiful form of art and expression that must be protected,” said Congressman Bowman Ed.D. “I am proud to introduce the RAP Act alongside Rep. Hank Johnson. Our judicial system disparately criminalizes Black and Brown people, including Black and Brown creativity. For example, Tommy Munsdwell Canady is a young 17-year-old kid serving a life sentence whose conviction heavily relied upon lyrics he wrote. I was deeply moved to hear that Mr. Canady continues to pursue his art in the face of our carceral systems that would otherwise stifle Black art. He is not an outlier. Evidence shows when juries believe lyrics to be rap lyrics, there’s a tendency to presume it’s a confession, whereas lyrics for other genres of music are understood to be art, not factual reporting. This act would ensure that our evidentiary standards protect the First Amendment right to freedom of expression. We cannot imprison our talented artists for expressing their experiences nor will we let their creativity be suppressed.”
Since the 2000s, there have been more than 500 cases where prosecutors have presented song lyrics as evidence in court against an artist defendant. Rap was evaluated more negatively than other music genres, according to a 2016 study by criminologists at the University of California. This finding highlights the possibility that prejudice against rap lyrics could inappropriately impact jurors when admitted as evidence to prove guilt. To correct this mistake, the Recording Academy has led the charge in limiting the use of an artist’s lyrics — among other forms of creative expression — as evidence in court cases, protecting the First Amendment rights of artists nationwide.
Many found it quite curious when news broke that Kanye Westcalled off his presidential campaign for 2024. However, recent reports from TMZ indicate that he’s not done; he just needed a team change to keep things going. Moreover, the publication allegedly obtained emails from Milo Yiannopoulos, who is apparently now back in Ye’s camp as his Director of Political Operations. Furthermore, he sent an email to former associate Nick Fuentes, a right-wing pundit and white nationalist. “Your services on Ye’s exploratory team are terminated… and will not be required for any possible future campaign,” the email to Fuentes reportedly read.
Of course, the use of the word “possible” means that this presidential campaign might not work out at the end of the day. After all, this is Kanye West we’re talking about, and his moves could shift within a matter of days. Still, this is quite the big step in distancing himself from a former close collaborator. In fact, it was Fuentes who accompanied the Chicago rapper to Mar-A-Lago to speak with Donald Trump. From what these alleged emails indicate, YE2024 might be back into full gear.
Kanye West Shifts His Potential Campaign Team Around
BREAKING Exclusive: As if the Kanye West 2024 story couldn’t get crazier, According to a source close to those involved, Kanye West (Ye) has had Milo Yiannopoulos notify both Ali Alexander and Nicholas Fuentes to stop using Ye’s name and has requested all YE24 info be sent back… pic.twitter.com/1KxJbrpciU
Another associate of his to receive the boot was Ali Alexander, TMZ‘s report indicates. For those unaware, he recently apologized forcibly for soliciting inappropriate pictures from teenage boys. In addition to this, TMZ apparently spoke to Yiannopoulos, who confirmed the emails. He also added that he’s been talking to Kanye West about his plans in Los Angeles for the past week. Readers may recall that Milo was fired from the team after Ye’s inflammatory Alex Jones interview and antisemitic comments, and Yiannopoulos reportedly blamed Fuentes and Alexander.
Furthermore, the Yeezy mogul’s list of controversies is extensive and likely needs no summary at this point. As such, this campaign could either lean into those dangerous waters or attempt to course-correct, yet Ye’s team waddles more comfortably with the former option. Given his additional heap of legal issues at the moment, it’s not looking good for the “True Love” artist. What will this campaign mean for Kanye, and why did he say he’s not running anymore? Stick around on HNHH for potential answers and for the latest news and updates on Kanye West.
Charleston White is easily one of the more unique characters in the hip-hop world. Although many of his antics feel extremely contrived, there is no doubt that he knows how to push people’s buttons. He is always getting into beef with people, and overall, he can be downright offensive. However, because he has gained such a following, he has been able to maintain relevancy, whether you like it or not. That said, with an election on the way, Charleston White is looking to his affiliations be known.
As we already know, President Joe Biden will be running for re-election. There are a few Democrats who want to primary him, however, they are largely fringe cases. By November 2024, it is clear that Biden will be on the ballot for Democrats. On The Republican side, however, there will not be very much change. Donald Trump is running again, and there isn’t a single other Republican who can contend with him. Ron DeSantis is floundering in the polls and it is all but guaranteed that we are getting a 2020 rematch.
As for Charleston White, well, he is riding with Donald Trump. We know this thanks to some posts on his Instagram page in which he makes his affiliation crystal clear. Above, in a repost from No Jumper, White can be found standing next to a huge Trump flag that reads “Trump 2024 I’ll Be Back.” Overall, it is a pretty bold move, but that it what people come to expect from Charleston White. Moreover, it seems as though is about to be in a music video for a conservative rapper. Either way, this is not going to go over well with his enemies in the industry.
At this point, the whole Trump Vs. Biden rematch is still up in the air. Most polls suggest Biden would win, especially given January 6th. However, no one really knows what will truly go down. The political process has become as unpredictable as it has ever been. Let us know what you think of White’s latest loud statement, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the world.
The legalization of marijuana in the United States remains a topic of debate amongst the House of Representatives as well as the US population. For Minnesota, this debate has come to a conclusion. On Friday, the Minnesota Senate voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The Democrats have been able to make major advances in the state of Minnesota. Additionally, The passing of this bill will allow adults 21 or older to use marijuana, This would equate to the US laws of alcohol as well as purchasing cigarettes.
Recently, the state has made major advances toward political issues such as abortion laws, clean energy, children’s school lunch funding, as well as rights for convicted felons to become registered voters. The democratic lead House of Representatives was able to persuade the entire House of as well as the state to push these bills into motion. Tim Walz has been the governor of Minnesota since 2019. He supported the move calling it a “transformative moment” for the state highlighting the redemption of people who have lost their rights in Republican-led states.
The House Of Representatives
St. Paul, Minnesota. Joe Hobot, president and CEO of American Indian OIC speaks at a rally at the Capitol in support of legislation to spend nearly $84 million toward the cost of new buildings for nonprofits that provide services the groups consider critical to the Twin Cities Native American community. (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Furthermore, President Joe Biden has announced a plan to pardon federal marijuana offenses for smaller possession. This past October, Biden’s announcement was motivated by clearing the criminal records of former and current inmates. “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” he said. “It’s legal in many states, and criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities,” he added.
Minnesota is on track to becoming the 23rd state in the United States to legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Prior to Minnesota, Maryland was the last state to legalize recreation. Do you believe more states will soon follow Minnesota in passing the legalization? Let us know in the comments down below.
(@nojumper)