Mark Jackson, Knicks
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 5, 2025

Andre Iguodala Once Stated That Mark Jackson Was Being Blackballed By NBA

Iguodala made his opinion known back in 2019

Former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson has not been a coach for an NBA team since he was let go by the franchise. One former Warriors player, Andre Iguodala, believes that Jackson has been blackballed by the NBA, which is why he is still without a team.

According to Basketball Network, Iguodala, who won four championships with the Warriors during his time with the team, believed that Jackson’s views, particularly on sexuality, were one of the reasons he was terminated and has yet to be hired by any NBA team. Although the media outlet referenced The Breakfact Club‘s 2019 interview with Iguodala, it appears that six years later, Jackson has not been considered to coach any teams after his stint with the Warriors.

Most basketball fans will admit that, thanks to Jackson, the Warriors became the winning team during the time they won four championships (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022) in seven seasons. When the Warriors got rid of Jackson, they brought in Steve Kerr, who just took what Jackson did and ran with it, literally, and has gotten the credit for the titles won. The team won a championship less than a year after terminating the Queens-bred coach. Jackson, an ordained minister and deeply religious man, was known to express his views, whether invited or not, and it was rumored that this turned off many of the players who just wanted to play basketball. And, according to Iguodala, one of the executives in upper management, Rick Welts, was a gay man, and Jackson’s views conflicted with his lifestyle.

“One particular issue was his views on gender, or marriage, or what the Bible says on your sexuality. And the head of our business, Rick Welts, he’s celebrated as one of the top execs in sports on the business side, and he’s gay, so there was conflicts with that that was widespread,” Iguodala said on the morning program in 2019.

Jackson grew up in New York City, where point guards were aplenty and he had a storied basketball upbringing, growing up in Queens and then playing his collegiate career at St John’s. The hometown team, the New York Knicks, selected him in the first round, and his hometown hero status was complete. For years, whenever a coach is fired from the New York team, Jackson’s name is brought up, including this year, after the team terminated Tom Thibodeau at the end of the season. Although some New York sports fans were hoping he would get a chance, Jackson was overlooked when the team hired Mike Brown.

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DEZ BRYANT
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 4, 2025

Dez Bryant, Roc Nation Fire Back at Jerry Jones, Calls JAY-Z Accusation ‘Comical’

Jones uses the claim in a contract dispute with Micah Parsons

The Dallas Cowboys’ Jerry Jones, possibly the most controversial sports franchise owner in the world, is embroiled in a contract standoff with Micah Parsons and is using JAY-Z and Roc Nation as an example of why he does not like speaking to agents, preferring, instead, to negotiate with his players directly. That response allowed Roc Nation and its client, Dez Bryant, to clap back at Jones for using them as a scapegoat.

In a recent interview, Jones was asked about the status of a contract with Parsons, who has stated that the team has stopped speaking to his agent, David Mulugheta, and Athletes First. The team’s owner blamed the billionaire businessman for the issues that arose during Bryant’s contract negotiation, which was handled by Roc Nation Sports in 2015.

“Because when we have a problem with the player, the agent is nowhere to be found. Jay-Z said that Dez would make all meetings. Jay-Z and I negotiated the contract, spent hours.” Jones then claimed that JAY stopped taking his calls.

Reporter Nick Harris posted the response given by Jones about the stalled negotiations with the Cowboys.

Bryant, who was a member of the team from 2010 to 2017, took to social media in response to Jones’ comments.

Then, Roc Nation Sports added to it by releasing a statement and calling Jones’ response “comical.”

“In 2015, at the 21 Club, on a napkin, Jerry Jones, Juan Perez, Shawn ‘JAY-Z’ Carter and Stephen Jones negotiated a five-year, $70 million deal, which included a $45 million guarantee and a $20 million signing bonus for Dez Bryant. At the time, it was the second-largest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history. The claim that Mr. Carter or Roc Nation representatives did not return a call from Jerry Jones is not only a false statement, but it’s also a comical one.” 

Due to Jones’ stalling tactics, Parsons, the four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro player, has requested a trade from the team.

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Billy porter, pose
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 4, 2025

Billy Porter’s New Gender-Neutral Beauty Line Is Made For ‘People Who Want To Explore’

Billy Porter embarks on mogul status with the launch of his new gender-neutral beauty line, Black Mona Lisa Beauty.

Billy Porter is making his dream of being a mogul a reality with the launch of his beauty and skincare line, Black Mona Lisa Beauty.

Designed with a gender-neutral approach, the new collection features a range of lightweight, easy-to-use products, including collagen and retinol serums, a kale face cleanser, eye cream, liquid lipsticks, and eye shimmers, priced between $9.99 and $66.99. True to Porter’s belief in breaking boundaries, the line was created for everyone to feel confident and cared for, regardless of gender.

“I feel like this first outing [of the brand] is about exploration. It’s about people who want to just simply explore,” Porter told WWD. “It is about identifying who you really are and understanding deep within one’s soul that you are worthy and having no fear to proclaim that yourself.”

Naming the beauty collection came naturally as Porter drew inspiration from his 2023 song and album of the same name, which he considers a reflection of his alter ego.

“My dream is to be a mogul,” he shared. “My last albums were called Black Mona Lisa and Black Mona Lisa Volume 2, and when that name sort of dropped down from the sky, I knew that it was bigger than a song and an album. Black Mona Lisa has become my alter ego, and I’m building out the brand. I sort of have just been dreaming, and scheming, and manifesting, and putting things out into the universe.”

Porter’s decision to make the line gender-neutral was driven by his own personal research and commitment to inclusivity.

“I remember reading ingredients — there was a product for face wash for women, and then a product for face wash that was supposed to be for men — and it’s the same ingredients,” he said.

Porter’s current go-to is the Liquid Shimmer, which he’s been wearing while performing in Cabaret on the West End. He’s also a fan of the Kale Face Cleanser and Rose Gold Oil. Looking ahead, Porter is focused on creating shade ranges specifically designed with people of color in mind.

“As a Black man, I’m going to be having shades for all Black people and all different people,” he said. “I want to create the magical colors that are opaque enough to show up on darker skin. I know that’s going to be a focus for me as we expand and move forward.”

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Sean
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 4, 2025

Diddy’s Ex Gina Huynh, ‘Victim 3’ In Sex Trafficking Case, Pens Letter Asking For His Release On Bail

Diddy is getting support from one ex-girlfriend who almost testified against him.

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex, Virginia “Gina” Huynh, has penned a letter to the judge asking for Combs’ release on bail after initially being named as “Victim 3” in his high-profile sex trafficking and racketeering case.

Huynh, who was initially expected to testify against Combs before withdrawing from the case, wrote a letter recently submitted to the judge by Combs’ defense team in support of his release on bail ahead of his Oct. 3 sentencing, CNN reports. In the letter, Huynh described Combs as a devoted family man “who has not been violent in many years” and poses no threat to the community.

In the letter, Huynh reflected on the years she has known Combs, both professionally and personally, admitting their relationship “was not always perfect,” but emphasizing that “he was willing to acknowledge his mistakes and make better decisions in the future.”

“By the time our relationship ended, he embodied an energy of love, patience and gentleness that was markedly different from his past behavior. To my knowledge, he has not been violent for many years, and he has been committed to being a father first,” the letter stated. “I am writing because I do not view Mr. Combs as a danger to me or to the community.”

Huynh’s letter was included as an exhibit in the defense’s recent filing responding to the prosecution’s opposition to Combs’ bail request ahead of his Oct. 3 sentencing. This marked the first time she was identified by her real name rather than “Victim 3,” the name used during the prosecution’s case.

Although initially set to testify against Combs, prosecutors informed the judge before the trial that they had lost contact with Huynh and her attorney, warning, “She may not show up.” During the trial, Combs’ former assistant, George Kaplan, testified that he once saw Combs throwing apples at Huynh at his Miami home. Cassie Ventura, the case’s key witness and another former girlfriend, testified that Combs was unfaithful to her by dating Huynh throughout their 11-year relationship.

Last month, a jury convicted Combs on two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution but acquitted him of more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He still faces upwards of 10 years for each count.

Ahead of his sentencing, Combs’ defense has requested his release on bail, with a $50 million bond, arguing that he poses no danger to the community and is not a flight risk. Last week, they filed a motion seeking either a full acquittal or a new trial, claiming his Mann Act conviction was unconstitutional and that he was unfairly prosecuted.

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Florida, Rep. Angie Nixon, Cafe Resistance, Book Ban
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 4, 2025

Black Girl Picnic Marks 5th Annual Event With New Black Literacy Campaign To Gift 1000 Books

The campaign aims to get 1,000 books about and by Black women to Black girls.

Black Girl Picnic will celebrate its fifth annual year of Black sisterhood with a new literacy campaign.

The organization will return to Belle Isle Park Aug. 10 to deepen its community of Black womanhood. Additionally, it will champion a new cause of youth literacy by supplying 1,000 books to Black girls.

Founded in 2021 by Torie Anderson-Lloyd, the first Black Girl Picnic emerged after Anderson-Lloyd craved a connection to her community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. What started with 60 dedicated women showing up at Belle Isle has grown across the nation.

This year, Black Girl Picnic hopes to widen its impact through its “1,000 Books for Black Girls” literacy campaign. Local and national sponsors, such as The Skillman Foundation, First Book, and General Motors, have already contributed to the work, helping to get the nonprofit to reach over half of its goal.

With over 600 books ready to hand out, their donation list also features works by acclaimed Black women novelists. From “All About Love” by bell hooks to “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi, Black girls will have the opportunity to read these modern classics.

Illiteracy remains a growing problem across the United States, especially for Black youth. According to Edtrust, a 2023 report by the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) confirmed that only 17% of Black students could read proficiently by the fourth grade. These concerns have prompted community organizations like Black Girl Picnic to take action.

Anderson-Lloyd, a former Detroit public school teacher, has witnessed this setback firsthand. Through her organization, she hopes to promote Black youth literacy through this campaign. The initiative also seeks to affirm Black girls and women through books that represent that identity.

The books will showcase Black girls and women as the heroes of their own story, helping this demographic see and celebrate themselves in literature. As for the picnic, the party will kick off Aug. 9, with tickets available now. Those who wish to donate to its ongoing philanthropic event can do so via Amazon or the donation link.

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Tennis Star Gael Monfils, ATP Tour Title
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 4, 2025

Harlem Transforms A Block Party Into A Tennis Court For Community Day To Get Active

The event will blend Harlem's community tradition with tennis play.

Harlem will transform one of its blocks into a tennis court for a community day ahead of the U.S. Open.

On Aug. 16, residents of Harlem will head to West 120th Street for the neighborhood’s open-air tennis club. Deemed “Tennis in Harlem: On the Block,” the event will cater to local residents and tennis enthusiasts alike.

Brought to life by the new U.S. Open Series by All-Love Racquet Club, the family-friendly day of play will feature live DJs, street food, and free clinics to promote community health. In partnership with the Marcus Meets Malcolm and Dreamers Youth foundations, the event aims to infuse Harlem’s cultural tradition with the sport.

“We’re flipping the script on what tennis can look like. This is about building culture, making the game accessible and showing that joy and athleticism belong on every block—starting in Harlem,” said Erika Bond, founder of All‑Love Racquet Club, according to Timeout.

Amid the games, Tennis in Harlem will provide coaching sessions and extra courts to fill up the block. Additional sponsors, including Wilson, On, and USTA Eastern, plan to host activations in the inaugural event. However, some activities that don’t require a racket, such as yoga and mindfulness zones, will ensure everyone can have a good time.

Players of all skill levels are encouraged to sign up. Fans can also enjoy the festivities from the sidelines with music flowing freely through the streets.

With the U.S. Open just weeks away, this series will introduce even more eyes to professional tennis before the world’s contending champions head to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York. All Love Racquet Club will continue the fun before the U.S. Open starts Aug. 24. Following its Harlem event, it will host a “Love to Dream Youth Clinic” on Aug. 21. A final clinic for adults will take place two days later on the Upper East Side.

RSVPs for Tennis in Harlem are required for entry and are available now.

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RAINBOW, BABY, MOM
by Kandiss Edwards

August 4, 2025

SisterSong Director Talks Black ‘in(Fertility) Awareness Week’ And $60K Give Away

SisterSong’s Director of Maternal Health and Birth Equity Initiatives, Leah Jones, talked about the fight for equity in fertility sphere.

Fertility justice nonprofit SisterSong hosted the annual Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week. For a full five days, the organization holds multiple workshops, panels, and interactive virtual and physical events aimed at education. Additionally, the organization is creating awareness about the legislation and barriers surrounding Black access to fertility assistance. 

SisterSong’s Director of Maternal Health and Birth Equity Initiatives, Leah Jones, spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE about the work SisterSong is doing to fight for equity in the fertility sphere. This includes a $60K giveaway to assist families with fertility services. Including a detailed walk-through of the process and how interested parties can donate funds and necessities needed for infants after birth. 

What did you hope attendees took away from the Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week? 

My biggest hope was that people walked away knowing that this was a space where their stories could exist, their experiences can live and be held and understood. We have some educational conversations and some story sharing and cross learning. 

Also, every year we conduct our Assistant Reproductive Technology Giveaway. This year, we gave away $60,000 for fertility care in partnership with Muna Fertility Clinic. Muna clinic is a Black woman-owned fertility clinic in Atlanta. She’s reproductive justice-centered, queer friendly, and she’s a reproductive justice advocate. 

A major facet of the event was the Muna fertility walk-through. Can you tell us a little bit about what participants were able to observe through that process? 

They were able to see everything from an ultrasound, semen analysis, and diagnosis. They learned how many blood draws you would have in this process. As a person who went through her own fertility journey, I was given 20 minutes to do a rundown. There was so much medical heavy language that I forgot it within 15 minutes.

A lot of times, people can go through this process and still not know what just happened. Black women are very intuitive with their bodies. If you know what the process is supposed to be, if you know what this injection is supposed to do, our bodies can tell us, ‘I don’t think this is the reaction I’m supposed to have to this.’ 

Can you tell us a little bit more about the National Fertility Justice Now campaign?

The Fertility Justice Now campaign started here in Georgia in partnership with SPARK Reproductive Justice Now. They do reproductive rights work. Also, we’re partnering with Morehouse School of Medicine on the research and storytelling component of the policy campaign. The two bills we are focused on are House Bills 588 and 589 for public and private insurance mandates for coverage for fertility care.

What are the key barriers to equitable fertility care that are most pressing? 

Money. That is why we do the giveaway; it’s expensive. People need money, and this is why we are focusing on insurance mandates.

How can people support you throughout the year? 

We’re a nonprofit, so donations are always welcome. We also have the Birth Justice Care Fund. The fund supplies the marginalized community. If you’re pregnant and giving birth, we have lactation specialists, doulas, and maternal mental health therapists. We pay stipends and provide a directory to get you connected. Additionally, we supply basic items. You can’t leave a hospital unless you have a car seat, and sometimes you can’t afford a car seat, so we supply that or diapers and wipes through the care fund. 

Last year, money ran out in two months. There’s an excessive need coming out of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. With these abortion bans, we have seen an uptick in the need for care, and so donations to keep it going.

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young thug
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 4, 2025

Young Thug Speaks To Students At Skyview High School To Encourage Them To Stay On Right Path

'Gangs are not the move.'

Atlanta rapper Jeffery Lamar Williams, also known as Young Thug, was seen at Skyview High School in College Park fulfilling part of the sentence given to him by an Atlanta judge.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, students at Skyview were able to interact with the “Go Crazy” recording artist as he spoke to them, encouraging them to do well and follow their dreams. It was the first “official” public appearance for the 33-year-old rapper who escaped a long prison sentence last October after being on trial for RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charges associated with alleged crimes in the Atlanta region.

“I feel like violence is just not the thing,” Young Thug said to the audience. “It’s just lame. It’s corny. I don’t want to see something happen to somebody that bad. Gangs are not the move.”

Greg Clay, Skyview High School’s board chair, said that Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, contacted him about two months ago about the visit and that the visit happened “fairly quickly.” Clay also serves as the executive director for the City of Atlanta’s constituent services.

“We feel honored,” Clay told the media outlet. “We’re working with the principal to think through positive ways to keep kids engaged. As you can imagine, once students fall behind, there’s this notion that they may want to drop out. So we try to prevent students from falling completely off the cliff. We’re pumping hope into them.”

The appearance by Young Thug is part of his sentencing, which, if followed, will keep him out of prison. While he is on probation, he is required to return to Atlanta four times a year for a “live anti-gang and anti-gun violence presentation” or a benefit concert at a grade school, middle school, or a Boys & Girls Club or similar group.

After being on trial for over two years and held in custody for more than 900 days, Thug pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, following prosecutors’ request that he be sentenced to 45 years, with 25 years in prison and 20 years on probation. Instead, Fulton County Judge Paige Reese Whitaker allowed the rapper to go free, with conditions. “The total sentence is 40 years, to serve the first 5 years in prison, but commuted to the time you’ve already served.”

Some of the charges included firearm possession and participation in criminal street gang activity, and he also pleaded no contest to racketeering and leading a criminal street gang.

The conditions Thug agreed to include no longer residing in Atlanta for the first 10 years and not being present in the city unless it is essential for family functions like weddings and/or funerals. 

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jon jones, MAGA, Trump, UFC, champ
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 4, 2025

Trump Goes After ‘Racist Sleazebag’ Charlamagne Tha God For Criticizing His Presidency

Charlamagne Tha God has become Donald Trump's new target after criticizing him on Fox News.

Charlamagne Tha God has gotten President Donald Trump all riled up after criticizing his second presidential term during an appearance on Fox News.

The Breakfast Club host caught Trump’s attention recently after appearing on the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump’s, Fox News show, My View, where he openly criticized Trump’s current presidency and explained why he wouldn’t give him a passing grade for a second term.

“I wouldn’t give it a good rating simply because the least of us are still being impacted the worst,” Charlamagne said, later noting how he will benefit from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, but “There’s going to be so many people that’s hurt by that bill,” he said.

With Charlamagne appearing on Lara Trump’s show, it didn’t take too long before the president took to his Truth Social platform to accuse the radio host of being a “racist sleazebag” who shouldn’t be allowed to use the word “God” in his name.

“The very wonderful and talented Lara Trump, whose show is a big ratings success, put racist sleazebag Charlamagne ‘The God,’” Trump wrote on Aug. 3. “Why is he allowed to use the word ‘GOD’ when describing himself?”

“He’s a low-IQ individual, has no idea what words are coming out of his mouth, and knows nothing about me or what I have done, like just ending 5 Wars, including a 31-year bloodbath between the Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.”

Building on his criticism, Charlamagne also expressed his belief that “traditional conservatives” will reclaim the Republican Party from Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, especially amid internal divisions over Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

“I think there’s a political coup going on right now in the Republican Party that people aren’t paying attention to,” Charlamagne said. “I think this Epstein thing is going to be a way for traditional conservatives to take their party back. I really do. I think that they know this is the issue that has gotten the base riled up, the MAGA base isn’t letting this issue go, and for the first time, they can probably take their party back and not piss off the MAGA base. I think they’re going to do that.”

In response, Trump highlighted what he considers his key accomplishments during his second term and criticized Charlamagne for backing Democrats such as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

“He didn’t know that, or India and Pakistan, or wiping out Iran’s nuclear capabilities, or closing the horrendous open Border, or creating the greatest economy, where prices and Inflation have come way down,” Trump wrote.

“But this dope, Charlamagne, would vote for Sleepy Joe or Kamala? Remember, one year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World. MAGA!!!”

After Trump’s social media rant, Charlamagne fired back on August 4 by naming the president his latest Donkey of the Day. In his sharp response, Charlamagne fact-checked Trump’s Truth Social post using verified data about the wars Trump claimed to have ended and highlighted that borders remain open to asylum seekers, with ICE detaining individuals beyond the “illegals and criminals” Trump promised to deport.

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Sha'Carri Richardson, arrested
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 4, 2025

Sha’Carri Richardson Misses Qualifying For 200-Meter Final By .01 Seconds

The sprinter came in fourth place in her latest race to miss qualifying for the 200-meter final at the U.S. Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships

It has not been a great week for sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson as she came in fourth place in her latest race to miss qualifying for the 200-meter final at the U.S. Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships.

According to The Associated Press, Richardson’s time in the race was 22.56 seconds, placing her three spots from the fastest times in Eugene, Oregon. She missed advancing by .01 seconds. To advance, a runner had to be among the top two finishers, and then the next three with the fastest times. Madison Whyte beat her by a whisker by clocking in at 22.55.

Runner’s World reported that McKenzie Long won the competition in 22.12 seconds in the race that took place Aug. 3. Although Richardson did not qualify for the 200-meter final, as the reigning world champion over 100 meters, she has been granted a bye, so she will be competing in the World Championships, which will take place next month in Tokyo. On July 31, she ran a season’s best of 11.07, which is still under the 10.65 that she ran when she took home the world title two years ago.

According to LetsRun.com, Richardson was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport July 27 after allegedly assaulting her sprinter boyfriend, Christian Coleman. She was reportedly caught on video pushing Coleman and throwing some headphones at him. After spending 19 hours at the South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines, Washington, she was released. She was arrested on a fourth-degree domestic violence offense.

Coleman felt that she did not need to be arrested and spoke to the media about the situation, saying that she had to take a step back and try to do better for herself.

There is no word on when she is scheduled to appear in court to answer the charges. 

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