• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 10, 2023

Exclusive: Nick Cannon is About to Get AMP With his New Morning Show

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Nick Cannon is one of the rare child actors who successfully stayed in the entertainment industry. His ability to remain relevant through music, acting, radio, and television has allowed his star power to remain bright. Now, he is preparing to take his talent to another platform.

The multi-talented businessman joins recording artists Nicki Minaj, Big Boi (Outkast), podcaster Joe Budden, and NBA champion Draymond Green on the latest social media platform, AMP.

A little over a year ago, Amazon introduced AMP as “a way to DJ your own live radio shows.” People who join the app can access “tens of millions of licensed songs” from major and independent labels. In theory, you can run your own radio show on the app.

Starting Monday, April 24, at 9 a.m. ET, AMP users can tune into The Daily Cannon, which will air every week from Monday to Friday.

BLACK ENTERPRISE got to speak to Cannon to discuss the latest venture with AMP and how he juggles his many jobs as a talent and a businessman.

While discussing the new morning show that will air in two weeks, Cannon explained why he chose to take the morning show to this new platform.

“AMP is the new wave! I mean, I’m always somebody who’s trying to, you know, be innovative and do something that no one has ever done. And I’m paying attention to what the young people and the next generation are tapped into. And this AMP thing is blowing up like I’ve never seen before.”

Cannon recalls the excitement surrounding other platforms when they first launched, like MySpace, Twitter, Vine, Instagram, and TikTok. He feels the same excitement for what AMP has to offer.

“But, the reason why I’m so excited and felt like this was the right opportunity for me is because it gives me the opportunity to engage with the audience in a way that I never have done before. I mean, I’ve had daily television talk shows. I’ve had radio shows, but I’ve never had an experience like I’m having with AMP because the beauty of AMP is that it democratizes your audience and the experience of what radio or content creators have had the opportunity to do.”

He also speaks about the different experiences that AMP offers him and other content creators when it comes to interacting with each other.

“Before radio was all about being dictated to you, you talk “at” your audience, whereas with AMP, you get to talk to your audience. They comment, they can call in. They can invite you to their show. You can be on your show and their show simultaneously. It’s just a beautiful experience, and I feel like it’s really what this generation is focused on.”

He lastly speaks on his dual role as an entrepreneur and entertainer, what he calls an “entrepretainer,” where he is able to be talent and take care of business.

“It’s all in one, you know; I actually coined the phrase a few years back. An “entrepretainer.”

“Because my entrepreneurial efforts and spirit has been in me since birth and in the same way as me, as an entertainer. You know the hustle never sleeps, so every time I’m on the stage as an entertainer, I’m always trying to figure out the business opportunity. At the same time behind the scenes. So this AMP experience is exactly that. It’s new, it’s innovative, and you get me Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., [9 a.m. to 12 p.m.] as talent. But you know it’s 24/7 on the app as a businessman.”

You can catch Cannon and his latest morning show, The Daily Cannon, on the AMP platform starting Monday, April 24, at 6 a.m.

Rapper Tony Yayo is thanking college basketball star Angel Reese for helping his “You Can’t See Me” dance reach a new generation.

It was nearly 20 years ago when Yayo introduced the world to his signature hand-waving dance move in his “So Seductive” music video. The G-Unit member waved his hand in front of his face in a rhythmic motion that quickly caught on.

Soon, wrestling champion John Cena was using the dance move to taunt his competitors and let them know, “You can’t see me.” Now years later and the move was reignited when LSU Tigers Angel Reese returned the gesture to Iowa Hawkeyes Caitlin Clark during the NCAA final.

ANGEL REESE HIT CAITLIN CLARK WITH THE "YOU CAN'T SEE ME" 👀 pic.twitter.com/Zj3mqIzkk9

— ESPN (@espn) April 2, 2023

Reese received backlash and sparked a heated public debate between those who felt she displayed poor sportsmanship and others who felt the Black female athlete was receiving harsher criticism than her white counterpart who made the same taunting hand gesture earlier in the tournament, as noted by NPR.

The debates have helped reawaken interest in Yayo’s original dance move from decades ago, and the rapper couldn’t be more pleased.

“Any kind of sports, talking trash is a part of the game,” Yayo told TMZ Sports of his signature dance being used in sports.

“I mean, it was for the championship game. It’s competition. Even when I’m playing 2k — if you playin’ in the game, with video games, we get excited. You know?”

Yayo defended the dance being used in sports and shared the history of his signature move.

“It’s just a dance. I don’t take nothin’ personal,” he said. “It was a dance I created because I was trying to hide from the police.”

Yayo credits John Cena and Flava Flav for helping to popularize his dance move but hails Angel Reese as the one public figure who took the hand gesture to new heights.

“But shout out to all them people — John Cena, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark — and definitely Flavor Flav,” Yayo said. “But Angel Reese? You know, she took the ‘U Can’t C Me’ dance to a whole ‘nother level.”

• News

by Booker Jones

April 10, 2023

King Charles III Supports Research Into British Monarchy’s Involment In Slavery

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King Charles III supports research examining the British monarchy’s involvement with slavery. 

The Associated Press News reports that a document shows that an ancestor had shares in a slave-trading company. This comes after The Guardian published the paper showing William III’s ties to slavery. 

According to The Guardian, Prof. Brooke Newman found the document, which “highlights the involvement of the British monarchy in the appalling trade,” The Guardian writes. 

“This document offers clear evidence of the British monarchy’s central involvement in the expansion of the slave trade, and the huge importance of crown support for the enslaving voyages to Africa,” Newman said to The Guardian. “Edward Colston has become notorious now due to historians’ dedicated research and campaigners in Bristol, but in fact he was a far less significant figure than the successive kings and queens who invested and gave royal backing to slavery and the slave trade.”

 “The publication of the document has added impetus to calls for the royal family to thoroughly investigate their historical links to transatlantic slavery, The Guardian writes. 

The Guardian also writes: “Four lines of elaborately ink-written scrawl state that £1,000 of shares were given to William III in 1689. The shares were in the Royal African Company (RAC), which captured, enslaved and transported thousands of African people, with the monopoly power of a royal charter. The document clearly bears the handwritten name of the now notorious Edward Colston.” 

According to the report, King Charles III and Prince William have expressed “profound sorrow” at the “appalling atrocity of slavery.”

The Guardian also reported that Newman is writing a book titled, The Queen’s Silence, which will examine the British monarchy’s involvement in slavery and its attempts to hide its direct connection to slavery.  

News about the British monarchy’s involvement with slavery comes after several universities such as Georgetown, Rutgers University, Virginia University, and Harvard University have acknowledged their participation in slavery.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 10, 2023

California Senator Proposes ‘Ebony Alerts,’ Prioritizing Missing Black Women and Children

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A new proposed bill in California is prioritizing missing Black women and children.

CBS News reports Senate Bill 673 would create a new alert system called “Ebony Alerts,” which would be used for missing children and senior citizens. Proposed by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-CA) last week, the system would be similar to amber or silver alerts, prompting a prompt response to missing children, senior citizens, and women. “The Ebony Alert would ensure that resources and attention are given so we can bring home missing Black women and Black children in the same way we would search for any missing child and missing person,” Bradford said.

“When someone who is missing is incorrectly listed as a runaway, they basically vanish a second time. They vanish from the police detectives’ workload. They vanish from the headlines. In many ways, no one even knows they are missing.”

Bradford, who is Black and the vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, said Black children are classified as “runaways” more often than white children, resulting in fewer resources dedicated to finding them. According to NPR, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. each year. Just last year, approximately 546,000 people were reported missing — with 36% being Black youth and women—a slight decrease from the reported 38% of missing Black people in 2021. “How can we find someone and bring them home safely when no one is really looking for them,” the Democratic senator asked.

There will be specific guidelines and restrictions for the “ebony alerts.” Law enforcement agencies can issue an alert if the person is between 12 and 25 years of age, a victim of trafficking or abduction, their physical safety is at risk, or the person suffers from a physical or mental disability.

Several advocacy groups and outlets, such as the Black and Missing Foundation and Our Black Girls, have been working for years to bring awareness to missing persons of color.

A pair of Jordan 13 “Bred” worn by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz is up for auction. 

Anybody who wants to be like Mike is going to have to pay a pretty penny.

According to AfroTech, bids for the kicks began April 3, and in just a few short hours, the price climbed to $1.8 million. There are no reports as to whether or not the $1.8 million transaction has taken place. But once the shoes are sold, they will be the highest-selling pair of kicks at an auction.

In 2021, the Nike Air Ship, which were also worn by MJ during his 1984 rookie season, sold for $1.47 million, AfroTech reported. 

According to Sotheby’s website:: “This is the only complete pair of sneakers worn by Michael in an NBA Finals game, from any of Michael’s 6 NBA Finals series, that have ever been photo matched and authenticated by The MeiGray Group, the official authenticator of the NBA. They are also the only pair worn by Michael Jordan from the 1998 NBA postseason that have ever been photo matched by MeiGray,”

According to Sotheby’s, the Jordan 13s could reach anywhere between $2 million and $4 million. Bidding for the kicks closes tomorrow (April 11). 

The 1998 Finals were Jordan’s last appearance in a championship series, which ended with His Airness nailing a foul-line, shake-and-bake jumper over Bryon Russell. Game 2 of that series, played in Salt Lake City, featured Jordan scoring 37 points in a 93-88 win.

In other Jordan news, Ben Affleck’s Air, which tells the story of how MJ’s Air brand was created with Nike, pulled in more than $14 million over the three-day weekend. Adding in the two extra days since the film’s premiere on Wednesday, April 5, the dramatic comedy has made more than $20 million across 3,507 theaters in North America, according to Collider. 

The acclaimed film stars Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, and Chris Tucker.

These young women left it all on the mat last week.

The Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University claimed the national championship title at the 2023 National Cheerleaders Association Cheer Spirit Rally Division I Championship, the first HBCU team to win the title in the organization’s 75 years of experience.

According to Sports Illustrated, the cheer team declared its victory in Daytona Beach, Florida, last Thursday, scoring a 96.1 in performance and a 95.5875 event score over Niagara University’s 85.2 performance score.

https://twitter.com/TxsuProud/status/1644480114204332032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1644480114204332032%7Ctwgr%5E423835ce8f9f2fef0aa6acf1bd0496fe1216f6b9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fhbcu%2Fhbcu%2Ftexas-southern-cheerleaders-1st-hbcu-to-win-an-nca-title

In an Instagram post showing the cheer squad celebrating its win on the mat, the team wrote, “2023 Spirit Rally National Champions 🏆 making history by being the FIRST HBCU with a Spirit Rally National Title. All of our hard work this season has finally paid off !! See you next year Daytona.”

“It’s a wrap ! Daytona 23’. ALL THE HARD WORK, LATE PRACTICE, WE DID IT,” the team wrote in another post along with a video of the squad pointing to their ring fingers a move Angel Reese has made all the rage.

TSU wasn’t the only HBCU to take the mat. The lineup of HBCU cheer teams in the mix included North Carolina A&T, which competed in the Intermediate All-Girl Division 1, and finished second place in the nation.

‘This is the first time our program has ever attended NCA College Nationals,” the team wrote on Instagram, highlighting the 20 athletes who took the Daytona stage for the first time ever.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by NC A&T Cheerleading (@ncatcheer)

Florida A&M followed in third place in the Intermediate All-Girl Division 1, while Alabama A&M University ranked tenth.

“We are extremely proud of these ladies and want to personally thank everyone for supporting and showing so much love! We will continue to stand up as well as represent 🙌🏽,” Alabama A&M cheerleaders wrote on the team’s Instagram page.

• News

by Iman Milner

April 10, 2023

Baltimore County Names Robert McCullough First Black Police Chief

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Robert McCullough was named the first Black police chief of Baltimore County on Friday.

Though Baltimore is a city made up predominately of Black residents, there has never been someone who represented the demographic leading the charge on policing.

McCullough, who has worked in the community for over three decades, replaces former chief, Melissa Hyatt, the first woman in the position. Hyatt was relieved of her duties due to concerns about a hostile work environment, a failure to properly address violent crime, officers being ill-equipped to safely perform duties, and criticisms on her availability.

“Chief McCullough will be the first African American to lead our nation’s 21st largest police agency. He brings over 35 years of local homegrown experience working with and for our communities,” Baltimore County Executive Olszewski said.

McCollough, seemingly unshaken by the gravity of his appointment, shared straightforward remarks at a press conference over the weekend.

“My experience in the department and my mentors have helped shape me and fostered my growth as a person, as an officer, and as a leader,” he said. “I made it a point to pass along the lessons I’ve learned to every officer that wears our badge.”

He also acknowledged the very real and lasting distrust between the police and his community.

“Every person in Baltimore County deserves to feel safe and know they are safe in the places where they live, work, and raise their families,” he said.

McCullough returns to the department after a brief retirement in 2021.

When I began my career as a cadet in May of 1985, some would say the chance for someone who looked like me, an 18-year-old kid from West Baltimore, to become Chief of Police in Baltimore County was less than zero,” he said. “That reality motivated me to be the best that I could be at everything that I did.”

• Lifestyle

by Atiya Jordan

April 10, 2023

Family Legacy: The Navy Welcomes the First Black Triplets To Enlist

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Hailing from Virginia, the Sutton family has made Navy history.

Siblings Ayrion, Andrea, and Adrion Sutton are the first Black triplets to enlist in the U.S. Navy, according to the Navy Recruitment Office. Now, the 20-year-olds are embarking on a journey inspired by their parents, Andre and Tiffany Sutton, who met while serving on the USS Arctic in 1999.

Adrion, the youngest of the bunch, has wanted to join the Navy since he started high school. In an interview with Good Morning America, he shared the significance behind his interest.

“What motivated me to join was hearing my parents talk about how good the Navy was when we was growing up and seeing my dad come home from long months, not being at home and taking care of the family,” Adrion told the news outlet.

The inspiration runs so deep that even the patriarch of the family decided to reenlist so he could serve with his kids.

“A lot of people would not do this,” Andrea said. “So for all three of us and our dad and mom, for all of us to do this, this is like a really big thing.”

Andre, who would previously come home from long months, said he originally joined the Navy to pursue the opportunities that would propel him out of the Allentown, Pennsylvania, projects. He served for 12 years in the Navy before entering the Merchant Marine, and currently works as a bosun for the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command.

It was just a week before deployment when Andre caught Tiffany’s eye.  “I walked past him, and I thought I saw sunshine,” she recalled, per GMA.

“I even called my mom and told her I found my husband.”

“The rest is history,” Andre said.

Over 20 years later, the family legacy of honor, courage and commitment lives on.

“It feels good to serve my country. It’s an honor to put on this uniform at the end of the day,” Ayrion said.

• News

by Iman Milner

April 10, 2023

“I’m A Team Player”: Angel Reese Confirms She Will Visit White House With LSU

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Angel Reese continues to live up to her role as a leader for the LSU Tigers.

Since last week, Reese has been in the middle of a media frenzy since the Tigers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA women’s basketball championship, fielding questions surrounding the racial undertones of the reaction to Reese in comparison to Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

Once the dust settled around those debates, one that saw many sports greats coming to Reese’s defense, another story entered the spotlight.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden found herself in hot water when she expressed a desire to have both teams visit The White House in a celebration of women’s sports and the unprecedented viewership of the NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament.

Many found her invitation to be completely unfounded and left fans wondering if the same grace would be extended to LSU if it had lost to Iowa, whose team is predominately white. Reese held no punches discussing her feelings on the matter. She said the team would not accept a dual invite from the Biden administration. Biden retracted her statement following the backlash.

And it seems that LSU has accepted the first lady’s invitation.

There was one question that still lingered: would Reese join the team? In an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Reese confirmed that she will join her teammates at The White House.

“You don’t get that experience ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team and we’ve decided we’re going to go,” Reese said. “I’m a team player. I’m going to do what’s best for the team. I’m the captain.” ‘

The 6’4″ sophomore said she and her fellow Tigers were initially shocked to see their excellence being overshadowed in order to provide the Iowa team with a figurative participation trophy.

“In the beginning, we were hurt. It was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Reese told SportsCenter..

After the announcement that Under Armour extended the contract of Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry, it has been disclosed that he has also received an abundance of shares that equal $75 million.

The Athletic reported that the NBA champion received a large allotment of shares in Under Armour last week as part of the compensation package that is included in being appointed president of Under Armour’s Curry Brand.

That package reported worth? $75 million.

The amount allocated to Curry was 8,823,530 restricted stock units of Under Armour common stock on April 3. This information was disclosed in a public SEC filing last week. The $75 million award will vest in two installments, provided that he remains with the brand. The initial installment will vest in 2029 and the next one will take place in 2034.

“The Award was granted as partial consideration in connection with Mr. Curry’s entry into an Under Armour, Inc. Athlete Product, Brand, Ambassador, and Endorsement Agreement (the “Athlete Agreement”) with the Company, pursuant to which Mr. Curry is continuing his relationship with the Company as a brand ambassador of the Company and will serve as the President of Curry Brand, a signature product line of the Company,” the filing stated.

Last week, it was reported that the two sides have “amplified their unique partnership even further, forging a long-term commitment to serve athletes and communities and drive mutual success for years to come.”

“If the past 10 years have shown me anything, it’s that Under Armour and I can build great things together. It’s all about impacting athletes and creating products that perform and resonate with them, and Under Armour does it best. In 2013, we bet on each other, and I’m all in on taking this next step together,” Curry said in a written statement.