Jay-Z was living his best life while attending the Grammys’ celebration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary.

The 65th Grammy awards put together a star-studded celebration to honor the history and continued influence of hip-hop music, ET reported. The special segment included performances by rap icons and pioneers like Run-D.M.C., Rakim and Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy, Ice T, Queen Latifah, Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man, and Too $hort.

LL Cool J shared the history of the music genre he helped put on the map as one of the early stars of the genre.

“Multi-generational. Fifty years. From the Bronx to Tiktok, to the whole world. We love you, baby,” LL Cool J said.

“We started in the Bronx and ever since then it’s gone everywhere — to the Five Boroughs, to the West Coast, to the heartland, overseas, to Europe, to Africa, to Asia, TikTok. What else is next?!”

Questlove served as producer and musical director, and performed as part of The Roots. Group member Black Thought spoke power into the audience as the narrator for the segment.

Busta Rhymes and Nelly reminded attendees why their fanbases run so deep, with performances of their hits.

Others who performed included Big Boi, Spliff Star, De La Soul, DJ Drama, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Missy Elliott, Future, GloRilla, Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio/Ethiopian King, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, The Lox, Rahiem, Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella, and Scarface.

Jay Z and DJ Khaled couldn’t hold back their pride and excitement, with Hova standing throughout the show and rapping lyrics with a bottle of his Dousse seated under him. Khaled held his lighter in the air throughout parts of the show.

JAY-Z is all of us watching the #Grammys hip-hop tribute pic.twitter.com/cf4MGHvAvR

— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) February 6, 2023

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Questlove revealed that Will Smith was supposed to perform at the event alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, but was busy filming with Martin Lawrence.

“But they started shooting Bad Boys 4 this week, so he couldn’t make rehearsals,” Questlove explained. “But he wanted to do it.”

Will Smith was the first rapper to win a Grammy in the hip-hop genre.

Taking a personal day ended in a major payday for this Detroit woman.

Jamila McCaskill, a 44-year-old woman from Michigan, won a $100,000 lottery prize after deciding to take time off to relax from a “tough day.”

According to Michigan Lottery Connect, McCaskill struck big winnings after playing around on some games on her Lottery app.

“I logged in to the Lottery app to do my Daily Spin to Win and then decided to play some games,” she told Michigan lottery officials. “As I was scrolling through the different games, Diamond Payout caught my eye, so I started playing.”

A Detroit woman’s day took a turn for the better when she won $100,000 playing the Diamond Payout instant game online! ➡️ https://t.co/BtSsHQXjzc pic.twitter.com/etfGBPD3m1

— Michigan Lottery (@MILottery) February 1, 2023

Diamond Payout, an online instant game, allows players to select their ticket cost, to purchase the game. Players click on their numbers and winning numbers to reveal them, or click the “scratch all” option to reveal their entire ticket at once. Players then match their numbers to the winning numbers and win whatever prize is shown below the number.

“On only my second spin, the screen lit up and I knew I had won a prize. When I saw the prize amount of $100,000, I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “This is by far the largest prize I have ever won, and it feels amazing!”

McCaskill recently visited the Lottery headquarters to redeem her prize.

Centre Daily Times reported that after collected taxes, she pocketed $71,750.

McCaskill plans on using her winnings towards bills and paying off her home.

According to The Washington Post, studies found that people from non-white communities make up a large percentage of lottery players. Reportedly, lotteries hold their popularity amongst the Black community, who seek the game as an alternative mechanism for social mobility and an opportunity to achieve wealth.

A recent Mega Millions drawing that took place in January stood at $1.35 billion, noting it as one of the largest in American history, according to The Post.

Idris Elba seems to be aiming to become the Tyler Perry of Ghana by building a film studio in the West African country to invest in Ghanaian filmmakers.

The British film star visited Ghana recently, where he met with the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at the Jubilee House, Business Insider Africa reported. During the meeting, Elba pitched his idea to build a film studio in the country.

He noted the potential Ghana has for filming major productions that have been stifled due to a lack of resources. The Ghanaian and Sierra Leonian also urged for government support in Africa’s film industry.

“We’ve studied the models of obviously South Africa’s incredible incentive package, and around Europe, obviously, Greece, Morocco, these are all places where they realize the value of the filmmaking dollar and have brought that policy into play,” Elba told the president.

Idris Elba has announced plans to build a film studio in Ghana.

He will shoot a movie in Ghana in December. https://t.co/T1bybczn9t

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) February 4, 2023

Elba is also working on a new movie and has plans to shoot part of the film in Ghana. Pre-production for the film begins in August, with official filming kicking off in December.

“It would be very beneficial for us to show and to make an announcement to the world that Ghana is open for business,” Elba said before sharing “the steps” he has planned for the project.

“The policies are in place and we have actually, bringing a film to our country, and we are going to put our money where our mouth is.”

News of Elba’s plans in Ghana comes after he shared his plans to build a studio in Tanzania. The Harder They Fall star has been adamant about his plans to develop Africa’s film industry.

Part of his initiative includes his starring roles in the films Beast of No Nation and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. He also filmed his 2021 film Beast in South Africa.

The legendary Patti LaBelle joins a lineup of gospel entertainers for the NFL’s official inspirational concert for Super Bowl Sunday.

The gospel concert is the only show that brings NFL players together with gospel and soul musicians on one stage for an evening of joy and praise for the country’s biggest game.

Israel Houghton, Kierra Sheard, Tye Tribbett, and the Players Choir are joining LaBelle. Radio personality Willie Moore Jr. is set to host the event.

The annual event has taken place since 1999. Previously known as Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, the first and only inspirational concert and television special sanctioned by the NFL will now be known as the “Super Bowl Soulful Celebration.”

“I’m so happy and grateful to have built a 24-year legacy of inspirational programming with the NFL and Super Bowl,” Melanie Few, founder of the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration, told Ebony. “As we approach our milestone 25th anniversary, I’m excited to continue bringing faith, hope, and joyful inspiration to the biggest game on earth. It’s an honor and a privilege!”

Past performers include LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Gladys Knight, Natalie Grant, Mary Mary, Fantasia, Donnie McClurkin, and Anthony Hamilton. CeeLo Green, Chloe Bailey, Kirk Franklin, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, and Erica Campbell have also blessed the soulful stage.

Super Bowl Soulful Celebration celebrates gospel music, NFL players, and their faith and philanthropy. This year’s show will see its highest honor, the “Faith In Action” Award, given to Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback and Super Bowl LVII contender Jalen Hurts.

The award honors current and former NFL players who have impacted their communities and the lives of others outside of the game of football. Hurts’s work includes philanthropy in the local Philadelphia community, donating to numerous charities and his hometown of Texas, Gospel Music reports.

Previous recipients of the “Faith In Action” award include Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, Tim Brown, Russell Wilson, Tony Dungy, and Troy Vincent, among others.

One thing that doesn’t get enough attention is the generosity of former Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving.

From donating, helping out WNBA players, and giving George Floyd’s family a house, people don’t acknowledge the good things Irving does—except a young entrepreneur named Valencia Andrews.

According to Sports Illustrated, she started a GoFundMe account to support a herb farm that she wants to start. She also requested funds to help her pay for an apprenticeship with Sacred Vibes Apothecary Owner and Master Herbalist Empress Karen Rose.

Here’s what Andrews wrote:

“Greetings! My name is Valencia Andrews and I’m a new farmer and aspiring herbalist. I am writing to ask for your support in paying for my apprenticeship with Sacred Vibes Apothecary Owner and Master Herbalist Empress Karen Rose and for my farm business start-up and supply costs for the upcoming season. This is phase one of a multi-phase plan which will eventually include purchased land, a farmhouse-style Bed and Breakfast, a community space/center for gathering, and various spaces curated to support wellness and relaxation.”

She started the fundraiser January 22. Her goal to cover these expenses was $8,600. Irving, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks yesterday, not only donated enough to meet her goal, he sent almost three times the amount she requested. The total amount Irving donated was $22,000.

It was a donation she never anticipated.

“I didn’t see it coming, I had no idea how he even landed on my page,” the striving entrepreneur told SI’s Inside the Nets website. “But I’m glad that I took the time to write out my GoFundMe in the way that I did so people know exactly where every dollar is going to. You know people like transparency.”

As Andrews wrote on her GoFundMe page, “Starting a new farming business is a HUGE endeavor and support from the community is immeasurable. No matter the donation amount, EVERY dollar counts! Every SHARE counts. Thank you so much for your consideration and support!”

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards was one for the books. Music fans around the world witnessed their favorite artists take home awards, on top of witnessing history as Beyonce was celebrated as the most decorated artist of all time, with a record of over 30 Grammy’s under her belt.

But what else did the artists win that night? NBC reports Lash Fary, co-founder of Distinctive Assets, has curated the Grammy gift lounge with swag bags for over 20 years. Each year, attendees get cute gifts, but this year, they rolled away a suitcase containing items valued at $60,000. Fary said the gifts are a way for artists who lose to still feel like winners. “If you go home cause you lost to Beyoncé or Lizzo or whoever ends up winning, you still get some fabulous swag,” Fary says.

This year’s gifts ranged from affordable to out of this world, starting with Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray (selling for $14 on Amazon, according to The Daily Beast) to a robot dog, which hasn’t even been released yet. In case artists need a snack or something to drink, the suitcase had Karma Nuts and Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, which NBC reported as the official wine for the Grammy’s. Fary said the gift bags or suitcases are completely free to artists, but they will have to pay taxes on them and claim them as a business gift.

 

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A post shared by Lash Fary (@lashfary)

The L.A.-based marketing company primarily works with small businesses, who benefit greatly by having Cardi B or other Grammy-winning artists using their products. NBC News listed some of the businesses, like Dr. Thomas Su of ArtLipo Plastic Surgery, who provided a $10,000.00 voucher for the suitcases. Korean-owned skincare brand, Banila Co., provided their popular Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm, according to The Daily Beast.

Another gift didn’t even fit in the suitcase – a Bugaboo Fox 3 stroller, valued at over $1,000, but also for a good cause. Fary told NBC News that Bugaboo is working with an organization called Baby2Baby and will donate one stroller to a family in need for every celebrity they gave one to in the lounge.

Viola Davis is now one of four Black entertainers to reach EGOT status.

The Woman King star was at the Grammy Awards Sunday, where she accepted her Grammy for best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording award for her memoir, Finding Me. That award clinched EGOT for David, who had already received an Academy Award, two Tony awards, and an Emmy.

“I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola, Davis told the cheering audience. “To honor her, her life, her joy, her trauma, everything. And it has just been such a journey. I just EGOT!.”

Davis also thanked “everybody who was a part of [her] story and the best chapter yet,” including her husband, Julius Tennon, and daughter, Genesis, for being “my life, you’re my joy, the best chapter in my book.”

Davis returned to the stage shortly after her win to present an award and received a standing ovation from the audience.

Viola Davis received a standing ovation at #TheGrammys shortly after she became the 18th EGOT winner in history pic.twitter.com/6ToDOg3ga2

— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) February 6, 2023

Davis joins only 17 other entertainers who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony, NBC News reported. The Help star is the fourth Black person, alongside Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, and Jennifer Hudson to accomplish the hard-to-get accolade.

An ecstatic Jennifer Hudson took to Twitter to celebrate Davis joining her among the ranks of EGOT recipients.

“Hold the line !!!!!!! Viola Davis just became EGOT #18 !!!” Hudson tweeted.

“Omg @violadavis U are absolutely everything ! Congratulations to a living LEGEND. Time to celebrate !!!”

Hold the line !!!!!!! Viola Davis just became EGOT #18 !!! Omg @violadavis U are absolutely everything ! Congratulations to a living LEGEND. Time to celebrate !!! pic.twitter.com/jwZZeY9y3a

— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) February 5, 2023

Last month, Davis told the Grammys how much of a “huge accomplishment” it would be for her to become an EGOT winner.

“I think that everybody wants their life to mean something,” she said.

“I believe in the Cherokee birth blessing, which is, ‘May you live long enough to know why you were born.’ I do believe that you literally wanna blow a hole through this world in whatever way you can.”

Last month, Tramar Dillard, better known to the world as Flo Rida, was awarded $82.6 million in a lawsuit against the producers of an energy drink he endorsed and supported, Celsius Energy Drinks.

On Sunday at the Grammy Awards, the successful entertainer expressed what he would do with the money.

Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier spoke to the Low rapper and discussed the lawsuit and what he will do with the nearly $83 million.

“Justice came, thanks to God. To God be the glory. Other people out there who might be going through a situation when you give your truth, you can only expect the victory,” Flo Rida said. “They didn’t want to give me my just due, but thanks to the judicial system. I’m just overwhelmed and just excited about new ventures as well.”

The successful rapper alluded to giving back to the community and doing good with the newfound cash. “I’m all about giving, you know, giving is required so I look forward to taking care of the neighborhood,” he said.

When Flo Rida filed the lawsuit, he claimed that Celsius Holdings Inc. violated the conditions of a contract the two parties signed in 2014. He filed the papers in May 2021 in a Broward County court in Florida.

The rapper, who hails from Florida, and his production company, Strong Arm Productions, took the Boca Raton, Florida-based company to court alleging that it hid money from him and did not honor the initial endorsement he signed.

After winning the lawsuit against Celsius Energy Drinks, the rapper took a cool sip from a Celsius can after savoring the victory. But he still wants to work with the company and even owns some stock.

“I’m still a owner in the company,” Flo Rida said. “And when you basically planted the seed for something that is successful, you can’t help but have unconditional love.”

Just when you thought the Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s murder case was over, new developments have come out. Shadow and Act reported that a co-conspirator in the murder-for-hire case was recently sentenced.

Terrica Ellis, a former exotic dancer, received three years in prison on January 24 for her role in the death of Andre Montgomery Jr., a co-star of the reality TV show, Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s. Ellis testified she was paid $10,000 by Tim Norman, Montgomery’s uncle, to lure the victim to the apartment complex before a man ambushed him.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Ellis was emotional during her hearing, showing major remorse. The 39-year-old asked U.S. District Judge John Ross for leniency.

“I’m so ashamed to be here in this place,” Ellis said. She was quickly interrupted, according to reports, after Montgomery’s mother, Michelle Griggs, shouted, “But you took my baby!”

Ross considered Ellis’ past as a victim of abuse and violence, including being forced into prostitution at a young age. The victim’s family was looking for a maximum sentence.

Several of Montgomery’s family members pointed out how Ellis’ was a key part of the hire-for-murder plot. “If she hadn’t done her part, there’s a possibility Andre would be with us now,” Montgomery’s aunt Sandra Mullins said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Darren Griggs, Montgomery’s brother, said Ellis only saw his brother as a “dollar sign” before she was caught.

BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported on the headlining case last summer. With the help of insurance agent Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam, Norman issued a $450,000 life insurance policy on Montgomery back in 2014, naming Norman as the sole beneficiary.

The uncle-nephew duo was seen frequently on the OWN network reality show, which premiered in 2011.

Norman has maintained his innocence. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Norman is due for sentencing next month.

• Celebrity News

by Sharelle B. McNair

February 6, 2023

Bubba Wallace Jumps On Track To Support Fellow NASCAR Driver Facing Discrimination

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Bubba Wallace knows a thing or two about facing discrimination in the NASCAR world. When another driver faced similar attacks, he jumped in.

Wallace defended fellow NASCAR driver Ryan Vargas after he was virtually attacked for his facial features. Beyond The Flag reported that after the 22-year-old Hispanic driver announced he will compete in the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Truck Series, he was greeted with online critics making fun of his appearance.

The California native was born with craniosynostosis, which the CDC defines as “a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early.” Happening before the baby’s brain is fully formed, as the brain grows the skull can become more misshapen. Vargas responded on Twitter, posting the rude comments found on Facebook and saying he’s sick of the “disrespect and hate.”

I hate some people man.

Not only coming after my race but making fun of my facial appearance. Sorry I can’t control that I have a craniofacial disorder that affects 1 in every 2,000-3,000 people.

Whatever. Sick of the disrespect and hate.

This world sucks sometimes. pic.twitter.com/rpqpp4THgz

— Ryan Vargas (@RyanVargas_23) January 26, 2023

Wallace retweeted the post and commented in support of the young driver, telling him to “forget them.”

https://twitter.com/BubbaWallace/status/1618695158899576833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1618695158899576833%7Ctwgr%5Ed7fe641360ad288e2f8ae74880395be9c389dd95%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbeyondtheflag.com%2F2023%2F02%2F03%2Fnascar-bubba-wallace-defends-driver%2F

Wallace, who became the first Black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500, has faced his share of scrutiny. In 2020, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported a noose was found in Wallace’s garage at Talladega Superspeedway. Instead of being met with support, fans cheered after Wallace slammed into the wall after driver Michael  connected with the right rear of Wallace’s No. 43 Chevrolet. Most of the discrimination started after the 29-year-old spoke up about the presence of Confederate flags at different NASCAR events.

Essentially Sports reported Dale Earnhardt, Jr. commended Wallace’s bravery in being the only driver to speak out about social issues that can affect the sport.

“He’s making his voice heard and he’s saying a lot of powerful things,” Earnhardt, Jr. said. “I’m so grateful for Bubba because without him we might not have that leadership, we might not have that guidance and the opportunity to understand and the opportunity to listen.”

With the support of Wallace and others, Vargas should continue to make strides on the track. According to Beyond The Flag, Vargas is already a two-time winner of the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award and has competed in 67 Xfinity Series races, including 66 races with JD Motorsports and one with Mike Harmon Racing last year.

Black Enterprise has the ultimate pleasure of hosting Bubba Wallace as a speaker for this year’s Health is Wealth Weekend, February 10th-11th, 2023! Want to join? Find tickets here. You won’t want to miss it!