by Sharelle B. McNair

July 23, 2024

Kim Burrell Aims To Make Peace, Apologizes To LGBTQ+ Community For Past Homophobic Remarks

Think she meant it?

Gospel singer Kim Burrell issued an apology to the LGBTQ+ community for her past homophobic comments while receiving a 2024 Stellar Award.

The Grammy Award-nominated artist made her remarks while receiving the Aretha Franklin Icon Award. “We want them to have strength and to sincerely know that we must all do the work to embrace all of God’s people and show forth His love to everyone,” the singer said, met with some applause.

“Tonight, I hope this award and this moment can be the beginning of a bridge building and listening to each other as we follow peace with all men and develop the character of God, which requires seeing God.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@letshavechurch/video/7394330680177511710

Burrell has come under fire in the past years for derogatory comments made toward the community. According to GLAAD, in 2017, she preached a sermon at the Love & Liberty Fellowship Church in Houston and called people who engage in homosexual acts “perverted” and deceived by the “homosexual spirit.”

Her comments caused a domino effect of backlash, including being banned from Ellen Degeneres’ talk show. Burrell tried clarify by saying she wasn’t referring to the LGBTQ+ community. “I never said all gays were going to hell. I never said ‘LGBT’… I said ‘SIN’,” Burrell said.

The artist also once publicly speculated that the late Bishop Eddie Long had HIV/AIDS and was a “closeted” gay man. “I’ve never seen anything as heartbreaking as watching Bishop Eddie Long go down to nothing,” she said. “It is an embarrassment to the church ‘cause nobody would be saying that you have AIDS unless a homosexual man didn’t come out and reveal what you did behind closed doors…they have yet to deny it.”

As the most recent clip made its way around social media, users didn’t seem to be as accepting of Burrell’s apology. Some claimed it was sarcastic and others called her out for her condescending tone. “Kim Burrell never has a dull moment in being sarcastic,” @vettetuck wrote on TikTok.

“I wasn’t looking for it but trust is built when actions meet words,” @marcjohnson said.

On X, users expressed similar concerns in her apology. “The epitome of condescending,” @studio_stedma wrote.

The epitome of condescending
— It’s Stedman… (@studio_stedman) July 22, 2024

Other comments from the singer have caused backlash. In 2022, she said churchgoers should avoid “broke” and “ugly” people during a guest appearance at Kingdom City Church. And, in early 2024, Burrell told a congregation member not to sing along with her during a solo performance.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 23, 2024

After 2 Breakout Games, Los Angeles Lakers Sits Bronny James Down

After three lackluster games, the rookie scored 25 points over his last two contests.

With all the focus on Bronny James‘ summer league play, just when he started to get a groove, the Los Angeles Lakers did not play him in the last contest.

According to The Associated Press, the Lakers held the 55th pick of the NBA Draft on July 20. Bronny scored 25 points on 10 of 21 shooting over his last two games after shooting 7 for 31 from the field and 0 for 15 from 3-point range in the three prior to his offensive flourish. He missed one game due to some trace of swelling in his left knee.

“He had two pretty good games last two,” Lakers Summer League coach Dane Johnson said about Bronny. “I think it’s just going to help him going into the summer so we can work on different things with him. Just that confidence and knowing he can play at this level. It’s still going to take a lot of time and a lot of reps.”

Johnson did give him a small vote of confidence and had an idea of what position(s) Bronny could potentially thrive at.

“I think right now he’s more of a (shooting guard), but I think he could be a combo-ish,” Johnson said. “He picks up stuff really well. We throw stuff at him—plays, coverages, defensively. He kind of picks it up really quick, so I think he could potentially be (a point guard). Maybe we’ll work on that in the summer, but I think right now, being that secondary playmaker is kind of where he’s at right now.”

After being highly recruited in high school, James went to the University of Southern California. He suffered a cardiac arrest last July. When he returned, the freshman averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Although some saw those numbers as underwhelming, he chose to enter the draft, where the Lakers grabbed him in the second round.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 23, 2024

The Lady Of Rage Stars In Lifetime’s August Miss Cleo Biopic

'Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall' will premiere Saturday, August 10 on Lifetime.

Once she was “Stranded On Death Row,” and now she’s portraying the (in)famous television psychic fortune teller, Miss Cleo. Death Row Records’ The Lady Of Rage (“Afro Puffs”), real name Robin Allen, will star in the biopic, Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall.

Lifetime Networks announced the news in a press release. The film premieres August 10 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

This film tells the story of Youree Dell Harris who worked at the Psychic Readers Network and landed a career while trying to take care of her family in the late 1990s. According to Lifetime, this is the first time Miss Cleo’s side of the story will be told. Harris died in 2016 at the age of 53.

A trailer was released, which can be seen below. The documentary, Call Me Miss Cleo, follows the biopic at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

The film picks up with Harris taking a job at the Psychic Readers Network as the Caribbean personality, Miss Cleo. She becomes one of the network’s most beloved and popular phone personalities, setting her up to be the face of the network. She started appearing in infomercials and using a Jamaican accent, and was able to lure callers in to get advice from her.

After achieving massive popularity, callers started filing complaints against her and the network with accusations of being a fraud and spreading false advertising. The biopic details Harris’ rise as Miss Cleo and how she had to defend her name amidst the allegations.

Miss Cleo: Her Rise and Fall also stars Shane Johnson (Power), Ian Bohen (Yellowstone), Daphne Maxwell Reid, Cocoa Brown, Dwayne Boyd, Towanda Braxton, Jaida Standberry, Marley Taylor, Amelia Young, Stevie Baggs Jr., and Leslie Black.

The film is directed by noted television actor Tim Reid, who starred in two popular sitcoms, Sister, Sister and WKRP in Cincinnati.

LaToya Cantrell, New Orlean’s Mayor, Bodyguard, Wire Fraud

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

July 23, 2024

Ex-Bodyguard For New Orleans Mayor Indicted For Wire Fraud

Jeffrey Vappie was accused of conducting a payroll fraud scheme to continue his alleged romantic relationship with the mayor.

Jeffrey Vappie, a former police officer who served as a bodyguard for New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, has been indicted for wire fraud. Accusations against Vappie have sparked investigations into his alleged romantic relationship with Cantrell.

Vappie was charged with seven counts of wire fraud and one count of lying to investigators by a federal grand jury on July 19. In the 19-page document on the indictment, which references Cantrell as “Public Official 1,” prosecutors claimed that Vappie attempted to hide the nature of his relationship with Cantrell in a payroll fraud scheme.

“Vappie submitted and certified timecards to NOPD for periods he falsely claimed to have worked on duty…when, in fact, Vappie was engaged in personal, recreational activities unrelated to his work duties, including a personal and romantic relationship with Public Official 1,” detailed the legal filing, as reported by Nola.com.

Allegedly, Vappie wrongly received $7,177 across paychecks from August 2022 to April 2024. Prosecutors claim the hours “worked” were spent indulging in his romantic relationship with the mayor. Vappie was additionally charged for repeatedly denying the affair to federal agents.

The document further exposed details of their attempts to hide the affair. Included were Google searches of mayors dating their security, as well as Whitney Houston’s 1992 film, The Bodyguard. Texts, voice and WhatsApp messages were also listed as indicators of their relationship.

In light of the indictment, Leatrice Dupre, a spokesperson for Cantrell, released a brief statement on the matter.

“Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation and out of respect for the integrity of the process, we will withhold any comments at this time,” explained Dupre.

The indictment closes an expansive investigation prompted by the FBI. The case gained significant traction after local news outlet Fox 8 received a subpoena for its reports in June. Vappie retired from the New Orleans police department as the allegations surrounded him.

Additional complaints emerged in the spring as new photographs of Vappie and Cantrell dining throughout New Orleans emerged. The investigation also coincided with the FBI’s investigation into the mayor for unlawful dealings with campaign donors.

Cantrell has yet to be charged for her involvement in the Vappie investigation. However, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Coman believes the prosecution will target her next.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office, particularly these prosecutors, would not gratuitously include items or references regarding Public Official 1 if those actions were not being heavily scrutinized by them,” Coman explained. “That suggests this could lead to criminal action against Public Official 1.”

Vappie’s arraignment is set for July 31.

Turks and Caicos, Luggage, Transportation Security Administration, TSA

by Daniel Johnson

July 23, 2024

Packing May Get Easier As Airlines Eye Relaxing Liquid Rules With New Tech

There are already some liquids that can be packed above the 3.4 ounce limit, but they are mostly medical necessities.

In response to some European airlines dropping the 3-1-1 rule, some American airlines are considering relaxing the rule as well. The 3-1-1 rule gets its name from the requirements: liquids must be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less (the “3”), fit into a single 1-quart bag (the “1”), and fliers are allowed only one such bag (the final “1”).

This guideline, introduced after the September 11, 2001, attacks, was part of a broader reassessment of airline security protocols. Technological advancements may now pave the way for changes to this long-standing restriction.

According to Conde Nast Traveler, although the European airlines anticipated rolling back their liquid cap rules by June 1, the slow rollout of new computed tomography (CT) machines prohibited them from doing so. The new machines have the capability of detecting any hazardous materials that are packed inside of a passenger’s suitcase or bag, eliminating the need to cap liquid sizes at 3.4 ounces.

In America, however, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has only acknowledged that it expects “the limit on liquids will be lifted in the coming years,” and the limit remains in effect. Despite this, there are still some liquids that can be packed above the 3.4 ounce limit, but they are mostly medical necessities.

The items are: clearly labeled medicine that is prescribed for a passenger, medically necessary liquids, gels and aerosols (they must be of a reasonable quantity and declared to security officers beforehand), breast milk and baby formula, baby and toddler food and drinks, liquid teethers, ice, gel, and freezer packs as well as IV bags, pumps, syringes, and other medical accessories, fresh eggs, (the carton may be separated and inspected by the TSA officer), live fish and coral in water (some airlines also permit live lobster in a clear, plastic, spill-proof container), biological specimens (as long as they are non-infectious and in solution as well as clearly marked and labeled), non-spillable wet batteries, and duty-free purchased items in sealed bags.

Tyler Perry Studios, Joint Venture, unscripted

by Daniel Johnson

July 23, 2024

Tyler Perry Stepping In To Help Atlanta Couple Scammed Out Of $60,000

This latest act of generosity from Perry follows his promise to build a new home for Josephine Wright, the 94-year-old Hilton Head, South Carolina woman who was fighting developers to keep her land.

After George and Dorothy Williams were scammed by Steven Chastain, who held himself out to the pair as a contractor for HomeSmart Services, filmmaker Tyler Perry is stepping in to rescue the elderly couple. Chastain told the pair that he could do the repairs for $147,000, and after the Williamses paid him $60,000 after taking out a loan, Chastain vanished, leaving the couple holding the bag and with a home that desperately needed repairs.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after Caleb Franklin, the pair’s grandson posted a GoFundMe on behalf of his grandparents, Perry called. According to Dorothy Williams, he told her “Calm down, take a deep breath, you don’t have to worry anymore. I’m going to pay for everything.”

According to the GoFundMe, “Their urgent need for renovations stemmed from hazardous conditions, notably a deteriorated floor resulting from years of water line leaks. Seeking assistance, my grandparents engaged with a team working on a neighboring property. Regrettably, they fell victim to exploitation when a representative presented them with a construction contract under false pretenses, masquerading it as a mere cost estimation. Under duress, my grandparents reluctantly signed, handing over a significant upfront payment.”

Franklin continued, “In March of 2022, the representative claimed to have secured a city permit and requested the remaining 50% deposit of the project’s budget. However, work abruptly ceased the following day, with the crew citing a lack of necessary permits. The company and its workers abandoned the project, leaving my grandparents in dire straits.

Left with no alternative, we had to secure our own permit and proceed with the renovation independently. Adding insult to injury, the company refused to fully refund the initial payment fully, only offering a partial reimbursement of $10,000 while imposing a hefty 25% cancellation fee despite the incomplete work.”

True to his word, the AJC reported that Perry will not only cover the repairs and the initial $100,000 loan they took out to pay the fraudulent contractor, but his team is going to be working with the City of Atlanta on permits and the oversight of the construction of the home.

Perry’s latest act of generosity follows his promise to build a new home for Josephine Wright, the 94-year-old Hilton Head, South Carolina woman fighting developers to keep her land. Despite Wright’s death on January 7, Perry promised that he would still follow through on his promise to her before her passing.

Perry posted on social media that Wright’s story had inspired him, writing, “Your four children, 40 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren will still be able to gather at YOUR house on YOUR land and tell the world what kind of fighter that you were,” he posted. “You have run your race and fought an incredible fight! Journey well, my dear lady. You have inspired me.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 22, 2024

Damon Dash Claims His 1/3 Share Of Jay-Z’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Is Still For Sale—But Can He Actually Sell It?

Dash posted on Instagram he was taking 'real inquiries only.'

The ongoing saga of whether Damon Dash will sell his one-third share of Jay-Z’s iconic debut album Reasonable Doubt remains unresolved. Over the weekend, the former Roc-A-Fella executive announced that his stake in the classic hip-hop record is still available, but it remains unclear if he is legally able to sell it.

Jay-Z’s one-time partner has once again put the word out that someone with the right amount of cash can be the third owner of the Reasonable Doubt album, which came out almost 30 years ago.

“This s**t is for sale 1/3 … only real inquiries only”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dame Dash (@duskopoppington)

But can Dash actually sell it without permission from his former partners, Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke?

Over two years ago, Jay-Z and Biggs obtained a restraining order to prevent Dame from selling an NFT of the project. Roc-A-Fella Records had asked for a declaration that Dash owned no rights to Jay-Z’s first album and the proposed sale of the NFT would breach his fiduciary duty as a co-owner. In June 2022, attorneys for both Roc-A-Fella and Dash informed a federal judge that they had reached a deal and Dash had agreed that he had no right to sell any portion of the album as a non-fungible token or otherwise.

“RAF, Inc. owns all rights to the album Reasonable Doubt, including its copyright,” the agreement states. “No shareholder or member of RAF, Inc. holds a direct ownership interest in Reasonable Doubt.”

Under the terms of the agreement hashed out, Dash can still sell the one-third stake he has in Roc-A-Fella in the future, but he cannot “in any way dispose of any property interest in Reasonable Doubt.

Earlier this year, however, a New York judge ordered Dash to sell his shares for his alleged refusal to pay a $823,000 judgment to movie producer Josh Weber.

Weber won a defamation and copyright infringement lawsuit against Dash following a dispute over the 2016 film, Dear Frank. The other Roc-A-Fella owners objected to the ruling, citing the bylaws that mandate approval from the board of directors to sell off shares. U.S. Magistrate Robert W. Lehrburger shut down their objections and ruled Dash’s one-third ownership of Roc-A-Fella is personal property that can be seized to satisfy his judgment.

Kamala Harris, Bernice A. King, Jasmine Crockett, Joyce Beatty

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 22, 2024

Win With Black Women Raise $1.5M For VP Kamala Harris’ Campaign In As Little As 3 Hours

Black women here to save democracy yet again!

The organization Win With Black Women jumped on a ZOOM call to organize with more than 40,000 Black women and raised over $1 million for Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid.

The call was held on Jul. 21 and hosted an impressive lineup of political and civil rights leaders, including Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-Tx.), Joyce Beatty (D-Oh.) and Dr. Bernice King. Described as a strong display of unity, leaders announced the call to action for Black women to get ready for Election Day and to help Harris combat former President Donald Trump. “We have a plan. This is not arbitrary. We are ready,” moderator Holli Holiday said.

We made history together tonight and raised over $1.5 million in just 3 hrs!

Have you given yet? Donate here: https://t.co/LNDjYUl9X6 #WinWithBlackWomen #OneVoiceOneFight pic.twitter.com/l9FvPAInXx
— Win With Black Women (@WinWithBLKWomen) July 22, 2024

With a powerful projection, Crockett proposed a strategy to ensure Project 2025 never sees the light of day. The legislator said the call was “historic” and said she was proud to be a part of it. “Thank you to my amazing SISTERS! Last night was historic, in a good way! While I had to hop off because this morning I have a hearing on the shooting that took place at Trump’s rally, every minute that I was able to be on was empowering,” she wrote.

“Yes, we KAM! #Kamala pronounced comma – la.”

Thank you to my amazing SISTERS! Last night was historic, in a good way!

While I had to hop off because this morning I have a hearing on the shooting that took place at Trump’s rally, every minute that I was able to be on was empowering.

Yes we KAM! #Kamala pronounced comma -… pic.twitter.com/fnyMG0OiMP
— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) July 22, 2024

She encouraged the call’s attendees to study the public document as a way to help potential voters see that Harris has what it takes to make sure Trump doesn’t take a step into the Oval Office again. The fiery politician has used her platform to make it clear that she is standing firm with her party, regardless of who the candidate is. “I have been clear about where I stand. I am ALL IN for VP @KamalaHarris. She’s the VICE PRESIDENT… she’s the second in command. She can & will finish the job,” she wrote on X after the call.

“We have to do the work! I don’t want another few weeks of not getting to the job of BEATING MAGA & Project 2025!”

I have been clear about where I stand, I am ALL IN for VP @KamalaHarris. She’s the VICE PRESIDENT… she’s the second in command. She can & will finish the job!

We have to do the work! I don’t want another few weeks of not getting to the job of BEATING MAGA & Project 2025! https://t.co/bYRbCDWewU
— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) July 22, 2024

The financial support and endorsements continued to pour in after President Biden made the groundbreaking decision to drop his reelection bid. According to CNN, longtime Democratic fundraiser Alan Kessler said his phone wouldn’t stop ringing in a show of support for Harris. One simply called the decision “transformative.”

Fellow fundraiser Matt Gorman said people who were once holding money back are now “excited” donors are “excited” about the new presumptive nominee. “The energy in the last 6 hours has been reinvigorating and inspiring,” Gorman said. As a result, Vice President Harris raised $49.6 million in grassroots donations for her campaign since Biden’s endorsement.

However, on top of money, she will need 1,986 delegates to decide if she will officially become the party’s nominee. As of Jul. 21, 531 delegates had already endorsed Harris.

Derrick Henry, Body Maintenance, Baltimore Ravens, NFL

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 22, 2024

Ravens’ Derrick Henry Drops $240K A Year On Body Maintenance To Stay In Top Shape

The running back recently signed a two-year, $16 million contract including $9 million guaranteed in 2024.

Many athletes prioritize their bodies during the season to stay in peak game shape. However, Derrick Henry, the running back for the Baltimore Ravens, takes this commitment to the next level. For Henry, maintaining his physique is a year-round practice, reportedly costing him $240,000 annually.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Henry’s financial adviser, Pete Kotos, stated that the Ravens player probably spends $240,000 a year on body maintenance. Henry gave a somewhat detailed look into what his day consists of when it comes to his diet and nutrition. As with most players, he has a personal chef who prepares his meals. It’s mostly natural and there are no fried foods, gluten, dairy, or artificial sugars included on his plate.

He stated that during the season, he won’t start eating until around 4 or 5 p.m. He mentioned that he would then eat another meal, usually around 8 p.m. But, when the season is over, he will eat his first meal around 1 p.m.

“I probably eat three chicken breasts, some rice, and broccoli,” he told the media outlet. “Then I have some gluten-free pancakes, scrambled eggs, diced potatoes, home fries, and some steak.”

His diet and his natural ability to play his position very well are working out for him. He has had 1,757 more rushing years since the 2018 season. Add to that, 37 more broken tackles and 27 more rushing touchdowns than any other football player in the NFL.

The New York Post reported that Henry, who spent his first eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, signed a two-year, $16 million contract earlier this year, including $9 million guaranteed in 2024. Over the last six seasons, the running back has run for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns, making him one of the best at his position.

by Daniel Johnson

July 22, 2024

Black Families In California Fight For Land, Call For Reparations

The practice of eminent domain has been the source of recent pushes for Black people to receive reparations, or repayment for the wrongs done to them by their state or federal governments.

Black families in Coloma, California, a small town of around 300 people, are fighting to receive restitution for land that they say was denied to their ancestors by the State of California in order to create a state park. Coloma, historically, is one of the places where the Gold Rush of the 19th Century was kicked off, and among those who came to California seeking the opportunity to strike it rich were free and enslaved Black Americans.

According to CBS News, roughly 100 years after the Gold Rush, California took lands from inhabitants, likely using eminent domain law, for the creation of the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, which opened in 1942. The California State Park Department is aware that the land of some Black people was taken in order to create the park, and lists information about property that was historically owned by Black families at the site of the park.

According to two sets of descendants of Nelson Bell, a formerly enslaved Black man from Virginia who settled in the area, they believe his land was stolen through the machinations of the legal system. According to a document CBS News procured from the El Dorado History Museum, a judge determined that since Bell had no heirs living in California at the time of his death in 1869, his estate would go on the auction block, allowing whoever wanted the property to bid for and purchase it.

Elmer Fonza, a retired brewery worker who moved to Nevada from California, and the third-great grandson of Bell, is not sure what happened to the property after it went up for auction, but testified at the final meeting of California’s state reparations task force that he believed the family should still have ownership of the land.

“We rightfully believe that we have been denied the generational wealth that our family may have been entitled to if given our rightful inheritance — the land once owned by Nelson Bell.” Fonza said at the meeting.

Another family who claims to be descended from Bell, but not related to Fonza, is the Burgess family. That family, who also claims Rufus Morgan Burgess, a Black writer who was brought to the city along with his enslaved father as an ancestor, told CBS News that if the land cannot be returned to the families it was originally stolen from, then they should be compensated.

Jonathan Burgess, the co-owner of a barbeque catering business and a Sacramento resident, told the outlet, “We have to bring forth the truth, because that’s reconciliation. And then once we bring forth the truth, which I’ve been doing in speaking the whole time, we’ve got to make it right.”

The discrepancy between the two family kinships is an illustration of the kind of work that is in front of Black families if California declares that as a condition of receiving reparations they have to produce and document their lineage, which is often a difficult task for Black families due to the practice of family separation during enslavement and documents which outright erased them from records.

California lawmakers are currently considering reparations proposals in the California State Legislature, including a bill that would create the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency, which would assist Black residents in researching their sometimes fragmented family histories. The legislature is also weighing another proposal, which is similar to Burgess’ argument. That piece of legislation would entitle Black Californians who had their land taken by the government using racially discriminatory means or methods to compensation for the lost lands or the return of the property.

The practice of eminent domain has been the source of recent pushes for Black people to receive reparations or repayment for the wrongs done to them by their state or federal governments. In June 2023, Michael Jones, a 63-year-old resident of Huntsville, Alabama, told The New York Times that his family’s fight was really about the erasure of their ability to build and create wealth.

“For our family and others, it’s not just about the taking of the land; it’s about the taking of our ability to build wealth,” Jones said.