New Orleans has produced its fair share of talent. The list includes the likes of Buddy Bolden, Louis Armstrong, Clint Smith, Jay Electronica and Sandra Broom. Up next is Dennis Barnes, a senior at International High School of New Orleans.

According to 4WWL, Barnes set a national record, receiving scholarship offers from 125 universities, totaling more than $9 million. Barnes’ offers are more than any high school senior has ever received in the history of the United States.

RELATED CONTENT: Lil Durk Launches the Durk Banks Scholarship Fund at Howard University

Barnes applied to 200 schools across the U.S., but has yet to decide  where he will begin his career as a collegiate scholar. He will make his decision May 2, 4WWL reported.

“I submitted college applications in August, with an eye on raising the bar high for college admissions. Decision letters were an overflow in my mailbox and hundreds of scholarship offers,” Barnes said.

Barnes plans to major in computer science and criminal justice. Since his junior year at the International High School of New Orleans, Barnes has been dual-enrolled at the Southern University of New Orleans. As an incoming freshman, to whatever university he decides to attend, Barnes will already have college credits under his belt.

RELATED CONTENT: African American Irish Diaspora Network and the Council on International Educational Exchange Create Scholarship for African Americans to Intern in Ireland

Dr. Adierah Berger, Head of the School for the International High School of New Orleans, said success is about having a vision.  

“The road to a successful future is to plan ahead, network with the collegiate partners, and know that If you can see your vision, you can achieve your goal,” Berger told 4WWL.

RELATED CONTENT: Jay-Z and Mom, Gloria, Celebrate 20 Years of Giving Back With 2023 Scholarship Fund

Gervonta “Tank” Davis received a GUMBO chain, reportedly worth $250K after winning the non-title catch fight against Ryan Garcia. According to TMZ, Davis recently signed a deal with Black-owned cannabis company, GUMBO Brands. 

In a YouTube video, Davis is seen wearing his new GUMBO chain while standing next to Karim “Luca” Butler, co-owner of GUMBO Brands,.

“Gumbo, the champ,” Butler said, pointing to Davis’ new chain. “Big chain, nothing little. He knocked that boy out silly.” 

Butler and Alexis Major, co-founder and CFO of GUMBO Brands, created the company as a way to generate “community-based wealth” and ensure that people know their rights when it comes to obtaining cannabis licenses.  

“Our goal is to organize panel discussions in order to help individuals learn and improve,” Butler told Forbes.

“People need to know you can get these licenses or structures if you have a felony and want to operate in the cannabis industry.” 

Prior to working with Butler, Majors worked with NFL players who were addicted to pain medicine. She used cannabis to help wean players off opioids. 

“Many of my players became addicted to opiates to help them cope with excruciating pain they were experiencing,” Major said. “The NFL induces them with morphine, oxycontin, Percocet, and other narcotics so that they can return to the field each week. Marijuana seemed to be something that a lot of the athletes were already into. From there, it was only a matter of locating the most potent strain capable of alleviating their discomfort.” 

Major added that GUMBO is a mix of several types of marijuana that is “unique” and cannot be duplicated. 

 

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A post shared by Alexis Major, Ms.Gumbo 💥 (@alexismajor)

I started all this ape shit, never forget!

— Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) December 8, 2018

While Davis has not publicly made a statement on his involvement with GUMBO Brands, the new strain is reportedly inspired by the former IBF and WBA super featherweight champion, and will be named Ape Sh*t, a term associated with having fun.

RELATED CONTENT: Gervonta Davis Wins Boxing Bout But Allows Ryan Garcia To Keep $5M Bet

Keke Palmer has solidified herself as a generational talent. From acting to music to owning her own network, Palmer is one of Hollywood’s most shapeshifting stars. In her latest role, as mother to her two-month-old son Leodis “Leo” Andrellton whom she shares with partner Darius Jackson, she’s continuing to show up as authentic as ever.

In People‘s “Beautiful” issue, the Nope actress shared what she’s learned in the short time since she’s become a mom; listening to her body and honoring it at every shape and size.

“I’ve gone on my own personal journey with how I feel about my physical appearance. And I think the main thing I’ve learned through my experience is to do what makes me feel happy,” she told People. “If I feel like I need to hold it back and I need to do a little bit more work, or [if] I want to feel better about myself, I just do it.”

In an industry that puts an emphasis on how people, especially women, show up physically, Palmer says the race to “snap back” creates unnecessary pressure for all.

“There’s always this thing of, ‘How’d they do it?’ And I think for me, the main thing I would say to any new mom is do what you can when you can, whatever it is that makes you feel good,” she said. “If it’s important to you, then hell yeah put in the work miss girl. Get you whatever diet you want to do or whatever workout regimen that works for you. And if that’s not what you’re worried about, then don’t worry about it,” she continued, adding that what she feels is most important is each individual doing what they think is necessary to “feel good.” Palmer announced her pregnancy during her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live back in December and shared the story of how she found out she was expecting during an episode of her podcast Baby, This is Keke Palmer. 

Palmer recalled taking a pregnancy test and reading the results too early. “So, I took the test, and it came back negative. I didn’t have the lines on there, so I just threw it in the trash,” she said. The “Hands Free” singer revealed that it was Jackson who called to break the news to her. “We’re having some sake and enjoying ourselves,” she recalled, “and all of a sudden, I get a text from Darius, and he says, ‘When did you take this?'” After rushing home to confirm the news, the happy couple started preparing to bring new life into the world as Palmer set about planning the release of her new album Big Boss, which will drop alongside a film on her network, KeyTV, in May. 

“The movie and the album follow my journey in the music industry and how I came to own and being proud of being an independent artist and being a lone wolf in a lot of ways,” she told People. “But in the movie, you start to see that a lot of times we create this lone wolf identity for ourselves, even though we have so much love around us.”

RELATED CONTENT: Keke Palmer On Her Sexuality And Gender Identity,  ‘Always Felt Like I Was A Little Bit of Everything’

If the Disney Channel could see into the future, they’d probably take back their original casting decision for their hit show That’s So Raven. 

In a recent episode of the podcast Vulnerable, hosted by actress and former star of the Disney series Even Stevens, Christy Carlson Romano, Anneliese van der Pol revealed that the channel’s original idea was to have the Cosby Show alum play the sidekick to another lead character before they realized Raven-Symoné should be the star. Van der Pol, who played Chelsea on the series, said the show’s concept was not written to center around the former The View co-host.

“When I went into audition, the show was called Absolutely Psychic — it wasn’t called That’s So Raven at all,” she explained. “At the time, Raven wasn’t the lead, she was the sidekick. They were looking for a lead. I came in to audition for the lead. I think the character’s name was Molly. I auditioned and a couple other people auditioned. I didn’t get the part — somebody else got the part — but when they filmed, they realized that Raven was the funniest one and had a following, and so they bumped her up to first position and started auditioning people again.”

Van der Pol went on to say that she felt the original decision was racially motivated. “I went into a big cattle call and I finally got the part,” she said of landing the role of Raven’s best friend on the series. “I think the character’s name was like, Molly, then Emma, and then it became Chelsea. And I think it was kind of like racism at a low level, if that’s even a possibility. They couldn’t really see a Black girl leading a show.”

Raven-Symoné went on to become the youngest Black woman to have a show named after her when That’s So Raven premiered in 2003. The show ran for four years and became one of the most successful series in Disney Channel history. A sequel to the series, Raven’s Home, debuted in 2017 and is still in production for the network.

It seems the vision became quite clear after all.

• News

by Iman Milner

April 27, 2023

Beyoncé Files Petition In Tax Court Contesting $2.7 Million In Taxes and Penalties

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There is no debate about Beyoncé Knowles-Carter being one of the greatest entertainers of all time; however, she’s also proven herself to be one of the most astute businesswomen in the industry. With a diverse portfolio that includes Parkwood Entertainment, a majority stake in TIDAL, the vegan on-demand delivery service 22 Days Nutrition, and a lucrative $60 million deal with streaming giant Netflix, the Queen of the Carter dynasty has built an empire that is all her own.

And it seems that she’s unafraid to take on the Internal Revenue Service to protect it.

According to Forbes, the “Formation” singer has filed a petition in U.S. Tax Court contesting nearly $2.7 million in tax and penalties. The petition, filed early this month, seeks to have the court reconsider additional fees assessed by the IRS in January 2023 through a Notice of Deficiency. The notice alleges that $805,850.00 in additional tax, together with $161,170 in penalty, is owed for 2018, and $1,442,747.00 in additional tax, together with $288,549.40 in penalty, is owed for 2019, according to Forbes.

Beyoncé is disputing the deficiency with claims that allege the IRS failed to allow a bevy of deductions, including $868,766 attributable to a charitable contribution reported in 2018. She also is contesting penalties that have been added to the amount she owes, which are 20% of the underpayment of tax by IRS statute. The Parkwood CEO argues in her petition that the extra penance should not apply as she “has acted reasonably and in good faith.”

The 41-year-old singer is gearing up to embark on a world tour for her groundbreaking album, Renaissance. After releasing no visual component for the 16-track house and electronic masterpiece, tickets for the 57-show tour have been highly coveted, with fans willing to spend thousands of dollars to experience the album live. The Renaissance World Tour kicks off on May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden.

• News

by Iman Milner

April 27, 2023

Playtime Is Over: Mom Sues City Of Detroit For Concussions Sustained On ‘Giant Slide’

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All was not fun and games for residents of Detroit, who were excited to try out the new and improved Giant Slide at the city’s beloved Belle Isle and instead found themselves thrown into the air by the 40-foot-long steel attraction.

Videos of children and adults alike, bouncing violently down the slide circulated on Twitter for days last August, and the slide was subsequently shut down only one day after its grand reopening. The hijinks made national news and some riders found themselves featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live during a segment where guest host, actor Lamorne Morris, said “It’s only a dollar, right, but the contusions will last a lifetime,” as the audience laughed.

Well, for one Detroit mother, this is no laughing matter. Francetta Watson alleges that her children, who were then-8 and 10 years old, sustained injuries from hitting their heads on the slide repeatedly. Watson took her children to be evaluated at Detroit Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital the following day where they were both diagnosed with concussions. 

According to the formal complaint against the city, the children’s injuries included: “chronic headaches; traumatic brain injury; concussion; physical pain and suffering and discomfort, past, present and future; mental anguish; fright and shock; denial of social pleasures and enjoyment; embarrassment, humiliation and mortification; medical bills and expenses,” according to the Detroit Free Press. 

Lawyers for the family say that the family had originally chosen to protect their privacy by remaining anonymous but decided to come forward in hopes they can prevent others from having the same experience. “We don’t know what the city or DNR has done to the slide during this off-period of time,” said Raquel Munoz of Vahdat Weisman Law. “So before they reopen, we want to make sure that the slide is going to be safe and hopefully by filing this lawsuit, it will alert them that they need to re-look at the slide.” The lawsuit also alleges that the City of Detroit knew about the dangers riders faced before reopening the popular attraction last summer. “Because before they opened the park, their employees were riding it and the employees were being projected up and down,” Munoz said, according to Fox 2 Detroit.

The City of Detroit has said that they will seek to be removed from the lawsuit “because the city location does not operate Belle Isle or the giant slide,” a stance Watson’s attorney vehemently disagrees with. “The city of Detroit owns Belle Isle, they had a contract with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources a few years ago. For them to manage the park,” she said. Belle Isle as well as the Giant Slide have been part of children’s fun in the city for many years before closing due to the pandemic and some are wondering if Watson, or any other parents, should bear part of the responsibility for letting their kids ride an attraction that has proven to be dangerous in the past. Munoz says it all comes down to properly warning parents of the dangers of riding. “We don’t know if signage was posted up there and if the proper signage was posted up there,” she said. “We know that after they reopened, they started instructing the riders on how to properly ride.”

Watson is seeking at least $25,000 in damages to cover medical bills and other expenses that have arisen due to her children’s injuries.

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Meet Everett Bruce and his granddaughter, Krista, the owners and founders of Personal Treasures Beauty Supply, a Black-owned beauty supply store in Greensboro, North Carolina that has been thriving for more than a decade. In addition to being a shop with the most popular hair care products, it’s also a hair salon.

Bruce started doing business in 2007, selling various products to local salons. The idea of opening a store came to him when he saw a vacant space that actually used to be a salon where he sold merchandise before. He eventually opened Personal Treasures Beauty Supply and Salon on that location.

At that time, Krista was so young that she couldn’t even reach the cash register on her own yet but she was already interested in the business. A few years later, Morehead joined the family business as a store manager, bringing her own personal touch to the store.

“We kind of bounce off of each other, he’s more of the business side and I know what people like, I know what I like,” Krista said during an interview with WFMY News 2. “I know that I’m a bit better at social media than he is. And that’s one thing, I’m on social media all day, so like how can I help? I’m here all the time — how can I help bring customers in through social media.”

Meanwhile, Bruce said having his granddaughter around makes work easy and worry-free. The duo definitely has great teamwork which is evident in the success of the business. The store continues to thrive due to the loyal customer base they have cultivated over the years.

“It’s been very family-oriented,” Bruce said. “I’ve been able to make a lot of relationships with our customers. I’ve had people come in here, just to see me and to buy from me because I have built that relationship with them. They will let me know if they came from Winston, or Kernersville, you know, to say, ‘I want you to know I did come!’ And I would say that I really appreciate it, more than you think.”

Aside from the excellent customer service, their customers also keep coming back for their professionalism in the business. They offer countless hair care and beauty products that cater specifically to Black men and women.

“You are spending that dollar with a Black business and also coming into a business that is knowledgeable about Black hair. A lot of people come in and say, ‘I like coming in here because you know what you’re talking about,'” Krista added.

Be sure to follow their store on Instagram @PersonalTreasuresBeautySupply

Also, support the business by going to its location at 3313 South Holden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27406.

This news first appeared on blackbusiness.com

Fat Joe wants to give power to the ailing and enlisted Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, and French Montana to join him for a concert in Washington, D.C.

According to TMZ Hip Hop, Fat Joe, working in partnership with the non-profit group Power to the Patients, is headlining a concert with the aforementioned artists to bring attention to discrepancies in hospital charges.

Soulja Boy has to pay his former girlfriend, Kayla Meyer, almost a quarter of a million dollars for an incident from nearly four years ago.

According to RadarOnline, DeAndre Cortez Way, better known as Soulja Boy, lost a lawsuit, according to court papers obtained by the media outlet showing that a jury has ordered the “Crank That” rapper to pay over $230K to Meyers.

The jury rendered the decision in the civil lawsuit on April 21. The jury awarded Meyers $1,800 for mental health expenses and an additional $234,100 for the physical and psychological pain and suffering she endured. The sum of her judgment amounts to $235,900.

Meyers was involved in an off-and-on-again relationship with the embattled recording artist on Feb. 1, 2019, when the incident occurred at a house party. 

In the lawsuit, Meyers said she was embroiled in a tussle with Soulja’s female assistant and accused the rapper of approaching her and beating her in the head with a gun. She said that Soulja Boy went after her, punched her in the face, and had his assistant tie her up with extension cords. The assistant held her against her will for six hours. 

Submitting photos of her alleged injuries, Meyers said she suffered three fractured ribs and a bruised face from the attack. Meyers said she immediately contacted the police once she escaped from the pair. Following her report, police officers raided the home of Soulja Boy. While searching the house, they found several guns in his possession, which violated his probation from a separate case. He was taken into police custody and released several months later.

Although arrested, the 32-year-old rapper has never been charged in the alleged assault of Meyers.

RELATED CONTENT: SINGER TEDDY RILEY WANTS SOULJA BOY TO APOLOGIZE FOR ALLEGEDLY ABUSING HIS DAUGHTER

Heavy is the head that wears the crown unless that crown is a baseball cap encrusted with a million dollars worth of diamonds.

Floyd Mayweather was an attendee at last weekend’s epic Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia clash, and he also scored a win that night. According to TMZ Sports, the “retired” boxer was a spectator at the well-attended and talked-about fight and was his usual flashy self. The baseball cap he wore for fight night matched his larger-than-life persona—engraved with his recognizable logo, TMT, which stands for The Money Team. The letters were encrusted with diamonds, and according to the jeweler who created the baseball cap, it was worth over one million dollars.

Spending over $1 million for someone like Mayweather is a drop in the “hat” for him. That is about .0022 percent of his net worth, totaling $450 million.

 

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A post shared by Jean Louis Shuki (@shuki.international)

TMZ caught up with Mayweather’s jeweler, Shuki Diamonds, in Los Angeles, and he informed the media outlet the specially-made cap took him over a month to construct. He said it took him even longer than that to find the perfect “invisible diamonds” for the item.

Saying, “It’s a big process,” he explained that he had to make a mold, sandblast it, and then shine it so it would fit perfectly over Mayweather’s head.

Mayweather was given the cap several weeks ago when both men were together in Dubai. Although the jeweler gifted Mayweather the headwear, he feels the baseball cap could fetch over $5 million if placed on the auction block.

“There’s only one in the world,” the jeweler said. “It’s become historical — it’s Floyd Mayweather.”