Diddy’s former bodyguard isn’t letting up on his scandalous allegations against the hip-hop mogul. According to Gene Deal’s latest claims, the late Notorious B.I.G. was not killed in a drive-by shooting.

Gene Deal worked as Diddy’s security during the 90s, when the Bad Boy CEO was hard at work building his music empire. Deal recently sat down with The Art of Dialogue where he explained his belief that Biggie’s death wasn’t the result of a drive-by, but was committed by a killer who was allegedly waiting around to pull the trigger.

“It just hurts because they lie too much. A lot of that sh*t be lies the way they put it together ’cause they listening to these white boys who wasn’t even there,” Deal said.

“I don’t want to make this racial, but they take these white boys who wasn’t even there and want to use the stories that they want to tell which is not the truth!”

He continued:

“Wasn’t no drive-by; the car was standing there at the corner. The stories they tell is not truthful. And now people are sitting here believing,” Deal claimed.

“Every Biggie movie that you see, they say it’s a drive-by. When the witness tells you the car was stood right there at the corner — the car was probably there all night.”

This isn’t the first time Deal has spoken out against Diddy. In an interview he gave in March 2022, Diddy’s former bodyguard accused him of snitching on his former artist Shyne during the 1999 nightclub shooting that put the rapper behind bars for nearly a decade.

“They came to Shyne and they asked Shyne for 20 racks ’cause they had somebody that was gonna make sure all of them got off ’cause they was not going to agree to none of them charges, and they was on the jury stand,” he said.

But according to Deal, people were instead “making statements against Shyne.”

“He was like, ‘You supposed to be my brother and you got people testifying against me?’ Those people were testifying, they were brought to Puff first, saying what they saw against Shyne, what they saw Shyne do. The D.A. didn’t even know those people existed.”

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 15, 2023

Man Charges at Buffalo Mass Shooter Ahead of Life Sentencing

---

The gunman behind the devastating Buffalo mass shooting was sentenced to life in prison, shortly after a family member of a victim rushed at him during the hearing.

Payton Gendron, 20, appeared in front of Judge Susan Eagan in Erie County Court on Wednesday, where he received a life sentence without parole for the domestic terrorism charge and all 10 first-degree murder charges for the May 2022 attack at a Buffalo, NY supermarket, WGRZ reported.

Gendron, a white male, live-streamed his attack at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo. In disturbing video clips that surfaced online at the time, Gendron could be seen targeting only Black shoppers. He pleaded guilty on November 28, 2022, to 15 state charges.

Family members of the victims were able to confront Gendron during the hearing with victim impact statements.

“You thought you broke us, but you awoke us. Despite our battle scars, you will not win the war. You are a cowardly racist,” a woman representing the grandchildren of Buffalo mass shooting victim Ruth Whitfield told Gendron.

Elsewhere, a man had to be escorted out of the courtroom after he lunged at Gendron during the emotional statement by Barbara Massey, the sister of Katherine Massey, Fox News reported.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo supermarket gunman rushed out of sentencing after man in audience rushes at him, is restrained by officer. pic.twitter.com/xMDe0NFLFJ

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 15, 2023

“You don’t know what we’re going through,” the man reportedly shouted in the courtroom as he was led away by officers.

Gendron made a brief statement in court where he apologized to the families of the victims and expressed his regret for his racist mass shooting attack.

“I did a terrible thing that day,” he said prior to being sentenced. “I shot and killed people because they were Black.”

“Looking back now, I can’t believe I actually did it,” he continued. “I believed what I read online and acted out of hate. I know I can’t take it back. But I wish I could. And I don’t want anyone to be inspired by me and what I did.”

Either Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is not a Rihanna fan, or he REALLY wanted his team to concentrate on winning the Super Bowl.

Let’s go with the second option!

The Kansas City Chiefs, who ended up winning the game, were down when both teams left the field to allow Rihanna to break the news that she was pregnant. She also performed a few songs while she was at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ this past weekend.

When the Chiefs entered their locker room, they were down by 10 points by a score of 24-12. With the halftime performance approaching, Coach Reid had a little message to tell his team before she got on stage. In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, told the talk show host what the coach told them that may have motivated them just a little.

“Coach Reid told us, he said, ‘If you go out to watch the performance, just keep walking cause you’re not playing the rest of the game.'”

Story: #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes revealed that Andy Reid threatened to bench any KC player who left the locker room to watch the Rihanna’s halftime show 😲 pic.twitter.com/uiQ7GnGWex

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 14, 2023

Whether it was better playing or the threat of not playing, it pushed the team to a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maybe Coach Reid had a premonition based on last year’s Super Bowl.

During last year’s Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams, one of the players was seen on video watching the halftime performance that featured Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Anderson .Paak.

Bengals kicker, Evan McPherson, was seen enjoying the show on the field. Although he had a great second half and made four out of four kicks, his team ended up losing the game.

McPherson staying on the field to watch the half time show is awesome haha pic.twitter.com/Nhp3RDMMJG

— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) February 14, 2022

They done pissed Mo’Nique off!

Comedian Mo’Nique had to “get at” talk show host Sherri Shepherd, and actress Kym Whitley after the two of them said she is always “getting in trouble.”

In a recent Instagram entry, the Precious actor posted a brief video clip of Shepherd and Whitley reviewing the performance in her new film, The Reading. Although the women complimented her work, they also mentioned the “trouble” that has defined her career. Specifically, her being blackballed by the industry is based on several feuds over the years.

In the video shared in the post, Shepherd acknowledges that the comedian won an Oscar for Precious and says that female comics are underestimated. But in what Mo’Nique says is an “underhanded” compliment, she says, “She’s a great actress. Personality-wise, she is always getting in trouble. Always. If it’s not with another comic, D.L. Hughley, it is with the industry. Somebody.”

You hear Whitley agree when she says, “somebody.”

Mo’Nique took issue with the characterization, but, in a calm and collected response, gives the ladies a brief response to what they stated about her.

“Hello @sherrieshepherd and @kymwhitley

“first thank you for your compliments regarding my talents and performance in “The Reading”. I couldn’t help but notice though, that you two said, because of my personality I’m always “getting in trouble”.

“You then attempted to show a connection between my personality and me being blackballed, along with the fallout I had with Brother DL Hughley.”

“First thing, kids with their parents, criminals with the law, and slaves with their masters, get into trouble, and last time I checked, I don’t fit into any of these categories to get in trouble with anyone mentioned, do you two?”

She goes on to tell the women that she’s never said anything negative about them in the years they’ve known each other. The “troubles” she encounters are due to people having “a problem with” her because when they “knock on” her door with BS, she responds.

She then invites the ladies to have a conversation with her team, which is her and her husband, and thanks them again for the “backhanded” compliment. She signs off by telling them, “I still love you both to life, ‘sisters’!”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mo’nique (@therealmoworldwide)

• Arts and Culture

by Stacy Jackson

February 15, 2023

Black Woman Opens Pasadena Bookstore Inspired by Octavia Butler

---

Her love for books landed her in the exact area of the author who inspired her.

Nikki High signed a lease on a 621-square-foot space on Pasadena’s North Hill Avenue to open her Black woman-owned bookstore featuring shelves of diverse authors.

According to The Los Angeles Times, High, 48, named her shop Octavia’s Bookshelf, inspired by author Octavia Butler, who wrote the New York Times best-seller, Parable of the Sower.

Butler’s 1993 novel gives an account of a post-apocalyptic society tangled in a climate crisis and wealth inequality.

“In school, we weren’t assigned a lot of books by Black, Indigenous or other people of color,” she said. “I started to read some sci-fi and I enjoyed the genre, but I was like, ‘Do these people think there are no Black people in the future?’”

High’s bookstore is located in the heart of the neighborhood where Butler walked Pasadena paths. She said she can recognize Butler’s ties to the city through her writings.

High believes everyone has an “Ocatavia” in their circle, “these different people in your life that have collections of books that make you curious and excited to read.”

To spread the word about her bookstore, High took to Twitter to let her followers in on her dream business move. “I took the leap and quit my job to open my very own bookstore,” High tweeted, accumulating millions of views and thousands of supportive interactions.

https://twitter.com/gofetchgretch/status/1609234722437353472?s=20&t=Qeq_Wo-WBwHrvdSHgr-i3A

Social media supporters also headed to High’s GoFundMe page, with donations exceeding the initial fundraiser amount.

Influenced by Butler’s favorite classics such as James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Toni Morrison, and Langston Hughes, High chose diverse books to feature in her bookstore. Along with Butler’s works, authors will include newer writers of color, including author Roxane Gay, poet Elizabeth Acevedo, and Ugandan American Jessica Nabongo, who chronicled her journey to every country in the world.

After weeks of design planning, High will open the doors to Octavia’s Bookshelf on Feb. 18.

Tyrese Gibson serenaded his daughter and girlfriend on Valentine’s Day to remind the public that “chivalry is not dead” in the Gibson household.

The Fast X star appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday to promote his new album, Beautiful Pain, and share his Valentine’s Day plans with his girlfriend, Zelie Timothy, ET reported.

“I’m a sucker for love,” Gibson told Hudson. “So many people think that they’ve got to do a lot in order to represent love or romanticism.”

“I believe holding hands, walking — even if you’re walking in the neighborhood, it’s really the conversation you’re having while holding hands that makes a difference,” he continued.

“I still believe in love and romance. Chivalry is not dead, not in my house.”

Gibson then put action behind his words by passing out roses to the studio audience, including Timothy and his 15-year-old old daughter, Shayla Somer Gibson, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Norma Gibson.

“That’s my Shayla. She is incredible,” he said. “I’m so proud of you, I love you. Daddy loves you, I love you.”

It’s not an easy holiday for the Baby Boy star to celebrate. He told Hudson about the pain associated with Valentine’s Day after he previously married his ex-wife, Samantha Lee Gibson, on Valentine’s Day 2017 and lost his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, to a battle with COVID-19 and pneumonia five years later.

The singer/actor says he channeled those experiences on his new album.

“It’s all of the vulnerabilities imaginable,” he shared. “I really hope this is going to be an album that can remind us of a feeling we all miss in music, with lyrics and songs and musicianship and being able to convey some vulnerabilities verses, ‘I don’t need you.’ ”

On Sunday, Gibson shared a lengthy post promoting his album that tackled his divorce from Samantha and the love he’s since found with Timothy in the two years they’ve been dating.

“I’m not doing this album despite my ex I’m doing this album because of my ex… it’s my truth,” he shared in his lengthy caption. “It’s my story my pain, my trauma.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by TYRESE (@tyrese)

Gibson also celebrated his influencer girlfriend for the influence she’s had on his life.

“My answer, she influenced me to close my eyes when I kiss her,” he wrote. “She influenced me to put my phone down while we are eating dinner to be more present.”

• Beauty

by Stacy Jackson

February 15, 2023

Melissa Butler’s The Lip Bar is the Leading Black-Owned Brand in Target

---

This Shark Tank reject has raised the bar for entrepreneurs.

Melissa Butler, founder of vegan cosmetics brand, The Lip Bar, is reaching new heights in the beauty industry as the company has become the largest Black-owned company in Target.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Lip Bar (@thelipbar)

“For the uninhibited [woman] who wants to set it and forget it, The Lip Bar is the boundary-breaking beauty brand proudly founded and owned by self-made Women of Color,” The Lip Bar website reads.

According to Cliché Magazine, although The Lip Bar is sitting in its success presently, Butler encountered some rejection in the past as she worked to expand her company.

The Lip Bar CEO recalled her appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2015, where she was discouraged from continuing her company.

“‘Shark Tank’ told me to quit. 10 years and 2 million units sold.” billboards featuring the company read, singling out one shark in particular. “Thanks, Mr. Wonderful.”

“I’m proud of them for taking the heat,” Kevin O’Leary, also known as “Mr. Wonderful,” said, celebrating the company during an appearance on The Breakfast Club last year. “I’m proud that they’re entrepreneurs and are successful. It’s a wonderful thing to see that happen. They were facing an almost impossible task because going into the cosmetics industry is so difficult to get market share. But they pulled it off, so you gotta applaud them — there’s no question about it. But that is a tough space because the margins are so high that the competition is just brutal.”

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, The Lip Bar launched its partnership with Target in the spring of 2018, offering all-natural, vegan, gluten-free lipsticks. Butler created her line in 2012 out of her home in Brooklyn, NY, when she found a hole in the beauty market that lacked cosmetic products for women of color.

The Lip Bar is still standing strong on Target shelves for beauty lovers.

Presently, Target features Butler’s products that span beyond lipsticks, such as mascara, brow gel, skin conditioner, gloss, concealer, blush, eyeshadow, and eyeliner.

• Entrepreneurship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

February 15, 2023

CommunityX Announces $2 Million Seed Round Led By Fearless Fund

---

COMMUNITYx, the #1 fastest-growing, black and brown women led, and community-centered app that connects everyday people around the world to take actionable steps on causes they are passionate about, announced today a $2 million seed round and the upcoming launch of their web and mobile-based platform. The round was led by venture capital firm Fearless Fund, with participating firms Goodwater Capital, Techstars, strategic partner Attorney Ben Crump and leading influencers Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition, Baron Davis, Matt Barnes and more. COMMUNITYx puts the power of making change in the palm of people’s hands through its cause-based community-building feature and call-to-action tech toolkit which includes petitions, events, and fundraisers. Additionally, this launch extends to corporate and philanthropic partners enabling them to build digital advocacy campaigns, speed up mobilization efforts and generate impact report analysis for their target audience.

“We are excited to open our seed round for this groundbreaking digital hub for activism which will unite like-minded people around the world to take action on the most pressing issues of our time,” said COMMUNITYx CEO and Founder Chloe Cheyenne. “The investment from our partners reinforces our mission to democratize the social media landscape and accelerates our growth plans. We are thrilled to launch this new platform for global change that will make it accessible for anyone to take action on any cause from anywhere in the world at the pulse of their fingertips.

Some of the leading cause categories included as part of the launch are racial justice, climate change, LGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, health and human rights issues, civic engagement, education and policy reform. Individuals will feel the intentional level of inclusivity designed by the platform and empowered to exercise their voice, take action while enhancing the wellbeing of others. This level of advocacy will bridge the gap in mobilization efforts and help solve social inequalities experienced by many across the world.

“COMMUNITYx has created an outlet for direct change during times of uncertainty and we are thrilled to be partnering with them for this investment. Fearless Fund is dedicated to supporting businesses like COMMUNITYx as they are trailblazers in their field continuing to enhance the awareness and involvement of the social issues that surround us today. The proof of their activism shows through their most recent work with Justice 4 Tyre, a campaign housed on their site that raised over $1.2M for Tyre Nichols’ mother, worked with local Memphis activists to help mobilize over 500,000 people to take action on Justice4Tyre, gained thousands of petition signatures, and worked with local activists to achieve initial demands in Tyre’s case. The work that they are doing is beyond necessary, and we are honored to be able to support them in all of the great work that they will continue to do” says Arian Simone, Co-Founder of the Fearless Fund.

To learn more on joining or partnering with COMMUNITYx, please visit www.communityx.com.

Actress Olivia Wilde has come under fire across social media after she told the world how “hot” she finds Rihanna’s boyfriend and baby daddy, A$AP Rocky.

It all started after Wilde took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to applaud Rocky for supporting Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime performance. The Don’t Worry Darling director posted a Rolling Stone video showing Rocky smiling while filming Rihanna’s halftime show.

“If I thought he was hot before, this really put me over the edge,” Wilde wrote over the video while also tagging the famous couple.

Olivia Wilde reacts to video of A$AP Rocky recording Rihanna’s performance at the Super Bowl:

“If I thought he was hot before, this really put me over the edge.” pic.twitter.com/P0VfghBw9D

— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 13, 2023

Rihanna Navy fans were quick to shade Wilde for coming off as “thirsty” and a “homewrecker,” some quipped.

“MOVE AROUND Homewrecker!” one fan wrote.

“It’s not hard to respect other women boyfriends/husbands. Her comment is so weird too me,” added someone else.

After receiving backlash for her initial post, Wilde reposted it on Monday with a short explanation, CNN reports.

“For anyone who got it twisted [eye roll emoji] … it’s hot to respect your partner,” she wrote. “Especially when your partner just did thaaaaaat.”

Fox News reports that Rihanna returned to the stage on Sunday to perform her first live show in seven years. She completed a set list full of her biggest hits, including “Diamonds,” “Work,” “Only Girl,” “We Found Love,” “Rude Boy,” “Umbrella,” and “B—h Better Have My Money.”

The Bajan pop star also subtly confirmed her and A$AP Rocky’s second pregnancy by performing the show with her baby bump on full display. The songstress didn’t announce the pregnancy during her live show, but fans speculated if Rih Rih was pregnant after noticing the baby bump.

Shortly after the halftime show aired, reps for Rihanna confirmed she and Rocky are expecting their second child together. The pair welcomed their son in May 2022. Rihanna credited their baby boy for motivating her to perform at the Super Bowl nine months postpartum.

“When you become a mom, there’s something that just happens where you feel like you could take on the world — you can do anything,” Rihanna said during a pregame press conference, Page Six reports.

“And the Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, so as scary as that was … there’s something exhilarating about the challenge of it all,” she continued.

“It’s important for my son to see that.”

• Celebrity News

by Booker Jones

February 15, 2023

50 Cent Inks Non-Exclusive Deal with Fox Entertainment

---

Determined to keep his legacy alive and well, 50 Cent has inked a deal with Fox Entertainment. 

According to Variety, 50 will write dramas, live-action comedies, and animated series through his company, G-Unit Television and Films. 

“Whether it’s music, film or television, Curtis always delivers premium entertainment that captivates millions of fans across the globe,” Michael Thorn, Fox Entertainment’s president of scripted programming, told Variety. “He is the rare multi-hyphenate with a deft hand at storytelling, no matter the format or medium, and we’re looking forward to developing new and exciting series for Fox with him and his team.”

50 Cent added, “I am excited to formalize a partnership with Michael Thorn and Fox that will allow G-Unit Film & Television to focus on putting multiple series on Fox, a perfect broadcast destination for G-Unit Film & Television content while our premium, streaming, scripted and non-scripted slates continue to grow in all directions.” 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

Back in September, 50 ended his deal with Starz. However, his projects Black Mafia Family, and Power spin-offs, Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV: Force are owned by Starz. 

The Queens native also created the ABC series, For Life, WeTV’s Hip Hop Homicides, and the fascinating podcast, Surviving El Chapo: The Twins Who Brought Who Brought Down a Drug Lord.

Recently, the rapper celebrated the 20th anniversary of his freshman album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, with special vinyl editions. 

“20 years ago today, I dropped the largest debuting hip hop album of all time,” 50 wrote on Instagram. “Here’s Your chance to Own a piece of History! Get your Autographed ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Albums Today. Available for the next 7 Days.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was released on February 6, 2003 on Interscope Records. The limited edition vinyls are on sale for $399 on 50 Cent’s website and are expected to ship in the first week of March.