Warren G Wishes He Was ‘More Business-Minded’ After Receiving Nothing For ‘The Chronic’
Warren G appeared on Drink Champs last month where he recalled co-producing Dr. Dre’s celebrated album debut, 1992’s The Chronic. For Warren G, it was “organic” and “amazing” to work with his stepbrother on the project that helped introduce him to the rap scene.
There’s just one problem: He didn’t get paid.
Warren G knew nothing about music publishing rights and didn’t sign off on anything for his work on the album that’s now archived in the Library of Congress.
“My only thing is I wish I was more business-minded back then…My thing was, like I said, the show the love back to him as far as teaching me,” he said.
“You taught me as a pup and this is the reward for you teaching me by me and my homeboys coming back, putting this record together for you.”
But 30 years later, Warren G now wishes “I would’ve knew about publishing back then, ‘cause that would be lovely right now.”
When it comes to what the “Regulate” rapper received for his work on The Chronic, apparently not a thing.
“I didn’t get s—t. I didn’t get no credits,” Warren G revealed. “Snoop [Dogg] gave me some credit. Snoop said my name on ‘Stranded on Death Row.’”
Despite the snub, Warren G has no regrets and says his work was all for the love of Dr. Dre. “I wasn’t tripping. I was there for Dre. You know, helping Dre.”
In July, Dr. Dre appeared on Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart, where he slyly credited Warren G for coming up with the concept of “The Chronic.”
“A close friend of mine, we’ll call him D.O.C., talked me into doing The Chronic album,” Dr. Dre shared. “It wasn’t my decision, I was talked into doing that. I just went in there and went for it because I felt, at that time, it was a life or death situation.”
How Kobe Harris’ Environmentally Conscious Skincare Brand Is Helping To Save The Planet
When Kobe Harris began his journey at Loyola Chicago, he didn’t intend to start a company that would help fight the ongoing battle of preserving the environment for future generations. After facing the city’s blistering winter wind and experiencing its ongoing trash problem, Harris launched his sustainable brand of lip balms, cuticle butter, and lip scrubs, Kobee’s, to help others and the planet.
Kobee’s products are all-natural and handmade while also being completely plastic-free. Using four simple ingredients—sunflower seed oil, mango butter, coconut oil, and beeswax-—and completely compostable packaging, Harris is helping to revolutionize the skincare industry ‘one balm at a time.’ With an emphasis on being the change he hopes to see in the world, the young entrepreneur uses proceeds from Kobee’s to support nonprofit organizations that share his commitment to saving the planet. Although his brand’s mission decreases the shelf-life of his product, which in turn cuts into his profits, Harris’s focus is on how every small change any consumer makes to better the environment is ultimately more important than his bottom line. “Getting older, I started to become more conscious of the foods and ingredients I was putting inside of my body,” he said. “With these types of products, it’s very common to come across cheap ingredients that make you keep reapplying. We want to take out the guesswork and make something that actually benefits you and your skin.”
What’s more, zero waste is associated with the brand’s star products. Once the lip balm has been used, consumers can cut it up and compost it in soil for a completely biodegradable experience. At an incredibly affordable price of $5, Kobee’s rivals other “organic” brands in every statistical category with the advantage of being Black-owned.
Gov. Ron DeSantis Has Heated Exchange With Black Veteran At Jacksonville News Conference
A Jacksonville, Florida, news conference got heated when Governor Ron DeSantis was called out for reportedly turning the state into a breeding ground for racism.
On Thursday, September 7, a Black man, who identified himself as an Air Force Veteran, addressed DeSantis, accusing his policies of directly contributing to the racist mass shooting that killed three Black Americans in Jacksonville last month.
As reported by News4Jax, the news conference concluded with an open question-and-answer forum, where a man who identified himself as a veteran told DeSantis that he believed his policies to be harmful. The veteran referenced the New Town shooting at the Dollar General.
“I feel that you have enacted policies that hurt people like myself,” he said. “You have allowed weapons to be put on the street into immature, hateful people that have caused the deaths of the people who were murdered a couple of weeks ago. Please let me finish, sir.”
DeSantis was quick to cut the veteran off in an attempt to defend himself. He raised his voice and accusingly pointed out the man in the crowd.
“So first of all, I did not allow anything with that. Excuse me. I’m not gonna let you accuse me of committing criminal activity. I am not going to take that. I’m not going to take that. You want to have a civil conversation, that’s one thing…try to say that I’m letting…that guy was Baker Acted. He should have been ruled ineligible, but they didn’t involuntarily commit him,” DeSantis said.
“Please allow me to speak my truth, sir,” the veteran calmly said as DeSantis continued to ignore him.
“No, there is the truth. There is something about the truth. It’s not everyone doesn’t have their own truth. You don’t get to come here and blame me for some madman. That is not appropriate, and I’m not going to accept it,” DeSantis continued.
DeSantis attempted to shift responsibility by mentioning that the shooter, who committed suicide, was involuntarily detained and examined by medical professionals during a mental health crisis when he was 15. According to public records, he was lawfully detained for up to 72 hours under the Baker Act.
The veteran spoke out again, “You have allowed people to hunt people like me.”
“Oh, that is nonsense. That is such nonsense. We’ve done more, we’ve done more to support law enforcement in this state than anybody in throughout the United States,” DeSantis shot back.
The veteran was escorted out of the news conference by security following his exchange with DeSantis.
Despite the governor’s defense, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida echoed the veteran’s sentiment on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.
Gov. DeSantis’ policies have made Florida less safe for Black people in Florida. https://t.co/bkY88BFHOb
Cedric The Entertainer Talks Upcoming Book, His New BBQ Venture, And Working Behind The Camera
BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Selena Hill sat down with comedy veteran Cedric the Entertainer to discuss his upcoming crime fiction novel inspired by his grandfather, the actor’s new barbecue business, and what it was like directing the 100th episode of his long-running CBS sitcom, The Neighborhood.
Having been in the entertainment industry for over three decades, Cedric the Entertainer is no stranger to the business. Nearing 60 years old, the comedian, whose real name is Cedric Antonio Kyles, has appeared in over 50 television shows and films and several stand-up specials. Now, he can add author and business owner to his extensive résumé.
Cedric’s new novel is titled Flipping Boxcars, and the story follows Babe, a slick-mouthed but charming family man who struggles to maintain some semblance of financial stability amid World War II. Babe’s gambling ways eventually throw his entire family’s livelihood into disarray, and the swindler is forced to go big or go broke.
Though he never met him, Cedric revealed that his mother’s father inspired the book’s main character.
“So he was a businessman, he was a gambler, he was a hustler. He was a family man. He was all these things, and he’s just trying to live a better life. And so that’s what I tell the story about, and it’s a character I created that’s loosely based off my grandfather,” Cedric revealed.
Despite never speaking with him, Cedric has been told of his uncanny similarities with his late grandfather.
“He was humorous but, you know, had an entrepreneurial kind of spirit, and he was a family man, yet he was also a man of the streets, like he can handle himself in all situations. So it’s one of those things that I feel like, you know, we have this great resemblance that I have through osmosis or genes or DNA or something,” he said.
The novel is slated to debut on Sept. 12 and is Cedric’s first stint at writing.
The book isn’t Cedric’s only new project this year, however. Late this summer, he and fellow actor Anthony Anderson launched a barbecue seasoning business, which Cedric discussed with Hill.
“Anthony and I, we’ve been friends for many, many years, man. And so we would go on golf trips with our buddies, you know, and we would also often rent the houses and stay all together, and I’d be the one that would cook most of the time. So that became my love of cooking. And then we wanted to do something that was like a brand that was not alcohol. But showing this, this idea of Black unity, two brothers together, and BBQ just was natural. It was a natural space for it. It was just one that we all recognize as we do as a community,” he said.
“We get together, we got cookouts, we have family barbecues,” he continued. “All these things mean us celebrating with each other and being with each other and having a great time eating good food. And so that’s what the background of the brand is and why we created it so that we can be in the space of barbecue and grilling and just go and have them kick it with people and talk and laugh and meet folks and don’t I love it.”
The business, called AC Barbecue, offers three seasoning rubs: Midnight Smoke, Lemon Stepper, and the all-purpose MVP. The official website also features several recipes on how to best prepare different dishes, from classic pulled pork sliders to lemon pepper rotisserie chicken. In line with the new barbecue business, the pair also has a new television series called Kings of BBQ, which premiered on A&E this August. The show follows Cedric and Anderson as they discover the best tricks, tips, and techniques for grilling barbecue as they establish their own budding empire.
Cedric currently stars in and acts as executive producer for CBS’s The Neighborhood, which has aired since 2018. The show recently hit a milestone of 100 episodes, and the comedian directed the momentous occasion. When asked whether he has a preferred role in the show’s creation, Cedric had nothing but praise for all aspects of the job.
“I just enjoy it, man. I just really appreciate the blessing to be able to create and do the things that have opportunities in front of me, and when I get a chance to do them, I just go for it. So I really feel blessed to be doing the show, having a good time making people laugh, and coming to their homes on Monday nights,” he shared.
“Of course, you know, being able to be the EP of the show is all about having the right voice and tone and texture, making sure it’s saying what I want to say, you know, and then being able to direct is just another great opportunity.”
Cedric also spoke about what it was like stepping behind the camera and directing his castmates for a change.
“I got wonderful actors. Yes, my friends, we love each other. And so for me to be like the boss-boss, like when I’m in the EP, I’m the actor, but when I’m the director, you got to blow it out.”
Cedric’s career has flourished over the past 30 years and only seems to continue to do so. You can watch the actor in The Neighborhood on Mondays at 8/7 PM CT on CBS Network.
But also, check out Cedric’s full interview on The New Norm here.
Tory Lanez Reportedly Turned Down 4-Year Plea Deal Before Guilty Verdict And 10-Year Sentence
Tory Lanez must’ve really been convinced that he was innocent since he reportedly turned down a four-year plea deal prior to being sentenced to 10 years for the Megan Thee Stallion shooting.
Early last month, Tory Lanez was handed a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion and injuring her feet. The sentence brought the close of a three-year legal battle and trending topic around the incident where fans debated whether or not Lanez was innocent.
While Lanez was eventually found guilty of the crime in December 2022, the Toronto native was seemingly confident he would walk away a free man since he turned down a plea deal he was offered, VladTVreports. It’s not entirely new revelation as it was first revealed in November 2021 that Lanez refused the plea deal offered to him.
The deadline for Lanez to reach a plea deal passed with no agreement made after the “Say It” singer officially declined the plea deal and was ready to face trial on his assault charges, American Songwriterreports.
Megan opened up about the shooting in a 2020 New York Times op-ed where she explained why she chose to “Speak Up for Black Women.
“Black women are still constantly disrespected and disregarded in so many areas of life,” Megan wrote.
“I was recently the victim of an act of violence by a man. After a party, I was shot twice as I walked away from him. We were not in a relationship. Truthfully, I was shocked that I ended up in that place.”
Megan became emotional while taking the stand during the trial to give testimony about the “torture” she endured during and after the July 2020 shooting.
“I don’t wanna be on this Earth,” Megan said at one point during a daylong testimony. “I wish he woulda shot and killed me if I knew I would go through this torture.”
Lanez was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. The verdict came days before Christmas 2022 and Lanez would spend months in jail before he was sentenced to a decade in prison last month.
The rapper is currently working to appeal his case and is seeking bail.
B.G. Ordered to Substance Abuse Treatment, Community Service, And GED Program As Part of Prison Release
B.G. of Cash Money is finally a free man after serving 12 years behind bars. But there are a number of requirements he has to complete as part of his prison release.
Christopher Noel Dorsey, better known by his stage name B.G., was released from prison on Tuesday, September 6, after serving out 12 years of a 14-year stint for gun possession and witness tampering, Billboardreports. As a founding member of the popular ’90s rap group Hot Boys, Birdman was front and center ready to greet B.G. upon his release.
The Cash Money CEO took to Instagram Live to share footage of the warm welcome B.G. received after he was let out. The “Bling Bling” rapper appeared overjoyed as Birdman welcomed him home with gifts in hand.
While B.G. has regained his reentry into society, there is a list of stipulations around his release he must complete in order to be completely in the clear. Among B.G.’s prison release requirements include two years of supervised release with DNA collection, completion of an approved drug/alcohol treatment program, and a separate program on life skills, TMZ reports.
Additionally, the “Back That Azz Up” rapper must complete 400 hours of unpaid community service, and actively pursue a GED or vocational training to ensure he’s set up for future employment. B.G. is also barred from possessing firearms and other dangerous weapons.
But when it comes to his future employment, fans are expecting B.G. to get back into the studio sooner rather than later. Hot Boys member Turk is already teasing a reunion now that B.G. is back home. The group’s original members were B.G., Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Turk.
Birdman has also confirmed that he signed B.G. back to Cash Money as soon as he was released from prison. So new music is likely on the way.
Baltimore Ravens Are Reportedly First NFL Team To Have All-Black Quarterback Room
With all the contributions that Black athletes have made in the National Football League, some might wonder why it would take this long for an NFL team to have an all-Black quarterback room. It has been reported that the Baltimore Ravens is the first and only team in league history to have a quarterback room that consists of only Black players AND coaches.
According to SB Nation’s Baltimore Beatdown, last year, the Ravens carried two Black quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. That number increased to three when they added Josh Johnson this season. No team in the history of the NFL has carried three Black quarterbacks until the Ravens.
But that’s not all!
The quarterbacks coach, Tee Martin, and assistant quarterbacks coach, Kerry Dixon, are both Black, making it a complete sweep of Black men in the quarterback room.
The Ravens, who have existed for less than 30 years—started as a new franchise in 1996—are one of the 13 football teams (out of 32 teams) that have not hired a Black head coach. But, they’ve done an excellent job when it came to placing a Black man in a prominent role in the organization.
They were the first NFL franchise to name a Black executive as the team’s general manager. That distinction belongs to Ozzie Newsome. He was promoted from vice president of player personnel to take over that role in 2002.
Jason Reid, author of Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America, said, “What the Ravens have right now is definitely groundbreaking, even in 2023. The significance of it is that we are now in the era of the Black quarterback in the NFL,” Reid toldThe Baltimore Banner.
Antonio Brown Accused Of Threatening To Pull Gun On Arena Team Players
The troubling antics of former NFL player Antonio Brown have been well-documented. Now comes news of another disturbing encounter involving players from his now-defunct arena football team.
According to ESPN, several players on the Albany Empire (formerly of the National Arena League), which Brown owned, spoke about an encounter with the controversial former NFL player. The conversation allegedly led to Brown asking his assistant to grab his AR (presumably referring to his automatic rifle) as a threat to those players.
The incident occurred after Brown initially became the majority owner of the Empire last year. During the team’s training camp, the players requested that the team make a birthday tribute on social media for a former player, Mo Ruffins, who passed away last year at 38. Ben Nelson, the person responsible for social media posts for the team, initially posted the tribute, but it was quickly deleted. When the players got wind of that, they wanted to know why.
“People were a little frustrated because these guys were close to [Mo],” wide receiver Dwayne Hollis said.
After not getting a response about deleting the post, three players, Hollis, Darius Prince, and an unnamed teammate, approached Brown at a local cigar lounge. Brown had been there with Ryan Larkin, a local sneaker entrepreneur that the team owner brought into the front office.
“We were there to just talk, to give our views about how that’s wrong,” Hollis stated.
As the conversation between the players and Brown got heated, that was when Brown allegedly threatened to get a gun.
“AB looked at Ryan [Larkin] and was like, ‘Hey, man, you still got the AR in the car? Go get it,'” Prince recalled. “Then I was like, I’m not going to allow this dude to walk out of here after you just threatened us. After he said that, things did calm down and we had a conversation. But the fact is that he threatened us by telling his assistant to grab his AR.”
The players have also claimed that Brown still hasn’t paid the salaries of the team employees or players that are owed them.
Dwyane Wade On His Family Leaving Florida, They Didn’t Feel ‘Protected, Safe, Seen’
Dwyane Wade is opening up about his family’s decision to relocate from Florida to California due to not feeling “protected” or “safe” in the place he “called home” for over a decade.
The NBA alum spent 14 of his 16 seasons as a standout on the Miami Heat. Even after his retirement in 2019, Wade and his family appeared settled in Florida up until earlier this year when he revealed why they relocated to California.
With a 15-year-old daughter, Zaya, who came out as transgender in 2020, Dwyane and his wife, Gabrielle Union-Wade, found it best to leave Florida in response to its sweeping anti-LGBTQ policies.
“When we had to decide what the next step was for our family as we were all coming together a little bit more, we had to think about our family and how it looked and how we wanted our kids to feel, what we want them to see on a daily basis,” Wade told People.
“Florida just wasn’t it for us at that time anymore.”
While the former shooting guard credits Florida for having “been so amazing for our family” over the years, “going forward, raising our family, it just wasn’t the ideal place.”
Florida has faced backlash in response to legislation passed earlier this year that seemingly targets the LGTBTQ+ community with laws that ban people from using a bathroom that goes against their sex assigned at birth, another law that prohibits children from watching drag shows, and a law that bans educators from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity across all grades, CBS Newsreports.
“It’s just not a place right now that my family and I feel protected, feel safe, feel seen, and I’m thankful that I’m able to speak out on it because I know there’s other families that feel the same way,” Wade says of their decision to leave the Sunshine State.
Now, as California residents, Dwyane and Gabrielle see firsthand how much more supportive “the community that my daughter is a part of” is “represented in a way that we felt comfortable,” he shared.
Former Bad Boy Rappers Shyne And Loon Reconnect At Invest Fest
Two former “Bad Boys” reunited recently in Atlanta.
Both men have faced public challenges, but now, according to reports, Shyne and Loon, are both on the upswing.
According to HipHopDX, the former Bad Boy labelmates were seen at InvestFest last month in Atlanta. The two may have been there to support their former label head, Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was a keynote speaker at the financial empowerment festival.
Both artists were prominent rappers for Bad Boy Records, but ran into legal problems and spent time in prison. While incarcerated, they were seemingly able to turn their lives around.
Loon posted photos from his time at InvestFest, which included a photo and video of him and Shyne reconnecting and getting a chance to talk.
“Everybody knows I don’t get out much as far as hanging out in crowds, clubs, etc. but I really enjoyed bumping into a lot of my old friends from a business that helped shape the man that I am today at @investfestival”
Shyne, whose real name is Moses Michael Levi Barrow, comes from a political family in Belize. He was involved in a shooting in New York on December 27, 1999. After hanging out with Diddy and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, Shyne was accused of shooting three times at the club. He was convicted on two counts of assault and reckless endangerment and criminal possession of an illegal weapon.
Given a prison sentence of 10 years in 2001, Shyne was released in 2009 and moved back to Belize, where his political career took off.
In 2020, Shyne was elected to Belize’s House of Representatives. Less than a year later, he was appointed leader of Belize’s conservative opposition party.
Loon (Amir Junaid Muhadith) was given a 14-year prison sentence for his role in drug trafficking in 2012. Due to COVID-19, the former rapper was released in 2020 and became involved in a legitimate business and philanthropy. He recently started a podcast, The Perspective Podcast.
