As publications and personalities put out their top lists, it often creates controversy and disagreements based on the rankings. But with the latest list, although some may feel like there were errors and omissions, it at least got the top slot correct. Complex Hip-Hop Media Power Ranking placed hip-hop media personality, Joe Budden at the top of the list.

Few will argue with that selection, as Budden seems to capture the attention of most who tune in and is usually the most listened-to podcast in the music category on iTunes and other platforms.

In an interview with his former employer, he told Complex that he believes hip-hop media personalities are becoming bigger than hip-hop recording artists. With the popularity of rappers Budden, N.O.R.E. (Capone-N-Noreaga), Gillie Da Kid, Caresha Please (Yung Miami- City Girls), and Math Hoffa all appearing in the top ten, Budden may have an excellent point.

The Jersey City-bred Budden stated that he realized the strength of media personalities when he initially joined DJ Akademiks during their stint at Everyday Struggle. But, even so, his approach is different than his contemporaries and may be the reason he is able to also land in the number one slot on an almost weekly basis when it comes to podcasts.

“I think my role is to deliver perspective the way that probably only I can because my perspectives come from my very unique experiences. I kind of pride myself on being that Swiss army knife guy in music, right? Like, I’ve been robbed by managers, robbed by business accountants, robbed by lawyers, independent deals, major deal in a group—f**king, like, reality tv, digital mixtape, you name it. I’ve kind of been there a little bit. So that’s what I try to do. And the flip side of that is, I know most of the people I’m talking about, that’s where it gets tricky. So, I mean, you gotta be true to self and you have to be true to your relationships with all of these people. It’s a constant juggling act. Many phone calls, many texts. But I love it. I live this s**t.”

He also notes that it’s not really journalism for him, but more so entertainment when it comes to his commentary.

“It’s 100 percent entertainment. It’s definitely entertainment. If it wasn’t entertainment, then I would be spending the night outside of NBC trying to get on their news channel. I’d be at Vice, “Hey, let me be your something.” But it’s entertainment first. It’s probably journalism second [laughs]. For me.”

He does understand that his role and the role of others in the space are probably more important to the listening audience than the rappers they listen to.

“Well, s**t, I learned that when I started working here [at Everyday Struggle]. Because I was coming in every morning with Ak and all the young people in my life were familiar with him. I wasn’t. So it was like, “Oh s**t, this guy’s got some following somewhere.” Like, let me get hip. And then the rappers often will—let me find a nice way to say this—the rappers see the media people as an opportunity sometimes, and they will attach themselves or attempt to attach themselves to that person for rollout purposes. I’ve seen ‘em do it with Ak a million times. I don’t play with those games like that.”

To read more of Budden’s insights and how his mind thinks, check out the full interview here.

• Business

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 5, 2023

Black-Owned Social Media App Selected For TechStars Accelerator Program

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Move over, Elon! There’s a new social media platform ready to take over.

Inpathy is a Black-owned social media platform that aims “to inspire transparency, normalize moods, and recreate the human experience.” Now with the help of J.P. Morgan, the platform will receive the tools to expand.

Inpathy has been accepted into the Detroit Techstars accelerator program, designed to recruit and provide equitable access, funding, and support for Black and people of color entrepreneurs. During the 12-week program, the app, founded by power couple Ziarekenya and Kathryn Smith, will get assistance to level up and will end with investor previews and a Demo day.

Ziarekenya Smith made the announcement via Facebook.

Launched in September 2022, Techstars “invested in more than 3,300 early-stage startups,” according to Detroit Free Press. Out of hundreds of applications and an acceptance rate of less than 4%, Inpathy is one of 12 startups accepted, globally.

“Detroit is part of the 9-city initiative J.P. Morgan invested $80 million into creating opportunities for wealth creation among a diversified range of founders, often constrained by institutional, structural, and systemic barriers,” read a statement released by J.P. Morgan.

While Smith says he’s looking to land “the right investors,” it’s more than just about the money for him. “One of the things I am most looking forward to gaining from Techstars is the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with the other founders in our cohort,” Smith said. “Being part of a community of like-minded individuals with similar values and goals can be incredibly empowering.”

Highlighted in BLACK ENTERPRISE last year, the purpose of Inpathy is to help people find balance in their busy lives. Smith said the idea came to mind “because we need to create a more enjoyable, balanced, human-centered, and transparent platform.”

“You can wake up feeling ehh, then in the middle of the day feeling good; might feel kind of down, then partying in the evening. And that’s the human experience. You go up and down. We are very colorful as human beings with a range of emotions.”

The audacity of it all! An attorney for former president Donald Trump – the first president to be impeached twice – compared his client to revered hip-hop recording artist Tupac Shakur. The comparison was so offensive that Tupac’s sister, Set, came out to blast the attorney and referred to her statement as “blasphemous.”

One of Trump’s lawyers, Alina Habba, appeared on The Benny Johnson Show and made the glaring statement while defending the first president to be indicted of a crime. While speaking to Benny Johnson, Habba surprisingly dropped the comparison and stated that Donald Trump is not only Tupac but also stated he was The Notorious B.I.G.

“Donald Trump is Tupac. Donald Trump’s Biggie Smalls, he’s better than Tupac. I mean, I’m East Coast, so I love Biggie. But, no, Donald Trump is his own brand. He is everything,” Habba said. “This is just gonna boost him, we’ve seen it in the polls. I mean, it’s not a question, it’s a fact. We’ve seen his polls go up.”

Trump attorney @AlinaHabba reacts to Alvin Bragg turning Trump into “Tupac” by taking his mugshot:

“Donald Trump IS Tupac. Donald Trump is Biggie Smalls. He’s better than Tupac— I mean I’m East Coast.”

SUBSCRIBE to The Benny Show: https://t.co/nyq1HbI8gn pic.twitter.com/G32dGty88c

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 3, 2023

Not only were people shocked and dismayed that she would even invoke Tupac’s and B.I.G.’s names, but Tupac’s sister had some choice words to say, according to TMZ.

• Health and Wellness

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 5, 2023

PBS to Air “Birthing Justice” During Black Maternal Health Week in April

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New federal data reveals the unfortunate truth for Black mothers across the country – as the national maternal mortality rate rose during the pandemic, Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than their white counterparts. Viewers can learn more about these disparities – and experience moments of resilience and joy – by tuning in to select PBS stations during Black Maternal Health Week (April 10-17) to watch “Birthing Justice.” The powerful documentary goes behind the statistics and beyond the grief to amplify how Black women are taking control of their lives and transforming birth experiences for generations to come.

“Birthing Justice is the film I wish I had before I started a family,” said Allyson Felix, 11-Time Olympic Medalist, co-founder and president of Saysh and executive producer of “Birthing Justice.” “It takes an in-depth look at the horrifying statistics of giving birth for Black women and unpacks the complexities of changing these outcomes. It was important for me to share my story alongside other powerful accounts so that my daughter and her generation won’t face these same issues.”

Viewers in over 50 cities across the country can access the documentary by tuning in to their local PBS station the week of April 10. See the list of air dates here in addition to information on how individuals and communities can host their own “Birthing Justice” watch party.

After watching the documentary, viewers can use this thought-provoking discussion guide, provided by The Opportunity Agenda, a social justice-oriented, nonprofit communications community, to empower conversations about Black maternal health with friends, family and community members.

“Birthing Justice” is produced by Women in the Room Productions, a comprehensive media company that drives social impact for women and people of color through storytelling and community. Support for the film was provided by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Meadow Fund, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and others.

For media interviews with documentary subjects and filmmakers, contact Madi Carzon at madeline.carzon@finnpartners.com

SOURCE Women in the Room Productions

• News

by Booker Jones

April 5, 2023

Tennessee House Republicans Want To Expel Democratic Lawmakers For Protesting For Gun Control After Nashville Shooting

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Steps are in motion to expel three Democrat representatives who protested at the Tennessee State Capitol, calling for gun control in response to the deadly shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School. 

According to CNN, Republican Reps. Bud Hulsey, Gino Bulso, and Andrew Farmer filed resolutions to expel Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson of Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis, respectively. 

On March 30, Johnson, Pearson, and Jones used a megaphone to chant for gun reform, while on the state House floor. This came just three days after six people were murdered at the Covenant School by a mass shooter. 

Jones shared his thoughts on the incidents on Twitter.  

There comes a time when you have to do something out of the ordinary. We occupied the House floor today after repeatedly being silenced from talking about the crisis of mass shootings. We could not go about business as usual as thousands were protesting outside demanding action. pic.twitter.com/DcajsborsK

— Rep. Justin Jones (@brotherjones_) March 30, 2023

The Tennessean reported that one woman was handcuffed and carried off the floor by state troopers. She was charged with disorderly conduct and disrupting a meeting. 

Allegedly, there was another confrontation on the floor. The Tennessean reported that Jones accused Rep. Justin Lafferty of “pushing” him. 

“Rep. Justin Lafferty pushed me and stole my phone, and tried to incite a riot with his fellow members in this section of the House. I have it on video, I will send it to you,” Jones told [Cameron] Sexton, Speaker of House, according to The Tennessean. 

The Tennessean obtained a statement from Lafferty, who admitted to confronting Jones. 

“Representative Jones came to my desk and as I turned he shoved his phone in my face in a threatening manner. I reacted as anyone would,” Lafferty said. “Attempts to characterize this as anything else are misleading and false. The three members who are in danger of losing their jobs are desperate to deflect attention away from their actions.”

The outlet reported that a final vote on the expulsion will occur on April 6. 

It’s morally insane that a week after a mass shooting took six lives in our community, House Republicans only response is to expel us for standing with our constituents to call for gun control.

What’s happening in Tennessee is a clear danger to democracy all across this nation.

— Rep. Justin Jones (@brotherjones_) April 4, 2023

• News

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 5, 2023

Haiti Rights Group Records Three-fold Rise in Kidnappings for Early 2023

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At least 389 kidnappings were registered in Haiti in the first three months of this year, rights group CARDH said on Tuesday, marking a three-fold increase from the last quarter of 2022 as gangs look to recoup losses from international sanctions.

The kidnappings seen between January and March are more than triple the 127 CARDH recorded in the previous quarter, and a 72% increase from the same period a year earlier.

The human rights research group based in the capital Port-au-Prince said in a report the “exponential increase” may be due to the need to compensate from losses caused by international sanctions launched late last year.

Countries such as the United States and Canada have sanctioned a slate of high-profile politicians and businessmen believed to be helping fund and bring weapons to heavily armed gangs who are now estimated to control most of the country.

CARDH said the increase could also be caused by new alliances forged between gangs as they grow their territory, expanding the “kidnapping industry” into new markets.

The group also cited the prospect of upcoming elections and the rise of civilian defense groups protecting communities from gangs, in lieu of an under-gunned police force, driving retaliation from gangs.

“Gangs use extreme violence (all forms of torture) to force parents and families to pay large sums of U.S. money that they do not have,” it said, citing severe burns, gang rapes and hangings.

Relatives are systematically asked for multiple ransom payments, it added.

Of the 389 kidnappings recorded by CARDH, 29 victims were from foreign countries. The U.S. State Department has said it is in contact with Haitian authorities over the March 18 kidnapping of a Florida couple who traveled to visit family.

CARDH counted 857 kidnappings over 2022, a decrease from the 1,009 it recorded in 2021, the year President Jovenel Moise was assassinated leaving a power vacuum that prompted gangs to expand their territory.

Connie Tator was born and raised in Huntsville, AL, in the late 1970s under challenging circumstances. As daughters of a teen mom, Tator and her sister, Martella Turner Tyler, who died last year, did what they could to make the best of what they had. As with many generations of struggling Black families, her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother pulled together and raised the girls. The absence of her birth father and stepfather created even more hardship for the family. However, the lack of money and privilege would not be an excuse for them not succeeding. In 1996, Tator graduated from Hampton University with a Mass Media Arts-Broadcast Journalism degree and became an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority member. Three years later, she received her M.B.A. from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida and married her husband, Neil, who she had met at Hampton University.

Tumbling into Opportunity

With her degree in Mass Media, Tator had a career in television news while living in Fayetteville, NC. Unfortunately, the opportunity was untenable with the nearest TV station being in Raleigh, the desire to start a family, and her husband being active-duty military. “I always knew I wanted to own a business, so I started looking at my options,” Tator explained. “In 2007, my son was young, and we had gone to infant and child fitness gyms, so I was familiar with the concept. A friend suggested I look at The Little Gym franchise. The first time we visited The Little Gym, it was so much different! The combination of music, physical skills, cognitive learning, and sharing taking turns – he was in his element. He enjoyed every moment of that class.” After that impressive first visit, when her family was traveling, Tator took the opportunity to visit other Little Gyms in Huntsville, Virginia, and Seattle.

In 2008, Tator began a new chapter, deciding to become a Little Gym franchise owner. “It was challenging finding funding because of the recession, but after two years, I decided to take out a few small loans, which motivated me to work ten times harder to get them paid off quickly. In June 2011, I opened my first location in Fayetteville. I was pregnant when I opened my first gym, and my son was only five!”

The business grew so rapidly that just three years later, in 2014, Tator opened a second location in Wilmington, NC, and in 2019 purchased a resale site in Cary.

Black, Woman, Business Owner – Say What?

It’s hard to believe today that Black women are still encountering prejudice when it comes to business ownership, but it happens. Tator’s success, not only as a woman but as a woman of color running multiple businesses, came as a shock to many members of her gyms. “I’ll never forget someone asking me to speak to the owner. I was like ‘I am the owner. How can I help you?’ Their eyebrows raised and they seemed shocked, not expecting me to be that person.” Tator sees why that could make a business owner of color upset or feel inferior. “But for me, it’s part of what keeps me motivated. I thrive in those times. I feel even more proud. I think to myself, yes, this little Black girl from Alabama is doing big things now. I am one of a handful of Black owners in The Little Gym franchise. I am the only Black woman multi-gym owner. I really want to see more of us in the franchise system.”

Getting to a New Normal and Beyond

Breaking down the barriers to increase the number of BIPOC franchise owners is one of my personal missions and why I became part of the franchise industry as a Certified Franchise Consultant. Tator couldn’t agree more. “Education is the biggest piece. I think there needs to be more recognition of who we are within the brands. There also needs to be opportunities to speak locally and at national conventions and events for businesses about the importance of multi-business ownership.”

Tator is a prime example of “if I can see it, I can be it” when it comes to entrepreneurship. But she wants to do more. “It’s my goal to get out in the community and speak more about entrepreneurship for Black women, especially in franchises.”

With her two children, David (16, soon to be 17) and Simone (11), Tator has her hands full but enjoys being a mom and multi-unit franchise owner of The Little Gym and knows she chose the right business. “I love that The Little Gym was a safe haven and family atmosphere for my children growing up. It’s been our home away from home. Both my children and I have made many friends and created an extension of family! I’ve appreciated the flexibility, allowing me to have opportunities where I could be there for my kids’ activities and some of my own. I’ve loved the community of the franchise owners, and developed bonds with friends across the country that I feel will be for life.”

Franchising has allowed Tator to be a business owner, employer, mentor, and coach, fulfilling her commitment to not letting her childhood circumstances define her and creating more for her life and her children’s lives.

• Politics

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 5, 2023

Chicago Elects Brandon Johnson as New Mayor -AP

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Brandon Johnson was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, defeating Paul Vallas in a runoff between two Democrats to take over a city grappling with crime, an issue that dominated the race.

Johnson, a 47-year-old Cook County Commissioner, becomes the 57th mayor of the third-largest U.S. city, after incumbent Lori Lightfoot was eliminated from the race in February.

Vallas spoke to supporters shortly before 10 p.m. CDT (0300 GMT) and said he had spoken to Johnson, who he expected to carry the day.

“I am optimistic that better, brighter days are on the horizon,” Vallas said.

Vallas and Johnson squared off in the runoff election after Lightfoot, also a Democrat, finished third out of nine candidates in the previous round when no one managed to cross the 50% line.

The nonpartisan race in the heavily left-leaning city was a test for Democratic messaging on policing in the U.S., three years after widespread protests following the police murder of George Floyd. Republicans sought to bludgeon Democrats over the issue in the 2022 midterm elections.

Vallas called for more police officers, while Johnson suggested more mental health support and opportunities for young people.

Johnson will inherit a city in which the number of murders since 2018 has increased by 20%. In 2021, there were 804 murders, the most in a quarter-century. Car thefts have doubled and other types of theft have risen by a quarter over the last five years.

Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve as the city’s mayor, had been bidding for a second four-year term. But her handling of crime and a series of crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice protests, and a protracted teachers’ strike, sapped her support.

Johnson, a former Chicago teacher and union organizer, says he will promote 200 new detectives from the existing pool of police officers. He also wants to strengthen police accountability.

On day one, the winner will have a variety of other issues to address, including a struggling public school system, the city’s fiscal woes and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that closed many businesses and offices.

• Health and Wellness

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

April 5, 2023

J&J Unit Files for Second Bankruptcy to Pursue $8.9 Billion Talc Settlement

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Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $8.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talc in its iconic Baby Powder and other products caused cancer, the company said. The amount dwarfs J&J’s original offer of $2 billion.

The agreement follows a January appeals court ruling invalidating J&J’s controversial “Texas two-step” bankruptcy maneuver, in which it sought to offload the talc liability onto a subsidiary that immediately filed for Chapter 11.

The J&J subsidiary, LTL Management, filed for bankruptcy protection late Tuesday for a second time with the intent to present a reorganization plan containing the proposed settlement to a judge as soon as May 14, the subsidiary said in a court filing. J&J said in a statement that about 60,000 talc claimants had agreed to the proposal.

The J&J subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey, the same jurisdiction where it faced the appeals court defeat. J&J crafted new financing arrangements with its subsidiary to avoid running afoul of the appeals ruling, the subsidiary said in a court filing. The ruling determined LTL Management had no legitimate claim to bankruptcy because it was not in financial distress.

The appeals court rejection effectively raised the price tag for J&J to rid itself of the sprawling talc litigation, after plaintiffs’ lawyers had resisted the company’s tactics and prevailed. J&J’s board met over the weekend and approved paying the vastly larger settlement to current and future plaintiffs with various gynecological cancers and mesothelioma, according to Mikal Watts, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers who negotiated the agreement.

J&J reiterated on Tuesday that its talc products are safe and do not cause cancer. Company lawyers said talc claims lacked scientific merit and accused plaintiffs’ lawyers of continuing to advertise for clients in the hopes of extracting large financial sums.

The company still faces significant risk that other plaintiffs could continue to oppose the settlement and appeal the case again to the same court that has already rejected the subsidiary bankruptcy — the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia.

Attorneys representing thousands of plaintiffs issued a release late Tuesday opposing the settlement. “This sham deal does not even pay for most victims’ medical bills,” said Jason Itkin, founding partner of the Houston-based personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP.

Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday that J&J was exploring placing its talc subsidiary into bankruptcy proceedings a second time and that a lawyer for the company had approached plaintiffs’ attorneys in recent weeks proposing the two sides craft a new settlement agreement that could be consummated in a second J&J subsidiary bankruptcy. Reuters last year detailed the secretive planning of Texas two-steps by J&J and three other major companies in a series of reports exploring corporate attempts to evade lawsuits through bankruptcies.

Under terms of the newly proposed settlement, plaintiffs diagnosed with cancer before April 1 would be paid from a bankruptcy trust within one year of a judge approving the Chapter 11 plan creating it, according to Watts, the plaintiffs’ lawyer who helped negotiate the deal. Plaintiffs diagnosed later will have access to money set aside in the trust for the next 25 years.

The massive settlement emerged after the legal failure of J&J’s original Texas two-step bankruptcy, filed in October 2021. The novel tactic involved using a Texas state law to divide a company being sued into two, then shifting liability to one of the newly created entities. LTL Management, the new subsidiary that absorbed the liability, declared bankruptcy almost immediately after it was created.

Plaintiffs lawyers portrayed J&J’s two-step as an abuse of the bankruptcy system by a multinational conglomerate with a market capitalization exceeding $400 billion and in little danger of running out of money to pay cancer victims.

J&J and its subsidiary have argued the bankruptcy served a greater good for all parties, including plaintiffs: The restructuring could deliver settlement payouts more fairly, efficiently and equitably than a “lottery” offered by trial courts, where some litigants get large awards and others get nothing.

The appeals court at the end of March denied the J&J subsidiary’s bid to delay the ruling from taking effect while it seeks a review from the U.S. Supreme Court. On Tuesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michael Kaplan in New Jersey dismissed the previous LTL bankruptcy, complying with the appeals court ruling that reversed his earlier decision endorsing the maneuver.

Watts, the plaintiffs’ attorney, told Reuters he believes enough plaintiffs have agreed to the settlement to convince a bankruptcy judge to approve it. The number agreeing is crucial. In asbestos-related bankruptcies, a company needs 75% of plaintiff-creditors to approve a restructuring plan for a judge to approve it. That is a higher bar than in other kinds of bankruptcies.

A December 2018 Reuters investigation revealed that J&J knew for decades about tests showing its talc sometimes contained carcinogenic asbestos but kept that information from regulators and the public. J&J has said its Baby Powder and other talc products are safe, do not cause cancer and do not contain asbestos.

The company announced in 2020 that it would stop selling its talc Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada due to what it called “misinformation” about the product and later announced its intent to discontinue it worldwide in 2023.

On April 22^nd, the best high school and college step teams in the country descend upon the historic Apollo Theater to compete like athletes and showcase their talents for the title of National Step Champion. Produced by the National Collegiate Performing Arts (NCPA)^™, and the National High School Performing Arts (NHSPA)^™, the victors will win a share of $13,000 cash, All-American status, and the recognition and respect of their peers.

The top eight NCPA teams competing for $10,000 cash include: Cornell, Delaware State, Howard, Lincoln, Mercy, Syracuse, and a men’s and women’s team from Tufts. The Tufts men’s team – BlackOut – is the reigning champion, back to defend their title.

The NHSPA championships are co-produced by World of Step (WOS) and feature the nation’s best high schools facing off for $3,000 cash. Selected by online voting and an eight team “March-Madness” style bracket competition which saw 38,000 votes cast, the four semifinalists are Brentwood (Long Island), Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx), New Rochelle, and Nottingham (Nottingham, NJ).

“These talented steppers have an opportunity to compete for a National Championship at the nation’s most storied historically black theater, in the most world renowned black cultural Mecca, Harlem,” said WOS CEO Jessica “Remo” Saul. “This is the Superbowl of Step, played out in the Madison Square Garden of Performing Arts Venues.”

The championships will be packed with intensity and stepping action.

“Winning a 2023 Step National Championship, and forever being NCPA/NHSPA Step All-Americans, is a lifetime achievement for any team,” said Victoria Duruh, UpStaged Entertainment Group’s Chief Talent Officer. “The competition is an empowering experience for all teams.”

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com and The Apollo box office.

National Collegiate Performing Arts (NCPA)^™ and National High School Performing Arts (NHSPA)^™ The NCPA and NHSPA organize the nation’s student performers their universities and Schools – like President Roosevelt in forming the NCAA in 1906 – to 1) Implement comprehensive structure across performing arts 2) elevate student performing arts nationally similar to student athletics 3) financially support historically underfunded student performing arts.