• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 17, 2025

Former Football Player Greg Brooks Jr. Gets Good News In Lawsuit Against LSU

NeuroMedical Center must hand over medical records of the surgeon who operated on Brooks.

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On June 16, Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts ruled that a hospital must hand over medical records to former LSU football player Greg Brooks Jr. about the surgeon who operated on him, the LSU Reveille reports.

Brooks is suing LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center (LSU Athletics’ sports medicine partner) after a brain tumor operation left him permanently disabled in September 2023. The motion to dismiss a subpoena against the NeuroMedical Center was denied by Foxworth-Roberts.

The records must be produced within 30 days.

Brooks’ legal team is questioning the qualifications of Dr. Brandon Gaynor, who performed the surgery on Brooks. The NeuroMedical Center is not a party in the lawsuit, but Gaynor oversaw Brooks’ procedure at OLOL. The NeuroMedical Center claimed that Gaynor’s records were not related to Brooks’ case and that the records could be obtained in other ways.

The former football player, who is in a wheelchair and learning how to talk, write, and eat again, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in September 2023. He had just started his second season at LSU.

Brooks claims LSU’s athletic training staff did not properly treat him before the diagnosis. At the time, he was suffering from clear neurological symptoms like dizziness, headache, and nausea. However, the training staff diagnosed him with vertigo without having Brooks see the team doctors while still having him compete.

While in surgery, Brooks suffered multiple seizures due to mistakes made by Gaynor, according to the lawsuit.

All parties are slated to return to court on Sept. 2 so the court can review the documents produced by the NeuroMedical Center to see which are admissible. On Sept. 8, the court will consider a motion to compel Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center to produce certain records.

RELATED CONTENT: Louisiana State University Wide Receiver Kyren Lacy Wanted For Fatal Hit-And-Run

• Women

by Stacy Jackson

June 17, 2025

Lizzo Signals Cease And Desist To Trump After ‘About Damn Time’ Used At Military Parade

Lizzo was not happy to hear her song at the June 14 event.

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Lizzo is about ready to hit President Donald Trump with a cease and desist after hearing her 2022 hit song “About Damn Time” was used at his birthday parade in Washington on Saturday, June 14.

The Grammy award-winning artist took to TikTok to publicly condemn the appearance of her song.

In a Stitch with Courier Newsroom, Lizzo reacted to a video that showed parade attendees scattered throughout an open field as a live cover of “About Damn Time” blasted in the background. Within five seconds, Lizzo appeared disgusted in the Stitch scanning her eyes up and down in disapproval.

“Cease and desist,” she captioned the video, which concluded with her finger gesturing to push something.

According to USA Today, the lineup at Trump’s parade included DJ Nyla Symone, Lee Greenwood, Scotty Hasting, Noah Hicks, and Warren Zeiders. While the specific performer of Lizzo’s award-winning hit remains unclear, Lizzo’s fans already knew she wouldn’t approve of her music being used for an event celebrating Trump. “

The first thing I said was I don’t think Lizzo would appreciate this,” one commenter wrote, while another commented, “We all knew that wasn’t Lizzo approved.” Others hyped up the singer’s idea to immediately send a cease and desist to Trump.

Last week’s festivities, which also served as a military parade to honor the Army’s 250th anniversary, didn’t enjoy the attendance of various “No Kings” protests nationwide. Attendees voiced immigration concerns and argued that the Trump administration used the military to promote the Republican president.

Lizzo has never shied away from publicly voicing her political views. Billboard reported that the funk-pop star previously endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential run, highlighting her efforts to strengthen global alliances, passing the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and tackling issues related to healthcare, gun safety, and unemployment.

The singer was one of the first celebrities to come to Harris’ defense after critics responded to Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race.

RELATED CONTENT: Inquiring Minds! Lizzo Gets To The Bottom Of The ‘Awkward’ Jason Lee & Beyoncé Interaction At Roc Nation Brunch

• News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 17, 2025

Credit Scores Tanking As Student Loan Collections Resume

Credit scores are declining nationwide since the government has returned to collecting on outstanding student loans.

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Millions of Americans are seeing their credit scores drop following the U.S. government resuming referring missed student loan payments for debt collection.

Borrowers who go more than 90 days without making a payment risk having their delinquent or past-due accounts reported to major credit bureaus by student loan servicers. This reporting can negatively impact their credit, as it factors into the recalculation of their credit scores. With its government-ordered return, there has been a steady drop in credit scores nationwide, the Associated Press reports.

The first quarter of 2025 saw 2.2 million student loan borrowers experience a credit score drop of 100 points, with another one million scores falling by 150 points or more. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that by the end of March, roughly one in four student loan borrowers were over 90 days past due on their payments.

Lower credit scores create more or more costly barriers to accessing car loans, mortgages, credit cards, auto insurance, and other financial services, resources that come in handy during today’s inflation, high interest rates, and industrywide layoffs.

In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began, the U.S. Department of Education paused federal student loan payments to provide relief amid the economic uncertainty.

Although payments officially resumed in 2023, the Biden administration implemented a one-year grace period that lasted until October 2024. Last month, the Trump administration reactivated the collection process for unpaid student loans, including plans to garnish wages and withhold tax refunds from borrowers who remain in default.

Those who were delinquent at the time collections resumed were surprised with lower credit scores.

“All of a sudden, I was delinquent, even though I’d never received notice,” said Dom Holmes, 28, a nonprofit worker based in Manheim, Pennsylvania.

Holmes said he woke up in early May to discover his credit score had dropped by 60 to 70 points overnight. Now in the process of relocating to a new state, Holmes is concerned that the lower score could make it harder for him to secure a rental.

“I’m at the ideal age where I should be starting a family and buying a home,” Holmes said. “When you destroy me financially, what are the chances I’m able to do that and that’s viable for me?”

A Federal Reserve of New York study found that borrowers over 40 are most likely to be delinquent. Andrew McCall, 58, of Boise, Idaho, still owes about $30,000 for his computer science degree. Unable to afford his $250–$300 monthly payments, he is worried how a damaged credit score could impact his life.

“The fact that this economy is driven by debt to begin with causes my score to be paramount no matter what financial decisions I’m making, outside of going to the grocery store,” McCall said. “My car, my house… Your credit rating becomes a social stratifier.”

RELATED CONTENT: The Credit Bros Aim To Help Black People Repair Their Credit For Homeownership

• Health and Wellness

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 17, 2025

Study Lists Georgia Among Top Five Worst Places For Seniors To Age In Place

Georgia struggles to meet a essential basic need for seniors.

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A new study has listed Georgia as among the worst places for seniors to age in place.

To “age in place” is a popular concept for those in retirement, with many seeking to stay in their homes rather than transition to assisted living facilities.

Seniorly compared data in 10 categories, such as seniors’ risk of isolation and home health care quality, to compile a ranking of states’ ability to support the elderly. Other categories included emergency care timeliness, smart home adoption, housing costs, road safety, and weather hazards.

Georgia rounded out the bottom five with Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. In categories such as walkability, home health aide availability, and annual precipitation, the state placed in the bottom 10, leading to its extremely low overall ranking. The top states on the list included Utah, North Dakota, New Jersey, and Texas.

However, Georgia’s listing primarily stems from its lack of meal delivery access for the majority of elder residents. It ranked at #50 for this service, signaling its lack of local infrastructure to address this necessity for many seniors.

“Georgia struggles with meal delivery for seniors, providing services to only 957 per 100,000 older adults under the Older Americans Act,” according to the study.

According to the state’s official website, over 14.6% of its residents are 65 or older. Georgia’s elderly population in rural areas is also expected to grow rapidly over the next two decades, making its inefficacy for aging in place concerning. Furthermore, Georgia has ranked in the top 10 in the number of food-insecure seniors.

This news may especially impact Black seniors. According to the “2020 Profile Of African Americans 65 and Older,” Georgia is one of eight states that host over half of all Black seniors in the country. Georgia had approximately 362,535 Black elderly people living there as of 2019.

Given the shift of more retirement-age Americans choosing to reside at home, food insecurity remains an ongoing issue for Georgia as its elderly population grows.

RELATED CONTENT: DeKalb Squatters Are Throwing An All Access VIP Pool Party

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 17, 2025

Issa Rae’s ColorCreative Forms Strategic Partnership with HarbourView Equity Partners

Issa Rae scored investment backing for her ColorCreative production and management company.

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Issa Rae’s management and production company, ColorCreative, has secured investment backing from Harbourview Equity Partners.

Rae was slated to officially announce the partnership at the Cannes Lions Festival on June 17, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The partnership looks to “expand its talent representation and production capabilities while also accelerating the creation and ownership of original content,” according to a press release.

Terms of the deal were not released.

“We built ColorCreative to be a home for visionary talent and distinct, multifaceted stories,” Rae said in a statement. “Partnering with HarbourView allows us to dream even bigger while staying true to our mission of helming and supporting the kinds of projects that made us fall in love with storytelling.”

ColorCreative doubled its revenue from 2023 to 2024. Rae co-founded the company in 2014 with Deniese Davis and Talitha Watkins.

ColorCreative, founded to create opportunities for underrepresented creators in TV, film, digital, and branded content, will begin production on its first slate of projects under the HarbourView partnership early next year.

“This partnership marks a defining moment in ColorCreative’s journey,” said Watkins, president of ColorCreative. “We’ve always believed that culturally driven content can also be commercially powerful. With HarbourView’s partnership, we believe we have the resources and reach to take our vision to the global stage— without compromising the creative integrity that defines us.”

The new venture follows ColorCreative’s partnership with Tubi, announced last October, to launch Stubio, a platform giving five creative teams the chance to develop and debut their first projects on the streaming service. Through its management division, ColorCreative will mentor the selected creators, while Tubi provides funding for their productions.

“To be able to participate in a pipeline for the next generation of creators to have a fast track into this industry is all that I’m about,” Rae told HuffPost at the time. “And to be able to also mentor these creatives on their journey, in an organized, cohesive way to produce something tangible, is also what I’m about.”

RELATED CONTENT: Issa Rae And Hannah Diop’s Nationwide Launch of Sienna Naturals ‘A Dream Come True’

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

June 17, 2025

Canadian Politician Apologizes To Drake For Attending Kendrick Lamar Concert

Jagmeet Singh apologized to the "Hotline Bling" rapper, saying he was only there to see SZA, not Kendrick.

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The Canadian politician who was spotted in the crowd at one of Kendrick Lamar and Sza’s Grand National Tour stops in Toronto has issued a public apology to Drake.

After Drake called him a “goof” in a private Instagram message over his attendance, Jagmeet Singh apologized to the “Hotline Bling” rapper, saying he was only there to see SZA, not Kendrick.

“I went for SZA, not Kendrick,” Singh wrote in an Instagram Story post captured by NFR Podcast. “I was born in this city. I love this city. But real talk, I get it. I shouldn’t have gone at all. OVO and Drake have lifted up this city and [Canada]. For me, it’ll always be Drake over Kendrick.”

The apology came after Drake reached out to Singh to express his disapproval of the Toronto public figure attending the concert.

“You’re a goof,” Drake wrote to Singh in a screenshot he shared online.

Photos and video captured Singh in the crowd at Kendrick and Sza’s sold-out show at Rogers Stadium. While Singh claimed he only went for Sza, the video captured him vibing to Kendrick’s performance of songs from his recent GNX album.

Singh’s appearance at the show was likely one of several moments from Kendrick’s Toronto concerts that irritated Drake. The Compton native, who was locked in a high-profile rap feud with Drake last year, performed his hit diss track “Not Like Us” on the first night, and the crowd erupted, chanting for an encore.

Footage also surfaced of fans rapping “Not Like Us” while visiting Toronto Chinese restaurant New Ho King after the concert.

The rap beef between Drake and Kendrick has escalated to the point where Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, accusing the label they both share of endangering his life and reputation by promoting Kendrick’s diss track. Many were worried about how Drake’s hometown would receive Kendrick, but from the looks of it, Kendrick received a warm welcome.

But as a prominent local figure in the 6, Singh wanted to make it clear to the public whose side he was on in the ongoing hip-hop feud.

RELATED CONTENT: Kendrick Lamar And SZA Deliver Powerful Performance In Detroit, Blending Art And Activism

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

June 17, 2025

Michael Vick’s Hiring As Norfolk State Football Coach Raises Ticket Prices For Upcoming Season

School also cites House vs. NCAA settlement for increase.

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Norfolk State University hired former NFL quarterback Michael Vick last year to lead the football team, and ticket prices have soared for the upcoming season, almost doubling from the previous season’s cost to attend a game at the school.

• Arts and Culture

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 17, 2025

Walk Down The African American Heritage Trail Honoring Black History In Kentucky This Juneteenth

The trail takes travelers throughout the entire state to learn of its numerous Black historical sites.

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This Juneteenth, residents and visitors of Kentucky can take a walk down its new African American Heritage Trail.

The trail comprises nearly 50 primary sites that detail Black historical figures and monuments in the state’s history. The trail will feature museums, historic churches, and more, all integral to the Black culture of Kentucky. The project was a joint endeavor between the Kentucky Department of Tourism and the state’s Heritage Council and Historical Society.

The trail’s official launch took place June 16 at the Muhammad Ali Center. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear attended the ceremony, speaking on how it explores the state’s distinct place in Black history.

“The trail is a bridge between education and exploration that elevates voices that have too often been left out of the broader historical narrative,” Governor Andy Beshear told Travel + Leisure. “By positioning these culturally significant sites as tourism destinations, the trail stimulates local economies, supports small businesses, and creates job opportunities in communities whose stories deserve to be heard and celebrated.”

The trail also includes over 28 cities with markers throughout the several regions, highlighting pivotal institutions of Black America. To start, voyagers visit the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. The cultural hub hosts weekly events dedicated to uplifting diversity and Black history.

Another featured site includes the Downtown Civil Rights Trail, located in Louisville. It details the story of the state’s civil rights activists, whose unknown work proved critical to racial equality. Outside the urban sector, the trail features the SEEK museum in Russellville and the historic Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah.

The trail also lists one of the state’s oldest HBCUs, the Simmons College of Kentucky, on its must-see institutions. Another specific marker, the Portal 31 Coal Mine in Lynch, explores the history of Black coal miners in the region. For fans of the Kentucky Derby, the “Black Horsemen of the Kentucky Turf” exhibit at the Kentucky Horse Park also offers insight into the role of Black people in 19th-century Thoroughbred racing.

From the Western Waterlands to the Cave Lakes Corvettes, Kentucky remains home to numerous monuments that will delight history enthusiasts of all levels. Now, the official roadmap of the state’s expansive Black legacy has begun.

RELATED CONTENT: 6 Things To Do In Galveston, Texas, The Home Of Juneteenth

• Celebrity News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

June 17, 2025

Diddy Trial Ramps Up As ‘Freak Off’ Videos Revealed In Court Amid Heated Juror Dismissal

The "freak off" videos hope to give the jury more context on if Diddy engaged in sex trafficking.

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The trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs is more tense than ever as the “freak off” videos have finally reached the courtroom amid a controversial juror dismissal.

The jury began watching clips of the alleged “freak off” videos when they returned to New York City court June 16. According to TMZ, while they did not see the entirety of any video, the jury did witness short snippets of the footage.

The selected clips could hold footage recovered from Diddy’s house raids before his September 2024 arrest, as well as videos Cassie Ventura turned in as part of witness testimony.

However, given the graphic nature of the sexual content, the videos were not played for the entire courtroom. Instead, the clips played only on monitors that the jurors could see, with each juror also granted headphones.

The prosecution and Diddy’s legal team also did not watch the snippets in open court. However, jurors paid especially close attention to the women in the actual “freak off” videos, presumably either Cassie or Jane Doe, to note their reaction to the sexual encounters.

During Cassie’s own testimony, she emphasized how she felt pressured or coerced into participating in the freak offs to please Diddy. The videos hope to offer more context into how the women seemingly experienced the sex acts, as the prosecution tries to prove that Diddy committed sex trafficking.

However, the anticipated “freak off” video reveal comes as one juror faces dismissal, while another may face the same fate. According to the Hollywood Reporter, a Black and hispanic man from The Bronx, also known as Juror #6, will no longer hear the trial given the discrepancy of where he actually resided.

U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian concluded that Juror #6 displayed a “lack of candor” with the courts, resulting in his replacement with an alternate. The judge listed concerns as to whether the juror “shaded answers” to stay on the case, given that he claimed to live in the Bronx despite reportedly telling others that he lived in New jersey with his girlfriend.

“There are serious questions about the juror’s candor and the juror’s ability to follow the court’s instructions,” explained Subramanian. “Removal of the juror is required, in this court’s view.”

The decision comes following last week’s stand-off between the prosecution and the defense on his removal. The defense claimed that prosecutors are trying to remove a man of a similar racial background to Diddy in an effort to undermine the case.

“The government’s motion must be evaluated in light of the entire history of this investigation and prosecution, and not in isolation,” wrote the defense in a lengthy letter. “Unfortunately, when considered against that background, it is impossible to believe that this motion is merely a good-faith attempt to raise a valid question about the juror’s integrity rather than an effort to take advantage of an opportunity to strike yet another Black male from the jury.”

However, Judge Subramanian decided to move forward with an alternate, a 57-year-old white male accountant from Westchester County in New York. Additionally, another juror may also get the boot after suspicions that they have conversed with someone outside the jury. As of June 16, the judge made no declaration on whether or not the juror will stay on.

RELATED CONTENT: Judge Mathis Says Ye’s Presence At Diddy Trial ‘Creates Drama’

• Politics

by Mitti Hicks

June 17, 2025

Donald Trump Is First President Excluded From NAACP Convention In 116 Years

It's the first time the civil rights organization has excluded a sitting president in its 116-year history.

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The NAACP announced Monday that President Donald Trump is not invited to its national convention in July. It’s the first time the civil rights organization has excluded a sitting president in its 116-year history.

NAACP leaders say the reason is that Trump works against the organization’s mission of ensuring political, educational, social, and economic rights of all people and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.

“For 116 years, the NAACP has invited the sitting president of the United States to address the NAACP National Convention — regardless of their political party,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “But right now, it’s clear — Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights. He believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution. This playbook is radical and un-American.”

According to Johnson, there is a rich history of both Republicans and Democrats attending the convention. President Harry Truman was the first, the Associated Press reported. Other presidents that followed include Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Regan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

NAACP: Inviting Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance Is A Waste of Time

The NAACP accused Trump of signing unconstitutional executive orders to “oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections.” NAACP leaders said Trump has also illegally turned the military on our communities and continues to undermine every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and for personal benefits.

“To that end, the NAACP has made the decision to break with tradition and not invite Donald Trump or J.D. Vance this year,” Johnson added in his statement. “This administration does not respect the Constitution or the rule of law. It would be a waste of our time and energy to give a platform to fascism, which would be unacceptable.”

The NAACP’s move follows multiple lawsuits the organization has filed against the Trump administration. In March, the NAACP joined other advocates and state attorneys general in suing the Department of Education for withholding federal funds from schools that did not end their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The Department of Education argued that it was prohibiting legal efforts to provide equal opportunity to Black students, as BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported.