Leaked 2018 Ye Rants Feature Critique of Pusha T, Nas, Teyana Taylor, Cardi B
In recently surfaced 2018 footage from an apparent documentary on the artist formerly known as Kanye West, the world got a glimpse into the unfiltered mind of the Chicago producer, according to Vibe Magazine.
In a candid moment, Ye, now 46, was engaged in a passionate conversation, apparently with his former manager, Scooter Braun, expressing his discontent with the state of affairs at G.O.O.D Music.
“It ain’t gonna be in this situation,” he said in the video. “It’s going to be a ‘get me out of this G.O.O.D. Music situation now. And Scooter, it ain’t going to be ‘I’m still putting my name on that sh*t.’ I need to break free from G.O.O.D. Music because I am exceptional, and guess what? Good is the adversary of greatness.”
Ye then delved into the Wyoming recording sessions and the collaborations he had undertaken. He openly questioned his choices, expressing regret for giving away tracks such as “Wanna Love You” to Teyana Taylor, whose 2018 hit “Gonna Love Me” took off. Similar sentiments were aimed at Pusha T and his Grammy-nominated 2018 album, Daytona.
The Chicago native was visibly vexed, perceiving these artistic partnerships as squandering what he considered to be the equivalent of three albums on par with his 2010 masterpiece, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
As the fiery monologue continued, Ye shifted his focus to Nas, raising concerns about his contribution to “Cop Shot The Kid,” citing the rapper’s perceived off-beat delivery and lack of communication regarding the music video. Ye’s frustration was palpable as he decried a lack of appreciation from those around him, decrying their attempts to exploit his talents.
In no uncertain terms, Ye proclaimed himself the preeminent living artist, asserting his capability to excel in every facet of creativity.
In a separate clip, Ye commented on Cardi B‘s career, suggesting that she was an Illuminati pawn and accusing her of not writing her own lyrics. He criticized her for perpetuating a persona that appeared to glorify ignorance and money-making, claiming that she was intentionally positioned as a replacement for Nicki Minaj, seemingly without her awareness of the larger machinations at play.
Cardi B briefly addressed these comments with a now-deleted tweet, while Kanye’s ramblings continued to stir the ever-evolving conversation about artistry, success, and influence.
Kenya Forces To Help End Violent Outbreaks In Haiti
Kenya has volunteered to send 1,000 troops to lead international efforts by the United Nations Security Council to help reduce gang violence in Haiti.
The country in east Africa offered to send forces in July after Haiti requested assistance last year to get violent outbreaks in check since President Jovenel Moise‘s 2021 assassination. On Monday, the United Nations Security Council gave the OK to deploy international assistance to Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, according to Al Jazeera.
This means Kenya and the other countries that volunteered to send troops—Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda—will get financial incentives and will likely be seen as trustworthy and reliable when it comes to helping other countries.
Nairobi-based analyst Dismas Mokua explained to Al Jazeerathat Kenya will be perceived as “a very serious political capital,” globally because of its readiness to volunteer its troops during a time of need. “In the eyes of the world, Kenya becomes a dependable ally who is willing to help other countries.” Mokua said.
The east African country has a history of sending personnel to region’s experiencing unrest. Kenya’s Defense Minister Aden Duale said the country’s “very long history of global peacekeeping” includes efforts in Kosovo, Somalia, and Congo.
“Obviously, there are financial incentives. Resources are allocated to participating countries. Troops will also be given extra allowance, which is why there is high interest from officers for foreign deployments,” Mokua said, according to Al Jazeera.
The African country will not only get clout and money.
“The mission creates several opportunities for Kenya. Kenyan law enforcement agencies will get specialized, training and equipment before they are sent,” Mokua said. “This will improve the capacity of the force in the long term.”
Violence has been rampant in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, since Moise’s assassination. Al Jazeera reported that there have been 3,000 homicides, over 1,500 kidnappings for ransom, and 200,000 people–half of whom are children—forced out of their homes.
The Banned Wagon Is Making A Stop In Houston’s Third Ward To Fight Book Bans
According to PEN America, Texas is second only to Florida when it comes to the number of books banned by school districts. Texas has banned 625 books, compared to Florida’s much more expansive 1,400 banned books. As a result of the bans, PEN America, Little Free Library, Penguin Random House, and The Freedom to Read Foundation have created a joint project called The Banned Wagon: A Vehicle for Change.
The Houston Chronicle reports that the wagon will be unloading on a Oct. 7 stop at Third Ward’s Kindred Stories, a bookstore owned by Terri Hamm. The Banned Wagon event will have free tote bags, “swag” items, and pizza, plus entertainment provided by DJ Double Dutch. A promotional flyer for the event, explaining the importance of The Banned Wagon, reads, “Book bans are on the rise in America, driven by new laws and regulations limiting the kinds of books that kids can access.”
According to Penguin Random House, the wagon is traveling on a tour to hand out copies of banned books to the communities most affected by the book bans.
According to Texas Scorecard, Harris County Commissioners approved a resolution which turns the Harris County public library system into a book sanctuary, joining 2,828 others across the country. As the resolution reads: “The freedom to read is under threat across the nation, and nowhere more so than in the state of Texas which challenged 2,349 books, of which at least 511 were removed from school libraries and classrooms in 2022, and is on pace to once again lead the nation in challenging and removing books in 2023.”
The Banned Wagon is coming to Kindred Stories on October 7!!!!
Book bans in America are more widespread than ever. They must be stopped. The Banned Wagon: A Vehicle for Change is road-tripping through the South this #bannedbooksweek (October 1-7) to get books to the people who n pic.twitter.com/DCHW40sGAc
As the Houston Chronicle reported, on Sept. 1, Texas House Bill 900, also known as the Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act, took effect. This act makes book sellers rate books based on references to sexual content; books that are rated “sexually explicit” are taken off shelves. A complaint was filed against the act, alleging that it violates the First and 14th Amendments. Furthermore, this opens up smaller bookstores, which generally sell their books to schools at a reduced price, to face fines that could threaten their businesses. In addition to this hurdle, the act also demands that stores keep detailed records, asking for an accounting of every book they have ever sold to libraries or they could face fines.
Elizabeth Jordan, general manager of Nowhere Bookshop in San Antonio, told the Chronicle, “If I am selling a book to a school, I will have to have read the whole book to determine if it’s sexually relevant or sexually explicit. And both of those things, I think, are pretty subjective, and I might rate them differently than others might.”
She continued, “I don’t see why I would put myself at risk to do that. If all the onus is on me, all the liability is on me, and it’s not a job I’m trained to do or my employees are trained to do. I think that the ultimate end result is there’s just going to be a lot fewer books in school libraries because there are going to be fewer bookstores willing to do the work to sell those books, and that’s bad for all Texas students.”
Waffle House Employees Campaign For ‘$25 An Hour’ Wages
Waffle House employees are taking a stand for their workers’ rights. Those employed at locations all across the Southeast are fighting for increased security, optional meal deductions, and a pay raise to $25 an hour.
In their quest to have their demands met, employees have held rallies, back by the Union of Southern Service Workers, to spread awareness of what they require in order to continue working for the beloved breakfast chain. WSB-TV reported how organizers are speaking out on why they deserve more pay for the work and expertise that goes into serving at the restaurant.
“I am what they call a grill operator,” shared seasoned employee Gerald Green.” I am a cook. I am a rockstar cook. I have been at Waffle House for about seven years. I am the highest-level cook outside management.”
Green revealed that he makes $17.75 an hour, a wage that forces him and many others in a similar predicament to seek additional jobs in order to pay the bills.
Getting Waffle House executives to comply with the workers’ demands has been an ongoing campaign, as South Carolina employees began to strike in June 2023 for increased security and the elimination of mandatory meal deductions for each shift.
The restaurants have also gained notoriety for the uptick in violent incidents that put workers’ lives on the front lines. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one of these ordeals resulted in the death of a 19-year-old employee back in August.
“A lot of workers are hurt by customers,” detailed Green. “A lot of workers are mistreated by customers. People say it is funny seeing people in fights all the time — like, we are not really MMA fighters like people online say we are.”
Waffle House jeopardizes the safety of its workers in severe weather as well, as it is known for remaining open through most conditions, including hurricanes, while other restaurants close down.
However, a spokesperson for the food business released a statement delegitimizing the recently held events.
“We are aware of the activities that took place yesterday at three of our locations in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, in which nearly all the people who protested were not Waffle House Associates. Very few, if any were employees, contrary to the embellished descriptions that union officials have presented in their press release and accompanying photos sent to the media. With that said, Waffle House remains proud of its long history of effectively and directly addressing Associate concerns. Our senior management teams continue to work alongside our Associates as they have done since our company’s inception.”
Despite the attempts to minimize their efforts, Green and fellow employees continue to fight for better wages and working conditions.
Lt. Caron Nazario asked a federal appeals court on Oct. 2 to overturn rulings after the jurors ruled in favor of two police officers he sued—Joe Gutierrez and Daniel Crocker. Nazario claims the court made an error after finding in a pretrial ruling that the officers had probable cause to believe the lieutenant committed the crimes he was being charged with—eluding police, obstruction of justice, and failure to obey an order.
“We believe that the jury’s verdict was in part influenced by some of the rulings the trial court made, and we are asking the 4th Circuit to review those rulings,” Nazario’s lawyer, Jonathan Arthur, said.
The Virginia State University grad went viral in a video from December 2020 showing the Windsor police officers pulling him over at a gas station. The officers said his black Chevrolet Tahoe didn’t have a rear license plate, but the army lieutenant’s lawyers claim the car dealer had temporary tags in the upper right-hand corner inside the back window. With his hands raised, Nazario can be seen complying with the officer’s orders but still receiving rough treatment.
The outlet reports his appeal continues after the court dismissed his claims of unreasonable seizure, excessive force, and First Amendment retaliation. However, Crocker’s lawyer, Anne Lahren, feels justice was served for her client.
“The Judge and the jury saw the videos, heard witnesses, and overwhelmingly ruled in favor of the officers,” Lahren said.
In Nazario’s January 2023 trial, he was awarded less than $4,000 ($3,685) after seeking millions in damages, according to 13 News Now. According to the army lieutenant’s lawsuit, the veteran suffers from anxiety, depression, and PTSD because of the incident. After the Attorney General’s Office conducted a private investigation, they found that the rural town has a 22% population of Black residents but accounted for close to 42% of traffic stops between July 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021.
Their investigation also found more vehicles driven by Black motorists were searched than those driven by white drivers.
Top Pick: Shaquille O’Neal Claims He Is The Best Athlete-Rapper
Athletes and rap music have always crossed paths, as several athletes have even recorded songs and/or made appearances on hip-hop records. Even Snoop Dogg got into the debate of who is the best athlete who raps last month when he christened NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, aka Shaq, the “greatest NBA rapper of all time.” The 7-foot sports commentator agrees.
TMZ spoke to Shaq about who is the best athlete-rapper out here. The debate was renewed due to the recent release of “3 Lokos,” the latest song featuring Shaq Diesel (his hip-hop moniker). The athlete appears as a guest on the song by Coyote, which consists of rappers Ladies Love Guapo and Ricky Blanco.
“It’s all competition for me. So when I hear other people that say, ‘Oh, I’m a better athlete-rapper than Shaq,’ I gotta step up,” Shaq tells the media outlet. “Nothing personal. I just gotta let these people know who paved the way.”
While acknowledging that he never pursued a hip-hop career, he flatly states to TMZ that “there wasn’t enough money in that game for me.” This makes sense since he makes millions from endorsements and business deals without having to step into a recording booth.
Although many people who listen to hip-hop may agree with his assessment, Shaq also gave props to some of the athletes who have chosen to make records.
“When people say they’re better than Diesel, that means you want to compete. I just like competing. So I put stuff out, they put stuff out, and we let the people decide who the number one is. I know who the number one is. I’ma always say myself,” he said. “They got a lot of guys that are coming. Dame Lillard‘s really nice. Iman Shumpert can go. Antonio Brown can go. All these guys can go. It’s all about competition.”
Coyote member Blanco previously said that there is another song the group recorded with Shaq that will soon see the light of day. Looks like we’ll have to stay tuned to hear what’s next from Shaq Diesel.
Prominent Companies Now Embrace Black British Business Awards
In the not-so-distant past, prominent corporations shied away from endorsing the Black British Business Awards.
“When we initiated this awards program, some companies hesitated to join us because the term ‘Black’ was not a part of their corporate vocabulary,” cofounder Sophie Chandauka, MBE, told The Telegraph. “They viewed it as offensive and were unwilling to introduce it, let alone nominate someone.”
Now the Black British Business Awards, in partnership with The Telegraph,boasts support from some of Britain’s largest corporations, including JP Morgan, Barclays and Chandauka’s former and current employers, Baker McKenzie and Meta.
The upcoming October ceremony, the awards’ 10th anniversary, will celebrate the accomplishments of over 350 business leaders, companies, and emerging talents.
The concept for these awards emerged during the 2012 London Summer Olympics. While the world celebrated the achievements of London’s multicultural population, Chandauka and co-founder Melanie Eusebe, MBE, noticed a strikingly different narrative. The severe underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior positions at FTSE 100 companies created a false perception that they were not contributing significantly to the British economy.
Chandauka, head of Americas risk management and intelligence at Meta, shared with The Telegraph, “We possessed the talent, so why weren’t Black professionals reaching the top? Something was happening in the middle that marginalized us. We either felt the need to disengage or believed we couldn’t participate or advance.”
The Black British Business Awards aimed to change this perception, emphasizing the existence of Black talent. The challenge lay in persuading companies to endorse that vision, with the added pressure of potential career repercussions. Chandauka, a corporate lawyer trained at global law firm Baker McKenzie, received grave warnings about the impact on her career.
Nonetheless, Chandauka’s early life in Zimbabwe, a country that gained independence in 1980, provided inspiration. She also drew strength from South African leaders like Nelson Mandela, who dared to challenge the status quo.
“When you have a platform and a voice, you must use it to address issues that benefit everyone,” she said.
Chandauka and Eusebe persevered, knowing they could secure new employment if their employers were uncomfortable with their activism.
It took them two years to secure their first sponsor, EY, where Eusebe worked as an advisory manager for nearly four years until 2013. However, billionaire Richard Branson played a pivotal role. In 2014, the Virgin founder shared an article about the awards on Twitter, which propelled the initiative.
More recently, Chandauka’s mission to elevate and advocate for the role of Black individuals in business received a significant boost following the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
“In the UK, we’ve been quite polite and hesitant to engage in honest discussions about systemic issues that require addressing in the business world—George Floyd changed that,” she said.
After spending the past decade highlighting these issues, Chandauka is now focused on taking action. The Network of Networks (TNON), a sister organization to the awards, equips companies with the skills to help ethnic minority professionals overcome career obstacles.
Her message to employers is clear: “Small, everyday decisions can make a difference. From choosing meeting attendees to buying coffee for someone, or selecting the right individuals for a deal—by consistently making these everyday actions, we can transform systems and cultures.”
Outkast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ Album Becomes Highest-Selling Hip-Hop Album With 13 Million Units Sold
Atlanta hip-hop group Outkast has just dethroned Marshall Mathers (Eminem’s “The Eminem Show”) as the highest-selling hip-hop album in history. The duo’s double album, their fifth studio project, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below,” was officially certified as having sold 13 million units. No hip-hop album has ever sold that many units before. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) made this distinction on Sept. 29, as reported by chart data.
OutKast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ is now the highest certified rap album in @RIAA history (13x Platinum). pic.twitter.com/kAnR8jgXIu
The acknowledgment of this accomplishment was not lost on Outkast group member Big Boi. He took to Instagram last week to showcase his latest hardware. The recording artist mentions that the honor hits days after the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the album being released.
“Special delivery just in time for the 20th anniversary 9/23/03 … #speakerboxxxthelovebelow Over 13 Million albums sold. ( Diamond & a 3.5 ) What Are Your Jams? @ outkast is everlasting. Stank You Smelly Much …To All Y’all 🛸”
According to VIBE, the two solo-featured songs on “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” Big Boi’s “Hey Ya!” and Andre 3000’s “The Way You Move” both became No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The album, when it came out, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album also became the second hip-hop album to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, five years after Fugee member Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill did it in 1999. That same year, the duo also took home Grammys for Best Rap Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Hey Ya!”
It was also recently announced that two Outkast classics are being rereleased, “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below“ for its 20th anniversary, and “Aquemini” celebrating its 25th anniversary. Both albums were released on vinyl in partnership with Get On Down.
Justice Clarence Thomas Recuses Himself in Jan. 6 Case For First Time Ever
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas made the rare decision to recuse himself from a case related to the House Jan. 6 Committee on Monday.
This case marks the first instance of recusal for the embattled justice in a Capitol riot-related matter, amidst increasing public concern over potential ethical conflicts, according to Forbes.
The case in question involved attorney John Eastman, who is closely aligned with former President Donald Trump. Eastman had petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling that granted the House committee access to certain emails he argued were protected by attorney-client privilege. However, the high court declined Eastman’s request to review the case without any recorded dissents.
Thomas did not provide an official explanation for his recusal, a standard practice among justices. However, one prominent factor in the case is that Eastman had previously served as Thomas’s law clerk.
This move comes amid mounting scrutiny directed at Thomas over his involvement in cases related to the Jan. 6 committee, especially given his wife Virginia Thomas‘s association with efforts to contest the 2020 election results. Virginia Thomas’s engagement in activities, including communication with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows occurred concurrently with Supreme Court cases related to these matters.
Most notably, Thomas did not recuse himself from a January 2022 case that pertained to whether documents from the Trump administration held by the National Archives should be provided to the House Jan. 6 Committee. In that case, he stood alone in dissent as the court rejected the administration’s plea to prevent the documents from being handed over.
The justice’s involvement in a case from December 2020, which aimed to challenge election results in several battleground states, further fueled concerns. While the Court ultimately turned down Texas’s request to take up the case, Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.
Moreover, Thomas has faced controversy over accepting gifts from affluent Republican political donors. He has reportedly received expensive vacations, private jet and yacht rides, and significant private school tuition payments for family members from wealthy conservative businessman Harlan Crow, who has made substantial political contributions aimed at influencing the Supreme Court.
Thomas has argued that these gifts did not violate ethical guidelines, as they fell within an exception for personal hospitality from close friends.
Nonetheless, experts have contested this interpretation. ProPublica unveiled that Justice Thomas also accepted at least 38 additional extravagantly costly vacation packages from three other billionaire donors, none of which were disclosed on his mandated financial disclosures.
Furthermore, it was revealed in September that Thomas had secretly participated in fundraiser events for the Koch network, a right-wing political organization founded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.
The nexus between Thomas’s legal decisions, his wife’s political involvement, and his connections to affluent political donors has raised concerns about potential ethical conflicts and their impact on the integrity of the Supreme Court.
Oct 3 (Reuters) – More than 60 Jamaican primary school kids were hospitalized after eating potent rainbow-colored cannabis candy, the Caribbean country’s education minister said on social media platform X, causing them to vomit and hallucinate.
“I feel confident that together we will strengthen our safety and security regime to combat the unconscionable sale of marijuana infused products to children,” Fayval Williams said on Tuesday, noting the “most unfortunate” circumstances under which she met parents and stakeholders of Ocho Rios Primary School.
Late on Monday, Williams had shared an image she said had been reported to her ministry showing a colorful packet of “full throttle rainbow sour belts,” each containing 100 milligrams of THC – considered a strong dose for experienced adults.
“One little boy said he only had one sweetie,” Williams said, adding several of the school children had been given intravenous drips to speed up recovery. “That’s how potent this product is.”
Jamaica decriminalized possession of up to 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana for religious, medicinal and scientific purposes in 2015, and set up a licensing agency for the country’s legal medical cannabis industry.
Radio Jamaica reported that the Ganja Growers and Producers Association of Jamaica was suggesting a public education program for responsible consumption by adults and to prevent consumption by children, as well as pushing for more packaging regulations.
