by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 26, 2023

Raphael Saadiq Gave ‘Cuff It’ To Beyoncé But It Was Meant For Tony! Toni! Toné!

After winning a Grammy for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Cuff It,” Raphael Saadiq is finally ready to admit who the song was originally penned for.

The famed singer-songwriter is hitting the road for a tour that includes a highly anticipated reunion of his beloved R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! The soul-singing trio will perform a number of their classic hits including “Anniversary,” “Whatever You Want,” and “It Never Rains.”

But there was a new song that could’ve been added to the setlist if Saadiq, 57, hadn’t given it to Queen Bey instead.

“That record was going to be a Tonyies record, the part that just sounds like [mimics the ‘Cuff It’ guitar riff],” Saadiq told Vulture.

“But I gave it to a friend of mine and said, ‘I got this record. I was going to do it, but what about Beyoncé?’”

Saadiq shared the vision he had for Beyoncé’s rendition of the song and credited super-producer The-Dream for getting the ball rolling.

“She’s one of those people where if she’s feeling it, she’s going 100 percent in. I said, ‘It’s going to move people. It’s going to work, I’m telling you.’ I think she just put it away,” he said. “From what I heard, The-Dream eventually found it. And he was like, ‘What is that?!’”

The celebrated songwriter, who has penned a number of classics for artists like Solange‘s “Cranes in the Sky,” D’Angelo’s “Untitled,” and all of the hits performed by his old group Lucy Pearl, knew he had another hit on his hands.

“I already knew it was one of them joints,” Saadiq said of “Cuff It.”

“I always said, if you drop the right music on an artist, it could go, but I’m glad she has so many eyeballs on her, you know what I mean? You can’t really trick people, it’s got to be good.”

It was the first time Saadiq had written for Beyoncé, and it ended up garnering him a Grammy for Best R&B Song.

“Beyoncé’s a hard worker. I told her, ‘I’ve always knew we would work together at some point.’ Like I said, it’s all about timing,” he shared.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 26, 2023

Erica Mena Says ‘Love & Hip Hop’ Cast Depicted As ‘Zoo Animals’ After Being Left Out Racism Roundtable

Erica Mena is clapping back after being left out of “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta’s” roundtable on racism and colorism.

The “Love and Hip Hop” veteran was ousted from the show after she called Spice a “monkey” during a heated exchange filmed in “LHH Atlanta”‘s current season. With the show approaching its season finale, a roundtable on racism was organized among the remaining cast members.

MTV will air 'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta: Racism, Colorism, and the Uncomfortable Truth' immediately following tonight's #LHHATL Season 11 finale.

"This roundtable discusses the recent events that aired on the show before MTV decided to stop filming with Erica Mena. International… pic.twitter.com/u8eR9ms1tK

— TV Deets (@tvdeets) September 26, 2023

But Mena is speaking out to ask why she wasn’t invited to sit down and talk it out with others who have “said things just as bad.” The reality star wrote a lengthy statement on Instagram in response to the racism and colorism roundtable and accuses the franchise of seemingly using her to “save face.”

According to the axed “LHH” star, she continued filming the show for seven months before she was fired. Mena believes the show fired her only after it decided to air the scene and received backlash from viewers.

“They had this footage for months. They chose to edit it how they wanted and aired it,” she wrote in a comment SHARED by The Shade Room.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

Mena wonders why, if she is being used to “save face” for the network, then why not have her present for the roundtable discussion?

“Desperate to save face but true and only reason a statement was even made by the network was because the backlash,” Mena claims.

Steve Honig, the reality star’s rep, also released a statement blasting the network for leaving Mena out of the discussion.

“It is very disappointing Erica was not included in the discussion about the incident that occurred while filming the show and that the network chose to silence her voice,” Honig told Radar Online.

“She would have welcomed an opportunity to discuss what happened in a way that was productive and made this roundtable truly a valuable moment of learning for all. It is also worth noting that the network continued filming with Erica for more than seven months after the actual incident occurred, despite claims that filming with her was stopped after it happened.”

by Iman Milner

September 26, 2023

Deborah Roberts Secures Her Spot As Permanent Anchor For ‘20/20’ After 27 Years With ABC

Storied investigative journalist Deborah Roberts has been named permanent co-anchor at ABC News’s “20/20,” continuing a legendary career that began in 1995.

She joins the ranks of Diane Sawyer, Connie Chung, and Hugh Downs, who have all anchored the popular news series during its 26-year history. About Roberts’ new appointment, ABC News President Kim Godwin said that the industry vet “is a skilled investigative journalist, oftentimes trekking across the country to conduct hard-hitting interviews, providing viewers with relevant, insightful information. Deborah is an empathetic reporter, bringing humanity to every story.”

“Deborah brings her love of storytelling, her deep commitment to the truth, and most of all, her humanity to everything she does,” said David Muir, who will co-anchor alongside Roberts. “I cannot wait to stand beside her on ‘20/20.’”

The 63-year-old journalist has used her dynamic reporting skills to help build the Emmy-winning culture of “20/20,” making her promotion a full-circle moment.

“Once you have really planted yourself firmly into a program like this, as I have over the years, you look for more,” Roberts said.

Recruited by her mentor and news icon Barbara Walters in 1995, Roberts joined the ABC team as a reporter and has worked across several of the network’s news programs, including “Good Morning America” and “The View.”

In 2021, Roberts received a Peabody Award for her work on the “20/20” special “Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor.”

“Deborah Roberts is one of a kind — a first-class journalist who brings heart, authority, and integrity to every story she covers,” said Godwin. “Along with David Muir, she embodies the DNA of ‘20/20,’ inspiring the team and people around the world with every thoughtful word, inspiring report, and impactful interview.”

Roberts believes her move to co-anchor will give her “a little more ownership” of the program and “more of a say in what it’s all about.”

She replaces former “20/20” co-anchor Amy Robach, who left ABC after a heavily publicized affair with her “GMA3” co-host TJ Holmes and will continue reporting across other shows. Roberts, a Georgia native, has been married to beloved “Today Show” host Al Roker since 1995.

Keying car, James Michael Fay , Georgia Man

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 26, 2023

Georgia Man Is White And Wrong For Knifing Woman’s Car After She Legally Parked In A Handicapped Spot

A man in Gwinnett County, Georgia, was arrested for keying a car with a knife that he believed was parked in a handicapped spot illegally, threatening the lives of the children inside the vehicle during the incident.

The 61-year-old perpetrator, James Michael Fay, took matters into his own hands on Sept. 23 when he surveyed a vehicle that he believed lacked the necessary documentation to park in the designated area, as reported by WSB-TV. Taking it upon himself to deliver his form of justice, Fay took a knife and ran around the car, scratching it from top to bottom.

However, the vehicle owner, Syreeta Mack, had her children inside the car, which was parked at a nearby Walmart. The car’s dashcam and Mack’s 16-year-old daughter recorded the crime, with her 2-year-old sister also present.

After the teenager sent her mother the footage of the live incident, Mack confronted the man in the store and called law enforcement. She asked why he felt the need to put a knife to her car, to which he explained that there was no tag according to his sight.

However, Mack proclaimed that a tag was indeed on her vehicle. Nevertheless, police arrived to arrest Fay and charged him with a misdemeanor of criminal trespass damage.

After Fay bonded himself out of jail, WSB-TV’s Gwinnett County Bureau Chief went to speak with him about what led to his actions.

Fay maintains that he never saw the handicapped tag, but when asked if that gave him the right to proceed as he did, he claimed to be justified in his action.

“If she was parked illegally, then yes,” responded Fay to the question, implying that leaving a note would not have been enough.

Mack still believes the violence committed was extreme when he could have easily minded his own business. This instance is part of a recent pattern of white people committing intimidating acts against Black people who are going about their daily lives, with the perpetrators often being referred to as “Karens.”

“People need to mind the business that pays them,” Mack said. “If you feel like someone is doing something illegal, call the police. You don’t have to step in and be a vigilante because you can end up being a perp instead.”

by Stacy Jackson

September 26, 2023

‘The View’ Co-host Sunny Hostin Says Theory Shows Gay People ‘Have Noses For Each Other’

“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin recently had a few thoughts on a theory about how gay people identify one another.

During Monday’s “Hot Topics” discussion on the ABC morning talk show, the lawyer shared some research that found “homosexual people have a nose for each other.” She also said that “gay men have different scent attraction” and gay people “can actually smell under their arms and, in a blindfold test, can tell which person is gay and which person isn’t.”

Hostin’s comments were an extension of a conversation the talk show’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, started about the dating series “Naked Attraction.” The full-frontal nude dating show follows contestants who choose dates based on their naked bodies.

In a clip posted to the talk show’s Instagram page, Goldberg shook her head in disagreement with her co-host’s theory.

“I know too many gay people that say my gaydar is down,” Goldberg added to the conversation.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The View (@theviewabc)

According to a 2005 scientific study published by The National Library of Medicine, Swedish researchers found that the sense of smell was linked to sexual orientation. The findings covered by The Independent stated that gay men preferred the body odor of other gay men.

“I’m very embarrassed to admit that [my husband] Manny and I got so obsessed with this show that we binged it yesterday and watched all eight episodes. I learned things that I never heard in my life,” Hostin said. The journalist said she witnessed some “pretty” sights during her and her hubby’s binge session of the Max series.

At one point in the conversation, Goldberg asked, “People actually want to see this?” before answering her own question with “Apparently.”

The “Day of Hot Topics” episode aired on ABC on Monday, Sept. 25.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 26, 2023

Iman Boycotted Céline After Designer Whined Of Being ‘Forced’ To Work With Black Models

Supermodel Iman is recalling the time she boycotted the luxury fashion house Céline, whose former creative director she accused of racism.

An old video clip from Iman’s September 2022 appearance on “Sway’s Universe” recently surfaced online that sheds light on why she took a stance against the fashion powerhouse a decade ago. Iman called out Phoebe Philo in the interview for allegedly complaining about being “forced” to work with Black models.

Iman cited Philo’s racist complaints as the reason why she has “never” purchased a Céline bag.

“She has the right to her runway, and I have the right to my pocketbook,” Iman quipped.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by the Jasmine BRAND (@thejasminebrand)

It was 2013 when Naomi Campbell joined Iman’s Diversity Coalition, which called out major fashion brands for their history of racism toward Black models and consumers.

“There were more Black models on the catwalk when I started in the 1970s than there are today,” Iman told the Evening Standard at the time.

“The absence of models of color sends a message to our young girls that they are not good enough, they are not beautiful enough.”

“Photography and the runways are such powerful tools, and say such a lot about our society. It is so much bigger than the catwalk,” she continued.

While brands like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Chanel, Armani, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Victoria Beckham, Roberto Cavalli, and Marc by Marc Jacobs were included in the open letter sent to the fashion governing bodies in New York, London, Paris, and Milan at the time, there was one designer who was called out by name.

“Phoebe Philo—she’s a cool girl. But Céline has never had a colored person showing in their collection. Ever,” Bethann Hardison, a former model and model agent, claimed. “And yet they have the best accessories; every Black woman who has money buys her accessories.”

It was then that Iman announced her boycott against the French luxury fashion brand.

“Not me,” she replied, “I walk the walk. I can get another It-bag. I have my wallet. I make a conscious decision not to buy that stuff.”

by Iman Milner

September 26, 2023

To Date, Deion Sanders Has Generated Over $90M For The University Of Colorado Boulder

Coach Deion Sanders has been a major asset for the University of Colorado Boulder (CU). From ad deals to celebrity endorsements and increased media coverage, the NFL Hall of Famer has reportedly generated $90.6 million in revenue for the Division I school, according to Yahoo Finance.

And his tenure, along with the school’s growing popularity, has only just begun.

“CU Boulder has been the epicenter of the national sports world, which has provided unprecedented exposure for our university across the country,” CU Chancellor Phil DiStefano said. “I am impressed by the excitement that has permeated campus, which is less quantifiable but certainly as important as record-setting merchandise and ticket sales.”

Coach Prime and the Buffaloes have ignited a firestorm of interest and fandom for the school, resulting in a 2,544 percent increase in sales for the online team store, the second highest-grossing month since Sanders’ arrival. CU has also enjoyed a surplus in funds from donors: around $2 million since September 2022.

Thanks to NIL, Colorado running backs Charlie Offerdahl and Alton McCaskill are starring in a new ad with Deion Sanders.

The trio is promoting California Almonds, which supports all 7.6K almond growers in the state.

(H/T @almonds)

From @Pete_Nakos96: https://t.co/C4cVVEaKvB pic.twitter.com/ApezCDg31I

— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) September 21, 2023

Additionally, “The Prime Effect” has helped shine a brighter light onto the players that make up the Buffaloes team by way of major NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals and vested interest in their talents. Running backs Charlie Offerdahl and Alton McCaskill starred alongside Coach Sanders in an ad for California Almonds, while the team’s quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way player Travis Hunter rank among the top 10 in NIL deals for all collegiate athletes.

“I’m so happy for our students, alumni, and fans who have all been savoring this incredible experience,” DiStefano said. “Most of all, I’m immensely proud of our coaches and student-athletes, who have demonstrated incredible poise amidst all of this attention and whose hard work is the reason we’re enjoying such a successful start to the season.”

Though the Colorado Buffaloes suffered their first loss on September 23 to the University of Oregon, 42-6, the numbers don’t lie when quantifying the overnight public infatuation with the school’s football team and its superstar coach.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

September 26, 2023

The Hate Train For VP Kamala Harris Gets Ugly Despite ‘Fight For Our Freedom’ Tour

As Vice President Kamala Harris makes her way down South as part of her “Fight For Our Freedoms” college tour, some naysayers are making it known that they are not here for her appearance.

Harris is expected to meet and engage with students within the Atlanta University Center, comprised of Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta University students, in a moderated conversation to discuss issues concerning the Biden administration that affect young people. The vice president expects to speak on reproductive rights, gun reform, and voting in the upcoming election.

While Harris has already stopped at Hampton University, North Carolina A&T, and Reading Area Community College, Atlanta residents are not so enthused by her visit, stating their displeasure in the comments under ATLScoop’s post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ATLSCOOP®🍑 (@atlscoop)

“I cannot stress enough how much we don’t care about this woman,” a commenter shared under the post.

Another commenter stated that they believe she was a ploy to gain Black voters’ trust but has not done much to aid the community.

“Idk why, she been in there and ain’t done one thing for black ppl. Her and Joe Biden used skin color to get black votes and been sending all the billions to Ukraine.”

The White House announced Harris’ venture to visit Hispanic-serving institutions, community colleges, and HBCUs to converse on nationwide concerns, ranging from LGBTQIA+ equality to book bans. On her purpose for the tour, Harris emphasized her mission to speak with the new generation about the looming issues that may impact their futures most and encourage them to stay civically engaged.

“This generation is critical to the urgent issues that are at stake right now for our future,” said Harris. “It is young leaders throughout America who know what the solutions look like and are organizing in their communities to make them a reality. My message to students is clear: We are counting on you, we need you, you are everything.”

Whether or not her Atlanta event will go without protest remains in question, as Harris’ inclusion won’t be met with unanimous praise.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 26, 2023

Dwyane Wade Wanted Daughter Zaya To Play Basketball With LeBron And Carmelo’s Kids Before Her Transition

Dwyane Wade is sharing the hard life lesson he learned about making plans for other people’s lives, particularly your children.

The basketball great opened up on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast about the old basketball hoop dreams he had for his daughter Zaya Wade before her transition. With Wade being close friends with LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, the Miami Heat alum had high hopes for their children continuing their legacy together on the court.

“I have Zaya. LeBron has Bryce. Melo has Kiyan. All within a 2 to 3-week span,” Wade explained.

“All our kids gonna grow up hooping together. “Oh we on! Boy we gonna have 3 babies! We on!”

“You couldn’t tell me that we wouldn’t be on the circuit right now, baby! We hooping,” he added.

But Wade was issued a hard reality check when Zaya turned 12 and came out as transgender.

“See what happens when you start making plans for other people’s lives?” he said.

Soon he was reintroduced to Zaya, his youngest of two children shared with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches. Wade also shares son Zaire, 21, with Funches, son Xavier, 9, with Aja Metoyer, and daughter Kaavia, 4, with his wife Gabrielle Union-Wade.

“Then, I got to meet my child. And a lot of people like to talk about Zaya’s transition, but to me, Zaya hasn’t transitioned into anything,” he said.

“She’s but a kid, and now becoming a young adult,” he continued. “I’ve watched her go through life. There hasn’t been any transition for us. There’s been a transition for the world, but for us, I see the same kid that I’ve seen since May 29, 2007. Nothing has changed.”

Zaya celebrated her family’s tight bond and the support they give her in a Harper’s Bazaar interview last month.

“Coming out is such a big change. It’s hard to navigate. We’ve all really learned more about each other and the way we can coexist and grow together in this crazy world, especially in the public eye,” she said.

“It’s like a spotlight is always on you. At the end of the day, though, we are a family, and we support and love each other and we are grateful.”

Russell Westbrook, Little Kitchen Academy, NBA, Club, Investment, Acquisition,

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 26, 2023

Russell Westbrook Pulls Up To Pensole Lewis College To Inspire Design Students

Russell Westbrook was a featured speaker at the first and only HBCU (historically Black college or university) solely dedicated to design, Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design. The school, located in Detroit, unveiled the Pepsi x Frito-Lay Refresh and Relax Lounge on Sept. 21, 2023, and was designed by students currently enrolled in the university.

According to VIBE, the future NBA Hall of Famer was there with the founder of Pensole Lewis, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, author Kevin Carroll, and PepsiCo’s Kent Montgomery. The men were there to participate in the lounge opening that Rodney Banks and Angel Buckens designed. The duo were the winners of the inaugural PepsiCo Design & Innovation program, with support from MillerKnoll.

Yesterday, Russell Westbrook visited Pensole Lewis College in Detroit, the only HBCU dedicated to design.

Through his partnership with PepsiCo, Westbrook spoke with students and helped unveil a brand new student lounge. pic.twitter.com/vkZUYwNkiM

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) September 22, 2023

Westbrook said, “I’m so grateful to be part of a partnership that is inspiring young Black creatives and prioritizing their education like the PepsiCo program at Pensole Lewis College. I share a mission with PepsiCo in wanting to create educational opportunities and provide valuable resources to young people who don’t always get the same support as their peers. Together, we want to inspire and encourage students to continue their creative journey and pursue a career in design.”

This initiative by PepsiCo Design & Innovation is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to further diversity in design in the Detroit area. Additional programs include a $25,000 donation to Diversity in Design, providing 250 local Detroit high school students with hands-on experience.

Local students from the School of Marygrove, Oakland Early College, Martin Luther King, Detroit Edison, University Prep Art & Design, Detroit Kappa League, and Closing the Gap Detroit also participated in the PepsiCo Design & Innovation and Pensole Lewis College Design Thinking workshop that was done in partnership with Chicago Mobile Makers.