Omarion Doesn’t Think One Woman Relationships Are For Him, Opens Up About Dating Multiple Women
Fans haven’t seen Omarion settle down since his split from Apryl Jones, and according to the “Touch” singer, it’s because he’s done with the “traditional” way of dating.
“She finds me,” Omarion told Sharpe. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in a “girlfriend-boyfriend” type of relationship. But I think a private life is a happy life.”
The “Ice Box” singer, who shares two children with ex Apryl Jones went on to share his current take on dating and relationship.
“I believe that she finds me,” he said, noting how “it might be she’s”, with emphasis on the plural form.
“She’s might finds me,” Omarion jokingly said.
“If I really thought about my lifestyle and the being with me, the pressure of being with me and it just being one woman, I don’t know if that exists,” the singer said.
When Shannon noted Omarion’s ideal woman might be “more than one,” the singer agreed.
“I might need her to be a businesswoman on Monday, and we might get freaky on Tuesday,” Omarion quipped.
The singer has done a good job at keeping his romantic life private in the wake of sharing his relationship with Apryl Jones on “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood.” The two parted ways in 2016 shortly after the birth of their daughter A’mei, the pair also share their son Megaa.
Apryl has since moved on with actor Taye Diggs. The couple periodically teases their fun-filled romance on snapfuck with comical videos showing their playful dynamic.
When speaking on his first encounter with Diggs, Omarion credited “The Best Man” star with being a “cool dude” while possibly taking a subtle jab at the age difference.
“He has kids of his own, and he’s an older man, so I only expect good things from him,” he said on Sway In The Morning on SiriusXM Shade45. “We met at my son’s class project, and he came through.”
NFL Player Damar Hamlin Transfers His GoFundMe Money To ‘Chasing M’s’ Charity
Many football fans were watching Monday Night Football on Jan. 2, 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after his heart temporarily stopped after making a tackle. The game stopped as we all watched and wondered about the status of his condition and if it would have a long-lasting effect. Due to that incident, fans contributed millions to a fundraiser in his honor.
According to The Associated Press, $10 million was donated to the 25-year-old during his recovery through a GoFundMe account. He recently revealed the money raised would go toward his charity, the Chasing M’s Foundation.
“We have been very deliberate and intentional about taking our time to set my charity up properly,” Hamlin said in a written statement. “I’m excited to begin sharing news about programs we are creating to impact a generation of youth and give back to others,” the statement further stated.
More than $9 million was contributed to a GoFundMe campaign, and an additional million was given to a second online fundraiser set up by The Giving Back Fund. That nonprofit organization helps athletes and celebrities manage their charitable giving.
A marketing representative for Hamlin said earlier this year that his family had arranged for The Giving Back Fund to act as a fiscal sponsor for the donated money from the GoFundMe account. Doing so allowed Hamlin’s team to raise funds as a charitable entity. In January, Hamlin’s team claimed the money collected from the GoFundMe account would eventually be transferred to The Giving Back Fund, which was never done.
But Marc Pollick, CEO of The Giving Back Fund, disputed that report and said the organization’s leadership “has always operated ethically, appropriately, and legally.”
“My charity is not connected to the challenges being faced by the leadership of The Giving Back Fund,” Hamlin said in the statement, adding, “Donors will have full tax-exempt status.”
Nevertheless, Hamlin intends to transfer the money collected to the organization he started in May 2020. Last month, Hamlin applied for retroactive tax-exempt status as it was incorporated as a nonprofit in Pennsylvania.
GoFundMe has confirmed they will hold the money donated until Hamlin requests a transfer of funds.
Dropping Kanye West’s YEEZY Brand Resulted In Big Financial Loss For Adidas
Standing up for what you believe in can sometimes cost you. And for sportswear giant Adidas, cutting ties with Kanye West amid his antisemitic tirades has been a humbling experience.
The apparel company decided to no longer do business with West and his YEEZY brand in 2022. According to Reuters, its CEO, Bjorn Gulden, says that a “bumpy year with disappointing numbers” could be on the horizon.
“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the company shared in a statement at the time. “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect, and fairness.” What followed was an immediate halt on further production of YEEZY clothing or shoes and no plans for a relaunch.
The company’s concerns around its retail divorce from West come on the heels of its decision to split ways with Beyoncé and her Ivy Park brand.
However, the losses incurred upon its split from West have been much more substantial. In the final quarter of 2022, Adidas reported a net loss of $540 million due to unsold YEEZY products, according to AfroTech. Earlier this year, the company forecasted that it was gearing up for an operating loss of $738 million, with the CEO describing 2023 as a “transition year.” Though the year’s numbers seem bleak, the company has already adjusted to the big dip in its earnings. “Adidas is managing investors’ expectations,” said Mamta Valechha, equity research analyst at Quilter Cheviot, according to Reuters. “They are going in the right direction—China is recovering, inventories are still too high but at least sequentially down,” she added.
Gulden says that the company will possibly go into the green for the first time in the last two and half years; if they maintain their current trajectory; however, he also told the BBC that the split from West is “of course hurting us.”
Winning Team from BE Smart Hackathon Presents to Hyatt’s Tech Leadership
Emerging from a field of 23 HBCUs to win the 7th Annual BE Smart Hackathon last October, the three-member team from Atlanta-based Morehouse College displayed their prowess and ingenuity to gain recognition as the “best of the best” among their collegiate competitors. Due to their victory, Team Morehouse—juniors Kevin Drew, Trent Gaylord, and Elijah Truitt—were flown to Chicago to claim the remainder of their first-place prize: An unprecedented opportunity to present their winning concept to the Hackathon’s presenting sponsor, Hyatt, at its corporate headquarters in Chicago to Chief Information Officer Eben Hewitt.
The career-elevating trip provided the students with a platform to showcase their innovative luggage app and rare access to connect with pivotal members of the hospitality giant’s team responsible for various aspects of its operations and culture. In addition to Hewitt, the students also met with Hyatt’s C-suite leaders such as Chief Commercial Officer Mark Vondrasek and Chief Human Resources Officer Malaika Myers during their day-long visit.
“The Morehouse-keteers”—the team’s name—were a standout at the BE Smart Hackathon, which has swelled in the number of participating schools and students over the past several years. When Morehouse took first place at the BE Smart Hackathon, hosted by BLACK ENTERPRISE and American Airlines, each team member received 100,000 AA Advantage miles and two hotel night stays at a Hyatt hotel of the individual’s chosen destination. Hyatt also decided to host the winning team—in this case, Morehouse—at its headquarters to make a presentation at the highest level. Moreover, they would discover how technology drives the hospitality sector—from cybersecurity to customer service—a valued component in Hyatt’s purpose to care for people so they can be their best.
The Morehouse team is an impressive group: Drew, a captain on one of his school’s e-sports teams, hails from St. Paul, Minnesota, and gained professional experience with his summer internship at US Bank and current spring co-op with global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Gaylord, who has Chicago roots, embraced tech in high school and leveraged his training and exposure at the collegiate level to gain a software engineering internship at Goldman Sachs and this summer will work for Amazon Robotics. Truitt, who entered college at 15 after “being bored with high school” and taking an equivalency exam, worked as an intern with Google’s search engine product team and engaged with its Tech Equity Collective Initiative.
The highlight of the visit was their winning presentation—at the Hackathon and then at Hyatt headquarters. The students were joined by their professor, a computer science faculty member and an alum of Morehouse, Dr. Alfred Watkins. He briefly shared the history of the only all-male institution among HBCUs and its tradition of producing Black scholarship, excellence, and leadership for more than 150 years. Martin Luther King, Jr. is at the top of the graduates heralded as “Morehouse Men.” Watkins shared the oft-quoted tagline, “Harvard is the Morehouse of the North.”
After the introduction, the trio began their presentation, focusing on a significant problem that airline customers face in gaining convenient and affordable travel experiences. It was reviewed by Hewitt and Hyatt’s vice president, Global Digital Product Engineering, Carl Schumaier, as well as vice president, Digital Content, Shawn Weems. In fact, Weems and Hyatt’s senior vice president, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Tyronne Stoudemire were first introduced to the impressive group of student hackers at the BE Smart Hackathon last fall.
The team shared the evolution of their app’s development, which they dubbed CheckMate. While other teams in the hackathon had five or six members, Morehouse only had three when one of their team members could not compete. Drew said in the presentation: “We had to compress our ideas very quickly and know what we were going to work on. It helped us in a way because it really forced us to do that.”
Truitt, the lead presenter at the Hackathon, assumed the same role: “CheckMate, the solution to one of the most popular points of contention during your journey through the airport. So, the problem here is that it just takes too long to check your baggage. During holidays, times increase exponentially. And just trying to check one bag can make you late for your flight because of the lines. So, you’ve got to print your bag tag, get in lines, drop it off; you present your boarding pass, your ID; it’s just a lot. You have to get your card, pay for all those fees just to check some luggage.
He continued: “So, we just wanted to make sure we were on the right track with this. To think about this, we queried Reddit…we queried a whole bunch of different sites, and we asked them where their pain points were in the process of going through the airport. Now Reddit was less than helpful, but we decided to speak to some customers instead who fly infrequently and frequently.
The team targeted the “pain points” that wanted to ease for customers. “Our solution [was] hardware… A manufactured bag tag that can let you check in your baggage. Customers can purchase this bag tag, and they’ll pair it to our CheckMate app using Bluetooth. In order to use CheckMate, users will sign into their AA Advantage account, making [sure] that 100% of users that use our app [are] fully part of the American Airlines Advantage Service.”
Hewitt, Weems and Schumaier peppered the trio with questions regarding their approach and the technology they chose. The Morehouse-keteers confidently and ably answered the questions, countering with their own questions, like how the hotel chain could integrate the technology from franchises and newly acquired properties.
The presentation expanded into exchanging technology, problem-solving, and career outlooks throughout lunch and the remainder of the afternoon. The visit ended with a Q&A session among “The Morehouse-keteers” and Hewitt and Myers, who provided career advice and more insight into the Hyatt culture. For instance, even though Hewitt oversees the Hyatt technological infrastructure, he did not receive his initial training in
technology. “I studied post-structural French philosophers. And people were asking me, early in my career, “How can you be in be in the field with that educational background?” He told the students. “What matters is your approach to the business problem. Your ability, as you talked about in your presentation, to form diverse teams that can work together and have a strong sense of alignment with the business goal.”
Myers shared with the group the importance of agility and adaptability. “We are looking more and more to become a company filled with people who can deal with the unknown. The unknown may be a small thing in terms of a product or be a big thing in terms of the pandemic. But the unknown is there, and it’s increasing.”
Team Morehouse found the experience to be both informative and inspirational. In observing Hyatt’s culture, Drew said, “I want to be more purposeful about the environment I will be working in instead of just the salary and technology that I will use.”
Gaylord was unaware of the tech opportunities in hospitality before the trip and believes that ‘corporations like Hyatt should come to more HBCU campuses. “It will expose more students to new opportunities.” He also appreciated that “Hyatt made us feel welcomed from the first moment we arrived. Hewitt shared insight around why his team and Hyatt collaborates with HBCUs such as Morehouse College, “Our collaboration with HBCUs is an important part of our Change Starts Here goals – and our broader DE&I initiatives – we look forward to helping students experience the career opportunities within the hospitality industry and learning more about what we can be doing to support the next generation of talent.”
Kendrick Lamar Keeps It Gucci With $2500 Limited-Edition ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ Vinyl Collaboration
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most successful hip-hop artists in recent history. Lamar has cemented himself as a rapper who transcends the genre with a best-selling tour, 17 Grammys, and a Pulitzer Prize on his résumé.
Now, the Compton-born rapper is set to release his No.1 album and sophomore offering, To Pimp A Butterfly, onto vinyl for a second time through a partnership with Gucci. The album, which sold 340,000 units in its first week back in 2015, enjoyed a limited release to vinyl a few years ago but has been nearly impossible to find since.
Through the Interscope Records’ Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined project, Lamar will release 100 copies of a vinyl set that features custom packaging designed by the Italian high-end luxury fashion house. The album will also include a print designed by South Central contemporary artist Lauren Halsey, according to Uproxx. In keeping with Gucci high-end prices, the limited-edition package will have an asking price of $2,500.
The Mr. Morale and the Big Steppas rapper is no stranger to releasing his music for the nostalgic medium. Last year it was announced that his debut project, Good Kid MAAD City, was the highest-selling vinyl of 2022; it celebrated its 10th anniversary with 254,000 copies sold, making it the fourth-best-selling vinyl overall and best-selling hip-hop vinyl of the year, according to Uproxx. Lamar’s projects have true staying power as his 2017 album, DAMN, which earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Album, has also found itself breaking records. The project has spent 300 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
The 35-year-old is considered by many to be a generation-defining talent for his creative genius and willingness to be vulnerable combined with his lyrical prowess. Fans often wait anxiously for his next big release; therefore, his latest collaboration with Gucci probably won’t be around for long.
Offset And Daughters Kalea And Kulture Steal The Show At ‘Little Mermaid’ Premiere
Offset was on girl dad duties on Monday night serving as the prince to his two little princesses at “The Little Mermaid” premiere in Los Angeles.
The Migos rapper stole the show in his Michael Jackson-inspired Prince Charming ensemble that paired perfectly with his “princesses” and dates for the night, Kalea, 8, and Kulture, 5, Cephus. The father and his two daughters graced the blue carpet posing for photos and stopping for an interview.
Offset sported a white jacket, black pants, and shiny matching boots and his daughters wore gorgeous floor-length mini-gowns and tiaras.
“Mermaid premiere with my princesses,” Offset captioned his Instagram post sharing a few family photos from the night.
The “Bad and Boujee” rapper was praised as the “father of the year” for the adorable blue carpet moment with his two young daughters.
“Awwwwww❤️❤️❤️❤️ They Are Too Adorable ❤️❤️❤️SET is Father of the Year ❤️❤️❤️,” one fan wrote.
“awwww this is so adorable and I know Kulture is so excited considering the fact she had a mermaid theme party last year. he’s such a great father,” added another.
Others noted how proud Offset appeared while walking the carpet with his daughters.
Tory Lanez Will Appear Before Judge With Hopes To Overturn Guilty Verdict
In a new attempt to overturn a guilty verdict handed down in March, the Canadian hip-hop artist Tory Lanez is pleading with a Los Angeles court for a new trial. ABC News reports Lanez is scheduled to appear before a judge on May 15, and his attorneys are expected to argue for a new trial for the rapper convicted in Dec. 2022 of shooting rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
Attorneys Jose Baez and Matthew Barhoma filed a motion for a new trial in March, arguing that some evidence and statements presented at the trial were prejudicial to their client, including an Instagram post where Lanez’s verified account commented on the case and a photo of Lanez’s gun tattoo. They also hired new DNA experts who claim Lanez’s DNA was excluded.
Court reporter Meghann Cuniff, who became instantly known as Meg The Reporter during her case coverage, has been updating fans on new developments. In a series of tweets, Cuniff gave new updates, including Judge Herriford asking the lawyers why they didn’t object to these claims during the initial trial.
Another theme: Judge Herriford asking why Lanez’s lawyer didn’t object in trial. That’s his question to Barhoma and Baez about the new expert they hired to analyze the DNA. New expert says Lanez’s DNA was excluded. Herriford wants to know why no one objected to DNA during trial.
During a hearing in April, a judge said if the motion for a new trial is denied, the rapper will be sentenced within 30 days of Monday’s hearing.
The rapper, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faces up to 22 years and eight months in prison. However, his sentencing has been delayed after hiring new lawyers. During the headlining trial, Lanez chose not to take the witness stand and pleaded not guilty as his defense team argued that he wasn’t the shooter.
He was later found guilty on all three felony counts filed against him, including assault with a semi-automatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Since then, the Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, has been quiet on the case until a recent interview with Elle Magazine, where she says she doesn’t “want to call myself a victim.”
Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Tour Could Bring In $2.1 Billion In Revenue
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter has been silently preparing to stop the world…again. As her latest world tour takes off tomorrow, it seems Mrs. Carter will take home a massive bag.
According to Forbes, the “Break My Soul” singer is on track to bring in anywhere from $275 million to $2.4 billion in ticket sales for her Renaissance World Tour. The estimates are based on the assumption of the number of fans buying concert tickets and the enormously high average ticket prices of about $700. The ‘Renaissance’ World Tour has been one of the most coveted live performances in recent years. Currently, the only other performer who can bring in the type of revenue Queen Bey demands is Taylor Swift, whose “Eras” tour could bring in $1.6 billion by the time it concludes.
Though impressive, Swift’s numbers are still $500 million less than what Beyoncé is on track to earn, even without traditional marketing for her album and any visuals.
According to Forbes, the demand for ‘Renaissance’ may make it Beyoncé’s most lucrative tour yet, earning more than all her other world tours combined. The Houston native may also be taking home over 90% of all ticket sales, a number only an artist with her track record could demand. “Beyoncé could have an escalating rate (based on the number of tickets sold) or a flat percentage per ticket. Considering her prior success, she’d certainly command in the upper 90th percentile or more,” said Armen Shaomian, University of South Carolina Associate Professor, Entertainment Management, according to Forbes.
Beyoncé accepts Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for “Renaissance” onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Knowles-Carter also has major partnerships to thank for her guaranteed take-home income. “Beyoncé’s case sponsors include several major corporations, such as CITI, Verizon, and Tiffany. Her entire Renaissance tour production is handled by her production company, Parkwood Entertainment, and promoted by Live Nation, which drives a greater percentage of the revenue directly to Beyoncé,” Shaomian explained.
Cardi B Seizes Vlogger Tasha K’s Earnings From YouTube
Cardi B is as relentless in getting her money as she is at clapping back at any naysayers that have come for her throughout her career.
According to Radar Online, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper, who is owed millions from vlogger Tasha K, has made good on her promise to start garnishing any income from the YouTuber. In April, Cardi was given the legal right to seize property owned by the woman who defamed her.
After Cardi B sued the blogger, a jury found Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, liable for defamation, invasion of privacy, and infliction of emotional distress. The Bronx-bred entertainer was awarded nearly $3 million in punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. Variety also reported that the $3 million comes on top of the $1.25 million she was initially awarded, totaling $4.25 million for the rapper.
The Bronx native first served a subpoena to JP Morgan Chase to start collecting her award money; however, she was informed the vlogger only had $1,083.02 in her account.
Then the Love & Hip-Hop star contacted Google, the owner of YouTube, to see how much money she could garnish from Tasha’s account.
“YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDEDto immediately hold all money, including wages, and other property, except what is known to be exempt, belonging to the Defendant or obligations owed to the Defendant named above beginning on the day of service of this summons and including the next 1,095 days,” the notice stated.
She was told that Tasha was owed $9,304.81, but that money was turned over to the Grammy-winning artist. Cardi originally sued in 2019 over Tasha K’s slanderous YouTube videos. With over one million subscribers, Tasha K told her viewers that Cardi B had herpes, previously worked as a prostitute, cheated on her husband, Offset (formerly of Migos), and used hard drugs, among a slew of other claims.
Tasha K avoided paying the rapper and then filed an appeal. Billboardreported a judge upheld the $4 million defamation verdict. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected an appeal after the blogger claimed the verdict resulted from a “lopsided presentation of evidence to the jury.”
In March, Tasha K took to Instagram to offer Cardi B an apology. But, like most bill collectors, Cardi just wants her money!
Lakers Will Reportedly Offer Rings to Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley if They Win Championship
Before the trading deadline earlier this year, the Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley. On a recent podcast episode, Beverley stated that former teammate Russell Westbrook wants his ring if the Lakers win this year’s championship. While laughing, Beverley said he wanted one too, and it looks like they will get their wish if the Lakers win the title this year.
According to CBS Sports, the Lakers informed TNT’s sports reporter Chris Haynes that they would give everyone on this year’s roster, despite them not being on the team anymore, a championship ring if the team goes all the way.
It all started last week when Beverley said he ran into Westbrook at the gym. He recalled, “Russy goes, ‘Hey, Pat. Lakers win, I want my ring.” Beverley said he told Westbrook that he would also be waiting for the ring with him. “I ain’t gonna lie, Russ. We’re going to be suited and booted, boy. I’m going to be right there, waiting on that ring.
Haynes confirmed, “Now, if the Lakers were able to win the whole thing, win a championship, I was told by a high-ranking source within the organization that they would extend a championship ring to all players who were on the roster at any point during the regular season.”
He continued, “That means, if the Lakers win the whole thing, Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, and others will receive a championship ring. I was told that was a protocol in the system that was put in place by Rob Pelinka when he took over. It’s just a way to make sure players understand that they value them, even though they didn’t make it from beginning to the end of the season with the Lakers.”
“They [Lakers] would extend a championship ring to ALL players who were on the roster at any point during this season.” 💍
Besides the current Lakers team players, eight former Lakers would be eligible to get rings. Those players are Westbrook, Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, Matt Ryan, Damian Jones, Thomas Bryant, Sterling Brown, and Juan Toscano-Anderson.
