Jadakiss Will Host ‘Look Thru My Eyes: Becoming DMX,’ A Podcast Series Powered By 50 Cent
The podcast series will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts later this year
The story of deceased Yonkers-bred rapper DMX, born Earl Simmons, will be told through a podcast series with his former Ruff Ryders cohort, Jadakiss, and G-Unit boss, 50 Cent.
According to Deadline, the podcast series will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts, with 50’s G-Unit Audio producing it with Narratively. Jadakiss will host “Look Thru My Eyes: Becoming DMX,” which will debut later this year, though no launch date has been announced.
The series will focus on the life of the “Get at Me Dog” lyricist, who ushered in a new era of rap with his rough, deep voice and trademark barks. It will start with his beginnings before being discovered and signed by the Ruff Ryders Entertainment team. Discussions and viewpoints from family members, childhood friends, fellow rappers, and others who have come across DMX during his storied career.
“DMX’s story is bigger than the music — it’s about survival, faith, pain, and purpose,” 50 said. “‘Look Thru My Eyes: Becoming DMX’ gives people a chance to understand where X came from, before the fame, through the voices of the people who were really there. This is the story that shaped the legend.”
The executive producers of the series, Bruce Miller and Justin Baez, also grew up in the same town as DMX and Jadakiss, as they are acquainted with the deceased rapper and his family.
DMX was recently ordained as a minister posthumously in Tarrytown, New York, at Foster Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.
“Earl Simmons wrestled with God in the public square, turning his pain into a ministry of raw truth,” said Bishop Dr. Osiris Imhotep, founder of the Gospel Cultural Center. “This ordination recognizes the divine calling he fulfilled every time he spoke a prayer into a microphone.”
The rapper often discussed, through his music and in interviews, the struggles he experienced and reportedly had an extensive battle with drug addiction, which purportedly continued until his death.
His drug use began at 14 when a supposed mentor introduced him to crack cocaine. DMX died April 9, 2021, after not recovering from a heart attack suffered a week earlier.
Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard On ‘GWOAT’ Claressa Shields, ‘I’m In Her Corner’
'I love boxing, so I’m in her corner'
Legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard has given the cosign to boxing champion Claressa Shields in a recent interview, saying he is “in her corner,” as women’s boxing has risen in recent years.
In a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, the former fighter, who fought in various divisions throughout his career, spoke about women’s boxing and its direction.
“You know what, there is so much talent out there right now, period. Naturally, I’m a major boxing fan, but you have to look at it for what it is. Can the business be helped? Yes. Everything needs support at some point, whether it’s a business or a passion. I love boxing, so I’m in her corner—how about that?”
The boxer did admit that, although he had heard about Shields’ boxing skills, he had yet to see her fight live, but he plans to do so.
“I haven’t seen her live yet, but I certainly will now. It’s been brought to my attention again, and I really like what I see.”
Leonard, who boxed from 1977 to 1997, won championship belts in five different weight classes in his career. He began his professional career after winning a gold medal for the United States in the lightweight division at the 1976 Olympics. The talented athlete kept gaining weight, competing in the welterweight division before moving up to light middleweight, middleweight, super middleweight, and finally light heavyweight. His record was 25-3, with one draw.
He fought during the height of non-heavyweight popularity in the 1980s. He was part of four of the best boxers during that time period, including Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, and Tommy Hearns.
The four boxers were dubbed the “Four Kings” and had the boxing world excited as they fought each other. Leonard was the only one to defeat the others after beating Hagler in a controversial bout that ended in a split decision, which effectively ended Hagler’s career in 1987.
La La Anthony Opens Up About Her ‘Life’s Work’ At Rikers Island Through ThreeSixty Program
La La Anthony opens up about the impact of her prison reform initiative, the ThreeSixty Program, at New York City's notorious Rikers Island.
Despite her packed Hollywood schedule, La La Anthony has continued to give back to her hometown, channeling her energy into prison reform through the ThreeSixty Program at New York’s most notorious correctional facility.
The actress recently appeared on the Jan. 23 episode of Sherri, where she discussed her new partnership with Canvas Beauty and how it helps support her ThreeSixty Program at Rikers Island. The reentry initiative provides young men with mentorship, legal support, and life skills designed to reduce recidivism and help participants successfully transition back into society after release.
“ThreeSixty is a program I started inside of Rikers Island about three years ago,” Anthony shared. “So what we do is, we get them ready, while they’re incarcerated, for the outside world. Whether that be job training, mentorships, self-esteem building, or anything that they need, so when they come out, they’re productive citizens. We help them get great jobs, housing, clothing, whatever they need, and it’s been so successful, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Always quick to lock in an on-trend brand deal, Anthony’s latest move pairs her with Black-owned beauty brand Canvas Beauty for its first-ever talent partnership collection. Launching just in time for Valentine’s Day, the La La Anthony x Canvas Beauty line marks her fragrance debut with Love La La and La Intense, along with a new body care collection under the Canvas Beauty umbrella.
When asked how she balances the prison reform initiative with her busy Hollywood career, the Power actress says the program is a true passion project.
“It’s my life passion. It’s my life’s work,” she said. “I know how easy it is to write them off… A lot of their choices were because of the environment, lack of opportunity.”
To underscore the program’s impact, Anthony was joined by former participant Michael Rondo Bonilla, a onetime Rikers Island inmate who met her through the initiative and has maintained a relationship with The Chi star.
Bonilla credits the ThreeSixty Program with helping steer him toward a better path than the one that led him to Rikers.
“When La first started coming, she kept on coming,” he said, in a clip shared online. “When I got out, she came. Authentic, no security, none of that. I listened to my mentors, I kept God first, and that’s why I’m at where I’m at today.”
Anthony also praised Bonilla, who now works as an organizer with REFORM and has earned a scholarship to Columbia University, highlighting the real impact of the ThreeSixty Program and the possibilities that can emerge when people are given a second chance.
Justin Pearson On New Wave Of Leadership and Why This ‘New Moment’ Requires ‘Different Ideas’
Pearson is one of several new Black leaders running in hot-ticketed midterm elections, seeking to take over for incumbent leaders who have been glued to their elected seats for sometimes decades.
Democratic Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson is known for speaking his mind about the current state of politics, at home and across the country. Still, he’s taking it up a notch, touching on the need for change that requires new faces — even if that means challenging the members who paved the way.
Pearson is one of several new Black leaders running in hot-ticketed midterm elections, seeking to take over for incumbent leaders who have been glued to their elected seats for sometimes decades.
And in the second running of the Trump administration’s controversial policies, Pearson says it’s time for some to step aside. “This is a new moment that requires different ideas, requires new energy and new perspectives, and you cannot be a part of the system for 40 years and also be the one who’s going to change it for the next 40,” the 31-year-old told Politico.
“You’ve done the best that you could, and it’s time for other folks to be able to do the best that they can for the present and for the future.”
As Pearson launched a campaign to challenge incumbent Rep. Steve Cohen, 76, the ideology has trickled into territories that have served Black communities and beyond — the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).
Since its 1971 establishment, the group has grown significantly, with a current roster of 62 members and an average member age of 60. While 60 should not be deemed “old” or out of touch, Pearson feels there needs to be a sense of adaptation to carry on, especially for the betterment of Black people.
“The Democratic Party has to adapt to survive. That work starts right now,” the once expelled leader said.
“Black folks in this country are still suffering disproportionately in every single category, and without leadership to elevate those concerns, those worries, those issues in a meaningful way, we’re never going to see that change.”
Some of the oldest House Democrats serve as CBC members, like Rep. Jim Clyburn, 85, who has represented South Carolina for more than 30 years, and California Rep. Maxine Waters, 87, who was first elected in 1990. Both have plans for reelection bids. It’s candidates like Pearson and Evan Turnage, the former senior staffer to Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer (NY) and Elizabeth Warren (MA), who launched a primary campaign to take over for Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), 77, who have expressed their concerns.
“When I was born in 1992, this was the poorest district in the poorest state in the country,” Turnage, 33, said.
“Congressman Thompson was elected in ’93, and now today, I’m 33, and this is still the poorest district in the poorest state in the country.”
He agreed with Pearson’s sentiments on the need for fresh and new leadership, saying it’s time for long-serving members who have “failed” younger generations. “Just because you’ve been around the block for 30 years doesn’t mean you’re delivering results for the district, doesn’t mean you’re delivering results for your constituents,” Turnage said.
The wave of new leadership featuring Black faces seems never-ending from the West to the East Coast. In Georgia, Everton Blair, who made history as the youngest, first Black, and first openly gay person elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education, is eyeing the congressional seat of the state’s 13th District.
According to ABC News, Blair launched a primary bid against incumbent Rep. David Scott, who has held the seat for 22 years.
His goal is to serve as an “agile and present” leader, something the 32-year-old no longer sees in Scott. “I’m running because District 13, my home turf, deserves better leadership. And I think we learned a vital lesson in November. We need to respond immediately to the chaos of this administration with stronger, more competent, and forceful leadership,” Blair said.
“When somebody’s served in elected office for over 50 years, there comes a time when you have to ask when you’re actually ready to prepare the next generation of leadership.”
Ye Apologizes To Jewish People, Black Community In WSJ Ad Addressing ‘Those I’ve Hurt’
Ye says his offensive remarks stemmed from improper treatment of his 2002 car crash.
Ye has made an official apology for his past ways in a new public advertisement.
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West shared the apology in the Wall Street Journal Jan. 26, buying up the ad space to do so. Titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” the father of four addressed his previous anti-semitic and racist remarks that offended multiple groups, especially the Jewish and Black communities. His offensive commentary led to his disgrace in the public eye, including the separation of his fashion brand, Yeezy, from its primary distributor, Adidas.
The letter, paid for by Yeezy, has Ye describing his own reasoning for his mental decline. He claims the rants stemmed from his 2022 car crash, which allegedly caused neurological damage that went untreated for years. X user Kurrco reposted the full letter.
Ye took out a Wall Street Journal ad to apologize for past antisemitic remarks.
In an open letter paid for by Yeezy, Ye apologized for his past remarks, which he claims stemmed from neurological damage after a 2002 car crash:
“Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage—the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.”
Ye explained how he never received a proper diagnosis until 2023, which caused “serious damage” to his mental state. He also stated that the “medical oversight” led to his bipolar disorder.
He explained how the disorder impacted his behavior, leading him not to heed others’ warnings about his actions. The Yeezy founder shared that he “lost touch with reality” and said things he “deeply regret[s].”
Ye continued, “The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, unstoppable.”
The 48-year-old then addressed the “poor judgment” behind his anti-semitic remarks and accompanying fashion statements. He reaffirmed his love for Jewish people while asserting that he is not a Nazi, before speaking directly to another group he disappointed, the Black community.
“To the black community, which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times. The black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us,” wrote the rapper.
Confirming that he underwent a four-month-long manic episode, he thanked his wife, Bianca Censori, for helping him get help as he reached rock bottom. This latest apology marks a previous attempt to make amends with the religious group, previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Now, Ye intends to rebuild his relationship with the public as he hopes to lead a new path.
“As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.”
African TikTok Star Khaby Lame Inks $900M Partnership To Revolutionize Influencer Deals
The partnership will grow Lame's brand into the e-commerce sector.
Khaby Lame is already a trailblazer on TikTok, but is now using his platform to transform the influencer landscape.
The Senegalese-born TikToker has inked a $900 million acquisition and strategic partnership deal with Rich Sparkle Holdings. As the content creator enters the deal with the U.S.-based company, Rich Sparkle will gain exclusive commercial rights to Lame’s expansive brand, as reported by Business Insider Africa. Lame already boasts an over 160 million following on TikTok alone.
In the innovative partnership, Lame sold part of his company, Step Distinctive Limited, to the firm. While Rich Sparkle will oversee operations to scale Lame’s influential brand for a 36-month period, it will do so with Lame remaining in the driver’s seat as controlling shareholder.
Rich Sparkle Holdings will manage Lame’s brand partnerships, endorsements, licensing, and e-commerce ventures, proposing $4 billion in expected sales from the joint venture. Lame will not only remain a creative force driving his brand, but a managing voice in the direction of the company.
However, the growth drivers also stem from implementing supply chain infrastructure to the platform’s marketing reach and Lame’s own content strategy. Evolving Lame’s influence from content curation to creator-led e-commerce, the new deal could transform how influencers interact with their widespread following for years to come.
“This is not just an equity acquisition, but a revolution in the global content e-commerce model,” explained Rich Sparkle Holdings on the news.
However, this deal will also extend to technological advancements as well. Lame also signed on for a AI-generated version of himself to take shape, allowing for more “round the clock” and multi-lingual content for the influencer to entertain the world. The deal will also reach into the beauty, fragrance, and apparel sectors, placing Lame at the forefront of new media avenues to capitalize on.
Lame has already become a major player for TikTok creators, accruing millions in followers and paychecks from his content style of comedic, silent videos. From Fortnite collaborations to UNICEF ambassadorships for his native country, Lame will continue elevating what it means to be a global entertainment influencer.
The rollout of this commercial strategy will begin in several regions, including the United States, with an additional global partnership with a China-based content commerce operator to drive its e-commerce sector.
Target CEO Along With Other Minnesota Executives Call For ICE Brigade To End As Workforce Dwindles As A Result Of Raids
Target staffers at roughly two stores have told managers they’re too afraid to come into work.
As ICE agents continue to cause havoc in the city of Minneapolis and throughout the state of Minnesota, CEOs of companies, such as Target, are finally speaking out as it’s starting to affect business.
Before he steps down for new leadership to take over, the retail giant CEO Brian Cornell is scheduled to meet with agents Jan. 29 as The Los Angeles Times reports local faith leaders and activists are demanding the company ban ICE from stores and parking lots as they have scared some employees from coming to work amid a few being detained.
Using internal Slack channels, workers have expressed their grievances about the company’s silence. When Renee Good was gunned down by a federal agent in early January 2026, the company remained silent. Now, people are seeking a clear statement condemning the operation. However, incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke, who is set to start Feb. 1, is focused on regaining company trust with revitalized sales while the company is still dealing with the massive backlash of dialing back on its DEI initiatives that have put so many Black entrepreneurs on the national stage.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Melissa Kremer, released a memo highlighting company plans to seemingly address concerns, revealing the security teams are increasing communication with workers based in the Twin Cities area. “While we can’t control everything happening around us, we are focused on what we can control,” the memo read.
“We’re listening and working to de-escalate where possible — while staying clear on what we need to safely operate our business and care for our team.”
Fear has spread amongst Target employees after ICE snatched two U.S. citizen employees from a store in Richfield, Minnesota. Staffers at roughly two stores have told managers they’re too afraid to come into work. But Target isn’t the biggest sufferer in the matter.
Hotels and restaurants have been hit the hardest during ICE’s takeover tactics. Adam Duininck, CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council, called it “a really complicated issue,” highlighting that the decrease in foot traffic will have a “chilling impact” on the local economy as a whole. He touched on the city still rebuilding after the unrest suffered following George Floyd’s 2020 murder at the hands of police. “I expect that the longer this lasts, the more business leaders will speak out,” Duininck said.
Seems like the time is now. Sixty CEOs of Minnesota-based companies such as Target, Best Buy, and General Mills, signed a letter to the Trump Administration, ICE, and officials at the state and local level for an “immediate de-escalation of tensions” after Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was added to the list of citizens killed by federal agents. “With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” the letter read, highlighting communication with Gov. Tim Walz, local mayors, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, according to USA Today.
“The recent challenges facing our state have created widespread disruption and tragic loss of life. There are ways for us to come together to foster progress.”
Chicago Bulls Retire Hometown Hero Derrick Rose’s No. 1 Jersey
The Chicago native retired in 2024.
Former Chicago Bulls player Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA after 16 seasons in 2024, shortly before the season started, and the team honored him on Jan. 24 by hanging his jersey number in the rafters of the United Center.
According to NBA.com, the hometown hero is the fifth Bulls player to have his number retired, joining Jerry Sloan (No. 4), Bob Love (No. 10), Michael Jordan (No. 23), and Scottie Pippen (No. 33). His uniform number was 1. Rose was unfortunately plagued with injuries throughout his NBA career.
Before the game against the Boston Celtics, which the Bulls won, 106-103, he stated, “It was unreal. It still didn’t hit me. All of this, I’m still taking in and trying to process in real time. Even with the weather conditions outside, knowing it’s a Chicago thing to show up, to fight, to show up to an event, that’s huge.”
The team raised the banner and made it official after the Bulls’ victory.
At the start of the ceremony, former Bulls players Taj Gibson and Luol Deng delivered opening remarks, and about 20 of Rose’s former teammates, including Joakim Noah, Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, and coach Tom Thibodeau, were in attendance.
As he accepted his honor, with the uniform raised to the rafters alongside the other legends who made history in Chicago, he expressed gratitude to the franchise and the fans, telling them the journey wasn’t about him.
“This journey was never about me,” he said. “Right from the jump, it was about creating a synergy that somehow people from the city can pull from. And somehow, I was that beacon or that vessel for the movement. But now, being 37 and looking at the totality of it, it never was about me. It was about everybody that found ways to come to my games. Somehow, we had some type of vibration that connected. … It was always meant to be.”
Now that he is no longer playing, he wants to concentrate on other passions, including his flower shop, as he contemplates what’s next for his career.
“Who knows what’s next?” he said. “My goal isn’t being around the game like that. I want to curate things, the flower shop, chess, to separate myself. I want to be in lanes nobody else is in. You’ll see.”
According to NBA.com, Rose entered the NBA after being selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2008. The Chicago native won the Rookie of the Year award and was chosen for the All-Star team in three of his first four seasons. He became the league’s youngest MVP when he won the award in 2011. He was just 22 years old at the time.
The point guard played his last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he also played his collegiate career at the University of Memphis. It wasn’t lost on him when he returned to the city that year. He also played for the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minneapolis Timberwolves, and Detroit Pistons.
Nicki Minaj To Continue Riding MAGA Train With Appearance At Trump Summit
Minaj is continuing to align herself with MAGA as she supports Trump at his upcoming summit.
Nicki Minaj is still trading in her pink wig for a red MAGA hat.
The controversial rapper will appear as a guest on behalf of President Donald Trump at an upcoming summit. The event, set for Jan. 28, is about the president’s latest eponymously named venture, the Trump Account.
According toComplex, the summit plans to encourage parents to set up retirement accounts for their children, a provision initially included in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill. While the event’s headlining speakers are Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trump himself, the Head Barb-in-Chief made her own announcement of her expected appearance.
Minaj opted to confirm the news to the “Barbz,” her dedicated fan base, herself. The “Barbie Tingz” rapper reposted a flyer Jan. 24 that listed her as a special guest at the Trumps Account Summit.
The true meaning of paying it forward.
Early financial literacy & financial support for our children will give them a major head start in life.
In some cases, they will end up teaching their very own parents how to invest & what to invest in.
As for her involvement in the MAGA event, Minaj called it a way of “paying it forward” for the next generation of baby Republicans. She deemed it as “financial support” for American youth, a cause she proudly stands for.
“The true meaning of paying it forward,” wrote Minaj on X, “Early financial literacy & financial support for our children will give them a major head start in life. “
However, given who she is standing with, fans and general hip-hop enthusiasts have side-eyed Minaj’s MAGA antics. The New York artist, however, has still shown upto amplify her new conservative platform. She previously appeared at a Turning Point USA event to speak with Erika Kirk, widow of the late Charlie Kirk.
While explicitly stating she will be there, Minaj made a slight jump scare with her continued support for MAGA. Before posting actual words, she used a meme of the fictional doll Chucky to scare critics about her involvement.
Minaj, however, is trying to rise above the backlash. She further explained how the Trump Account is a good way for parents and children to learn about investing.
The mother of one added,” In some cases, they will end up teaching their very own parents how to invest & what to invest in. This makes me very happy.”
Jemele Hill Calls Out The ‘Consequences’ Of Normalizing Sports Betting Culture
Jemele Hill speaks candidly about the risks of a normalized sports betting culture and its growing influence on younger fans.
Between nonstop ads across screens to branded stadiums and team jerseys, today’s sports landscape has made sports betting almost impossible to ignore. With wagering now woven into nearly every part of the fan experience, Jemele Hill is stepping into the conversation, raising concerns about what she views as the growing dangers of an increasingly normalized sports betting culture.
The veteran sports commentator dives deep into the matter in VICE TV’s Out of Bounds: The Sports Betting Boom, the third installment of the Out of Bounds series that examines the changing landscape of modern sports and sports betting culture. In the episode, Hill reflects on her own experiences with sports gambling and explores how its rapid rise has altered the way fans and players engage with professional sports.
“Once the Supreme Court made sports gambling available everywhere, I think we have seen a number of scandals, gambling scandals related to sports across different sports,” Hill told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The Jemele Hill is Unbothered host compared the rapid growth of sports betting to the tobacco industry, noting how cigarettes once became deeply normalized through constant promotion across popular culture.
“I think we need to think very carefully about where and how this is being normalized,” Hill explained. “You know, tobacco cigarettes became cool because movie stars did it. Because, you know, people in movies smoked, because smoking seemed like something that was alluring and sexy and those kinds of things.”
And so I think we need to be very clear and very cognizant of how this is being marketed, especially to younger people, because I think that’s where the real danger lies, you know, young people being able to access sports gambling on their phone, you know, when they turn 18. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”
In recent years, several professional athletes across major sports leagues have been caught up in gambling-related scandals, underscoring the risks tied to the rapid expansion of sports betting.
From players betting on games to violations involving insider information and betting accounts, the growing number of incidents reflects how deeply betting has seeped into sports culture and how normalization may be blurring ethical lines for both players and fans alike, Hill says.
“I think we’re just going to have to get accustomed to hearing about players betting on themselves, betting on their sport, betting on other sports, and running into these situations that used to be considered to be something that was a cardinal sin in sports,” she explained.
“Gambling on the game, you know, compromising your professional integrity as it relates to sports gambling, you know, was something that destroyed a player’s career. And so, but I think now we’re in the age that gambling has become so normalized and so accepted that we’re going to be living in the consequences of it.”
In Out of Bounds, Hill and other sports insiders examine the point at which fandom turns into addiction through sports betting, and how gambling has seeped into the daily lives of both fans and players, as reflected in recent headlines.
Hill says the trend highlights a growing dehumanization of athletes themselves.
“It’s a common blind spot, I think most fans have, is that in their minds, the players aren’t real people to them. They are just entertainment vessels,” she explained. “And so because of that, I think they have, their default mode is to dehumanize the players. And, you know, they don’t understand that, yes, many of them lead great lives in the sense that they have money, they have adulation, they have fame, but often those things come at a price and a cost.”
As a prominent voice in sports media, Hill openly acknowledges her experiences with sports gambling but notes that she’s able to keep it in check.
Still, she worries about how today’s betting-saturated culture is shaping younger sports fans, who are growing up with gambling woven into nearly every part of the game.
“I’m not gonna be on a high horse and act like I’ve never gambled on sports. I do maybe once or twice a year, maybe,” Hill admitted. “But what you are seeing is that younger and younger sports fans are, because they have access to this so early, that I think, you know, a nation, there’s gonna be a generation of sports gambling addicts that pretty much have developed right under our nose.”
The author and sports journalist points to fan engagement platforms like Fantasy Football as clear examples of how betting culture has reshaped the way fans experience the NFL. What was once a Sunday spent simply enjoying matchups between teams has become an increasingly high-stakes pursuit, with fans focused on individual outcomes and potential payouts tied to their bets.
“Even though people look at this harmlessly, I mean, let’s be honest, fantasy football is really just gambling at the core of it,” Hill declared. “It may not be as intense as, say, prop betting, but you know, I did fantasy football for a while, and I was even the lead commissioner a couple of times, and I saw then how it changes how you watch the game because you become much less interested in like teams and more interested in individual players.”
“And you even run into uncomfortable situations where you’re rooting against your own team because you want to win your fantasy game.”
With sports betting heavily promoted in an era when younger college-level athletes can profit from their name, image, and likeness through NIL deals, Hill believes the moment calls for stronger oversight of sports gambling.
She is emphasizing the need for safeguards to protect both young fans and athletes navigating an increasingly betting-driven sports culture.
“I think we need to be conscious and not pretend that we are marketing something that is, you know, we’re not marketing something that’s gonna necessarily be positive over the course of time,” she said. “There are plenty of people, I get it, that gamble responsibly, but I think how appealing we’ve made this for young people is something that we really ought to put in check.”
Catch more of Jemele Hill’s take on the issue when Out of Bounds: The Sports Betting Boom premieres on VICE TV Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET.
