Sheletta Brundidge Celebrates Black Business Month By Showcasing Minnesota’s Black Entrepreneurs
This initiative is in celebration of Black Business Month
Comedian, radio host, and activist Sheletta Brundidge has worked her magic to get a local supermarket in Minnesota to celebrate Black Business Month by allowing local Black entrepreneurs to showcase their products in their store.
Brundidge connected with Hy-Vee in Robbinsdale to discuss welcoming these small Black business owners in their space Aug. 9, so the local residents can meet them and sample their products.
“We have great products, we’re making salsa in the kitchen, hair care products in our homes, we’ve got the pop-ups at the farmer’s market, but we gotta be there, so we can’t keep creating product,” said Brundidge in a written statement.
This opportunity gives Black small businesses the chance to connect with potential customers, learn more about them and their products, and network.
“It puts a name to it,” said Joe Lowe, store manager at the Robbinsdale Hy-Vee. “So, when they (shoppers) see that product on our shelves, even a month from now, they can remember talking to Sylvia and Liza from Soul Grain about their product, how they came up with it, and it makes them feel good about buying the products in the future.”
The three companies afforded the opportunity were Soul Grain, a granola company from Sylvia Williams, a pastry chef, and Liza Maya, a nutritionist. Nature’s Syrup Hair and Skin Care, a company started by De’Vonna Pittman for plant-based products for curly hair. Nadia’s Jamaican Kitchen served samples from their restaurant, which is located in Brooklyn Park, serving up jerk chicken, curry soup, and other Jamaican flavors.
“If we can get these products on the shelves at the Hy-Vee in Robbinsdale, then we can go back and create more and meet with people to do outreach, versus, whatever we sit there and sell, that’s what we get,” Brundidge said.
Byron Allen’s Media Group Sells 10 TV Stations For $171M
Gray Media purchased the local TV stations.
Gray Media has announced the acquisition of 10 television stations from Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.
The company stated that the transaction to acquire the stations was for $171 million. With the recent acquisitions, Gray Media is entering three new markets: Columbus-Tupelo, Mississippi; Terre Haute, Indiana; and West Lafayette, Indiana. This will also allow Gray Media to strengthen its service to viewers in the seven other markets.
The television stations to be sold are: Huntsville, AL, WAAY (ABC); Paducah, KY-Cape Girardeau, MO-Harrisburg-Mt. Vernon, IL, WSIL (ABC); Evansville, IN, WEVV (CBS/FOX); Ft. Wayne, IN, WFFT (FOX); Montgomery, AL, WCOV (FOX); Lafayette, LA, KADN (FOX/NBC); Columbus-Tupelo, MS, WTVA (ABC/NBC); Rockford, IL, WREX (NBC); Terre Haute, IN, WTHI (CBS/FOX); West Lafayette, IN, WLFI (CBS).
The transaction between the two companies sis expected to be completed by the end of the year.
This transaction takes place two months after Allen settled a $10 billion lawsuit against fast-food retailer McDonald’s. The parties did not disclose the amount for which the suit was settled. The two companies came to an agreement before the scheduled trial. The entrepreneur sued the corporation over the company’s alleged refusal to advertise with Black-owned companies.
Allen released a statement about the agreement between the two corporations.
“We are pleased to find a resolution that maintains our business relationship,” Allen said in a written statement. “During the course of this litigation, many of our preconceptions have been clarified, and we acknowledge McDonald’s commitment to investing in Black-owned media properties and increasing access to opportunity. Our differences are behind us, and we look forward to working together.”
Three years ago, the entrepreneur placed a $10 billion bid to acquire Disney’s ABC Network, according to Bloomberg. The deal did not go through. However, less than two years ago, Allen also put in a bid to bring the BET Network back under Black ownership, but the parent company, Paramount, decided not to sell BET to anyone.
‘Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross’ Sets Viewership Record On Roku, Leading To Another Season
'The way the show is resonating feels truly special—all of the comments, the conversations, the connection... my cup runneth over,' Ross said
Tracee Ellis Ross and her series, “Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross,” has been picked up by Roku for a second season after becoming the streaming platform’s most-watched unscripted show.
The streaming platform announced that Ross’s series had such an extraordinary debut that, within the first two weeks, it broke viewership records with the channel. The series has become the most-watched unscripted Roku Original for that period in terms of unique viewers, garnering the platform to greenlight another season of “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross.”
She's back! ✈️ Tracee Ellis Ross is packing her (many) bags for another round of adventures on a second season of her hit Roku Originals series “Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross" #SoloTravelingpic.twitter.com/bqvuzdYdWh
“’Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross’ is the #1 unscripted show in Roku history, and now we get to do it all again with a season two! Thank you to Roku for your incredible partnership and care with my show, and to the amazing team that made it all possible,” Ross said in a written statement. “But the biggest thank you goes to everyone who has watched, embraced, and shared my journeys. The way the show is resonating feels truly special—all of the comments, the conversations, the connection… my cup runneth over.”
The former “black-ish” star took off on the road by herself, sparking conversations about traveling alone. During its first season, Ross took journeys through Morocco, Mexico, and Spain, where she used humor, heart, and honesty on her road trip. Her exploits through the regions have kept fans glued to her escapades. Now, they want more, and The Roku Channel is obliging with the next season on the way, with new destinations being planned.
“Tracee Ellis Ross has set a new gold standard for unscripted storytelling,” said Brian Tannenbaum, Head of Roku Originals. “Her show didn’t just perform—it soared. The response from our streamers has been overwhelming, and we’re deeply grateful to have Tracee returning to guide us through another season filled with heart, purpose, and adventure.”
All episodes will be available for free exclusively on The Roku Channel.
Detroit Lions Player Morice Norris In Stable Condition After Traumatic Injury
Norris' injury to his head and neck area during the fourth quarter of preseason game between the Lions and Falcons ended the game as both sides refused to continue playing.
The Detroit Lions provided an encouraging update regarding the status of Morice Norris, a formerly undrafted second-year safety, whose injury to his head and neck area during the fourth quarter of the Aug. 8 preseason game between the Lions and the Atlanta Falcons brought an end to the game as both sides refused to continue playing and let the clock run out on the game.
According to a statement the team released on its X account after his injury, “Morice Norris is in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities. He will remain at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta overnight for observation.”
They concluded, “We would like to thank the Atlanta Falcons organization, the EMS team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the doctors and staff at Grady for their support.”
Morice Norris is in stable condition and has feeling and movement in all his extremities. He will remain at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta overnight for observation.
We would like to thank the Atlanta Falcons organization, the EMS team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the…
As The Athletic reported, during the press conference after the game’s conclusion, Lions head coach Dan Campbell offered praise to Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, after the two coaches came to an agreement that the game did not need to continue after the injury.
Dan Campbell on Morice Norris, who left the game in an ambulance.
Campbell noted that the team received “some positive information” about the status of Norris, before continuing, “He’s breathing. He’s talking. He’s got some movement. They are running more tests. Raheem Morris is a class act. He is the ultimate class act. We agreed it just didn’t feel right to finish the game. That man is a class act, always has been.”
Campbell concluded, “I told them (the Detroit Lions players) we are taking knees, they are and we are until this thing is over. The kid just wants to get better every day. I don’t even know what else to say. We will have some team members stay back. We have some players who want to see him. I know his mom is with him.”
Morris also addressed the injury in his comments to the media, stating his belief that ending the game was the right call for both teams.
“There’s not a lot of times that happens,” Morris said. “I can’t sit here and tell you I have been through a lot of those or seen a lot of those. I don’t think any of us have. That was the moment, the decision. It was the right thing for (both) football teams.”
Players from both teams also addressed the incident in their comments to reporters.
Falcons wide receiver Casey Washington said that he is sure that Norris is being looked after by a higher power and noted how difficult it was for him to see an injury like that.
“As soon as it happened, I just took a knee and started praying. I know God is watching out for us. I know he’s got a hand on him. I’m praying for his mom and praying for his family. Everybody on the sideline was just standing there, and the clock continued to go. It was tough. All the players were affected by it. We have been playing this game since the age of 5, and to see something like that is tough to see. It’s emotional. God bless him.”
Norris’ teammate, quarterback Kyle Allen, noted that although players know how violent the game of football is, they never expect an injury like the one they watched happen to Norris to occur.
“It’s just awful. You sign up for football, you understand risk and putting your body on the line, but you never think something like that is going to happen. We’ve all played football our whole lives, and when you’re on that field and see that, you understand how dangerous it really is out there. At the end of the day, we’re all football players,” Allen said.
The morning after the game, Norris posted an update on his Instagram account, captioning a Bible devotional he posted with a short message, “I’m all good…appreciate all the check ins and love.”
On the local Detroit-area broadcast of the game, play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti offered his perspective on how the Lions and Falcons head coaches elected to end the gam, which stood in stark contrast to the way a previous traumatic injury to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin played out in 2023.
“It is one of the beautiful reminders of how we are all connected in life…” Benetti said on the game broadcast. “No matter what color you’re wearing, no matter what helmet you’re wearing, no matter what belief you have, somebody’s down and hurt. You don’t know about them. You take care of your heart and their heart and everybody’s heart in the building and beyond — and the Lions and Falcons have given everybody a lesson tonight in humanity.”
Despite this, however, although the teams clearly had no interest in completing the game, it took the game’s officials approximately eight minute — during which -the teams snapped the ball and gathered in a circle without attempting an actual play— as time ticked off the cloc -before they officially suspended the game.
This context isn’t all that different from the questions that surrounded the league’s lack of action following Hamlin’s injury, questions like “why would the NFL continue the game at all after players just watched a player get taken off the field on a stretcher?”
As Campbell noted, watching both teams come together after the traumatic injury was a reminder of just how fleeting an NFL career can be.
“It’s just an eye-opener. It hits. It hits a little different, and it puts things in perspective. I tell you what, man, it’s a violent game. We love it, but when stuff like this happens, the silver lining is the brotherhood. To see all those guys, from that team, our team kind of come together and everybody is thinking about another player, it just means a lot.”
Surprised? Trump’s Approval Ratings Plunge Among Black Voters, New Poll Reveals
Black voters are overwhelmingly displeased with Trump as his approval rating has dropped to historic lows.
According to recent polling from The Economist/YouGov, Black voters aren’t impressed with President Donald Trump’s performance, reflecting widespread criticism of his administration’s efforts over the past seven months to roll back decades of civil rights progress..
As Newsweek reports, despite Trump picking up 16% of the Black vote in the 2024 election, Black voters are overwhelmingly displeased with Trump, and his approval rating has dropped by 25 points since another poll from The Economist/YouGov captured voter sentiment in May.
In the most recent polling, only about 11% of Black Americans approve of what Trump is doing, while 84% disapprove, giving Trump an abysmal approval rating of -73 among that population.
Craig Agranoff, an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University as well as a political analyst, told the outlet that Trump’s continued descent in Black public opinion “likely stems from growing economic dissatisfaction and a perception that his policies do not address their concerns.”
He continued, “The surveys show fewer Black voters approve of Trump on jobs and the economy, indicating they may be feeling the impact of inflation and other economic pressures more acutely than other demographics. Additionally, his immigration rhetoric and law enforcement focus could alienate Black voters who see these as threats to civil rights and opportunity, reflecting a broader pattern where this group responds negatively to policies perceived as exacerbating social and economic challenges.”
Likewise, Costas Panagopoulos, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Newsweek that Black voters likely disagree with Trump’s policies.
It is, however, not just Black support that matters in a presidential election, and to that end, the overall approval rating for Trump is at a historically low -20 based on polling from UMass Amherst.
According to Tatishe Nteta, provost professor of political science at UMass Amherst and director of the poll, “Six months into his second term as president, Donald Trump looks to be on the ropes with the American public. Trump’s approval ratings, already historically low for a newly elected president, continue to sink with close to 6-in-10 Americans (58%) expressing disapproval of the job that Trump is doing in office.”
She continued, “While Trump remains a popular figure among Republicans and conservatives, Trump’s time in office is viewed more negatively across genders, generations, classes, and races, with majorities of each of these groups disapproving of Trump’s performance. With over three years left in the Trump administration, there is still time for him to right the ship and fulfill the promises that catapulted him to the presidency, but the president is not off to the start he or his supporters envisioned.”
Rapper YNW Melly’s Murder Trial Pushed Back To 2027
YNW Melly has been accused of murdering two associates.
Rapper YNW Melly, who has been accused of murdering two associates, has to wait until 2027 to face trial after a judge postponed the upcoming court case.
According to The Miami Herald, Jamell Maurice Demons, who is better known to the world as YNW (acronym for Young N**ga World) Melly, is having his murder trial rescheduled until January 2027. He was accused of allegedly killing Anthony Williams, AKA YNW Sakchaser, and Christopher Thomas Jr., AKA YNW Juvy, in 2018. The two were childhood friends and a part of the YNW collective.
The trial was pushed back from the Sept. 10 date that was initially scheduled. On Aug. 8, Judge Martin S. Fein postponed the start date until January 2027, making it nearly eight years since the duo was killed.
Melly originally had a trial in 2023, which ended in a hung jury. The retrial has been delayed numerous times, and this time it is due to evidence removed from the retrial by then-Broward Circuit Court Judge John Murphy. State prosecutors appealed Murphy’s ruling. The contested evidence stems from items that were extracted from Melly’s cellphone, email addresses, and social media accounts. Judge Murphy ruled that most of the admitted digital evidence, including messages, will be kept to the day of and following the murders. However, the attorneys will have oral arguments on the issues concerning the evidence before the appeals court Sept. 16.
“We’re disappointed that today’s hearing was yet another win for the State of Florida, allowing more time to subject my client to inhumane treatment,” said Raven Liberty, Melly’s attorney. “Every American should be concerned about this abuse of the justice system and basic Constitutional rights at the hands of Broward State’s Attorney Harold Pryor and his team of prosecutors.”
The legal team representing Melly had previously requested a bond so he could be released from jail while awaiting the retrial, but he has been repeatedly denied.
Former NBA Guard Malik Beasley Evicted From Luxury Apartment Amid Federal Gambling Probe
Although Beasley has not yet been charged with a crime, he is being investigated as part of a federal gambling probe
The hits to former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley keep coming, this time via an Aug. 9 order mandating his eviction from his $7,000 a month luxury apartment in The Stott, a 38-story skyscraper located near downtown Detroit. Although Beasley has not yet been charged with a crime, he is also being investigated as part of a federal gambling probe.
Axios reports that Beasley owes $23,220 in back rent and fees to The Stotts — now owned by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert — on top of more than $8 million in debt to a marketing firm, a lender for professional athletes, and other creditors, despite earning about $60 million over his NBA career.
As ESPN reported, Beasley has been sued twice by his landlord in Michigan’s 36th District Court. Although the first case was dismissed in March, the second suit was successful after Beasley failed to appear. Beasley is also the third NBA player to be investigated by the Eastern District of New York during the past 18 months for gambling allegations.
Beasley’s allegations stem from the 2023-2024 season when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. According to Steve Haney, his lawyer in the gambling lawsuit, “An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now, he has not been charged with anything.”
How did a mysterious NBA Twitter user know about Malik Beasley's involvement in a betting scandal… before the NBA?
Turns out, he's the cousin of an alleged co-conspirator in the Jontay Porter case, with a private meme-coin chat. We found @FreeMoose_NBA — then he vanished again. pic.twitter.com/6S3nJWC7Zp
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) July 15, 2025
Why Malik Beasley's scandal is just the beginning of these gambling issues:
"We are addicted to our phones as is … You think somebody is not gonna get addicted to the part that you can make money with?" pic.twitter.com/qcnskVIBSj
— The Right Time with Bomani Jones (@righttimebomani) June 30, 2025
Second gambling investigation this week after the probe into Malik Beasley became public.
Seems like an eternity ago when Roger Goodell said, “The perception of the integrity of the game is as important as the integrity itself. If it is lost, the consequences can be enormous.” https://t.co/XWWlozQs2ppic.twitter.com/gOgg6m76aQ
Pablo Torre, the investigative sports journalist at the center of several major sports stories, including the revelation of a decision regarding the NFL’s collusion that a judge ruled was not technically collusion, which the league had sought to conceal, is also responsible for breaking the Malik Beasley betting scandal story wide open.
Torre uncovered that a mysterious X user named “Moose” first hinted that Beasley would be the next player under investigation, without directly naming him, in a series of posts. Moose mentioned Johntay Porter and Terry Rozier, then obscured Beasley’s name with asterisks, which still made the implication clear. Torre reported that Moose is allegedly the cousin of a suspected co-conspirator in the Johntay Porter case.
Before the news of Beasley’s investigation hit, he had parlayed one of his best seasons into a discussion with the Pistons regarding a three-year $42 million deal with the organization to remain in Detroit.
As the investigation unfolds, discussions with NBA teams appear to have paused, and broader conversations have resurfaced about the potential downsides of legalized sports gambling, particularly as professional leagues embrace it while restricting player participation.
For his part, Torre addressed how the influence of sports betting sponsorships affected him as a journalist during a recent appearance on Semafor Media’s Mixed Signals podcast, “In the back of my head … we [did] have this full free reign to do whatever we want, [but] it would have gotten increasingly uncomfortable for us to investigate sports gambling with a partner that basically needed to, like, take its logo off the episode. It would be a strange dance,” Torre noted.
Legionnaires’ Outbreak In Harlem Leaves 3 Dead, Sickens 83
Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia, can take up to 14 days to show symptoms.
Three people have died, and 83 cases of Legionnaires’ disease have been reported in Central Harlem as the outbreak has affected that area since July 25.
According to ABC 7 News, the outbreak has been linked to cooling towers, structures containing water, and a fan used to cool buildings. It has affected a cluster of communities in zip codes 10027, 10030, 10035, 10037, and 10039. The source has not been identified, but officials have stated that 11 cooling towers, which have been found to be contaminated with the Legionella bacteria, have been remediated.
“I want to start by telling you that all of the towers that have tested positive have been treated with anti-bacterial treatments to end the spread of the bacteria,” said Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse.
Health officials have informed the public that one can get the disease by breathing in water vapor that has Legionella bacteria, which grow in warm water. Legionnaires’ disease cannot be spread person-to-person.
Individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, or difficulty breathing, are advised to seek medical attention. People who may be at higher risk, such as people over 50, cigarette smokers, and those with chronic lung disease or compromised immune systems, should go to a medical professional if they have symptoms. Officials do not anticipate the outbreak spreading to other communities.
“Anyone in these zip codes with flu-like symptoms should contact a health care provider as soon as possible,” said Dr. Michelle Morse. “Legionnaires’ disease can be effectively treated if diagnosed early, but New Yorkers at higher risk, like adults aged 50 and older and those who smoke or have chronic lung conditions, should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”
Legionnaires’ disease, a type of pneumonia, can take up to 14 days to develop symptoms.
The Amsterdam News reported that outbreaks have occurred in Harlem in the past, most recently in 2019 and again in 2021, although they were not as widespread as the current one.
State Sen. Cordell Cleare wonders why this only happens in Black and Brown communities like Harlem. A bill was recently introduced that would mandate building certification for cooling tower legionella testing.
“It’s very mysterious in the way that people are getting it, but not only that, it’s mysterious that it seems that these cases continue to occur in Black and Brown communities at this level. So we’re just trying to figure out what it is, this time, that has made this spread in these particular zip codes. The answers are slow and they’re not there.”
Rep. Ro Khanna Promotes Tech Job Training Program During Trip To Jackson State
Khanna visited Jackson, Mississippi, to spotlight TechWise, a Google-funded initiative he has helped introduce to HBCUs like Jackson State nationwide.
Following a $1.3 million grant awarded to Jackson State University to expand its artificial intelligence programs, California Rep. Ro Khanna visited Jackson, Mississippi, to spotlight TechWise, a Google-funded initiative he has helped introduce to HBCUs like Jackson State nationwide.
According to The Mississippi Clarion-Ledger, three years ago, the university joined the program after Rep. Khanna opened discussions with the university and Almesha Campbell, JSU’s vice president for research and economic development.
As she told the outlet, the university has matriculated 35 students through the program. Currently, it has 12 students enrolled, which she described as a “workforce program” that combines skill-building and industry experience.
Jackson’s Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba kicked off the program and introduced Rep. Khanna to the crowd at the Smith Robertson Museum, whom he said he had met at a rally for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“What we did was create a program to create technology jobs and training across the country, and we partnered with about 15 different HBCUs. The students participate in a 10-hour per week, 18-month course, and then those kids get a $65,000 to $85,000 job in technology, but they also learn and are able to be mentors to future students in the program,” Rep. Khanna said in his remarks.
He continued, “We’re producing more wealth than we ever have in the history of this country and only 1% or 2% of Black Americans are getting venture capital. We excluded the Black community from the agricultural revolution, we excluded the Black community from a lot of the industrial revolution. Shame on us if the Black community is excluded from the digital revolution.”
TechWise, the outlet notes, was launched by the education technology company TalentSprint and receives funding from Google to provide free preparation for students from disadvantaged backgrounds for high-paying careers in technology.
As part of the program, participants receive training, mentorship, networking, and industry experience. The main track of the program runs for 18 months, featuring live virtual classes, coding exercises, and industry projects led by experienced instructors.
In addition, students will also participate in masterclasses provided by Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, which will award them with an official credential.
As Rep. Khanna told Mississippi Today, he has a deep appreciation for the civil rights movement, which he expressed by describing his grandfather’s participation in Mahatma Gandhi’s movement for Indian independence from British rule. That movement, as BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, inspired the nonviolent resistance tactics employed by Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers, among others.
Rep. Khanna also indicated that he believes that the national Democratic Party needs to invest more in Mississippi, and generally, the South, where Black people and people of color live, held captive politically by voter suppression states. By investing in those states, Democratic candidates in states like Mississippi, Texas, and Florida could become more competitive in statewide elections.
“The Civil Rights Movement then led to the Immigration Reform Act of 1965, and that’s what led my parents to come to the United States. Anyone who wants to understand the history of segregation, the history of racial justice, has to understand Mississippi,” Khanna said. “And anyone who wants to see the hope and promise of economic development has to come here.”
Fat Joe talks with Stephen A. Smith during the 2023 NBA Draft on June 22, 2023, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images)
BET Suspends Soul Train And Hip-Hop Awards; Fat Joe Calls It ‘A Form of Gentrification’
The changes at BET have likely been triggered by the merger of BET's parent company, Paramount Global, with Skydance Media, according to reports.
Two staple programs that focus on the impact of Black culture, the BET Hip Hop Awards and the Soul Train Music Awards, have been indefinitely suspended; however, according to BET’s CEO, Scott Mills, who hinted in comments to Billboard, they could return via the network’s streaming platform.
According to Rolling Stone, doubts about the future of the Soul Train Awards began to rise in 2024 when the show, which had been airing since 1987, was skipped and its social media accounts went silent in March of that year. The BET Hip-Hop Awards, a newer innovation from BET, is an awards show that branched out from its BET Awards show, began airing in 2006, and, like the Soul Train Awards, has aired every year on the network.
“So for BET linear, we have suspended the Soul Train and Hip-Hop award shows,” Mills told Billboard. BET linear refers to the programming on the BET channel, the network’s original cable channel. “But we have a team that’s actively thinking about where those award shows might best live as the media climate continues to evolve. They aren’t gone.”
Mills continued, “I would say that it’s less about them being no longer and more about our team having to reimagine them for this changing media landscape that we find ourselves in. I think what we’re going to see are more people taking franchises and saying, ‘This might have started on linear television, but now I’m going to move it to another space. Do I move it to streaming? Or do I move it to another platform?’”
Although Mills believes that the programming will return, he noted that the BET Hip-Hop Awards’ viewership pattern had been trending downward since 2001.
“Viewership was down. However, the cable ecosystem is smaller today than it was a year ago. That’s just the reality of it. It was an extraordinary show. And honestly, I attribute the viewership declines less to the declines in the cable ecosystem and more to the fact that we moved the night of the show,” Mills concluded.
According to Billboard‘s reporting, the changes at BET have likely been triggered by the merger of BET’s parent company, Paramount Global, with Skydance Media. Mills avoided any direct comment about BET’s place in Paramount’s future pecking order, but lauded the company’s position as the leading Black media platform.
“That’s a loss for the culture.” Joe and Jada had LOTS to say about BET canceling the Soul Train and Hip Hop Awards pic.twitter.com/dhSZlmtk5u
In a recent episode of their podcast, “Joe and Jada,” rappers Fat Joe and Jadakiss discussed the situation that started in earnest when BET’s founder, Bob Johnson, sold BET to Viacom, ending the network’s long run as a Black-owned company in 2000.
The company was subsequently acquired by Paramount once Viacom was absorbed by Paramount Global, which had looked to sell the company in 2024, but backed out of the buyer’s market after a potential sale of BET was linked to figures like Byron Allen, BET’s CEO himself and a private equity group, and even Sean Combs and Tyler Perry.
“This is a form of gentrification, what’s going on. I don’t know if you really want to ask me about this sh*t,” said Fat Joe, Vibe reported.
He added, “BET came up as a community station for Black people and urban culture. Our man Bob Johnson took the check…he sold it to Viacom Paramount. MTV and them. VH1 and them. Little by little over the years, quietly, they’ve been firing a lot of people behind the scenes at BET, and everybody who has something to say, they been firing them. And I know ’cause I’ve been working on the BET Hip-Hop Awards for three years. Sh*t was like the budget, not for me, but the budget just kept getting chopped and chopped and chopped.”
