• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 20, 2024

Cash Money Founders Birdman And Slim To Receive YouTube’s Leaders And Legends Award

'This honor shines a light on all the artists who have been on Cash Money Records or have been affiliated with the label. They share in this honor, too,' Birdman said.

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New Orleans hip-hop legends Birdman and his brother, Slim, are the recipients of this year’s YouTube’s Leaders and Legends Award.

According to Billboard, the platform has announced that the founders of Cash Money Records will be honored at YouTube Music’s second annual Leaders and Legends gala on June 27 in Los Angeles.

“I appreciate Lyor [Cohen] and YouTube for respecting what we’ve accomplished and what we continue to do,” Birdman told Billboard. “This honor shines a light on all the artists who have been on Cash Money Records or have been affiliated with the label. They share in this honor, too.”

RELATED CONTENT: B.G. Ordered to Substance Abuse Treatment, Community Service, And GED Program As Part of Prison Release

by Stacy Jackson

June 20, 2024

Dance Legend Debbie Allen Honored By Los Angeles City Council

Los Angeles city council members were graced with a dance performance and words from Allen as they kicked off Juneteenth.

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Celebrated dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen received a prestigious certificate of recognition from the Los Angeles City Council on June 18, honoring her illustrious career and contributions to the city.

This accolade, presented by Councilmember Heather Hutt, marked the commencement of LA’s Juneteenth festivities. “It just means a lot because it is essential to be in a community where you feel not just loved but supported and respected,” Allen said, according to ABC7.

The ceremony featured a performance by students from the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA), prompting Hutt to remark, “When you think about Juneteenth, that is what happened: we danced. That is a part of something coming from within, and [Allen] is the right person to really dedicate this day to.”

DADA members later highlighted Juneteenth’s significance during a post-council meeting feast. Dance instructor Sarah Anindo Marshall deemed Allen’s recognition during this period “amazing,” while academy Director Karen McDonald emphasized the importance of reminding the community about leaders like Allen’s “incredible work.”

The internationally recognized director dedicated her honor from the council to young aspiring dancers, sharing her struggle as an 8-year-old Black girl seeking acceptance into a dance academy. Her experience influenced DADA’s mission, which the academy states on its website aims to enrich and transform lives through dance, mainly focusing on underprivileged Black and Latino communities.

Throughout her illustrious three-decade career, Allen has amassed an impressive array of accolades, including six Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, and five NAACP Image Awards. Her influence extends beyond performance, with notable directing and producing credits spanning television classics from “FAME” to “Grey’s Anatomy.” Allen’s impact on the arts has been formally recognized with four honorary doctorates, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and an appointment as Cultural Ambassador of Dance by President George W. Bush. As a Kennedy Center Honoree and long-time artist in residence, she continues to create original works that inspire and push boundaries.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 20, 2024

Nia Long Started College Fund Before Motherhood

Nia Long's son graduated from NYU loan-free thanks to her saving long before she became a mother.

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Nia Long is a proud mommy after watching her eldest son Massai Z. Dorsey II graduate from New York University loan-free thanks to her early investments into his future.

The You People actress recently opened up about how she put her eldest son through college after launching a savings account for her children before she even became a mother. Long was the guest speaker for “Money and Mindfulness: A Conversation with Nia Long,” a panel at the 2024 American Black Film Festival, where she told Ally’s Head of Money Wellness, Jack Howard, all about her values with money, Blavity reported.

“One of the things is [that] I started saving for my children before I became a mother,” she said.

“I took $3,000 and I just put in this account. I was like, I’m never touching that. And it allowed me to get my son through NYU without any student loans. And he just graduated and I’m so proud. It makes me cry, because we did it. Yes, we did it. And it was a plan. And if you put that plan into action and you just don’t waver from your ultimate goal, God will show you the way to get there. I can’t even explain it any other way. You just have to trust the process.”

Long went on to share her excitement at Massai’s graduation and how she supported his dreams, even when they didn’t fully align with her hopes for his future.

“When he walked, I was the most loud mama at that graduation,” she explained. “That was me. I was screaming. I flew my whole family to New York, and it was just amazing to see him do something that I always wanted to do, because my mother couldn’t afford to put me through school.”

“And things turned out differently for me. I left high school and I went straight to a soap opera, and then my career just kept happening,” Long continued. “I really planted the seed in him that he would graduate from NYU, even though he thought he was going to be a professional baseball player [laughs]. Which I never killed the dream, I just kept planting the seeds. Kept planting the seeds. And that’s what I think we have to do for our children to create generational wealth. But we have to do that for ourselves.”

Now with a bachelor’s degree from NYU, Massai is off to law school to become a lawyer. In the meantime, Long is teaching him early lessons on paying his own bills and to not always look to mommy for help.

“I’m trying to navigate those two things for him to feel like he can walk in any room, but for him to understand that you still have to work hard and you are Black, and you are, yes, [and] you’ll be your mom’s son, but no one cares,” she explained.

“Just go out there to make a way for yourself. It’s you have to know that balance and understand that making a way for your children is great, but don’t overindulge. Don’t spoil them. Some days it hurts my heart to be like, ‘Here’s $60, make it last for three weeks.’ He’s like, ‘Mom, I live in New York.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t care. Figure it out.’ And then I go cry.”

Long was born in Brooklyn, NY, and knows firsthand how The Big Apple can mold someone into a devoted hustler and go-getter. It’s why she wants her son to experience living in the city as he learns to navigate adulthood.

“When he comes home to visit LA, [I’m] like you need to stay in New York because if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,” she said.

“So he’s living in Brooklyn where I’m from, so he’s learning how to make that money work, and understanding what taxes mean. Because it is a very different check.”

RELATED CONTENT: Jay-Z Called Out By Antonio Brown After Performing For ‘Rich Folks’ But Not At Hip-Hop 50 Events

• Celebrity News

by Jameelah Mullen

June 20, 2024

Congratulations! Nelly And Ashanti Secretly Wed In December, Records Show

Meet The Haynes.

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Ashanti and Nelly announced their engagement in April, but records show they have been married for four months. According to public records obtained by TMZ, the famous couple tied the knot on December 27, 2023, in St. Louis County.

Pregnancy rumors began to swirl when the pair appeared on stage at Nelly’s annual Black and White Ball. Nelly playfully rubbed Ashanti’s belly, garnering cheers from the crowd. 

The hip-hop royals remained tight-lipped until April when Ashanti confirmed her pregnancy via Instagram. On the same day, she announced that she was engaged to the rapper in an Instagram video with Essence. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by ESSENCE (@essence)

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation. Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience,” the caption read. 

The couple dated on and off from 2003 to 2013. After a decade apart, they famously spun the block on their romance. Ashanti and Nelly reunited in 2021 on stage at the Fat Joe, Ja Rule Verzuz battle. Nelly walked across the stage and appeared to hug the “Foolish” singer. Ashanti said she didn’t know her ex would be attending the event. 

“It was very unexpected, I hadn’t seen him (Nelly) in like six years or more- spoken or seen, so it was a little awkward,” she said to Angie Martinez.  

Dating rumors swirled when the songstress and the rapper were spotted holding hands at a boxing in Las Vegas last spring. A few months later, Nelly later confirmed the relationship.

Ashanti spoke about their rekindled romance in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“The growth has been like superb, you know, like on both ends,” she said of their relationship now as compared to a decade ago. “We are both at a place where like before, sometimes we would argue and walk out, slam the door, and not talk for a few days.”

Ashanti and Nelly prove that sometimes it’s OK to get that “Old Thang Back.” 

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• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

June 20, 2024

Gov. Wes Moore Grants 175K Pardons For Marylanders With Marijuana Convictions

Such an amazing move, Gov. Moore!

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Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) is reversing the damage done by the war on crime by ordering more than 175,000 residents in the state of Maryland to be pardoned for marijuana convictions. 

During a press conference on June 17, Moore called the move the “most sweeping state-level pardon in any state” that will affect “tens of thousands of Marylanders” convicted of misdemeanors. “We are taking actions that are intentional, that are sweeping and unapologetic, and this is the largest such action in our nation’s history,” Moore said.

Executive Director of the University of Baltimore School of Law Center Heather Warnken labeled the pardons “a win for thousands of Marylanders getting a fresh start to pursue education, employment, and other forms of economic opportunity without the stain of a criminal conviction.” 

That holds for people like Shiloh Jordan, who lost his job on his second day as the result of a minor cannabis conviction that appeared in a background check. Jordan attended the press conference, and although Moore highlighted how he was able to go back to school and is now employed at the Center for Urban Families in Baltimore, the cannabis conviction was still on his record.

“Well, today, that ends,” the governor said.

“This is about changing how the government and society view those walled off from opportunity because of broken and uneven policies.”

Recreational cannabis was made legal in the state in 2023 following the 67% voter approval of a constitutional amendment in 2022. On Jan. 1, 2023, the state decriminalized possession of personal use amounts of cannabis. Following suit, 24 states and the District of Columbia now label recreational cannabis as legal. 

The pardons will affect over 150,000 misdemeanor convictions for simple possession of cannabis and will cover more than 18,000 misdemeanor convictions for use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia. As a result of the ordered pardons, the state judiciary will update each electronic docket to show Moore pardoned the conviction. 

While that process takes up to two weeks, Moore also directs the state corrections department to curate a process that will indicate a pardon in a person’s criminal record, which can take close to 10 months to complete.

Maryland’s Attorney General Anthony Brown supports the measure, calling it “long overdue.” “As a nation, we have taken far too long to correct the injustices of a system that is supposed to be just for all,” Brown said. “It’s about racial justice. While the order applies to all who meet its criteria, the impact is a triumphant victory for African Americans and other Marylanders of color who were disproportionately arrested, convicted, and sentenced for actions yesterday that are lawful today.”

Moore’s news came just one month after the Biden administration officially moved forward with reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, according to ABC News. If approved — after going through a 60-day public comment era — the move would limit punishment for persons in possession of marijuana regarding a federal crime. 

Afterward, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will assign an administrative law judge to consider the evidence and make a final scheduling recommendation. 

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 20, 2024

50 Cent Announces ‘Humor & Harmony Festival’ Coming To Shreveport

Katt Williams, DC Young Fly, and 2 Chainz have been confirmed.

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Q50 Cent, after committing to bringing G-Unit Studios to Shreveport, Louisiana, will bring a music and comedy festival to the city this August.

The rapper told his almost 33 million followers on social media that from August 8 to 11, he will present The Humor & Harmony Festival in Shreveport. He said more than 29,000 people have already registered for the planned festivities.

“You don’t want to miss this over 29,000 people have registered already go to Humor HarmonyWeekend.Com 💣Boom💨 36,000 Super Bowl of comedy, music. Wait till you see who’s confirmed 🤦 @humorharmonyshreveport @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi“

 

 

 

 

 

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The Shreveport Times reported that the festival will include comedians, music shows, classic car shows, and a scheduled celebrity basketball tournament. Some of the high-profile talent announced for the weekend include Katt Williams, DC Young Fly, 2 Chainz, Tank, Monifah, Ray J, Bill Bellamy, Jeremih, French Montana, DaBaby, and Lavell Crawford.

The Live Rich or Die Trying star promised fans that the festival will be “Super Bowl Big” as he anticipates 60,000 heads to come out that weekend.

“Of course I’m confirmed, I’m gonna turn Shreveport all the way up. I’ll have 🤨60,000 people out there 😆I’m laughing but I’m serious. LOL @humorharmonyshreveport @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi“

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

The Power executive has been well-received in Shreveport since it was reported that the entrepreneurial lyricist obtained a lease for the city-owned studio, once known as Millennium Studios, for an annual cost of $2,400.

After a unanimous vote from the city council to approve giving the G-Unit boss a lease for the property, 50 inked a deal to manage the building maintenance with a 30-year lease that has an option to renew for another 15 years.

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• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 20, 2024

Georgia Woman Awarded $1.2M After Being Hit By Walmart Employee With Shopping Cart

The incident caused injuries to Tammy Callihan's neck and back.

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A woman who was hit with a shopping cart by an employee while she was at a Walmart in Georgia was recently awarded $1.2 million after filing a lawsuit against the retail giant.

According to WSB-TV, Atlanta resident Tammy Callihan was awarded the money after the 2020 incident at the Walmart in Jasper, Georgia. The altercation caused injuries to her neck and back. It also aggravated a prior disc herniation that required Callihan to have spinal surgery.

“We’re pleased the jury recognized the impact the severe injuries had on Ms. Callihan’s life,” said Morgan & Morgan attorney Robert Fickett in a written statement. “She now experiences daily, recurrent pain that limits the activities of her daily life, including holding her grandchildren and walking her dog. I’m proud we were able to secure justice for our client and provide her with some peace of mind as she moves forward with her life.”

Before the jury decided, Callihan’s attorneys allegedly declined Walmart’s highest settlement offer of $350,000.

Reuters has reported that Walmart recently agreed to pay $1.64 million to settle charges that its New Jersey stores used illegal pricing practices. The Attorney General of New Jersey, Matthew Platkin, said the settlement was the largest won by the Office of Weights and Measures of the state Division of Consumer Affairs. It includes a $1.62 million civil fine.

“As the price of grocery items continues to rise,” Platkin said, “this settlement sends a clear message that New Jersey will not allow retailers to engage in unlawful pricing practices that deny shoppers the ability to easily compare prices to figure out which product is a better buy.”

• Legal

by Shanique Yates

June 20, 2024

Heartbreak in Massachusetts: 15-Year-Old Killed; 21-Year-Old Boyfriend Charged with Murder

Ahliana Dicke, a 15-year-old from Massachusetts, was fatally shot in her home, leading to the arrest of her 21-year-old boyfriend, Trevor Bady.

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Ahliana Dicke never made it to her middle school graduation on Friday, June 14. Instead, her grandmother found her lying lifeless on the floor of their family home in Massachusetts from apparent gunshot wounds. She was only 15 years old.

An investigation by the Lowell Police Department led to the arrest of 21-year-old Trevor Bady in after discovering that someone had broken into her home shortly after midnight on Friday, shooting her multiple times.

After Dicke’s family realized she was not present for her graduation, they were worried and began searching. They returned home to find her dead. At 6:10 p.m., Dicke’s grandmother alerted police that her body had been found on the floor of a bedroom in the family’s home. Several shell casings were found at the scene of the crime.

According to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Lowell Police Superintendent Greg Hudon, the Massachusetts teen had been “in an abusive relationship” with Bady. Close friends and family referred to him as the her boyfriend.

“I was on the phone with her last night,” Skyla Guthrie told reporters the day after her friend was killed. “Still in disbelief. She was happy… a positive person.” Guthrie also recalled how her friend was excited to turn over a new leaf with plans to enter high school and “do bright things in life.”

Police and prosecutors report that just after midnight on Friday, police received a phone call with a tip that a male and female had been fighting across the street. Per the source, the female could be heard yelling, “Get off me, get away from me; I don’t want to be with you anymore.” The caller also recalled hearing gunshots.

When police arrived, neither the male nor the female were found. However, surveillance video in the area captured the female, later identified as Dicke, yelling for help and the male, soon identified as Bady, leaving the home.

According to reports, Bady took an Uber to and from Dicke’s home before and after the killing. A driver for the company revealed that “he had had a suspicious passenger and expressed concern,” according to prosecutors. Bady was soon confirmed as that person.

Bady was arrested on Monday, June 17, at a home roughly 30 miles southeast of where Dicke was killed. He has charged with murder as well as “felony armed home invasion, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, use of a firearm while committing a felony, and discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a building.”

He is set to be arraigned in Lowell’s District Court on Tuesday.

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• Women

by Stacy Jackson

June 20, 2024

Oprah Celebrates Stanford University Graduate, OWLA Alum, Dr. Bongeka Zuma

The Stanford grad is part of the inaugural class at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, established in 2007.

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Media mogul Oprah Winfrey recently attended a momentous occasion at Stanford University, celebrating the graduation of Bongeka Zuma, an alumna from Winfrey’s Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Winfrey shared her elation on Instagram with a slideshow of photos and videos with Zuma, who graduated as a Doctor of Medicine. “One of the great joys of my life was to see her walk across that stage!” the “Selma” actress wrote. “Knowing where she’s come from…and how strongly she believed in becoming a doctor…She never gave up.”

Zuma’s journey began in KwaZulu-Natal, leading her to be part of the inaugural class at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, established in 2007 in Henley-on-Klip. According to Winfrey’s official website, the tuition-free boarding school on a 52-acre campus boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including a high-tech computer lab, wellness center, and library housing thousands of books. Recognizing the challenging backgrounds of many students, Winfrey implemented a robust support network of educators, psychologists, and social workers.

Prior to her Stanford accomplishment, Zuma graduated summa cum laude from Spelman College and earned a master’s degree from Oxford University. Winfrey, who has attended 22 graduations for her “daughter-girls” from the Leadership Academy, noted, “This one was extra special.”

In a 2012 episode of “Oprah’s Great Expectations,” Zuma reflected on the pressure to excel. “I guess when you bring girls…from all over South Africa…you bring girls who have been number one at their schools…competing to want to be great.” In the video posted on OWN‘s YouTube channel, Winfrey addressed her first class of future graduates ahead of their final exams. She challenged the students to fulfill the highest expressions of themselves as human beings, “nothing small.”

Sunday’s graduation ceremony was a joyous affair for Dr. Zuma. The Stanford grad was surrounded by friends, fellow OWLAG sisters, and professors. Winfrey concluded her Instagram tribute with heartfelt congratulations to the new graduate.

RELATED CONTENT: Oprah Winfrey Down Bad Due To ‘Serious’ Stomach Flu, Gayle King Reveals

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 20, 2024

Chris Rock, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold To Reprise ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ Roles In Animated Series

'Everybody Still Hates Chris' will premiere later this year on Comedy Central.

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Chris Rock, Terry Crews, and Tichina Arnold will reprise their roles from Everybody Hates Chris for a new animated series, Everybody Still Hates Chris.

Coming to Comedy Central later this year, the new animated version of the 2000s live-action comedy sees Rock return as narrator and executive producer and Arnold and Crews reprise their roles as Chris’ parents, Variety reports.

New cast members include Tim Johnson Jr., who plays young Chris; Ozioma Akagha, who plays Chris’ feisty little sister, Tonya; Terrence Little Gardenhigh, who plays Drew, the “golden child” of the family; and Gunnar Sizemore, who plays Greg, Chris’s only friend at school who’s “girl obsessed.”

CBS Studios, Chris Rock Enterprises, and 3 Arts Entertainment will produce the half-hour animated series “inspired by his (Rock) experience growing up as a skinny nerd in a large working-class family in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, during the late 1980s,” according to a logline. Crews reprises his memorable role as Chris’ father, Julius, “who is a gentle giant with a relentless work ethic and cheap. Growing up dirt poor, he knows the cost of everything down to the penny. He works two jobs to support the family, and on his days off, he takes on a third job.”

Arnold returns as Rochelle, Chris’ mother, “who is smart, strong-willed, and has a nurturing spirit, but she can also be hot-headed, especially when it comes to her kids. She tolerates zero nonsense, so she quits more jobs in a month than most people do in a lifetime.”

“I’m very excited to introduce the world to another funny side of my childhood,” Rock said.

“I wanted this job to get free tickets to a Chris Rock stand-up show, but we ended up making something we’re proud of that is true to the original series we all loved,” showrunner/exec producer Sanjay Shah added.

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