Lauryn Hill, the miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill, music, Apple Music, Jazz in the Gardens Festival

by Shanique Yates

May 23, 2024

Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation’ Crowned ‘Greatest Album Of All Time’

Hill has said a new studio album is coming soon.

Apple Music has named Lauryn Hill’s neo-soul and R&B masterpiece, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the greatest album of all time.

Hill’s only solo studio album topped Apple Music’s inaugural 100 Best Albums of All Time list. The 10-day countdown began last week. Five artists—Beyoncé, The Beatles, Prince, Radiohead, and Stevie Wonder—had two albums on the list.

Members of Apple Music’s internal team submitted their personal list of projects by way of the company’s voting microsite. Votes were then weighted according to the album’s placement on the list. Thus, the higher a body of work was ranked, the more votes were assigned.

https://twitter.com/AppleMusic/status/1793266513618915830

The same voting method was used for a select group of artists, songwriters, producers, and a handful of media members who served as external participants.

“This list isn’t a popularity contest,” Ebro Darden, global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B for Apple Music, told The Associated Press. “We challenged everyone to not vote based on your favorites. You’re invited into the panel because you have music knowledge beyond what you listen to when you’re on the elliptical machine.”

Released on August 25, 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill debuted just one year after Hill’s group, The Fugees, disbanded following the success of their 1996 multi-platinum sophomore album, The Score.

Inspired by Carter G. Woodson’s 1933 book, The Mis-Education of the Negro and the 1974 film, The Education of Sonny Carson, HIll’s album is a reflection of personal progression, featuring lyrics inspired by the singer’s relationship with Rohan Marley, her pregnancy with their son, Zion, as well as tension within The Fugees at the time.

The album features fan favorites like “Nothing Even Matters,” featuring D’Angelo, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor,” and a host of other songs where Hill bears her heart and soul to the world.

In a 2021 Rolling Stone interview, Hill said the motivation behind the album was to exceed the success of The Score as well as separating herself from fellow Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean, citing lack of support for her solo endeavor.

“This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative that involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love,” said Hill after hearing the news of topping the top 100 list.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is also featured in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024. HIll received 10 nominations and five wins from that album, making her the first woman to receive that many nominations and awards in one night.

As for her highly-anticipated sophomore studio album, Hill told TMZ it will be released “soon.” She has released a live album and a compilation album.

RELATED CONTENT: Lauryn Hill Says Third Album Coming ‘Soon’

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2024

NYC Council Proposes New Bill To Remove Squatters And Help Them Find Housing

A New York City councilwoman introduced a new bill aimed at combatting the city's squatting issues.

A New York City councilwoman has introduced a new bill aimed at combatting the city’s squatting issues.

Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (D-North Shore) introduced new legislation on Thursday, May 16, which aims to launch a task force that would remove squatters and help them find legal housing, SI Live reported. If passed, the FDNY, NYPD, and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) would remove squatters and work with abandoned property owners to make sure the locations don’t attract more squatters.

“This bill would create an interagency taskforce to address issues regarding squatting in the city, including the removal of persons squatting on properties, helping them find legitimate housing,” Hanks said.

The legislation also takes on growing concern over NYC’s lenient laws on squatting. In New York, there is a policy where someone who has been able to successfully illegally occupy a property for 30 days or more is now entitled to “Squatter’s Rights.”

In April, New York lawmakers voted to change a property law stating that “a tenant should not include a squatter.” The vote came after a homeowner was detained for changing the locks to prevent a squatter from subletting her home.

In NYC, the process to evict an accused squatter can take time and make for a burdensome legal process. It currently takes an average of 20 months for an eviction case to be resolved in New York City, according to the Rent Stabilization Association.

If Hanks’ bill is passed it will also help owners clarify ownership of properties that aren’t currently occupied.

The legislation will “Identify properties where people are or might be squatting, communicating with the owners of abandoned properties to ensure that such properties do not remain abandoned, and notifying the owners of abandoned properties of their obligation to maintain such properties, and enforcing that obligation.”

Giancarlo Esposito, Italian, New York, memoir, book, publishing

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 23, 2024

Giancarlo Esposito Revisits Iconic Scene From ‘Do the Right Thing’ 35 Years Later

Giancarlo Esposito recreated his iconic Jordan shoe scuff scene from "Do the Right Thing" 35 years after the film's release.

Giancarlo Esposito recreated his iconic Jordan shoe scuff scene from “Do the Right Thing” 35 years after the film’s release.

The “Breaking Bad” star recently teamed up with NBA Shooting Coach Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews to revive one of the more popular scenes from Spike Lee’s 1989 cult classic “Do the Right Thing.”

Esposito tapped back into his character, “Buggin’ Out,” to show a new generation why the movie scene was so memorable.

Matthews recreated the scene to give Esposito flowers for his 40+ years of acting and appearances in projects that resonate with diverse audiences.

Matthews tweeted, “35years later, Buggin Out still getting his Jordan’s scuffed!!🤣🤣🤣.” “Giancarlo Esposito is a living legend we don’t give his flowers to enough. We love you, brother.👏🏾”

“YO! Still mad about that guy scuffing my Jordans. Always a blast with you brother @LethalShooter__,” Esposito tweeted in response.

YO! Still mad about that guy scuffing my Jordans. Always a blast with you brother @LethalShooter__
— Giancarlo Esposito (@quiethandfilms) May 21, 2024

The two-time Critics Choice Award winner reiterated every line of the popular scene, including Buggin’ Out’s infamous “YO” and “You Stepped on my brand new white Air Jordans that I just bought!”

“What you doing in my neighborhood? On my block. On my side of the street?!” Esposito recited.

After telling his opposition to “go back to Massachusetts,” the Jordan scuffer said, “I was born in Louisiana.”

“Awwwwwwww,” Esposito and his crew shouted back.

The comical scene was a complete re-do of Esposito’s Jordan scuff scene 35 years earlier, which Lee used to tackle the issue of gentrification in Brooklyn, New York. In the original scene shot with John Savage, Esposito’s Buggin’ Out confronts the white male who destroyed his Air Jordans with his bicycle.

When the white male informs Buggin’ Out that he owns the brownstone building they were arguing in front of, Buggin’ Out tells him to “go back to Massachusetts.” The only thing is that the white male was born and raised in Brooklyn.

It has been decades since Esposito’s role in “Do the Right Thing,” but he still recalls how impactful the film was to him.

“My background is half-Italian and in those days, being a lighter-skinned Black man, I couldn’t get cast as a white person or a Black person,” Esposito told The Guardian in 2014.

“So I was playing Spanish roles. This follows me to this day: a lot of people are shocked to realize Buggin’ Out and Gus Fring [from Breaking Bad] are the same person. So Spike gave me the opportunity to play Black. During the scene with John Savage, when he steps on my new sneakers, Spike said: “It’s good, but you talk too fast; you gotta slow it down a little.” I said: “Buggin’ Out talks fast!” I got the vote of confidence from Spike to do the role how I wanted to.”

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 23, 2024

New Study Investigates Why More Black Woman Are Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

Finally getting some answers....

Researchers launched a new study to find the reasoning behind a rise in Black women being diagnosed with breast cancer.

There have been a number of studies identifying how genetics play a part in someone’s risk of breast cancer, however, those studies focus primarily on people with European ancestry, leaving questions for Black people. The team from Nature Genetics published a study on the disease in nearly 40,000 people of African descent.

The study gathered data from 30 different studies that investigated breast cancer in Black people. It was revealed that out of 40,000 people, 18,000 had breast cancer, compared to the 22,000 with healthy results.

“Before we started this study in 2016, there were just several thousand cases for Black Americans. It was a very small number,” said Wei Zheng, the study’s senior investigator and a cancer epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University.

Through these findings, researchers were able to gather genetic data for specific variations that were closely related to breast cancer, coming up with two key ideas.

Twelve loci, also known as locations in the genome, showed a significant association with breast cancer. The team went further to identify variants of three genes that seemingly correlate to a risk increase of triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive subtypes.

Since most people have two copies or alleles of each gene, it’s likely someone could have anywhere between one and six risk-related alleles of these three genes. Study participants who had all six risk-related alleles had approximately double the chance of getting triple-negative breast cancer over those with three.

The good news is the revelations can help scientists and medical professionals predict who is prone to have this aggressive form of breast cancer, as well as a chance to better understand the biology of triple-negative breast cancer with genes being in the spotlight. “Finally, we have enough data to drill down to estrogen-negative and triple-negative breast cancer, which are twice as common in the African American population as any other population,” fellow study author and cancer researcher at Boston University Julie Palmer said.

The other variation was found after researchers used the same data to build a breast cancer risk prediction model for Black people, taking a look at different genetic variants that can add greater breast cancer risks.

All the variants were bundled into a polygenic risk score, once always performing better for white people than Black people in the past. Polygenic risk scores have an AUC, a measure of the model’s performance, of close to 0.63 for white people, in comparison to 0.58 for people with African ancestry.

Similar studies are being conducted by the American Cancer Society (ACS). Their study, Voices of Black Women, according to ABC News, aims to uncover why Black women have increasingly high rates of cancer. Launched on May 7, the study is being labeled as the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women in the United States.

ACS’s senior vice president of population science, Dr. Alpa Patel, said the study will collect data on 100,000 Black women — ranging between ages 25 and 55 — over a 30-year time span. Data will be collected from various elements, including medical history, income, environment, and lifestyle. “We will really build a relationship and go on a journey with these women over the next several decades, learning about their lived experiences and collecting information along the way from participants,” Patel said.

Data already gathered from the ACS found Black women are more likely to die of cancer than other women, regardless of the stage of cancer when diagnosed, and before they turn 50.

Black women are twice as likely to die of a breast cancer diagnosis than white women.

by Ida Harris

May 23, 2024

ACURA Rolls Out Its 11th Annual Shorty Fest And Luxury Electric Vehicle In The Big Easy

The Fest brought Jazz lovers from far and near to Uptown New Orleans

These days, ACURA is doing far more than releasing stylish motor vehicles that come fully equipped with the latest automotive technology. The brand is also doing much good in the hood. Timed alongside the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, ACURA presented its hallmark event, the 11th Annual Shorty Fest, in partnership with the Trombone Shorty Foundation. The Fest brought Jazz lovers from far and near to Uptown New Orleans to indulge in a “Cultural Block Party” open and free to the public. There was also some good fried chicken and jambalaya rice from Jacques-Imo, and some damn good performances from the Mardi Gras Indians, high school marching bands, and local brass bands. The event transitioned into New Orleans’ historic Jazz Club Tipitina’s for a night of entertainment that included Sun Ra Arkestra, Galactic featuring Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, students from the Trombone Shorty Academy, and New Orleans sixth ward’s own Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue.

Acura, trombone shorty festival

The Trombone Shorty Academy supports student musicians throughout the greater New Orleans region. Through its apprenticeship program, participants between the ages of 12 and 18 meet weekly and learn to become skillful at playing brass band instruments, mentorship, and access to career development and opportunities.

“The thumbprint and DNA of this program, in particular, is based off of Troy (Trombone Shorty),” Ashley Shabankareh, director of operations and programs, told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“It’s really about the way in which he learned. So he’s really integral in the curriculum design in this process. He comes in for key moments throughout the year. For example, they all sit in with him during a set at Shorty Fest.”

Antonio Jakes, PR for Honda/ACURA, conceived of the partnership with the foundation several years ago after witnessing the magic that flows through the Trombone Shorty Foundation.

Festival weekend in the Big Easy was the perfect time for the big reveal of Acura’s new ZDX Type S. The sleek sports utility ride is the company’s first electric vehicle and is boasted to be the most powerful Acura produced with 500 horsepower and 544 pounds of “maximum torque” to open up on the highways. Drivers will get in roughly 325 miles before needing to charge.

Acura, ZDX TYPE S — Photo by Katie Sikora

Be clear—Acura’s ZDX Type S is a luxury car; several highlights concretize this. The base price point is $64,500 but may qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit; the Acura EV mobile app identifies charging stations, Built-in Google Maps app supports turn-by-turn navigation, the purchasing experience is fully customizable and on top of all that it looks good. Check it out for yourself:

Uncle Nearest, Square One Organic Spirits

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 22, 2024

Whiskey Brand Uncle Nearest Acquires Square One Organic Spirits

With the acquisition of Square One, Uncle Nearest now has a vodka brand under its umbrella.

Uncle Nearest has announced that it has acquired Square One Organic Spirits as One Organic company celebrates its 20th anniversary of debuting as America’s Original All-Organic Spirits Company.

The move comes after Uncle Nearest acquired Domaine Saint Martin, which has existed for over 350 years, last year. With that acquisition, Uncle Nearest became the city’s largest owner of Grande Champagne vineyards. Now, it has added vodka under its umbrella. Square One became the first company dedicated to making exclusively USDA-certified organic spirits when it came out in 2004. It also was the first organic rye vodka brand.

“In 2020, I expressed our vision for Uncle Nearest to not just be a brand, but to become the first spirits conglomerate in America founded by a woman or person of color,” said Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, in a written statement.” Many saw this as wishful thinking since we were only three years into our journey at the time.”

Through Uncle Nearest, Square One will continue its commitment to farm-to-glass production while introducing a line of organic, gluten-free options that will appeal to a bigger audience. Founder and CEO Allison Evanow will stay in a leadership role to ensure the brand’s founding principles remain on target with its expanded operations. The product will be rebranded under the direction of The Formulation Group.

“While we have really loved being an independent brand so that we could focus on quality organic ingredients and unique flavor profiles, the intense demands of handling nearly all sales personally underscored the need for stronger backing,” says Evanow. “Uncle Nearest will not only preserve our independent spirit and world-class quality but also bring the robust sales and distribution capabilities we need to reach our full potential.”

As Square One embarks on its 20th anniversary, the company has seen lifetime sales surpass $22 million, with nearly 200,000 cases sold.

UNCF, Student Leadership Conference, Black Student Leaders

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 22, 2024

Get Ready: UNCF’s Student Leadership Conference Set For May 29.

The event will provide presentations, speakers, and other programming to help students prepare for their future careers.

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is continuing its tradition of bringing Black student leaders together for professional development.

Its 14th annual student leadership conference will take place from May 29 to June 1, Black News reports. Hosted by Wells Fargo, over 1,300 undergraduate students are expected at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. This year’s theme is “Empower and Inspire: Building Your Network and Your Net Worth.”

“Wells Fargo is excited to be involved again with UNCF’s Student Leadership Conference,” said Shantae Joseph, executive director and senior diversity and inclusion consultant at Wells Fargo. “Our leaders believe in investing in the lives of talented students with our time, talent and treasure, and we look forward to positively impacting each one of them during this great conference.”

Workshops and other programming will sharpen attendees’ speaking and professional skills. Speakers include Danyel Jones, head of Black Business and Growth Accelerator at Amazon; Karen Greenfield, senior vice president at National Geographic; and Janelle Garrett, director of Real Estate banking at Wells Fargo.

Students headed into premier internships or fellowships will gain the insight and development needed to rise in the workforce.

“Recent data confirms that over half of the undergraduate students in the United States are considered the first generation to attend college,” said Taliah Givens, UNCF’s senior director. “This increases to 70% at HBCUs. That means these same students may also be the first in their family to transition into careers that require a college degree. Therefore, it is a priority for UNCF and our corporate partners to come together to provide our annual Student Leadership Conference as a launching pad to equip these talented, diverse students and early career professionals with the confidence and real tools for transformational internships and new full-time positions, which they have achieved.”

Registration is available now for students.

RELATED CONTENT: UNCF Report Centers Black Parent Voices

Cynthia Bowman, Head of Diversity And Inclusion Officer, Apple Inc, Bank Of America

by Shanique Yates

May 22, 2024

Cynthia Bowman Departs Bank Of America, Named Apple Inc’s New Head Of Diversity

She's the fourth person to step into the role at Apple.

Apple Inc. has tapped banking expert Cynthia Bowman as the company’s new head of diversity, the fourth person to step into the role, Bloomberg reports. She will take over for Barbara Whye, who took the job in early 2021.

Earlier this year, Bowman left Bank of America Corporation after 17 years. Most recently, she held the chief diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility officer position.

“We are excited that Cynthia Bowman will serve as Apple’s next Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity,” an Apple spokesperson said. “Cynthia is an accomplished leader in her field and is deeply committed to the work we’re doing to advance inclusion and diversity at Apple.”

According to reports, Whye plans to retire in the fall and will work alongside Bowman to transition her into the role. Bowman will report to Apple’s chief people officer, Carl Surface, and will work with groups within the company to support diversity, including Apple’s $200 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, which focuses on economic equality, education, and criminal justice reform.

Following in the footsteps of other tech giants, Apple has been on a mission to make its staff more representative, however, like many companies it has faced turnover with the top diversity role. Denise Young Smith, the first to fill the position was out in just under a year in 2017. Christie Smith stepped down in 2020 before Whye, a former Intel Corp. executive, joined the team in 2021.

Per the company, between 2014 and 2022 Apple saw its percentage of Black employees in America increase from 7% to 9%. Its Asian employees doubled to 30 percent and Latino workers rose from 11 percent to 15 percent. Women make up 35 percent of Apple’s workforce, up from the 30 percent recorded in 2014.

Apple last updated its company statistics on its website in 2022.

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 22, 2024

Fani Willis Declares ‘The Campaign Begins’ After Securing Georgia’s Democratic Primary Nomination

Looks like she's here to stay...

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has secured the renomination for the Democratic party during the primary election in Georgia.

In her bid for reelection on May 21, Willis beat out attorney Christian Wise Smith and will face off against Republican Courtney Kramer in the fall. During her victory party, which she said could be looked at as a fundraiser with T-shirts for sale, Willis said “the campaign does not end tonight, it begins tonight.”

She highlighted the start of her journey four years ago when she promised Fulton County that she would tackle the rise of gang violence, which she said people told her and City of South Fulton Chief of Police Keith didn’t exist. “We were really frustrated because we were telling people there was a gang problem. They said there was a gang problem in Chicago, there was a gang problem in L.A., might have been a gang problem in D.C, but there was not a gang problem in Atlanta and we would say, ‘No, there is,’” she said.

“And if you don’t deal with reality, reality will deal with you. And so we put into effect a balanced approach. But I need everyone in here to understand, this is just a pause. We are not at the end of the road.”

Fulton county DA Fani Willis with a message after winning the democratic primary in Georgia pic.twitter.com/2shESLVqOL
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) May 22, 2024

Pressing her way in the general election comes as no surprise. On top of a large fundraising haul, Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta and a Democratic favorite, close to 73% of county voters voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Now, Willis can continue to fight against former President Donald Trump in the highly anticipated Trump election interference trial.

The prosecutor obtained an indictment in August 2023 against Trump and 18 co-defendants, accusing them of conspiring in an alleged illegal scheme to overturn Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. So far, four people have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors.

Trump and the 14 others have entered not guilty pleas.

After a brief pause following a public filing in January 2024 due to an alleged affair between Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade, hired by Willis, a judge ordered that Willis could stay on the election interference case in March 2024 if Wade was removed from the team. Wade resigned hours later.

Atlanta’s Mayor Andre Dickens attended the party, issuing support for Willis. “The people said yes to justice. The people said yes to safety,” he said to the crowded room. “The people said yes to integrity. The people said yes to Fani Willis.” However, her opponent has been busy attacking her in interviews and social media.

As a former Trump White House intern, according to Politico, Kramer jumped on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming the four-time indicted politician is a “victim of selective prosecution.” No matter your political affiliation, it is clear that @realDonaldTrump is undoubtedly a victim of selective prosecution due to another rogue District Attorney who will stop at nothing to weaponize the justice system for personal gain,” he said in April 2024.

“I’d love to see the communications between Alvin Bragg and Fani Willis leading up to this…”

No matter your political affiliation, it is clear that @realDonaldTrump is undoubtedly a victim of selective prosecution due to another rogue District Attorney who will stop at nothing to weaponize the justice system for personal gain. I'd love to see the communications between… https://t.co/wGBm9QIDvX
— Courtney Kramer (@KramerForGA) April 15, 2024

Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, the judge overseeing the Trump Georgia trial, also won a primary election. In a nonpartisan election, McAfee will have a full, four-year term.

by Shanique Yates

May 22, 2024

Bob Marley’s Family Debuts Unique Cannabis Line In Honor Of The Late Singer

The family has partnered with lead cannabis pre-roll brand Jeeter.

The legacy of Bob Marley and his impact on the world outside of music continues with the announcement of a new collaboration between his family and leading cannabis pre-roll brand, Jeeter.

In a news release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, the company revealed a one-of-a-kind cannabis line, curated alongside his loved ones, that honors Marley as both a musical and a cultural icon.

“Jeeter’s work in the cannabis space has been incredible,” said Cedella Marley, CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, Grammy-winning singer, author, and Marley’s daughter. “Cannabis culture and the Marley movement go hand in hand. Jeeter’s deep dive into Jamaican culture has been a joy to witness, and the results speak for themselves.”

To bring the collection to life, Jeeter took a voyage to Jamaica, where they not only learned more about Marley’s roots but also took the liberty of supporting a music festival in his birthplace of Nine Mile. Working directly with the Marley family, the brand was intentional about incorporating Marley’s essence into everything from the strain to the packaging to “create a product that’s quality and design authentically reflects Bob Marley’s eminent legacy.”

https://twitter.com/passthejeeter/status/1790410439949496463

The line includes packaging that pays homage to Marley’s musical mastery, a strain, that is a nod to his “herb” nickname for cannabis, and a ceramic tip that emulates joints that were rolled to perfection by the beloved Rastafarian.

The never-before-done joint also comes enclosed in a signature guitar case, which features a gold embossing of Marley’s image. Additionally, it can also be opened to display a classic double-twisted hand-rolled joint, which Marley was best known for smoking.

“We’re thrilled to do a collab with the iconic music legend Bob Marley,” said Jeeter co-founders, Lukasz Tracz and Sebastian Solano in a joint statement. “To make this collaboration genuine, we went to Jamaica to connect with the culture he loved. This is all about celebrating Marley’s legacy in a real and respectful way.”

Ahead of the launch, Jeeter debuted the Marley collection during its second annual High Dining experience alongside long-time business affiliate Dwyane Wade in Los Angeles for the 4/20 holiday.

The event, a celebration of cannabis enthusiasts and friends, was a reflection of Jeeter’s commitment to curating “live events that combine culture, creativity, and music to provide unforgettable experiences.”

Not only were guests delighted with a gift of this one-of-a-kind collector’s item, but they also witnessed a special performance by Marley’s grandson, Skip Marley, where he covered classics by his grandfather that included “Buffalo Soldier” and “One Love.”

The Jeeter X Marley One Love collection will be available for purchase for cannabis consumers in Arizona, California, and Michigan starting May 23.