Diddy Encourages Ye To ‘Have Some Fun’ In Leaked Phone Conversation
Diddy also thanked Ye for checking on his children.
A conversation that took place between music industry veterans Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and music stalwart Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently in jail awaiting trial, was just released via The Shade Room’s Instagram account.
The leaked discussion revealed Diddy giving Ye advice for his music career. The “No Way Out” music producer encouraged the controversial recording artist to “have some fun” and told him to start smiling again. Ye can be seen in the grainy video talking to Diddy on speakerphone.
“I need you out there, you feel me,” Diddy told Ye. “Have some f*cking fun n***a. We not having no fun and get behind the mic, have some fun. Chop up them samples, and get back on your hitman vibe. Have some fun. Get back to smiling. F**k these other motherf**kers. They are wasting your time.”
Diddy thanked the “College Dropout” rapper for checking up on him and his children, saying that no one has done so since he was arrested after being charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy. His upcoming trial is scheduled to start jury selection on May 5.
“Ain’t nobody reach out to them, ain’t nobody call, you know what I’m saying. Nobody,” Combs stated while speaking to Ye.
The leaked conversation comes after Ye’s song, “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine,” which features Diddy and his son, King Combs, and Ye’s daughter, North West, and singer Jasmine Williams, was teased over the weekend.
Diddy certainly has faith in Ye and told him that he wants to see the Chicago rapper “tear down the stadiums” as he tells him that he needs to see the performer back on stage enjoying himself.
“Put that love in your heart, man, and enjoy yourself, man. When I get out there, man, I want to see you f**king tear down the stadiums. I need to see you back on that stage, f**king actually rapping and performing and everything. I be dreaming of that sh**.”
Georgia Community Fights To Reinstate 2 Terminated High School Basketball Coaches
The Spartan family's petition demands reinstatement of the two basketball coaches and requests a full investigation by Cobb County.
Thousands of supporters are rallying behind two basketball coaches, Randy McClure and James Gwyn, who a petition suggests were wrongfully terminated from their coaching and teaching contracts at Campbell High School in Cobb County, Georgia.
The petition, launched by the Spartan Family, seeks to reinstate the two basketball coaches who were dismissed following a March 11 allotment meeting with the school’s principal, Vanessa Watkins, and athletic director, James Thigpen. The two longtime coaches were allegedly terminated from their positions without warning. “The abrupt manner in which Coach Gwyn and Coach McClure were dismissed mirrors the treatment one might expect of an adversary rather than two esteemed coaches,” the petition states. “With only a tenuous justification based on allotment, they were denied the professional dignity of either resigning on their own terms or returning to the classroom full-time.”
“The callous removal of these dedicated, decorated, and servant leaders is a loss of over 71 years of service for this community,” the petition states. The Spartan family is heartbroken at the decision and claims the abrupt dismissal not only robbed the coaches of the opportunity to personally inform their coaching staff, athletes, parents, or the community but robbed Spartans of the chance to celebrate McClure’s and Gwyn’s achievements.
Coach McClure has taught at Campbell High for over 3 decades and served over 20 years as the school’s Science Department Chair. In his time at Campbell High, he was recognized three times as Teacher of the Year. Coach Gwyn has been with the school for over a decade as Summer School Site Principal for eight years and Business Department Chair for four. Gwyn told Fox 5 Atlanta that he started at the school when he was 23 years old. Now, at 62 years old, he is out of his job and no longer a member of the Campbell High faculty.
Together, the esteemed basketball coaches boast a combined 1,200 career wins, 16 region titles, and several state tournament appearances.
A spokesperson for the Cobb County School District said, “The District could not be prouder of Coach Gwyn and Coach McClure and all they have accomplished over their 30-plus-year careers. Simply put, Coaches Gwyn and McClure are two of the best coaches in Georgia high school sports history. We have had a front-row seat to two of the best to ever do it and hold ourselves to a higher standard than the manner in which they were released.”
The reason behind the coaches being ousted was not disclosed. The Spartans are requesting a full investigation by Cobb County and urge supporters to sign the petition and voice their concerns to the Cobb County School Board and Campbell High School administration.
2 Healthcare Insurance Giants Ordered To Reimburse Hundreds Of Customers
Cigna and Anthem, two healthcare insurance giants will have to reimburse hundreds of overcharged Virginia customers more than $620,000.
Two healthcare insurance giants will have to reimburse hundreds of overcharged Virginia customers.
According to WDBJ 7, a Bureau of Insurance Investigation found that Anthem erroneously charged a copay to customers for a brand name contraceptive their doctors deemed medically with no generic alternative. In Virginia, insurance companies are required to cover preventive services without charging co-pays. The Virginia State Corporation Commission ordered Anthem to pay back 446 Virginians who filed claims between 2021 and 2024, totaling $216,964.
The commission ordered Cigna Healthcare to reimburse 457 customers approximately $404,000 because the investigation found the company had told customers that it would lower the amounts paid based on the level of Medicare coverage patients had. The state of Virginia prohibits this.
Healthcare Insurance Companies Under Scrutiny
Health insurance companies have faced public scrutiny over the last few months following the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was shot and killed outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel while attending a conference with UnitedHealthcare investors. His death sent shockwaves and sparked criticism nationwide about how the industry treats customers.
UnitedHealthcare is the country’s largest private health insurer by market share. It has been the subject of lawsuits for allegedly denying claims to maximize profits.
Late last year, a KFF survey found that roughly 6 in 10 insured adults have experienced problems with their health insurance. Some of these issues range from denied claims to preauthorization delays and denials.
However, an investigation found that a hidden industry makes money by rejecting doctors’ payment requests, known widely as prior authorizations.
EviCore reportedly uses an algorithm backed by artificial intelligence that insurance insiders call “the dial.” The algorithm system can be adjusted, ultimately leading to higher denials of preauthorization claims.
‘Segregated Facilities’ Are No Longer Banned in Federal Contracts
President Donald Trump’s executive order repealing President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 executive order on nondiscrimination and federal contracts means that the federal government no longer explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated facilities such as bathrooms and drinking fountains.
According to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) — a document agencies use to write contracts for anyone providing goods or services to the federal government, Clause 52.222-21 is known as the “Prohibition of Segregated Facilities.”
According to the clause, segregated facilities include waiting rooms, work areas, restrooms and washrooms, restaurants, time clocks, locker rooms, parking lots, drinking fountains, entertainment areas, and other facilities that are segregated by explicit directive or, in fact, segregated based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin because of written or oral policies or employee custom.
The Segregated Facilities Directive Effective Immediately
Before Trump’s executive orders, government contractors agreed not to maintain or provide segregated facilities for their employees at any of their establishments and not to permit their employees to perform their services at any location under their control where segregated facilities are maintained.
That has changed under the Trump administration and his executive orders to get rid of DEI initiatives. According to NPR, several federal agencies, such as the departments of Defense, Commerce, and Homeland Security, have notified staffers overseeing these federal contracts to implement these changes immediately.
It is important to note that businesses still need to follow federal and state laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans segregated facilities, regardless of whether the business has a government contract.
Still, legal experts say the changes to contracts with the federal government are significant.
“These provisions that required federal contractors to adhere to and comply with federal civil rights laws and to maintain integrated rather than segregated workplaces were all part of the federal government’s efforts to facilitate the settlement that led to integration in the 1950s and 1960s” Melissa Murray, a constitutional law professor at New York University, told NPR.
Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League Just Crowned Its First Championship Team
Rose defeated Vinyl by a score of 62-54 to win the new women's 3-on-3 league championship
Unrivaled‘s inaugural season is over, and Rose Basketball Club defeated Vinyl Basketball Club to emerge as the first team to win a championship. According to ESPN, the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league crowned its first champion after Rose defeated Vinyl by a score of 62-54. Brittney Sykes scored the game-winning free throw, while Chelsea Gray was given the Unrivaled Finals MVP Award after she scored 18 points and dished out eight assists during the game.
Rose won the championship without two of its players on the basketball court, as Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper couldn’t play due to injuries. Reese, who had just been named the league’s first Defensive Player of the Year, sat out her second straight game with a left-hand injury, while Cooper missed five weeks because of a right leg injury.
Yet, being down two players didn’t stop Gray from commanding the game, feeling like she had something to prove. Plus, the winning team earning $50,000 per player was extra motivation.
“Hell yeah, there was motivation,” Gray said. “Last year was hard. It was rough. Even when I came back, I wasn’t 100 percent. A lot of people thought I was. I put the work in, I do my job and then I talk after. … I want to compete and make others better. That’s always been my goal. So yeah, I had a little chip on my shoulder and also that 50K on the line.”
The possibility of Rose winning wasn’t a consideration when the team started the season with only one win against four losses, but they ended up taking it all anyway.
“We are a team of relentless dogs that refused to be denied,” Rose coach Nola Henry said after the victory. “From day one, they counted us out. Kah went down; they counted us out. Azura was out, and they counted us out. Angel down, they counted us out. What they going to say now?”
Harvard Now Offering Free Tuition For Students From Families Making Under $200K A Year
For families making under $100,000, Harvard intends to cover even more costs associated with school attendance.
Harvard University has announced its new financial aid plan to cover tuition for students from families making less than $200K a year.
The school revealed the news to its Harvard Gazette newspaper on Mar. 17. They hope the new initiative will make Ivy League education more affordable for those of less affluent backgrounds.
Harvard’s president, Alan M. Garber, shared a statement about how the financial aid expansion will bring out the “tremendous potential” of the school.
“Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth,” Garber said. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.”
For those making even less, Harvard plans to cover all tuition and fees related to one’s attendance. Undergraduate students from families making less than $100K annually will gain free tuition and housing. The school will also cover additional costs surrounding food, health insurance, and travel to its campus.
This student will also receive two grants during their matriculation, amounting to $2K for their first year and $2.5K for their junior year, to help with their post-grad transition. Moreover, the effort aims to keep Harvard’s academic diversity, and shape its student body with those across the socioeconomic spectrum.
“We know the most talented students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard College’s dean of admissions and financial aid. “Our financial aid is critical to ensuring that these students know Harvard College is a place where they can be part of a vibrant learning community strengthened by their presence and participation.”
The expansion is part of Harvard’s Financial Aid Initiative to eliminate the financial roadblocks for admitted students to attend and graduate from the university. Launched in 2004, the initiative has granted $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid.
The Gazette also reported that 55% of students at Harvard receive some form of financial assistance. With its newest provisions, 86% of U.S. families qualify under the aid requirements.
Harvard intends for the financial aid expansion to begin in the 2025-2026 academic year.
Universal Music Group Claps Back, Moves to Dismiss Drake’s Lawsuit
The label said Drake 'lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated.'
Universal Music Group (UMG) has responded to Drake’s lawsuit by basically calling him a sore loser in a “rap battle that he provoked” against his nemesis Kendrick Lamar after the latter released his popular diss record, “Not Like Us.”
According to NBC News, UMG is looking to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice that Drake filed against the company for releasing “Not Like Us” last year.
In a motion to dismiss, filed March 17, attorneys for the recording label cited that Drake “lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated.” Both recording artists are signed with labels that have distribution deals with UMG.
UMG also stated that “instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.”
In UMG’s recent filing, the label said that the diss records, like ones before them, featured “hyperbolic insults.” For example, the label observed that Drake accused Lamar of domestic abuse against his wife and that Lamar’s manager is really the father of Lamar’s son with his wife. “But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that ‘Not Like Us’ is defamatory. It is not.”
UMG also accused Drake of having “goaded” Lamar into responding to another diss track he recorded, “Push Ups,” while telling his rival that he was taking too long to answer the latest diss track. Drake also released an additional diss record, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which was taken down after the estate of Tupac Shakur threatened to sue Drake for using artificial intelligence to re-create the late rapper’s voice.
UMG also used Drake’s words against him in the latest filing.
In 2022, the OVO artist wrote an open letter against prosecutors using rappers’ lyrics against them in court cases by writing “the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them” by treating rap lyrics as literal fact.
“Drake was right then and is wrong now,” UMG wrote. The label stated that Drake’s “unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”
In response to UMG’s motion to dismiss the filing, Drake’s attorney, Mike Gottlieb, said, “UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists, and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence.”
“This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists,” Gottlieb added.
Black women remain resilient and continue to offer creative, impactful inventions.
Black women are innovators, coming up with great inventions that have transformed many sectors like health care and technology—and people’s lives. Despite barriers, Black women remain resilient and continue to be creative with their contributions. BLACK ENTERPRISE acknowledges their work for Women’s History Month and beyond. Here are 10 Black women whose inventions have made some of the greatest impacts that have moved the world forward.
Sarah E. Goode
(Photo: African American Registry, Wikimedia Commons CCA)
Born into slavery in 1850, Sarah E. Goode is noted as one of the first African American women to receive a U.S. patent. After she gained her freedom in Chicago following the Civil War, Goode operated a furniture store with her husband. Goode invented a folding cabinet bed, a piece of innovative furniture that was also a roll top desk with storage compartments. Her patent (number 322,177) was issued to her on July 14, 1885.
Alice H. Parker
(Photo: Arian Fernandez/Pexels)
Alice H. Parker, an African American inventor from Morristown, New Jersey, revolutionized home heating with her innovative gas-powered furnace design. In 1919, Parker received U.S. Patent No. 1,325,905 for a system that is heated by natural gas and distributed heat through ducts. It was a step beyond the traditional wood and coal heating methods. Her work also enhanced efficiency, safety, and convenience and thus formed a basis for modern forced-air heating systems. Parker’s impact on HVAC technology is significant. Her legacy continues to inspire improvements in energy-efficient heating and the necessity of diversity in STEM fields.
Sarah Boone
(Image Public domain/Wikimedia Commons CCA)
Born in Craven County, North Carolina, in 1832, Sarah Boone, improved garment care with her patented ironing board design. After being freed, she moved to New Haven, Connecticut, and learned to be a dressmaker. When she saw there was a better way of pressing fitted clothing, she patented her improved ironing board on April 26, 1892 (U.S. Patent No. 473,653). An improved narrow curved board that helped in ironing sleeves and form-fitting garments like women’s clothing was her design. It also had a support system that enabled users to flip the garments, so both the sides could be pressed at one go. Boone was one of the first Black women in the U.S. to receive a patent, and she made contributions to household innovation. She died in New Haven in 1904, and her work was followed by modern ironing board designs.
Marjorie Joyner
(Image: Department of Commerce. Patent and Trademark Office (1975)/Public domain, Wikimedia Commons CCA)
In 1928, Marjorie Joyner, a beautician and an entrepreneur, invented the permanent wave machine—U.S. Patent No. 1,693,515—which made it possible to set several curls at once and increased the efficiency of salons. She was the vice president of Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Co. and she supervised 200 beauty schools that expanded the possibilities for Black women in the beauty industry. She was also involved in the formulation of the first cosmetology laws of Illinois, founded the National Council of Negro Women, and founded other groups for Black beauty professionals. Joyner was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2023..
Marie Van Brittan Brown
(Image: Wikimedia Commons/CCA)
Born in Queens, New York, in 1922, Marie Van Brittan Brown invented the first home security system and was the first to use closed circuit television surveillance systems outside of a business. A resident of a neighborhood with high crime rates and a slow police response, she created a system in 1966 with peep holes, a sliding camera, monitors, a two-way microphone, and an alarm button to call the police. She received her grant of U.S. Patent No. 3,482,037 for her creation on December 2, 1969. Her invention marked the beginning of modern security technology and remains a vital part of home and business security systems today.
Patricia Bath
(Photo: Library of Science, public domain/Wikimedia Commons via CCA)
Dr. Patricia Bath, born in Harlem, New York, on November 4, 1942, invented the Laserphaco Probe, a device that enhanced the speed and accuracy of cataract removal. She became the first Black woman physician to receive a medical patent in 1988 (U.S. Patent No. 4,744,360). A trailblazer in ophthalmology, she was the first Black woman to complete an ophthalmology residency at New York University and the first woman to lead an ophthalmology residency program in the United States at Drew UCLA. She had a commitment to increase access to eye care, co-founding the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness in 1976. A laser surgery and vision care expert, she was recognized for her contributions and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022. She died on May 30, 2019.
Valerie Thomas
(Photo: RF._.studio/Pexels)
Dr. Valerie LaVerne Thomas was born on February 1, 1943, is a well-known scientist and inventor best known as the inventor of the Illusion Transmitter, which produces three-dimensional images without the need of special glasses. She received U.S. Patent No. 4,229,761 for this revolutionary device in 1980. Aside from her work on the Illusion Transmitter, Thomas contributed to satellite data processing during her tenure at NASA and was involved in the Landsat program, as well as working to advance space science research. Her innovations have impacted many fields such as imaging, space exploration, and data technology.
Marian Croak
(Photo: New American/Wikimedia Commons)
Marian Croak, born May 14, 1955, is an engineer noted for her contribution to the development of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology that digital signals for internet transmission convert voice data into. In 2009, she was granted U.S. Patent No. 7,599,359 for her contributions in this area regarding audio and video conferencing. Croak started at Bell Labs in 1982, where she worked on network engineering and digital telecommunications. She also created a text-to-donate system that raised millions of dollars during disasters. In 2014, Croak joined Google to lead the company’s Research Center for Responsible AI and Human-Centered Technology. Croak, who has more than 200 patents, works to advance racial justice and encourages young women and girls to engage in engineering.
Mary Beatrice Kenner
(Photo: Helen Laruse/Wikimedia Commons via CCA)
A native of North Carolina, Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, a self-taught inventor, contributed much to women’s health and daily life. An earlier contribution she made was the sanitary belt, the forerunner of the modern menstrual pads, which she patented in 1957 (U.S. Patent No 2,573,535). Her invention was not easily accepted because she was Black. Later, it was used widely. During her lifetime, Kenner had five of her creations patented, including a back washer that was to be used in the shower and a special attachment for walkers and wheelchairs to help her sister, who had multiple sclerosis.
Dr. Donna Auguste
(Photo: National museum of American History/Public Domain)
Texas native Dr. Donna M. Auguste is a software engineer and entrepreneur who was a key contributor to the tech industry, especially with Apple’s Newton PDA. In 1993, she received her first patent (U.S. Patent No.5,434,929) for the pen-based input technology she helped develop for Newton, a precursor to the modern smartphone. Auguste has worked in AI and mobile technology and her efforts have informed the creation of subsequent computing devices. Auguste is the founder and CEO of Freshwater Software, which assists companies with their online operations.
Americans Are Flocking To Their Neighborhood Chicken Coops To Evade Rising Cost Of Eggs
The rise of homegrown chicken coops is helping combat the costs of eggs and the greater threat of bird flu.
Americans are taking matters into their own backyards to avoid the rising costs of eggs.
Instead of shelling out the extra cash at the grocery store, more people are venturing to their backyards or their neighbor’s house to collect some eggs at a lower price. The venture has become not only a self-sustainable way to provide fresh eggs, but an emerging side hustle for those wanting cheaper alternatives.
One woman spoke toNBC News about her custom-made coop at her Atlanta home. With 17 chickens on the premises, Naeema Finley produces over 5,000 eggs a year. Although she initially started for her own health preferences, she now has grown a business, selling a dozen for around $3 to $9.
Concerns over bird flu rising across the United States, which led to the death of over 13 million chickens and prompted the scarcity of eggs, have skyrocketed the popularity of these extra-local options.
“It is an involved process to do it the right way,” Finley said. “But it’s worth it.”
Finley’s success also led to another chicken-related venture, a consulting business. Through The Royal Chicken Coop, Finley helps others create their own sustainable egg production. However, her glory stays with her main flock, which she names after influential Black women like Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé.
While these local chicken coops provide fresher and better-quality eggs, the risk of bird flu still exists.
“Anytime you have your own backyard poultry that potentially has exposure to those wild birds, it’s always going to be a risk,” explained Kathy Whitman, a Colorado State University Extension veterinary specialist.
Homegrown chicken farmers should maintain extra protocols to ensure they don’t bring fecal matter from wild birds into the environment. The coops should also be secured to prevent birds from coming inside, ensuring consumers and customers can feel safe when frying an egg.
Whitman added, “All of these large operations that have had bird flu outbreaks have stringent biosecurity protocols and have invested a lot of money in safety, and still, the bug is able to get in on occasion. So, the backyard coop owner has to be especially diligent — and consult with a veterinarian with any concerns.”
Finley thinks the shift in access and preference for locally raised chickens remains a good thing. Others have also taken to the trend, using the opportunity to provide quality goods that they can give back to their communities.
Flickr & Black Women Photographers Collective Announce $5K Grant
The Black Women Photographers Collective's grant application closes on April 14.
Flickr, in partnership with SmugMug, is offering a new $5,000 grant to the Black Women Photographers Collective in celebration of the organization’s fifth anniversary.
The Flickr and BWP grant will be awarded to winning recipients to support them in advancing their photography practice. In pursuit of this goal, the grant will come along with a two-year Flickr Pro membership and a one-year SmugMug Pro subscription, both of which will help upgrade the recipient’s photography products.
In addition to the winning grant recipient, 10 applicants will receive a one-year Flickr Pro membership and a one-year SmugMug Pro subscription.
“Black Women Photographers play a vital role in driving inclusivity in the photography community. We’re honored to collaborate again and help showcase the work and perspectives of these talented photographers,” Crystal Duarte, director of marketing at Flickr, said in a press release.
A panel of judges has already been selected, including Polly Irungu, the founder of BWP and former White House photographer and editor; 2023 grant winner Genesis Falls, a member of both BWP and Flickr; and Community Manager MacKenzie Joslin.
“Community is core to the work and identity of BWP, so I’m honored to partner with a brand that has been fostering that from day one,” Irungu said. “Flickr has poured back into their community countless times, and I am excited for them to pour into the BWP community with this grant opportunity.”
Black Women Photographers, founded in 2020 by Irungu, has over 2,100 Black and African women creatives worldwide.
With the mission of adequately recognizing Black women in the photography industry and addressing coming hiring disparities, BWP is an industry resource for women of color, acting as a database for distribution and a collection of free educational services.
According to Flickr and BWP, to be eligible for the $5,000 grant, applicants must submit a photo that embodies the theme of “the spaces you occupy” and share a description of the photo in relation to the prompt.
