Queens tour Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills — Photo credit: Latisha Marie, courtesy of Black Promoter Collective Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills

by Ida Harris

May 13, 2025

Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle, And Chaka Khan Bring 6 Decades Of Soul To ‘Queens Tour’

These four icons have shaped the sound of Black music

The Queens Tour: 4 Legends is off and running on the West Coast, giving eager audiences thee best of R&B Royalty—that is—Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills, Patti Labelle, and Chaka Khan. To make it plain, the Black Promoters Collective has curated a historical moment in time that, quite frankly, many will never witness again. Four divas gracing a stage in what may very well be the final time they shine collectively. These four icons have shaped the sound of Black music and set the bar way high with their respective talents and consummate professionalism across six decades. On Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum Arena, Ms. Gladys, Stephanie, Patti, and Chaka reminded boomers, Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Zers, who TF they are—without explanation or introduction. The musical instruments embedded in their throats and diaphragms spoke for themself. They are baddies.

Gladys Knight opened the show with “Taste of Bitter Love,” a 1980s hit performed with her soulful background singers, The Pips. Knight, who turns 81 on May 28, wears red well and still commands an audience with her deep, raspy, soulful voice. Knight is literally the contralto that keeps on giving, knocking out her set with much ease, floating through her classics: “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Love Overboard,” and “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” before handing the stage over to Stephanie Mills.

The theater-trained singer and actress recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the original Broadway play The Wiz. Mills still performs with the same vigor and enthusiasm as she did when she was a 16-year-old cast as Dorothy in 1975. There’s something about Stephanie and how the Grammy Award-winning songstress makes her fans “Feel Good All Over.” The 68-year-old is a top-tier soprano with a discography to back it up. And Stephanie’s range and showmanship are undefeated. Mills sang Los Angeles concertgoers full circle from the late 1970s with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’” through the 1980s with “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” and 1990s “I Learned To Respect The Power of Love,” and back. Stephanie is gospel. The “Two Hearts” singer gave disco, rhythm & blues, soul, and body rolls—then closed out her set with a gritty offering of “Home.”

Patti Labelle has not slowed her roll since she sang “Lady Marmalade,” as one-third of Labelle, a group of soul sisters out of Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey. Patti embodies icon status and bodied a slew of classic hits in dramatic soprano as only Ms. Labelle can. Audience members sang crowd favorites, “If Only You Knew,” and “Love, Need, And Want You,” and “Somebody Loves You” along with Patti. And just when folks thought her set was done, Labelle re-emerged with a viral moment. Patti, 81, is known for her glam, elaborate hairstyles and fancy fanwork, jumped into the trending “Boots on the Ground” line dance song popularized by South Carolina native 803 Fresh. Patti led the arena in a spectacular call and response, asking, “Where them fans at?”

On the heels of Patti’s stellar performance, Chaka Khan showed up in full Chaka regalia, the Black boho style that has been quite fitting on Chaka for over five decades—and the mezzo-soprano roar to match. It doesn’t hurt that Trina Broussard is one of three fabulous performers holding her down on background vocals as she breezes through notable hits such as “My Funny Valentine,” “Sweet Thing,” and “I’m Every Woman.” Concertgoers lost their sh*t, though, when Chaka revealed that Stevie Wonder was in the crowd and had written, “Tell Me Something Good.” The Queen called Stevie on stage to share their story and longtime friendship and to perform the chart-topper.

One thing’s for certain, and two things for sure: The Queens have aged beautifully and gracefully, but their vocal range and abilities have remained unchanged. The 2025 Queens Tour runs through Oct. 5. Check the Black Promoters website for major cities and tickets.

RoDina Williams, Illinoisan, Doctorate In Clinical Laboratory Science — (Photo: artisteer/Getty Images)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 13, 2025

From Grandma To Graduate: 82-Year-Old Earns Master’s From Samford University, Proving Resilience No Matter One’s Age

Cunningham went back for her second degree after getting her bachelor's at 78-years-old.

Most grandmothers attend graduations to watch their loved ones cross the stage. However, this 82-year-old decided to embark on her own academic pursuits.

Vivian Cunningham first obtained her bachelor’s degree from Samford University at the inspiring age of 78. However, she decided to take things up a notch, going for her master’s just a few years later. She finally finished her second degree, walking at her graduation on May 3.

“I felt like I was just as young as the other students,” she joked in the school’s news release.

With her studies completed from Samford’s Cumberland School of Law, the great-grandmother and lifelong scholar has received praise for her remarkable efforts. Since making headlines for her bachelor’s, Cunningham has also earned a fan club inspired by her determination.

“I’m so glad I made an impact on somebody’s life,” she said. “This must have been my destiny to inspire people.”

Cunningham has gone further than inspiring multigenerational students, establishing a leadership scholarship in her name. Her relationship with her alma mater also led to Samford covering her tuition and fees if she pursued her Master’s. For the avid learner, the choice was easy.

“I just wanted to keep learning. I’m not one who wants to just stay at home,” she said. “Samford has been good to me.”

Cunningham says two things kept her going to pursue her goals: God and Curtis Mayfield. The latter helped with his hit 1964 song “Keep On Pushing,” released when Cunningham was around 21.

“I played that song all the time, because I knew that I was going to keep pushing,” she said. “If a class ever had me frustrated, I’d listen to Curtis Mayfield. Just keep on pushing, Viv. Just keep on pushing.”

She added, “God has gotten me through this journey. I prayed a lot of nights: ‘Lord, let me please write this paper.’ For something like this, you really must have faith for all these years.”

With her latest degree, Cunningham has learned legal principles and writing standards. The 82-year-old graduate celebrated her commencement with multiple family members in attendance, including her daughter, son, and 100-year-old mother.

“Four years ago, I was incredibly excited when my mother earned her bachelor’s degree,” said her daughter, Tarra Barnes. “But watching her determination and hard work—and seeing her push through the late nights to reach this next level—has deepened my pride in a profound way. It’s truly inspiring to see someone you love accomplish such a challenging and meaningful goal. Graduation weekend was one I’ll always treasure.”

NAACP, xAI, Elon Musk, lawsuit — (Photo: Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Pexels)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 13, 2025

Rodney O Sues Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin For Sampling ‘Everlasting Bass’ For Collaborative Song, ‘Like That’

He claims he's received no payments after clearing the sample

West Coast rapper Rodney O has filed a lawsuit against fellow recording artists Kendrick Lamar, Future, and Metro Boomin over unpaid royalties from “Like That,” the song that elevated the rift between Lamar and Drake.

According to TMZ, although Metro Boomin sampled Rodney O & Joe Cooley’s 1986 song, Everlasting Bass, for the song that featured Lamar dissing Drake and J. Cole, he has not been paid anything from the producer using his record as the underlying track to the song.

Speaking to the media outlet, Rodney stated that he does not have beef with the three artists but insists that Epic Records and Barry White’s estate are the reasons he has not seen any payouts. Everlasting Bass lifted White’s 1973 song “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby” for the song they recorded almost 40 years ago.

Coincidentally, in October 2024, the Estate of Barry White sued Rodney for copyright infringement for not receiving its permission to sample White’s work for what he created in 1986. The estate admitted to waiting almost 40 years to file the lawsuit because the sampled work was “released prior to the internet and was not widely distributed,” which leaves the estate “unaware of the song when it was first released.”

During Rodney’s conversation with TMZ, he stated he did not even know Lamar was supposed to be on the track because what he was sent did not have his vocals on the song. He said Epic sent it to him just before it was released, and only Future’s vocals appeared on the track.

“I didn’t even know Kendrick was on it until a day before when somebody called and said, ‘I heard Kendrick is on that record,’” he said. “And I said, ‘No, I have the record. He’s not on there, and the song was like two minutes.”

However, the media outlet spoke to a representative of Metro and was told that not only did they get clearance from Rodney, but he was paid $50,000 for the sample. The rep stated that the recording artist’s beef is with White’s estate, and they may be holding up his royalty payments.

COVID, FLU, FALL, RSV, Opioid — (Image: iStock)

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 13, 2025

Baby Boomers Lean On Housing Market For Survival As The Cost Of Assisted Living Exceeds Expectations

Forty-four percent of home-equity loans are being taken out by seniors which Whitney calls “counterintuitive.”

Fortune reports that a housing crisis may be brewing as baby boomers hoard their homes and refuse to move into financially out-of-reach assisted living facilities.

Financial analyst Meredith Whitney said the baby boomer generation is keeping their hard-earned homes because moving into assisted living spaces is just as costly. During an interview, Whitney highlighted that some older Americans are strapped for cash and borrowing against their homes. Forty-four percent of home-equity loans are being taken out by seniors, which she calls “counterintuitive.” “It’s crazy, right?” she questioned.

Whitney’s viewpoints vastly differ from the standard narrative that most baby boomers are financially secure and sitting on wads of cash. It may be true for some, as seniors account for 42% of all homebuyers compared to millennials, who account for 29%. “I divide it into different cohorts,” Whitney said.

“So the senior, which everyone thinks ‘the boomers have all this money’—that’s a small portion. Seniors are living paycheck to paycheck.”

The generation collectively has $75 trillion of wealth. However, Whitney, also known as the “Oracle of Wall Street,” who predicted the Great Financial Crisis, estimated that only 1 in 10 seniors can afford assisted-living facilities, forcing many to stay in their homes with super-high mortgage rates.

As a result, the rates have created a “lock-in” effect, described as when homeowners who got into the market at low rates are hesitant to buy new homes given today’s increased borrowing costs. “This is one of the problems with the housing inventory,” Whitney said during the Bloomberg TV interview. “They’re staying in their houses longer because they can’t afford to move out.”

The burden isn’t just on boomers. Their millennial and Gen X children are stuck with unaffordable long-term care for their aging parents. As the elders no longer have the means for long-term care, according to Yahoo News, the next generations typically leave their jobs or work less to provide care. Social Security experts call it a “sacrifice” that can potentially hurt them financially currently and in the future. “The bigger issue is you can create almost a cycle of poverty,” said Professor of Gerontology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Marc Cohen.

“It’s not something that just sticks with one generation. The costs are borne communally.”

A 2023 Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies report confirmed that privately provided long-term care, like assisted living communities and home healthcare, is out of reach for the average middle-class citizen. Less than 15% of Americans 75 and older living alone in major US cities could afford to pay for assisted living or home health aide visits without dipping into their savings. There may not be much assistance from the federal government, as the Trump administration focuses on Medicare, the government’s health insurance program for older people.

Medicare also doesn’t cover most long-term healthcare.

Simone Biles, Gold, Olympics — (Photo: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 13, 2025

Simone Biles Sticks Commencement Speech As Keynote Speaker At Washington University In St. Louis

Biles talked about not giving into pressures of perfection.

Simone Biles has stuck the landing with her latest challenge, a commencement speech at Washington University in St. Louis.

The legendary gymnast withstood a rainy day to address the graduates at WashU, giving a 12-minute speech to encourage them as they celebrate this milestone. However, she first acknowledged her anxiety about performing in a new capacity at the May 12 event.

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“You might think I’m used to the spotlight, but I would probably feel more comfortable if they had allowed me to vault onto the stage or do a little floor routine,” joked the newly-crowned Dr. Biles, according to NBC Sports. “But really, today is your day. While I may be considered an elite athlete, I know that you are elite students.”

Receiving her Doctorate in Humane Letters, the seven-time Olympic Gold medalist talked about her dreams outside floor routines. She initially wanted to study pediatric medicine, particularly at UCLA, but her prowess in gymnastics led her to another career instead.

“I always dreamed of going to college, not just to be part of a collegiate gymnastics team, but to study medicine, to become a children’s nurse or a pediatrician, and to enjoy all the fun of a college campus,” said Biles. “But for me, that dream bumped up against others, and ultimately I chose a different path. But I do think my path and yours have a lot in common, although mine probably included a few more sequins and leotards.”

Biles’ decision to pursue professional gymnastics resulted in sports glory. She most recently competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning three gold medals at the games, which she earned from her team final and all-around.

However, Biles remains a staunch advocate for the mental health of athletes. She champions this effort by taking breaks when needed for her well-being, with many calling it a “bold” move. She encouraged her fellow graduates of WashU to stay bold and not succumb to others’ expectations of perfection.“

“The world doesn’t need you to be perfect. It needs you to be bold,” she expressed to the crowd. “It needs you to care and to keep going even when things don’t go as planned.”

Biles can add another accolade to her incredibly stacked resume: keynote speaker.

FEMA, hurricane, season, training, — G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

by Mitti Hicks

May 13, 2025

FEMA Cuts Emergency Training Ahead of Hurricane Season

Forecasters predict an intense hurricane season in 2025 with eerie similarities to the destructive 2024 season

With hurricane season less than two weeks away, U.S. federal disaster agency FEMA has cut its training for state and local emergency managers.

Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that reducing or cutting training could leave storm-prone communities less prepared to deal with hurricanes’ aftermath.

Forecasters predict an intense hurricane season in 2025 and say forecasts already indicate eerie similarities to the destructive 2024 season. One key indicator for this year’s forecast is the warm waters in the Gulf and Caribbean, which fuel storm development.

Shore Daily News reports that AccuWeather predicts 13 to 18 named storms in 2025, including seven to 10 hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes, and three to six direct impacts on the United States.

Another alarming prediction from AccuWeather is that the season is expected to start fast. Forecasters predict the season, which begins June 1, will then have a lull followed by a pick-up from September through November, like last year’s pattern.

‘Don’t Get In My Way’ FEMA Acting Director Warns

FEMA’s decision to cut training couldn’t come at a worse time.

The 2024 season was one of the costliest on record. AccuWeather estimates that storms in 2024 caused approximately $500 billion in total damages and economic losses.

President Donald Trump recently fired FEMA’s acting chief, Cameron Hamilton, a day after Hamilton told lawmakers the agency should be preserved. His sentiments come amid unprecedented layoffs across federal agencies as the administration prioritizes reducing the federal workforce.

Hamilton’s successor, David Richardson, reportedly told FEMA employees that he would “run right over” any staff opposed to his implementation of Trump’s vision for a smaller agency. On a call, the Associated Press reports, he warned the 20% of staffers he estimates could resist change.

“Don’t get in my way if you’re those 20% of the people,” Richardson said, according to the AP. “I know all the tricks. I am as bent on achieving the president’s intent as I was on making sure that I did my duty when I took my Marines to Iraq.”

RAPPER, KEHLANI,, ISRAEL,, PALESTINE, NONAME — Nyaomi for The Come Up Show, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 13, 2025

Noname’s SummerStage Show Canceled Week After Jittery NYC Officials Axe Kehlani’s Performance

The show was canceled without explanation

Noname will no longer perform at New York City’s SummerStage show. The announcement comes a week after city officials removed Kehlani from the lineup over unclear security concerns.

Noname hoped to perform at the annual concert series in Central Park to celebrate Juneteenth. However, Hellgate confirmed that the June 18 show, with R&B artists Ravyn Lenae and Fana Hues, was scrapped by the concert organizers on Ticketmaster.

According to Rolling Stone, the ticketing site did not provide an exact reason.

The news has sparked concern following another vague cancelation of outspoken artist Kehlani. She was also scheduled to perform for the SummerStage Pride show in June.

Produced by the City Parks Foundation, SummerStage organizers heeded Mayor Eric Adams’ warning that Kehlani’s appearance would raise “safety concerns.” The mayor’s administration referenced Kehlani’s removal from Cornell University’s Slope Day festival over her alleged anti-Semitic and anti-Israel comments and content.

Kehlani, who has publicly called out Israel’s acs in the war against Hamas, took to social media to emphasize that her advocacy for Palestinians does not equate to Jewish hate.

“I am not antisemitic nor am I anti-Jew,” and “I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I’m anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women… that’s what I’m anti.”

As for Noname, the mayor’s office claims it did not have a say in her cancellation, pointing fingers at Live Nation, which coordinates bookings for the event.

Noname is another artist who has never sat silent on social issues. The socialist-leaning rapper from Chicago, through her Noname Book Club, has featured many books on the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi and Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Davis.

In 2021, Noname also called out the United States’ financial backing of Israel to support its military efforts.

“If you don’t understand settler colonialism, annexation and ethnic cleansing, fine,” Noname tweeted in 2021, per Business Insider. “But understand you are helping the U.S. fund it with your taxes. We give billions to Israel so they can continue to murder, and murder, and murder. Celebs pay the most in taxes and the most quiet.”

trump, black pastor — The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 13, 2025

Episcopal Church Ends 40-Year Resettlement Relationship With U.S. Government Over White South African ‘Refugees’

The Episcopal Church has a long history of advocacy against South Africa

The Episcopal Church has ended a nearly 40-year relationship with the federal government, citing moral opposition in refusing to resettle white Africans from South Africa classified as refugees by the Trump administration, NPR reports.

Presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, revealed the church received a letter in early May 2025 that under the terms of a federal grant, Episcopal Migration Ministries was “expected to resettle white Afrikaners from South Africa whom the U.S. government has classified as refugees.”

Rowe said that crossed a line, highlighting its leaders, like the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as vocal opponents of apartheid in South Africa.

“In light of our church’s steadfast commitment to racial justice and reconciliation and our historic ties with the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, we are not able to take this step,” Rowe wrote. “Accordingly, we have determined that, by the end of the federal fiscal year, we will conclude our refugee resettlement grant agreements with the U.S. federal government.”

The church has a long history of advocacy against South Africa, altering its financial holdings there in 1966 and in the 1980s. The group even voted to stop companies from doing business in South Africa.

While it will support immigrants and refugees in other ways, including offering aid to those who have already been resettled, Rowe said Episcopal Migration Ministries will “wind down all federally funded services by the end of the federal fiscal year in September.”

The announcement came after the first group of white South Africans landed in the U.S. on May 12, according to The Hill.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce claimed in a statement that the refugee group faced grave racial discrimination in South Africa, projecting that the move was needed to safeguard victims of racial discrimination.

“No one should have to fear having their property seized without compensation or becoming the victim of violent attacks because of their ethnicity,” Bruce said. “In the coming months, we will continue to welcome more Afrikaner refugees and help them rebuild their lives in our great country.”

However, the South African government—and white religious leaders—said otherwise and condemned the Trump administration’s discrimination claims.

“The stated reasons for [Trump’s actions] are claims of victimization, violence, and hateful rhetoric against white people in South Africa along with legislation providing for the expropriation of land without compensation,” a letter from religious leaders, including an Anglican priest. “As white South Africans in active leadership within the Christian community, representing diverse political and theological perspectives, we unanimously reject these claims.”

Rowe pointed out concerns about how fast President Donald Trump switched gears for a certain group of refugees.

In January 2025, he signed an executive order that paused the refugee program and stopped payments to organizations that assisted with resettlement processes.

“I want to be very clear about why we made this decision—and what we believe lies ahead for Episcopal Migration Ministries’ vital work,” Rowe said. “It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years.

“I am saddened and ashamed that many of the refugees who are being denied entrance to the United States are brave people who worked alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home because of their service to our country.”

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

May 13, 2025

Lincoln Navigator Returns With Grace And Vigor, Will Black Car Buyers Be Sold?

The Navi became a status symbol during the 'bling era' of hip-hop in the late '90s

Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins

The Lincoln Navigator (Navi) broke ground when it debuted in 1997 as the brand’s first premium full-size SUV, arriving a year before its longtime competitor, the Cadillac Escalade. It didn’t take long for the Navi to become a status symbol during the “bling era” of hip-hop in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with icons like Jay-Z and Missy Elliott name-dropping the stately SUV in their songs. The Escalade took over the segment while remaining relevant today. With all things considered, the all-new 5th-generation Lincoln Navigator has no choice but to become a success story and take back the throne.

San Diego’s desert landscapes, rolling hills, manicured landscapes, and citrus groves became the backdrop for the media drive of the Navi’s comeback story. Though the redesign is graceful and invigorating, the thoughtful experience once inside will take your breath away, whether positioned in the driver’s seat or any of the passenger chairs. Lincoln designers reminded us that its customers are not looking for flamboyancy like the Range Rover; they prefer modest styling but overflowing amenities, on which this vehicle bases its foundation.

“Navigator is the flagship of the Lincoln brand and represents our ultimate expression of sanctuary,” said Dianne Craig, president of Lincoln. “The all-new Navigator is more than just a vehicle; it can become a home away from home and a third space that rejuvenates clients in an entirely new way on and off the road.”

For 2025, the Navi underwent significant updates and interior enhancements. The well-appointed utility vehicle offers heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats, a 48” panoramic and multifaceted backlit LCD screen, standard Panoramic Vista Roof, the Lincoln Split Gate, and a powerful 28-speaker (8 in the suede headliner) Revel Ultima 3D sound system.

Also new is Rejuvenate Mode, which transforms the cabin into a space of serenity by adjusting the seat into a relaxing position and turning on the massaging feature, toning down climate control, playing nature-themed music, and dimming the lighting for a soothing, driver-friendly experience. I first became familiar with Lincoln Rejuvenate on the Nautilus last year and found it refreshing, especially the massaging chairs and Lincoln Digital Scent. Mystic Forest was my favorite aroma.

For the day, I was assigned a Black Label edition, which has become the epitome of the brand for a decade. Navigator Reserve is the entry model and starts at $99,995. Both can be selected in an extended “L” variant, and all four trims are powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that distributes 440-horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, the engine might come off as small for such a large vehicle but it is just as impressive as a V8. My only issue was the console placement of the shift tabs utilized in manual mode. It’s such an odd place and mechanism for shifting. I”m not sure why Lincoln didn’t go with traditional paddle shifters. One reason could be the small octagonal-shaped Wollsdorf leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel.

An adaptive suspension and 4WD are also standard, as well as 22″ rims; 24s are available in high-gloss Ebony or Luster Nickel aluminum. The Black Label steps up to base 24s, which are lovely in Lincoln’s Radiant Copper finish. A Jet Appearance Package blacks out key elements like the unique wheels, molding, grille, front bumper fascia, roof rack, and Lincoln badging. The illuminating light bar that crosses the Lincoln grille is another keystone of the redesign. After driving through the mountains, we stopped for a picnic-style lunch. The dessert ensemble was served in an inviting presentation using the available Cargo Tailgate Manager. Perfect for caterers hosting outdoor culinary events, its table and multi-level storage sections can be set up for various food trays.

Back in our $133,000 (MSRP plus options) Crystal White Metallic Navigator Black Label, we relished the enlightening moments and digital engagements. Think of Lincoln Black Label as the Johnnie Walker Blue of scotch whisky or the Tiffany & Co. of jewelry. The defining upgrade package is exquisite, sumptuous, and alluring. Inside, it outlines opulent touches like Radiant Copper speaker grilles and metal inlays, a crystal-inspired circular volume controller, diamond-patterned seat perforation, and signature 30-way Perfect Position Seats. I’m sure 23-time Grand Slam winner and Lincoln brand ambassador Serena Williams also appreciates these niceties.

At a press drive, media guests were delighted by the exciting digital technology as the automaker continued to meet driver needs from a conscious mindset. The Lincoln Digital Experience keeps you just as engaged with information and entertainment as it does with relaxation.

For example, you can stream videos and play games when the vehicle is in park, tap into Google Assistant for voice-activated commands, connect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or download and engage with Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeartRadio. Yet, I am not a fan of digital controls for setting the temperature or adjusting the steering wheel and mirrors. Let’s please keep the physical dials and knobs intact.

A sanctuary for the senses, Lincoln is heading into an era that celebrates the work of human ingenuity. The rear occupants will equally enjoy the new Navi. Available Second-Row Power Tailor Seats offer massaging, heating, and ventilation, a 5.8″ touchscreen controls audio and climate, and the Lincoln Play rear entertainment system lets passengers stream content while on the move.

When you ascend the luxury ladder and enter the Lincoln family, there is no higher accolade than the grandiose Navigator. The new three-row luxury SUV evokes the original DNA that brought it to prominence from a strategy incorporating an XL body frame, stylish wheels, a dominant grille, and powerful road presence.

From an American-made perspective, the “Power of Sanctuary” lies within Lincoln’s family of luxury SUVs, including the Aviator, Corsair, Nautilus, and Navigator. It is brilliant and daring, especially the Black Label. Indeed, I vicariously absorbed the benefits of becoming a member while admiring the mindset of those who venture down the path of the high life.

TORY, LANEZ, mugshot, Megan, prison — Photo credit: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 13, 2025

Disgraced Rapper Tory Lanez Stabbed 14 Times In Prison Altercation

'Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through'

Daystar Peterson, known to the world as Tory Lanez, was stabbed 14 times in a prison fight and is currently recovering at a local hospital.

According to ABC News, the Canadian rapper, who is presently serving a 10-year sentence after he was convicted of shooting fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion, was attacked and stabbed multiple times by a fellow inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. The incident took place on May 12, around 7:20 a.m. local time.

A message was left on his social media account, assuring fans that he survived and is recuperating after his lungs collapsed and he was placed on a breathing apparatus.

“Tory was stabbed 14 times–including seven wounds to his back, four to his torso, two to the back of his head, and one to the left side of his face. Both of his lungs collapsed, and he was placed on a breathing apparatus. He is now breathing on his own. Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support.”

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Officials at the correctional facility have stated that the Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office have launched an investigation into the stabbing. A spokesperson responding to the incident indicated that staff took action immediately, and Tory was taken to an outside facility for care.

“Staff immediately responded, activated 911 and began medical aid. Peterson was subsequently transported to an outside medical facility for further treatment,” the spokesperson said. No details were released on his current condition, and no motive or reason was given for the attack, nor have any suspects been officially named.

After attending a party with Megan, her friend, and a bodyguard on the night of July 12, 2020, Megan was shot, and she stated that the Canadian rapper was at fault. He was charged in October 2020 with one felony count each of assault with a semi-automatic firearm (personal use of a gun) and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle. When the trial took place in 2022, a jury found Tory guilty on Dec. 23, 2022, of three charges for shooting Megan in both feet in a dispute between the two.

He has appealed the verdict.