T.D. Jakes Reveals ‘Massive Heart Attack’ Is The Cause Of His On-Stage Medical Emergency
Bishop T.D. Jakes returned to the pulpit on New Years Eve and is now speaking out about what caused his medical emergency.
Bishop T.D. Jakes revealed he suffered a massive heart attack during a medical emergency in November 2024.
The megachurch pastor sat down to discuss his diagnosis, treatment, and how his life is forever changed. Jakes said he was initially unaware of his condition. There were no signs of a medical crisis, yet doctors informed him he had experienced a massive heart attack.
“I didn’t really realize what was happening to me onstage until I got to the hospital in an ambulance and was fussing that it happened onstage, by the way, because I didn’t want it to happen, and the doctor leaned over my ear and said, ‘You had a massive heart attack,’” Jakes said.
Jakes credits being on stage at his church, The Potter’s House, as one of the factors that saved his life. Being surrounded by parishioners allowed him to be attended to immediately. He says the adrenaline he used to preach kept him alive, even as the right side of his heart was shutting down.
“As long as I was up preaching, I felt fine,” he said. “But when I sat down, the adrenaline dropped, and it exposed the fact that I was preaching with half of my heart closed through a clot. And they had to go get it.”
The Woman Thou Art Loosed founder spoke to his congregants via video in December. While expressing the need to rest and recover, he thanked his parishioners. Besides feeling cocooned in peace, Jakes said he “felt every prayer” sent his way.
As a veteran preacher and teacher, Jakes says in the moment he was dedicated to continuing his service.
“They had to claw the microphone out of my hand. I read a book, ‘Don’t Drop The Mic,’ so I didn’t want to go out like that.”
It is safe to say Jakes, indeed, did not “go out like that.” The 40-plus-year veteran returned to the Potter’s House pulpit on New Year’s Eve to the joy of his millions of followers.
Next New Orleans Public School Superintendent Down To 2 Candidates
The new superintendent is expected to be named on April 2.
Interim school superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore and elected state Board of Education member Dr. Sharon Latten-Clark are still in the running to become the next chief of New Orleans public schools.
According to Nola.com, both candidates completed the first round of interviews for the position with approval from the full Orleans Parish School Board. The search for a new chief comes after Superintendent Avis Williams stepped down in November 2024, leaving six months for the board to hire a permanent replacement.
“The two finalists exhibited qualities and qualifications that are in alignment with the vision of the Board and the needs of our district,” Orleans Parish School Board President Katie Baudouin said in a press release.
Fulmore, a Brooklyn, New York, native and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, has served in the district central office for over two years and was deputy superintendent under Williams. She boasts experience as an overseer of enrollment, career and technical education teacher, middle and high school assistant principal and high school principal. The educator comes to the New Orleans school district with prior administrative experience in Omaha and Philadelphia. Fulmore’s recent plan to maneuver the district from a multimillion-dollar crisis stands out.
Latten-Clark, a Xavier College Prep alumna, is from New Orleans. Her resume spans professional educational roles such as an English teacher, assistant principal, longtime leader of Sophie B. Wright charter school, and her recent role as a state board of education member. She has more than 25 years of experience.
Fulmore and Latten-Clark emerged from the more than 20 candidates who applied. The candidates will rotate among attendees during a public meeting April 1 at Walter Cohen High School to give introductions and answer questions. The board encourages the community to participate by attending in-person meetings, watching the social media or YouTube livestreams, or completing a feedback form.
The final round of interviews and elections will take place April 2. The Orleans Parish School Board plans to solidify contract terms for the new superintendent during its April 17 meeting.
Jess Hilarious Stood ’10 Toes Down’ For Her ‘Breakfast Club’ Salary Requirements
Jess Hilarious made sure her salary demands were met when signing on to co-host The Breakfast Club.
Jess Hilarious has no complaints about her pay as a co-host on The Breakfast Club because she firmly stood “ten toes down” on her salary demands.
The comedian and actress appeared on the latest episode of Club Shay Shay, where host Shannon Sharpe got her to open up about her financial success and salary negotiations for her role as the third co-host on The Breakfast Club. Already a popular social media star, Jess (real name Jessica Moore) knew iHeart Media had to meet her terms to secure her as Angela Yee’s replacement.
“They wasn’t even trying to give me the money they gave me, but they had to come on around,” Jess told Sharpe in a clip shared online.
“You mentioned that The Breakfast Club wanted to pay you X, and you wanted Y and Z. What have you learned about negotiating?” Sharpe asked Jess later in the conversation.
“Your worth. That if you stand ten toes down you will get it,” Jess declared.
"Breakfast Club money still in my account. That's an account I don't touch. I have six Birkins already, and that was before Breakfast Club. … Those are investment bags – $70K bags, $80K bags. They them bags I plan to sell just in case. They ain't all for wear." – Jess Hilarious pic.twitter.com/klVkdmFz0t
The Baltimore native and mother of two shared her approach to salary negotiations, emphasizing the importance of demanding her worth to avoid being locked into a pay rate she wouldn’t be satisfied with.
“Some people, if you let somebody pay you, X, that’s all you’re gonna be worth to them in their eyes,” she explained. “Nah, but if you, from the jump, from the from the very beginning, demand what you’re worth, that sets the tone. Yes. For you, you know, and then that gives people the choice to say, whether I want to, I want to pay for that or not. If I want to invest this, in her or not. Fine. Cool. Yeah, because you’re gonna see a return.”
As for how Jess spends her Breakfast Club money, she’s not.
“That money is still in my account. That money is still, that’s the account I don’t touch,” she shared.
With a thriving comedy career and several on-screen roles to her name, Jess Hilarious is financially secure—even splurging on a few Birkin bags, which she considers “investment” pieces.
“I have six Birkins. Alrighty, and that was before Breakfast Club,” Jess revealed. “Yeah, those are investment bags. Snakeskin. Hello? Play. Yeah, them $70,000 bags, them $80,000 bags, yeah. Them bags I plan to sell just in case. You know, they ain’t all for wear.”
Focus Group Found Black Men Approve Trump Administration But Not DOGE
Black men who voted for Donald Trump are still standing 10 toes down with the president.
A conversation with Black men who voted for Donald Trump in swing states shows the majority of them are still standing 10 toes down with the president. However, some of these men are not fans of the Department of Government Efficiency.
The men participated in a focus group by NBC News as a part of its 2025 Decides series. The series, produced by Syracuse University with research from Engagious and Sago, found that Black men are concerned by how fast DOGE is making cuts.
According to NBC, the group of Black men includes six independents, four Democrats, and two Republicans. The four Democrats and one independent voted for Joe Biden in 2020 before changing their vote in 2024.
Five men said they approved of DOGE’s actions, three disapproved, and the other four were unsure. The Black men who support DOGE said the spending audits and cuts allow the private sector to do some of the government work, which ultimately increases the efficiency of employees paid by taxpayers.
“Every company needs someone to audit them. You shouldn’t be an untouchable, you shouldn’t be a sacred cow,” a 56-year-old independent from Pennsylvania told NBC. “They’re there to maximize productivity and efficiency.”
“They’re forcing us to file our taxes, so we’re technically doing an audit, so I think everybody should be audited,” a 37-year-old from Arizona added why he supports DOGE’s audits.
Others who disapprove of DOGE worry about the potential consequences.
“Sure, you want to weed out the bad people that probably are bad people, but you want to keep good employees that are there,” a 57-year-old Democrat from Georgia said.
A 49-year-old Black man from Georgia who voted for Biden in 2020 and then Trump in 2024 said he’s worried about how much power Trump delegated to Musk. He also believes the Trump administration could be working to improve Americans’ everyday lives.
“He’s too focused on cutting the weeds and the clutter, but he needs to focus on the economy and how to help people,” he said regarding Trump.
Houston’s ChòpnBlọk Redefines West African Cuisine For A New Generation
Chef Ope Amosu’s menu brings West African flavors to Houston wit fare that is 'approachable for everyone.'
ChòpnBlọk is reinventing bold West African dishes for a growing multicultural audience in Houston. Credited as one of the most diverse cities in the United States and home to the largest population of Nigerians, Ope Amosu believes Houston is the perfect launching pad for the restaurant.
ChòpnBlọk is a fast-casual food concept inspired by ingredients from the African Diaspora. The Naija eatery has grown from a food hall vendor in POST Houston to a brick-and-mortar location in Montrose, a vibrant “Restaurant Row” district for its high-quality dining scene. Opening last October, the restaurant features a 70-seat dining room, 20-seat patio, and 12-seat bar, along with an expanded menu and cocktail selection.
“We started ChòpnBlọk with the vision to bring our West African heritage to the heart of Houston—and to make it approachable for everyone,” Chef Amosu tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.
ChòpnBlọk’s menu brings West African flavors to life with standout dishes like the Buka Blok, a traditional red stew served with short ribs, steamed rice, and beans. Another favorite, the Black Star Blok Pairing, combines Ghanaian-inspired Waakye fried rice with Ikoyi shrimp and Yassa curry.
For those craving small bites, ChòpnBlọk offers appetizers like meat and veggie pastries, plantain chips with Liberian greens, and Polo Club Suya, grilled steak skewers known as one of Nigeria’s most beloved street foods. The Deviled Scotch Egg—a fusion of the colonial Scotch egg and Southern-style deviled egg—is also a must-try.
The cocktail menu further highlights Black excellence, featuring signature drinks starring Black-owned and African spirits and wines like Chòpman, Calabash Colada, and Chapelton Vineyards. Non-alcohol drinkers can try such treats as the Oga Palmer, a blend of African hibiscus tea and lemonade, and the Gold Coast Cooler, a sparkling mix of pineapple, lime, mango, and ginger.
“It’s not just about great drinks—it’s about using ingredients and spirits to tell our story,” said the 2024 and 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Emerging chef.
The ambiance at ChòpnBlọk offers a true cultural immersion. From the infusion of the traditional mud walls and woven fabric, the design elements highlight the richness of African art, textiles, and craftsmanship.
The restaurant features shoppable ethically-sourced, handmade African products curated by Houston-based shop, Root To Home, and a collection of cookbooks and coffee table books by Black authors, supplied by Houston-based bookstore, Kindred Stories.
Amosu regularly returns to West Africa to preserve his cultural ties, learning from home chefs and sourcing spices and ingredients from Nigerian markets. Even the name ChòpnBlọk, he explained, is rooted in West African Pidgin English: “chòp” means “to eat” while “blok” represents a location.
“I knew I wanted a name that was rooted in West African culture, but even at the surface, you knew it was an establishment where you could get some bomb food,” Amosu says.
Amosu chose Montrose not only for its proximity to “Restaurant Row” but also to reclaim a piece of the Black ancestral territory. Freeman’s Town, a historic African American municipality established in 1865 by formerly enslaved people, is one of the oldest Black communities in Houston.
“We need to represent the same way we do at the POST Houston,” the chef tells BE. “We should be showing up in this area, too.”
As a well-travelled foodie, Amosu witnessed how restaurants were modernizing cultural cuisines into more everyday options, citing examples like Rasa for Indian and Cava for Mediterranean.
“I really love how other cultures are putting on for themselves,” he said. “Why can’t we have something like that looks like this, but for where I come from?”
Despite not attending culinary school, Amosu, who holds an MBA from Rice University and has a decade of experience as a corporate executive, believes in the potential of a West African fast-casual concept.
While working full-time, he honed his skills as a prep cook and dishwasher at Chipotle, then moved on to hosting private dinner experiences to refine his menu. In 2021, he resigned from his job to officially launch ChòpnBlọk.
Now, as ChòpnBlọk settles into its new space, the team is focused on expanding community engagement with programming, including a brunch series, pop-up events at Houston Rockets games and the Chopd&Stewd Festival, and celebrating the African diaspora through food, music, commerce, and storytelling.
“Our goal has always been to build something that not only serves food but creates a space where people can come together, learn, and share in the beauty of our culture,” Amosu said.
Damon Dash Ordered To Pay $4M In Latest Lawsuit Filed By Movie Producer Josh Webber
Josh Webber won the default judgment after saying he lost business based on Dash making defamatory statements about him on a podcast
In another defeat for the Harlem-bred entrepreneur, Damon Dash has been ordered to pay a $4 million default judgment to movie producer Josh Webber in their ongoing legal battle.
According to TMZ, the dispute took another devastating turn for Dash when Webber filed another lawsuit against the former Roc-A-Fella label owner last year in April. When the paperwork was filed in a New York City courtroom, the producer alleged that, due to comments Dash made during an appearance on the Earn Your Leisure podcast, he lost potential business revenue that would have placed $4 million in his pocket.
While speaking on the program, Dash expressed to the show’s hosts, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, that Webber stole from him due to their disagreement over the film Dear Frank. Stating that because of the defamatory comments from the Harlem business owner, he lost producing and directing business, amounting to $4 million.
In the papers Webber filed, he stated the video clip from the episode amassed hundreds of thousands of views and was told that due to the popularity of the video, he was informed that the $4 million offer for the job was canceled due to “Dash’s accusations of theft.”
This is the latest lawsuit filed against Dash by Webber. In the first suit, Webber won a judgment of $805,000, which included interest and attorney fees. The legal drama stems from a years-long altercation over the movie, which Dash initially worked on but was later removed from based on allegations of unprofessional behavior on set.
In February, a judge handed Webber a default judgment after the Roc-A-Fella co-founder violated various court orders. Judge John F. Walter said Dash failed to follow basic courtroom procedures, including not filing key legal documents, dodging a court-ordered mediation, and ignoring deadlines. The judge instructed Webber and his legal team to submit proof of damages caused by Dash’s behaviors.
Federal Employees File Anti-DEI Class Action Lawsuit Claiming They Were Fired For Not Being White Men
Several employees argue they were targeted due to suspected political affiliations or being discriminated against because of their gender or race.
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, D.C., private law firms, and Democracy Forward have filed a lawsuit on behalf of federal employees who argue they were unlawfully terminated as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI purge — and not being white men, NBC News reports.
Trump’s controversial executive order to terminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the federal level resulted in thousands of employees being handed pink slips, including some who weren’t involved in DEI-related activities or simply participated in DEI training or an employee resource group. Former employees filed the complaint accusing the order of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by singling out federal workers who don’t identify as white men for hostility, suspicion, job interference, and termination.
Employees filed the complaint with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, which protects federal employees against abuses such as politically motivated terminations. They also allege that the mass firings violate their First Amendment rights for perceived political stances. ACLU-DC Legal Director Scott Michelman says the president’s moves prove his true agenda.
“Targeting hard-working civil servants because they are associated with an idea the government dislikes violates the First Amendment. President Trump can’t drag us back to a dark chapter in history where the government targeted people simply for their views or values,” Michelman said, according to The Grio.
“The decision to go after people for DEI work they are no longer doing shows the administration’s true motive: to punish employees who they think hold values that clash with the president’s extremist agenda.”
While it is unclear how many people joined the class action complaint, several other employees, like Sherrell Pyatt, have plans to tap in. Currently, on administrative leave from her job at the Department of Homeland Security, Pyatt is one of several employees who argue there was a target on their backs due to suspected political affiliations or being discriminated against because of their gender or race.
“The team that I belong to that was put on administrative leave was majority women and majority people of color,” she said.
“It’s disheartening. I’m an educated woman. I’m a hard worker. I do consider myself an expert in my areas of work, and so to know that all of that could be overlooked is unfortunate and a disservice to the American public.”
Former civil rights attorney Sheria Smith, who was let go by the Department of Education, said she experienced bias throughout her tenure and saw it coming.
“Earlier in the year, in January, they started putting people on leave for suspected DEI activity; 77 of our members were placed on leave, and none of those people actually worked in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Smith recalls.
“They were loan officers, they were IT professionals, they were civil rights attorneys, but of the 77, 70 of them were women, and of the 77, 30 of them were Black…To this day, the agency has not explained to us why they were placed on leave, what suspected DEI activity they actually had.”
In addition to the complaint, Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders are being challenged in lawsuits filed in federal court. Along with two other nonprofits, the National Urban League sued the President and the Office of Management and Budget, arguing the orders “expressly disadvantage people of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities who face unfair disadvantages or inequalities by eliminating and delegitimizing targeted efforts that were specifically created to help them overcome the systemic discrimination that produced those disadvantages and inequalities.”
Somebody Just Paid $4.2M For Michael Jordan’s Rookie Preseason Basketball Jersey
The jersey was worn in a 1984 preseason game in Jordan's first year in the NBA.
A basketball jersey worn by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan in his rookie season sold for over $4 million.
NBA.com reported that in an auction that ended March 26 at Sotheby’s, a road Chicago Bulls jersey that was worn in a 1984 preseason game, sold for $4.215 million. The jersey was also signed by the basketball legend. The name of the seller was not revealed.
BREAKING: Michael Jordan’s pro debut jersey sells for $4.21 million at @Sothebys.
The auction house billed the item as the only game-worn photo-matched Jordan rookie jersey to be seen publicly at an auction. Another auction house, MeiGray, revealed that it may be the very first jersey that Jordan wore in his first season in the league. MeiGray stated that its findings, worked on with forensic analysis firm Proven Data, were based on video footage from Jordan’s first game in the NBA. That took place Oct. 5, 1984, in Peoria, Illinois.
Through its research, MeiGray photo-matched the jersey to Jordan’s fourth NBA game, which occurred Oct. 13, 1984. Sports Investors Authenticated photo-matched the jersey to a game that took place Oct. 7, 1984, his second NBA game.
In the auction listing, Sotheby’s stated its authenticity when it said it appeared that several other players had previously worn the jersey before it was given to Jordan. Dark stains appear under the name “Jordan” and under the number 23 on the uniform it appears that multiple players’ names and numbers had been there before.
Jordan did not wear the jersey much longer as he switched jerseys when the regular season started that year, and he wore the other jersey for the rest of the 1984-85 season.
ESPN reported that it wasn’t the most paid for a Jordan jersey, but it was the fifth-most-expensive NBA jersey bought at an auction.
At a sermon at Chosen Vessel Cathedral in Fort Worth, Texas, Sapp instructed church ushers to “close the doors” of the sanctuary until attendees contributed the full amount. “Giving is worship,” he told the congregation, as he urged both in-person and online participants to donate.
After a service featuring the famed pastor went viral, fans and detractors critiqued Sapp’s request. But in a post on Facebook, the “Best of Me” singer set the record straight, lest the judgment continue.
Sapp assured critics and supporters that his plea was in the spirit of stewardship. The cathedral will hold the “Engage Conference: A 3N1 Experience” on May 22. Any funds raised during the service will cover the costs of the international gathering.
“Conferences have budgets. Churches have budgets. And people have budgets. As the assigned ministerial gift for this international gathering, one of my responsibilities was to help raise the conference budget. That’s not manipulation. It’s stewardship.”
He explained the risks of collecting large sums of money in a physical location, which led to the decision to lock the sanctuary doors.
“The truth is, when finances are being received in any worship gathering, it is one of the most vulnerable and exposed times for both the finance and security teams. Movement during this sacred exchange can be distracting and, at times, even risky. My directive was not about control. It was about creating a safe, focused and reverent environment for those choosing to give and for those handling the resources,” Sapp wrote.
Contrary to opinions on social media, Sapp asserted that his request aligned with scripture. As a gospel singer and, first, a shepherd of the Lord, he turned to the word for support. He cited the story of David.
“The Bible says they gave gold, silver, bronze, iron and precious stones. Specific amounts were recorded not because God needed their money but because the people needed to show their commitment to the vision and because stewardship demands accountability. So when someone challenges people to give a specific amount, it is not unbiblical.”
The selection of scripture was taken from 1 Chronicles 29. Conversely, the same chapter was used in online critiques of the pastor. Many were displeased with the snippet of the service. The pastor was called a hustler. His dedication to the community was questioned. Some even claimed his actions would turn away potential believers.
Sapp challenges those who covered the controversy to note his response.
'Transitioning to a full city-based model for this season is another marker of the league’s continued exponential growth,' Ice Cube said.
Ice Cube has announced that his professional 3-on-3 basketball league, BIG3, will be location-based this season.
Tip-off is June 14, 2025.
The league, which started in 2017, was founded by Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. It became a league for mostly former NBA players (Joe Johnson, Greg Oden) to participate in their sport without the rigors of the full-court 5-player teams.
Although the games were played throughout the country, each team, typically coached by legendary basketball players, was not connected to a city. Games were played in the same arenas throughout the BIG3 season.
The eight-team league will now represent teams from Boston, Chicago,.Dallas, Detroit, the DMV metropolitan area (Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia); Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.
There are plans to possibly add four more teams next year, Ice Cube said in a statement.
“This is a landmark moment in our league,” Ice Cube in a written statement. “These cities have shown up for us year after year, and we are honored to represent and reward those fans with a new franchise of their own. The basketball energy in these cities is unmatched, and we’ve seen first-hand the power of their fanbases.
“Transitioning to a full city-based model for this season is another marker of the league’s continued exponential growth, and fans can expect an increased talent pool and a more competitive style of game than ever before.”
The teams are listed below with their head coaches:
