• Sports

by Daniel Johnson

October 14, 2024

NBA TV’s Sam Mitchell And Chris Miles Claim They’re All Good After Weird Interaction During Broadcast

NBA TV co-hosts Sam Mitchell and Chris Miles appeared to get into a heated back and forth during a segment during the network's broadcast of the pre-season tilt between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings

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NBA TV co-hosts Sam Mitchell and Chris Miles appeared to get into a heated back and forth during a segment during the network’s broadcast of the pre-season tilt between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings on an Oct. 11 episode of NBA TV’s NBA Gametime Live.

According to Awful Announcing, their row started after a discussion about the fact that the coaches of the United States Men’s National Basketball Team do not receive medals for accomplishments in the Olympics, unlike the players.

Mitchell, a former NBA player, assistant, and head coach, commented that the lack of medals or other compensation for coaches reflected how devalued coaches are on the international stage.

Miles decided to rib his co-host, telling Mitchell “I’m surprised coaches get a paycheck for this show. I think like, maybe you should do this pro bono, my friend.”

Mitchell retorted, “You know, last time I looked at my check, it’s pretty close. So hey, I’m taking donations.”

Mitchell continued, “Why don’t you come up off some of that money you got? Since you’re over there bragging about it.”

Miles laughed and said, “I’m not bragging about it.”

Mitchell continued ragging Miles, “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you rent your beach house out, down in Florida, during the hurricane? Or do I need to go on? How ’bout your townhouse?”

Miles seemed taken aback, but still laughing, asked his co-host, “Hey, what’s going on here, Sam?”

Mitchell was only too happy to answer that question, telling Miles “You wanna call me out, I mean, come on. You screaming broke and hungry. Let’s just see it. You know, I know what you have and where you live, young fella. So you need to stop.”

The segment, of course, generated a lot of buzz on Twitter, with some insinuating that the two men have beef. Miles, however, posted a video of himself going to Mitchell’s house and made it a point to emphasize that he and Mitchell are good friends.

According to Foot Boom, Mitchell told reporter Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson that the address he mentioned on the show was made up.

“Chris and I were joking, and the address is one that I made up in my head,” Mitchell said. “I can’t confirm whether that address even exists. He knows that’s not my address. For anyone to think I’d actually know another man’s rental property address is ridiculous. It was purely a joke. Chris was laughing, and I was laughing. Case closed.”

Miles also told Robinson that there were no hard feelings between the men after the segment.

“We saw the stir online and were caught off guard,” Miles said. “We’re not just colleagues; we’re also neighbors and friends. This is just our way of joking with one another. It’s shocking that this escalated online. All is well!”

RELATED CONTENT: NBA Inks Deals With Several Networks, Ending TNT Partnership

• Celebrity News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 14, 2024

Hollywood’s 1st Black Stuntwoman And Founder Of The NAACP Image Awards Toni Vaz Dies At Age 101

Vaz established the NAACP Image Awards to help recognize Black talent across Hollywood.

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Toni Vaz, the actor and stunt performer who founded the NAACP Image Awards, died on Oct. 4. Vaz was 101 years old.

A spokesperson confirmed to Deadline that Vaz died at the Motion Picture Fund campus in Los Angeles. While born and raised in New York City, Vaz moved in adulthood to begin her career in Hollywood. However, it was during her years of auditioning that she discovered stunt work. Breaking barriers for Black women in stunts, Vaz went on to stand in for Cicely Tyson for her role in Mission: Impossible, alongside other acclaimed actresses like Eartha Kitt and Juanita Moore. The adrenaline rush led her to perform across the world, garnering over 20,000 hours of experience and more than 50 screen credits.

Her next major accomplishment established a ceremony to uplift and celebrate the achievements of Black people. At the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1967, Vaz’s idea came to life, and the NAACP Image Awards commenced. Through highlighting talented Black individuals, the event also encouraged studios and producers to look toward the Black community for new creative projects.

The Image Awards celebrated its founder during its 50th anniversary in 2019. Its host, Anthony Anderson, noted how Vaz took action to ensure Black creatives had a platform to be honored.

“We have a remarkable woman to thank for it all,” explained Anderson. ” [Vaz] was saddened by the quality of roles given to Black actors. So she took action. She joined the NAACP’s Hollywood branch and helped to develop an idea for an awards show that would feature us in the best way possible. She and others fought to change our image, and thus the NAACP Image Award [was] born.”

Vaz later received the Image Awards’ Founders Award in 2021. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown also spoke of Vaz’s determination to shed light on Black Hollywood.

“At a time when there were severely limited roles available to Black talent in Hollywood, a determined actress saw an opportunity to showcase our work and change the perception of African Americans in the entertainment industry,” expressed Brown. “That’s when the NAACP Image Awards was born… It gave us a platform to see each other the way we see ourselves.”

For her accomplishment in stunts, The Black Stuntmen’s Association honored Vaz in a 2006 tribute. While acknowledging that the work accrued little pay during the bulk of her career, she emphasized that Black stunt performers are “doing much better” as the times have changed.

Vaz became a lifelong member and active participant in the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Multiple fund programs documented her career, including an episode of Behind the Silver Screen. Her life story was also captured in the Fund’s “Reel Stories, Real Lives” event, aptly told by multi-Image Award winner Angela Bassett.

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On Instagram, actress Sherri Shepherd also expressed her condolences regarding the iconic stuntwoman’s death.

“Today, I honor the remarkable life and legacy of Toni Vaz, a true trailblazer who paved the way for so many in the entertainment industry. As the founder of the NAACP Image Awards, Toni dedicated her life to celebrating Black excellence and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities. Her work as a pioneering stuntwoman broke barriers, showing the world the strength and grace of Black women in film,” she captioned the post. “Toni lived an incredible 101 years, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire generations. I am deeply moved by her achievements and even more honored to be the 2025 Hollywood Walk of Fame Class with Miss Toni. Thank you, Miss Toni, for your courage, your vision, and your unwavering commitment to progress. You will always be remembered.”

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Vaz’s legacy will remain ingrained in entertainment with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year for her groundbreaking work in film.

• News

by Daniel Johnson

October 14, 2024

Two Descendants Of Enslavers Fund Basic Income Program As Form Of ‘Reparations’ In Louisiana

Since November 2023, each recipient selected by the project has received $1,000 a month.

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Two siblings and descendants of enslavers who operated successful cotton mills in North Carolina, Buck and Gracie Close, are privately funding a basic income program in Louisiana. The program is designed to transfer wealth from them to victims of racist policing, which they see as reparations.

According to Business Insider, the program is part of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana under its Truth and Reconciliation Project. That project selected 12 individuals who, per the ACLU of Louisiana’s website, were “survivors of police misconduct who did not receive restitution in the courts.”

Since November 2023, each recipient selected by the project has received $1,000 a month, free financial coaching, mental health counseling, and legal expungement services. October 2024 is the last month for the payments, but the services are set to continue until at least November 2025.

According to the siblings, they were raised with the understanding that their family treated the people they enslaved with kindness, but they have since questioned that narrative.

As Gracie, who is based in Washington state, told the outlet, “We were raised with the myth of the Old South and how wonderful everybody was, and kind, and family-like with the slaves that they did hold.”

Buck told the outlet that it was a 2019 meeting with Maggy Baccinelli, a senior director with the Louisiana ACLU, that prompted him to focus on what his family was responsible for.

“She started talking about the roots of your generational wealth. She brought the subject up, and that was the spark, really, for me,” Buck said. “I was very acquainted with racism and the evils of that. But I never focused on the history of my own family.”

Buck continued, “I don’t think my mother and father hid anything from us. I think this was just the milieu of the South at that time. Nobody was questioning the methods by which ancestors had become prosperous.”

According to Baccinelli, the ACLU had begun “discussing what it would be like to go deeper into the family history and to study the arc of slavery to mass incarceration and overlay the family history onto that arc. We presented to Buck our idea about it, and he agreed, and he said that he wanted to invite his sister, Gracie, to participate.”

Gracie agreed and told Business Insider that it’s not about guilt, but responsibility. “It is time to spread the wealth and admit responsibility for our ancestors’ participation in slavery,” Gracie said. “To work for justice today, we have to consider our past.”

According to Buck, a guaranteed basic income fit what the siblings wanted to do.

“Our goal is to try to transfer wealth gained by us through the enslavement of others to descendants of the enslaved. So it fits that marker pretty well,” Buck said.

The siblings connected the benefits of their present-day luxury with the institution of slavery in a November 2023 Newsweek op-ed.

“For us, the benefits of slavery have not ended. They are a very real part of our day-to-day lives. The institution of slavery allows us to have high incomes without having to work. It allows us the luxury of feeling secure in our lives. In contrast, the descendants of the people owned by our ancestors have had the opposite experience. Many experience poverty, and all experience structural racism, especially those in the South,” they wrote.

The siblings concluded, encouraging others who benefit from a family legacy of enslavement to follow their lead.

“The decision to take this first step was not a hard one. People in similar positions as ourselves may be afraid to ask questions about their own history because they are afraid of the answers. But we have asked those questions and did not find anything to fear. Today, we encourage those of you whose families share our history as enslavers to consider doing the same. We have found joy in sharing our wealth and expect you will too.”

RELATED CONTENT: Groundbreaking New Orleans Program That Gives Teens $50 Per Week Expands

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 14, 2024

Jussie Smollett On His Return With Film ‘The Lost Holliday’: ‘Black Women Saved Me When I Felt Unlovable’

Smollett wrote, directed, and produced the family drama that stars Vivica A. Fox and was executive produced by Mona Scott-Young.

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Jussie Smollett is stepping back into the spotlight and expressing gratitude to the Black women who supported him through the difficult past five years.

Not much has been seen from the Empire star in recent years, following his hate crime hoax scandal in 2019. However, Smollett is boldly returning to the Hollywood scene amid the release of his new film, The Lost Holliday.

Smollett wrote, directed, and produced the family drama that stars Vivica A. Fox as Cassandra Marshall, a grieving mother who travels to Los Angeles to arrange the funeral of her estranged son, Damien Holliday (Jabari Redd). To her surprise, she discovers that the funeral is already being organized by Damien’s husband, Jason Holliday (Jussie Smollett) — a man and marriage she was completely unaware of.

Through Jason, their adopted daughter Arielle (Londyn Carter), Jason’s sister Cheyenne (Brittany Hall), and his best friend Duck (Marquise Vilsón), Cassandra uncovers more about her son in death than she ever knew during his life.

With a seasoned actress leading his new film and Mona Scott-Young serving as executive producer, Smollett is speaking out about the film’s significance for both the LGBTQ+ and Black communities, as well as how it played a crucial role in his personal healing journey. Smollett also revealed that Fox and Scott-Young provided support beyond the screen, helping him navigate his depression when it nearly stopped him from releasing the powerful film.

“These women that would call me and Mona would see me like, ‘I don’t want to, I don’t want to go out. Like I feel weird. Like I don’t feel cute. I feel bad.’ And she’s like, ‘put on your pants and come out,'” Smollett shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“You know, same thing with Vivica. Vivica would call in just randomly. She wouldn’t call in when she would see something on blogs. She would call in regularly and just check on me and just make sure, ‘hey, nephew, I’m just making sure you [good]’ or just shoot a text.”

Smollett was inspired to write the film after seeing how forgiving his Black mother was toward his late father’s family despite how they shunned their interracial marriage decades ago.

“She was so forgiving and had such grace with his mother, my grandmother, and now 10 years later, they are the best of friends,” Smollett says about his mother and grandmother.

Witnessing his mother and grandmother reconcile inspired him to forgive his father after his death, despite the painful history they shared.

“It also helped me make amends in a huge way with my father, because there were certain things that were left unsaid when he passed away from both sides,” Smollet shared. “And looking at them being able to bond after all that they had been through, and all of the time that they had spent apart was really inspiring to me.”

But it wasn’t easy creating the movie. Smollett was battling his own personal turmoil after being convicted of staging a hate crime attack in Chicago in January 2019. In December 2021, Smollett was found guilty of five felony charges related to the hoax. On March 10, 2022, he was sentenced to 150 days in county jail and ordered to pay $120,106 in restitution for the extra hours Chicago police officers spent investigating his false reports.

Earlier this year, Smollett celebrated completing five months in rehab for substance abuse. He admitted himself after enduring an “extremely difficult past few years,” a source said at the time.

Following his high-profile criminal case, outpatient treatment, and ongoing efforts to contest his conviction and jail sentence, Smollett is eager to return to work. He expressed gratitude to Fox, Scott-Young, and all the Black women who have supported him throughout his life.

“I firmly believe that it’s better to say thank you too much than to not say it enough,” Smollet said. “And the way that they step up, there are no words.

Smollett continued. “It’s just further proof that every step of my life, before anybody knew who I was, before anybody knew my name, Black women who have been the ones that have guided me and have loved on me when the rest of the world was making me feel like I was completely unlovable.”

For Fox, Smollett is thankful in her agreeing to lead the film early on, before Smollett even had the project organized. Securing Fox early on helped Smollett properly promote the film and secure further backing. Additionally, Scott-Young used her power as a long executive in the entertainment to pull strings and get Smollett’s first film B-Boy Blues on BET+ and his newest film in theaters nationwide.

His mother also serves as an executive producer on the film, and it’s just a testament to the many Black women that have always lifted him up when he felt down.

“There’s a certain level of respect and love that I have for Black women that I can’t explain and that it doesn’t matter who you end up loving. If you can’t understand and respect the power and the grace that Black women bring to this entire world, then I don’t know what there is to talk about,” Smollett declared.

“And I’m living proof that I’m telling y ‘all, not in a dramatic way, not in a way trying to grab headlines. I would not physically be here if it were not for these women led by my mother, but these women that we’re talking to, guiding me, and loving on me in a way that I need it so badly.”

Press play to learn more about the “family” aspect of The Lost Holliday and how the film explores themes of family dynamics, grief, generational trauma, and the importance of acceptance all while celebrating LGBTQIA+ representation. The Lost Holliday was released in theaters on Sept. 27th.

RELATED CONTENT: Jussie Smollett Claims He Spent $3M On Appeal For Hate Crime Hoax

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 14, 2024

11-Year-Old Boy Confessed To Fatally Shooting Former Louisiana Mayor And His Daughter

An 11-year-old remains in police custody after fatally shooting two of his family members, including a former Mayor.

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Police arrested an 11-year-old boy who confessed to the fatal shooting of a former Louisiana mayor and his adult daughter last month. Now, new details are emerging of possible alleged misconduct by way of the slain city official.

The arrest followed the murders of Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, and Keisha Miles, 31, who were found dead inside the former politician’s home in Minden, Louisiana, on Sept. 1. The boy was a relative of Cornelius. Still, a motive has not been revealed due to the child’s age limiting what authorities could reveal about his relationship with the victims, Chief Jared McIver confirmed.

However, a video shared on social media by someone claiming to be related to the victims reportedly presents evidence of alleged sexual misconduct involving Cornelius and Miles. The family member alleges that Cornelius sexually abused Miles.

“This is the story of a mother having to fight for her life and a son realizing that even in her death, he can still tell her truth,” said celebrity publicist Chanel Hudson O’Conner, who’s representing the family member related to the two people killed in the shooting.

“This was a man that was reported by the news as a beloved city man; he was a beloved leader, member of the community, former mayor, his picture hangs in City Hall …” O’Conner said of Cornelius.

The family member who posted the video claims it shows a conversation between Cornelius and Miles during which he allegedly admits to having sexual encounters with his daughter.

“Obviously, if the 17-year-old individual, which is Keisha’s son, felt comfortable going to the police, he would have. But he did not feel comfortable,” O’Conner says.

The child is currently being held on two counts of first-degree murder, with bond set at $500,000. There was a six-year-old at the home who was not injured. Miles’ mother shared her heartbreak over the tragedy but stated she couldn’t say more due to police instructions.

Cornelius and Miles’ bodies were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds. McIver disclosed that two handguns were used in the attack and had been concealed on the property. Both weapons had emptied magazines, and their calibers matched the shell casings recovered from the scene.

Police were called to the property at 6:30 a.m., and by noon, the child had confessed to the murders. The 11-year-old told responding officers “a story at first that just didn’t add up,” McIver said before confessing to the shooting later that afternoon. Miles’ mother, the boy’s grandmother, was with the child at the time he confessed to the fatal shooting.

When asked how the child was able to access the firearms, McIver said, “We can’t divulge that just yet.” He also said the boy did not appear remorseful about committing the crime.

“What I would say would be remorseful — sadness, sorrowful, apology, crying — none of those things happened,” McIver said, noting that people grieve differently.

McIver says police have not received the video or any reports of sexual misconduct. The 11-year-old accused of killing Cornelius and Miles is set to appear in court in December.

“Nothing from that small clip confirms anything for us because, as you know, there’s a process,” McIver said about the video. “If that’s turned in as evidence, there’s a process in which we have to send that off and make sure that it’s not voice analysis or AI-generated.”

Cornelius was a community activist, a member of the City Council, and served as a deputy ward marshal for the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office. In 2013, following the death of the sitting mayor, he was appointed interim Mayor while on the City Council.

RELATED CONTENT: Pastor Killed After Allowing Parishioner To Temporarily Live At Church

• News

by Daniel Johnson

October 14, 2024

Derrick Thompson Convicted On Federal Charges In Connection To Fatal Crash

Thompson also faces state charges of criminal vehicular homicide and third-degree murder.

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On Oct. 11, Derrick Thompson, the son of former Minnesota state Rep. John Thompson, was found guilty of one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm as a felon, and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug crime, all federal charges.

According to CBS News, Thompson also faces state charges of criminal vehicular homicide and third-degree murder.

The murder charge was added in September after the Hennepin County Attorney’s office characterized Thompson’s actions as consistent with a “lengthy record of dangerous driving, the trail of devastation he’s left in his wake, and his conduct in this case.”

The June 2023 crash, which killed five people, happened because Thompson sped off I-35, ran a red light, and slammed into the vehicle carrying 17-year-old Sabiriin Ali, 20-year-old Sahra Gesaade, 20-year-old Salma Abdikadir, 19-year-old Sagal Hersi, and 19-year-old Siham Adam. All of the passengers were female.

Thompson was later arrested, and upon searching the vehicle, authorities found a loaded handgun with an extended magazine, over 2,000 fentanyl pills, cocaine, MDMA, (Ecstasy), and other paraphernalia, which triggered federal charges.

Thompson’s federal sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, Thompson remains in the Sherburne County Jail.

Although Thompson’s defense team tried to establish that the guns belonged to his brother, Damarco John Thompson, who was also in the vehicle and fled with his brother, Damarco Thompson has not been arrested or charged in connection with the crash.

Police recovered three phones in the vehicle, one belonging to each brother and another they shared. The phone which belonged to Derrick Thompson was discovered to have text and voice messages documenting illicit drug sales.

According to court records, in the crash, Thompson broke his hip but declined surgery before he was apprehended. Thompson also allegedly expressed remorse to a nurse at the hospital and made it clear to her that he was driving. Thompson also declined to attempt to run from the police after the crash.

Thompson was offered a plea deal in September that would have required him to plead guilty to between five and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide while causing the crash and fleeing the scene in exchange for dropping the other five charges of criminal vehicular homicide while operating a motor vehicle grossly or negligently.

Per the terms of the plea deal, Thompson would also have to serve between 32 and 38 years in prison. Approximately six months before the crash in Minneapolis, Thompson was released from jail.

RELATED CONTENT: Real-Life HTGAWM: White Woman Receives Probation After Mowing Down Anti-Gang Activist With Her Vehicle

• Health and Wellness

by Daniel Johnson

October 14, 2024

Dads To Doulas Founder Turns Grief Into Action, Advocates For Black Fathers’ Mental Health And Birthing Education

After his twins were born stillborn, Brad Edwards created programs designed to support and educate men about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care

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In 2017, Brad Edwards expected to become a father of twin boys. Instead, he and his partner experienced an incalculable loss, both of the babies were delivered stillborn. Edwards, like far too many men, initially compressed his feelings and buried them, but like a dam holding back a flood, eventually, he broke.

As Edwards told STLMag, he broke down in tears with his friends after talking with them about it as they watched a football game.

“I held any of the emotions I had from my experience for years, and it took one day, sitting in my basement with my friends watching football, to start having a conversation about it,” Edwards said.

“I started sobbing, and I couldn’t control my emotions. I just held everything in. I wanted to be there for my family, her family, her. I just never had the opportunity to talk and share what I was feeling and the guilt I felt from the not knowing—how I felt like I failed her and those two boys because I should have known better,” Edwards concluded.

Edwards eventually turned his pain and his tragedy into something positive, creating programs designed to support men with mental health as well as education about pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.

In 2020, Edwards’ work captured the attention of the St. Louis-based Dear Fathers, a platform created to share stories of Black fatherhood.

The platform had a concept in mind for Edwards; they wanted to create a mental health resource for Black folks impacted by the pandemic. Edwards agreed, and the platform’s launch coincided with his daughter Carielle’s birthday, May 18, 2020.

As Edwards told the outlet, “With [the COVID-19 pandemic], we saw there were going to be a lot more deficiencies in the Black and brown communities, and we also noticed that mental health was being talked about more than ever within the Black community,” Edwards said.

Following the success of that program, Edwards looked for additional ways to help educate Black fathers, eventually launching a free six-week program, Dads to Doulas in the summer of 2024. That program, he told STLMag, is close to his heart.

“Through my experience losing my twins, I realized that there was a lot I didn’t know, and there was a lot that I didn’t take the time to educate myself on,” Edwards said.

Edwards continued, “So by the time another opportunity came, when I was preparing to have my baby girl, I had become familiar with what a doula is. One of my good friends is a doula. I said, ‘Alright, I need you to help me create a playbook. What do I need to look for? What should her levels be? What should I be looking for with the placenta?’ So it was just a few different things I wanted to be educated on to make sure that I could be not only knowledgeable but also an advocate for her, because I know that Black women die at much higher rates (Black women die during childbirth three times more often) than any other race.”

That education ended up being critical for Edwards’ partner during the birthing process for Carielle. Although his partner didn’t necessarily want a doula as part of her plan, Edwards kept his friends who were doulas in the loop via a group chat.

As a result, Edwards said, it helped him while his partner had to return to the hospital for treatment for preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that is often characterized by high blood pressure, high levels of protein in urine, or other signs of organ damage. It is potentially fatal if left unchecked.

“I had never heard about preeclampsia or learned about it, but she (his partner) had to go back to the hospital because she was at stroke levels with preeclampsia. So my first 48 hours of my daughter being in the world when we came home, I had to do everything myself because her mom was back in the hospital with life-threatening blood-pressure issues going on,” Edwards shared.

Edwards continued, emphasizing that men become intimately involved in the birthing process.

“It’s very important for men to understand what that looks like for the mom, and how she just went through this whole traumatic situation, and that she really can’t understand why she feels the way she does because her hormones are all over the place. And that men also face postpartum depression. I think not only do we save lives in the delivery room, but we also save relationships in that postpartum phase of life.”

According to Edwards, it is vital that men, and Black men in particular, are motivated to help their partners through the birthing process.

Edwards explained, “I would love for us to be a real game-changer as it relates to health care and making sure that these families don’t ever have to suffer any of the same loss I did, if it can be avoided. I want people to understand that our shared experience should be shared. Every time I share my story with some brothers, that’s therapeutic for me. I don’t want us to be so tight-knit with our experiences that we’re not able to use that to empower not only ourselves but also someone else who needed to hear them.”

RELATED CONTENT: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Expands Doula Services Statewide To Combat ‘Unacceptable’ Black Maternal Mortality Rate

• Education

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 13, 2024

Interscope Geffen A&M Records Launches HBCU Initiative With ‘Homecoming SZN’ Album

The label will partner will multiple HBCUs for its 'Homecoming SZN' album campaign.

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Interscope Geffen A&M Records will launch an HBCU-focused initiative that will take place the next year. The label will partner with multiple HBCUs for its “Homecoming SZN” album campaign.

The initiative launches with the album Homecoming SZN Compilation Vol. 1, featuring songs from Interscope’s extensive catalog. The vinyl-only release includes hit tracks like Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Glorilla’s “TGIF,” and Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On,” along with two new songs from emerging artists.

“Historically Black Colleges and Universities have produced some of the most prominent figures in our country’s history,” shared Interscope Geffen A&M’s executive VP/head of urban marketing, Laura Carter, in a statement obtained by Billboard. “But HBCUs’ contributions to culture — especially music — have been especially profound. This is one of the many reasons why this compilation project is so important to the artists and executives at Interscope Geffen A&M Records. We want to deepen our ties with HBCUs nationwide and are excited to embark on this year-long journey.”  

The music will feature the homecomings of its partner institutions, which include Howard University, Tennessee State University, and Texas Southern University. Pop-ups led by students at these HBCUs will grant attendees the opportunity to listen to the project in person.

Black artist Laci Jordan designed the album covers, featuring artwork that symbolizes the HBCUs in this groundbreaking program. Interscope and Champion sportswear have also created apparel for each specific school, with proceeds from every purchase benefiting the universities.

Moreover, Interscope and its overarching Universal Music Group will create scholarships for prospective interns from HBCUs. In building a pipeline to the music industry, they will also develop mentorship opportunities with HBCU grads to alumni employees. Activations are also underway for next spring, alongside new partnerships with more HBCUs.

“We’re excited to showcase this partnership that reflects our commitment to student success and community engagement. The contributions from Interscope Records empower our students to pursue their dreams. Together, we’re cultivating an environment where creativity, entrepreneurship,and tradition flourish as we celebrate Texas Southern University’s 97 years of rich legacy,” added Charlie Coleman III, Associate VP for development and alumni engagement.

As homecoming season continues across all HBCUs, Interscope intends to make this next year even more beneficial for diverse students.

RELATED CONTENT: Kenya Barris Partners With Interscope To Launch Record Label + Secures ViacomCBS Deal

• News

by Daniel Johnson

October 13, 2024

University Of North Carolina Wide Receiver Tylee Craft Dies From Lung Cancer

The college athlete had been battling a rare lung cancer since 2022.

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Tylee Craft, a 23-year-old wide receiver at the University of North Carolina, died on Oct. 12 following his battle with cancer.

According to a press release shared by UNC, he fought against the disease for two years.

Head football coach Mack Brown said in a statement that Craft lived beyond the expectations of his doctors.

“This young man fought so hard for his two-and-a-half years, the doctors told us he outlived what he should’ve. And he did it with the Spirit, he did it with a smile on his face, he didn’t miss a meeting, he didn’t miss practice, he coached these other young people. I mean, he’s just an incredible young person.”

Brown also described the emotions during a tribute to Craft at the end of the first quarter of the Tar Heels game against Georgia Tech.

“I usually hide my emotions the best I can, because I need to, because I have to be somebody else. And that team and Tylee were bigger than my feelings, so I had to go back and make sure that…I mean J.J. Jones was crying, there were kids crying when I walked back down there,” Brown said.

Brown continued, “You kick into a mode of doing whatever you need to do at that time to make it. I thought we were going to score and win the game. I thought what a wonderful tribute that would be to Tylee, even though I didn’t know that he had passed at that time. If we’d won the game, they would have been so high and celebrating it was going to be such a downer when we told them that they had lost their friend. It’s a hard thing either way.”

The game at UNC’s Kenan Stadium was already dedicated to Craft, as it was designated a Cancer Awareness Game in honor of his fight against a rare form of lung cancer.

In 2022, the same year he was diagnosed with lung cancer, Craft received the Disney Spirit Award, awarded to the most inspirational figure in collegiate football. Jones, whom coach Brown mentioned, wore Craft’s number 13 jersey and scored a touchdown in the game.

Although the Tar Heels went on to lose the game 34-41, the players, in the spirit of cancer awareness, according to their coach, took the extra step of calling someone and dedicating their season, their practice, and their classwork to them.

The University of North Carolina also shared a link to a GoFundMe fundraiser for Craft’s care, which had raised $81,841 towards its goal of $100,000 at the time of writing.

According to the fundraiser, “Tylee Craft is an extraordinary young man who has been bravely battling a rare form of cancer, stage 4 large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung, since March 14, 2022. This aggressive cancer has spread to his liver, brain, and spine, yet Tylee remains a beacon of hope and positivity for everyone around him.”

The university posted its own statement on Twitter, thanking Craft’s supporters. “It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side,” the university stated.

The University of North Carolina continued, “Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity.”

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• Celebrity News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 13, 2024

Atlanta Radio Host And Comedian Wanda Smith Dies A Day After Her Birthday

Smith was an influential figure within Atlanta's media and entertainment sphere.

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A popular radio show host and comedian in Atlanta, Wanda Smith, has died a day after her birthday. Her former radio station, V-103, confirmed the news.

Smith, 59, was an influential figure within Atlanta’s media and entertainment sphere, with her voice heard across the city through V-103’s popular Frank Ski and Wanda In the Morning show. V-103’s Senior Vice President, Rick Caffey, expressed the station’s condolences in an Instagram post upon the news of Smith’s unexpected passing.

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“Our hearts are weighing heavier today as we grieve the loss of our beloved Wanda Smith, someone who always made us smile and who was a big part of V-103 for years,” wrote Caffey. “We extend our deepest prayers and condolences to her family.”

He added, “In her role at V-103, dating back to 1997, Wanda Smith brought so much joy and care servicing the Atlanta community. Wanda’s impact touched lives beyond making us laugh… Many times she championed efforts behind the scenes to make a difference in the lives of those who were without.”

According to Fox 5, Smith started her long-time show with co-host Frank Ski a year after working at V-103. The duo remained on air throughout two decades. However, Smith abruptly left the program in 2019 following her blow-up with Katt Williams while the comedian appeared on the radio program in 2018. Their banter quickly escalated to an exchange of brutal insults, most directed at Smith.

The incident swiftly went viral for Williams’ verbal attack on Smith. The two confronted each other again that weekend, leading the police to get involved. Despite this, her hosting chops also accompanied her comedy career, once working as a writer for Def Comedy Jam.

Throughout her career, Smith still cracked jokes in her weekly set at the Atlanta Comedy Theater. Smith also appeared in multiple Tyler Perry films, including Madea Goes to Jail and Madea’s Witness Protection.

To honor her legacy, V-103 paid tribute to Smith’s impact during their Sunday morning Praise program with Larry Tinsley. The radio station also encouraged listeners to tune in and call to speak on their stories about the acclaimed radio host.

“Rest In Peace Wanda, as You take your place among the Stars,” concluded Caffey. “We will Miss You.”

A cause of death has yet to be revealed to the public.

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