• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 13, 2023

The Chicago Bulls To Honor Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, More With Inaugural Ring Of Honor

“The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor will be a first-of-its-kind celebration honoring many of the legends who have helped shaped our organization over the past 57 years,” said Michael Reinsdorf, president and chief executive officer, Chicago Bulls

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The Chicago Bulls will present their inaugural class for the organization’s Ring of Honor, which will be implemented in January 2024.

According to the Chicago Bulls, 13 individuals being honored, along with the main attraction: the 1995-96 NBA championship team, largely considered one of the best in NBA history. The event will take place January 12 against the Golden State Warriors.

Introducing the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor!

We are excited to announce our Ring of Honor, celebrating past players, coaches, and front office staff who have made outstanding contributions.

Join us for the ceremony at our Ring of Honor Game, presented by @MagellanCorp, on 1/12. pic.twitter.com/eiSlmIGN6r

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 12, 2023

• News History

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 13, 2023

Cam’ron Defends Having O.J. Simpson On ‘It is What It Is’: ‘If He Was Guilty, We Wouldn’t Have Him On The Show’

Cam'ron defended having O.J. Simpson on his sports podcast.

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Cam’ron is defending having O.J. Simpson on his sports podcast since he seemingly believes Simpson isn’t guilty of anything involving the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ron Goldman.

Simpson has become a repeat guest on Cam’ron and Ma$e’s It Is What It Is podcast. The show is all about sports. Simpson, an NFL great who played 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, is qualified to offer his take on the happenings of the sports world.

But considering Simpson’s infamous 1995 acquittal of Brown and Goldman’s murders, many have criticized Cam and Ma$e for having the disgraced actor and sports star on their show. However, Cam’ron recently spoke with Complex and explained the hard work that went into securing Simpson and his unwavering support of the Naked Gun star.

“It was Ma$e’s idea to get OJ on the show,” Cam revealed. “We had a bunch of people we wanted to get and Ma$e was like, let’s get OJ. So I started making the calls.”

Cam’s first instinct was to reach out to music executive Steve Stoute, who was clueless on how to do reach Simpson until he reached out to Lionel Richie, who put Stoute in direct contact with Simpson.

“I spoke to one of OJ’s people and we worked it out, man,” Cam said. “I didn’t even know OJ was staying in Vegas. So it worked out. It was like, ‘Oh, it was really perfect. We spoke and it was a done deal.'”

As for all the chatter surrounding Simpson’s criminal past and whether or not he was involved in the murders of his ex-wife and her friend, Cam is OK with that.

“Look, if he was guilty we wouldn’t have him on the show,” he said. “Y’all want to keep convicting an innocent man. He’s innocent. If it was somebody else whiter, y’all would say, “Oh, he’s innocent.’”

Simpson was acquitted in 1995 despite outcry from the public. He would remain free from serving time in jail until 2008 when he was prosecuted for stealing sports memorabilia from the Palace Station Hotel in Las Vegas. He was released in 2017.

RELATED CONTENT: O.J. Simpson Thought He Woke Up In Hell After Recent Surgery Because He Heard A Wu-Tang Clan Song

• Career

by Safon Floyd

December 13, 2023

Here are 8 Ways To Battle ‘Holiday Brain’

Here's what you can do to battle and defeat the inevitable holiday brain.

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Originally Published Dec. 5, 2016

The arrival of the holiday season can often mean the departure of our brainpower. Who knows what happens, but it seems that the holidays are when many professionals lose focus, get lazy, misplace motivation, or simply burn out.

Welcome to the time of “holiday brain.”

With all the parties, shopping, vacations, and gatherings on the horizon, it’s a wonder how we keep any office momentum at all. The fight against office holiday brain may be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be a losing battle—if you wear the armor  to prepare for combat.

Set goals

Having realistic goals before the holidays will help you to better determine the time and effort required to reach them. As a tip, give yourself more than enough time and space to make things happen. Successfully doing what you set out to do can add to your holiday euphoria, so be sure your goals are attainable.

Don’t overcommit

You know those many tasks and projects that you eagerly signed up for in early October? Come mid-November you’re not going to want to do it. It’s just how life works. Take it very easy with end-of-the-year commitments. If possible, hold off on new or large commitments until the New Year when you’ll be revitalized and refreshed.

Keep it Simple

This aligns with not taking on anything new or robust. Try to keep your days as simple as possible so that you can push through. This is not the time for juggling or multitasking. You don’t have the capacity right now. Think “one-track and stay on it. This is as much as you can handle.

Treat Yourself

Reward yourself after each task completion. Listen, the fact that you’re getting anything done at all merits a pat on your back. In keeping with the holiday spirit, gift yourself when you’ve completed an assignment. That gift could be as small as a cup of tea, or as large as time away from your desk. Having an incentive can help boost task completion. Let this be your motivation.

Relax

If holiday brain starts to get the best of you, you may want to succumb. Take a couple of days off to feed your holiday spirit, whether that’s shopping, resting, or nothing. A little time to yourself can often be exactly what’s needed to reboot.

Tackle Big Tasks Early

The closer you getting to the holidays, the further you mentally get from your work. Try tackling your most pressing tasks before the holidays draw near. Leave the small or menial tasks the closer you get to your break.

Clarify expectations

Nine times out of 10, your bosses and colleagues are also suffering from holiday brain. This works in your favor. It isn’t likely that you’ll be asked to climb a mountain during this time, but if you are, let those asking know what you may or may not be capable of. Trust that they’ll understand.

Get active

This can help in more ways than one. Exercise works wonders for focus and productivity. Remaining active not only helps keep you sharp, but it keeps you fit. Given how those holiday meals are set up, you need all the help you can get.

Now that you’re armored, you’re ready to come up against this season. We’re rooting for you. Push through.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Landlord Surprises Tenants With Free Rent For The Holidays

• News History

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 13, 2023

Grammys ‘Evaluating’ Diddy’s Invitation Amid Sexual Assault Claims

Diddy is nominated for a Grammy Award but could have his invitation rescinded due to his four sexual assault lawsuits.

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Diddy is nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards but could have his invitation rescinded due to his four sexual assault lawsuits.

The hip-hop mogul’s 2023 “The Love Album: Off the Grid” earned him a Grammy nod and an invitation to the highly coveted award show. But with the awards coming in the wake of Diddy’s four shocking sexual assault lawsuits, the Recording Academy is now “evaluating” his invitation to the Feb. 4 ceremony, Rolling Stone reports.

“We are taking this matter very seriously and we are in the process of evaluating it with the time and care that it deserves,” the organization said in its statement.

It’s likely that Diddy’s nomination won’t be revoked, considering comedian Louis C.K. and rock musician Marilyn Manson both kept their 2021 nominations despite facing sexual assault claims. C.K. even won Best Comedy Album that year, The Fader notes.

Grammy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. addressed the controversy ahead of the 2021 award show saying that the Academy “won’t restrict the people who can submit their material for consideration,” he told The Wrap.

“We won’t look back at people’s history, we won’t look at their criminal record, we won’t look at anything other than the legality within our rules of, is this recording for this work eligible based on date and other criteria.”

Cassie was the first to sue Sean “Diddy” Combs for sexual assault last month in a suit that accused him of rape, physical abuse, and sex trafficking, among other shocking allegations. The Bad Boy founder quickly settled out of court with Cassie just 24 hours after she filed the suit.

But in the weeks that followed, three more women came forward with claims of sexual assault in lawsuits, with the most recent being from one woman who claims she was sex trafficked and gang-raped by Diddy, former Bad Boy President Harve Pierre, and another unnamed individual when she was a teenager.

Diddy released a statement last week denying the allegations, claiming “enough is enough” on him having to sit “silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram.

RELATED CONTENT: 50 Cent Confirms Proceeds From Unnamed Diddy Documentary Will Be Donated To Sexual Assault Victims

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 13, 2023

Fat Joe Discusses Best Friend Of 25 Years Stealing From Him

"If Fat Joe bought a Lamborghini, I bought him a Lamborghini. If I bought anything, he had anything."

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They say it’s the ones closest to you who will betray you, and Bronx-bred rapper. Joey Cartegena (AKA Fat Joe) knows this firsthand.

According to Complex, the entertainer spilled the beans about a close friend who stole money from him, and after confronting that said friend, the man “really feared for his safety.” Joe discussed the incident with podcast veterans Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings of Earn Your Leisure during Art Basel in Miami.

“I got my heart broken so many times. I had a best friend, the man was with me every single day for 25 years,” Fat Joe said on the podcast. “I would have died for this person. Or allegedly killed somebody for this person. If Fat Joe bought a Lamborghini, I bought him a Lamborghini. If I bought anything, he had anything.”

Then his new accountant looked into Fat Joe’s finances and discovered a shocking pattern.

“So when I go through the taxes, there’s something called a forensic accountant,” Fat Joe recalled. “We looking at everything, and my new accountant looks at me and he [bowed his head]. It says here your best friend is stealing your money and it goes back years. He’s paying his kids’ school, buying his cars with your accounts. We shared accounts where he could just go in my account and get whatever he want.”

The generous Bronx rapper even said that when he was jailed for tax evasion for four months in 2013, he made sure that his wife sent his friend $10,000 a month.

After seeing his friend, he stated: “All I could do was scream, ‘Why, why, why, why?’ Cause I would’ve gave him anything. Betrayal is hard when you deal with loyalty.”

Joe though did the right thing. He said his “friend” is no longer part of his inner circle.

• Entertainment

by Stacy Jackson

December 13, 2023

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant Makes History As First Black Woman To Host Wildlife Show, ‘Wild Kingdom,’ On Broadcast Television

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant often felt isolated as a Black woman in environmental science. A study abroad program in Kenya empowered her journey forward.

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Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant landed a role as the new co-host of NBC’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. Wynn-Grant becomes the first Black woman in U.S. history to host a wildlife show on broadcast television.

Ironically, the self-described “very urban kid” first fell in love with nature by watching TV. Growing up, Wynn-Grant’s parents only allowed her to view educational programs. “To me, there was no greater career,” the co-host said, according to Essence.

“Wild Kingdom was one of the shows that I used to watch,” she revealed. “I was kind of obsessed with the experience that the hosts were having.”

Exploring the wilderness captivated her imagination and set her on a career path.

However, as a Black woman in environmental science, Wynn-Grant often felt isolated. “As far as I knew, I was the only Black student in environmental science,” she said, recalling her time at Emory University. While family camping trips inspired her white peers, her understanding of nature mostly came from textbooks. 

A study abroad program in Kenya empowered Wynn-Grant to push forward despite self-doubts. “It made me feel not only that ‘Yes, this is for me, but yes, I can do it,’” she stated. She realized wildlife conservation could be her way to purposefully protect the planet.

Years later, achieving her childhood dream of hosting a nature show, Wynn-Grant remains aware of her unique position. “I think race and identity is a really important part of the conversation here,” she affirmed. While the original Wild Kingdom featured only white male hosts, she believes her identity as a Black woman “symbolizes a lot of progress.”

Wynn-Grant is also a millennial focused on social justice — another shift from the show’s traditional hosts. However, she pointed out that “Wild Kingdom” has always drawn a diverse audience. “I have a very large, Black family, and they all watched the show back when it was on,” she noted.

By selecting her as the new face of this classic program, Wynn-Grant feels the conservation community is displaying “a commitment to inclusion.” She now hopes to inspire future generations, just as she was inspired herself: “I was so different from the host that I saw on TV. I hope that more young people, adults, everyone can be even more inspired by watching now.”

At its core, a lifelong passion has fueled Wynn-Grant’s journey. As UC Berkeley Professor Carolyn Finney observes, Black perspectives have long been excluded from environmental narratives. As the new host of Wild Kingdom, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant now has a national platform to reshape that narrative.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Bird-Watcher Targeted By Central Park Karen Lands TV Series

• Celebrity News

by Stacy Jackson

December 13, 2023

North West Rocks The Mic With Daddy Ye At ‘Vultures Rave’ Listening Event In Miami

North West performed her featured rap during the "Vultures Rave" listening event for her dad's collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign.

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Ye and Ty Dolla $ign gave fans a live preview of their new album, Vultures, during a Dec. 12 “Vultures Rave” listening event in Miami. Also making a special appearance was Ye’s 10-year-old daughter, North West, who is featured on one of the album’s songs.

According to videos circulating on social media, North took the stage with the A-list artists to perform her featured lyrics. In one video posted by X user @Viralcontentz, the child rapped, “I love it here, we gonna take over the year for another year.” North’s verse continued with, “Don’t try to test me. It’s gonna get messy.” 

The audience cheered North on as she vibed out in an all-black outfit. 

Fans responded under a clip posted to Instagram by The Neighborhood Talk. “Wait, she kinda ate that up a lil bit,” an Instagram user commented. 

It appeared the video made some users happy to see the tween bonding well with her father. “She loves her dad real bad. I love it,” another user wrote.

Another added, “North has BEEN letting us know she don’t play about her dad and that SHE IS THAT GIRL.”  

Joining Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign at the album preview event were Chris Brown, Offset, Lil Durk, Kodak Black, and Freddie Gibbs. In a Dec. 8 Instagram post, Ty Dolla $ign teased what appeared to be a hint to an 18-track album.

The “Vulture Rave” listening event ended around 3 a.m., but it didn’t end without some criticism. After he entered the stage with a black hood that resembled the one associated with the Ku Klux Klan. Ye whipped out the hood during the performance of his “Vulture” track in which lyrics include, “How I’m anti-semitic? I just f*cked a Jewish b*tch.”

As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Ye’s new song, released in early November, rubbed the Jewish community the wrong way. Brown was pulled into the criticisms after he was captured enjoying the song in Dubai.

RELATED CONTENT: Kanye West Wears Black KKK Hood While Hosting ‘Vultures’ Listening Event

• News

by Lauren Nutall

December 13, 2023

Operation HOPE Hosts 10th Annual Hope Global Forum In Atlanta

The 2023 HOPE Global Forums Annual Meeting took place at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta and featured an array of participants and speakers.

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The 2023 Operation HOPE Global Forums Annual Meeting took place on Dec. 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta and featured a wide array of participants and speakers. With more than 5,000 attendees from around the world and a star-studded guest list, the event was one for the books. It showcased some of the country’s leading voices as they considered the global economic sphere, financial empowerment in today’s age, and the future of the working class in America. HGF also included a slate of interactive workshops and inspiring panel discussions. 

This year’s theme was “Making the Case for Optimism.” John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation Hope, said, “Optimism is not just a state of mind; it’s a call to action to be a catalyst for change. In a world full of adversity, we believe the power of optimism can inspire action, innovation, and progress. Our Annual Meeting serves as a dynamic platform for leaders to identify shared values to drive positive transformation in America and across the world.”

The event featured a host of speakers and community leaders, including U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, CNBC news anchor Frank Holland, and other prominent names. It was also the first time Sam Altman, founder and CEO of OpenAI and ChatGPT, spoke publicly about the rise in AI and its future implications. 

“This is a moral moment in our country, so making the case for optimism – for all people – is now more urgent than ever,” said HGF Co-Chair, Ambassador Andrew Young. “HOPE Global Forums offers a unique opportunity for collaboration, partnership, and knowledge exchange.” 

Since its inception in 1992, Operation HOPE has transformed the country’s economic landscape through financial literacy, empowerment, and education for all age groups. Through its initiative to bridge the gap between the private sector and middle to low-class households and strengthen underserved communities, Operation HOPE’s mission has always been one of equity. With this year’s Global Forums Meeting, the organization continues to be a driving force behind narrowing the economic gap on a global scale. 

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 13, 2023

Texas’ TikTok Ban On State-Owned Devices Upheld By Federal Judge

Judge Robert L. Pitman ruled against the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

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A law that bans the use of the social media platform TikTok on state-owned devices in Texas was upheld in federal court on Dec. 11 from a challenge that it violated the Constitution’s First Amendment.

According to The Associated Press, Judge Robert L. Pitman of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ruled against the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

The institute argued that the ban violated the First Amendment by prohibiting the use of TikTok on public university Wi-Fi.  But, in his determination, Pitman stated that the state’s ban on official devices is not a restraint on speech and said that faculty at the public university, as well as state employees, could access the platform on their own devices.

When the institute initially filed the lawsuit in July, it argued that the ban on the school’s official devices was preventing academic freedom and compromising the ability of the professors at the Knight First Amendment Institute to teach and conduct their research about TikTok.

The Hill reported that Pitman wrote, “While the Court recognizes the importance both of protecting academic freedom and supporting public employees’ right to free speech, the Court finds that these important ideals do not dictate the appropriate framework for this case.”

“Restricting research and teaching about one of the world’s major communications platforms is not a sensible or constitutionally permissible way of addressing legitimate concerns about TikTok’s data-collection practices,” Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the the Knight First Institute, said in a written statement.

There has been widespread concern nationwide that the China-based company poses additional security or privacy threats. Earlier this year, Montana outright banned the app from being accessed in the state, but a November ruling, according to PBS News Hour, by a federal judge blocked the state’s effort to apply a blanket ban.

Shortly before Montana’s attempt to ban TikTok, Florida banned the popular social media app from school-owned devices at state universities “due to the continued and increasing landscape of cyber threats.”

• HBCU

by Derek Major

December 13, 2023

MEAC, SWAC Champions Howard And FAMU To Faceoff In 2023 Cricket Celebration Bowl

HBCU Conference Champions Howard and Florida A&M will battle in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 16.

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The Howard Bison and the Florida A&M Rattlers will battle in the Cricket Celebration Bowl, the annual HBCU National Championship game, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 16.

Both Howard and FAMU will bring strong running games featuring multiple runners to the Celebration Bowl.

Howard qualified for the Celebration Bowl for the first time in school history after defeating Morgan State 14-7 on Nov. 18 to finish with a 6-5 overall record and a 4-1 record in the MEAC, as its only loss came to South Carolina State.

Howard’s football coach, Larry Scott, who has been named a finalist for the 2023 Eddie Robinson Award, said to come away with the win, the Bison must play their game and simultaneously force the Rattlers into uncomfortable situations.

“We have to take care of the football, possess the football, be good on third down, do things that force them to come out of character offensively, and maybe do things they don’t do well, so I think we’re going to have to dictate the pace and tempo of the game, and we’ll do that throughout physicality,” Scott told Black Enterprise. “We have to be able to stay on the field on critical downs and possessions, and then when we get into the red zone, we have to come away with touchdowns and not field goals, so it’s going to come down to just playing really good situational football, being good in situational downs, possessing the ball and coming away with touchdowns.”

FAMU went undefeated in the SWAC (8-0) on its way to an 11-1 overall record, winning 10 straight games since losing to the University of South Florida in September.

The Rattlers feature a multi-tier rushing attack. Running backs Terrell Jennings, Kelvin Dean, and Jaquez Yan all have at least 70 carries, 300 yards rushing, and three touchdowns this season. Quarterback Jeremy Moussa is also having a solid season with 2,6904 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions this season.

The Rattlers also have a stout defense featuring Anthony Dunn Jr. and Gentle Hunt, who both have five sacks this season. Defensive backs Eric Smith and Javan Morgan have both had three interceptions this season.

“I think every game comes down to some basic things for us; offensively, it’s always about being able to establish the run, control the line of scrimmage, and get first downs; that’s our number one goal on offense,” FAMU Coach Willie Simmonds said.

“Defensively, it’s real simple; we have to stop the run. Howard is a team that prides itself on being able to run the ball, and they have some dynamic running backs, so we need to stop the run and control the line of scrimmage up front on the defensive side; that means filling our gaps and as we always tell our defense make them snap it again, which means eliminate the big plays.”

Simmons added that the kicking game will also be a big factor.

“In the last few years in the Celebration Bowl, you typically see a huge special team play that can swing the game, so we have to make sure we’re the ones making those plays and not giving them up. That means great coverage and great protection on our kicks; those are typically the recipes for success for our team.”

The Celebration Bowl has occurred yearly in Atlanta since 2015, beginning at the Georgia Dome before moving to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2021. In last year’s Celebration Bowl, North Carolina Central defeated Jackson State University 41-34 in Deion Sanders’ final game with the Tigers. The game was played in front of a Celebration Bowl record 49,670 fans, and another record-setting crowd is expected this year.

The game will also feature a battle of the bands halftime event between the FAMU Marching 100 and Howard’s Showtime Marching Band. The full event schedule for the Celebration Bowl can be seen here.