Freaks Come Out In Atlanta: New Documentary About Freaknik Has Older Generation Questioning Past Choices
An upcoming documentary has Black people sweating in their boots.
Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, Newsone reports, produced by legendary music producers Jermaine Dupri and Uncle Luke, tells the rise and fall of what was supposed to be a small Atlanta HBCU picnic in the 1990s. It later turned into an influential street party, drawing thousands of people to Atlanta from all over the country.
Hulu announces ‘Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told’ documentary chronicling how the notorious event came to prominence and its demise https://t.co/eQLI3sMnrC
Set to release on Hulu, the news sent shockwaves through Black Twitter and social media alike. Freaknik lived up to its name, ending in turmoil as the city of Atlanta shut it down due to issues including looting, robberies, assaults, and sexual assaults.
Millennials and Gen Zers are curious to see if their parents are part of the infamous footage.
Boomers and Gen X, who were old enough to attend, are even more worried that their past may be exposed. lives. One TikTok user went viral with her sentiments on that particular concern.
“Ya’ll…I don’t know, we might be in trouble,” Tina, who uses the handle @lashwaxandglow, said. She admits that she attended several Freakniks, including the one in 1994, that is allegedly being highlighted. “I’m just praying that Jesus be a fence. I’m just praying that Jesus be a big, tall privacy fence. That’s my prayer.”
Bun B Speaks To The First Graduating Class of Mickey Factz Hip-Hop Academy
Hip-hop has always been juxtaposed with education. Here’s more proof: the Bronx spitter Mickey Factz recently celebrated the first graduating class of his master class, Pendulum Ink Academy. Rice University professor/MC Bun B gave the commencement speech.
HipHopDX reports that Port Arthur, Texas, native dropped gems about Pendulum Ink’s dedication to sharp lyrics and hip-hop culture.
“In my 31 years, I have never seen something like what you guys have accomplished in the last eight months, and the reason I haven’t seen it is because it didn’t exist,” the “Get Throwed” rapper said.
Bun added: “I have to say, I don’t think the academy does it justice. Because I feel like this is also a wellness center. Because we deal in a space where you’re not allowed to express your vulnerability until today. I am honored to be the commencement speaker for the first Hip Hop and Lyric Academy in the world that not only address the craft but has a care and concern for the creators.”
After seeing parallels between some rappers living album to album and general laborers living check to check, the former New York University student decided to create Pendulum Ink Academy.
“Pendulum Ink develops a direct path to enhancing an emcee’s skillset and understanding of the Hip Hop business by providing access to classes conducted by industry experts in the areas of Rap Theory, Lyrical & Literary Technique, Content Creation, Branding, and Hip Hop mental health,” the master class website reads.
“By nurturing creativity through lyricism, we encourage students to break societal norms within Hip Hop and Academia alike. With a lexicon of over 50 rap techniques, legendary guest teachers, and a community of emcees sharpening their skills, Pendulum Ink supports artists in all stages of their careers and their lives.”
Bun B has been lecturing in hip-hop and religion courses at Rice University since 2011.
In fact, hip-hop and religion have been gaining traction in academic spaces. Recently Alejandro Nava, professor of religious studies at the University of Arizona, released Street Scriptures: Between God and Hip-Hop, where Nva explains the gritty spaces from which hip-hop sprang to theology.
Guests at Factz Hip-Hop Academy have included CyHi the Prynce, Method Man, and Lady London.
Run It! Daz Dillinger Claims ‘He Ran Up On’ Suge Knight For $2.5 Million Backpay
People’s experience on shrooms varies, though it’s doubtful that anyone has had one like Daz Dillinger, who strong-armed a notorious rap honcho and walked away with $2.5 million.
The West Coast rapper claims Suge Knight paid him $2.5 million back in the ’90s—while he was on shrooms. According to TMZ , Dillinger said he wasn’t paid for working on the 1996 film, Sunset Park. Along with late singer, Nate Dogg, they worked on the song , “Just Doggin,” which appeared on the soundtrack.
A week after payment wasn’t received, Dillinger claims he ran up in the Death Row Records office with fellow artists, Kurupt and Lil Malik Hershey Loc, and “hemmed everyone” up until Knight arrived.
The three of them had taken the hallucinogenic drug before ‘bum-rushing’ the office. “I had to go in there and strong-arm Suge and them to get the money,” he said. The 49-year-old says he finally got his payment once the Death Row founder saw the determination in his eyes. Plus he came equipped with what he describes as “one of those big, long Diesel screwdrivers.”
The moment got very intense almost instantly. “We went up there to get that money and they was playing with the money. … Suge walked into the office and the way his eyes were looking, he was gon’ do something to me,” Dillinger said, according to Complex. “So he put his arm around me and I put my arms around him, like this and said, ‘I’m gonna stick you.’ He’s like, ‘Hold on, Daz. Let’s go in the office.”
He said after that, he walked away a paid man.
The legacy of Death Row Records has always been controversial. However, Snoop Dogg recently acquired the label and released the music on several streaming platforms. He also added Death Row Records to the popular social media app, TikTok.
Tennessee Democratic Lawmakers Expelled Over Gun Control Protest Hope to Reclaim Seats
Two Tennessee Democrats who were expelled from the Republican-dominated state House of Representatives last week over their participation in a gun control protest said on Sunday that they hoped to soon reclaim their seats.
Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who joined hundreds of protesters at the state capitol in Nashville to demand stricter gun laws four days after a mass shooting at a local school, told NBC’s Meet the Press that they hoped to be reappointed by their districts to serve in their seats until they could run again in special elections.
Their expulsion has drawn national outcry from Democrats. Vice President Kamala Harris paid a visit to Nashville last Friday in support of Jones, who represents a Nashville district, Pearson, who represents a Memphis district, and their colleague Representative Gloria Johnson, who also joined the gun control protest but was spared expulsion last week by one member vote.
Under Tennessee Law, the Metropolitan Council of Davidson County in Nashville and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in Memphis can appoint interim representatives for their districts’ now-vacant seats until a special election is held.
Metro Council Member Kevin Rhoten said on Twitter that he had been bombarded with emails since Thursday asking him to vote to appoint Justin Jones for the District 52 seat, and that he planned to do that. At least two members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners have told local news they plan to reappoint Pearson to the District 86 seat.
“I would be honored to accept the appointment of the Shelby County Commission and to run in a special election,” Pearson told NBC on Sunday.
Jones said he too would accept a reappointment and run again in a special election.
“Their attack on democracy hurts all of us,” Jones said of the Republican-controlled House.
The Metropolitan Council in Nashville planned to meet on Monday to address the district vacancy. Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman told Reuters that if the council rules are suspended, a vote could be held right after that meeting, and Jones could return to his role.
Shelby County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mickell Lowery on Sunday announced the board would consider reappointing Pearson in a special meeting called for Wednesday.
On March 30, hundreds of demonstrators flooded into the Tennessee statehouse to demand that lawmakers pass stricter gun laws, after assailant Audrey Hale gunned down three 9-year-old students and three staff members at the Covenant School in Nashville on March 27. Videos posted to Twitter showed the two Black lawmakers, Representatives Jones and Pearson, shouting through a bullhorn on the House floor, saying “No action, no peace!”
Republicans accused them and Johnson of engaging in “disorderly behavior” and said in resolutions calling for their expulsion that they “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.” The Democrats said their participation in the protest was within their constitutional right to freedom of speech.
On Thursday, the body voted along party lines to expel Jones and Pearson.
Race came up several times during the debate ahead of the vote. Jones, who is Black, said Republican Representative Gino Bulso, who is white, portrayed him as an “uppity Negro.” Another Republican in the chamber, Sarbjeet Kumar, said Jones saw everything through the lens of race. As the vote was held, Black members and other Democrats joined Jones at the podium. Most Republican members are white.
Pearson and Jones have said their expulsion is the latest instance of the mostly white, mostly Republican state government trying to suppress the voices of communities of color.
Both former lawmakers addressed their communities at Easter worship services on Sunday. Pearson, delivering the sermon at the Church on the River in Memphis, emphasized his and Jones’ innocence and vowed to continue speaking out against the Republican-led chamber.
“The Republican-led supermajority of the Tennessee General Assembly sought to have a political lynching of three of its members because we spoke out of turn against the status quo of the government after the tragic deaths of six people,” Pearson told the congregation.
He spoke exuberantly, rousing the crowd to their feet and eliciting cries of agreement from the congregation.
Jones attended Easter service at Watson Grove Church in Nashville and briefly spoke to the congregation, delivering a message of resilience.
“It’s not over,” Jones said. “We are in the midst of a resurrection…that will redeem the soul of the state and hopefully this nation.”
Only two other Tennessee state representatives have been expelled by their colleagues since the Civil War era: one in 1980 for soliciting a bribe in exchange for blocking legislation and another in 2016 after being accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women. Both expulsions were made with overwhelming, bipartisan votes.
Hair Wigs and Extension Market Size to Grow by USD 5.26 billion from 2021 to 2026, Growth Driven by Technological Advances in the Production and Design of Synthetic Hair Wigs
The hair wigs and extension market is estimated to grow by USD 5.26 billionbetween 2021 and 2026. The growth momentum will be progressing at a CAGR of 9.82% during the forecast period. The market is segmented by product (human hair wigs and extension and synthetic hair wigs and extension) and geography (APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, Europe, and South America).
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Hair Wigs and Extension Market 2022-2026
The market growth in the human hair wigs and extension segment will be significant during the forecast period. Human hair wigs and extension provide better product quality and longevity compared to synthetic hair wigs and extension. The increased demand for ethically sourced human hair wigs and extension in European countries is expected to drive the growth of the segment during the forecast period.
Technological advances in the production and design of synthetic hair wigs and extension will drive the growth of the market. There have been significant improvements in terms of the aesthetics and design of synthetic hair wigs and extensions. Advanced fiber selection and design have made these wigs and extension lighter. They can also be styled using heating styling tools, offering better maneuverability to the user. In addition, these wigs and extension are available in a wide variety of colors. They are also cost-effective. Many such factors are driving the growth of the market in focus.
Hair Wigs and Extension Market Insights –
Vendors: 15+, including Aderans Co. Ltd., Artnature Inc., Diamond Hair Company LLC, Diva Divine Hair Extensions and Wigs, Donna Bella OpCo LLC, Evergreen Products Group Ltd., F.N. Longlocks, Great Lengths Universal Hair Extensions Srl, Hairlocs, HALOCOUTURE, India Hair International, Indique Hair LLC, Klix Hair Inc., Locks and Bonds, Papillon Hair World, Racoon International Ltd., Shandong AY Hair Products Co. Ltd., Sheen Wigs and Salon, The Gorgeous Hair, VLCC International LLC, among others
Coverage: Parent market analysis; key drivers, major trends, and challenges; customer and vendor landscape; vendor product insights and recent developments; key vendors; and market positioning of vendors
Segments: Product (Human hair wigs and extension and Synthetic hair wigs and extension) and geography (APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, Europe, and South America)
Global Hair Wigs and Extension Market – Vendor Insights
The global hair wigs and extension market is fragmented due to the presence of several international and domestic players. Established vendors have a competitive advantage owing to their scale of operations and brand name. With increased consumer spending on premium hair wigs and extensions, the competition among vendors is increasing. This is leading to the launch of customized and innovative offerings. The compliance costs are low owing to minimal regulations. However, the capital-intensive nature of the market makes it difficult for new players to sustain themselves in the market. In addition, vendors are implementing various strategies such as new product launches and M&A to increase their market shares. Some of the key vendors covered in the report include:
Artnature Inc. – The company offers hair wigs such as tailor-made wigs and custom-made wigs.
Donna Bella OpCo LLC – The company offers hair wigs and extension products such as I-Link, Kera-Link, and Tape-In.
F.N. Longlocks – The company offers hair extension products such as Color 4 30 Tape In Hair Extensions, Color 6 Tape In Hair Extensions, and Color 8 Tape In Hair Extensions.
Great Lengths Universal Hair Extensions Srl – The company offers hair extension products such as GL ULTRASONIC TOUCH and GL 3200.
Google for Startup Grad Uses Tech and Corporate Partnerships to Elevate Global Wellness On-Demand
In light of the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse and economic uncertainty in the news headlines, employee burnout and founder wellness is a global concern. According to a survey by Deloitte, 77 percent of respondents say they have experienced burnout at their current job. More than 90 percent say that unmanageable stress or frustration impacts the quality of their work. Another 83 percent say burnout can negatively impact personal relationships. Utopia Global Wellness (Utopia GW), the minority-woman-owned wellness tech company, is on a mission to relieve these pain points one virtual wellness experience at a time.
According to NIMH, nearly onein fiveU.S. adults live with a mental illness (52.9 million in 2020). Additionally, studies indicate economic uncertainty results in a higher prevalence of mental health problems, including common mental disorders, and substance disorders.
The Utopia GW platform is designed to address the mental health crisis, burnout, and uncertainty faced by people across the country. Trusted by the NFL, Google, Red Hat-IBM, Duke University and many companies and organizations alike, Utopia GW has successfully delivered wellness solutions to hundreds of thousands of individuals. Its services are aimed at helping employers achieve their talent retention, recruitment, and productivity goals, while also helping individuals show up as their healthiest and happiest selves daily.
Corporate partnerships have helped open doors and expose potential users to the brand in ways that weren’t available before. The global wellness brand recently went into partnership with United Healthcare. Corporate partnerships like this one create more space for prospects to take advantage of United Healthcare’s offerings and improve their overall health and well-being.
“Offering top tier mental health and wholistic wellness solutions has been a priority for us,” said Naya F. Powell, the founder and CEO of Utopia GW. “Our goal has always been to provide accessible and culturally competent wellness solutions to those who need it the most. We are excited to announce Utopia GW has teamed up with One PassTM and RenewActive® by United Healthcare, allowing us to expand our reach, and provide on-demand wellness services to even more individuals. By partnering with UHC, we are also able to provide more people with the tools they need to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being.”
The Utopia GW platform also offers culturally competent wellness solutions that celebrate global diversity, and mindful inclusion, and belonging. Thought leaders, mental health providers and instructors from across five continents provide coaching, workshops, and retreats to help people revive their minds, spirits, and bodies. Utopia GW’s approach to wellness is holistic, considering the various factors that impact a person’s well-being, including mental and emotional health, nutrition, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, fitness classes, DEIB workshops and leadership coaching.
The need for mental wellness and accessible self-care has become more apparent recently, with the onset of the financial crisis and unprecedented levels of stress and uncertainty. Companies and organizations are recognizing the importance of incorporating wellness breaks during the workday and offering employees the tools they need to prioritize their mental and emotional health. Utopia GW’s partnership with UHC aims to address this need by providing accessible and culturally competent wellness solutions to a wider audience. The global wellness brand also partners with employee wellness, DEI and benefits leaders, as well as, VC firms to support the wellbeing of their communities.
For more information about Utopia Global Wellness and to keep up with future partnerships, please visit www.UtopiaSGW.com.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thomas’ Career Marked by Controversies
Clarence Thomas’ career as a U.S. Supreme Court justice began following one of the most contentious confirmation battles in Senate history and 32 years later this conservative champion continues to draw controversy.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats called for an investigation after a report by ProPublica said the 74-year-old associate justice has spent decades taking luxury trips around the world financed by a Dallas businessman — trips that were not disclosed under federal law.
As one of the most conservative justices in a conservative-heavy Supreme Court, Thomas has been a lightning rod for liberals who have been frustrated by his rulings and his tone.
Just last summer, Thomas sparked an uproar on the heels of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which established the right to abortion.
Amid outrage among Democrats in Congress, Thomas said Supreme Court precedents protecting rights to contraception, same-sex intimacy and gay marriage ought to be reconsidered in future cases.
Thomas, only the second Black justice to serve on the highest U.S. court, is known for not shying away from controversy, despite an almost Sphinx-like demeanor during Supreme Court sessions. Unlike most of his fellow justices, he is known for rarely taking part in aggressive questioning of lawyers arguing cases.
He has long rankled civil rights activists for his opposition to affirmative action in college admissions and hiring practices.
But nowhere was his steely constitution more on display than during his 1991 confirmation hearings conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proceedings were chaired by a then-49-year-old Democratic senator named Joe Biden.
Anita Hill, a Black law school professor who previously had worked for Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accused Thomas of workplace sexual harassment.
The all-white Judiciary Committee at the time pressed Hill on her testimony, forcing her to provide lurid details in nationally-televised hearings.
Thomas fought back, calling the proceedings “a circus” and “a national disgrace,” adding that he was the victim of “a high-tech lynching for uppity Blacks.”
In the end, the Senate confirmed Thomas in what was then an unusually close vote of 52-48.
Now, 32 years into his tenure and approaching former Justice William Douglas’ longevity record of over 36 years on the bench, Thomas finds himself at the center of multiple controversies.
In addition to the ProPublica allegations, he is being urged to recuse himself from any potential cases involving former President Donald Trump’s activities leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters trying to stop the formal certification of Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.
Since November 2020, Trump, who is running for president in 2024, has falsely claimed he was the victim of massive voter fraud that helped Biden.
Thomas was the lone dissenting voice in January 2022 when the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s request to block the release of White House records sought by the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6 attack.
In September 2022, Thomas’ wife, conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, met with the committee and reiterated her belief that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, the panel’s chairperson, Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, told reporters.
She was called after the Washington Post and CBS News reported that she had urged Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows to work to overturn the 2020 election results.
Ginni Thomas has previously denied any conflict of interest between her work as a activist and her husband’s as a judge.
Meet the Street Librarian Giving Away 1,000’s of Free Books to Black Children
Araba Maze, a mobile librarian from Baltimore, Maryland, is on a mission to increase access to books in underserved areas by giving free books to local Black children via her pop-up shops and vending machines.
Maze said it all started about 5 years ago when she was reading children’s books to her niece on a Baltimore stoop and she noticed that other neighborhood kids would come by to listen. Since then, she started collecting books that she regularly read for storytime with them.
Driven by her purpose, Maze became a librarian but realized that it wasn’t enough and she wanted to do more. That’s when she decided to go to the streets outside of the library to reach more kids and she became known as the Radical Street Librarian, she told US News.
Maze then founded The Storybook Maze Project, an organization that provides free children’s books in Baltimore’s “book desserts,” or areas where books and other reading materials are inaccessible. In these areas, which usually have high poverty rates, the children often experience difficulty in reading and understanding words.
Maze aims to provide more books to as many children as possible. She sets up community bookshelves, pop-up book stands, and book-vending machines that offer curated books that are diverse and relatable for free. She also constantly applies for grants and reaches out to community leaders to financially support the work. After all, she believes her efforts are all worthwhile.
“When I was reading one day on the stoop, I opened the page and the little girl stopped me from turning the page. She was just staring at an image of herself: that book also had a little Black girl living, and she was just transfixed,” Maze said. “That really affirmed for me that I’m doing important work.”
Abounding Prosperity Board of Directors Unanimously Appoints Tamara Stephney as Acting CEO
Amid the passing of Mr. Kirk D. Myers-Hill, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Abounding Prosperity, Inc., the Board of Directors announces the appointment of Ms. Tamara Stephney as Acting Chief Executive Officer of Abounding Prosperity, Inc.
The Board of Directors of Abounding Prosperity, Inc., met for an emergency meeting on the evening of April 4th and unanimously voted to appoint Ms. Stephney to the role. The appointment went into immediate effect as part of the agency’s succession plan.
“Ms. Stephney has played a vital role in helping Mr. Myers-Hill grow the agency to what it is today. We, the Board of Directors, have no doubt that she is well suited to further advance the mission of Abounding Prosperity, Inc., and the legacy of Mr. Myers-Hill,” said Michelle Myers, board chair.
Tamara Stephney is a long-standing, committed and visible part of Abounding Prosperity. She has served Abounding Prosperity for the past 12 years, working side-by-side with Kirk Myers-Hill. She started as a Manager, then she was promoted to Associate Director, and for the past 6 years, she has served as Chief Operating Officer. She has over 20 years of public health experience working in medically underserved areas, including developing and implementing high-impact prevention efforts for Black and Latinx populations in the Southern United States, including Texas. Ms. Stephney has more than ten years of experience in fiscal management and programmatic infrastructure and management. Ms. Stephney is an active advocate in the community, contributing as part of many relevant organizations. She is a member of the State HIV Planning Group, the Dallas local HIV Task Force, and the Hepatitis C Task Force.
“I am truly honored and privileged to have worked alongside Mr. Kirk Myers-Hill for the past 12 years. The best way to honor his memory is to continue the work and carry his legacy forward,” said Tamara Stephney. “I will continue that work, the work to fulfill the mission of Abounding Prosperity, Inc. and the vision of Mr. Kirk Myers Hill.”
Kirk Myers-Hill founded Abounding Prosperity, Inc. in 2005 and was a tireless advocate for the health and wellness of the Black family, particularly Black LGBTQ+ community members in Dallas.
Whites Only? Company Only Hiring White Candidates Sparks Outrage Online
Let’s hope this was a classic mistake of “you weren’t supposed to see that.”
Arthur Grand Technologies, a Virginia based-tech company, went viral when a job posting for their Dallas, Texas, office claimed they were looking for “white candidates.” The position post for a business analyst in its Salesforce and insurance claims team had a note, in bold, saying: “Only Born US Citizens [White] who are local within 60 miles from Dallas, TX [Don’t share with candidates].
The company has apologized and said the ad was posted by a new hire at the company: “At Arthur Grand, we do not condone or engage in any type of discrimination based on race, color or religion.”
Of course, social media had plenty to say. One Twitter user retweeted and tagged the company CEO, Warren Buffet. “Looks like one of Berkshire Hathaway’s vendors…Arthur Grand Technologies Inc… has some problematic hiring processes,” the tweet said.
Hi @WarrenBuffett ! Looks like one of Berkshire Hathaway’s vendors… Arthur Grand Technologies Inc… has some problematic hiring processes
Discrimination on race and national origin reduce a company’s competitiveness, besides being a bad look pic.twitter.com/l9lB1xouK5
“Discrimination on race and national origin reduce a company’s competitiveness, besides being a bad look.”
Social media called the apology “damage control,” according to the Independent. While the “investigation” found the post to be from a junior employee, people on social media and Reddit applauded the employee for essentially calling out the company’s racist ways.
“Bravo to the ‘junior’ staff member being blamed for this. They obviously blew the whistle on this company by posting the job req as-written,” one user wrote.
The company asked the public not to “raise any of the assumption comments or questions further,” according to Newsweek.
