Grand Master Flash Shouts Out Hip-Hop While Accepting His Honorary Doctorate Degree in Music
A legendary hip-hop figure was recently honored in the Bronx, where he received an honorary doctorate in music.
Grandmaster Flash of the hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, nee Joseph Saddler, received his second doctorate at Lehman College in the Bronx, according to his Instagram account.
“Dr. Grandmaster Flash – honored to receive my second doctorate from @lehmancuny and to address the class of 2023. GO DO GREAT THINGS⚡️”
HipHopDX reported this is the second doctorate the legendary DJ received. Last year, Flash was given an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Buffalo State College.
In his speech at Lehman College on June 1, 2023, he advised the graduates and mentioned how being from the Bronx in New York City, his hometown, set the tone.
“We from the Bronx — we are starters, we are finishers, we are very, very important,” he stated.
“And I must tell you, young people, as you go out into the world, you will probably do what I did… [and] [make] mistakes. I cannot tell you how many mistakes I made before the technique finally came into fruition. I say to young people, as you leave here, you will scrape your knees, [that’s] guaranteed, but we Bronx people, we go hard,” he continued in his speech.
Flash joined with Keith “Cowboy” Wiggins, Nathaniel “Kidd Creole” Glover, Melvin “Mele Mel” Glover, Eddie “Scorpio” Morris, and Todd “Rahiem” Williams to form Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5. They were known for the way they dressed and Flash’s scratching and spectacular skills on the turntables.
Their classic song, “The Message,” released in 1982, was one of the first hip-hop records that spoke of life in the inner city. The record set the tone for hip-hop artists to shed light on the ups and downs that perhaps were overlooked or not mentioned.
Historically Black High School in North Carolina Opens a Bank on Campus
Hillside High School, one of the few remaining historically black high schools in North Carolina, has opened a Student Bank Training Center, a fully functioning bank on its campus that prepares students for the future and promotes financial literacy.
Operated by an official staff of service representatives, Hillside’s bank offers a range of services, including checking and savings accounts, not only to students but also to staff and families. It is an official branch of Woodforest National Bank, which operates nearly 80 branches across North Carolina. It is the first branch within a high school.
Even better, this particular branch gives students enrolled in Hillside’s Business and Finance Academy the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships at the bank.
“Hopefully this will generate more interest in students wanting to learn more about the Finance Academy, especially those students considering careers in accounting or finance. They will undoubtedly see Hillside High School as a premier destination for their education,” Priscilla Ross, head of the Business and Finance Academy, told WUNC.
The impact of the financial literacy program is already being felt among the students. One of them, Kiara Lowther, who serves as a loan officer at the bank, said, “Before I took this class, I used to spend money on fast food and a lot of pointless stuff. But Ms. Ross showed us how to balance our money and how to save up.”
Black Fraternity Omega Psi Phi Celebrates 100 Years of Service to the Los Angeles Community
A staple in the community for a full century, the Los Angeles-based Lambda Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity brought its members together May 19-21 to celebrate its rich history of scholarship, brotherhood, and service in a fun-filled evening commemorating the organization. A collection of undergraduate, graduate, and alumni members representing more than 60 years of chapter membership traveled from all over the country to participate in this monumental weekend, hosted by the Lambda Scholar Foundation Inc.
The theme of the centennial celebration was “Many Walks of Life – The Common Bond of Friendship.” Held at the famed Town & Gown at the University of Southern California campus, the event drew nearly 300 guests for an evening comprised of an outdoor reception, dinner, a gala program, a chapter photo, dancing, and a special step show. The event was hosted by television and radio commentator Morris Will O’Kelly with a special appearance and keynote address from Ricky L. Lewis, the fraternity’s 42nd Grand Basileus (international president).
In his opening speech, emcee Mo’Kelly shared, “You can’t tell the story of the western expansion of our great fraternity into a truly national, and eventually international, organization, and not also tell the story of [the] Lambda chapter.”
In his keynote address, Grand Basileus Lewis shared his gratitude. “We thank you for what you’ve done ever since 1923. We thank you for the common bond of friendship,” he said, continuing, “We especially thank Lambda chapter for all the work you’ve done and for what you’ll continue to do to uphold the four cardinal principles.”
Along with Grand Basileus Lewis, 15 of the fraternity’s current and former officers attended the gala, including newly elected thirty-fifth 12th District Representative William Earl Edwards Jr., who was recently installed at the fraternity’s district meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Honorable dignitaries present were Ryan Thomas, 2nd Vice Grand Basileus; in addition to now sitting leadership which includes Edward Young, First Vice District Representative; Maurice Mason II, 2nd Vice District Representative; Nick Thompson, 12th District Keeper of the Seal; Raphael Irving, 12th District Keeper of Finance; Charles Clemons, 12th District Chaplain; Damon Martin, 12th District Counselor; Kwame Dow, Immediate Past and thirty-fourth 12th District Representative; Kelvin K. Ampofo, Immediate Past 2nd District Representative; Fred Alexander, thirty-first 12th District Representative; Sedrick Spencer, thirtieth 12th District Representative; Reverend Dr. Jewett L. Walker, Jr., twentieth 12th District Representative; Tony Collins, Grand Marshal for the 1996 69th Grand Conclave in Los Angeles; and Gerard Catala (’98 Beta Chapter), Rhode Island NAACP President.
Also in attendance at the Lambda chapter’s celebratory gala was Omega Psi Phi’s Franklin Henderson, who was initiated in 1950 at Beta Sigma Chapter, Southern University. Guests celebrated and applauded the spry elder whose membership in the fraternity spans 70 years.
Omega Psi Phi was founded in 1911 on the campus of Howard University and is the nation’s third-oldest historically black fraternity. The fraternity is geographically divided into 12 districts with over 750 chapters collectively. It has initiated more than 200,000 members.
In 2011, the international body of Omega Psi Phi held its Centennial Celebration to its founding in 1911. Since then, the international organization has brought in notable members across the arts: Langston Hughes, Rickey Smiley, William (Count) Basie, and Steve Harvey; athletes Steve McNair and Michael Jordan; businessmen Earl Graves, Nathaniel Bronner, and Byron E. Lewis; civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson, Benjamin Hooks, and Roy Wilkins; and many others representing perseverance in every field of human endeavor.
Chartered on May 3, 1923, at USC, Lambda is the first and only West Coast single-letter, undergraduate chapter in the fraternity’s 12th District and the first to celebrate 100 years along the Pacific. To date, nearly 400 Omega men have come through the chapter and continue to build the chapter’s illustrious moniker “Pearl of the West Coast,” also called “Slammin’ Lambda.” The local chapter itself includes distinguished names and barrier-breaking members including architect Paul Revere Williams, FAIA; Judge Thomas L. Griffith, Jr.; star athletes William McKinley Peterz, Sebron “Ed” Tucker (Stanford Hall of Fame), Brice Union Taylor (USC Athletic Hall of Fame and Southern University coach in the first game that later became the Bayou Classic), record holder Wilalyn Q. Stovall and Stevan Simmons (All-American); civil rights litigator Erskine Stevenson Ragland and Centennial co-chair Al Sargent (co-creator of the original USC Black Graduation), among other notable men in their respective professions. Notably, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Griffith’s granddaughter Christina Hill, was also in attendance, representing in honor of her family.
Emmy award-winning actor Courtney B. Vance, who once narrated a PBS special on Hollywood architect Paul Williams, a notable member of Lambda Chapter, delivered a congratulatory video message to all the Lambda men in honor of the 100-year celebration.
Lambda’s Centennial weekend activities included a reception at Pips on La Brea Restaurant & Lounge on Friday night and the black-tie Centennial Celebration on Saturday, culminating in a private fraternity cookout on Sunday. Gala guests received a curated photo book on the chapter’s history, while Lambda members also received a custom lapel pin. As part of a fundraiser, a collectible Centennial brick was produced to commemorate this moment in the chapter’s history.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Is Focusing On Mississippi Schools, Jails, and Law Enforcement
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is taking a hard look at the jails, schools, and law enforcement in Mississippi, according to Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.
“In our ongoing efforts to fulfill the promise of Brown vs. Board of Education, we currently have 32 open cases with school districts here in Mississippi,” Clarke told residents, local leaders, and reporters Thursday at the Holmes County Circuit Court Complex.
“And in each of those cases, we are working to ensure that these districts comply with desegregation orders from courts.”
Clarke is currently on a “listening tour” in the Deep South, where the Justice Department is learning where to direct resources and file civil rights lawsuits.
Mississippi, which has the highest percentage of black people in the U.S., is no stranger to lawsuits concerning desegregation, including in 2017 when two high schools were finally merged after more than 40 years of litigation in which a district sought to maintain racially segregated schools.
Earlier this year, the NAACP filed a lawsuit against Gov. Tate Reeves and his administration claiming it’s only a matter of time before “separate and unequal policing” returns under the new state-run police department.
Clarke told reporters that at least five Mississippi correctional facilities, including the Mississippi State Penitentiary, the South Mississippi Correctional Institution, the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, the Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, and a county jail, are under federal investigation as to whether they protect prisoners from violence and meet basic housing standards.
Additionally, Clarke and the Justice Department are investigating the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department and whether its deputies used excessive force in the shooting of Michael Corey Jenkins during a drug raid. According to an AP investigation, several deputies in the department have been involved in numerous violent encounters with black men since 2019, two of which resulted in the deaths of black men and a third which left a man with permanent injuries.
Jill Collen Jefferson, president of JULIAN, a civil rights organization that has filed a federal lawsuit claiming police have “terrorized” black residents by subjecting them to false arrests, excessive force, and intimidation, told the AP she hopes Clarke addresses the issues in Mississippi.
“What I hope she’ll do is seriously address the issues. Not gloss over them — say that she has heard about these violations, talk about them in detail, and say that it is wrong if it is happening,” said Jefferson.
Florida Mom Left Kids In The Car To Shoplift And It Bursted In Flames
The world proves to us everyday that some people are actually out of their minds. In Florida, a woman’s car caught on fire with her kids inside, while she was allegedly shoplifting with another male on Oviedo Mall Boulevard.
According to CNN, 24-year old Alicia Moore went to a Dillards on May 26 with her kids in the car. While there, she decided to go on a stealing spree for over an hour while her kids waited in her vehicle.
She ended up getting caught by loss prevention and likely had no clue of what was to come next. After spending an entire hour in the store shoplifting while her kids waited, she walked out of the store only to see her car on fire. It’s reported that she simultaneously dropped the items as she ran out towards the burning car.
Moore was lucky to have witnesses and shoppers alike help rescue her children from the flames. Reports say that one of the kids was trying to get out of the car on their own as rescuers rushed over. Yet while she was lucky to have people help chaos she caused, she wasn’t lucky enough to dodge jail and multiple charges.
Both of the kids were transported to Arnold Palmer’s Children’s Hospital, where one suffered first degree burns “to her face and ears,” WESH reported
The car, which was reported to have been stolen, was in complete flames and ended up totaled.
It’s safe to say Moore’s priorities were all wrong, as her neglect could have created an even worse outcome for her children. Jail reports state that she’s currently being held on a $48,000.00 bond. She’ll be facing a few charges including aggravated child neglect and arson. Moore also had outstanding warrants in other counties, including of course, petty theft, and will face those charges as well.
Her first court appearance was June 2 where she pleaded not-guilty.
This Black-Owned Rideshare App Wants To Secure The Bag And The Passenger With Drivers Who Carry Guns
Black Wolf, a Black-owned private security company, has launched a new premium Uber-like rideshare app for the common consumer to have a high profile, fully secure experience crafted just for them, according to the company’s Instagram profile.
The drivers are armed licensed gun carriers, providing a high-level of protection and experience for each passenger who patronizes their service.
The company hails itself as the “personal protection ride-hail app.”
Black Wolf CEO Kerry KingBrown was a former A-list agent to many known musicians including Meek Mill, Rick Ross and more. His career also consisted of serving as an Executive Protection Driver for a U.S. Congressman. It was there the idea came about for the premium service app.
It’s not just for high profile clientele. Social media has been picking up on the business, and even local media.
“this company is like Uber or Lyft” Lawrence Jones III said.“But the people driving the cars are armed. It’s cool. It’s like man on fire.”
And get this, armed protection isn’t the only thing Black Wolf is pushing with its rideshare app. There’s a tracking feature included and drivers are certified in CPR.
This type of service may also stir some people up, though. As the conversations around gun control continue to be stressed after the slew of school shootings in our country. Yet, the thought of heightened protection for those who can afford the service may be worthwhile. The number of drivers assaulted while working for Uber and Lyft could push an interest in them using this app in cities that will allow it. On the flip side, though, passengers of the two popular ridesharing apps have also reported cases of harassment and assault from drivers. That can possibly instill a bit of fear in the rider knowing their driver is armed.
However, even with potential fears from both sides of the coin, KingBrown makes it clear that the experience is like having a “personal bodyguard.”
Clientele who have been interested in armed rideshare services range from attorneys to judges to even high-earning business owners and entrepreneurs. People from any class or demographic could benefit from upgraded protection. Yet, people may find this app more useful in more
The app took its first ride in Atlanta this month and went viral on TikTok, proving the power of social media to be one of a kind.
Film Industry and Civil Rights Pioneer Jessie Maple Transitions at 76
Jessie Maple, a pioneer in the film industry and civil rights movement, passed away at 76 on May 30.
Her death was confirmed by her loved ones in a statement released by the Black Film Center & Archive. Maple was the first Black woman admitted into the International Photographers of Motion Picture and Television Union. Her work as a cinematographer and director is immortalized in her 1981 independent feature film “Will,” one of the first black female-directed films released in the post-civil-rights era.
Maple was nothing short of a trailblazer. Hailed as one of the first Black female filmmakers to complete a feature-length film, she broke barriers within the film industry for her achievements and determination to advocate for Black representation.
Please read the media announcement that the family of Jessie Maple asked that we share. We extend our deepest condolences to the entire family. We’re committed and dedicated to honoring her legacy.
~ Black Film Center & Archive pic.twitter.com/TXLrnbRzdI
Maple was born in 1947 in Louisiana. Her goal was not always filmmaking. Instead, for many years, she worked in bacteriology. However, she later began to explore writing, her first job being as part of a New York program for the Manhattan Tribune. The program’s funding dried up soon after Maple’s acceptance but she remained near the offices in hopes of finding pieces to write. She successfully published many stories under the publication until she later received work at the New York Courier.
The 1968 release of the Kerner Commission Report, which identified poor representation of Black Americans as a cause for concern, led Maple to expand into filmmaking. She began training in organizations to jumpstart her career including Black Journal and Third World Cinema.
Maple’s love for film blossomed even further after attending Ossie Davis’ Third World Cinema through the National Education Television Training School. She blossomed on projects including “Shaft’s Big Score!” Later in her career, she joined the New York camera operators union. However, this was not an easy feat, Variety reported.
“You can’t stop progress. You can hold it up for a minute, but you can’t stop it.” – Jessie Maple.
The entertainment industry was still rife with racial prejudice during the 70s. As a Black woman, Maple could not simply join the Union like her male, white counterparts. Instead, a lengthy legal battle ensued, which Patton recounted in her book, “How to Become a Union Camerawoman.”
After her admittance, the Union had Maple black-listed by studios, which resulted in her filing lawsuits against media conglomerates ABC, NBC, and CBS. While she ultimately succeeded, it was an obstacle she endured in her quest to bring more representation into the filmmaking world.
7 Black Women Who Made Forbes’ List of America’s Richest Self-Made Women
Forbes has released its list of 100 of America’s richest self-made women and it’s only right that we highlight the seven Black women whose business endeavors garnered them a spot.
Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna are the only Black women to make the top 20 with the media mogul coming at number 13 with $2.5 billion and Rih Rih claiming the 20th spot with her $1.4 billion net worth. Winfrey’s billions were acquired in the form of a dominating media empire that includes the Oprah Winfrey Network, production on major films and television shows, five best-sellers, two magazines, and profitable investments like her 10% stake in weight loss company Weight Watchers.
Rihanna joined the billionaires club thanks in huge part to her Fenty Beauty cosmetics company she co-owns with French luxury retailer LVMH. She became the youngest self-made billionaire in 2022, making her the wealthiest female music artist in the world.
Sheila E. Johnson, the CEO of Salamander Hotel And Resorts, took the 28th spot with her $840 million net worth that kicked off when she co-founded Black Entertainment Television with her ex-husband Robert in 1979. After their 2002 divorce, Johnson sold her shares of BET and went on to invest in hotels throughout Florida and Virginia, as well airplanes, real estate, and horses.
Janice Bryant Howroyd, the founder and CEO of the staffing giant ActOne came in a number 42 with a $600 million net worth. After starting the company in 1978 with $1,500 and a $900 loan from her mother, Howroyd and her family went on to grow the company to more than 17,000 clients and 2,600 employees in 33 countries.
Beyoncé earned the 48th spot with a $540 million net worth made in the form of her dominating career in entertainment. Her current Renaissance world tour is on track to outperform Taylor Swift’s world tour and rake in $2 billion, viaForbes.
Sports icon Serena Williams took the 89th spot with her $290 million net worth made in the form of a booming tennis career, her investment firm, and various endorsements that continue to come in the wake of her 2022 retirement.
Renowned showrunner Shonda Rhimes made the list for the first time coming in at number 96 with a $250 million net worth. The Shondaland founder has created beloved shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” and “How to Get Away with Murder” along with inking a five-year deal with Netflix worth $100 million that resulted in the streaming giant’s high-performing series “Bridgerton” and the “Queen Charlotte” prequel.
The variety in which these powerful Black women earned a spot on the coveted list serves as inspiration to the next generation of bold Black female leaders.
Jennifer Hudson Talks Career Challenges, Self Acceptance, And Finding Peace
It’s been nearly 20 years since Jennifer Hudson’s introduction to the world as a contestant on the competition series American Idol. Although her eventual elimination caused a stir, her participation in the show opened the door to several breakthrough moments. Her career evolved from singing aboard Disney Cruise Lines to becoming one of only 17 people who have received EGOT status, with Hudson being the youngest woman to hold the coveted title.
On the brink of The Jennifer Hudson Show receiving six Daytime Emmy nominations, the powerhouse vocalist is gearing up for Season 2 and spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE on what viewers can expect, her latest partnership with Mastercard’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign and finding peace in the midst of chaos.
BLACK ENTERPRISE: Why did you join Mastercard to support their Stand Up To Cancer donation campaign?
Jennifer Hudson: I love that Mastercard stands for something, and their campaign Stand Up To Cancer supports a good cause. Cancer hits close to home for many, and to see them use their platform and for me to join helps them raise awareness and encourage people to do their part, individually and collectively, to make a difference. I like that they deal with real-life matters and something with substance because I’m all about that.
Image provided by Mastercard
Has anyone served as a mentor or given you advice in the talk show space?
It’s a system where I’m learning as I go. I wanted to do the show mainly so I could be me. The number one instruction I was given was, “Just be Jennifer.” The world has seen me as an actress and a singer, but this is Jennifer, the girl, the person, the human.
What was the most challenging element of bringing the first season of “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to life?
Simply walking into that space because I’ve never had any experience in it before, to take that leap of faith and to try something so drastically different. It’s a different career path, but I like to walk by faith, so to trust that, trust myself and my amazing production crew and staff. To have a platform and open my heart because I also like to lead from the heart, and to see it being widely received is such a blessing.
Who is on your interview wishlist?
Season 2, hold the line! I would love to have Rihanna and Usher on the show. My son is a basketball fanatic, so I want to have LeBron James and I need Shaq on the show too. I want Halle Berry and more everyday heroes because that inspires me the most.
With such a busy day-to-day schedule, what helps you feel a sense of control during chaos?
My whole life is chaos. As my mother used to say, “You work well under pressure, Jenny.” But it keeps you on your toes, so go with it and be in the moment. I try not to think but exist in the moment and respond to it. Whether singing, acting or now talking, I tell everyone, “If we live in the moment, we can’t go wrong. Just be present and roll with the punches as they go.”
I’m still learning to be present and focus on the solution instead of dwelling on the problem.
As my mother used to say, “Jenny, I don’t care what’s going on, how negative things may be, you always seem to find the positive.” It’s greatness in everything. Even when it doesn’t seem like it’s going the best, it’s still a lesson, which is still positive because it will help us grow.
Absolutely! And we are going to end on your recent Instagram post. It says, “Good morning. What are you most looking forward to this week? Let’s make it a great one, y’all.” So, what are you most looking forward to this week?
I wake up hopeful every day, and I love seeing the day come because it shows we have another opportunity. Whatever we set our minds to, it will be, so make sure you place your mind in a positive space. With that said, this week, all I want is peace and to take it easy.
National Black Arts Festival Presents ‘Rappers Delight,’ An Immersive Block Party To Commemorate 50 Years of Hip Hop
For this year’s Black Music Month program, the National Black Arts Festival is hosting a block party style, multi-sensory event which is an ode to “Rapper’s Delight: 50 Years of Hip Hop” on Saturday, June 10.
The immersive event takes place at the newly established Westside Paper retail space in Atlanta, and highlights the legacy of Hip Hop, having transformed over 50 years from a music genre into a Black cultural movement through technology, art and business entities.
The genre will be explored through an all-encompassing surround sound experience, interactive exhibitions that explore its history, video installations and a Bodega Indie Market for Black-owned businesses. Attendees can immerse themselves in five silent disco parties that feature a decade of Hip Hop, respectively. To accompany this experience, live sets will feature DJ Scratch, Empress Rah and Jelly on the ones and twos. Attendees can also take advantage of social photo booths.
Ahead of the main event, NBAF will host a VIP Mixer and Honors Ceremony. The exclusive affair will spotlight trailblazers who helped establish Atlanta as the Hip Hop capital of the South.
Honorees include Big Oomp Records’ Big Oomp, DJ Jelly, MC Assault and DJ Montay, pioneers who helped create Atlanta’s first independent label and Emmy-award winning radio personality Ryan Cameron.
The Rappers Delight: 50 Years of Hip Hop block party is open and free to the public. The event runs from 8pm to midnight. Tickets for the celebration can be found on The National Black Arts Festival’s Black Music Month page.
