R. Kelly’s Victim Demands Medical Records After Accusing Him Of Giving Her An STD
Faith Rodgers, one of R. Kelly’s victims, is demanding his medical records be released after accusing him of giving her herpes.
Radar Onlinereports court documents show that Rodgers sued Kelly in 2018 and is now asking for a judge to release the information from hospitals or clinics that he was a patient of between January 2017 and January 2019. She wants Kelly to answer questions under oath and testify about when they met and how often they engaged in sexual relations. Rodgers also claims she asked the singer to admit he didn’t tell her about having the STD before they had sex and that he forced her to engage in sexual acts without her consent.
After the medical records, Rodgers asks for a list of all the banks he has accounts with. With his 50-year sentence, Rodgers says the conviction was her apology.
The three-time Grammy Award winner was convicted last year of sexually abusing women and girls for years on numerous charges, including child pornography and sex with a minor. However, Kelly is continuing to fight back against the allegations. The singer’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, filed an appeal last month over Kelly’s federal sex crimes case in New York. Bonjean asked the court to reverse his convictions or order a new trial because things were uncovered to the jury that made his trial unfair.
His team argued some individuals should not have been a part of the jury since they had previously viewed the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries, and four jurors allegedly admitted they prejudged Kelly before giving their official verdict. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years on the New York charges and 20 years for the Chicago case. Hot New Hip Hop reports Kelly was moved from the Metropolitan Correctional Facility in Chicago to a facility in North Carolina, where he is set to serve the remainder of his sentence.
Michigan Lawmakers Pass The CROWN Act, Expanding Race To Include Hair Discrimination
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will officially sign the CROWN Act on June 15 following overwhelming bipartisan support from legislators.
Michigan will join 20 other states who have also passed the bill; however, the legislation will also amend the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and expand the definition of race to include hair discrimination. The bill also helps to eradicate the denial of employment based on natural hairstyles like braids, locs, twists, and Bantu knots. For a state that includes Detroit, which many call “the Blackest city in America,” the bill’s significance cannot be understated. State Sen. Sarah Anthony introduced the legislation in 2019, prompting Whitmer to establish the Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC) “to develop, review, and recommend policies and actions designed to eradicate and prevent discrimination and racial inequity in Michigan.”
BLAC was responsible for helping to bring attention to incidents involving an elementary school student, Jurnee Hoffmeyer, whose hair was cut by a white student and a teacher on separate occasions, according to the Detroit Free Press. The girl’s father, Jimmy Hoffmeyer, who publicly called the situation a ‘discriminatory constitutional rights violation’ at the time, praised the bill’s passage. “I’m thankful that it’s finally gone through,” he said. “Because now I hope my daughter never has to deal with something like this again.”
Sen. Anthony remarked on the expansive reach of the bill during an impassioned speech on the Senate floor, according to ABC12 News. “After I introduced the bill, men women and children all over the state of Michigan and across the country reached out to share stories of humiliation, some were very graphic, all were very heartbreaking, about how their natural hair had created boundaries or barriers for them in the workplace and in school settings,” she said.
Activist Christina Laster of the National Action Network, who became a leading voice for the state’s action around hair discrimination, says students in Michigan desperately needed the legislation’s protection. I want little Black girls and Black boys to know that who they are is valuable and meaningful and that they do not have to be inseminated for anything,” she said. “Not a school assignment, to go to a school dance, play a sport or not get a job as they get older—they should embrace and be proud of their heritage and not be forced or compelled to change that.”
Nearly 30 Years After His Death, Tupac’s Father Speaks Out, Alleging The Government Is Responsible For His Son’s Killing
In a recent interview, Tupac Shakur’s biological father, Billy Garland, said that he doesn’t believe his son’s alleged killer is the one who shot him and feels the government killed his son.
According to XXL, a video clip of the interview was released by The Art of Dialogue, where Garland raised the theory. Over the years, Orlando Anderson has been suspected as the alleged killer of the “Keep Your Head Up” rapper. A video shot in Las Vegas showed that Tupac and his crew had previously assaulted Anderson. The incident occurred at a Mike Tyson fight when he fought Bruce Sheldon on Sept. 7, 1996.
Anderson’s uncle, Keffe D, admitted informing the government that he gave his nephew the gun Anderson used to kill Tupac. But Garland believes otherwise.
“Well, I think the key question there is the government. The government gave him [Keffe D] the deal. [Tupac] was being tailed by the government on the night of his assassination. He was being tailed by the government at Quad Studios. That’s a known fact.”
Garland believes that Tupac was being set up and that Anderson may have been the fall guy.
“I don’t know this guy Keffe. Maybe he had to say that to get out of some issues. I don’t know. I just know it looked like a setup to me. Somebody told this guy to stand there with the Death Row thing and it pursued to what we had. But I don’t think he had anything to do with the death of my son. Not at all.”
In the same interview, Garland also revealed he was blindsided when he appeared in the recent Hulu documentary, Dear Mama:The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur. He stated the film made him look like he was bad-mouthing Afeni Shakur (Tupac’s mother) for keeping his identity a secret from the Poetic Justice actor. It’s been 30 years since the slain rapper’s death, and conspiracy theories continue regarding who was responsible for Tupac’s murder.
BLACK ENTERPRISE Gears Up For Its Chief Diversity Officers Summit & Honors
BLACK ENTERPRISE presents the Chief Diversity Officer Summit & Honors along with sponsors Fidelity Investments, Merck and Publicis Groupe to bring about change in the business world. The summit uplifts industry leaders who focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and be in conversation with leaders and changemakers in the DEI space.
The event will take place Wednesday, June 28 from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the spectacular Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
According to BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. the summit is “the perfect setting to celebrate the achievements, leadership, and advocacy of best-in-class executives and companies in their promotion of diverse representation from the executive suite to the boardroom as well as the creation of unfettered access to opportunity for all.”
Attendees will have the opportunity to sit in on panel discussions that educate and inform on DEI best practices. Panelist Wendy John, Head of Global Diversity & Inclusion for Fidelity Investments and Celeste Warren, vice president, Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence of Merck will cover ground on the current state of DEI. This important conversation will be moderated by Valerie Rainford, founder & CEO of Elloree Talent Strategies.
And to share “How Measurement Tools and CEO Engagement Make DEI A Priority,” BE’s own vice president and deputy chief content officer Alisa Gumbs will be in conversation with Geraldine White, Chief Diversity Officer, Publicis Groupe.
To round out the evening with acknowledgement and honor, we are enthusiastic to present the BLACK ENTERPRISE CDO Changemaker Award and Lifetime Diversity Crusader Award. Honorees include Michelle Gadsden-Williams, Black Rock; Cynthia Bowman, Bank of America; and Joy Fitzgerald, UnitedHealth Group, to name a few.
Disney Jr. Readies A Little Black ‘Ariel’ Animated Series Amidst ‘Little Mermaid’ Success
In a huge announcement at this year’s Annecy Animation Festival, Disney has given the green light to a brand new animated series inspired by the popular Little Mermaid remake, Disney Junior’s Ariel.
According to Deadline, the series for preschoolers will follow a young Ariel along with King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian, and Flounder. Disney Junior’s Ariel will debut in 2024 across all Disney platforms globally. “For more than 30 years, the story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ has been beloved by audiences all over the world. It brings me so much joy to be able to introduce our new Disney Junior version of Ariel to preschoolers everywhere,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said.
One of the major throughlines of connection to the original film was the location of the on-land empire and the underwater kingdom.
The 2023 Halle Bailey remake takes place in the Caribbean, and the animated series follows suit. Fans will see Ariel take off on fun-filled, action-packed mermaid adventures with her friends, according to Deadline. Land treasures collected by the ever-curious Ariel help her solve various underwater problems. ‘With each discovery, Ariel is filled with joy, and her mermaid tail, which changes colors depending on her emotions, lights up and shimmers. Full of charm, big ideas, and a powerful voice, Disney Junior’s Ariel is coming into her own, learning how to discover and appreciate the world around her and use her voice to inspire others, according to Variety.
To ensure authenticity and respect for Caribbean culture, Disney brought on Dr. Patricia Saunders, professor of English and hemispheric Caribbean studies and director of graduate studies at the University of Miami as a consultant on the series. According to Variety, Sean Skeete, chair of Berklee College of Music’s ensemble department, will helm music and bring an undeniable Caribbean sound to the series.
‘Game On!’ New Xbox Game Breaks Barriers With Black Female Lead Character
The latest video game from developer Compulsion Games has a Black woman named Hazel as a lead character and was inspired by Black women.
South of Midnight was revealed at the Xbox Showcase on June 11, and the lead, Hazel, is already the hot topic. The YouTube trailer shows fans what looks like a mystical swamp as a mysterious character sings the blues. Hazel appears, showing her tough personality, which Xbox describes as “outwardly confident, wisecracking, and actively on the hunt.”
With much hype surrounding the game, South of Midnight is a “fantastical and macabre third-person action-adventure set in the American Deep South.” Creative director David Sears says the South is often underrepresented and feels the game is somewhat of a love letter to it. “The South is a sultry, sexy, mysterious place that has not been in a lot of games,” Sears said. “Any amount of wandering in the country is going to lead you to speculate that there might be more than what you’ve been led to believe.”
Sears and narrative producer and creative specialist James Lewis created the game with inspiration from abandoned Mississippi lands. Hazel is the heroine protector of the fictional town of Prospero. As there is limited representation of Black women in the video game industry, both Sears and Lewis felt Hazel’s story opened an opportunity to normalize Black women leads. “The approach to this had to start by having just proper representation on the team, ensuring that we had Black women and women of color on our narrative team is key for understanding and writing Hazel’s voice.”
The game announcement was met with a lot of praise on social media, highlighting the importance of a Black lead in a video game, according to 21 Ninety. “The importance of this will go over the heads of so many, but @CompulsionGames thank you for exercising due diligence on Hazel for South of Midnight,” one Twitter user wrote.
South of Midnight will be released on Xbox Series X/S, Steam, and day one on Game Pass; however, a date has yet to be announced.
DC Young Fly’s Partner, Jacky Oh’s Beauty Brand Sales Rocket After Her Sudden Death
DC Young Fly’s deceased partner, Jacky Oh, received major sales for her beauty business after her unexpected death.
Jacky, real name Jacklyn Smith, has received over 2,000 orders for her business, J Nova Collection, since her recent passing, per TMZ. The increase in orders even caused the website to shut down temporarily, TMZ reported.
The beauty brand received its name from Smith’s six-year-old daughter, Nova. According to TMZ, Nova may be next in line to run the brand when she is old enough. Smith had three children. Nova’s two siblings, Nala and Prince’Nehemiah, are two years old and 10 months.
Smith met 31-year-old YouTuber and comedian D.C. Young Fly during her time as a model on the MTV and VH1 series Wild ‘n Out, hosted by Nick Cannon, the Los Angeles Times reported. Smith remained with the series produced by parent company BET Media Group for five season, per Revolt.
Her colleagues expressed their sadness at her sudden death. BET Media Group said in an Instagram post, We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jacklyn Smith, known to the world as Jacky Oh, a talented Wild N’ Out family member whose impact will be forever treasured and missed.”
Rapper Cardi B said in two Instagram stories, “So heartbreaking,” and “My heart [hurts] for them beautiful babies.” Comedian D.L. Hughley wrote on Instagram, “My heart breaks for my young brother [DC Young Fly] and his children. What you see on TV is only a sliver of who this young brother is. He is a strong, solid, determined young man of faith. He’s a family man, which is why this cuts so deep. We love you, my family and I send every ounce of love we have and prayers for strength to you and your family through this time. Stay strong in your faith brother.”
BLACK ENTERPRISE reported that Smith died in Miami on May 31, 2023. A since-deleted social media post revealed she was in Miami for a “mommy makeover” surgery. No cause of death has been determined.
On Tuesday, June 13, Netflix released a trailer for the satirical conspiracy film “They Cloned Tyrone,” starring Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, Golden Globe winner John Boyega, and SAG-nominated Teyonah Parris. The film sees the trio tackle “a series of eerie events” that leads them to “a nefarious government conspiracy,” according to the film’s logline.
The film is set to premiere on July 21 after its debut at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) on June 14, Variety reports. Foxx takes on the role of Slick Charles, Boyega plays Fontaine, and Parris appears as Yo-Yo. Others on the cast include Tyler Antonius, Kiefer Sutherland, David Alan Grier, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Joshua Mikel, and James Moses Black.
Netflix unveiled the poster for the film on Monday before releasing the trailer the following day.
New posters for ‘THEY CLONED TYRONE’, starring John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris.
The film sees the trio witness an apparent kidnapping off the street that leads them to follow the suspect’s car to an unmarked underground laboratory, as noted by People. Once inside the creepy lab, Slick, Fontaine, and Yo-Yo discover an apparent clone of Boyega’s character, Tyrone, and decide to look into “experiments” they think a government organization is conducting on their community.
The seemingly new-age “Mod Squad” works together to protect their community from the government experiment.
Boyega shared an April 2021 Instagram post announcing production for the film had wrapped. It’s Foxx’s first film debut in the wake of his hospitalization for a “medical complication” in April.
Foxx’s daughter Corinne Foxx has given little updates on the actor’s health after first announcing his hospitalization and asking for prayers. In May, Corinne shut down rumors that her family was “preparing for the worst” amid reports Foxx was on life support and claimed her dad was actually out of the hospital and even enjoyed a game of pickleball with friends.
However, the actor has yet to be seen publicly as mixed reports about his health gain steam on social media.
Clinical Trials For A Breast Cancer Vaccine Are Underway, What Does This Mean For Black Women?
The first human trial of a breast cancer vaccine has come to fruition.
Spearheaded by Cleveland Clinic and Anixa Biosciences Inc., the vaccine is focused on preventing the recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive and lethal form of the disease. These partnering entities agree that this new preventative vaccine could potentially eradicate all breast cancers. As a result, a dose was administered to a woman for the first time in 2021, kicking off the phase 1a study. The study has now reached a new level.
“Triple-negative breast cancer is the form of the disease for which we have the least effective treatments,” said G. Thomas Budd, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute and principal investigator of the new study. “Long term, we are hoping that this can be a true preventive vaccine that would be administered to cancer-free individuals to prevent them from developing this highly aggressive disease.”
In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 300,590 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 55,720 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ/stage 0 breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States. There has been a 43% decline in breast cancer deaths over the last three decades, thanks partly to awareness, earlier diagnoses, and more effective treatments. However, there is a persistent mortality gap between Black and white women, with Black women having a 40% higher death rate from breast cancer.
Why was the vaccine designed?
According to Healthline, a researcher in the Department of Inflammation and Immunity at the Cleveland Clinic invented the vaccine more than two decades ago. Dr. Vincent Tuohy’s cutting-edge research identified a “precursor” to cancer: a lactation protein called α-lactalbumin (aLA). This protein is essential in regulating lactose production in the milk of pregnant and lactating people. However, when a woman stops lactating, the body no longer makes the protein.
The vaccine targets α-lactalbumin, which is no longer “found after lactation in normal, aging tissues but is present in the majority of triple-negative breast cancers,” according to a press release. If a woman develops breast cancer, the vaccine will trigger the immune system to “attack the tumor and keep it from growing.”
While Black women are less likely to breastfeed after childbirth, the risk of breast cancer is paramount. The American Civil Liberties Union blames the relatively low breastfeeding rate on systemic racism. In addition, Black women are also more likely to learn and adopt using formulas from hospitals.
The phase 1b clinical trial
The phase 1b clinical trial comes after the ongoing phase 1a study, which opened in 2021 and is expected to conclude in the 4th quarter of 2023. The phase 1a trial includes tumor-free patients who are at a high risk of redeveloping breast cancer. They have already undergone early-stage, triple-negative breast cancer treatments within the past three years.
Initially, Tuohy’s research proved that “activating the immune system against α-lactalbumin was safe and effective in preventing breast tumors in mice.” And now, researchers believe the vaccine will be successful on multiple types of cancers without chemotherapy.
Black women, a group historically understudied in cancer research, have had nearly a three-fold increased risk of triple-negative breast cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall five-year survival rate for this aggressive type of cancer is 77%.
“Despite representing only about 12% to 15% of all breast cancers, triple-negative breast cancer accounts for a disproportionately higher percentage of breast cancer deaths. It is twice as likely to occur in Black women, and approximately 70% to 80% of the breast tumors that occur in women with mutations in the BRCA1 gene are triple-negative breast cancer,” per the Cleveland Clinic.
The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed nearly 200,000 patients who received mammograms between 2006 and 2015 across three U.S. health systems. Black women are statistically more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, and obesity—all risk factors for breast cancer. Young Black women have a higher incidence of aggressive cancers and have doubled the mortality rate of young white women.
“Clinical trials are really important because what we do today as standard of care was only a clinical trial a few years ago,” said Dr. Francisco Esteva, chief of breast medical oncology at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, per Healthline.
“For someone who has completed all their treatment and has no additional effective treatments available to them, it’s very important to consider clinical trials.”
Breast Cancer Support Organizations for Black Women
Family of Black Woman Found Burnt In Dumpster ‘Ready To Fight’ After Charges Dropped Against Racist Police
The family of Mykaella Sharlman is “ready to fight” after Northern California prosecutors dropped charges against the two police officers accused of her death, NBC News reports.
Ashton Montalvo and Deangelo Boone were charged with arson and mutilation of human remains after allegedly moving Sharlman’s body to a dumpster and setting it on fire in 2022. While both officers pleaded not guilty, Sharlman’s sister, Nicole Eason, said dropping the charges is “unacceptable,” and prosecutors should “recant and scrutinize” evidence, including security video and eyewitness testimony, that she feels is too much to move past. “We’re getting ready to lawyer up,” Eason said. “We’re getting ready to fight.”
Medical examiners claim the victim died earlier in the day on Oct. 17 from a fentanyl overdose, Newsone reports. Police say Boone and Montalvo found Sharlman’s body in an abandoned apartment, moved it to a dumpster blocks away, and lit it on fight with lighter fluid instead of reporting it. Since then, the Antioch Police Department has been under investigation after several racist text messages using racial slurs, making racist jokes, and sharing racist memes surfaced.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case citing its connection to the investigation. “A dismissal at this juncture affords the District Attorney’s Office the ability to refile criminal charges against Montalvo and Boone and reinitiate legal action if new evidence is developed,” the office wrote in a statement. “The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office no longer has confidence in the integrity of this prosecution. Our office extends our deepest sympathies to the family of Mykaella Sharlman and we aspire to renew this prosecution if presented with the opportunity to do so.”
While Sharlman’s family learned one of the detectives who assisted in the case was part of the racist investigation, they don’t think it should have anything to do with her case. “This scandal came out after my sister’s death,” Eason said. “It shouldn’t have had any bearing on the evidence.”
