• Technology

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 1, 2026

TikTok Creator Sparks Interest In Dr. Pepper With Her Viral Jingle

After watching the clip, you'll be hooked.

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A young content creator’s TikTok video has gone viral after she recorded an ode to Dr. Pepper, simply singing, “Dr. Pepper, baby, is good and nice.”

The creator, @romeosshow, begins the clip by announcing, “I have a theme song for Dr. Pepper, and it goes like this,” then sings a short verse while looking into the camera. Short and sweet, it caught viewers’ attention, with nearly two million likes and the Daily Dot reporting over 12 million views.

The clip was posted Dec. 23 and has caused many reactions. The TikToker, who has over 206,000 followers, tagged the soft drink company in the clip, asking Dr. Pepper to get back to her “with a proposition” so they can collaborate and make money together.

@romeosshow @Dr Pepper please get back to me with a proposition we can make thousands together. #drpepper #soda #beverage ♬ original sound – Romeo

The comments lit up with many appreciative posters letting Romeo know their thoughts and reactions.

One user joined her by backing her vocals with five clips of five different instruments, spliced into the video with her video standing out in the middle. The person using the screen name, thereiscoredit, replied to her video by writing, “Replying to @Dr Pepper what do we think, doc? #drpepper #soda #beverage #themesong #foryoupage @Romeo”

@thereiscoredit Replying to @Dr Pepper what do we think, doc? #drpepper #soda #beverage #themesong #foryoupage @Romeo ♬ Dr. Pepper Theme Song – there, i scored it

The amazing thing is that many people did follow-up clips themselves using Romeo’s vocals and thereiscoredit’s instrumental to join in the fun.

TikToker lowrider.mama0 added an animation featuring a dachshund to provide input on the trending clip.

@lowrider.mama0 This has been stuck in my head #drpepper #dachshunds #weineedog #weinerdog ♬ Dr. Pepper Theme Song – there, i scored it

TikToker monicajeffery4 encourages Dr. Pepper to sign the young lady to its label, forecasting that their sales would go up if they do so.

@monicajeffery4 Yassss, that even feels right🤭#fyp #fy #foryourpage #trend @Romeo I like the vibe young lady🤗@Dr Pepper ♬ Dr. Pepper Theme Song – there, i scored it

Soon after, Romeo dropped a theme song for Hyundai. That video has garnered over 2.5 million views. Seems this young creator might be on to something.

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 1, 2026

Missy Elliott Looks Back On Historic 6 Consecutive Platinum Albums

She and her mother, Patricia Elliott, also donated $50,000 to Portsmouth Volunteers For The Homeless in Virginia.

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Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott reacted (again) to a resurfaced announcement that she was the first female rapper to have six consecutive platinum-certified albums.

On Dec. 28, the “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” rapper acknowledged the feat, which actually occurred in January 2022, in response to a tweet sent by Claude G.

Revolt noted that Missy, who became the first female Hip-Hop artist in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, responded after the news was initially announced on social media more than five years ago when chart data had informed its audience of the feat on its social media account.

She called it a “HUGE MILESTONE.”

A day after Missy, who became the first female Hip-Hop artist inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, responded to Claude G.’s post, she and her mother, Patricia Elliott, donated $50,000 to Portsmouth Volunteers For The Homeless in Virginia. The organization posted a message from Elliott in recognition of the funds she donated. Missy hails from Portsmouth.

WRIC reported that the organization will use the money to provide food, shelter, and housing for those in need.

This took place at the Joe B. Fleming Building, where free lunch was provided to attendees in partnership with Third Baptist Church.

“Life is so short,” Patricia Elliott said. “You can be up today, and down tomorrow. But it doesn’t mean that you stay down, ’cause we were almost there, and that’s why it’s very sensitive to us that we give and we give back to the community.”

RELATED CONTENT: Missy Elliott Prepares First-Ever North American Tour

• BE Global

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 1, 2026

Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration Move, Keeps Protections For South Sudan Migrants

The judgment will protect close to 200 migrants from returning to South Sudan—for now.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is banned from stripping Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections away from close to 200 migrants from South Sudan on a temporary basis thanks to a ruling from a federal judge, The Hill reports. 

The goal of the ruling from U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley of Massachusetts is to make sure migrants can stay stateside until the judge considers the case more fully.

“Because of the serious consequences at stake, both for the Plaintiffs and the Defendants, the Court finds an administrative stay appropriate, as it would ‘minimize harm,’ while allowing the assigned District Court Judge the time this case deserves,” Kelley wrote.

Kelley will issue a new decision after receiving written briefing through Jan. 13, The Hill reports.

The TPS program, which permits migrants to stay in the U.S. and receive work authorization if they come from a country experiencing turmoil, has been at the forefront of conversation since the Biden administration. South Sudan falls in that category. Africa’s youngest country has been so riddled with violence that the U.S. State Department issued an advisory against Americans traveling there.

Despite the travel advisory, in November, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced after a review of the country’s conditions, its TPS status would end after Jan. 5. 

South Sudan, which joined the program in 2011 after gaining its independence, has close to 232 TPS recipients. According to Fox News, there are approximately 73 migrants from the country with pending applications, putting them at risk for deportation. The ruling, as a result of a lawsuit presented by African Communities Together and several South Sudanese TPS holders, claim without TPS, South Sudanese migrants would be ridded of their lawful status. 

If deported to South Sudan, the group would be at risk of receiving irreversible harm.

The Biden appointee labeled the issues as “legally complex” and touched on the  “serious, long-term consequences, including the risk of deadly harm.” The Trump administration felt the judge should deny the plaintiff’s request, arguing the group shouldn’t have waited more than six weeks after the announcement to sue. “It should not serve to directly enjoin Executive agency action, which is what Plaintiffs’ requested administrative stay would accomplish,” Trump’s DOJ said. 

Kelley, instead, rejected the administration’s arguments saying the government’s proposed approach could result in individual deportations.

Similar to protections for Haitians, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said TPS protections were “never designed to be permanent” and described the ruling as yet “another lawless and activist order from the federal judiciary who continues to usurp the President’s constitutional authority.” The Biden administration’s use of TPS, McLaughlin added in a statement, allowed “violent terrorists, criminals, and national security threats into our nation.”

Since 2013, battles have continued between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, which have caused thousands of deaths and nearly 2 million displacements. A February rift between the groups put residents, with a focus on women and children, at extreme risk, after reports of conflict-related sexual violence, killings and kidnappings flooded in.

RELATED CONTENT: Rubio: Trump Administration To Pull All Visas Held By South Sudanese

• HBCU

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 1, 2026

Legendary Choir Director Dr. S. Carver Davenport Celebrates 50 Years At Dillard University

Davenport has served as the associate professor of music and director of concert choir for the New Orleans-based HBCU since 1975.

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There has been a bold and vibrant sound from Dillard University over the last 50 years. It comes from the direction of Dr. S. Carver Davenport, the longest-serving HBCU choral director.

Davenport has been the associate professor of music and director of concert choir for the New Orleans-based HBCU since arriving there in 1975, Essence reports. Davenport worked with past Dillard leadership to set a fundamental foundation that helped save music education in NOLA. 

The Hampton University graduate came to Dillard after studying with his mentor, critically acclaimed composer Dr. Roland M. Carter. 

Davenport’s former students admit there was a better understanding of his teachings during his first years at Dillard, which came as Black America was trying to find its way in a newly desegregated country.

“We still had parts of our parents’ experiences from the Civil Rights Movement. While singing, we represented the children of the future,” said Courtney Carter, a student in the 1980s, highlighting that many of her classmates were second and third generation Bleu Devils. 

Dr. Valerie Anne Jones Francis, a 1979 choir member, remembered how the choir “exceeded the standard” under Davenport’s leadership.

“We learned classical music and understood the importance of singing negro spirituals in its original dialect,” the award-winning vocalist said. 

Davenport’s sound took the choir—and his career—to high and low places, including Houston, Memphis, and Chicago and serving as a sound of hope as New Orleans went through Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The choir performed for U.S. presidents such as Gerald Ford and Barack Obama and Davenport was the music director for the 1990 Super Bowl halftime show, the “Salute to New Orleans.” 

Davenport’s recognition comes when HBCU choirs are performing on world stages and going viral for their distinct Black sound. In June 2025, Florida Memorial University’s Ambassador Chorale performed at Carnegie Hall, according to HBCU Game Day. 

The Fellowship Gospel Choir of North Carolina A&T State University set another standard on social media after its outstanding rendition of Rickey Dillard’s “More Abundantly” went viral on social media. 

Texas College choir earned the 2025 University Choir of the Year at the annual Sound Awards in March, its first time receiving the award. Director Charles Shaw started the group with six members in 2022. It is now an ensemble of 70.

RELATED CONTENT: Dillard University President Seeks To Heal Black-Jewish Relations

• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 1, 2026

All About the Benjamin: Damon Dash’s Production Company Sold At Auction For $100—Yes, $100

Actually, $100.50.

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The misfortunes of former Roc-A-Fella Records CEO Damon Dash continue.

This time an auction of his film company, Poppington Inc., ended with an embarrassing bid to offset a $1 million judgment from his defamation lawsuits.

According to The New York Post, one of Dash’s debtors, Mike Muntaser, CEO of Muddy Water Motion Pictures, placed the winning bid. It only took $100.50 to obtain Dash’s now-former property.

This is the second auction held in New York for property owned by Dash.

On Nov. 14, an anonymous Albany representative purchased Dash’s one-third share of Roc-A-Fella Records (the other two shares belong to Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke) by placing a bid of $1 million.

The State of New York intends to resell its stake to recoup some of the funds spent, without taking on any additional risk, to recover the $8.7 million owed by Dash.

The latest auction was held after Dash refused (or did not have money) to pay the millions he owed to several debtors, including $973,000 to Muntaser after he lost a trio of civil lawsuits.

Muntaser, along with filmmaker Josh Webber, won a defamation and copyright infringement lawsuit against Dash after a dispute over the 2016 film Dear Frank.

Now, the CEO of Muddy Waters is the owner of Poppington LLC. The company was responsible for and held the rights to several of Dash’s projects made there, including Honor Up, which featured Dash, his cousin Stacey Dash of Clueless fame, and rapper-podcaster Cam’ron.

“I think he’s a fool, man,” said Muntaser.

Muntaser said since they are “grown men,” he and Dash could have hashed out their problems instead of dragging it out for years.

“He’s just a problem,” Muntaser said. “He has an ego. I think he’s just bitter [coming] from where he was to where he is, and he just blames everybody else and doesn’t look at himself in the mirror.”

The new owner of Poppington wonders what happened.

“For him being on a big stage with like Jay-Z and [Ye],” Muntaser said, “why are your peers doing good, [being] constructive and you’re just playing games with others? May God guide him.”

RELATED CONTENT: South Florida Cities Declare Dec. 12 ‘Saint Sauveur 1972 Haitian Heritage Rum Day’

• Events

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 31, 2025

Chance The Rapper To Headline New Year’s Rockin’ Eve In Chicago

New York City hosted the event for more than 50 years before Chicago got the nod.

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Chance the Rapper is set to represent his city as the headliner for the Chicago debut of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, which, for the first time ever, will ring in midnight live from the Windy City.

“I feel like there’s a huge responsibility when you’re showing off a city anyway,” he told ABC 7 Chicago. “And so we’ve been on a bunch of production calls, trying to make sure that there’s just like moments for all parts of Chicago to shine, to get to introduce this global city to the world. And also, like I said, I just want to have fun. I’m gonna be lit. It’s gonna be a great time.”

Chance the Rapper will be joined by a lineup of Chicago music heavyweights, including DJ Mike Dunn, DJ Mike P, J. Ivy, and Shemekia Copeland, performing on the main stage at the corner of West Wacker Drive and North Franklin Street in the Loop, starting at 9 p.m.

“I think our Chicago performers and our crowd out there is going to be excited. It’s the world stage, all the cameras pointed at Chicago,” Chance said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chance The Rapper ⭐️ (@chancetherapper)

Beyond the music, Chicago will showcase its beauty and charm with a custom audio-visual display projected from ART on THE MART starting at 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET). Between performing and co-hosting alongside Seacrest, Chance the Rapper is set to keep busy all night. Chance The Rapper’s performance will be at 9 p.m. CT (10 p.m. ET)

“I’m going to have my host hat on most of the night. I’m going to be interacting with my other co-host and just showing the city to the world,” he said. “But at the end of the night, I’m going to be performing the song called ‘No More Old Men.’ I truly believe it’s probably the most important song that I’ve written. I think it encapsulates childhood in a way that I haven’t really been able to get across and also manhood in a way that I don’t think it expressed a lot in music.”

Before Chicago got the nod, Times Square was the regular spot for New Year’s Rockin’ Eve since 1972.

RELATED CONTENT: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Check Out These Turn-ups

• Food

by Mitti Hicks

December 31, 2025

SNAP Ban On Candy, Soda, And ‘Junk Foods’ Goes Into Effect Jan. 1

The first five state bans will impact about 1.4 million people.

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The New Year is bringing new restrictions and bans for Americans living in five states who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, people living in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia will not be able to purchase soda, candy, or other “junk food” items.

These states are the first five of at least 18 states that have enacted waivers prohibiting certain foods for SNAP recipients. According to the Associated Press, it’s part of a push by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to eliminate what they deem as unhealthy foods from those who receive benefits on the federal program.

“We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create,” Kennedy said in a statement in December.

In Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, the health secretary, who has no formal medical or public health training, says this effort will help reduce chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes associated with sweetened drinks and foods.

But industry experts, including retail and health policy leaders, say banning certain foods will not solve these problems.

“Broadening restrictions essentially tells these families they can’t be trusted to make their own food choices, which is both demeaning and, according to the evidence, ineffective at improving nutrition behaviors,” said Kate Bauer, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in a statement. “We all deserve dignity.”

Even more concerning is that a report from the National Grocers Association and other trade groups estimates the restrictions would cost U.S. retailers $1.6 billion initially and an additional $759 million every year after.

The first five state waivers will impact about 1.4 million people. Utah and West Virginia will reportedly ban SNAP benefits from being used to buy soda and other soft drinks. Recipients in Nebraska will prohibit the sale of soda and energy drinks. In Indiana, soft drinks and candy cannot be purchased.

Iowa has the most restrictive rules. SNAP restrictions target taxable foods, including soda, candy, and certain prepared foods. Since 2008, under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, SNAP benefits could be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption.” The only exceptions were alcohol, ready-to-eat hot foods, and tobacco.

The new ban will last for at least two years. States will have the option to extend them for an additional three. Each state will be required to assess the impact of the changes.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Administration Threatens To Withhold SNAP Benefits From Blue States That Fail To Release Immigration Data

• Food

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 31, 2025

Good Fortune On A Plate: Inside Black New Year’s Food Traditions

Here's the tradition that lies behind signature soul food dishes served on New Year's Eve.

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Black-eyed peas, collard greens, tender pork, and cornbread are typical staples in Black households on New Year’s Eve and day. But when was the last time you stopped to think about why?

On New Year’s Eve, cultures around the world follow traditions filled with symbolism and superstition, all in the hopes of welcoming good luck in the new year ahead, according to CNN. People of Spanish descent might eat 12 grapes at midnight; in Japanese culture, Toshikoshi Soba noodles are eaten for long life; and lentils in Italy represent coins.

But for millions of African Americans, cooking black-eyed peas, prosperity greens, and other soul food staples isn’t just about luck; it’s a celebration of resilience, heritage, and triumph that’s been passed down for generations.

The tradition is thought to have roots in the South, tracing back to Africa and the West Indies people who brought these recipes during enslavement. Enslaved cooks transformed scraps and less desirable cuts of meat discarded by masters into flavorful dishes that have since become soul food staples—each carrying deep meaning, especially when served for the New Year.

Black-eyed peas are a New Year’s Eve staple in many Black households. Symbolizing luck and prosperity, they’re often served in Hoppin’ John—a mix of black-eyed peas, rice, and sometimes pork—believed to bring financial fortune in the year ahead.

Leafy greens—like collard, mustard, or turnip—often accompany black-eyed peas and pork, symbolizing money, wealth, and good fortune. They are simmered slowly with ham hocks, smoked turkey, or bacon. Tradition holds that the darker and more abundant the greens, the greater the luck for prosperity in the coming year.

Cornbread is a staple at any soul food meal, but on New Year’s Eve, it takes on extra significance—symbolizing gold and wealth. It’s usually baked, fried, or made into muffins, and often served alongside greens and black-eyed peas to create a full “luck plate.” Other popular sides include cabbage, symbolizing prosperity and financial gain, usually boiled or sautéed with other greens. Sweet potatoes or yams, which represent nourishment, abundance, and sweetness in life, are often served candied, mashed, or baked.

Pork is a popular protein in many Black households on New Year’s Eve, symbolizing progress and forward movement—pigs naturally root forward while foraging. Chitlins (the small intestines of pig), ham, pork chops, or roast pork are regular presences during the holiday, carrying this symbolic meaning into the new year.

Fish, served fried, baked, or in stews, is another popular choice on New Year’s Eve, often replacing pork for those seeking abundance and fertility in the year ahead. Its scales are said to symbolize coins.

The tradition of good luck extends to desserts and drinks, with sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and fruitcakes symbolizing sweetness for the year ahead. Champagne or sparkling cider is often served at midnight to toast new beginnings and celebration. Some families have their own traditions, like eating greens at the stroke of midnight or hiding a lucky coin in a cake.

The true beauty is in these rituals, passed down through generations and cherished over time.

RELATED CONTENT: Sip, Celebrate, Support: Black Champagne Brands To Celebrate The Holidays

• Money

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 31, 2025

Why The U.S. Dollar No Longer Gives Americans A Bang For Their Buck

Tariffs, rising prices, and global competition are squeezing Americans’ buying power.

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The value of the U.S. dollar is starting to separate from its famous “bang for your buck” mantra. There are several reasons why. 

Compared with its global competitors, the American dollar fell short in 2025, declining 10% on the Dollar Index, which measures its value against other foreign currencies, Business Insider reports. There are several reasons that serve as catalysts for the dollar’s depreciation, including the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates, which makes the dollar less attractive to investors. 

Then there are President Donald Trump’s tariff wars, which have put specific markets in turmoil and put a damper on consumers’ pockets. Trump once took a contradictory stance on the weaker dollar, claiming the country would make more money as it declined.

“When we have a strong dollar, one thing happens: It sounds good,” he said during a July press conference. “But you don’t do any tourism. You can’t sell tractors, you can’t sell trucks, you can’t sell anything.” 

He was right: a declining dollar means prices will continue to rise. In November 2025, prices were up 2.7%. While it was under experts’ expectations, consumers were left with less buying power.

According to Wired, in 2026, the real competition for the dollar will be technology—specifically, alternative payment systems structured to bypass dollar-based channels. There seems to be a race to create the best systems around the world. mBridge is described as a project where central banks in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates work with the Bank for International Settlements in an effort to build a system that will permit countries to pay each other almost instantly by using their own digital versions of national currencies. 

Another budding system is BRICS pay, allowing BRICS+ countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to send money to each other for trade and investment purposes directly in their own currencies. The systems are thought to make trading faster, cheaper, and less dependent on the dollar.

The moves could also make traveling abroad more expensive for Americans.

RELATED CONTENT: The U.S. Dollar Takes A Dip On Election Day

• Politics

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 31, 2025

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Calls Rise In Latino Border Patrol Agents ‘Sad,’ DHS Accuses Her Of Race-Baiting

Federal data show that more than half of agents on the southern border are Hispanic.

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is criticizing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass after she commented on reports of a rise in Latino hires among U.S. Border Patrol agents.

On Dec. 29, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin addressed Mayor Bass’s recent CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer, in which Bass described the reported increase in Latino recruitment among U.S. Border Patrol agents as “sad.” According to McLaughlin, Bass’s comments “only reveal how detached she is from reality and how averse she is to the rule of law and public safety,” and accused her of “race-baiting for media clicks,” Newsweek reports.

Bass, who recently announced her re-election bid, made the remarks on Dec. 26 during an appearance on Wolf Blitzer’s The Situation Room, expressing concern over the growing number of Latinos joining the Border Patrol.

“Well, in a way, I think it’s sad,” Bass responded after Blizter asked for a reaction to David Culver’s CNN report about the Latino hiring increase. “I think that those Border Patrol agents are going to have a difficult time when they’re out in the field, and they see what actually happens in real life, separate from their training. But I do understand that their primary incentive is financial. I think it just speaks to the financial situation that millions of Americans find themselves in. And I definitely am concerned about that report.”

@nypost

Los Angeles Democratic Mayor Karen Bass expressed disappointment and concern with Hispanics joining Border Patrol — arguing they’re only doing it for the paycheck. More details at the link in bio.

♬ original sound – New York Post | News

For his report, Culver spoke with 20-year-old Border Patrol recruit Juan Peralta, who said friends back home were surprised by his decision to join and would ask, “How do you feel about arresting your own kind?”

“And how do you answer that when you hear that?” Culver asked.

Peralta responded, “They didn‘t come in the right way. So, they aren‘t my kind.”

CBP reports that applications have risen 70% compared to last year, and federal data shows that more than half of agents on the southern border are Hispanic.

RELATED CONTENT: Reporter Unveils Secret Partnership Between TSA, ICE To Align With Trump’s Anti-Immigration Policies