Lizzo Seemingly Reponds to Kanye’s Shade About Her Weight: ‘I’m Minding My Fat, Black, Beautiful Business’
The verbal attacks against Lizzohave not put a damper on the spirit of the famous entertainer.
While performing in Toronto last week, she seemingly commented on Kanye West’s “assessment” of her and her weight during his recent interview with Tucker Carlsonon Fox News.
TMZ posted a video of Lizzo apparently responding to what Ye said about her last week.
On Friday evening, the 34-year-old recording artist held a concert in Toronto at the Scotiabank Arena. As she stood on stage, she said to the audience, “I feel like everybody in America got my motherf**king name in their motherf**king mouth for no motherf**king reason. I’m minding my fat, black, beautiful business!”
She then proposed getting married so she could live in Canada.
“Can I stay here? Who can I marry for that dual citizenship?”
People reported last week that while Ye was occupying time with Carlson, for no apparent reason, he brought up Lizzo and her weight as the two talked.
“When Lizzo loses 10 pounds and announces it, the bots, that’s a term for like telemarketer callers on Instagram, they attack her for losing weight, because the media wants to put out a perception that being overweight is the new goal when it’s actually unhealthy,” the controversial hip-hop artist tells Carlson.
“Let’s get aside the fact of whether it’s fashion and vogue, which it’s not. Or if someone thinks is attractive, to each his own. It’s actually clinically unhealthy, and for people to, to promote that… it’s demonic.”
Yet, West is not the first or latest person to comment unprovoked about Lizzo.
Less than two weeks ago, conservative commentator Candace Owens directed a shot at Lizzo. She said that she was “offended” that Lizzo was “defiling” history by playing the flute the Library of Congress offered her to play in front of a live audience.
And right before being sued by two minors for sexual assault this past summer, comedian Aries Spearsthrew shade at Lizzo during an interview.
The Mad TV star appeared on The Art of Dialogue, and after being asked to share his thoughts on Lizzo’s music, he took the chance to body shame the Grammy Award-winning singer.
His response?
“I can’t get past the fact that she looks like the s**t emoji,” Spears said.
Fans of Lizzo took to social media in defense of her after the interview aired.
Nene Leakes’ 23-Year-Old Son Brentt Suffered Heart Attack and Stroke From Congestive Heart Failure
Last month, Real Housewives of Atlanta NeNe Leakes‘ son, BrenttLeakes, was hospitalized with congestive heart failure and a stroke. The reality TV star updated her son’s condition in a recent Instagram story.
Leakes took to her Instagram account to reaffirm to her followers that her son is doing well despite the 23-year-old falling ill two weeks ago. She stated she wanted the update on his condition to come from her so everyone knows the story instead of speculating on how he is doing.
She stated she has been receiving texts, messages, and emails asking how he is doing.
“This was not how we wanted it to come out. We wanted to be able to talk about it ourselves when Brentt was in a better place. So, here I am because I would rather the correct thing be out there than something that’s not correct. Two weeks ago today, Brentt had congestive heart failure and a stroke. He’s only 23, so he’s really young for something like that to happen to him.”
Leakes explained that the doctors handling his care were trying to see if the congestive heart failure may have been caused by drugs and/or alcohol, COVID-19, or possibly an infection.
“Brentt doesn’t drink or do drugs. And obviously, they’ve tested him for all of those things. They also tested him for HIV. They were thinking that maybe he had caught COVID and he didn’t know that he had COVID.”
Although she is revealing this now, she also stated that she doesn’t want to fully explain how she found out or any specific details regarding her son.
“I don’t even want to go into details. What happened and how I found out and what condition he was in. Obviously, a stroke is a very serious thing. So, he’s struggling you know, with speaking, and it’s, just know that keep us in your prayers. Keep bringing your prayers.”
She also mentioned that the past month marked the first anniversary of her husband and Brentt’s father, Greg Leakes’, death, and Brennt had been stressed due to being so close to him.
“One of the things I do know, Brentt was very stressed out in the month of September because that was the one-year anniversary for the passing of his dad. “He was very close to his dad and he’s been super stressed out over it. And I don’t even know if that has anything to do with it at all.”
Byron Allen Closes on $100M Property, the Most Any African American Has Ever Spent on a Home Purchase
This is what a nine-figure budget can afford you in an exclusive Malibu community.American businessman and philanthropist Byron Allen has closed a deal on a new home purchase in California, a $100 million property in Malibu’s exclusive Paradise Cove enclave.
According to TMZ, the billionaire topped the record books with the luxury mansion, reporting that the purchase is the most money an African American has ever spent on a home in the United States.
Purchased from the family who co-founded Public Storage, the four-bedroom, oceanfront estate covers 11,000 square feet of living space, including two guest houses, a home theater, a tennis court, a gym, and a yoga studio. Overlooking the Pacific, Allen’s property overflows with luxury features, especially in the home’s primary suite with its own fireplace, bathroom, custom walk-in closets, and private terrace.
(Image: jademillsestates.com / Screenshot)
The outlet compares the TV mogul’s Malibu estate to a palace, calling it “palatial” and “breathtaking.”
(Image: jademillsestates.com / Screenshot)
The expansive lot, along with its massive ocean views, is also connected to the beach, which is accessible through a path that winds down the property to the sandy shore. Next door to the property, Allen can find his neighbor, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum.
(Image: jademillsestates.com / Screenshot)
The Malibu purchase, reportedly worth $500 million, isn’t the only property in Allen’s real estate portfolio. The producer also reportedly owns Aspen, Beverly Hills, Maui, and New York properties.
VladTV reports that before Allen’s nine-figure purchase, power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z held the top spot for the largest home purchase for an African American in the United States with an $88 million price-point on their mansion in Bel-Air.
The Malibu property, now owned by Allen, was listed through Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker Realty. In addition, Terence Hill, owner of BT Equities, represented the Entertainment Studios founder.
First-Generation Franchisee Shares Keys for Overcoming Obstacles on Road to Success
The Tutor Doctor franchise, headquartered in Toronto, specializes in helping students achieve their academic and personal goals, from elementary education all the way through adult tutoring programs.
Services include online and in-person/at-home tutoring sessions. Nika Fouquet started her Tutor Doctor franchise almost ten years ago and has successfully grown the business to now delivering personalized tutoring services to over 100 families in Santa Monica, California.
Fouquet’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Panama and the West Indies. Her mother arrived at 11 years old, and Spanish was her first language. While Fouquet was born in the U.S., she encountered many challenges as a first-generation citizen.
“Some of my obstacles centered on navigating the American educational system.”
“Being that we weren’t from here, my family didn’t know about tutors and weren’t familiar with the steps required for applying to college. I had to rely on my school counselors and unfortunately, I didn’t understand at the time what I was dealing with in an Italian/Irish catholic school. Individuals that looked like me were not welcome in the neighborhood which was made clear, and I knew I was not being supported by the counselors, but I only fully understood later on the situation I was dealing with.”
“I did figure out college independently with little to no guidance.”
“Though it took me transferring a few times, once I started to comprehend the full financial burden I would face if I chose to stick with my original choices,” shared Fouquet.
Eventually, Fouquet landed at Hunter College in New York City, majoring in film production. “I had no idea how I would work in the industry since I had no connections, but I fell in love with the craft of editing and knew I’d figure it out.” Fortunately, she met someone who would become her mentor and, thanks to him, became one of the few African American woman editors working on big campaigns. “If there were obstacles, I chose to ignore them, I didn’t believe in limits but the limits that others saw for me were pointed out when someone in the industry described me as ‘urban and edgy.’”
(Image: Courtesy of Tutor Doctor)
You Don’t Always End Up Where You Expected
Although Fouquet had a passion for film editing, she was ready to start a family and needed a career that was less time-consuming. “I wanted to be a present parent and I wanted to be involved in their educational journey to lend the guidance that I didn’t have. I came across Tutor Doctor whose mission statement and passion for education aligned with my core values. I soon realized this company would provide me the opportunity to run my own business and also create boundaries, so I could be present for my family and be the mom I wanted to be.”
Fouquet attributes her success to the open and honest conversations she has with her customers. “I wanted to create a service that sets a very high bar on the quality of service it provides which is why I take the time to vet new employees and new clients.”
“What I do is very personalized to each and every client.”
“I bring with me, from my previous career, a certain work ethic and problem-solving abilities which I implement daily in my business by taking the time to understand the client’s needs, their pain and formulating a game plan to alleviate the situation.”
With almost 10 years under her belt as a franchise owner, Fouquet has great advice for all aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly first-generation business owners.
“Never stop asking questions and never, never accept ’no’ as the final answer.”
“You will encounter obstacles, that’s just part of life. How you manage those obstacles, and they can all be managed, is what will define you. Focus forward, not backward.”
Here’s How Roughly 70% of Americans Are Fighting Off Inflation
The rising cost of living is forcing scores of Americans to seek new jobs in the upcoming months and into the next year just to get by.
Roughly seven in 10 workers across America report that they’re looking for extra work to battle the spiraling inflation on expenses such as food, housing, gasoline, and medical care.
The findings are from a survey by digital staffing platform, Bluecrew, of over 1,000 employees. They include full- and part-time workers and those who are jobless but sought work in the last month. The analysis measured how today’s economy and inflation have impacted individuals’ approach and connection to work.
Simultaneously, another report from an online platform for temporary and flex workers, Indeed Flex, revealed 12% of U.S. adults are now pursuing seasonal work, 14% plan to start looking soon, and 28% are considering searching for temporary work during the holiday season. Some 26% of those planning to take up seasonal work this winter want to boost their income to help combat U.S. consumer inflation that was 8.3% higher in August 2022 from August 2021.
Other top findings from Bluecrew showed 85% of Americans reported that inflation has impacted their recent spending and buying habits. Some 72% indicated inflation has affected the way they view their job, and 57% said they’ve sought out new or additional roles during the past year as the cost of living has surged. Another 58% disclosed they are presently looking for or are interested in short-term gig work.
Matt Laurinas, Bluecrew’s chief customer officer, shared his thoughts on inflation.
“As price increases persist, we anticipate more American households picking up additional roles and exploring flexible, shift-based, and part-time opportunities to make ends meet.”
Further, over half of Americans cited wages and pay as the most important factors when accepting a job, ranking them higher than other elements like location and schedule.
On the seasonal job front, business sectors like hospitality, retail, and logistics were cited as being notably popular among Americans dealing with rising food prices and interest rates, per Indeed Flex.
Stacey Lane, U.S. general manager at Indeed Flex, stated, “The holidays are always a busy time in the temporary jobs market, but this is especially true this year as rising living costs have millions of Americans considering ways to increase their income.”
Actor Storm Reid, Dark & Lovely Announce Scholarship Initiative For Black Female Students
Actress Storm Reid, an ambassador forDark & Lovely,announced a new scholarship initiative, on behalf of the product brand, for Black female college students.
The College Gurl Foundation has been focused on educating students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Washington Metropolitan area since 2017.
Building Beautiful Futures aims to help close the opportunity gap by bringing educational and career equity to Black female college students by way of scholarship, mentorship, and career coaching opportunities.
“College is difficult enough, and worrying about how to pay for it doesn’t make it any better. This scholarship is an opportunity to alleviate a part of that financial burden and help young, Black women work towards achieving their dreams,” Reid said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Building Beautiful Futures, which is a multi-year commitment, is now accepting applications through November 30.
Scholarship winners will be notified and announced by December 17.
The scholarships are open to Black women with the following qualifications:
Must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program at an accredited college or university in the U.S.
Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
Must be a U.S. resident or citizen.
Students who are academically ambitious, leaders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and community volunteers.
President Jessica L. Brown of The College Gurl Foundation added:
“The Dark & Lovely partnership is truly a dream come true! I am forever grateful for my journey of hard work and sacrifices as this opportunity is the definition of building a beautiful future.
Together, we are championing for education and sprinkling our Black girl magic to close the opportunity gap for generations to come!”
Viola Davis Is Leveraging Her ‘Power’ To Change How Black Women Are Seen In Hollywood
Viola Davis is not afraid to push buttons to claim agency over the way people see Black women both on and off the television screen.
In an interview with The Guardian’s G2, Davis explained how The Woman King has finally become her catalyst to achieve “ownership” over her career like she’s always dreamed. As a dark-skinned Black woman in Hollywood, the Oscar-winning actress said she aims to showcase and reinforce who Black women truly are beyond their gaze.
“I arrived in Hollywood having hopes and dreams for my career, but never quite having ownership or agency,” she said.
“The Woman King has seemed like the ultimate gift and conduit to give me that agency.”
The powerful epic, which Davis has described as a fictionalized account based on a true story, spotlights the lives of the Agojie warriors, an all-woman army in the African Kingdom of Dahomey between the 17th and 19th centuries. Earning an A-plus CinemaScore from audiences, The Woman King (released on September 16) brought in at least $19 million domestically on its opening weekend.
Since then, the film’s mixed reviews have triggered the star to come to defense about its historical accuracy and its resonance on global and international audiences. Critics also claimed that Davis glorified the Agojie and urged social media boycotts because the tribe was historically involved in the slave trade.
In response, Davis confirmed that the story “has to be” fictionalized for these “universal” and “human” stories to reach other groups beyond Black audiences, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported.
The South Carolina native is used to fighting her way through the traumatic hauntings of poverty, racism, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and alcoholism. Her role in bringing The Woman King to Hollywood was no easy feat, but it’s a win in her books to document parts of African history that appeal to everyone.
“What is in my power to change is to show people that we are more than the stamp that people have put on dark-skinned women,” Davis further explained in G2.
“That we are sexual, that we are desirable, that we can be smart, that we are way more expansive and our identity is not determined by your gaze. I can change that. I can change the way Black women are seen, to some extent, within the industry,” she continued.
Beloved Memphis Pastor Dies In Tragic Accident After Car Hits Tree
Over the weekend, a pastor in Tennessee died after being involved in a fatal car accident.
According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the pastor of Greenwood CME Church in Memphis, Rev. Willie Boyd Jr. passed away after his car hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by the Shelby County Fire Dept.
SCSO patrol and traffic investigators have responded to a single vehicle crash at 7 pm on N. Reed Hooker Rd. near Monterey Rd. in Eads where a vehicle struck a tree. The driver was pronounced deceased on the scene by Shelby County Fire Dept. This accident is under investigation. pic.twitter.com/hNzteNL8r5
Boyd leaves behind his wife, Ebony Boyd, and three children.
Bishop Emeritus Henry Williamson Sr. of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church spoke dearly about Boyd, who became the pastor of Greenwood CME Church two years ago.
“We miss him like a son or a brother,” Williamson said. “That’s how people thought about him. A son or a brother. He’s irreplaceable.”
“We needed his skills and abilities to handle a major charge and a great congregation. And the people of his church both at Martin and at Greenwood loved him tremendously. He was a master pastor and administrator in the life of the church.”
The 44-year-old pastor had just posted on his Facebook page about celebrating his birthday this past weekend.
His wife left a message asking for prayer for her loss.
“One thing I know! My husband said it best! God Will NEVER Leave me alone!!! And I know in my heart where my husband’s soul rest!!! My husband was SAVED! And that’s all that matters He is with his Lord and Savior! I love you forever Willie Boyd! Please say a special prayer for my children. I see your calls! I see your text! Please be patient with me.”
The Rev. Marvin Frank Thomas Sr., the bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, stated that he was looking forward to a “bright future” with Boyd.
“We are saddened by his unfortunate death and certainly our prayers are for his wife Ebony and their three beautiful children and certainly the Greenwood CME church congregation in the loss of their pastor. Rev. Boyd was certainly one of the leaders in our denomination. … He has provided stellar leadership, very active in community and a heart for people, a great love of the gospel, a great preacher and a great singer.”
Boyd worked at the Shelby County Assessor’s Office as a community outreach coordinator for 12 years.
Yes We Do! Shaq Cites ‘Black People Don’t Like Pretzels’ as Reason He Sold His Auntie Anne’s Business
Basketball legend and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Nealhas managed to explore some pretty significant business ventures off the court.
However, when it came to one of his deals with Auntie Anne’s, the 15-time NBA All-Star did not quite think that move was a slam dunk.
In an interview last year on the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, Shaq gave an unusual reason why he decided to let go of his Auntie Anne’s stores.
“You know we love pizza. I sold my Auntie Anne’s. Because Black people don’t like pretzels that much. So I had to switch it up,” he said.
It’s unclear if the NBA Hall of Famer still owns all 17 of his Auntie Anne’s franchise stores across the U.S. that were reportedly in his portfolio.
The interviewer claimed that (Black) people eat cinnamon pretzels, but Shaq quickly rejected that statement during the on-stage banter, as he referenced only basing his business decisions on logic and rationale, not emotions.
Shaq has ventured into a variety of spaces that include Auntie Anne’s, a Krispy Kreme franchise, Five Guys restaurants, a movie theater, and several Papa John’s branches.
He even has a burger place named after him called Shaquille’sin Los Angeles.
In an interview with journalistGraham Bensinger, Shaq shared a conversation he had with his agent, and his biggest business mistake: turning down Starbucks due to a similar sentiment.
“’Howard Schultz wants to do business with you,’ And I’m like, ‘Coffee?’ Because growing up, in my household, I’d never seen a Black person drink coffee. ‘Black people don’t drink coffee, sir. I don’t think it’s going to work.’ And you should have seen his face,” Shaq recalled.
Despite seeing a Starbucks on almost every corner in major cities, he reflects back to the situation as a business lesson and what comes with making tough decisions.
Morehouse College Takes Top Prize at Black Enterprise’s HBCU Hackathon
The 7th Annual BE Smart Hackathon, hosted by BLACK ENTERPRISE and American Airlines, has come to a close, showcasing a multitude of prize-winning teams representing the “best of the best” in tech among HBCUs across the country.
The three-member team from Atlanta-based Morehouse College scored first place in the hotly-contested final round. Its innovative luggage tag app giving customers ease and affordability when checking baggage, impressed the BE Smart panel of judges composed of top executives from American and DXC Technology, among other tech companies.
The second and third-place winners came from Alabama A&M — Binary Beast for its rewards app and Team Tai for its innovative enhancement of AA’s Advantage program.
Held at AA’s spectacular Dallas-based campus, the event, produced under the theme: “Homecoming 2022: All Code, No Switch,” offered a highly-competitive field of 23 teams from 19 HBCUs. There were 111 students—the largest number to compete in the hack.
In addition to American Airlines, the host sponsor for the past four years, Hyatt also invested in the event as presenting sponsor, representing its first-time involvement with the event.
“Let me acknowledge our partner American Airlines for opening this magnificent venue and, equally important, its continued investment in Black tech and commitment to creating new and expansive opportunities for the brilliant talent coming out of our nation’s HBCUs,” Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr., CEO of Black Enterprise, says of the airline that has hired 65 Hackathon participants over the past four years. “We also appreciate Hyatt for its collaboration and engagement.”
Other sponsors included DXC Technology, Etsy, Mastercard, Now and Later, Rap Snacks and Teradata.
In winning the competition, each member of the Morehouse team reached 100,000 AA Advantage miles and two hotel night stays at a Hyatt hotel of the individual’s chosen designation. Moreover, Tram Morehouse will gain the coveted opportunity to present its winning concept to Hyatt’s Chief Information Officer at the company’s Chicago headquarters.
The Morehouse hackers were overwhelmed by their victory—especially given that they only had three team members while most schools had five people in each group.
Elijah Truitt, an 18-year-old computer science junior, says he and his comrades were initially shaken by losing a team member before the competition. “We came together to focus,” he says. “I learned that sometimes you have to do things [you didn’t expect] to do and that sometimes you have to accept that some things will happen that you didn’t plan.”
For example, Truitt was not the original choice to give the presentation at the final judging but stepped up to help his team score the win. Other members of the team were Kevin Drew and Trent Gaylord.
Beyond the intense 24-hour hack, students gained the opportunity to learn new, innovative approaches and make connections with some of the leading professionals in the tech space.
“This has been an amazing experience,” says Asa Rogers, who studies computer science and cybersecurity at Alabama A&M.
“I’ll be prepared to do so much more when I get back to school and during internships.”
Even with the display of proficient technical prowess, many HBCU students contend with barriers to entering the field. Challenges persist despite the 2021 Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus that these institutions contribute nearly $15 billion to the US economy and produce 42% of Black engineers and 47% of Black female engineers, respectively.
At the event, Black Enterprise held the Town Hall, “HBCUs: Developing Top Tech Talent,” featuring academicians from North Carolina A&T and Jackson State University as well as senior executives from American Airlines and Hyatt to identify ways to bolster Black student retention in STEM programs; strengthening HBCU-Corporate partnerships; and parity on the recruitment and elevation of Black talent.
All agreed that such platforms as the BE Smart Hackathon would help increase the flow of the pipeline of HBCU grads into promising STEM careers.
BLACK ENTERPRISE and American Airlines expect the event to be even bigger and better next year.
“We reserve the highest praise and appreciation for our participating historically Black institutions of higher learning. It bears reflection that HBCUs are the nation’s most undervalued resource. Year after year, these schools produce leaders and game-changers in every field.”
Tomias Davis, AA’s Development Program for Technology Director and one of the driving forces behind the BE Hackathon, told the scores of competitors: “You are all winners…You all exhibit HBCU excellence.”
Here are the first and second-place Hackathon winners:
Morehouse College
Elijah Truitt
Kevin Drew
Trent Gaylord
Second Place: Alabama A&M (Binary Beast)
Members:
Lyric Sampson
Da’Quandalon Daniel
Asa Rogers
Eyerusalem Girma
DeTavein Walker
Third Place: Alabama A&M (Tai)
Olasubomi Olawepo
Shemaiah Mbetwa
Mphande Phiri
Opeyeoluwa Olanipekun
Alabama A&M (Tai)Thanks
For more coverage and video footage on BE Smart Hackathon, visit the BLACK ENTERPRISEInstagram social media channel.
