Ebro, Donald Glover, Drake, Black community, speak out, this is America, rapper
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 18, 2023

Drake Called Out By Ebro Darden For Not Supporting The Black Community

Drake is being called out by radio personality Ebro Darden, who believes the Toronto native has never “shown up” as an advocate for the Black community.

Ebro appeared on Apple Music’s Rap Life Review series where Drake’s recent jab at Donald Glover/Childish Gambino was discussed. Drake was performing at Chicago’s United Center earlier this month as part of his “It’s All a Blur” tour when fans noticed a headline referencing Glover’s past admission that his 2018 single “This is America” started as a Drake diss.

 “The overrated and over-awarded hit song ‘This Is America’ was originally a Drake diss record,” the headline read.

https://twitter.com/raptalksk/status/1677002751685849088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1677002751685849088%7Ctwgr%5E7b05a5902499c54d2b407cfb36dc47a2da71849f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vibe.com%2Fnews%2Fentertainment%2Fdrake-disses-donald-glover-this-is-america-1234770664%2F

While Glover originally penned the song with the intent to diss Drake, it ended up becoming a creative delve into Black people’s history of fighting for justice, which prompted all the praise it received.

With Drake taking aim at the socially conscious song on his current tour, Ebro called out the Grammy award-winning rapper for seemingly staying quiet on issues of importance in the Black community.

“Drake, who has never shown up, and y’all know I’m the biggest Drake fan on this show,” Ebro said around the 19:23 mark of the video.

“Drake has never shown up to have anything to say about anything going on in society with Black folks or anything other than himself.”

The hosts defended Drake, saying the “Nonstop” rapper has never spoken up on issues affecting the Black community and they wouldn’t expect him to do so now. A debate started on Twitter with one Drake fan responding to Marc Lamont Hill, who believed Ebro was “100% correct,” noting one of Drake’s old interviews where he explained why he’s not more “outspoken” about political issues.

“I prefer to talk about it amongst my people,” Drake said at the time.

“And if we’re going to do something, I prefer to go make the change or actually do something and not just post about it.”

Noting his actual community work as “legit” and “on the ground,” the “Hotline Bling” rapper believes his work isn’t credited because he’s not posting about it on social media for public approval. In March 2023, Drake donated $1 million in Bitcoin to the LeBron James Family Foundation.

In 2020, Drake donated $100,000 to the National Bailout Initiative. Most notably, in 2018, Drake donated his entire $1 million video budget to strangers in his “God’s Plan” visuals, with the donation helping one girl attend college.

 

REALATED CONTENT: Drake Claims Critics Of His Nails Are Homophobic

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 18, 2023

Latto Partners With Wingstop For Her Own Signature Meal

Latto has more reason to “act brand new” after securing a partnership with Wingstop to sell her own signature meal.

The “Put It On Da Floor” rapper took to social media on July 18 to announce “The Latto Meal” available at Wingstop eateries across the country for a limited time. The advertisement includes Latto’s current hit song and sees her riding in a “Zesty” yellow whip to pick up her new meal that comes just in time for National Chicken Wing Day.

“What’s up y’all, who’s ready for the Latto Lemon Remix,” Latto asks while greeting two girlfriends with the Wingstop meal.

https://twitter.com/Latto/status/1681337493554167809?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

The specialty zesty dry rub comes in a new flavor crafted by Latto and Wingstop’s culinary team, according to a press release. The new meal packs tastes of zesty lemon, aromatic herbs, and savory garlic in a way that’s new to the chicken wing and sandwich space.

The Latto Meal plays off Latto’s signature 7-7-7 lottery-winning branding and features 21 classic wings, two dips, and one large fry.

“You can’t beat this flavor don’t play with me!!! I crafted my very own Lemon Herb Remix flavor with Wingstop and it’s 10/10,” Latto said.

“I’ve been obsessed and eating Wingstop for years. To order The Latto Meal just how I do, go with all flats in my signature flavor and all the ranch. It’s so good that you’ll be fighting over the last wing, just like my sister Brook and I do.”

Wingstop is proud of the new partnership with an emerging artist that aligns with the different flavors they pride themselves in bringing to chicken wing lovers.

“Wingstop fans crave our differentiated flavor, and as an emerging artist, Latto has brought her own differentiated flavor to the music industry,” Wingstop’s Chief Growth Officer, Anne Fischer said.

“We’re thrilled to bring this collaboration to life with Latto to bring flavor fans into Wingstop through big, bold flavor with the Lemon Herb Remix.”

In celebration of National Chicken Wing Day, Wingstop has dubbed it “Wingstop Wing Day” where they’ll let fans can get five free wings on Saturday, July 29, using the code FREEWINGS at checkout on Wingstop.com or the app.

RELATED CONTENT: Teyana Taylor Helps Latto Bring Big Energy To Coachella As Her New Creative Director

Jamie, Foxx, sightings, private, party, celebrate, being better, celebrity, health, condition
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 18, 2023

Rumor Has It: Jamie Foxx Hosted A Private Party To ‘Celebrate Being Better’

Jamie Foxx is on the mend amid his public sightings in the wake of the “medical complication” that sent him to the hospital earlier this year.

Insiders say the Academy Award-winning actor “has been working really hard these last couple of months to get back to normal and has greatly improved since he first got to the facility,” People reported.

As a sign of his recovery since his April hospitalization, the Ray star hosted a party “to celebrate being better,” sources said. The celebration was held at the Chicago rehabilitation facility Foxx has been going to as part of his recovery.

While Foxx has been spotted on yachts, playing sports, and returning lost purses, “He is still doing some outpatient rehab though,” the source added. The update comes after the film star was hospitalized on April 11 for an undisclosed health emergency.

Foxx was in Atlanta filming the Netflix movie Back in Action at the time he fell ill. His daughter Corinne, 29, asked for prayers while letting fans know her father was “on his way to recovery” thanks to “quick action and great care.”

But mixed reports plagued Foxx’s health scare, with some claiming his family was preparing for the worst. The rumors prompted his daughter to release a statement saying Foxx “has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating,” and was even “playing pickleball yesterday.”

The Django Unchained star was spotted last week playing a game of pickleball.

The pickleball sighting came days after he was filmed returning a purse to a woman in Chicago.

https://twitter.com/gani_jonathan/status/1678891648854499328?s=20

Fans have been hoping for a video message from the actor confirming his return to good health. While Foxx hasn’t released any video statements, he did take to social media last week to deny rumors of being a clone, while promoting his upcoming Netflix film They Cloned Tyrone.

Looks like Jamie Foxx is on the road to recovery and laying low with those closest to him.

RELATED CONTENT: Jamie Foxx Mocks Clone Rumors By Promoting New Film Amid Public Sightings

Carlee Russell’s Parents Speak After Her Abduction Return, ‘She Definitely Fought for Her Life’
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 18, 2023

Carlee Russell’s Parents Speak After Her Abduction Return, ‘She Definitely Fought for Her Life’

The parents of the 25-year-old woman who went missing last week before returning 48 hours later are speaking on the “fight” their daughter put up for her life.

Talitha and Carlos Russell, the parents of Carlethia “Carlee” Russell, sat down with Today on July 18 to give their first statement since their daughter’s abduction by a suspect they believe is still at large. With the case under investigation, the Russells said they’re limited on what they can share.

“Anything leading to the case itself, we can’t discuss that,” Talitha said. “She found her way back to us, however we can’t discuss the details of that.”

According to Carlee’s parents, “there were definitely moments where she fought for her life.”

“There were moments she had to physically fight for her life and there were moments she had to mentally fight for her life.”

Carlee’s abduction made nationwide headlines, with many reposting surveillance footage that captured the moment her car stopped on the highway. The nursing student disappeared after calling 911 on the evening of July 13 to report a child walking on I-459 South.

She was on the phone with a family member when she stepped out of her car to check on the child, police said. The family member lost contact with Carlee, but claimed to have heard her scream before losing connection.

When officers arrived, they found Carlee’s car running, with many of her personal belongings inside. But officers did not find Russell or the child and no children were reported missing during that time period.

Carlee’s parents were tormented while waiting for an update from the police, with Talitha noting all of the phone calls they received from people claiming to have information about her whereabouts.

“There were actually just so many calls and texts from people who maliciously lied to us,” she said. “I just didn’t know people could be so evil.”

Now with Carlee returning home, the parents are overjoyed their daughter is alive and safe while recovering from the traumatic experience.

”To me, I mean, so much joy. We tried to hug her as best we could, but I had to stand back because she was not in a good state,’’ Talitha said.

“So, we had to stand back and let medical professionals work with her.”

Now the family is urging the public to stop making assumptions about the case and accusing Carlee of faking her abduction.

“She’s having to deal with the trauma of people just making completely false allegations about her,” Talitha said.

Northwestern University
by Derek Major

July 18, 2023

8 Former Northwestern University Football Players Retain Ben Crump For Hazing Case

Eight former Northwestern University football players have retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump and a Chicago law firm to pursue legal action for hazing incidents in the program.

ESPN reports Crump and the Levin & Perconti law firm believe they’ve discovered a “vast array of incidents of abuse” within the Northwestern football program. The university recently concluded a six-month investigation into hazing allegations within the program. Northwestern officials announced earlier this month that many of the claims were substantiated but added that coaches, including head coach Pat Fitzgerald, were unaware of the incidents.

The school initially suspended Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay during the summer. However, the decision led to significant backlash from players, faculty, and alumni. As a result, Fitzgerald was fired for cause on July 10.

“Whether the coaches at Northwestern approved or participated in the harassment of these players or not, they are responsible for allowing and enabling a toxic, disgusting, and damaging culture in their programs,” Crump said in a statement. “Sadly, our research suggests that this kind of abuse of student-athletes may be far more common on college campuses than we know because there is tremendous pressure to keep quiet. It’s time for a reckoning to protect young athletes.”

This isn’t the only incident involving a Northwestern sports program. The university also fired its baseball coach, Jim Foster, last week amid substantiated claims of bullying, racism, and sexism during his two-year tenure.

According to ESPN, the firm Levin & Perconti expects more former football players to join its lawsuit, which could include players from the baseball program. In a letter announcing Fitzgerald’s firing, Northwestern University President Michael Schill said the hazing incidents within the football program included “forced participation, nudity and sexualized acts of a degrading nature, in clear violation of Northwestern policies and values.”

After being fired, Fitzgerald retained attorney Dan Webb to bring a possible wrongful termination lawsuit against the university. Fitzgerald played linebacker for Northwestern from 1993 to 1996 before being drafted into the NFL. After his playing days, Fitzgerald returned to the university as a secondary coach in 2001 before being promoted to head coach in 2006. During his time as head coach, the Wildcats were 110-101.

by Sharelle B. McNair

July 18, 2023

Nope: Egyptian Officials Revoke License for Travis Scott’s Pyramid Of Giza Concert

Fans who anticipated attending rapper Travis Scott’s project in Egypt will have to find other plans.

The Egyptian Syndicate of Musical Professions, a local group responsible for approving concert permits, has denied Scott a license to perform at the Pyramids of Giza, Fader reports.

In a statement, the syndicate claimed the rapper’s concert performances go against the country’s mandate of conserving traditional Egyptian culture, and alleged unspecified “rituals” at Scott’s concerts. “Based on research and documented information about strange rituals at Travis’s concerts that are inconsistent with our authentic societal values and traditions, the Board of Directors has decided to cancel the license issued to hold this type of concert that contradicts the cultural identity of the Egyptian people,” read a statement from the syndicate.

The “ritual” may refer to the tragedy at Scott’s 2021 Astroworld concert, where concertgoers crushed and trampled one another, resulting in numerous injuries and the death of 10 people.

Egypt’s General Syndicate for Musical Professions has issued licenses to foreign artists in the past but recently changed its guidelines. “Since the General Syndicate is part of the fabric of this beloved country it is keen on its stability and refuses to tamper with societal values and Egyptian and Arab customs,” the organization said, according to Egypt Independent. Scott was planning to host the launch party for his fourth album, Utopia, at the foot of the Giza pyramids on July 28, 2023.

Artists who pose a “threat” to the country and its culture are being turned away. In 2017, Mashrou’ Leila, a Lebanese rock band, was banned from performing after a Pride flag was displayed at their concert in Cairo. Three years later, the syndicate stopped the performance of Mahraganat music, a genre that blends pop, techno, and R&B.

Comedian Kevin Hart had a show in Egypt canceled earlier this year. Sources say it was due to logistical issues, but others feel it was related to Egyptians being upset that Hart allegedly stated in the past that Egyptians were Black.

Detroit playground, acid
by Iman Milner

July 18, 2023

12-Year-Old Charged With Felony In Acid Attack On Another Child At Detroit Playground

A playground dispute has turned into felony charges for a 12-year-old Detroit girl who attacked another child with a caustic chemical.

The incident took place last week and involved 11-year-old Deaira Summers, who left the playground with second- and third-degree acid burns on several parts of her body. According to The Detroit Free Press, the identity of the other girl has yet to be revealed; however, the chemical she used to attack Summers is said to have come from her parents.

Kym Worthy, the Wayne County Prosecutor responsible for bringing charges against the unidentified child, referred to the attack as “an extremely troubling set of allegations” and released the 12-year-old on $10,000 bond during a preliminary hearing. “Instant horrible-decision making can have lifelong effects on others. There is no excuse for this,” Worthy said.

The attack happened on July 9 following a dispute between a family member of Summers and the unidentified girl. In an interview with Detroit local news, the young girl said the burning sensation caused by the liquid immediately made her scream out in pain.

“I hope she gets everything she deserves,” Summers said of her attacker. “I just saw a shadow, and I was, like, I know when someone’s coming up behind me.” After realizing that her skin was starting to burn and that her clothes were already starting to melt away from her body, the 11-year-old girl said she ran home and tried to wash off the chemical. Summers spent four days in the burn unit of a Detroit hospital for her injuries, according to NBC News.

“It is going to scar her for life,” said Domonique Summers, Deaira’s mother. “It was a traumatizing event that took place, and she’s going to remember this the rest of her life.”

Halle Bailey Sends Support To Latina Actress Cast As Snow White Amid Racist Attacks
by Iman Milner

July 18, 2023

Halle Bailey Sends Support To Latina Actress Cast As Snow White Amid Racist Attacks

Halle Bailey is a princess who always finds the time to straighten someone else’s crown. Disney’s new Ariel recently extended her support to actress Rachel Zegler, who will play Snow White in the upcoming live-action remake and has already endured racist attacks over her casting.

Zegler, who is of Latin descent, won a Golden Globe for her work as Maria in the 2021 West Side Story remake.

However, that has not kept her safe from relentless online trolls who’ve targeted the 22-year-old actress since her casting as Snow White was announced last year, according to Insider.

Fans of the fairy tale felt that the role should be played by a white actress and took issue with the liberties director Greta Gerwig plans to take with the story: erasing Prince Charming and replacing the seven dwarfs with mystical creatures of all races, shapes, and sizes.

Zegler has been the central focus of the attacks. After on-set photos of her were published, she spoke out, prompting Bailey to show her support.

“Extremely appreciative of the love I feel from those defending me online, but please don’t tag me in the nonsensical discourse about my casting,” Zegler wrote on Twitter. “I really, truly do not want to see it. So I leave you w these photos! i hope every child knows they can be a princess no matter what.”

Many can easily recall the racist discourse surrounding Bailey’s casting, leading the film’s director, Rob Marshall, as well as the original voice of Ariel, Jodi Benson, to come to her defense.

The #NotMyAriel trend carried on for weeks after Bailey’s casting was announced. Bailey knew the moment was bigger than her own career and said she relied on wisdom from Beyoncé to help her drown out the noise and focus on the moment.

“As a Black person, you just expect it, and it’s not really a shock anymore,” Bailey said. ​”When [Chlöe and I] first signed to Parkwood, [Beyoncé] was always like: ​’I never read my comments. Don’t ever read the comments.’ Honestly, when the teaser came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn’t see any of the negativity.”

Redlining
by Sharelle B. McNair

July 18, 2023

Redlining Neighborhoods Puts Black People At Risk For Heart Failure

Redlining neighborhoods and communities affects more than what school your children go to.

A new study from American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation, showed that Black adults living in areas affected by discriminatory housing practices like redlining are at high risk for heart failure.

The analysis, published as part of the journal’s “Disparities in Cardiovascular Medicine Special Issue,” studied more than two million adults between 2014-2019 who lived in various communities with redlining issues beginning in the mid-1930s.

After an analysis was conducted, an estimated half of residents’ conditions can be explained by high levels of socioeconomic distress.

Research on these issues has gone on for years. Past studies show Black redlining residents are at higher risk for stroke, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Heart failure was recently added to the list which disproportionately impacts Black adults, according to the 2023 Statistical Update by AHA.

Study co-senior author, Shreya Rao, M.D., M.P.H., said these studies show how the past is still affecting us today. “Although discriminatory housing policies were effectively outlawed nearly a half-century ago, the relationship between historic redlining practices and people’s health today gives us unique insight into how historical policies may still be exerting their effects on the health of many communities,” Rao said.

According to CNN, financial institutions were openly engaging in racist lending practices in the early 1930s. Banks would deny loans and insurance to Black people hoping to purchase houses outside undesirable areas of cities. The process was dubbed “redlining,” a color-coding system for neighborhoods across the country based on “risk for investment,” deemed red areas, which were predominantly Black communities. Although it was outlawed by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, redlining created unfair practices for future generations.

When it comes to white adults living in redlining zones, the study found they aren’t at much risk for health issues.

AIDS, HIV
by Sharelle B. McNair

July 18, 2023

United Nations Projects An End To AIDS Could Be In 2030

In stunning news, the United Nations announced this week that the AIDS pandemic could end by 2030, The Hill reports.

In a report titled “The Path that Ends AIDS,” officials say AIDS could be done with if we follow certain political and financial guidelines.

“Some leaders are already following the path – and succeeding,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. “The data and real-world examples in the report make it very clear what that path is. It is not a mystery.”

The plan is simple, according to the report: countries should be putting “people and communities first in their policies and programs.” Byanyima pointed out that the African nations of Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe have already reached a “95-95-95″ benchmark, which is defined as 95% of the people who are living with HIV know status, another 95%  of the people who know they’re living with HIV are on treatment, and 95% of people who are on treatment are virally suppressed.

The UN found that successful HIV responses occur when they are supported by strong political leadership, including scientific data and evidence, addressing inequalities, promising funding, and “enabling communities and civil society organizations in their vital role in the response.” Eastern and southern Africa have proven that investing in HIV infection changes things: they have seen a 57% decrease in infections since 2010.

According to Fox News, there was a still an estimated 39 million people around the world living with HIV in 2022. If left untreated, HIV can grow into AIDS.

Another way to end the war on AIDS is to adopt non-discriminatory laws.

“These trends are due primarily to a lack of HIV prevention services for marginalized and key populations and the barriers posed by punitive laws and social discrimination,” the UN said. There has been a slight increase in new infection cases in Eastern Europe, central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, with countries holding strict discrimination laws, specifically against the LGBTQ+ community.

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