• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 21, 2022

Passenger Loses It: Woman Arrested After Pulling Emergency Inflatable Slide to Escape Airplane

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A traveler on an airplane faces several charges after she dared to open the emergency exit door of an aircraft as it was about to take off in New York.

According to WIVB, 24-year-old Cynthia McKnight who hails from Sacramento, California, was arrested at Buffalo Niagara International Airport Tuesday night. Her arrest was described as “unruly behavior,” and she was handed a number of charges, including disorderly conduct, harassment, trespass, and criminal mischief, due to opening a side emergency door on the airplane and sliding down the inflatable slide to the tarmac.

The pilot was reportedly about to take off for the planned destination, but the aircraft had to return to the gate due to the passenger’s action.

American Airlines released a statement regarding the incident.

“Shortly after pushback from the gate at Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) on April 19, American Eagle Flight 3933, with service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), returned to the gate due to a disruptive customer. Prior to reattaching the jet bridge, the disruptive customer opened the main boarding door, which deployed the emergency slide, and exited the aircraft onto the ramp. The individual was quickly apprehended by local law enforcement and has been placed on American’s internal refuse list pending further investigation. We thank our team members for their professionalism and action to ensure the safety of our customers and crew.”

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown, who happened to be onboard the flight, posted about the incident to his Twitter account.

Sitting on a plane. A lady is pissed. Lady pulls the emergency inflatable slide to escape the plane. Lady is running wild through the tarmac currently. Cops have arrived. Flight ruined. Memories made. Noice 👍🏼

— Spencer Brown (@TooTallo_o) April 19, 2022

And off into the sunset she goes folks 😂 pic.twitter.com/ig4FFtE5An

— Spencer Brown (@TooTallo_o) April 19, 2022

“Cynthia McKnight faces a number of charges including disorderly conduct, harassment, trespass, and criminal mischief,” Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Director of Public Affairs Helen Tederous said in a written statement. “According to detectives, McKnight actually opened the cabin door of the plane. The American Airlines flight was on route to Chicago.”

Shaquille O’Neal is a big man who isn’t too big to admit that the cause of his divorce was entirely his fault.

According to the New York Post, the NBA Hall of Famer opened up about the cause of the divorce from his ex-wife, Shaunie O’Neal.

The TNT announcer appeared on an episode of The Pivot Podcast on Tuesday and revealed, “I was bad,” before admitting, “She was awesome. She really was. It was all me,” when discussing his relationship with Shaunie.

The 50-year-old Shaq tied the knot with Shaunie in 2002. The two were together for five years before separating in 2007. However, they briefly reconciled before splitting again.

Shaunie, the creator of The Basketball Wives series, ultimately filed for divorce for the second time in 2009, and the marriage was dissolved in 2011. The couple has four children: Shareef, 22; Amirah, 20; Shaqir, 19; and Me’arah, 15.

On a podcast hosted by Channing Crowder, Ryan Clark, and Fred Taylor, Shaq said he felt lost after they were divorced and realized he had everything and doesn’t blame her at all.

“Sometimes when you live that double life, you get caught up. I’m not going to say it was her. It was all me,” he said.

“She did exactly what she was supposed to do and gave me beautiful kids, take care of the house, take care of the corporate stuff,” Shaq said. “It was just all me. Sometimes, when you make a lot of mistakes like that, you can’t really come back from that.”

Shaunie recently got engaged in November 2021 to Pastor Keion Henderson.

“She’s happy now,” Shaq stated. “She’s about to marry a fine, young gentleman, and I’m happy for her, and we have a great relationship.”

Shaq isn’t doing too bad as he is expanding his fast-casual chicken restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, after inking a 50-unit deal in Texas.

According to QSR magazine, Big Chicken will be opening shop in four of the largest Texas markets— Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin. While they say everything is “bigger” in Texas, Big Chicken is known for serving a fusion of home-cooked childhood favorites with the “BIGGEST” new flavors.

A&E Network will drop the documentary series Origins of Hip Hop from Mass Appeal (“Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men,” “Rapture”), taking an intricate look at the journey of some of the most celebrated stars and the unique experiences that shaped them as groundbreaking artists.

The series, which spans eight hours, will explore the beginnings of Busta Rhymes, Eve, Fat Joe, Grandmaster Flash, Ice-T, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, and Uncle Luke. According to a press release, they take viewers into their world as they reflect on their personal journeys and the evolutions of their artistic points of view through their own eyes.

“’Origins of Hip Hop’ expands our boundary-pushing nonfiction programming slate and celebrates the artists and sounds that have helped define a genre and culture,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, EVP and Head of Programming for A&E. “Alongside our partners at Mass Appeal, we are excited to elevate the voices and stories of this incredible group of artists who helped create and continue to shape the genre today.”

During each episode, the series will dwell on the upbringing that brought each artist to the point of wanting to pursue a career in hip-hop. They will reflect on the moments that shaped them, the obstacles, and the lessons they learned along the way. Archival footage will be shown, with rapper Nas providing the narration.

According to the site, “The series further brings these stories to life through narration by renowned rapper Nas, rare archival footage of the stars, and their beloved music. The premiere episode of Origins of Hip Hop focuses on the journey and struggles of one of the genre’s first Latino superstars, Fat Joe, as he reflects on the immense highs and lows of his career and life so far.”

Narrated by renowned rapper Nas, Origins of Hip Hop premieres Monday, May 30, at 10 pm ET/PT, exploring the story of Fat Joe, before moving to its regular night on Tuesdays starting June 6, at 10 pm ET/PT.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 21, 2022

‘Superfly’ Actor Kaalan Walker Convicted Of Serial Rape of Teens & Women He ‘Lied’ to About Knowing Drake

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Actor Kaalan Walker, best known for his role in the film reboot of Superfly, was convicted of “sophisticated” serial rape of four women and three teens that could put him behind bars for 100 years.

On Monday, a Los Angeles County jury found Walker, 27, guilty of raping six victims and sexually assaulting a seventh woman during “sophisticated” attacks between 2013 and late 2018, Rolling Stone reports. Three of the rape victims were 16-year-old aspiring models at the time of the attacks.

A split jury acquitted Walker of charges related to three of the 10 victims, including two charges of forcible rape. The actor, who acted alongside Halle Berry in the 2017 Kings, sobbed after hearing the verdict, pleading his innocence.

“I didn’t rape anybody, your honor. I did not rape anybody,” Walker shouted while being handcuffed and escorted to jail.

His attorney, Andrew Flier, says the actor plans to file an appeal after being found guilty on three counts of forcible rape, one count of assault to commit oral copulation, two counts of statutory rape, and two counts of rape by intoxication, People reports.

Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Wallace called Walker a “serial rapist” during her closing arguments last week. Walker is accused of contacting women on social media and namedropping rapper Drake to build trust before luring them into remote locations under the guise of photoshoots or video gigs.

“We feel that with this verdict, the jury gave these victims back their voices,” Wallace said.

“This was very sophisticated. He picked these girls and he appealed to their dreams and hopes and name-dropped Drake and used his connection to Halle Berry to get these girls somewhere and gain their trust.”

“Once they were there, it wasn’t about doing photoshoots; it was about assaulting them.”

Over 30 women come forward with claims against Walker. Following the verdict, singer Kehlani, who previously spoke out against Walker and called out media outlets for interviewing him about the case, took to social media.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

“I did not forget who tore down victims of sexual assault when this came out,” Kehlani said in a video captured by The Shade Room. “I did not forget what blogs and what bloggers and what platforms felt like they had to play neutral give a rapist a platform.”

• Technology

by Black Enterprise Shop

April 21, 2022

Never Worry About Computer Clutter Again with Maccleanse

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Fewer things are as frustrating as a computer bogged down by random files and logs. It’s a catch-22, as the more time you spend on your computer, the higher chances you have of accumulating additional unwanted files and logs.

Although most operating systems have some kind of built-in system cleaner, they oftentimes fail at catching everything or are simply not suited to handle the workload.

If you’re one of the many computer users who have found themselves struggling with a bogged-down machine, look no further than MacCleanse Lifetime License. For a limited time, it’s available for just $39.99. That’s a savings of 59% from its MSRP.

Think of the MacCleanse Lifetime License as a digital housekeeper. This software, which is suited for Mac computers, uses a premier file cleanup system that is geared to purify your system and reclaimed valuable hard disk space. The beauty of all is that it only takes MacCleanse seconds to do its job.

Its list of capabilities is impressive, as it can also discard residual logs, caches, plug-ins, and more, toggle resource-hungry extensions, schedule daily, weekly, or monthly scans, and disable login items that are slowing down your system, among other tasks.

MacCleanse has received positive reviews from respected publications. “Looking for a premium tool that lets you manage every aspect of your system storage, while at the same time protecting your privacy? MacCleanse for Mac is definitely worth a try,” writes CNET.

“This advanced Mac cleaner is one of the best for beginners who are not too familiar with cleaner tools. Thanks to its customization and in-depth scanning, you can easily delete useless language packs which are installed on your Mac,” adds BizTech.

All that’s needed to run this software are Mac computers that run macOS X 10.13 or later. Free regular updates are included with purchase, and the software can be used on up to five devices.

If you’ve had enough from a lagging computer, purchase this software today to free it of clutter and unleash ifs full speed.

Prices subject to change.

Hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg is ready to help artists get what’s rightfully theirs. He intends to launch an app for Death Row Records that will exclusively stream the label’s catalog of artists. He says the streaming companies are paying “pennies” for millions of streams.

The new Death Row Records owner stated that he has pulled the music catalog from streaming services like Spotify because they pay low rates to the artists.

The Doggfather appeared on Revolt’s Drink Champs with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN.

Hip Hop Wired reported that Snoop removed classic songs like Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, his first album Doggystyle, and Tha Dogg Pound’s Dog Food from streaming services Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music.

He also mentions the music will also live in the metaverse.

“First thing I did was snatch all the music off those platforms traditionally known to people because those platforms don’t pay,” he said.

“And those platforms get millions and millions and millions of streams, and nobody gets paid other than the record labels, so what I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform which is something similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. It’ll be a Death Row app, and then the music, in the meantime, will live in the metaverse.”

Snoop, who just had a lawsuit against him dropped, is looking forward to making the app financially viable to artists who recorded on Death Row.

“You can get a hundred million streams and you don’t make a million dollars, so what the f**k is that? You want me to keep giving you my music, but somebody making the money and it ain’t me, and I can’t afford to keep doing that.”

According to USA Today, attorneys for the young woman who made the accusations against Snoop and his associate, Bishop Don Magic Juan, filed a notice of dismissal with California’s Central District Court last Wednesday. The plaintiff asked that the court dismiss the lawsuit “in its entirety.” The next day, U.S. district judge George H. Wu ordered the dismissal as requested.

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

April 20, 2022

Detroit Illegally Overtaxed Homeowners By $600M, Many Are Still Waiting To Get Their Money Back

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The city of Detroit overtaxed its homeowners by more than $600 million in the years following the Great Recession, but the city has yet to pay anyone back.

According to The Detroit News, the Michigan constitution prohibits property taxes from being assessed at more than 50% of their market value. However, Detroit failed to accurately lower property values in the years following the Great Recession. As a result, more than 100,000 homes, many owned by Black residents, were foreclosed.

However, between 2010 and 2016, the city assessed properties for as much as 85% of their market value, and residents have yet to be compensated for losing their homes or paying excessive taxes. The Coalition for Property Tax Justice (CPTJ), an advocacy group for impacted homeowners in Detroit, surveyed more than 200 homeowners in the city in January and published the findings.

Most prioritized direct cash payments as compensation. However, that is unlikely, as Mayor Mike Duggan said state law prohibits Detroit from providing cash payments or tax credits to overtaxed residents. Duggan and the Detroit City Council agreed to spend $6 million on resources for overtaxed citizens. The amount equals one percent of what residents were overtaxed, and the resources being used are still largely unknown.

The CPTJ and housing advocates across the city disagree with Duggan and are pushing Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to step in. Additionally, advocates say there is a wealth of other options that can be explored by Detroit politicians, including home repair, Section 8 vouchers, and small business assistance.

Council President Mary Sheffield said she was skeptical of Duggan’s opinion that state law prevents the city from providing tax credits. The council has been talking with state lawmakers to address laws preventing tax credits from being used as compensation.

According to CNN, Black homeownership in the U.S. is lower today (43.4%) than a decade ago and nearly 30 percentage points behind white homeownership. Additionally, systemic racism in real estate and banking industries still plays a huge part in the low levels of Black homeownership.

CultureCon 2022 is quickly approaching and this year’s three-city tour includes a star-studded lineup that will celebrate culture, community and creatives of color through exclusive events.

On Wednesday, The Creative Collective NYC announced the official 2022 lineup that will include speaking appearances and performances from the likes of Stacey Abrams, Kandi Burruss, Omeretta The Great, Carlos King, and more. Past speakers include Will Smith, Spike Lee, Tracee Ellis Ross, Keke Palmer, and more.

The tour kicks off in Atlanta from May 2 to May 6 before heading to Los Angeles from June 16 to 18, and closing out in New York from October to October 7. Each stop includes exclusive events, workshops, parties and experiences all aimed at amplifying communities of color.

The Atlanta stop will be hosted by actress Kat Graham and Olori Swankas and include a small business market, skill-building workshops, and interactive activations, as noted by People. HBCU students can also receive free conference tickets courtesy of Wieden+Kennedy who will be hosting an immersive Museum of Culture and leading a panel discussion on how creatives can protect their brands.

To help kick off the event, Twitter will host an open mic night on Twitter Spaces on May 2 and a panel dubbed “Show Me the Receipts,” where attendees can take a deep dive into topics around wealth building. Participants can also join the interactive audio lounge #TweetSuite: Collaboration Café where creators get a chance to network in person or on the Twitter Spaces platform.

CultureCon aims to bring Black and brown creatives together in a supportive environment where they can get up close and personal with major brands and companies like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, and Audible, in an effort to learn how to build digital communities, grow their own brands, and continue adding to the growing desire for diverse storytelling.

HBO Max is the official presenting partner with sponsors from major companies including Foot Locker Atlanta, Cash App and Square, and Grey Goose Vodka. For more information visit the CultureCon website.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 20, 2022

A$AP Rocky Arrested At LAX In Connection to 2021 Shooting in Hollywood

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Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were returning from their vacation in Barbados when the rapper was arrested in connection to a November 2021 shooting.

Rocky, real name Rakim Mayers, 33, was detained on Wednesday morning after arriving on a private plane from Barbados, NBC News reports. Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Rocky on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in a Hollywood shooting late last year.

The charges stem from a November 6, 2021 incident where a victim claims the rapper and two additional males confronted him with a handgun near Vista Del Mar and Selma Ave. around 10:20 pm. The unidentified victim accuses Rocky of shooting at him three to four times and grazing his left hand with one of the bullets before fleeing the scene.

According to police, “an argument between two acquaintances occurred” in the Hollywood area, ET reports. “The argument escalated and resulted in the suspect firing a handgun at the victim.”

“The victim sustained a minor injury from the incident and later sought medical treatment. Following the shooting, the suspect and two additional males fled the area on foot.”

The LAPD worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations to locate Rocky. Photos had been surfacing online in recent days showing Rocky and Rihanna enjoying time in Barbados following fake cheating rumors about the rapper, Page Six reports.

In January, Rihanna announced her pregnancy with Rocky. The pop star and rapper have been dating since 2020 after years of being close friends.

This isn’t Rocky’s first run-in with the law. In 2019, he was arrested and jailed in Sweden after a street fight between his entourage and two men. Rapper Kanye West reached out to then-President Donald Trump who worked to get him released.

Rocky was charged with assault and ordered to pay over $1,000 in damages. After spending more than a month in jail, his sentence was handed down and he was finally released.

• Criminal Justice Reform

by Derek Major

April 20, 2022

Syracuse Police Under Fire After Viral Video Shows Police Detaining Eight-Year-Old Boy

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The Syracuse police are under fire after a viral video showed multiple police officers putting a crying 8-year-old boy into a squad car after allegedly stealing a bag of chips.

The video quickly went viral hitting 5 million views by Wednesday morning. The one-minute clip begins with a man off-camera asking the officer holding the boy what police are doing before commenting that the child “looks like a baby to me,” the NY Daily News reports.

https://twitter.com/HunndoHefner/status/1516069289362706437

Another officer quickly appears, telling the man taking the video: “He’s stealing stuff. If he breaks into your house and steals something,” before he was cut off.

“Y’all treat him like a hardcore, blooded f—— killer,” the man replied.

The officer says: “Keep walking dude. You don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

The incident has once again led to a discussion about the excessive force used by police against Black residents in the U.S. The Syracuse Police released a statement on Twitter about the incident in response to the backlash.

“We (SPD) are aware of a video being shared on social media involving several of our Officers and juveniles accused of stealing from a store on the City’s northside. The incident, including the Officers’ actions and body-worn cameras, are being reviewed,” the statement said. “There is some misinformation involving this case. The juvenile suspected of larceny was not placed in handcuffs. He was placed in the rear of a patrol unit where he was directly brought home. Officers met with the child’s father and no charges were filed.”

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh backed supported the account by the department.

Walsh did not discuss any discipline the officers involved could face and added the incident “demonstrates the continuing need for the city to provide support to our children and families and to invest in alternative response options to assist our officers.”

NBC affiliate WSTM spoke to the man who took the video and offered to pay for the chips.

“I felt his terror and decided to intervene,” the bystander, Kenneth Jackson, said. “There’s a way that the police need to interact with kids, and what they did that day was completely unacceptable,