Love & Hip Hop star Sierra Gates brought her daughter to tears with the life-changing graduation gift she blessed her with.

The reality star took to Instagram on May 26 to share her teenage daughter’s reaction to finding out she is now the owner of The Glam Shop, her mom’s signature hair and beauty salon. The business that Gates launched when she was just 17 is now getting passed down to her daughter, Paris.

“I Bought A Building In 2017 On Peters Which Is The Glam Shop, I’ve Had The Glam Shop Since I Was 17,” Gates shared in her caption.

“Gave It To My Baby For Graduation @pimpcess.paris Now Owns One Of My The Hottest Salons In Atlanta.”

Gates, who became a mom at 15 when she welcomed Paris into the world, went on to note the other “side” of the building that her daughter can turn into a dance studio.

“#generationalwealth #ParisOwnsTheBuildingYall Now What Was Said Yes I Had Her At 15, I Dropped Out She Graduated!,” Gates added.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sierra Glamshop (@sierra_glamshop_)

The bossed-up graduation gift comes a few weeks after Gates celebrated her daughter attending her high school prom.

“Dear @pimpcess.paris ,We Been Together Since I Was 15. 18 Years Later We Did It. Prom. Graduation. #2023.” she captioned the heartfelt post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sierra Glamshop (@sierra_glamshop_)

Gates has been transparent about her rise from the ashes after being kicked out of the house once she gave birth to her daughter, Rolling Out reports. Her 2016 book, Behind the Glam, shares her backstory and recounts her journey from teen mom to CEO and reality star.

It was after hitting rock bottom that Gates was able to build a life for herself that now includes multiple Glam Shop locations, a cosmetics line called Sierra’s Secrets, and becoming a celebrity hairstylist to stars including Toya Johnson, Reginae Carter, and Zonnique.

Gates has another child, Mason, with Shooter Gates, her ex-husband, who also appeared on LHHATL. She is fresh off the heels of separating from her fiance, entrepreneur Eric Whitehead, with whom she also appeared on the show.

RELATED CONTENT: Love & Hip Hop Atlanta Star Sierra Gates Is Helping Women Leap Into Entrepreneurship Amid COVID-19

Disney’s The Little Mermaid made a huge impression in its Memorial Day domestic box office debut. Axios reports the live-action remake brought in $117.5 million as fans cheered on our new favorite Black Disney princess, Ariel, played by Halle Bailey. The movie was the fifth-highest Memorial Day weekend opening of all time.

The importance behind this must be noted. With its lead Black actress, The Little Mermaid received high praise by moviegoers, gaining a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its debut was a great start to the summer box office season. Media analyst Paul Dergarabedian said that while The Little Mermaid didn’t carry the same momentum as Oscar-nominee Top Gun: Maverick, which opened on Memorial Day in 2022, it was a healthy start.

“The Little Mermaid powered a solid Memorial weekend frame that had multiplexes buzzing with activity over the holiday weekend and thus exposing patrons to trailers and in-theater marketing for the upcoming killer movie slate on tap through August,” Dergarabedian said.

While thousands of fans are melting over the romance between Ariel and Prince Eric, the movie is seeing some pushback overseas. In China, Ariel sang a different tune, bombing in the box office with a disappointing $2.5 million, beaten by Japan’s animation film Sword Art Online The Movie. China’s Global Times released an op-ed blaming Disney for the film’s poor performance, saying that casting a Black actor in the role was the reason behind it.

“Many Chinese netizens said that like ‘Snow White’ the image of the mermaid princess in Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales has long been rooted in their hearts and it takes a leap of imagination to accept the new cast,” according to the publication.

The film bombed in other countries overseas including France, Korea, and Germany. Dergarabedian said the movie industry is still suffering from pre-pandemic sales by almost 25%, but he believes other summer hits will likely make up for it.

RELATED CONTENT: Offset And Daughters Kalea And Kulture Steal The Show At Little Mermaid Premiere

• News

by Iman Milner

May 30, 2023

Tina Turner’s Hometown To Memorialize The Late Singer With A Monument

---

The music world is still mourning the death of the Queen of Rock and Roll; however, her hometown of Brownsville, Tennessee is planning to pay their respects in a more permanent way.

Mayor Bill Rawls, Jr. plans to erect a statue monument of Tina Turner in the city’s Heritage Park near Carver High School which was the late singer’s alma mater. Rawls has already received support from local leaders who agree with his motion, according to TMZ.

Brownsville is also home to the Tina Turner Museum which fans visit to get an inside look at the young life of the singer before she became one of the world’s most cherished talents.

“When Tina stepped on stage, she owned it. We want this statue to represent that passion,” Rawls said.

“Tina was an inspiration to the entire world … She showed the people of Brownsville no matter where you start, you own your story about where you end up.”

Since her death last week, tributes have poured in from the likes of Lizzo, Janet Jackson and even Beyoncé, who has been at the center of a debate about lyrics rapped by her husband, Jay-Z, referencing the abuse Turner suffered at the hands of her ex-husband Ike on their hit song “Drunk In Love”.

Turner seemed to have made peace with all of the dark parts of her past before her death. In her HBO documentary Tina, the 81-year-old singer named her introduction to Buddhism as well as the love of her, now widow, Erwin Bach, as big proponents to the calm she’d been able to reestablish after a tumultuous upbringing and a well-documented turbulent first marriage.

“Buddhism was a way out, and it changed your attitudes towards the situation that you’re in,” she said in the documentary.

“The more you chant, the more you become liberated mentally.”

As for Bach, who she married in 2013 after 27 years together, Turner said the man who “had the prettiest face” gave her a soft place to land that she’d never experienced before.

“He was just so so different,” she said. “So laid back. So comfortable. So unpretentious. And that was the beginning of our relationship.”

RELATED CONTENT: Legendary Queen of Rock & Roll Tina Turner Passes Away At 83

The careful, watchful eye of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo made him break his money into several different banking institutions because he learned that banks only insured up to $250,000 per account. The Greek-born athlete did not want to lose his money for any reason. However, his mindset changed when the co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks advised him to invest his money instead.

According to Business Insider, when the talented basketball player arrived in the United States 10 years ago, he recalled going to a bank to open an account and questioning whether his money was safe. He recently told Bloomberg, “I had no money growing up, so I asked them, ‘Is my money safe?'” he stated. After discovering the maximum limit his funds would be secured, he opened separate accounts at “five, six, seven” banks.

Marc Lasry, a billionaire who co-owns the Milwaukee Bucks, talked about advising the young player while speaking at the 2022 Bloomberg Wealth Summit.

“I’m like, ‘Giannis, you can’t be having accounts at 50 different banks,” Lasry said. “Let me tell you something, if JPMorgan goes under, your little dinky banks are going to go under too. Let me explain what you should buy; you should buy US Treasuries; you should buy this…'”

Antetokounmpo has reason to be so protective over the funds he has earned. Forbes listed him as No.10 on the world’s highest-paid athletes list this year. While earning an estimated $81 million, he came in as the fourth highest-earning NBA player, just below LeBron James’ $119.5 million, Steph Curry‘s $100.4 million, and Kevin Durant’s $89.1 million.

Due to the advice from Lasry and other trusted advisers, he has taken the investment route regarding his financial gains. He told Bloomberg that he had expanded his portfolio since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and will continue to do so.

Gabrielle Union sparked quite the debate when she revealed how she and Dwyane Wade split their expenses “50/50.” But it turns out their 4-year-old daughter is contributing more than both her parents!

The famous couple shared an adorable at-home moment with little Kaavia James on Instagram Wednesday, May 24 where the pre-schooler responded to financial questions Union threw at her.

“Are you paying your taxes Kaav,” Union asked her daughter.

“A lot,” Kaavia says in response.

“Kaav, do you pay 50-50 in this house,” Union asks.

“60,” Kaavis declares.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kaavia James Union Wade (@kaaviajames)

The response sent the house into laughter with Union rolling over on the floor comically asking, “60? Who are you?”

Kaavis’s comedic response comes weeks after Union and Wade faced criticism across social media for the “Being Mary Jane” star’s interview with Bloomberg where she revealed how she and her husband split the bills in their shared household evenly.

“It’s weird to say I’m head of household because in this household we split everything 50-50,” Union said during the May 8 Bloomberg interview while also noting the other households she and her husband provide for.

She came faced public scrutiny with many on social media saying the actress should leave all the expenses to her multi-million dollar husband who has a net worth listed at $170 million since leaving the NBA.

She later clarified her reveal noting how “every household is different,” and couples should do what works best for them.

“Being able to be with someone who meets me halfway and lightens my load gives me peace and support,” she wrote in an Instagram comment reposted on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/SaycheeseDGTL/status/1660444881007923200

She followed up with a short video celebrating her husband and their “50/50” approach to finances.

“I love when he matches my energy, 50/50 over here 😉,” she captioned the post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gabrielle Union-Wade (@gabunion)

RELATED CONTENT: Gabrielle Union and 3-Year-Old Daughter Kaavia James Union Wade Join Angel City FC as Investors

Just two years ago, Sarah Mensah made history when she became the first Black woman vice president at Nike North America; now, Nike has promoted the executive to President of Jordan Brand. This creates another footnote in history as she becomes the first woman to serve in this role and the first Black woman to become Jordan Brand president.

In 2022, Footwear News reported that she spent five years with Jordan Brand before taking on the role of VP at Nike. In 2018, Mensah became the vice president of the brand’s Latin America and Asia Pacific regions, and in her last position, she oversaw Nike’s North America region.

She told the media outlet that when she was appointed VP, NIKE was showing its commitment to diversity and elevating women. “It’s important to me personally and to our athletes, our employees, our consumers. We talk a lot about listening to them, and the best way to listen is to reflect them,” Mensah said at the time. “I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility because Nike means so much to the Black community. To be the first Black woman leading this geography is an incredible mandate.”

Boardroom reported that Mensah would be taking over the role from former Jordan Brand President Craig Williams, who is changing positions to become president of Geographies & Marketplace at Nike, Inc.

Years before Mensah made her mark at Jordan Brand and Nike, she worked as the vice president and chief operating officer of the Portland Trailblazers from 2009 to 2012. During her time in that role, the Trailblazers’ revenue grew by  105%.

Additionally, Mensah earned two degrees from the University of Oregon before spending 19 years with the Portland Trailblazers. She worked her way up the corporate ladder from sales manager to executive vice president/chief operating officer. Sarah Mensah continues to be a dominating force in the industry and is paving the way for the next generation.

Who said Future don’t love the kids? The Atlanta rapper is using his Freewishes Foundation to open a new STEAM lab for students in underserved communities.

On Friday, May 26, Future’s Freewishes Foundation, in partnership with the 2K Foundations, launched a soft opening of their I Am A Dreamer S.T.E.A.M Lab at a school near the rapper’s childhood home, a press release revealed.

As part of the new lab, Freewishes will support the STEM endeavors of marginalized students and minorities in an effort to combat the educational gap many students in underserved communities often struggle with when it comes to adequate technological infrastructure in their schools.

“It’s important that all students receive access to STEAM education regardless of their background,” Future said in a statement.

“Our Freewishes Foundation, with the support of the 2K Foundations, has helped make this possible in our Atlanta community. We’re thankful for their commitment to support our initiative.”

“We are creating a science technology, engineering, art, and mathematics lab as an extension of Freewishes educational initiative,” Future’s sister and the executive director of the foundation, Tia Wilburn said. “We wanted to add art because both Future and I support creativity.”

In addition to supporting STEAM programs for disadvantaged youth, Future’s Freewishes Foundation has programs aimed at promoting self-esteem, health and wellness, and digital literacy while providing services for scholarships, food, and transitional housing.

Future launched the non-profit 10 years ago with an event that gave seniors free Thanksgiving meals to share with their families. Now a decade later and the organization “has evolved into a versatile non-profit organization that sponsors a wide-range of programs, events and services throughout Atlanta,” the foundation’s official website states.

“We are creating a science technology, engineering, art, and mathematics lab as an extension of Freewishes educational initiative,” Future’s sister and the executive director of the foundation, Tia Wilburn said.

“We wanted to add art because both Future and I support creativity. Our objective in providing educational opportunities is to ensure inclusive and quality education for all students regardless of income and background. There is a major gap in STEM education that impacts marginalized communities, and we want to close that gap so that no child is left behind.”

• News

by Iman Milner

May 30, 2023

Research Shows Link Between Racial Bias and AI Technology In Major Industries

---

AI technology has become a polarizing topic in recent years for a litany of reasons. Chief among them is how implicit bias may play a role in programming its data, according to research conducted by MIT scientist Joy Buolamwini.

Buolamwini describes the potentially harmful affects as the “coded gaze” that can lead to discriminatory or exclusionary practices as industries like healthcare, law enforcement and big tech, begin to lean on AI technology more regularly.

“We often assume machines are neutral, but they aren’t,” the scientist wrote in TIME, stating that her “research uncovered large gender and racial bias in AI systems sold by tech giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon.”

Buolawmini found that the likelihood of errors when identifying dark-skinned females soared to over 35% compared to only a 1% error rate for lighter-skinned men; turning technology that is promoted as being able to rectify bias into another conduit for discrimination.

Buolawmini’s findings are not the only of its kind to find a dangerous link between AI technology and racist, sexist and gender-based biases.

A study from Harvard showed that facial recognition software used by law enforcement collected its data from a mugshot directory in which Black people were disproportionately overrepresented. Most people who end up in the database do so involuntarily; leaving them without protection in terms of where their likenesses end up and for what means.

“Even if accurate, face recognition empowers a law enforcement system with a long history of racist and anti-activist surveillance and can widen pre-existing inequalities,” said Alex Najibi, whose research guided the study.

Najibi believes that changes can be made to make for a more equitable landscape for facial recognition and other AI software; starting with a focus on adjusting the pool for the collected data.

“First, algorithms can train on diverse and representative datasets, as standard training databases are predominantly White and male,” he said.

The other solution?: Lawmakers ensuring that policies are put in place to protect those most at-risk of discriminatory practices worsened by AI.

“Legislation can monitor the use of face recognition technology, as even if face recognition algorithms are made perfectly accurate, their contributions to mass surveillance and selective deployment against racial minorities must be curtailed”, Najibi said.

RELATED CONTENT: Social Media Roasts Timbaland’s ‘Weird’ AI-Generated Collab With The Notorious B.I.G.

WSB-TV reported that Fayetteville County, which had previously denied Rick Ross a permit for his upcoming car show at his estate in Georgia, has now approved a permit for the car show set to take place on June 3.

After being denied the permit, the recording artist devised a plan to help ease traffic gridlock and his neighbors’ fears. Ross’s attorney, Leron Rogers, told Channel 2 Action News that officials at Fayetteville County approved the traffic and safety plan Ross submitted.

Ross also announced he is giving away over $300,000 in jewelry to winners in select car show categories, making his announcement through a video on his Instagram Stories.

On Ross’ Instagram page, he displayed the “bling” that will be given to the winners selected for the top prize in each category.

“This the first time we revealing what it look like to be a winner at the Rick Ross car show,” he says in the clip.

“This heavyweight. This over 300K in giveaways. First time ever. The bottom row, that’s for the heavyweights — best car, best bike. Top row — Hustler of the Year, Best Hot Rod.”

The car show will be at his property named, The Promise Land.

“It’s going down at the Promise Land. Join the party, it’s like a barbecue. It’s not at one of them spots where everybody got on a mask. Nah, it’s like a barbecue. It’s never been done. Make sure y’all see the stones… It’s like the Olympics. Gold, Rose gold — not silver, but white gold.”

When the permit for his car show was initially rejected, Ross proclaimed love for the Georgia county and announced his mayoral run in the small town. Since the city has granted his permit, let’s see if he still wants to run for mayor in Fayetteville County.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 30, 2023

Sweetie Pie’s Is Making A Comeback After Family’s Murder Scandal

---

The city of St. Louis is set to welcome a new and improved Sweetie Pie’s restaurant months after shutting the doors on its last location and seeing one of the members of the family-run business get sentenced to life in prison.

Sweetie Pie’s 2nd Act is coming to north St. Louis at Kingshighway Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive after closing its previous location last fall, KMOV reports. Developers working on the new location submitted plans to the city’s Land Clearance for Development Authority on Tuesday, May 23.

Owner Robbie Montgomery has plans of investing $3.7 million into the project and creating around 25 jobs for locals. The new location will sit across from the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and include a 160-seat dining area and two event spaces.

“It’ll be a place where people can just–not just get to-go orders, but also sit down, rent out space. We want it to be top-notch,” Michael Holmes, a representative for the economic development branch of Urban League said.

“We also want to be a tool for redevelopment for the entire area, which would be part of north St. Louis. ArchWell [Health] has come in. We’re looking to add more stores.”

The new location could be the resurrection of Sweetie Pie’s after the beloved soul food restaurant was rocked by a disturbing insurance scam scandal involving Montgomery’s son Tim Norman. In March, Norman was sentenced to life in prison for the murder-for-hire against his nephew, Andre Montgomery Jr in 2016.

The sentencing came three years after Norman was first accused of being the mastermind behind his nephew’s death. Court documents show Norman took out a life insurance policy on Andre for $450,000 in 2014, two years before his death.

In September 2022, Norman was found guilty on all charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire resulting in death, and mail fraud, KSDK reports. The family gained fame on the reality TV show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

This is the third location for Sweetie Pie’s after the location at the Mangrove in The Grove area closed down in July 2016, and the original location at 981 W Florissant Ave. in Dellwood closed last year.

RELATED CONTENT: Sweetie Pie’s Star Tim Norman Found Guilty in Murder-For-Hire Trial For Nephew’s Killing