Snoop Dogg Purchases Ethereum Ownership NFTs in Ice Cube’s BIG3 League
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 12, 2022

Snoop Dogg Purchases Ethereum Ownership NFTs in Ice Cube’s BIG3 League

In April, entrepreneur Ice Cube announced that as his BIG3 basketball league approached its fifth season,  fans would an opportunity to own a minority stake in its 12 teams.

Cube’s big homie, Snoop Dogg, is part of the club.

The BIG3 announced that the “Dogfather” and the co-founder of PayPal, Ken Howery, have partnered to purchase 25 Fire-Tier editions of Bivouac, receiving ownership-like value and utility in the team.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Snoop, Ken and their communities on board with the BIG3,” Ice Cube, the league’s co-founder, said in a written statement.

“Having someone with Ken’s knowledge and experience wanting to be a part of our league demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction,” he added. “Snoop is an undisputed legend who has jumped headfirst into the Web3 space and clearly understands the importance and the value of what we are trying to create. Together, I know they will take Bivouac to new heights and we can’t wait to get started.”

This recent purchase comes after the BIG3 announced that NFT communities DeGods, Gary Vaynerchuk and VeeFriends, Bill Lee and MyDoge/DogeCoin, and Krause House individually bought all 25 Fire-Tiers of the Killer 3’s, Trilogy, Aliens, and Ball Hogs basketball teams.

In a move that was being hailed as a first in professional sports, the BIG3 presented decentralized team ownership. Anyone interested in team ownership had two options covering 12,000 editions, 1,000 for each of the league’s 12 teams: 25 Fire priced at $25,000 each and 975 Gold priced at $5,000 each.

All editions include voting rights toward team actions, gameday experiences, and VIP tickets to all games as well as merchandise and memorabilia. The Fire editions feature exclusive intellectual property and licensing rights to team names, logos, and merchandise as well as additional game day activations.

BIG3 returns for its fifth season June 18 with live coverage across CBS and Paramount+.

Rodney King’s Youngest Daughter Arrested For Burglary After Going Missing for 11 Days
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 12, 2022

Rodney King’s Youngest Daughter Arrested For Burglary After Going Missing for 11 Days

Rodney King‘s youngest daughter was arrested and sitting in jail for the 11 days her family thought she was missing.

On Tuesday, the LAPD confirmed that Tristan Uniqua King, 29 was in police custody on suspicion of a residential burglary. King was reported missing on Friday after last being seen in Las Vegas on April 26, NBC News reports.

“She told her family she was traveling to the Los Angeles area to ‘visit the beach in Santa Monica and family in Fullerton,”‘ Santa Monica police Lt. Rudy Flores said on Tuesday morning while her whereabouts were still unknown.

King had last contacted her family on April 27 and “told them that she lost her cell phone and was using a ‘stranger’s phone,'” Flores said.

Authorities confirmed King was taken into custody around 11:50 a.m. April 28 and charged with burglary. She pleaded not guilty on May 3 but remains at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood in lieu of $25,000 bail.

News of the arrest came one day after King’s sister took to Facebook to reveal her sister had been missing for 11 days after traveling to Los Angeles from Las Vegas. On Tuesday, Lora King updated her followers and said her sister had been found safe in Lynwood.

“Again, thank you so much for all of your help,” Lora captioned an Instagram post. “My sister has been found safe in Lynwood California 🙏🏽🙏🏽 Thank you LORD.”

 

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A post shared by Lora Dene King (@lora_kingrkf)

King is the youngest daughter of Rodney King. He became a national sensation after being a victim of police brutality and his beating by LAPD officers was caught on video. Outrage over the footage sparked the 1992 LA Riots after the officers involved were acquitted.

Tristan King is due back in court on May 16 for a preliminary hearing, Fox LA reports.

New Report: Chipotle Disproportionately Denies Management Opportunities to Qualified Black Applicants
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 12, 2022

New Report: Chipotle Disproportionately Denies Management Opportunities to Qualified Black Applicants

32BJ SEIU and Fast Food Union released a shocking report today titled, “Unequal Opportunity: Uncovering Discrimination in Hiring at Chipotle Mexican Grill,” with research by the Equal Rights Center, which found that Chipotle Mexican Grill significantly favored white applicants over similarly qualified Black applicants for open store management positions.

According to the report, Chipotle recruiters contact white applicants regarding significantly more store manager jobs than similarly situated Black applicants. The Equal Rights Center set up a bot to apply for Chipotle management positions across the country that used resumes that would appear similarly well-qualified for the store manager positions while signifying differences in race, then documented employer responses. The ERC sent 624 total applications (312 applicant pairs). Applicants with white sounding names were contacted regarding significantly more job opportunities.

Chipotle’s hiring practices may exacerbate existing racial inequalities within the company. According to Chipotle’s own data from 2020, Black or African American workers make up 19 percent of their hourly restaurant workers nationally, but only 11 percent for salaried store managers, 6 percent for senior field managers and corporate staff, and zero percent of Chipotle’s executive leadership team.

The report findings do not comport with public statements made by Chipotle that the company is committed to ending racial inequity and come a day after New York State Comptroller issued a statement on behalf of the New York State Common Retirement Fund calling on fellow Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. investors to support the Fund’s shareholder proposal calling for an independent audit of the company’s practices related to civil rights, racial equity, diversity and inclusion and how these affect the company’s business. Civil rights groups and labor leaders have joined workers to demand Chipotle do better.

Chipotle worker Dashea Pringle said, “Unfortunately, I’m not at all surprised by the findings of this report on racial discrimination in hiring at Chipotle. As a Black woman, I’ve felt like there are different rules for me than other workers in my store and like the work isn’t distributed equally. I’ve had few Black coworkers and no Black managers in my store. I want to be a role model for my children and keep fighting for our rights, but it’s hard when it feels like there are unspoken rules about who gets management opportunities at Chipotle.”

Chipotle worker John Larkin said, “Chipotle says that Black Lives Matter to them, but then why am I the only Black worker at my store and why haven’t I ever seen any Black managers since I’ve been working at Chipotle? A few other Black workers started at my store since I’ve been here but left because they didn’t feel welcome. I would love to see more Black workers in leadership at Chipotle. It would make me feel like this company values racial equity.”

32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg said, “Black and brown workers have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19. Instead of taking meaningful action to address racial and economic inequalities within its company, we have learned that Chipotle is exacerbating those inequities through its hiring practices. Chipotle can and must do better. We stand with Chipotle workers as they fight for racial justice in the workplace.”

Former Chipotle worker and current Fast Food Union Organizer Richard Figueroa said, “I worked at Chipotle through a rat infestation and through this pandemic, but the company fired me for being late to a shift that I repeatedly told them I couldn’t work because I had to take my six-year-old daughter to school. I don’t know if I would have been fired if I wasn’t Black, but I do know that Chipotle didn’t treat me right when they left me jobless just before Christmas. Now, I’m organizing my former coworkers to join a union because I’m a proud Black father to a Black daughter who I want to see grow up without having to deal with racial discrimination at work.”

Amanda Jackson, senior campaign director at Color Of Change said, “Modern industries were built on the exploitation of Black labor and continued hiring practices both reflect and perpetuate vast inequalities. For decades, employers have been able to circumvent federal employment law through racist hiring that continuously shuts out Black talent. The troubling discovery within Chipotle’s business practices is a part of a long line of corrupted corporate behavior that must be eradicated. Color Of Change is committed to demanding equity from corporations who claim to stand with racial justice and will continue to support Black workers in every industry.”

Never Run Out of Digital Space Again with Prism Drive
by Black Enterprise Shop

May 12, 2022

Never Run Out of Digital Space Again with Prism Drive

The more electronic devices you have, the greater value memory holds. Whether it’s space on your phone for photos or videos, or space on your laptop or desktop for files, sufficient amounts of memory to store those items are as important as the files themselves. There’s no worse feeling than receiving the dreaded message that your memory is full.

Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage is the solution to all of your memory-related woes. For a limited time, it’s available for just $49. That’s a savings of 93% from its MSRP ($790).

With Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage, you can save any type of file, from any device, and access it from anywhere. It allows you to do so in a fast, simple, and secure method.

This offer gives you a lifetime subscription to 2 terabytes of memory that’s bolstered by zero-knowledge encryption and password-protected sharing. With this product, you can share large video files, graphics, and audio with ease. Shareable links allow you to create access points to the files you wish to send to friends, family, and colleagues.

Access and upload your files from any location, and preview files inline, eliminating the need to download them as with other programs.

The drag-and-drop feature provides a way to upload, select, and movie files and folders. You don’t have to worry about accidentally deleting files, as the trash recovery system keeps them stored and recoverable for 30 days. This product is compatible with iOS 10.0 or later or Android 4.1 or later, or any web browser.

“Easy to download and use. I bought 2TB for one year and this will help keep all my data safe in one location and give me the easy access I need to use it,” writes reviewer Amir Khulad.

Insufficient storage is the last thing you should have to worry about when using your favorite electronic device. With Prism Drive Secure Cloud Storage, rest assured knowing you’ll have more than enough. Purchase it today.

Prices subject to change.

Senate Confirms Lisa Cook As First Black Woman On Federal Reserve Board
by Derek Major

May 11, 2022

Senate Confirms Lisa Cook As First Black Woman On Federal Reserve Board

The Senate voted to confirm Michigan State University professor Lisa Cook to the Federal Reserve Board as Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote.

The Hill reports senators voted 50-50 along party lines on Cook’s confirmation, with Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. The confirmation makes Cook the first Black woman to serve as governor of the Fed Board.

Cook previously served as a White House Council of Economic Advisors member during the Obama administration. She also serves on the executive committee of the American Economic Association. Cook’s confirmation makes her President Joe Biden‘s second-confirmed Fed nominee and his first addition to the Fed Board.

Biden was urged to nominate Cook by Democratic lawmakers and liberal policy groups as soon as he clinched the presidential election. One of Cook’s most prominent supporters is former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, who cited her groundbreaking research into the economic effects of racism and deep knowledge of economic history that would bring a fresh perspective to the central bank.

“We know that she understands how economic policy affects all kinds of different people in different parts of the country — from the rural South where she grew up to the industrial Midwest, where she built her career,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said in a statement.

Cook’s supporters also touted her deep knowledge of global financial stability issues as the Fed continues to deal with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the inflation rate being at its highest in four decades, supply chain issues have not subsided, gas prices will continue rising, and many expect the U.S. to hit a recession within the next 12 to 18 months, making Cook’s appointment even more important.

Republicans pushed back, citing Cook’s limited academic focus on monetary economics and politically charged tweets in their arguments that she was unqualified for the Fed Board.

Democrats have responded, saying Republican concerns are overblown and hypocritical, citing broad support for former President Donald Trump’s fed nominees, including Steven Moore and Herman Cain, neither of which received enough Republican support to overcome unanimous Democratic opposition.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Announces New R&B Label, Love Records and Partnership with Motown Records
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2022

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Announces New R&B Label, Love Records and Partnership with Motown Records

Sean “Diddy” Combs has revved his engines back up and announced a new partnership with Motown Records.

The entertainment mogul has introduced his latest label, Love Records. In this newest collaboration, Combs has signed a one-time album deal with the legendary imprint Motown Records, Billboard reports.

What’s different about the new label is hip-hop’s absence, as the iconic producer will only focus on R&B music. The label head will release singles and collaborative projects from a group of world-class artists, producers, and songwriters. This marks a triumphant return to R&B music for the multitalented executive.

“Music has always been my first love; Love Records is the next chapter; [it] is about getting back to the love and making the best music of my life,” said Diddy in a written statement.

“For the label, I’m focused on creating timeless rhythm and blues music with the next generation of artists and producers. Motown is the perfect partner for my album and I’m excited to add to its legacy.”

The first album under Love Records is slated to be released this summer.

Motown Records Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman Ethiopia Habtemariam stated, “This is a major moment for Motown, as Diddy is one of this century’s most important voices in music and culture. To be a part of his next evolution and album is nothing short of monumental.”

Combs will continue to oversee his successful Bad Boy Entertainment label.

The music producer and executive has worked with artists such as Mary J. Blige, The Notorious B.I.G., Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Boyz II Men, Britney Spears, Kanye West, and many others throughout his illustrious career as a hitmaker.

Combs, the executive producer for this weekend’s 2022 Billboard Music Awards, announced that Travis Scott would be taking the stage earlier this week.

In a video clip the Bad Boy executive posted to his Instagram account, Combs stated that he demanded Scott perform at the awards show, and NBC said yes.

“I have some great, breaking news. This just in. For the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday, I made a request, I made a demand. I said my brother Travis Scott has to perform. Diddy’s hosting the show. I’m executive producing, he has to perform and NBC said yes. So, it’s going down. Sunday, Travis Scott will be performing, yes, let’s go, now that’s love.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 11, 2022

Bishop Vashti McKenzie to Lead National Council of Churches

Retired bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Vashti McKenzie has been named the interim president and general secretary of the National Council of Churches (NCC).

On Tuesday, the NCC announced McKenzie would succeed Jim Winkler, who resigned from the post on Jan. 31 after serving in the role since 2013, Religion News reports. McKenzie’s term kicked off on April 1 and will continue for two years.

“I look forward to the opportunity to enhance the great work that the NCC has already done and look for strategic ways to amplify its voice,” McKenzie said in a statement.

“It is critical in this season of divisiveness in our country that we remain vigilant and visible advocates and bridge builders.”

The NCC consists of 37 member church denominations, including Protestant, Anglican, historic African American, evangelical, Orthodox, and peace churches. McKenzie is the first woman to double serve in two key roles as the general secretary and president of the NCC.

She is only the third woman and first African American woman to serve as general secretary. McKenzie retired from the AME Church last July after being named bishop in 2000. She was the first woman to serve as bishop in the historically Black church’s more-than-200-year history.

“The National Council of Churches is blessed to have Bishop McKenzie in this key leadership role,” Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, board chair and the leader of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church congregations in Florida and Alabama said.

“She brings the necessary insight, expertise, and ecumenical commitment to the Council.”

The NCC was officially founded in 1950 after its initial work in the Federal Council of Churches in 1908. In recent years, the organization has focused on combating racism in the country.

A recent retreat in Montgomery, Alabama, reintroduced NCC’s “A.C.T. NOW to End Racism” initiative that was first brought about in 2018.

Black Commuters Spending 58% More Than White Peers to Get to Work Post-COVID
by Jeffrey McKinney

May 11, 2022

Black Commuters Spending 58% More Than White Peers to Get to Work Post-COVID

The cost of commuting for Black Americans is 58 percent higher compared to their white counterparts, a new study shows.

Research by Clever Real Estate showed the annual commuting expense for the average American is $8,466. The expense is 19 percent of the median annual income for Blacks, $43,674, based on Census data. In comparison, the expense is only 12 percent of the median annual income of $68,943 for whites. With Black Americans earning less, the commuting difference is 58 percent higher for Black commuters.

Clever, a real estate data company, performed an analysis for BLACK ENTERPRISE. The latest findings are also tied to Clever’s new study, “Best and Worst Cities for Commuters 2022.” All told, the study showed that  costs over $2,000—or 31 percent more in expenses and 20 percent more in time—to travel to work than before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2000. Skyrocketing gas prices and inflation at a 40-year-high are contributing factors as to why people in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail are paying more to get to work.

The study revealed the average U.S. commuter spends roughly 19 percent of their salaries on commuting annually. This includes $867 on fuel and $410 on vehicle maintenance.

And the picture is bleaker for Blacks.

“It highlights several realities,” says Taelor Candiloro, a Clever research analyst and the study’s author. “Due to a history of racial discrimination across the U.S., Black Americans have been systematically barred from the tools needed to build intergenerational wealth.”

She noted other sociocultural factors—like bias in the workplace—also negatively affect the opportunities Black Americans have for economic mobility and earning potentials across racial demographics.

Making matters worse, 23 percent of Black adults rely on public transportation in the U.S. compared to just 7 percent of white adults, based on a Pew Research Center report. Candiloro says this difference could be partially attributed to the cost disparity of car commuting.

The study comes as a growing number of companies are changing over to a perpetual system of remote and hybrid work. And with some experts predicting the average price for a gallon of gas likely won’t fall under $4 until November, higher communing costs could be around for a while.

On the tips front, Candiloro says, “Black commuters can reduce their travel to work by carpooling” and to consider alternative routes to and from work to reduce travel time.

Other findings from the Clever study disclosed Buffalo, New York, as the number-one city for commuters, “where residents spend the least amount of their annual income on their commute at 15 percent.” Buffalo was followed by Salt Lake City, Utah, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,.Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Cleveland, Ohio among the top five.

Detroit was tagged the worst city for commuters. The study showed that Motor City residents spend on average 29 percent of their annual earnings on commuting, amounting to about $12,801.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 11, 2022

NBA Hall of Fame Center Bob Lanier Dead at 73

The world has lost an NBA Hall of Fame center who died at 73 on Tuesday.

According to NBA.com, Bob Lanier, one of the NBA’s top players in the 1970s, died Tuesday after a short illness. The prolific basketball player took on the role of the NBA’s global ambassador and special assistant to former NBA commissioner David Stern and current commissioner Adam Silver.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reflected on the NBA great when he released a statement on his passing:

“Bob Lanier was a Hall of Fame player and among the most talented centers in the history of the NBA, but his impact on the league went far beyond what he accomplished on the court. For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the game’s values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere. It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. His enormous influence on the NBA was also seen during his time as President of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement.”

After he led St. Bonaventure University to the Final Four in 1970, Detroit drafted Lanier as the No. 1 pick. The All-Star center was in the NBA for 14 seasons playing for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds throughout his career. He is third on the Pistons’ career list in points and rebounds.

Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 1995, Lanier became an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, then became an interim coach the season after Don Nelson resigned. The Warriors had a 12-25 record, and the Warriors went with another coach after the season.

Rasheeda Talks New Show ‘Boss Moves’ and Going Into Business With A Spouse
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 11, 2022

Rasheeda Talks New Show ‘Boss Moves’ and Going Into Business With A Spouse

Entrepreneur and reality star Rasheeda Frost is back and better than ever, and this time around, she’s letting the cameras follow her Boss Moves!

Rasheeda and Kirk Frost are known for being transparent with their personal lives on reality television. While they focused more on their marital woes and family dynamic on Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta, the former rapper has a new show to motivate the next generation of business owners.

While speaking exclusively with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Rasheeda dished on her new show, Boss Moves. It gives fans a peek inside her personal life and career as an entrepreneur while spotlighting how she built her thriving fashion and beauty businesses.

Rasheeda’s return to reality television will welcome audiences into her homes and businesses and behind the scenes of her many financial decisions. Whether she’s tackling the restaurant game with Frost Bistro & Bar or international real estate with the purchase of a home in The Bahamas—nothing is out of bounds when it comes to the “certified boss chick” Rasheeda.

She also explains how her start in music and working as an independent artist helped pave the lane for her entrepreneurial endeavors. As a fan favorite reality TV superstar and former rapper, many often forget that Rasheeda is also a highly successful entrepreneur and mogul in the making.

Whether the Atlanta-native is showing viewers around her Pressed boutique, filled with her best fashion finds, or cooking up new cuisines in her lavish kitchen, she’s always in boss mode strategizing her next big move.

Not to forget being a wife, mother, daughter, and friend to a slew of familiar famous faces. Viewers will be able to find Boss Moves on the streaming service Philo and through the entertainment company, Kin’s owned and operated social media platforms.

Press play below to hear Rasheeda dish on her new show and the other business dreams she hopes to make a reality.

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