Quincy Brown On Carrying The Combs Family Legacy, ‘It’s All About The Music Now’


Quincy Brown and his brothers are front and center in MTV’s newest series “Family Legacy” where they relive some of Diddy’s most iconic moments and share how they’re carrying on the family legacy.

The “Dope” star takes on an even bigger role in the show that’s set to premiere Tuesday, April 25 on Paramount+ as the narrator in all five episodes. A few celebrity offspring dig through thousands of hours of exclusive MTV footage of their parents, who happen to be some of music’s biggest stars, to take fans on a nostalgic tour of their mom or dad’s most celebrated MTV moments.

Quincy appeared in one episode alongside his brothers Justin and Christian Combs and says the experience helped him take more pride in the meaningful contributions his family has made to the culture.

“The whole thing is just surreal to be able to look at my life and see that sense of a history,” he told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

“Sometimes growing up, you do so much and you’re on to the next. Everything that you do is obviously a part of your legacy, and this was that true reminder of how blessed my family is. How much work my family has put in, how much impact on culture.”

Other celebrity kids featured in the series include CJ Wallace, the son of The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans, Nathan Morris II, the son of Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris, Sy’Rai Smith, the daughter of Brandy, and Tron Austin, the son of TLC’s Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, among others.

 

The eldest of Diddy’s sons, Quincy grew up in the industry having been raised by the Bad Boy creator and maintaining a relationship with his biological father, singer Al B Sure. He already has broke ground as an actor with roles in films like “Dope,” “Brotherly Love,” and TV shows like “Star,” and “Raising Kanan.”

But Quincy has a natural passion for music that he wants the world to take notice of.

“It’s that time where it’s like ‘alright, how can I structure this out to really make y’all understand where this passion lies for this music,'” he explained.

“People see me do music and they think, I may just be doing it cause of Puff or I may be doing it cause of Al B. Sure.”

“But where my passion exists in the creating of it may not be apparent to people.”

Quincy is a multifaceted talent who describes himself as a “genre-less” musician who sees “color” when it comes to creating, hence why he’s dabbled in so many different art forms. But now, at the age of 31, Quincy is determined to make the masses understand where his passion truly lies.

“I feel like this new round of efforts is going to really shape people’s perception of me in this music,” he said. “I cut my hair. It’s a lot of things that are going into play right now to really make you understand the passion there. It’s all about the music now.”

Speaking of cutting his hair, Quincy’s newest release includes his twin sisters Jessie and D’Lila Combs who appear in the music video to help their big brother get ready for a blind date. The video shows his 16-year-old twin sisters styling him and even cutting his hair ahead of his night out.

Quincy shared the inspiration behind the song and visuals with “Face Off” serving as an ode to being your true self.

“It just represents stripping it all the way to really meet in the middle to be truly yourself,” he said.

It was only right to say true to the Combs’ “Family Legacy” and feature his sisters in the music video. Quincy lists it as a nod to being the “unifier” in his famous family.

“I got like a little piece of everybody,” he said. “I think that’s kind of where I fit in and stand out. I’m not like everybody, I’m like a unifier. I’m that bridge to the gap.”

High School Senior Breaks National Record With 125 Scholarship Offers


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 Barens, a senior at International High School of New Orleans.

According to 4WWL, Barnes set a national record by receiving scholarship offers from 125 universities, adding to more than $9 million. The report also adds that Barnes’ scholarship offers are more than any high school senior has ever received in the History of the United States. 

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

“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, cited by 4WWL

Black educators in New Orleans intent on “raising the bar” isn’t new. Ruby Bridges was only 6 years old when she was thrust into the civil rights movement when she Black person to integrate a public school in the Deep South. Bridges was escorted to school by federal officers.

Barnes is planning to double 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, at whatever university he decides to attend, Barnes will already have college credits. 

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 said to 4WWL

Alabama A&M Breaks School Record For Students Admitted As First-Time Freshmen


Alabama A&M University(AAMU) has seen a significant increase in applications as well as admittance for first-time freshmen. 

According to the university’s website, AAMU has accepted nearly 10,000 students for the fall 2023 semester, breaking a school record. In 2019, AAMU admitted 9,039 students. This year, the university received over 15,000 undergraduate applications, which accounts for a 30 percent increase, admitting 9,757 first-time freshmen. 

“This growth is not accidental,” Dr. Braque Talley, Vice President for Student Affairs, said. “A&M appeals to students from all backgrounds and provides a rich living, learning experience. I’m proud that we’re driving home that message to more students and families.”  

AAMU follows a long line of Black educational resistance. The 1862 Morrill Act—named after Vermont Senator Justin S. Morrill—enabled educators to establish spaces of learning through land grants for agricultural and mechanical education. Despite providing monetary resources,  it is widely believed many progressive white people wanted Blacks to work with their hands. This is why most historically Black colleges in the South are A&M colleges. 

Alabama A&M opened in 1875 as Huntsville Normal School. The school began with two teachers, and 61 students, with ex-slave William Hooper Councill serving as the school’s principal. The university went through two additional name changes before becoming Alabama A&M University in 1969. 

In addition to record-breaking first-time freshmen, the university has also seen an increase in students deciding to transfer to AAMU. 

“These numbers are indicative of the strength of our programs and the value students see in earning an education here on the Hill,” Dwayne Green, Director of Admissions, said. 

In other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) news, there has been a shortage of men at HBCUs. The Washington Post reported that only 1 in 3 undergraduate scholars are men. As one example,  since 2016, Howard University has gained more than 3,000 students, however, only 1 in 6 have been men, according to The Washington Post.

Soulja Boy Told to Pay Former Girlfriend Over $230K for Assault at his Home


Soulja Boy owes his former girlfriend almost a quarter of a million dollars for an incident that took place almost four years ago.

According to RadarOnline, DeAndre Cortez Way, better known as Soulja Boy has lost a lawsuit to his former girlfriend, Kayla Meyers. Court papers obtained by the media outlet show that the Crank That rapper has been ordered by a jury to pay over $230k to Meyers.

The decision in the civil lawsuit was rendered by the jury on April 21.

The jury came to the conclusion to award Meyers $1,800 for mental health expenses and an additional $234,100 for the physical and mental pain and suffering she suffered. The sum of her judgment amounts to $235,900.

The lawsuit was filed because of an incident that happened at a house party on Feb. 1, 2019. Meyers had been in an off and on again relationship with the embattled recording artist. On the night of the incident, Meyers stated that she was embroiled in a tussle with Soulja’s female assistant. She accused the rapper of approaching her and beating her in the head with a gun.

She then claimed that Soulja Boy went after her and punched her in the face and then he had his assistant tie her up with extension cords. The assistant held her against her will for six hours. In the lawsuit, she also said that Tevin demanded that she perform a sexual act on him so she can be untied and allowed to leave. Meyers said she agreed to do so so you could leave.

Meyers said she suffered 3 fractured ribs and a bruised face from the alleged attack by them.

When she was able to escape, Meyers said she immediately called the police. Police officers raided his home and conducted a search and ended up finding guns in the house. With the arrest, it triggered a probation violation from Soulja Boy from a separate case. He was taken to jail and released several months later.

Although he was arrested, he was never charged in the alleged assault of Meyers.

Simone Biles Claps Back At Critics of Her Wedding Hair, ‘They Can Keep Complaining’


After keeping things simple for her courthouse wedding to Jonathan Biles, Simone Biles is having to shut down the critics who took issue with the high ponytail she wore for the big day.

Biles, 26, and Owens, 27, tied the knot in a courthouse wedding in their resident state of Texas on Saturday. The Olympic gold gymnast took to Instagram over the weekend to share photos from her wedding day.

“I do 🤍 officially owens 🤍” she captioned her post.

 

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A post shared by Simone Biles Owens (@simonebiles)

Biles opted for a stunning tiered white gown that Owens paired with a tan suit. The Houston Texans player shared romantic shots from the special day while expressing his pride to finally be married to Biles.

“My person, forever ❤️💍 #TheOwens #itsofficial,” he captioned his post.

“I love you husband,” Biles wrote in his comments section.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jonathan Owens 🏈 (@jowens)

While many applauded the happy newlyweds on Instagram, Biles faced criticism on Twitter by some who didn’t like the way the decorated gymnast’s wedding hair. It took her fans to step up and defend the seven-time Olympic gold medalist’s hairstyle.

“Yall really coming for Simone Biles’s hair at her wedding. She is a young millionaire, a great gymnast, and married to the love of her life. What you got???” one fan tweeted.

“Simone Biles is a goddess. I look up to her so much and girl I could only wish for her level of beauty,” another fan said in part.

https://twitter.com/Mediterranean_Z/status/1650273364550774784

“I saw those pics of Simone Biles and my first thought was, ‘Aww she look so happy.’ The fact y’all zoomed in on her edges and hair is so miserable,” another user wrote.

There was one fan who cleared the critics by listing out just a few of Biles’ accolades and life accomplishments before obliterating them for attempting to shade the American gymnast.

“Simone Biles is one of THEE top gymnasts we’ve ever seen, has overcame situations of abuse and other obstacles in her childhood, has defined her own success and found love and is now happily married…

And y’all worried about her hair…..?!” they quipped.

Biles took notice of the supportive tweet and replied back with a short explanation about her wedding hair.

“i think they also forget i live in HOUSTON TEXAS & I sweat those out!! soon as we stepped outside for pics,” she wrote before addressing her haters.

“but they can keep complaining idc idc idc,” she added.

Oklahoma Pastor Condemned for Wearing Blackface and Jheri Curl Wig, Claims He Was Honoring Ray Charles

Oklahoma Pastor Condemned for Wearing Blackface and Jheri Curl Wig, Claims He Was Honoring Ray Charles


A white man in Oklahoma is responding to extreme backlash after an unearthed video from several years ago revealed him in blackface. His reasoning is as outrageous as his appearance in blackface and a Jheri curl.

According to the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, a white Oklahoma pastor from Matoaka Baptist Church in Tulsa came under fire after he was exposed in a Facebook post showing him in blackface. The post shows Bartlesville pastor Sherman Jaquess performing an act in blackface during a Valentine’s Day event at his church in 2017.

A post by Tulsa resident Marq Lewis revealed the photos as he requested his followers share the post,  leading it to go viral with close to 4,000 shares.

“*****Share please****
“Here’s Pastor Sherman Jaquess in Black Face. He pastors at the Matoaka Baptist Church in Ochelata Oklahoma.”

Jaquess claims he’s no bigot—but that some of his friends are, well, “racial”:

“It wasn’t derogatory, wasn’t racial in any way, and we’re not racist at all. I don’t have a racist bone in my body. I have a lot of racial friends.”

Jaquess’ defense for appearing in an Afro, blackface and red, painted lips?

He claims he was honoring singing legend Ray Charles.

“We have people [who] are offended by a lot of things, but it’s hard to play Ray Charles if you don’t play a Black man; it wasn’t anything. It was honoring to Ray Charles, we sang the song as best as we could.”

Lewis, a Tulsa activist, said the pastor should have known better since everyone knows blackface is extremely offensive.

“You can honor anyone by not putting on blackface, and he is ignoring the historical references and all of the satirical types of caricatures that African Americans have gone through in this country,” Lewis said.

“For him to say that’s not racist says to me that he is completely out of touch with the reality of what this world and this country has dealt with — it’s actually a slap in the face of African Americans and all people of color.”

Jaquess is also catching heat for his sermons against the LGBTQIA+ community. Based on his Facebook feed posts, he has been critical of a local Pride event featuring a drag show at Unity Square. He also tells his congregation of the dangers of drag queens in many of his sermons that he posts on Facebook.

RELATED CONTENTThree Mead High School Students Re-enacted George Floyd’s Death Using Black Face, Principal Resigned Shortly After

Da Brat And Jesseca Harris-Dupart Giving Away IVF Cycle Worth $10K to One Lucky Fan


As Da Brat and her wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart prepare for the arrival of their baby boy, the happily married pair are spreading the love in the form of a fully covered IVF cycle.

Brat and Jesseca took to Instagram last week to announce their special giveaway that will bless one lucky recipient with the gift of bringing life into the world courtesy of the same fertility clinic that helped them conceive.

“We are the Harris-Duparts and we’ve been busy working all day, but we just wanted to sit down and let ya’ll know something really special is happening on April 28 and we’re excited about it,” Brat said while seated alongside her wife.

“I don’t know if y’all know, but we’re expecting baby boy Harris DuPart and he’s in there and he’s coming out really soon and it all came to fruition through Hope Fertility.”

 

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A post shared by DA BRAT (da ONLY 1) (@sosobrat)

After giving a special shoutout to some of the staff at Hope Fertility, Da Brat explained how the amazing treatment she received inspired her and Jesseca to help another family experience the same.

“Because of them we’re at this point and we didn’t give up hope, literally,” the “Funkdafied” rapper continued. “So we just want to tell you guys about something special that we’re doing on April 28.”

The couple, who recently celebrated ther gender reveal, plan to go live from the fertility clinic and announce the lucky recipient of their free IVF cycle that’s worth over $10,000.

“We’re super excited that we are collaborating with Hope Fertility,” Jesseca said.

“We are giving away a grant for a free IVF cycle, worth over $10,000, so somebody can experience the hope that we got to experience… no pun intended.”

The announcement comes two months after the couple graced the cover of People magazine with their gangster-inspired maternity shoot. Da Brat opened up about her joy with being pregnant after a lifetime of believing it wasn’t in the cards for her.

Fans will be able to follow Brat and Jesseca’s pregnancy journey on season 3 of “Brat Loves Judy” premiering April 27 on WeTV.

Suge Knight Insists Snoop Dogg Committed ‘Bankruptcy Fraud’ When he Purchased Death Row Records


Early last year, Snoop Dogg purchased the label he formerly recorded on, Death Row Records. The man who used to own the imprint, Suge Knight, recently said that the rapper may have acquired it fraudulently.

According to an interview the incarcerated Knight conducted with TMZ, he said that the bankruptcy hearing that was held was a violation of the law. He also feels that Death Row would never be what it was without his guidance and leadership.

Knight is serving 28 years in prison after being found guilty of voluntary manslaughter. He’s presently paying his debt to society at CA State Penitentiary.

When questioned about Snoop owning the label, he had something to say. In his response, he was confident that he would retake ownership.

“Well, if he do, I doubt that. First of all, you gotta look at it like this: I am Death Row. So, I’m quite sure when it’s said and done, All Eyez On Me and Makaveli will definitely come back to me, and the rest of the stuff.”

He said the man who fronted the money for the label initially, Michael Harris, was involved in the transaction and that Snoop could only purchase the label due to his attorney not showing up for the court date, so they lost by default.

“But one problem with that is: Snoop has a partner, which is Michael Harris. They committed fraud, they bankruptcy fraud. I didn’t lose my company by doing anything wrong; they went in and the lawyer didn’t show up, and they got a default judgment.”

“I settled the judgment. They turned around and said I didn’t settle the judgment. But they committed bankruptcy fraud which we just found out for sure last week. When they filed for bankruptcy in ’95, they said it didn’t have anything to do with Death Row.”

The former executive went as far as calling the transaction illegal, insisting that what transpired shouldn’t occurred.

“You can’t commit bankruptcy fraud and settle and do those type of things … It’s called illegal, it’s a crime. You can’t take the person who committed the worst crime of the century, taking Death Row from Black people and try to give it to white people, and think he gonna grab Snoop and they gonna get it back. It doesn’t work like that.”

Last year, the global investment firm Blackstone announced that the iconic Gin & Juice rapper acquired the Death Row Records brand and name from MNRK Music Group. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

After taking the catalog off streaming platforms, Snoop announced in March that it had returned. Billboard reported that he signed a new deal putting Death Row classic records back on streaming platforms. On March 9, he took to Twitter to inform fans that we could start hearing the classic Death Row catalog again.

Virginia Army Base Will Be Renamed After Two Black Pioneers Of The U.S. Army

Virginia Army Base Will Be Renamed After Two Black Pioneers Of The U.S. Army


Virginia’s Fort Lee’s army base will be renamed after two Black officers of the U.S. Army. According to several news reports, Fort Lee will now be known as Fort Gregg-Adams. This comes after the Congressional Naming Commission voted to remove names, signs or anything that praise the Confederate Army or Confederate officers. 

Fort Gregg-Adams is just one of nine army bases that will undergo name changes in the coming years, according to the U.S. Army website. 

“We are deeply honored to have Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams as the new namesakes for our installation,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Simerly, a commanding general at Fort Lee.

Lt. Gen. Gregg, a Florance, South Carolina native, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946. He was 17-years-old. Lt. Gregg served in Germany, as a medical laboratory technician. He then served as a Quartermaster at Leadership School at Fort Lee, before tours in Nuremberg and Germany as a member of the 95th Quartermaster Battalion, according to Military Officers Association of America. 

“Once I arrived, I was told there were no medical facilities operated by the U.S. Army staffed with Black Soldiers,” Lt. Gregg said. “So, I could not get a job as a medical laboratory technician in Germany.”

Lt. Gregg earned his first and second stars as a general officer in 1972 and 1976, respectively. He was also the first Black person to earn the title of lieutenant general in the U.S. Army.   

Gregg finished his career in the U.S. Army in 1981.

Maj. Adams not only pushed past being Black in America, but she was Black and a female. Despite the obstacles that come with womanhood, Maj. Adams became the first Black woman to lead a unit during her tour of World War II.

In 1944, Adams was commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Her unit also accomplished successful missions in Rouen as well as Paris, France before being promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Adams went on to earn her master’s degree in psychology from Ohio State University. 

Fort Lee will receive the official name makeover on April 27. 

NYPD Confirms Woman Knew Her Alleged Kidnapper After All

NYPD Confirms Woman Knew Her Alleged Kidnapper After All


A witness called the NYPD to report a woman in her 20s was allegedly forced into a late model Toyota minivan around 1:45 a.m. on Friday, April 21, in Brooklyn. A new report suggests the victim knew the suspect.

According to the New York Post, the unidentified woman was described as light-skinned with long hair, approximately 5-foot-5, and 120 pounds.

Images released by the police department captured a man in his 30s who appeared to “approach the woman with his arm pointed at her” before he whisked her away into the vehicle and raced northbound on Stillwell Avenue.

A source in connection with the NYPD revealed to the Post that the disturbing incident was a mystery. At the time, cops were digging further into video footage to locate where the woman and the man appeared before the caught-on-camera abduction.

kidnapping
A man’s shadow touches the shadow of a girl

“She didn’t appear to be struggling like you would if it was a stranger,” the source said, per the Post.

Reportedly, police investigators are no longer pursuing the duo after discovering the pair knew each other, ABC News reported.

“The male and female depicted in the video were both found,” the NYPD said. “Both parties were known to each other, and it was deemed to have not been a crime.”

No other information has been provided at this time. 

Though this case has not been confirmed as a fake kidnapping, virtual kidnappings have been on the rise for at least two decades, according to the FBI. This scam has recently evolved to exploit new vulnerabilities. Scammers scour phone calls, social media, and more to obtain the names of families and individual family members.

“We’ve seen an uptick in virtual kidnappings in the past few years because the crime is lucrative and there’s not a lot detection from law enforcement,” Matthew Horton, the FBI’s international violent crimes unit chief, told CNN Business.

“It’s a quick way to make money — and it’s a lot easier to conduct a virtual kidnapping than a real one.

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