‘ABC’ Co-Anchors Done at GMA3 After Sparking Romance Rumors
Good Morning America 3 (GMA3) anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach are leaving ABC News, the network said on Friday, concluding a nearly two-month tabloid spectacle sparked by revelations that the co-hosts were romantically involved.
Their departures end weeks of uncertainty inside ABC about what would become of the anchors, who were abruptly taken off the air in early December.
“After several productive conversations with Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes about different options, we all agreed it’s best for everyone that they move on from ABC News,” the network said in a statement. “We recognize their talent and commitment over the years and are thankful for their contributions.”
According to NBC news, GMA3 did not elaborate on the conditions of the anchors’ exit.
The departure of the anchors — who until recently had been considered rising stars with the potential to take over the network’s flagship show, GMA— is another tough moment for ABC News. Last week, Cecilia Vega, the network’s chief White House correspondent, announced that she was leaving for a correspondent role at “60 Minutes” on CBS.
The on-air charisma between Holmes and Robach had been a staple of their early-afternoon talk show. But their careers were upended in late November when The Daily Mailreported that the anchors, both of whom were married, had been having an affair.
Five days after that report, Kimberly Godwin, president of GMA3 announced that she was pulling the anchors off the air. Godwin said that while the anchors’ relationship did not amount to a violation of company policy, the episode had become an “internal and external distraction.”
At the time, a representative for the anchors said that their relationship had begun a “few months” earlier and that both had separated from their spouses in August. The representative said Mr. Holmes and Ms. Robach had not told anyone at ABC about their relationship “because they were waiting until they both were divorced.”
GMA3, a syndicated offshoot of Good Morning America, premiered in 2018. Robach, who had been with ABC News since 2012, and Holmes, there since 2014, teamed up as the show’s co-hosts in 2020.
Mixed Chicks and RivellePro Commemorate Black History Month By Giving Back With Amazon Sales
Black History Month, three words, and a celebration packed into one short month at the top of the new year observed for over 100 years.
Since 1976 every U.S. Presidential Administration has officially recognized Black History Month as a time to celebrate monumental and historical contributions African Americans have made to United States history. Every American President has always endorsed this historic month with a theme, and 2023 is no exception, with President Joe Biden designating the theme as “Black Resistance.”
Resistance is a word that reflects the spirit, triumph, struggles, and milestones that Black people have encountered historically, culturally, and systemically during their long tenure as citizens of the United States.
The word “resistance” is synonymous with terms like strength and opposition, reflected in the leaders who have come before us, paving the way for equality and freedom. It can be seen in the glass ceilings shattered by Shirley Chisholm, who was the first Black woman elected to congress; Dorothy Height, who served as the president of the National Council of Negro women for more than 40 years; or Bessie Coleman, who was the first licensed Black pilot. Black women have always been a pillar of strength, resilience, and a critical voice in advancing education, politics, liberties, and Black people.
Today’s generation does not need Women’s History Month to honor the mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and aunties who blazed the trail before them; they are living testaments to their struggles and sacrifices in the history they make on their terms today. History is made every day with the Black women standing proudly on the shoulders of their ancestors to dream higher and more prominent than they could have ever imagined.
None more so than the fantastic duo Kim Etheredge and Wendi Levy Kaaya, who created the legendary haircare brand Mixed Chicks.
Mixed Chicks sought to break the beauty barriers of traditional haircare by using their experiences growing up as biracial women to develop a haircare exclusively catered to combination hair.
In 2002 Kim and Wendi met and slowly transitioned from acquaintances to business partners as they bonded over their shared experiences dealing with the highs and lows of having curly hair. As children from blended families, they encountered all the bumps in beauty care that came from products that were too oily or drying for their combination textured curls.
With the limited availability of ethnic and general market products that worked on their blended texture, they often had to combine 10-15 products to achieve hydration, frizz-free, and healthy-looking curls. That bond led to a business when after researching and testing various ingredients, they came up with their staple, Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner, and the rest became history. They could not only fill a missing gap in the beauty market but provide a quality option at an affordable price that had fantastic results on various combination hair.
Kim and Wendi founded Mixed Chicks in 2003 to provide quality products to multicultural women that would empower, inspire, and allow them to embrace their textured curls in any form. As pioneers of the natural hair movement, they were the first to create a brand, business, and products that directly targeted multicultural customers.
They were deeply invested in ensuring the brand reflected who they were as entrepreneurs, mothers, and businesswomen who wanted to provide opportunities to support and recognize blended families and their textured hair. With over 20 years in the business, celebrity endorsements from fans like Halle Berry, Macy Gray, Deon Cole, and Sage Steele, international customers, nationwide retail, and a committed customer base have cemented their spot as change-makers in Black history.
Mixed Chicks is one of the few beauty brands still owned and operated by women of color, with Kim and Wendi proudly innovating, reinventing, and being the figureheads of their brand. In an era when large corporations are looking to capitalize on popular ingredients and profit from the trends created and popularized by Black people, Mixed Chicks still aims to fill any voids that the mass market cannot provide. It remains vigilant in not alienating its core customer by continuing to champion and advocate for all its customers regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or race. Mixed Chicks has always been for everyone and will continue to be for everyone. As biracial women who embrace and celebrate being Black, Kim and Wendi foster partnerships within their community, non-profit organizations, influencers, and customers, that champion and reflect the advancement of Black people.
For Mixed Chicks, Black History Month is not a buzzword to be used on a hashtag or social media post; it’s an opportunity to use its global brand recognition to bring awareness and a spotlight to crucial and systemic issues still facing Black women today.
“Our goal was to solve hair woes of women, men and children across the globe by creating a haircare line that was inclusive instead of exclusive. As Black women in America, we want to continue to push the narrative that nothing is impossible when you approach it with love, dedication, and a purpose. Being part of the solution instead of adding to the problem is the only way success and change will come. Making a conscious decision to treat everyone equally no matter their race, sex or religious preference is our biggest contribution to the world and is the legacy of Mixed Chicks,” says Kim Etheredge, Co-Founder of Mixed Chicks..
Since 2017, Mixed Chicks has partnered with RivellePro for their Amazon business. As a trusted eCommerce distributor and partner, RivellePro is passionate about aligning with brands whose values reflect their own and has spent years partnering with Black and minority-owned brands to market their products to a wide array of customers. Their commitment to excellence and growth was recently recognized with their number 175 on the 2022 Inc. 5000 Annual List, which recognizes the fastest-growing private companies in America. Since RivellePro’s inception in 2014, they have partnered with over a half-dozen multicultural skincare and haircare brands to provide brand growth and new clients on the Amazon platform.
During February 2023, RivellePro and Mixed Chicks are partnering to celebrate Black History Month through RivellePro’s Amazon store, called “pricePRO,” to offer 15%-20% off of all Mixed Chicks products. Customers can shop signature Mixed Chicks products via the store whether they need to restock on leave-in conditioner or invest in the 33 oz. full-size must-haves like the shampoo to keep the hair clean, deep conditioner to keep the curls hydrated, and the fan favorite leave-in conditioner to keep the curls poppin’ all month long. Mixed Chicks not only cares about empowering their customers to love themselves but also supports and advocates for the people behind the scenes. The voiceless may not have the support, resources, or access to get the help they need to change their lives. As part of their partnership, a portion of all Mixed Chicks sales on Amazon through the pricePRO store will be donated to the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House. RivellePro’s Amazon store, showcasing Mixed Chicks can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/mixedchicks
“We are proud of our partnership with Wendi, Kim and the Mixed Chicks team as we support Black History Month – as well as the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House. Business partnerships become something beautiful when personal core values and beliefs align with common goals in the business world. As a father of two amazing daughters, it is imperative that not only their parents are role models, but also to have trailblazers such as Wendi and Kim in the lives of young women.” stated Tim Frailly, President of RivellePro.
The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House was founded by R&B legend Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheredge in honor of his late daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who tragically lost her life at the hands of domestic violence when she was 22 years old.
Domestic violence is prevalent in every community, with studies showing over 31.8% of victims are Black women and the estimated cost of intimate partner violence in the US totaling $5.8 billion.
The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House is a 501(c)3 non-profit domestic violence haven committed to eliminating the epidemic of domestic violence against men and women of all ages by raising awareness, providing resources, and creating safety for victims. With an average of 20,000 calls being made daily to the domestic violence hotlines nationwide, The Bobby Kristina Serenity House seeks to empower victims and survivors at risk by creating avenues for bringing awareness and advocacy to this ongoing crisis.
Bobby Brown added, “The Bobbi Kristina Serenity House would like to acknowledge and give thanks to Mixed Chicks and RivellePro for giving back to our cause during Black History Month. With their generous support we will maintain our focus to bring awareness and continue our movement to eliminate the epidemic of domestic violence. Let’s all continue to commemorate the beauty in giving back.”
Black History Month is not a concept or ideal; it’s a continuation of the history that represents the resistance and resilience of Black people. It’s not just President Obama or Beyonce; it’s the evolution of Black people, culture, voices, and leadership in the spaces we continue to create for ourselves. It gives businesses like Mixed Chicks the freedom to be uniquely their own and not be limited in their success because they are women of color with a texture haircare line. It provides an opportunity to raise awareness for systemic issues like domestic violence and allows for partnerships like RivellePro and Mixed Chicks to honor and give back to the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House. Black History is daily and shows the nod to the past while we dance in the present and look boldly into the future.
Mixed Chicks is a Los Angeles, California based multicultural beauty brand. Mixed Chicks was founded in 2003 by Kim Etheredge and Wendi Levy Kaaya, and is owned and operated by them. Mixed Chicks’ believes in the adage of “A Blend of Many” which is a perfect description of their personal beliefs, business values and product mix. For more information on Mixed Chicks, please visit: https://mixedchicks.net/
RivellePro is a leading eCommerce retail agency and distribution partner providing services on Amazon as well as other eCommerce marketplaces. RivellePro gives industry-leading brands in beauty, health & wellness, and other consumer packaged goods a turnkey approach so they can take full advantage of a robust eCommerce department. RivellePro provides eCommerce brand management, channel management, distribution, marketing, compliance, and logistical services for its brand partners. RivellePro was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information on RivellePro, please visit: http://www.RivellePro.com
Black-Owned Digital Beauty Retailer Raises Additional $8 Million To Energize Expansion
A digital platform that supports Black and Brown-founded beauty brands, thirteen lune closed on an $8 million seed-plus investment round that will help it expand.
The Black-owned beauty retailer has grown fast since starting in 2020. It has evolved from an e-commerce destination featuring 13 foundational, Black-founded brands to now offering 160-plus beauty brands, per a news release. Some 90% of its sellers are BIPOC-founded; 10% are ally brands.
This year’s plans call for thirteen lune to expand into 600 JCPenney locations nationwide as well as open its own flagship store in Los Angeles.
The platform reported that it had 2000%-plus sales growth in 2022 over 2021, which was fueled by the launch of its first private label brand, Relevant: Your Skin Seen and the expansion of its in-store partnership with JCPenney Beauty. Further, it added nationally recognized BIPOC-founded brands to its platform, including Ami Colé, Buttah Skin, and Pattern Beauty by Tracee Ellis Ross.
Now, thirteen lune plans to use the fresh capital with participation from The BrainTrust Fund to support the online beauty site’s omnichannel expansion in 2023. The scaling up is anticipated to include the new Los Angeles store opening, more retail offerings, and enlarging the Relevant brand. The new capital, along with an initial seed round led by the Black-owned Fearless Fund, represents $12.5 million in total invested funds.
It also expects to reach profitability this year with the latest investment.
“As a 20-plus year Black beauty entrepreneur, it’s an honor to shape the landscape of inclusive beauty, acting as an agent of change for BIPOC brand founders to receive recognition and opportunity,” thirteen lune Co-Founder Nyakio Grieco said in a release. “Our partners share Thirteen Lune’s mission to support diverse founders who have historically had fewer resources and opportunities to build a business and create generational wealth.”
Reflecting on its growth since 2020, thirteen lune CEO and Co-Founder Patrick Herning stated, “we’ve proven that inclusivity and scalability are not mutually exclusive. With a mission to inspire the discovery of BIPOC-founded brands for people of all colors and backgrounds, we enter 2023 continuing to lead with intention and authenticity that will position us to continue our growth and momentum.”
Thirteen Lune reports Initial investments came from the Fearless Fund, Capstar Ventures, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hannah Bronfman, and Naomi Watts.
Dark & Lovely Announces Actress Meagan Good as Newest Brand Ambassador
Dark & Lovely proudly announced Meagan Good as their latest ambassador at their ‘Making Bold Moves’ event held in support of the brand’s philanthropic initiative, Building Beautiful Futures. The award-winning actress, bestselling author and producer also debuted the return of her signature blonde hair.
“In a world where Black women are often disregarded, Dark & Lovely has always celebrated us. I’m honored to be partnering with this legendary brand to help embolden Black women to authentically walk in their power, dream big and celebrate who they are,” The ‘Harlem’ star stated.
Recognizing the growing “opportunity gap” for young Black women, particularly post-pandemic, Dark & Lovely developed Building Beautiful Futures in 2022 to help bring educational and career equity to Black female college students and young professionals. In 2023, the program will further its commitment to create opportunities for young, Black women and equip them with tools for success through even more masterclasses, scholarships, mentorship opportunities and networking events.
Good’s commitment to uplifting young Black women, approach to taking new challenges head on and enthusiasm for bold, show-stopping looks embodies everything Dark & Lovely stands for. She will serve as an ambassador for the brand’s Fade Resist collection and full product range. She will also help spread awareness about Building Beautiful Futures as it kicks off its second year by lending her voice and time to inspire and support young Black women.
The evening featured BOLD conversations with Good and Digital Creator, DonYé Taylor, moderated by Dark & Lovely’s Marketing Director Tenaj Ferguson. Dark & Lovely and BrainTrust Founders Studio also revealed the winner of their recent pitch competition, Janell Muhammad, Founder and CEO of SelfiēSkín Co. She was awarded a $5,000 grant and a trip to Dark & Lovely’s headquarters in NY to learn what it takes to build and grow a brand.
To learn more on how to:
Apply For a Building Beautiful Futures Scholarship HERE
Participate in our Mentorship Program – Follow DARK & LOVELY for our schedule of mentorship masterclasses focused on education, life and career coaching
Be The Change – Become a Mentor or Mentee and Inspire others by sharing your mentorship story using #DARKANDLOVELYBBF
Rapper Travis Scott Opened Applications For $1M in Emergency HBCU Scholarships
Travis Scott’s Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund provides financial support to HBCU students in their senior year who are facing financial challenges to ensure they can graduate on schedule.
The scholarship is led by the vision of Travis Scott and his family, who has a long history of involvement in HBCUs. Both his parents and his sister attended HBCUs while his brother is currently enrolled also in an HBCU.
The scholarship fund is named after his grandfather Waymon Webster, who attended Prairie View A&M Graduate School and served as its dean. Since this initiative is close to his heart, Scott has always been dedicated to providing help to Black students.
“I want students to know they can accomplish anything they set their mind to and that in a moment of financial uncertainty, we are here to help. I hope these scholarships will free them up to be as innovative and creative as they can be as they conclude one chapter of their lives and begin another. Money should not be a barrier for students to dream big,” Scott said, according to The HBCU Foundation.
In 2022, Scott gave away $1 million in scholarships through the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund. 100 HBCU students from the graduating class of 2022 received $10,000 each to help pay for their final tuition fees so they could surely receive their college diplomas on time.
Most recently, Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation partnered with Astros Foundation to hold an HBCU Celebrity Softball Classic wherein most of the funds raised will go to the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund.
Reality Star Charmaine Bey Shares Inspiration Behind Children’s Book on Colorism
Charmaine Bey, former star of “Black Ink Crew: Chicago” is adding published author to her resume with the release of her new children’s book “Nubians Come in All Shades“.
As the mother of two young daughters, Charmaine shares her inspiration for writing the book after receiving criticism on social media over the appearance of her little girls. The happily married reality star and radio personality have had to deal with social media trolls who accuse her of birthing “Steph Curry’s kids.”
The New Orleans native and her Haitian husband Neek Bey have had to mentally prepare their family for the harsh judgment that comes with being public figures. While both parents are both brown-skinned, their two daughters came out on the lighter end of the spectrum.
The negative comments the Bey family has received about their daughter’s fair complexions is what inspired her new book.
“What inspired me was my children, my children, they came in all shades,” Charmine told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“My husband and I are well, I’m a little lighter than my husband. My husband’s Haitian, but my children came out fair skin with light-colored eyes. My oldest daughter has, like, red hair. So it’s very confusing, to say the least, not only for my husband and I but for the entire world.”
As a result, Charmaine and her family have been on the receiving end of shady remarks and accusations from online trolls and her own followers.
“People were just so confused about the color of my children’s skin, the color of their eyes, the color their hair,” she explained. “They were making all kinds of comments and even, you know, ‘is that the daddy’ type of thing.”
However, the diversity within the shades of Blackness is a common trait considering the Even gene research shows Black women possess. Charmaine explained this while touching on the range of brown-skin beauty in the Bey family.
“Nubians come in all shades. And black women can produce Nubians that look like all walks of life,” Charmine said.
“It’s called the Eve Gene. If you all don’t know about it, look it up. It’s called the Eve gene, and we don’t have to give an explanation on why we look the way we do.”
When it comes to issues of colorism in the Black community, Charmaine admits it stems from a lack of awareness, education, and deep-rooted racism. Issues of colorism are so alive and prevalent in today’s society, Charmaine reveals how it even played a major role in her untimely exit from “Black Ink Crew: Chicago”.
Press play below for the full interview and be sure to snag a copy of Charmaine’s first children’s book “Nubians Comes in All Shades.”
[GRAPHIC] Video Released Showing Brutal, Fatal Beating of Tyre Nichols
Video of the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old man who died three days after a traffic stop by police, was released on Friday Jan. 27, by Memphis officials.
The video shows officers blow by blow, kick by kick, “deplorable, excessive use of for by police like we haven’t witnessed since the likes of the Rodney King video,” the family attorney, Ben Crump said on CNN Friday.
“I think they were on 10-plus the whole video,” Crump said to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
“It was so unnecessary so uncalled for that they continued to escalate the matter and you were hoping and praying one officer would say ‘hey everybody, this kid isn’t a criminal,’ but that never happened,” Crump said.
GRAPHIC VIDEO
According to Los Angeles Times, Nichols was hospitalized in critical condition and died three days after Memphis police officers stopped him on Jan. 7. Details about what occurred between Nichols and the officers have been sparse; police initially said that Nichols fled on foot during the reckless driving stop and that a “confrontation” occurred in an effort to detain him.
However, Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis said on CNN early Friday that an investigation and review of available camera footage could not “substantiate the reckless driving” claim.
“It doesn’t mean that something didn’t happen. But there’s no proof. The cameras didn’t pick up,” she said.
“As far as I know today, I do believe that the stop itself was very questionable,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Friday.
Nichols’ family was offered a private viewing of the video Monday. His mother, RowVaughn Wells, made it only through the first minute, family attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said.
The family has scheduled a news conference with its attorneys Friday to address recent developments in the case.
“Our family is grief-stricken right now and this is very hard to swallow,” Wells said at a candlelight vigil in Memphis’ Tobey Park on Thursday night.
Wells warned of the contents of the video, called it “horrific,” and asked people to protest in peace after its release. “I don’t want us burning up our cities, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for,” she said.
Wells spoke on her heartbreak during an interview with CNN, saying by the time she got to the hospital and saw Nichols following the arrest, “He was already gone.”
“They had beat him to a pulp. He had bruises all over him, his head was swollen like a watermelon, his neck was busting because of the swelling, they broke his neck, my son’s nose looked like an “S”, she said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray on Friday spoke on the video of Nichols’ arrest during a separate news conference, saying that “I’ve seen the video myself and I will tell you I was appalled.”
Video of the encounter will be released after 6 p.m. local time Friday, officials said. Memphis police chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis said Thursday that she expected citizens to be outraged by what she called the “heinous, reckless and inhumane” conduct captured in the video. She said she expected people to protest and called on them to remain peaceful.
Five Memphis police officers Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin III, Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean and Desmond Mills Jr., were charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of official oppression and one count of aggravated assault, CNN reported.
Left: Justin Smith, top center: Emmitt Martin III, top right: Desmond Mills Jr., center left: Demetrius Haley, right bottom: Tadarrius Bean (Photos provided by Memphis Police Department)
Spike Lee Slated to Receive British Film Institute Fellowship
Another honor is being bestowed upon legendary filmmaker Spike Leethis year.
The British Film Insititute has announced that it is presenting the director, writer, actor, producer, and author with a BFI Fellowship on Feb. 13, 2023. This is the highest honor that can be given by the organization.
Lee said in a written statement: “I’m Blessed To Live Up To My Ancestors Credo ‘DEEDS, NOTWORDS’. I Thank The BFI For Helping Me in Continuing My Generations Of Family Legacy. Peace And Love. YA–DIG? SHO–NUFF.”
The BFI states that the British Film Institute Fellowship is awarded to people who have made outstanding contributions to film or television culture.
The Brooklyn native joins such luminaries who are also BFI Fellows including Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker, Satyajit Ray, Tilda Swinton, Sir David Lean, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Sir Steve McQueen, Akira Kurosawa, Nicholas Roeg CBE, Orson Welles, Sir Ridley Scott, Ousmane Sembène Bernardo Bertolucci and Souleymane Cissé.
Lee will be presented with the BFI Fellowship at a celebratory event taking place at BFI Southbank next month. The ceremony will be hosted by BFI chair Tim Richards and BFI chief exec Ben Roberts.
There will be an on-stage question and answer session with the Brooklyn filmmaker. A screening of Summer of Sam will also take place and tickets to this prestigious event will be available starting on Jan. 30.
“I am honored and excited to be awarding Spike Lee the prestigious BFI Fellowship,” said Richards. “Lee has such a distinctive voice as an auteur, unafraid to challenge ideas of race, gender, and class throughout his career with his unique cinematic style. A true renaissance man and pioneer, he has excelled in so many art forms, staying original, fresh, and as relevant to contemporary audiences as those who have enjoyed his work for over 30 years. I am delighted to be celebrating his enormous talent and individuality with a BFI Fellowship.”
This will be Lee’s first appearance since he last appeared at BFI Southbank for a Q&A screening of BlacKkKlansman back in August 2018.
Congressman George Santos Accused of Making Offensive Comments About Blacks, Jews, and Hitler
Republican lawmaker George Santos is being accused of making a vile joke about Hitler, killing Jews and Black people in a resurfaced Facebook post – marking just the latest scandal to hit the newly-elected congressman.
In a 2011 comment on Facebook, obtained by Patch, Santos allegedly wrote: “hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh hiiiiiiiiiiiitlerrrrrrrrrrr (hight hitler) lolololololololololololol sombody kill her!! the jews and black mostly lolllolol!!! Dum.”
Santos’ former roommate confirmed the account’s validity to the outlet and said that the congressman used to often make anti-semitic comments. An attorney for Santos told Patch the Facebook post is “completely false”.
The allegation comes as the congressman had previously been caught in a lie about being Jewish and his grandparents fleeing the Holocaust. He later walked back the claims saying he was “Jew-ish”.
As well as being exposed for stating a series of lies during his campaign run, Santos is also under scrutiny over an amended financial disclosure form he filed with the FEC this week. For starters, there’s two loans — for $500,000 and $125,000 — that are no longer identified as coming from Mr Santos’s personal funds, as they had been previously.
Dozens of Republican officials in New York State, including four recently elected congressmen, urged Santos to resign. Their call represented a sharp break from congressional Republican leaders, who insisted they would not push the embattled congressman to resign.
Even as Santos’ former allies insisted that his fabrications on the campaign trail had significantly violated the public trust, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that he not only would resist calls to push Mr. Santos out, but that he planned to seat him on a congressional committee.
Despite waves of revelations surrounding his past and present fiascos, the embattled congressman has remained adamant that he will remain in office. Even in the face of members of his own party calling for his ouster, Santos has stood firm.
Rapper Ma$e Receives Own Day in Hometown of Harlem
Rapper Ma$e has “Been Around the World” but returned home to Harlem World to accept an honor from his hometown earlier this week in front of the world-famous Apollo Theater.
According to People, former Bad Boy recording artist Mason Betha was honored with the proclamation that in Harlem, New York, on January. 24 was “Ma$e Day.” This came days before he is scheduled to perform at the Apollo with fellow Harlem rapper Cam’Ron and Yonkers, New York, native Jadakiss.
Ma$e accepted the proclamation and plaque from City Council Member Kevin C. Riley. The honor took place the same year as the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
This year, we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop!
Together with the #HoodCaucus and @Powerandmusic, we are honoring legends of the Hip Hop culture right here in NYC.
We had the opportunity to celebrate a pioneer in Hip Hop, Mase, at the Apollo Theater. pic.twitter.com/WDwbQOUjbr
— Council Member Kevin C. Riley (@CMKevinCRiley) January 26, 2023
“I wanna thank all of you for coming out here today. But most of all, I want to say this, because this really matters in our community—that a win only feels great when you win with family. And today I have my whole family here, my wife of 22 years.”
He thanked several artists and Harlem for giving him the commemoration.
“And a bunch of people in the crowd, a bunch of great artists, DKING and Chi Chi and Just Listen and everybody from the Rich Fish family. Thank you. And, Harlem, thank you for making me great. Blessings. And most of all, my pastor is here. This is the guy that prayed for me and I left hip-hop. So y’all all wanna know who changed me? This is the guy that changed me.”
The Harlem-grown entertainer, who grew up with fellow rappers, Big L, Juelz Santana, Max B, and Jim Jones released his debut project, Harlem World. The 1997 album from Bad Boy Records sold more than four million units. After releasing his second album, Double Up, three years later, he unexpectedly “retired” from recording to become a preacher in Atlanta.
