Last week, R&B singer R. Kelly went on record slamming his former lawyers for allowing people on the jury who watched the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly.

According to the New York Daily News, the I Believe I Can Fly singer was disappointed in his legal team for failing to get jurors from his court case removed from the jury pool who watched the scandalous docuseries. Surviving R. Kelly showed detailed commentary from several victims accusing the disgraced singer of sexual abuse.

Kelly wrote an affidavit that stated to the judge that his attorneys didn’t even allow him to be a part of the jury selection process.

• Lifestyle

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 12, 2022

Carlos King Talks New Podcast, Pitching to Networks, ‘Love & Marriage’ Franchise, OWN First Look Deal and More

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Reality TV king Carlos King sat down with BLACK ENTERPRISE to dish on his rise as one of the most sought-after executive producers in reality television and his new SiriusXM show “Reality with the King.”

King didn’t hold back while recalling his journey after college and how an internship at The View set the stage for his future dominance in reality television. After helping to increase the viewership on some of TV’s biggest hits, like The Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, King recounts the growth of his production company, Kingdom Reign Entertainment, and how he secured a first-look deal with OWN Network.

As his current hit Love & Marriage Hunstville grows in popularity, fans are gearing up for the highly anticipated Love & Marriage DC spin-off. King shares his excitement for the expansion of his first official franchise and shares tips on how aspiring TV execs can do the same.

Between detailing the pitch process, getting a show picked up by a network, and his knack for developing authentic and transparent casts, King gives aspiring TV execs an inside look at how to break into the industry and dominate, like he did.

King also teases what fans can expect from his new podcast “Reality with the King,” on SiriusXM’s Stitcher. On the weekly show, King goes behind the scenes on some of reality TV’s most iconic moments from the biggest reality shows on TV.

King will be joined by reality TV stars like NeNe Leakes, Kenya Moore, Teresa Guidice, and many more to talk about the drama and what happens when the cameras aren’t rolling. Through the new podcast, the veteran producer will provide listeners with unprecedented access to their favorite reality shows and get the inside scoop on what really goes on off-camera.

Press play below to watch the interview in full.

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Derek Major

April 12, 2022

Appeals Court Uphold $33 Million Verdict Against Oberlin College For False Racism Accusations

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An Ohio Appellate Court recently ruled 3-0 that Oberlin College must pay $33 million in damages to a local  Ohio bakery it was accused of defaming.

According to Law & Crime, the situation stemmed from a 2016 boycott, which the court said went legally wrong. In Nov. 2016, three Black Oberlin College students were arrested at Gibson’s Bakery, a store close to campus. The college’s Student Senate immediately profiled the incident as racist and, without conducting an investigation, passed a resolution calling for a boycott of the bakery.

It wasn’t long before the school joined the student’s effort, sending an email to students suggesting the bakery discriminated against the students based on race. Additionally, Meredith Raimondo, who served as Oberlin College’s Dean of Students at the time, handed out flyers supporting the boycott and accusing the bakery of a history of racial profiling. Evidence presented at trial also showed the school provided a break room for students protesting where they could partake in coffee and pizza.

As a result, Gibson’s Bakery lost significant revenue and a contract with the school to provide baked goods.

However, the three people arrested for shoplifting later pleaded guilty to the charges. They admitted they were trying to steal in open court and even got in a physical altercation with a staff member.

Gibson’s Bakery sued Oberlin in 2017, claiming defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and other charges. After a six-week trial, the jury ruled the school had to pay Gibson’s Bakery $11.2 million. A secondary finding by the jury raised the payment to $33.6 million.

The school appealed the judgment, making several arguments, but the appeals court ruled in favor of the bakery.

“Given the public’s lack of knowledge of what had happened at the bakery and the ongoing tension on campus about racial injustice, these statements would convey to a reasonable reader that the arrest and alleged assault at the bakery were racially motivated, that the Gibsons had a verifiable history of racially profiling shoplifters on that basis for years, and that those facts were a reason to boycott the bakery. Judge Donna Carr wrote in the 50-page opinion.

Some used the verdict to quickly attack “cancel culture” and even claim reverse racism. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost referred to the appeals verdict as “the cost of woke.”

Oberlin has yet to decide whether it will appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.

• Business

by Black Enterprise Shop

April 12, 2022

This Mac Bundle Is A One-Stop Shop For Apps

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Those who have used Apple’s ecosystem rarely return to something else. Whether it’s your Apple laptop, iPhone, or tablet, Apple and Mac have combined for a popular, user-friendly product that has and will stand the test of time.

If there are any complaints about Macs, it’s they can be overwhelming to new users. And in some cases, their dense list of programs and features can be somewhat daunting to locate and use.

To unleash the full power and gain a better understanding of all that your Mac is capable of doing, look no further than the Mac Madness App Bundle. For a limited time, it’s available for just $19.99. That’s a savings of 73$ from its MSRP ($74).

Watch this video.

Fourteen courses are included in this bundle. Individually on their own, some courses cost up to $7.99. The courses in this bundle will give you enough information to turn your Mac into a working powerhouse through its many lessons aimed at increasing productivity through apps.

Do you have a smart home fitted with the latest trends in lighting technology? Well, the Lights Switch course teaches you how to control compatible lights right from your computer.

Are you a photographer who has an endless catalog of photos stored on your computer? If so, then you are all too familiar with how overwhelming locating metadata from pictures can be. The Photos Metadata Export course teaches users how to make that task exponentially easier through the use of lists and Excel. The Folder Organizer helps users organize their files and folders so that they can enjoy a clean and clear desktop.

For music lovers, there’s an AVR Control course, and those who routinely travel for work will find the ReceiptBox extremely helpful in keeping up with their out-of-town expenses.

This bundle is a one-stop-shop for Mac productivity. Purchase it today while it’s available at its limited-time price.

Prices subject to change.

Gary Brown, 52, a former running back coach for the Dallas Cowboys, has died after battling cancer.

According to the Dallas Cowboys website, Brown died on Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The former coach was in hospice care for the past several weeks. He was afflicted with significant health issues since leaving the NFL team after the 2019 season.

Brown was recently the running back coach at the University of Wisconsin but was reassigned to other duties because of his declining health.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 11, 2022

Investigation Finds School Ignored 10-Year-Old Black Girl’s Complaints of Bullying Prior to Her Suicide

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Nearly five months after 10-year-old Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor’s death by suicide, an investigation reveals just how long her school allowed bullying “on any ground” to go unchecked.

A newly released investigative report commissioned by the Davis School District in Farmington, Utah, found that Tichenor had been bullied by her classmates and even teachers, CNN reports. But they found no “direct evidence” linking the bullying to race or her disability.

Tichenor’s mother claimed her daughter was dealing with constant ridicule at Foxboro Elementary because of her race and autism. While investigators found out that students and teachers said she smelled and needed to bathe, it was too “difficult” to determine if the child’s race and disability were a factor.

“Issues relating to race, disability, and poverty sometimes intersect and when they do, can further complicate already challenging situations,” the review team of three people determined. “It can be very difficult to extricate one from the others.”

“When a student told Izzy she needed to wash her hair, this comment could have been borne out of racial animus, could have been an innocuous observation, or could have been a cloaked insult about poverty,” the report said.

The report also found that Foxboro failed to take action after Tichenor’s mother alleged the child was being bullied, NY Post reports. Investigators found that staff at Foxboro did not show “actual knowledge” of the district’s definition of “bullying,” and the school is accused of creating an environment “in which bullying…could go underreported, uninvestigated, and unaddressed.”

Shortly after Tichenor’s death, the Justice Department determined the school district had a troubling pattern of seemingly ignoring complaints of racism from Black and Asian American students.

The Davis School District has since released a statement saying they were taking the allegations seriously and are reviewing the report’s recommendations.

“We vow to continue our ongoing and extensive efforts to foster a welcoming environment for all students in the Davis School District,” the statement read.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 11, 2022

Family and Friends Remember 14-Year-Old St. Louis Teen Killed in Orlando Thrill Ride

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On Saturday morning, 14-year-old Tyre Sampson was laid to rest in his hometown of St. Louis, Fox 2 Now reports.

The ceremony came two weeks after the teen was tragically killed in a thrill ride accident in Orlando, Florida. Sampson was on a free-fall ride when he slipped out of his harness and fell several hundred feet, dying instantly.

Family, friends, and former teammates celebrated Sampson’s life at Saint Louis University. The aspiring football player was described as a larger-than-life teen who spread love to all he encountered.

There’s a lot of love here,” Kelly Southhall, a family friend, told KSDK. “There’s a lot of support. No mother should have to go through this.”

At just 14 years old, Sampson stood at 6’4, 325 pounds. He had hopes of playing professional football and was well on his way before his tragic death. Sampson’s cousin Reggie Rights vows to take the teen with him wherever he goes.

“He was always asking me: What I wanted to do when I got older; who did I want to be like,” Rice said. “I said, ‘I don’t know. Who do you want to be like? He said nobody. I just want to be myself.’”

One teacher who made over 100 buttons with Sampson’s pictures to give out at the funeral remembered all the teen’s potential and how he helped younger students at City Garden Montessori School.

“I would always tease him about the size of his shoe,” Vida Weekly, a former teacher, said. “He would joke and laugh it off. He would say, ’17! Say it real proud.’”

“I pray that somebody in this situation learns from this,” she added.

Sampson was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery. Authorities are still investigating the death on the ride closed since the accident.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 11, 2022

50 Cent Calls Out Will Smith’s 10-Year Oscars Ban, Says It’s ‘Too Harsh’

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50 Cent is known for joking about almost everything on his social media. But even the hip-hop-heavy-hitter thinks Will Smith’s 10-year Oscars ban is a bit much.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences met on Friday to determine how they would handle Smith’s infamous Oscars slap attack against Chris Rock. It was determined that the King Richard star would be banned from the Academy Awards for the next decade.

Once 50, real name Curtis Jackson, learned of the decision, he shared his response on Twitter.

“Got Damn they doing Will dirty, This is too harsh so he cant come back till he 63 years old,” 50 tweeted.

https://twitter.com/50cent/status/1512512433788788745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1512512433788788745%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bet.com%2Farticle%2Flxn92n%2F50-cent-will-smith-oscar-ban

The Power creator insinuated that Will Smith could be facing an impending lawsuit over his physical assault of Chris Rock.

“And the law suit ain’t even hit yet. SMH,” 50 added.

After the ban was issued, Smith responded, expressing his agreeance.

“I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” Smith told Page Six on Friday.

Sources claimed the Academy was split on how to respond to the slap. There were debates around whether or not Smith would have his Academy Award for Best Actor rescinded.

The Academy’s board found it hypocritical to take Smith’s statuette back, considering that “convicted sexual predator Harvey Weinstein and fugitive child rapist Roman Polanski” still haven’t been stripped of their Oscars, The Sun reports.

“The members — of which there are over 9,000, with hundreds of WhatsApp groups flying about — are completely split,” the source said.

Chris Rock recently said he wouldn’t break his silence on the slap until he receives the right offer.

“I’m OK, I have a whole show and I’m not talking about that until I get paid,” Rock said during his comedy show in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday, April 9, the Desert Sun reports. “Life is good. I got my hearing back.”

After recently settling a child custody dispute between himself and his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee, actor Jesse Williams scores a victory when a judge lowers his child support payments to the mother of his children.

According to People, the request by Grey Anatomy‘s Williams’ to have his child support payments to his ex-wife reduced has been granted. A judge has “temporarily modified” Williams’ monthly child support payments down to $6,413.

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 11, 2022

Ex-Boyfriend Charged With Stalking and Fatally Shooting Long Island Hospital Employee

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A Long Island man has been arrested and charged with fatally shooting a Northwell Health employee inside a parking garage underneath a medical office complex.

On Friday, Quay-Sean Renard Hines, 30, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 33-year-old Amelia Laguerre, NY Post reports. Less than an hour after the shooting, Hines went to an LA Fitness in Levittown, Nassau County, police said.

Hines is believed to have hunted Laguerre down, intending to take her life. According to reports, he fired 10 shots at her in the dimly lit parking lot, nine of which hit Laguerre.

“This person was probably waiting in the wings. If you were down in that parking garage, it’s kind of dim lighting,” Police Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said during an April 1 press conference.

“He was probably lurking … and then just came out on her.”

Laguerre’s family says the single mother of a 5-year-old son told them that Hines was mentally and physically abusive toward the end of their two-year relationship. The former couple broke up sometime last year after he burned her clothes, damaged her property, and broke some of her child’s belongings during different domestic disputes.

Authorities believe Hines started stalking Laguerre after their breakup. He’s accused of breaking into her home in October 2021 and repeatedly showing up at her job to beg her to take him back.

Hines pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charges. He has been dating someone else despite claims of stalking his ex in hopes of getting her back.

“He does have other relationships,” Fitzpatrick said Saturday.

“So if any of these females that are involved with him or had been involved with him that he had abused or had this kind of behavior towards, we ask them to come forward.”