Dwight Howard’s Ex Royce Reed Surrenders Herself to Authorities For Felony Child Neglect
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2022

Dwight Howard’s Ex Royce Reed Surrenders Herself to Authorities For Felony Child Neglect

Basketball Wives alum Royce Reed was released from jail shortly after turning herself in for felony child neglect.

On Friday, Reed was charged with third-degree felony neglect of a child in a case involving her 14-year-old son, Braylon, whom she shares with NBA star Dwight Howard, Radar Online reports. The charges aren’t directly a reflection of anything Reed did to her son.

The teen was ordered to work on issues with professionals, according to police. However, after failing to abide by a set of rules implemented by a judge, his mother was forced to pay the penalty on her son’s behalf.

After being released from jail, Reed posted a message on Instagram addressing all of the speculations into her detainment.

“I’m ready to get back to doing comedy reels and tiktoks but until then… 🤦🏽‍♀️😑 talk to my attorney Andrea Black,” she captioned the post.

“I shouldn’t even have to deal with or address this,” the reality star wrote in the post.

“1. I did not get arrested. I turned myself in because I had to. 2. Talk to my attorney. As for the picture… I was scared as s**t and was crying like a baby the whole time… I’m not ’bout that life’ but I did it and we’re gonna get through this.”

When interviewed by police, Braylon admitted to not having much of a relationship with his famous father after a fight they had. When asked the last time he spent time with Howard, Braylon said it was “when he was in town for a basketball game, which was a while ago.”

Reed and Howard battled over custody of their son in the past, with Reed accusing the NBA player of abusing their son with a belt. Orlando Sentinel reports he was later cleared of the charges following an investigation.

In October 2020, Howard responded to Braylon’s claims of being a “deadbeat dad” in an interview on the Frank Ski Show with Nina Brown.

“The only thing I will address is the issue of anybody thinking I’m a deadbeat father. Currently, I have a child with me now,” Howard said. “My son lives with me. There’s no way I could be a deadbeat dad if I have a son that lives with me. The situation with my other son, it’s unfortunate that a lot of things have been made public.”

More Censorship In Florida: GOP Passes Stop WOKE Act Limiting Discussion Of Race
by Wendy Medina

March 11, 2022

More Censorship In Florida: GOP Passes Stop WOKE Act Limiting Discussion Of Race

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed another controversial bill in his political culture war  The Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act limits discussions on race in the classroom and businesses, according to the Associated Press. 

Passed by DeSantis’ Republican-dominated legislature, the bill passed in a 24-15 party-line vote despite heartfelt speeches from Black senators. 

From mask ban mandates to banning LGBTQ+ conversations, and even establishing an election police force, DeSantis continues to wage war against his marginalized constituents as he seek reelection in the upcoming year and perhaps prepare for a 2024 presidential run. 

The bill states, “A person should not be instructed that he or she must feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress for actions, in which he or she played no part, committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex.”

Black senators objected to the proposal, fearing African American history taught in schools will be distorted and the flood of lawsuits that will come if white students’ parents feel some type of way that their child learns the truth about slavery and racism in America.

While at the current moment it only applies to K-12 public schools, this sets a dangerous precedent that may bleed into universities.

It doesn’t stop there. The bill will also limit how private businesses teach race sensitivity, something that Democrats deem unconstitutional.

“This is a continuation of a national agenda to whitewash history all because we don’t want white children to feel uncomfortable about true Black history,” said Black Democratic Sen. Shevrin Jones.

“Just because you don’t like the truth, doesn’t mean you try to hide behind it.”

Jones continued in his speech about the racial injustice faced daily in Florida to the killing of Trayvon Martin. 

“This is the so-called free state of Florida,” he said. “This is exactly what Florida has always been. Florida has not changed yet. We still have a ways to go…This will forever be a stain on history.”

DMX’s Fiancee Reveals His 5-Year-Old Son Exodus Has Been Diagnosed With Stage 3 Kidney Disease
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2022

DMX’s Fiancee Reveals His 5-Year-Old Son Exodus Has Been Diagnosed With Stage 3 Kidney Disease

Less than a year after DMX’s  Desiree Lindstrom had to bury the late rapper, she is revealing more heartbreaking news.

Lindstrom took to Instagram last week to share a clip from her recent interview with Raquel Harper, where she revealed that her 5-year-old son Exodus is battling kidney disease.

“Exodus is an amazing child! Blessed to be his mother through this journey,” Lindstrom captioned the video clip.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Desiree Lindstrom 🐾 (@desi123love)

Lindstrom highlighted her choice to make the revelation during March.

“March is the month that brings awareness to kidney disease,” she wrote. “Take the time to learn about CKD. Knowledge is key.”

While on Harper’s “It’s Tricky” podcast, the host asked Lindstrom about Exodus’s “condition.” It was a hint that the sensitive topic was something Lindstrom let Harper know she was open to discussing on-air.

“Exodus is stable. He still has stage 3 kidney disease, and I continue to keep his potassium down,” Lindstrom shared. “I’ve just continued to keep his potassium down; he can’t eat high potassium foods.”

“He goes to the doctor very often,” she noted.

On Thursday, Lindstrom followed up the reveal by sharing a video of her young son in honor of National Kidney Day.

“National Kidney Day…March 10th! Blessings from our family to yours! Exodus is a CKD Warrior and an amazing child,” she captioned the post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Desiree Lindstrom 🐾 (@desi123love)

Elsewhere in the interview, Lindstrom touched on how she’s still mourning the loss of DMX. She admitted her “life changed so fast” after his passing from a cocaine-induced heart attack last April.

“I haven’t moved on – it’s hard, you know?” Lindstrom said. “It’s really hard. I just take it minute-by-minute. Some people say you could take it day-by-day, but it’s second-by-second.”

She admitted to going “up and down with emotions” in the wake of the rapper’s death, adding, “I have to really force myself to keep it moving, keep going.”

Beauty Mogul Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty IPO Valued At Over $3 Billion
by Wendy Medina

March 11, 2022

Beauty Mogul Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty IPO Valued At Over $3 Billion

Fashion phenom Ms. Robyn Rihanna Fenty is in talks with financial advisors from Goldman Sachs Group and Morgan Stanley in an initial public offering (IPO) that estimates her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand could be worth over $3 billion, Bloomberg reported.

An IPO refers to a privately owned company going public on the stock exchange, in which the general public could then purchase its stock, according to Forbes. 

While Rihanna has yet to make a definitive decision on an IPO, sources close to the billionaire superstar say a listing could happen this year.

Savage X Fenty recently fundraised $125 million, sponsored by investors Neuberger Berman, L Catterton, Avenir Growth Capital, Sunley House Capital Management, and Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners.

Although it looks like the beauty mogul is seemingly done releasing music after 2016’s Anti, her pursuit at entrepreneurship has been nothing but fruitful as she navigates motherhood and philanthropy.

As previously reported, the opening of Savage X Fenty stores came in a Twitter announcement in late January. Christiane Pendarvis, co-president and chief merchandising and design officer at Savage X Fenty, said that the brand’s new brick-and-mortar locations “will be our own physical stores. Initially, they all will be in the U.S., but we’re absolutely having conversations around what does that expansion potentially look like in the EU [European Union].”

The Savage X Fenty website lists five retail locations across the U.S. including an already open store in Culver City, California; with Las Vegas, Arlington, Houston, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, set to open this month and in April.

The Barbados “bad gal” additionally heads makeup company Fenty Beauty, which set the makeup industry ablaze at its launch in 2017, as well as Fenty Skin, praised for its large range of foundation shades, something not seen within traditional makeup brands.

It seems as though the Fenty empire is only just getting started.

TV Personality Bevy Smith Calls Out Kim Kardashian For Her Comments About Women Not Wanting to Work
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2022

TV Personality Bevy Smith Calls Out Kim Kardashian For Her Comments About Women Not Wanting to Work

TV personality Bevy Smith was among the many who entered the chat to blast Kim Kardashian’s comments about the work ethic of working women.

Kim and her famous family are gearing up to star in yet another reality series following the lavish ,privileged lifestyles she and her sisters enjoy on a daily basis. To promote The Kardashians coming to Hulu, the Kardashian sisters and their momager Kris Jenner sat down for a cover shoot and interview with Variety.

Knowing the interview was set to be released during Women’s History Month and one day after International Women’s Day didn’t stop Kim K from seemingly criticizing women and their work ethic.

When the SKIMS founder was asked to offer up advice to women aspiring to reach the billionaire status she has achieved, Kim had this to say:

“I have the best advice for women and business. Get your f—ing ass up and work,” Kim said. “It seems like nobody wants to work these days.”

Her sister Kourtney cosigned the shady remark with, “That’s so true.”

While Kim might’ve been trying to come off as an ally to the “girl boss” tribe, her seemingly tone-deaf statement resulted in her becoming a trending topic for all of the wrong reasons.

Among the critics was TV personality Bevy Smith, who took to Twitter on Thursday to offer some hard facts while eloquently shutting Kim down.

“Poor people across the country have been gaslit by RICH PEOPLE into believing that the reason they aren’t rich is because they don’t work hard,” Smith tweeted. “People working 2,3 jobs & still need public assistance “get off their asses every day & work” so this is a privileged fallacy.”

When one person asked exactly what the Kardashians get paid to do, Smith replied,

“They sell a 1% lifestyle to the masses.”

She went on to credit those who come from humble beginnings and rightfully took offense to Kim’s stance considering her background of privilege.

“Saddens me to see so many people who probably come from humble beginnings who perhaps had FAMILY who worked HARD to provide agree with a very privileged White woman,” Smith wrote. “She got a Mercedes Benz at 16, but her dad said she had to put the gas in it, that’s her version of HARD WORK.”

While she was on a roll, Smith decided to add the Royal Family to the mix and call out their white privilege.

“And while we’re discussing wealth inequality can people especially Black & Brown people stop idolizing ROYALS,” Smith tweeted. “They are colonizers, they are wealthy because they raped & pillaged what they considered savage countries, enough with worshiping false idols!”

Steve Harvey Praises Wife Marjorie Harvey For Being So ‘Instrumental’ In His Career
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2022

Steve Harvey Praises Wife Marjorie Harvey For Being So ‘Instrumental’ In His Career

If it’s one thing Steve Harvey is going to do it’s “stan” for his wife, Marjorie Harvey.

The comedian and TV personality’s hustle to become a household name came through the success of his ’90s sitcom The Steve Harvey Show and his stint as one of The Original Kings of Comedy.

While much of his early achievements came in the ’90s and early 2000s, Harvey still credits his wife of 14 years for being the backbone behind his current success in television.

“There is not a great man I know that achieved greatness without a ‘her’,” Harvey told The Washington Post. “Barack ain’t the dude without Michelle. You can go down the list.”

“I needed the ‘her,’ and the ‘her’ for me has been instrumental.”

Harvey went on to gush over how Marjorie was the “right her” for him and has been “a guiding force” in his life. In addition to helping Harvey revamp his style and start going viral for his fashion, the comedian also credits Marjorie for adding some sanity to his busy life and career.

“The career that people see today? I can only tell you that it came from the peace she provided,” Harvey said. “It freed my mind up to become the creative that I wanted to be.”

The couple combined their big blended family after tying the knot in 2007, The Sun reported. Marjorie, a Memphis native had been married twice before marrying Steve.

Following their nuptials, Harvey adopted her daughters Lori and Morgan Harvey. He has always spoken highly of his marriage to the fashion stylist.

“I married a person who was already happy, and I’m innately happy,” Harvey told Good Housekeeping in 2013. “So we don’t have to make each other happy; we can just complement each other’s happiness.”

With both Steve and Marjorie being married twice before marrying each other, the comedy veteran shared one secret to their success: leaving exes the past in the past.

“I don’t bring up exes. I don’t remember them or have any fond memories,” Harvey said. “I didn’t know anything until my wife came along.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

March 11, 2022

Cynthia Bailey Reveals The ‘Dark Place’ She Was In Before Receiving Fibroid Treatment

Model/TV personality Cynthia Bailey has been transparent about her battle with fibroids and decided to reveal even more in honor of Women’s History Month.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum offers reassurance to women suffering from fibroids and informs them of the other treatment options outside of having a hysterectomy. It’s been over a decade since Bailey received treatment for her fibroids.

But she recalls the “dark place” she was in because of the benign tumors.

“It’s very hard to be in a good space mentally when you’re bleeding all the time and when you don’t have any energy, and you’re anemic, and you don’t have the sex drive you used to have,” Bailey told People.

“Mentally, I found that I was just in a dark place without really knowing I was in a dark place.”

“When I look at photos of myself during that time, it was like the light was gone because I was bleeding to death in a lot of ways.”

Bailey first learned of her fibroids while pregnant with her daughter Noelle, USA Fibroid Centers shared. While she noticed her heavy menstrual cycles, Bailey had no idea it would lead to future health complications.

Bailey’s fibroids grew during her marriage to Peter Thomas and filming RHOA, and her symptoms intensified. The supermodel became anemic and had issues working. Her periods became increasingly painful and left her bedridden at times.

“I felt like my life revolved around my period,” Bailey revealed.

“There were so many turning points and embarrassing moments that I knew I had to get my fibroids under control.”

As part of her ambassadorship with the USA Fibroids Centers, Bailey is educating women on non-invasive forms of fibroid treatment, including uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), which she had done 14 years ago.

“[The] procedure is done through [a] catheter.” Dr. Yan Katsnelson, the founder of USA Fibroid Centers, said. “They enter in the wrist or in the groin, and the catheter goes around, [into] the blood vessels towards the origin of the arteries that feed the fibroids.”

With fibroids affecting 80% of Black women and 70% of white women by age 50, Bailey knows how important it is to spread awareness on the noncancerous growths.

by Atiya Jordan

March 11, 2022

136 Pages Later, Actress Yara Shahidi Celebrates Completing Her Harvard Thesis

Stunting her most recent feat in “Crimson Pride,” Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi reveals that she is one step closer to graduating from Harvard University with the class of 2022.

On Thursday, Shahidi shared a celebratory video with her Instagram followers announcing that she had completed her thesis. The clip shows the excited undergrad student standing outside in the falling snow while celebrating every college student’s dream.

“Weighing in at 32,508 words, 136 pages is this thesis writer Yara Sayeh Shahidi,” she declared in the video as she flexed her muscles with a laugh. “Let’s go.”

“YOUR FAVORITE THESIS WRITER IS OFFICIALLY DONE WRITING✨💪🏽TRY NOT TO BE INTIMIDATED BY MY STATS 😤 #ThesisComplete #Harvard#classof2022#LESSSGOOO” she captioned the post.

Amassing over one million views, the video received over 7,000 congratulatory messages from fans raving about the astonishing thesis length and her inspiring accomplishment.

“I’ve wanted to be a history professor for longer than I’ve wanted to be an actress,” she said of her Harvard acceptance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018. “And so I used to have the Harvard webpage up, and I’d go through the course catalog. So, needless to say, this is something I’ve been planning for a long time.”

Before embarking on her college journey, the 22-year-old actress took a gap year to focus on projects and issues that were important to her. Among those efforts, Shahidi premiered in her Black-ish spin-off Grown-ish, which she previously told Essence aimed “to portray college in its most authentic form.”

She even launched a voting initiative called Eighteen x 18, and teamed up with Aerie for #ArieReal for the brand’s body positivity campaign.

Since enrolling at Harvard, Shahidi has proven how much education means to her despite her busy, star-studded schedule.

Back in September 2021, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that Shahidi had to leave the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards early to attend her class. She even requested to present the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series award at a more convenient time for her so that she could make it in time for her flight.

Grammy-Award Winner Bridget Kelly and Media Personality Mandii B Ink Seven-Figure, Multi-Year Podcast Deal
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

March 11, 2022

Grammy-Award Winner Bridget Kelly and Media Personality Mandii B Ink Seven-Figure, Multi-Year Podcast Deal

“See, the Thing Is” podcast, hosted by Grammy-Award Winning singer/songwriter Bridget Kelly and viral media personality Mandii B has inked a seven-figure deal with Gumball.

Brokered by UTA, Gumball announced the multi-year podcast deal to its ad network and marketplace, according to a release shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.

After being introduced by Joe Budden as the first podcast on his independently-owned network, the ladies of “See, the Thing Is” are continuing the trend of creator-owned IP founded on quality, consistency, and momentum.

On “See,The Thing Is” the duo navigates their 30s and shares grown, honest and slightly toxic takes on the latest in culture, music and more. Every week the ladies are joined on the couch by their “Friends with Benefits;” industry and celebrity guest co-hosts, who dive into current event topics and personal evergreens. Starting this month, “See, the Thing Is” is publishing two episodes per week, which kicks off a new multi-year, seven-figure sales partnership with Gumball.

Bridget Kelly is a multi-faceted performer who got her start as the first artist signed to JayZ’s RocNation. Throughout her career she’s balanced both music and television. Now having pivoted to podcasting, Bridget provides unique insight and experience from her extensive entertainment background.

Mandii B is a vivacious media personality that has launched/produced two other podcasts under her belt including, Whoreible Decisions and Period, Sis. She takes a candid, confident and humorous approach to every conversation and advocates for female empowerment, body positivity and sexual liberation. Mandii has also developed a subscription box (Official Box Owner) with feminine hygiene/sexual health products.

With offices in New York and Los Angeles, Gumball is the marketplace for advertisers to buy host-read ads directly from podcasters. The platform enables advertisers to easily book impactful advertising campaigns through a modern and transparent buying process. It was created by the team at Headgum, an acclaimed podcast comedy-centric podcast network established in 2015.

“There is simply nothing better than sharing my thoughts, opinions and experiences with the world and being able to monetize by simply being me. To have created a business about my own self-exploration is something I could have only dreamt of. I am blessed to share this journey with Bridget and Gumball,” said Mandii B.

“My voice has always been amplified through my music, and now I’m excited I get to share my perspectives and my sarcasm on a platform I own! Driven by our passion to connect with people, Mandii and I look forward to our future together in this space,” shared Bridget Kelly.

“See, the Thing Is” is available twice weekly wherever you listen to podcasts and simulcasted on YouTube.

Samuel L. Jackson Stars In Walter Mosley’s ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’
by Wendy Medina

March 11, 2022

Samuel L. Jackson Stars In Walter Mosley’s ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’

Based on a book from crime fiction great Walter Mosley, a new show premieres today on Apple TV+, starring Samuel L. Jackson.

The limited series, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, based on the 2010 novel of the same name, follows the emotional role of Jackson’s character Ptolemy Grey, who suffers from dementia, and a family preying on his life savings.

When it seems like the end is near for the elderly Atlanta man, two unlikely figures enter his life in hopes of reviving his failing mind, reports the New York Times. 

Bringing to mind the classic Flowers for Algernon, a neurologist played by Walton Goggins is developing an experimental drug that will revert dementia to a small degree but will ultimately destroy his brain after a small glimpse of his memory. Dominique Fishback, who plays his caretaker, stands alongside the ailing man in this journey of regaining his life memories in the last days of his life.

Executive producers of the project, the series strikes a chord with both Mosley and Jackson, as they’ve both experienced dementia from affected family members.

When asked who Ptolemy Grey is, the award-winning author offered, “He’s all of us everywhere. This is a destination that either we reach ourselves in our own experience, or with people that we know and love and live with, as far as aging, dementia, and death.”

Upon receiving lucidity, Grey realizes and accepts aspects of his past. However, the plot takes a turn when he assumes the investigation of his nephew’s murder, played by Omar Benson Miller.

“It’s a fairy tale. In reality, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia, but we get one, however momentarily, that allows him to be clear about everything that’s happened in his life, in a flash,” said Jackson. 

The artistic legends stun in this new drama, which premieres globally today on Apple TV+.

×