by Iman Milner

August 8, 2023

Entrepreneur Brings Traditional African Cuisine To New Hampshire For Growing Immigrant Community

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When Patty Sabol opened Maddy’s African Market on North Main Street in Concord, New Hampshire, her goal was to give the growing community of African-born residents a taste of home. Now, she’s opening a restaurant to make sure all of the state’s capitol grows to appreciate the rich essence of traditional African cuisine.

“I want to make sure every American in Concord tastes my food,” Sabol said.

“The community is so excited; they didn’t have anywhere to eat locally and I wanted to do something to help them. I’m hoping it’ll be the biggest African restaurant in all of New Hampshire.”

Maddy’s Food Hub opened last month with a host of East and West African dishes that offers Caribbean inspired cuisine from jerk chicken, to oxtail, jollof rice and fish banku. After creating a one-stop shop by way of her marketplace for traditional African spices, vegetables, meats and pre-made meals, Sabol quickly outgrew the walls of her store and needed to meet the demands for her authentic delicacies.

“I grew out of the space and wanted to find a place to start a restaurant,” she said. “I went to the former owner and asked if I could use his kitchen and he ended up offering me the space.”

Though her beginnings were met with ease and community support, Sabol says the usual hurdles of being a Black business owner have plagued her as well. It’s hard being a business owner, especially not growing up in America,” she said.

“I am the only Black business owner that has come this far and most people don’t know where to start.”

For the African-born entrepreneur, it’s about making fellow immigrants feel welcome by way of making their culture more accessible. “This is something that will make our people feel like they’re not different and I want the youth to see that,” Sabol said.

“I want them to feel comfortable and I want to show them that this is something we can do, and they can do, too.”

by Stacy Jackson

August 8, 2023

The ‘Power Networking Conference’ Provides Resources For Black Entrepreneurs To Thrive

Black entrepreneurs are flooding into Houston for the Power Networking Conference to kick off Black Business Month. The conference is a celebratory event to provide Black entrepreneurs with the necessary resources to thrive.

Conference host Dr. George Fraser discussed the significance of celebrating Black entrepreneurship. According to ABC13, Fraser highlighted issues surrounding inequities and systemic racism that limit Black people from accumulating generational wealth and the discriminatory process to obtain a bank loan.

“The most important thing that we must do in the 21st century is to learn, earn, and return. We have a lot of us learning and a lot of us earning. But not enough of us returning,” he said.

During a press conference at Hilton Americas, Fraser reflected on his speeches during his visits to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). He recalled most Black graduates being familiar with big names in sports and entertainment but not business. “They don’t have a clue who these giants and superstars in the world of business development are …,” Fraser said. “There’s aspirational goals that exist for sports and entertainment … But there is no aspirational goal for business excellence, business extraordinaires. So why not have that?”

Jevon Wooden, business coach, strategy consultant, and CEO of Houston-based BrightMind Consulting Group, is focusing his efforts on increasing the amount of Black-owned businesses. Wooden served in the U.S. Army for 12 years before beginning his career in entrepreneurship. “We do a lot of pro bono work for organizations or Black businesses looking to grow and scale. We’ll work with them for free until they get up to a certain revenue dollar amount …,” Wooden said.

Beginning his entrepreneurial career as a life coach and advocate for Black men’s mental health, Wooden faced his own set of challenges. Now, he is devoted to closing the racial gap in business and sharing with other entrepreneurs how he overcame certain obstacles. “… Many of us are first generation, and figuring it out is the hardest thing. When you’re the first, you don’t know who to go to …,” Wooden said.

Fraser announced the launch of the Black Business Legacy Hall of Fame Museum and Metaverse, aiming to honor Black-owned businesses and recognize their value. The museum and metaverse platform will first open virtually through the Metaverse. The physical location in Atlanta has been scheduled for completion in 2030.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2023

Ex-NFL Player Aqib Talib’s Brother Sentenced To 37 Years For Murder Of Youth Football Coach

After agreeing to plead guilty to shooting and killing a youth football coach in 2022, Yaqub Talib, the brother of retired NFL cornerback Aqib Talib, was handed down his sentence on Aug. 7, 2023.

According to WFAA, Yaqub has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for killing youth football coach Michael Hickmon. In July 2023, he entered a guilty plea for shooting and killing the 43-year-old Hickmon on Aug. 13, 2022, at a football game in Lancaster, Texas.

Prosecutors received permission from the Dallas County court to use Yaqub’s previous offenses in the murder trial. His prior offenses included:

Aggravated assault.
Unlawful carrying of a firearm.
Possession of a controlled substance.

Hickmon’s wife, Kenyetta, addressed Yaqub after the sentencing.

“You killed innocence,” Kenyetta Hickmon stated to the convicted killer. “You killed souls, hopes, dreams, of not just my kids but of the 30 or 40 other kids who were there. Who does that? How did you think that was right?

“I’ll never be healed. I still ask myself every day, ‘Why?’ My kids say, ‘Why, mama? Why?’ I have no answers. Why would someone take a life from kids?”

Hickmon was shot several times after a fight between competing coaching staff. The violence erupted following a disputed referee’s call during a football scrimmage at Lancaster Community Park between two nine-year-old teams—the Dragon Elite Academy and the North Dallas United Bobcats.

Video footage, as well as eyewitness testimony, implicated Yaqub in the killing.

In 2022, Hickmon’s family filed a lawsuit against the Talib brothers in Dallas County. The family is suing Big XII Sports League and Family Services, along with the Talib brothers, accusing the league of failing to vet coaches and to provide a safe environment and adequate security.

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 8, 2023

Lil Wayne Says He’s ‘Too Unique’ For Artificial Intelligence To Dupe

When it comes to artificial intelligence, rapper Lil Wayne isn’t too worried about it.

As the cover star for Billboard’s 50th Hip-Hop celebration, Weezy F. Baby doesn’t think AI stands a chance at duplicating his voice, claiming he’s too amazing.

“I’m like, is this AI thing going to be amazing too? Because I am naturally, organically amazing,” Wayne said.

“I’m one of a kind. So actually, I would love to see that thing try to duplicate this motherf–ker.”

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A post shared by Lil Wayne (@liltunechi)

He may have a point. Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., has been rapping since he was 11 years old, admitting that he has never worked a “real job” in his entire life.

“I’ve literally been doing this since 7 or 8 years old. And I signed at 11. So, I’ve never had a real job…besides this,” the Young Money executive said during a podcast appearance, according to AfroTech.

“So I’ve been living my dreams ever since, and I just been making sure I maintain and keep going.”

The New Orleans legend isn’t the only rapper to feel a type of way about artificial intelligence. Former NWA member and actor Ice Cube once called AI “demonic.”

“I think AI is gonna get a backlash from real people, real authentic people,” Cube said, according to Futurism.

He continued to touch on a viral AI track that imitated Young Money rapper Drake’s flow and was annoyed by it.

“I think that’s terrible,” Cube said.

“I don’t wanna hear that b*******. Drake should sue whoever made it.”

While the hip-hop genre continues to grow and reach new heights, Carter thinks there are certain things that technology won’t be able to touch, like mixtapes. “Mixtapes can mean an album mix or anything now,” he said. “But when it comes to Lil Wayne, everybody knows how I approach mixtapes. So my mixtapes won’t ever change.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2023

Former Minneapolis Cop Involved In George Floyd’s Murder Receives 57-Month Prison Sentence

The last former police officer involved in George Floyd’s death has been sentenced for his role in the police killing.

According to The Associated Press, former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao, who was convicted for his role in the killing of George Floyd, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison on Aug. 7, 2023. The police officer stood idly by as his fellow police officer, Derek Chauvin, placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes while the Black man died. Thao told the judge he was just a “human traffic cone” when he was on the scene. Although Floyd stated he couldn’t breathe and pleaded for his life on that tragic day on May 25, 2020, Thao did nothing to help Floyd or to stop Chauvin from killing him.

Thao was found guilty in May 2023 of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Given the opportunity to speak before the court, Thao never took responsibility for his lack of action and stated he never intended to hurt anyone on that day. He told Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill that he had grown as a Christian during his 340 days in jail but denied any responsibility for Floyd’s death.

“I did not commit these crimes,” Thao said in court. “My conscience is clear. I will not be a Judas nor join a mob in self-preservation or betray my God.”

Judge Cahill stated he would have liked to have heard some repentance from the former police officer at the sentencing and admonished Thao for not taking the opportunity to do so.

“After three years of reflection, I was hoping for a little more remorse, regret, acknowledgment of some responsibility — and less preaching,” he said.

Thao was sentenced to 57 months in prison. The standard sentence is 48 months. Prosecutors requested 51 months, while Thao’s attorney, Robert Paule, had asked for 41 months.

His time will run concurrently with a three 1/2-year sentence he is currently serving for his conviction on a federal civil rights charge. The former police officer appealed the decision, but it was upheld. Thao will remain in federal prison to complete that sentence, and after finishing, he will be transferred to a Minnesota state prison to serve out the remaining sentence with credit for time served.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 8, 2023

Iggy Azalea Explains Her Letter Of Support For Tory Lanez

After news broke that Iggy Azalea wrote a letter of implied support for Tory Lanez during his sentencing hearing, the rapper is setting the record straight. Lanez was convicted in December 2022 for shooting Megan Pete, better known as Megan Thee Stallion, in the highly publicized trial.

Azalea confirmed that she wrote the letter and listed why she explained her “genuine experience” with the convicted singer to the judge.

https://twitter.com/IGGYAZALEA/status/1688741685075791872?s=20

While she is no longer in contact with Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, she does “wish him well” as he deals with the legal drama.

Azalea also expressed that while she doesn’t “support” either party in the case, she does support prison reform. The “Fancy” artist elaborated:

“I am not in support of throwing away ANY ones life if we can give reasonable punishments that are rehabilitative instead. I support prison reform. Period.”

However, Azalea was also shocked that her assumed confidentiality was broken. A notable journalist covering the trial, Meghan Cuniff, revealed how the judge told the courtroom about the Australian native’s letter.

“I was told this was for a judge only, yet it’s being discussed in public,” questioned Azalea. “I never intended to publicly comment.”

While the 33-year-old has not explicitly stated her take on the ordeal, she did express that the trial, which became a spectacle, was “full of oddities.”

Azalea has kept a relatively low profile about her association with Lanez, especially as the trial was conducted, so the public was shocked to hear her letter inserted into the sentencing hearing. While the mother of 1 was surprised to have her letter acknowledged openly, she said she doesn’t feel the punishment matches the crime in an additional tweet.

https://twitter.com/IGGYAZALEA/status/1688746617971572737?s=20

While stating that she wants Lanez to take accountability for his actions, she does not believe the maximum sentencing, up to 13 years, is necessary for his misdeeds. Whether the letter of support helps Lanez is still up in the air, as he is expected to receive his sentence on Aug. 8.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 8, 2023

Foot Locker Refuses Adidas’ Yeezy Restock To Avoid Controversy

Foot Locker is staying out of this particular shoe game with Adidas and the now-infamous Yeezy brand. As Adidas attempts to sell the rest of its Yeezy inventory after Kanye West’s anti-semitic rants resulted in a terminated partnership, Foot Locker has quietly refused to take in any more of the high-profile sneakers and slides.

The decision is a change of heart from the company, as a source shared with Complex that Foot Locker was originally going to rejoin as a retailer for Yeezy in the wake of Adidas’ post-Kanye plan for the shoes. However, the potential controversy of selling the brand seemed too big of a risk to take. Even though Adidas had a Rabbi-approved course of action to donate a portion of profits to anti-hate organizations, Foot Locker could not streamline a charitable process that fit its business model in a suitable timeframe.

When Ye’s insensitive remarks first made waves, Foot Locker was swift in its response condemning the hate speech:

“Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior,” shared a spokesperson for the brand in a past statement. “While we remain a partner with Adidas and carry a wide assortment of their collections, we will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites.”

The news of Yeezy’s return to the popular shoe store was kept relatively under wraps. Yet, rumors began to swirl that the shoes, under Adidas’s careful planning to detract from the anti-semitism associated with the items, would soon again be available for purchase across Foot Lockers nationwide.

However, Foot Locker apparently decided to stay committed to its previous sentiments. Neither company is commenting on the matter, but Foot Locker’s silence by releasing no information about the widely known restock is loud and clear.

RELATED CONTENT: Adidas Continues Post-Kanye Yeezy Releases

TNT Pizza, Dough Boy Pizza, Clark Atlanta Grads, Mary's Pizza Shack

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2023

Colorado’s ‘TNT Pizza’ Becomes One Of The First Black-Owned, Family-Run Pizza Spots

There aren’t too many Black-owned pizzerias, but one has popped up in Colorado.

According to CBS Colorado, Parker’s TNT Pizza has become one of the first Black-owned pizza joints in the state. It is located at 17860 Cottonwood Drive, just west of South Parker Road.

“I’m a foster mom, and I own group homes, and I’ve always taught all my kids from adopted to biological, you know, that anything is possible,” owner Laticia Lewis told CBS Colorado.

“My mom put us in a group chat and was like, ‘What about a pizza shop?'” said her son, Terrell Jones.

“It’s my favorite food in the world,” said Lewis.

Lewis said she nor anyone else in the family had experience making pizzas. But that didn’t stop her or her children, Terrell, Naynay, and Tyrese, the initials for TNT, from taking this task on..

“We were not at all expecting to be the first,” Lewis said. “But if we are, it’s a blessing. And I hope this opens the door for all minorities to know that if it’s there, you can do it.”

Lewis added that anyone can just come in, even if they are not ordering any food. It’s truly a place for people to feel at home.

“You can come in here, sit down, get you a water, get a Gatorade, watch the game, you don’t have to order anything, just come in and talk if you just wanna get out the house, you don’t have to come order pizza. It’s just a home for everyone,” said Tyrese Bailey.

Giving back is also part of the plan. Lewis said she gives pizza to the homeless, first responders, and foster families. On Fridays, they’re dropping off pizzas to local small businesses to build that sense of community.

With a start like this, it should be easier for others to follow in their footsteps.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2023

Tory Lanez Awaits His Fate As Sentencing Takes Place For Megan Thee Stallion Shooting

A Los Angeles judge is soon expected to announce the prison term of Canadian recording artist Tory Lanez, who was found guilty earlier this year of shooting superstar recording artist Megan Thee Stallion after a booze-filled night in the summer of 2020.

Lanez, nee Daystar Peterson, has been in jail since December 2022, when a Los Angeles jury declared him guilty of three felonies:

Assault with a semiautomatic firearm
Having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle
Discharging a firearm with gross negligence

The prosecutors in the case have requested that Lanez receive a sentence of 13 years for his actions. In a sentencing memo, they stated that along with the crimes he was convicted of, he also re-traumatized Megan Thee Stallion when he made social media posts about the case. They say that he encouraged many of his more than 2 million followers to attack her.

On May 9, 2023, the attorneys for Lanez requested a new trial for their client, but Superior Court Judge David Herriford denied their motion.

Megan Thee Stallion delivered a victim impact statement this week.

“Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,” she said in a statement read by Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Kathy Ta, according to the Associated Press. “Slowly but surely, I’m healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.”

During the trial, Megan Thee Stallion testified that the “Luv” rapper shot a gun at the back of her feet and told her to dance as she walked away from an SUV they were riding in. The two musicians and a friend and bodyguard had just left a party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home.

A 41-page memo filed August 1, 2023, stated that Lanez maintains his innocence. His attorneys requested a sentence of probation and drug rehabilitation, according to Legal Affairs and Trials.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2023

Travis Scott Settles 3rd Lawsuit From Astroworld’s Stampede That Killed A 14-Year-Old

After 10 people died and hundreds of others were injured at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival on November 5, 2021, several families sued.

The families of Axel Acosta and Brianna Rodriguez have settled their lawsuits, and Rolling Stone reports the family of John Hilgert, who was 14 years old at the time of death, settled its lawsuit against Live Nation, Travis Scott, and other Astroworld organizers six months ago.

Terms of the Hilgert’s family settlement were not disclosed, but the legal papers filed in Harris County were reviewed by Rolling Stone. According to the magazine, the family handed in a notice of non-suit with prejudice in February 2023, effectively withdrawing their case. Defendants listed in the filing included Scott, Live Nation, Scoremore, and several security companies.

There are still other pending lawsuits, and Scott, Live Nation, and connected companies are still facing civil suits from thousands of attendees. There are hundreds of millions of dollars in potential damages at stake.

Although there were injuries and death, none of the organizers or Scott are facing criminal charges after a grand jury determined in July 2023 that no one involved with the festival was criminally responsible.

The Houston Police Department released a nearly 1,300-page report into the tragedy in late July 2023 after an extensive investigation. According to Rolling Stone, “the report detailed a chaotic scene in which fans, security personnel, and camera operators tried to relay the danger early in the show as the crowd constricted and festivalgoers were crushed—but the concert went on for an hour before finally concluding.”

Several weeks after the tragedy, Scott said he didn’t know what was going on when the stampede occurred. The incidents took place on the first night of the festival. It was the third year that he held Astroworld Festival.

According to Local 10, victims from the show who died ranged from 9 to 27 years old. Approximately 300 attendees were injured and treated at the venue; 25 people were taken to local hospitals.