Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs, Photographer
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2024

Kansas City Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Suspected Of Allegedly Hitting Photographer

Sources within the Dallas Police Department state that Rice was allegedly involved in an incident that took place at a Dallas club on May 6

Barely two months after being involved in a car accident involving multiple vehicles, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is once again embroiled in a controversy as Dallas police officers are investigating him for allegedly hitting a photographer at a club in Dallas earlier this week.

According to WFAA, sources within the Dallas Police Department state that Rice was involved in an incident where he allegedly hit a photographer at a club on May 6 at 2:30 a.m. The alleged incident took place at the listed address of Lit Kitchen & Lounge and its attached speakeasy venue, Feu Nightclub.

USA Today Sports reported that the Dallas Police Department confirmed that police officers responded to a call about an assault at the location.

“The preliminary investigation determined a victim reported being assaulted by a suspect in the 600 block of North Harwood Street,” the department said in a statement. “The victim self-transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. This is an ongoing investigation.”

Rice, who just completed his rookie season for the current Super Bowl Champion team, the Chiefs, was involved in a high-speed car accident involving multiple vehicles on March 30. He was allegedly driving a luxury vehicle when he lost control and crashed. After the incident, he and his friends walked away from the cars without checking on the victims who were hit when the accident occurred.

The Dallas Police Department issued arrest warrants for Rice and former college teammate Southern Methodist’s Teddy Knox, and the Chiefs receiver turned himself in on April 11 and was released on bond. Both men have been charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving severe bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injury.

According to WFAA, the charges both men face are all felonies. The punishment for a collision involving injury can land them in prison for a maximum of five years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year, a fine not higher than $5,000, or both.

The more serious charge of a collision involving serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony, carries a prison sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of a maximum term of 10 years or less than two years. Aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine no greater than $10,000.

Union Square, Kai Cenat, NYPD
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 9, 2024

Kai Cenat’s Riot Charges Dismissed After Apologize And Pay Restitution

On social media, Cenat apologized for 'the disruption and damage to the community, the park, the vehicles, and the storefronts in the area.'

Last summer, online streaming personality Kai Cenat was arrested for inciting a riot and unlawful assembly after thousands of people created a stampede after promising to give away a PlayStation console. The charges will be dropped after Cenat agreed to apologize and pay restitution for the incident.

According to The Associated Press, the 22-year-old New York City native, along with two other codefendants, will pay more than $57,000, plus go on social media to apologize for his role in causing the mayhem that took place in the Union Square section of Manhattan on Aug. 4, 2023.

Cenat did log on to his Snapchat account on May 7 and apologized for “the disruption and damage to the community, the park, the vehicles, and the storefronts in the area.”

He also wrote, “I wanted to do something cool and fun for people and did not think it was going to turn into something that caused harm to the city, and I should have thought more about the post before I announced it.”

The charges would be dropped after the apology was up for 24 hours, according to M’Niyah Lynn, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He was also required to pay $55,000 to the Union Square Partnership to cover the costs of cleaning up and repairing the landscape. Cenat’s codefendants also had to apologize and pay about $1,000 each.

When the incident occurred, many streamer fans had gathered at the location. When thousands of people were at the scene, they started getting rowdy, bashing car windows, jumping on vehicles, throwing paint cans, and setting off fire extinguishers. Police officers showed up to Union Square wearing riot gear to try to control the assembled crowd. It was reported that six people were taken to the hospital, and some of the people there were seen attacking police officers.

The NYPD arrested 65 people, a little under half of them were minors.

Caroline Ouko, Prosecution, Justice
by Daniel Johnson

May 9, 2024

Prosecution Requests To Drop Charges Against Officers, Otieno Family Pleads For Justice

At a May 6 news conference, Caroline Ouko, the mother of Otieno, indicated her displeasure at the turn of events, describing the prosecution's motion as a “radical, reckless decision with great ramifications.”

Seven Henrico County Sheriff’s Deputies were charged with second-degree murder in the March 2023 death of Irvo Otieno. Still, in a stunning reversal, prosecutors requested to drop charges for five officers.

This leaves only three officers to face charges for his death currently. As a result, Otieno’s family strongly criticized this decision and renewed their calls for the Justice Department to get involved in the case. 

As The Associated Press reports, on May 5, Judge Joseph Teefy of the Dinwiddie Circuit Court approved a motion from the prosecution to drop–for now–pending charges against five of the deputies who had previously been charged in connection with his death. According to the attorneys involved, the AP reported that the charges could be renewed later. 

At a May 6 news conference, Caroline Ouko, Otieno’s mother, expressed her displeasure at the turn of events. Although the prosecution assured her that it was done with a strategic goal in mind, she still described the motion as a “radical, reckless decision with great ramifications.”

Ouko also renewed the family’s calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to get involved with the case and wants to restore the charges against the officers. 

As NBC News reported, Okuo pleaded for justice at the news conference.

“We hope that the Dinwiddie commonwealth attorney can do her job. And if she is not willing to prosecute the DOJ, where are you? Where are you? The Department of Justice, where are you,” Ouko said as her voice began to break. “It is time. It is time for you to bring your boots to Richmond and stand for Irvo. And get justice for my son.”

A spokesperson for the DOJ responded to NBC News, “We are closely monitoring the state criminal case regarding this matter, and we have no further comment at this time.”

Amanda Mann, a newly appointed Dinwiddie County Commonwealth Attorney, believes that the order in which the preceding interim commonwealth attorney scheduled the defendants’ trials was done in a way that would disadvantage the prosecution’s case, as she wrote in the request that she did not “find the order to be sound and competent prosecutorial decision making.”

Although it is possible to charge the officers again, Russ Stone, a defense attorney for Dwayne Bramble, one of the accused officers, told the AP that such an occurrence is “extremely rare.” Stone continued, “It’s been our position all along that it was prosecutorial overreach” by the initial commonwealth attorney assigned to the case, who he says “charged innocent people without an adequate basis.” Stone added, “And we appreciate that the current commonwealth’s attorney has corrected that.”

Ben Crump, a national civil rights attorney and part of the legal team for Otieno’s family, has indicated that he sees parallels between the killing of Otieno and George Floyd, whom he also represented. At the press conference, Crump, who appeared via video conference technology, called for the deputies and Central State Hospital workers who were implicated in the death of Otieno to be “zealously” prosecuted.

Crump also added, “The troubling issue for many of us in the Black community is … we are quick to be prosecuted when we are accused of a crime. However, when we’re the victims of crime by the authorities, there seems to be delay, delay, delay.”

GoFundMe, Kendrick Lamar, Drake
by Daniel Johnson

May 9, 2024

GoFundMe Playing Wack-a-Mole With Rap Beef-Inspired Fundraisers

Multiple GoFundMe fundraisers that reference the beef, the majority of them poking fun at Drake, have been taken off the platform.

Fans have reacted to Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s rap beef on social media, through their own diss tracks, and now through joke fundraiser campaigns on GoFundMe. The platform has been monitoring campaigns related to the two rap artists–and taking swift, decisive action to remove them. 

Multiple GoFundMe fundraisers that reference the beef, the majority of them poking fun at Drake, have been taken off the platform. The point, however, of a GoFundMe campaign is to raise money, and seeing as neither Drake nor Kendrick Lamar is in need of any burial or bereavement funds, it falls on the platform to shut down the campaigns before anyone’s very real money is collected. 

The beef between the two rappers dates back to well before Lamar’s “Like That” verse. After exchanging guest spots on each other’s albums in the early 2010s, a 2013 “Control” verse saw Kendrick Lamar take on much of the rap industry, including Drake, and spawned a deluge of responses. At that time, Drake opted to disengage, instead targeting Meek Mill in 2015 with a series of diss tracks, notably including “Back to Back.”

By 2018, Pusha T entered the fray and, through his own diss track, forced the Canadian rapper to admit that he had been hiding a child. 

In 2023’s “First Person Shooter” on Drake’s “For All The Dogs” album, Drake took a plethora of shots at multiple targets, including Megan Thee Stallion, and seemed to believe that he, J. Cole, and Lamar were on the same level, calling the trio the big three in his song. This seemed not to sit well with Lamar, who responded through his “Like That” verse, taking indirect and direct shots at Drake. Drake took the bait, hook, line, and sinker this time, and a rap beef was born.

As a spokesperson for GoFundMe told the outlet, “We can confirm we are monitoring the platform for related fundraiser starts and will remove any that have not been authorized by the recipient of the funds. $0 has been raised. We have zero tolerance for the misuse of our platform.”

As Complex reported, at least one fundraiser remained on the platform as of May 7, but that post clearly mentions that it is a joke and only has set a fundraising goal of $20. Titled “Donate for sumn ear surgery bc of this bum’s trash music” and posted under the name Kendrick Lamar, the post’s description reads, “Imma need some god damn surgery thanks to this hoe. make some good songs ffs my songs can’t even make up for how bad your sh*ts are,” the post concludes, “THIS IS A JOKE BUT DRAKES MUSIC IS DOGSH*T”

As USA Today reported, in a 2016 interview with Adande Thorne, otherwise known as YouTube personality Swoozie, former President Barack Obama called Lamar the winner in a potential battle between the two. President Obama also praised Lamar’s most recent album at the time, To Pimp A Butterfly. “Gotta go with Kendrick,” Obama said. “I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer, but Kendrick, his lyrics.” Obama continued, “(Lamar’s) last album was outstanding. The best album I think of last year.”

Writer, LaDarrion Williams, HBCU Harry Potter
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 8, 2024

Creator Of Harry Potter’s HBCU Reimagining Speaks About The Book

"Blood At The Root" is the first of a three-part series that published on May 7.

Newly published author LaDarrion Williams dived into the journey of making Blood At The Root ahead of its May 7 release. The novel reimagines Harry Potter and his adventures by placing his protagonist at a magical HBCU.

Williams spoke to The Associated Press on how a viral tweet turned his dreams into reality. Williams posed the question, “What if Harry Potter went to a HBCU in the South,” to his X account in 2020, known as Twitter at the time.

However, Williams went through multiple obstacles to get the story out there, originally envisioning the project as a television pilot. The plot remains the same, following the 17-year-old Malik as he enrolls in Caiman University, an HBCU dedicated to educating magical Black students.

“I wrote it as a TV pilot,” explained Williams to AP. I was sharing (the process) online, and people were sending me money with CashApp and Venmo from the U.S., Canada, and even New Zealand. They said, ‘Go make this a short film.'”

After no calls or further meetings to get production off the ground, Williams sunk into a depression. However, after advice from his friend, Williams’ medium for the story shifted to books.

“…I felt I failed people who supported it on social media. It was kind of embarrassing. My friend one day said, “Why don’t you turn it into a book?” With everything that was going on in the world and in America, like the civil unrest, I didn’t think publishing would want this,” stated the author.

In the midst of trying to pursue this story, he met further rejection. However, his luck finally changed when he was offered a 3-book deal in January 2023.

“I sold a book. I didn’t just sell a book; I sold three,” he recalled himself saying upon hearing the news.

Of his main character and the book’s cover art, Williams wanted to remain true to his mission. As a result, his novel showcases a coming-of-age tale with Blackness and magic at the forefront.

“I wanted to create a Black boy from Helena, Alabama, which is where I’m from, who has cool magical powers,” expressed Williams. “I wanted him to have vulnerability and softness. He extends the love he didn’t have as a child to his foster brother. I wanted to create all of that through the lens of magic… I also wanted him in a hoodie on the cover because, you know, black boys in hoodies are often criminalized.”

In response to the possibility of still creating a TV series, he added, “There’s talks about it…I want to recreate that moment when Black Panther dropped, and everybody was just buzzing about it. I want to do that for television. I want that for Black kids.”

Blood at the Root is the first installment of a three-part series and is available now.

Louisiana, Majority-Black House District, 2024 Election, Baton Rogue Capital
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 8, 2024

Louisiana Residents May Have To Vote Again For Second Majority-Black House District Ahead Of 2024 Election 

Black voters in Louisiana are at risk of having to vote again for a second majority-Black district after a federal court ruled it unconstitutional.

Black voters in Louisiana are at risk of having to vote again for a second majority-Black district after a federal court ruled it unconstitutional.

Almost two years after a judge said the state’s congressional map diminished Black voting powers in 2022, the new ruling, handed down by two judges appointed by former President Donald Trump on April 30, leaves the state–again–without a congressional map just six months shy of the 2024 presidential election. 

The federal court that struck down the most recent congressional map held a hearing on May 6 regarding the next steps. Officials argue that the continued legal battle over the map is putting them in a difficult position between the stipulations laid out in the Voting Rights Act, which gives power to minority voters, and the Constitution’s limits on how the government can step in to add race as a consideration. 

In early 2024, a group of non-Black voters filed a lawsuit against that map, alleging the new district divided key communities of interest and amounted to a “racial gerrymander.” 

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the state should be allowed to implement the map passed by the state legislature, permitting two Black-majority districts. If that doesn’t happen, she feels the next option should be going back to the map used in 2022–with a single district where Black voters are in the majority. 

Murrill says the next stop is the Supreme Court. Given the pattern of courts brushing off redistricting plans that are discriminatory against voters of color, voters will be looking closely at how the high court deals with the growing dispute. Sen. Cleo Fields, who is also running for the new 6th Congressional District, says the practices continue to move in different ways. “Right now, Louisiana has no map,” Fields said.

“The courts can’t say, ‘Comply with the law. You have the right to draw the lines,’ but then say, ‘We don’t like the way you complied with the law.’” 

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, the state’s sole Black and Democratic member of Congress, also criticized the ruling on social media, calling it “plain wrong.” MATH is MATH! The U.S. Supreme Court must correct this immediately,” he tweeted.

State officials gave notice that lawmakers have until May 15 to announce how they will contour their ruling to prepare for upcoming elections. However, federal judges warned the state Legislature that a new map must pass by June 3, or the panel will create one on their behalf, according to The Associated Press. “To be clear, the fact that the Court is proceeding with the remedial phase of this case does not foreclose the Louisiana Legislature from exercising its ‘sovereign interest’ by drawing a legally compliant map,” the judges wrote.

Ja Rule, Sei Less, Mom's, Criminal Justice System
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 8, 2024

Ja Rule And Sei Less Host Luncheon For NYC Moms Affected by Criminal Justice System

Ja Rule honors 40 formerly incarcerated mothers at NYC's Sei Less ahead of Mother's Day.

Ja Rule teamed up with New York City hot spot Sei Less to honor a special group of mothers impacted by the scarred criminal justice system.

In celebration of the Mother’s Day holiday, Ja Rule and Sei Less owner Ivi Shano hosted an intimate luncheon at Sei Less Restaurant on Tuesday, May 7, for 40 formerly incarcerated mothers and their children, TMZ reported. Organized in partnership with The Ladies of Hope Ministries and REFORM Alliance, the luncheon allowed the women to share their stories and listen to Ja Rule’s personal experience with incarceration.

“For something like this for mothers who have been through incarceration, I can relate to that and it’s close to my heart, so to be a part of this is special to me,” Ja Rule told Billboard of the event.

“It’s a very hard thing for a mom to be incarcerated and have children and to be able to navigate that. It’s very difficult, so I empathize with them in a lot of ways.”

Guests enjoyed a curated menu of Beijing chicken, filet mignon with broccoli, chicken satays, rock shrimp tempura, and more while posing for photos with the “Always On Time” rapper. Ja Rule even shared his longtime goal of recording a song for his mother that would serve as a more upbeat feel than Tupac Shakur’s classic “Dear Mama.”

Ladies of Hope Ministries helps women on their post-incarceration journey with resources and guidance. The REFORM Alliance is dedicated to advocating for the formerly incarcerated by urging the government to change restrictive policies within the probation and parole system.

The Mother’s Day luncheon isn’t the first time Sei Less has worked with local hip-hop artists on charitable community initiatives. The Asian fusion restaurant previously teamed up with Brooklyn rapper Lola Brooke during the holiday season to serve food to over 200 children from the Children of Promise organization.

“We are incredibly honored to have partnered with Ja Rule on such a special day for these mothers filled with unforgettable memories,” Shano said of the Mother’s Day luncheon. “This event is not just about a meal or a gift — it’s about creating a lasting impact, spreading love to our community, and making a real difference in the lives of these mothers.”

RELATED CONTENT: Help Mom Get Into Her Wealth-Building Bag For Mother’s Day

50 Cent, Sexual Assault Allegations
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 8, 2024

50 Cent Files $1M Defamation Suit Against Ex Daphne Joy For Sexual Assault Allegations

50 Cent is suing his ex and son's mother Daphne Joy for defamation.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is suing his ex-girlfriend and son’s mother for defamation after she accused him of sexual assault during their relationship.

50 Cent filed the suit against Daphne Joy following their online spat over Joy’s mention in one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ scandalous lawsuits, Radar Online reports. It follows a warning Joy received last month demanding a retraction of her rape allegations or face a lawsuit.

Joy issued a lengthy rant against 50 Cent after the hip-hop mogul mocked her name for being mentioned as one of Diddy’s sex workers in Rodney Jones’ lawsuit against the Bad Boy founder. Offended by 50 Cent’s comments on the suit, Joy took to her Instagram Story to accuse the G-Unit rapper of putting her life in danger with his online trolling.

“Everything is a joke to you until our safety is compromised, which is happening now. You are wreaking real havoc, frenzy, and chaos onto people’s lives,” Joy posted on March 28.

She also accused 50 Cent of being an absentee father amid his fight for sole custody of their 11-year-old son.

“We moved to New York to give you the opportunity to be a father to your son and you saw him 10 times out of the 2 years that we lived 1 mile away from you,” she wrote. “I am tired of upholding and protecting an image to our son that you have never even earned.”

Joy added extra fuel to the fire when she alleged to have been sexually assaulted by the rapper.

“Let’s put the real focus on your true evil actions of raping me and physically abusing me,” she wrote.

50’s legal team blasted the “false and baseless” claims and acknowledged his plans to seek legal custody of their son, Sire.

“The disturbing allegations in the sworn pleadings recently filed in a court case related to Daphne Joy the mother of my twelve-year-old child, has required me to take all necessary legal actions to protect my son Sire,” the legal rep stated.

The “In Da Club” rapper says Joy responded to his request to retract the statements by making “extortive” demands for millions and to drop the custody case. 50 Cent is seeking $1 million in damages and a court order forcing her to remove the post and refrain from making more defamatory remarks online.

RELATED CONTENT: Ciroc Refutes Rumors Of 50 Cent Replacing Diddy As Brand Ambassador

Candace Parker, Las Vegas Aces, Retirement
by Stacy Jackson

May 8, 2024

Candace Parker Named First President Of Adidas Women’s Basketball

Parker will have a significant influence on Adidas product lines and its athlete roster to expand brand efforts to invest in women's sports.

Basketball icon Candace Parker has been appointed as the inaugural president of Adidas women’s basketball, further solidifying her relationship with the brand.

“We are honored to be a part of Candace’s historical legacy as she transitions from signature athlete to this new leadership role within Adidas Basketball,” stated Eric Wise, Adidas basketball global general manager, in a May 8 press release.” As a true innovator with a profound passion for the game, we are confident that she is a perfect fit to evolve the Adidas Women’s Basketball business and catalyze a new era of growth and credibility for the brand.”

Parker, who made history as the first woman to receive a signature shoe with Adidas, the ACE Commander sneaker, in 2010, will take on a pivotal role in fulfilling the brand’s commitment to prioritizing investment in women’s sports and its focus on women’s basketball, according to Sports Illustrated. In her new position, Parker will have a significant influence on new product lines while also expanding Adidas’ women’s basketball athlete roster, which currently includes notable names like Aliyah Boston, Hailey Van Lith, Kahleah Copper, Aaliyah Edwards, Chelsea Gray, Betnijah Laney, Alysha Clark, Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, and Erica Wheeler.

“Stepping into this new leadership role is a deeply personal next step in my journey with Adidas,” Parker said in the press release. “From high school to college to playing pro to now, this appointment by Adidas symbolizes a shared commitment to making impactful change and setting new benchmarks for the future of women’s sports. It’s not just about products; it’s about fostering a movement focused on innovation, representation, and access.”

Parker and Adidas began their long-standing relationship in 2008 when she signed with the shoe brand during her first season in the WNBA. She has since headlined multiple collections and mentored several collegiate Adidas athletes with NIL partnerships. BLACK ENTERPRISE covered the brand’s 2022 launch of its first-ever student-athlete roster under Parker’s guidance.

Her new appointment, effective immediately, follows her April retirement announcement as a WNBA player after a remarkable 16-season career, as previously reported by BE. She took to Instagram to share the news with her followers, stating, “…it’s time.”

Serena Williams, Snoop Dogg, Alexis Ohanian
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 8, 2024

Serena Williams’ Husband Spends Cinco De Mayo With Reddit’s Early Investor Snoop Dogg, ‘Never Forget Your Day Ones’

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian praises Snoop Dogg's early investment in the Reddit platform.

Serena Williams’ tech entrepreneur husband Alexis Ohanian spent his Cinco De Mayo holiday with one of his wife’s hometown heroes who served as an early investor in his Reddit platform.

Ohanian was outside on Sunday, May 5, celebrating “a beautiful day” in Los Angeles with one of the city’s most prominent figures. In a photo shared on Twitter, the Reddit co-founder praised Snoop Dogg’s early support of his billion-dollar company.

“Beautiful day in LA. I appreciate this city so much. Got to catch up with a lot of friends,” Ohanian wrote.

“Some of you may know @SnoopDogg was one of our earliest investors at @reddit during our spin-out & turnaround. Very few people wanted to invest in us back then. Snoop did. And ya never forget your Day Ones.”

Launched in 2005, Reddit serves as an online community where people from all over the world can connect and communicate on any topic. Ohanian co-founded the company alongside Steve Huffman while both were studying at the University of Virginia. The company started to take off after merging with Infogami’s Aaron Swartz, who rewrote coding for Reddit.

Just one year after its launch, Ohanian and Huffman sold Reddit to Conde Nast for around $10-$20 million. As it continued to grow in users and valuation, the investments came swarming in. By 2014 when Reddit was valued at a reported $500 million, Snoop Dogg joined a group of investors in a $50 million financing round for the link-sharing and discussion site.

It was the organizer of the investment group who sought Snoop out due to his celebrity status and how popular he already was on the site’s “Ask Me Anything” discussion forums. Snoop was also high on Reddit’s wish list of investors they wanted to join the company.

“He’s like a Reddit superstar,” Sam Altman, Open AI CEO and co-founder, said of Snoop Dogg. “The site loves him. Snoop was high on the list. We asked him to invest, and he said yes.”

The “Gin and Juice” rapper doesn’t really talk about his early investment in Reddit but did previously share how he got his foot in the door.

“I worked my way in. You understand me? I didn’t mean to tell everybody, but I’m a part of Reddit too,” Snoop Dogg said to Ohanian on GGN News in 2017.

Reddit is currently valued at $10.68 billion, with a share price of $67.67. It’s a drastic jump from the $5 billion it was valued at in 2021.

RELATED CONTENT: Snoop Dogg And Dr. Dre Turn ‘Gin & Juice’ Into A Business Venture

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