Lil Mama, Fashion and Beauty, Black Community
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 29, 2024

Lil Mama Claims She Was ‘The Face Of Fashion And Beauty’ For The Black Community

Lil Mama is opening up about the lack of representation she received in the beauty industry despite being "the face of fashion and beauty" during her prime.

Lil Mama is opening up about the lack of representation she received in the beauty industry during her prime despite being “the face of fashion and beauty” at the time.

The “Lip Gloss” rapper recently sat down for an in-depth chat with Loren Lorosa of Brown Girl Grinding, where she was asked about the lack of support she feels she received during the height of her music career in 2008. With Lil Mama releasing a timeless hit that boasted about mega beauty brands like MAC and L’Oreal keeping her “lip gloss poppin,” the Brooklyn native was able to receive endorsements from the companies at a young age.

However, looking back at that time in her career and how short-lived those business opportunities were, Lil Mama (real name Niatia Kirkland) cites the missed opportunity the brands had with reaching the Black community.

“I think that, you know, the opportunities that people like the Taylor Swift’s or the Jenner’s would get was an opportunity to actually build out a full cosmetic line that would be a representation of who they are,” Lil Mama said in a clip captured by The Neighborhood Talk.

Considering Lil Mama’s reach within the Black community at the time, she feels it would have been smart for a major brand to get behind her for a long-term opportunity that represented her target demographic.

“How they see fashion, how they see the world of beauty, and kind of speak to that audience while I was singlehandedly being the face of fashion and beauty for a really large community, which I would have to say is the African-American community,” she added.

Lil Mama has since grown up and made her own seat at the table with the launch of her cosmetics and jewelry collection dubbed the “It’s Poppin Collection.” In February, “The Voice of the Young People” rapper unveiled a portion of the new lip gloss collection “Truly In Love.”

It comes in partnership with the luxury beauty brand Vaniteaset Cosmetics and a collaboration with her sisters Jasmyn, Jessica, and La’Nya Brunner. The lip gloss comes in four unique shades that enhance natural lip color and ensure hydration all day long.

“It’s been a long time coming. “Lipgloss” has contributed to the success of many cosmetic brands worldwide. Now it’s my turn, I’ve entered that chat! This is redemption for me,” Lil Mama said in a press release.

Shades include Truly in Love, Strike a Pose, The Voice, and College Girl. The glosses retail for $22 and are available exclusively at VaniteasetCosmetics.com.

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Tim Scott
by Daniel Johnson

May 29, 2024

Tim Scott Repeatedly Misrepresents Truth In Most Recent CNN Appearance

Tim Scott had a very eventful, and troubling, chat with CNN's Dana Bash.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) continues to show that there is no limit to the depths he will go in order to be named Donald Trump’s vice president.

On May 26, Scott continued his months-long audition by condemning an advertisement released by the Biden campaign, calling it “insulting” on CNN’s State of the Union, before delivering this (at best) dubious claim.

“Well, here’s what I can tell you, is that under Donald Trump, we were better off.” Scott began. “There are two things that are driving Black votes back to Donald Trump: jobs and justice. No. 1, under Donald Trump, our wages were going up. Right now, fairness is going down.

Biden’s ad states that “Donald Trump disrespecting Black folk is nothing new. It’s why Trump stood with violent white supremacists, warned of a blood bath if he loses the next election, and, if he’s president again, vowed to be a dictator who wants revenge on his enemies.”

Scott also received criticism for suggesting that President Joe Biden was a supporter of school segregation, claiming that “the elimination of charter schools under Joe Biden re-segregates schools in America.” Scott added that the Department of Education under Biden “halted the growth of charter schools that provide greater diversity.”

Not only are schools already functionally segregated, but according to research from the UCLA Civil Rights Project, charter schools have more racial segregation than similarly situated magnet schools do.

The co-author of that report, Gary Orfield, said in a press release that the movement for school choice can replicate segregation unless schools actively work against it.

“Charter schools typically had no diversity goals or policies when established. The higher segregation in charter schools studied here, together with other research, including our studies of New York and Washington, D.C., shows that choice without integration strategies can intensify segregation and its well-documented harms.” Orfield said. 

As the study explains, “In the school districts where both forms of choice were tried, magnets have done better than charters at modestly integrating students. An obvious explanation for this is that a basic mission of magnets, especially initially, was to address racial isolation. Policymakers interested in gaining the benefits of integration through choice might look closely at magnet schools.”

As Politico reported, Scott also did not disagree with Donald Trump’s version of events concerning the FBI raid at his Mar-A-Lago estate, during which the former president claimed FBI agents were “locked and loaded” when they arrived.

“I haven’t felt myself agreeing with Attorney General Garland on any issue,” Scott said on State of the Union. “I will say I saw the video of the SWAT team from the FBI raiding Mar-a-Lago; I have not seen the same video of them raiding Joe Biden’s garage. So I’d love to have that comparison.”

Scott resorted to an age-old talking point when host Dana Bash pressed him on whether Trump’s rhetoric was dangerous. “Once again, we find ourselves reinforcing this two-tiered justice system— where we see a different standard for Republicans and specifically a different standard for Donald Trump,” Scott said, according to The New Republic.

Earlier in May, Scott courted criticism when he dodged a straightforward question about accepting the election results in 2024 if they were not in Trump and the Republican Party’s favor.

This time, criticism came from chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security under Trump, Miles Taylor, who told The Hill, “Well, the hesitation, the faltering in his voice: It’s an audition. He’s auditioning, and he was thrown a question by the casting directors that he didn’t expect,” Taylor said. “And I think this is something that is sending a very chilling signal.”

A Different World, including Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer, Darryl Bell and Debbie Allen
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 29, 2024

‘A Different World’ Cast Reunites Amid HBCU Admissions Surge

The cast will tour six HBCUs in 2024.

Welcome back to “A Different World.” The cast of the beloved ’90s sitcom reunited to tour college campuses and celebrate their impact on rising HBCU admissions.

The “Cosby Show” spinoff premiered in the late 1980s. Set at the fictional Hillman College, the show detailed the HBCU experience for students. “A Different World” became known for touching on serious subjects outside of algebra, such as apartheid and the AIDS epidemic.

Its reemergence for a new generation has led to an increase in applicants to HBCUs. Howard University, for example, just reached a record-breaking admissions number of 37,000.

Cast members such as Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert), Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne), Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson), and Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson) took part in the 2024 HBCU tour. The actors visited notable HBCUs such as Morehouse, Howard, and Tuskegee to speak on the legacy and impact fostered within the vibrant HBCU community, on- and off-screen.

“We were protesting apartheid. … Kids were protesting apartheid and censorship on the radios, and now you have Black Lives Matter. It changes over generations, but the struggle is always real,” explained Bell in an interview shared by NBC News. “We tackled all the issues you see college kids attack because it’s usually in college where you come into your own self-awareness.”

College campuses today have seen an influx of student protests concerning the Israel-Hamas war. Students are also taking action to raise awareness of the breakdown of DEI programs and affirmative action.

However, just like those on “A Different World,” students at HBCUs have the power to enact change within and beyond their community.

“I think the point is to keep talking, to keep having the conversation, to let them know —  give them the permission to know — that they are empowered to have the conversation,” shared Lewis.

The tour coincides with the announcement of the “A Different World” scholarship fund. The charitable initiative aims to lessen the financial burdens on Black students as they progress in their studies.

RELATED CONTENT: Gen-Z Graduates Face Employment Market Concerns About Pro-Palestine Protests

Rakim, New York City
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 29, 2024

‘It’s Been A Long Time!’: Rakim To Release ‘God’s Network: Reb7th’ This Summer

First single, “Rebirth (N.M.A),” features Tha Dogg Pound's Kurupt and Wu-Tang's Masta Killa.

Legendary Long Island-bred lyricist Rakim Allah is returning with new music as Tha God MC is releasing an album on July 26, according to AllHipHop.com.

From the iconic hip-hop duo of Eric B. & Rakim, Rakim will be hitting the charts again with his first album in over 15 years. The title of his upcoming project is “God’s Network: Reb7th,” which will be the first album that he has released since 2009’s “The Seventh Seal.” Tha Dogg Pound’s Kurupt announced on his social media account that the single “Rebirth (N.M.A),” which features him and Wu-Tang’s Masta Killa, is produced by Tha God MC himself, Rakim. It’s scheduled for a June 21 release date.

“July 26th – “Rebirth” Rakim new album
Produced by Tha God Mc himself….
#Rakim
#MasterKilla
#GOTTi
MY GOD……”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kurupt (@official_kurupt)

The “Microphone Fiend” and his former partner, Eric B., recently missed out on being inducted into this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But they congratulated their peers, A Tribe Called Quest and Mary J. Blige, for being included in this year’s ceremony.

Eric B & Rakim said, “Congratulations to the diverse group of artists inducted into the Rock Hall this year. Seeing Tribe and Mary on the list besides Cher, Ozzy, Kool and the Gang, and all of the other icons show how inclusive the institution has become.”

It was the second time they were nominated after missing being inducted in 2012.

But it hasn’t discouraged Rakim from possibly getting in one day. He was optimistic before finding out they missed the boat again this year.

He previously told AllHipHop, “Maybe it’ll happen this time. “I feel great about it. Let me tell you, anytime anybody nominates you or thinks about you, you should feel great. I think it’s a long time coming. We’re all righteous guys and girls, so it’s on God’s time, not our time. I’d be just as appreciative if I won it the first time, so it’s great.”

Drake, rapper, drake curse, super bowl bets, betting, gambling
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 29, 2024

Drake Cops Texas Ranch For A Whopping $15M

The Canadian rapper is the new owner of The Inn at Dos Brisas, a 313-acre ranch located approximately 85 miles outside of Houston.

Canadian recording artist Aubrey Drake Graham has recently purchased a 313-acre ranch located approximately 85 miles outside of Houston.

According to CultureMap, the “Family Matters” rapper is the new owner of The Inn at Dos Brisas after placing $15 million down on the property in Washington, Texas. The ranch was built in 2002 and features a 14,300-square-foot Mediterranean-style main building.

It was revealed that the Toronto native bought the property in late October. The rapper was able to jump on the price after it was only on the market for a few months. In April 2022, the property was initially listed for $17.5 million. After no one bought it at that price when it expired in September, it was re-listed at the $15 million listing in May 2023.

Tonya Currie, who works for Compass and managed the listing, confirmed the purchase in an email to CultureMap.

“Dos Brisas is a rare legacy ranch property that offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the right buyer, which we were able to find once we listed it, bringing the price in line with the market conditions at the time,” Currie said.

The Robb Report revealed that the ranch was purchased by Houston tech mogul Doug Bosch and his wife Jennifer in 2000 as a family retreat. They ended up converting it into a resort in 2004. The property was named Relais & Châteaux and operated for nearly 20 years until it shut down in 2022 due to COVID-related losses. It was listed as one of CultureMap Houston’s picks for the 10 best hotels in Texas and had the state’s only Forbes Travel Guide five-star restaurant.

The property reportedly has several haciendas and casitas. Dos Brisas also has a spacious indoor arena, an organic farm, a greenhouse, and a sports court. A restaurant that includes a 7,000-bottle wine cellar is part of the ranch. It’s unknown if Drake will use the property as a personal residence or for business.

Russell Simmons,Indonesia
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 29, 2024

Russell Simmons Beats Back Claims That His Move To Bali Is Due To Do Sexual Assault Allegations

Russell Simmons says he's not in Bali to avoid the multiple women accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct.

Russell Simmons is clearing the air on any misconceptions about his reason for living in Bali, Indonesia, amid his ongoing legal battles.

According to the Def Jam founder, his life in Bali has nothing to do with the multiple women who have accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. While many have speculated whether Simmons relocated to Bali to avoid the legal trouble that’s come his way due to the allegations, the hip-hop mogul says the rumors are all “false.”

“People saying that I somehow can’t come home when I’m there all the time wears on you. It wears on me after a while to keep hearing the same narrative, which is false,” Simmons told AllHipHop.

“I’m always in L.A., I’m always in New York and Miami. And I’ve never had any reason to feel unsafe in America.”

In February, Simmons was sued by a former Def Jam executive for alleged sexual harassment and battery, claiming the label founder used a “wrestling move” to pin her to the bed inside his New York City apartment and raped her in the 1990s. Jane Doe’s suit also accuses Simmons of sexually harassing the plaintiff in her office at work by shutting the door behind him and leaning over her to make sexual advances.

Shortly after the sexual battery suit, Simmons was sued for defamation by Drew Dixon, another former Def Jam Recordings executive who also accused Simmons of sexual assault and harassment during her time at the label in the 1990s. Dixon says Simmons subjected her to “public ridicule, contempt, and disgrace” by calling her “a liar in published statements with the malicious intent of discrediting and further damaging Ms. Dixon worldwide.”

Simmons filed a declaration on Wednesday, May 22, clarifying his resident status.

“I am not physically present in New York and I do not have an intention to live in New York in the future,” the declaration states. “I own no property in the United States. I have been living in Bali since 2018, which is where I intend to remain. For at least nine years before I moved to Bali, I lived in California. As a California resident, I paid California resident taxes in the years immediately prior to moving to Bali. Currently, I pay California non-resident state taxes.”

Simmons has denied the allegations made by multiple women but has admitted to being “insensitive” in the past.

“I’ve never been violent to anybody,” Simmons said in December 2023. “Of course I’ve been insensitive, but certainly never been forceful in any of my relationships, all of which I’ve had have been consensual.”

RELATED CONTENT: Russell Simmons Sued For Alleged Rape Of Former Def Jam Exec

Bodycam Footage,kids , Stolen Vehicle Chase
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 29, 2024

Darien Harris Sues City Of Chicago, Police Department After Being Convicted From Testimony From Blind Witness

After serving 12 years, Harris' murder conviction was overturned by a Cook County judge after finding out that the witness to the murder was discovered to be legally blind.

A Chicago man who was convicted of murder, due in part to testimony from a witness who is legally blind, has filed a lawsuit against the city and the police department.

According to The Associated Press, Darien Harris, who was convicted for taking part in a fatal shooting at a gas station back in 2014, was given a prison sentence of 76 years. After serving 12 years, Harris’ murder conviction was overturned by a Cook County judge after finding out that the witness to the murder was discovered to be legally blind. The witness had advanced glaucoma and lied about issues with his eyesight.

In April, according to The Chicago Tribune, Harris filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing police officers of fabricating the evidence used against him and coercing witnesses into making false statements.

“I don’t have any financial help. I’m still (treated like) a felon, so I can’t get a good job. It’s hard for me to get into school,” Harris said. “I’ve been so lost. … I feel like they took a piece of me that is hard for me to get back.”

CBS News Chicago reported that Harris’ murder conviction was vacated after he was convicted of killing a man at a South Side BP gas station in Woodlawn on June 7, 2011. The 30-year-old, who was 18 when sentenced, was found guilty in the fatal shooting of Rondell Moore, who was 23 when he was killed. Harris was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm. Harris has always maintained his innocence, saying he was watching the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks.

Over four years ago, at the urging of Harris’ family, the conviction integrity unit of Cook County’s State Attorney Kim Foxx took another look at the case. It stated, among other arguments, that the key witness did not disclose to the judge that he was legally blind due to glaucoma. After investigating, prosecutors decided to vacate Harris’ conviction and sentence but decided he must stand trial again.

On Nov. 5, Cook County Judge Diana Kenworthy granted Harris’s request, saying, “So we are going to start over.”

Harris’s conviction was overturned on Dec. 5; prosecutors originally stated they intended to retry him on the charge, but after reviewing the case, they dropped all charges. He was officially released on Dec. 19.

RELATED CONTENT: Derek Chauvin Accused of Putting Knee Into Woman’s Back Months Before George Floyd Murder

UCLA Medical School, discrimination
by Sharelle B. McNair

May 29, 2024

UCLA Medical School Denies Accusations Of Lowering School Standards For Minorities Amid Whistleblower Claims

Affirmative action strikes away....

After whistleblower allegations claimed that UCLA Medical School lowers academic standards for minority applicants, the school denied the allegations. 

The dean of the University of California, Los Angeles’ David Geffen School of Medicine denied allegations on May 24. It pushed the idea that admission decisions are “based on merit” and made in compliance with state law. “There have been false allegations about [the medical school] in media outlets,” Steven Dubinett wrote in an email to students and faculty. 

“We want to affirm here that both [medical school] students and faculty members are held to the highest standards of academic excellence.”

He continued that “medical student final exam scores are well above the national average,” however it is unknown if it was inference to shelf test – or standardized tests where close to 50% of some UCLA cohorts fail, or another test.  

Dubinett’s statement comes after whistleblower allegations from eight UCLA professors accused the school of holding Black and Latino applicants to lower standards than White and Asian applicants. Four of the professors had served on the medical school’s admissions committee, and the blame was placed on the shelf tests, often taken after each clinical rotation, testing basic medical knowledge. 

National standards show only 5% of students fail. 

The finger was also pointed at the medical school’s dean of admissions, Jennifer Lucero, who is accused of showing a pattern of discriminatory behavior. She allegedly attacked admissions officers after they issued questions about minorities’ test scores and brought up race explicitly in admissions discussions. 

In November 2021, after some committee members pushed against admitting a black applicant with grades and test scores well under the UCLA average, Lucero allegedly pushed back with excessive anger. “Did you not know African-American women are dying at a higher rate than everybody else?” Lucero asked the admissions officer, according to people familiar with the incident. 

“We need people like this in the medical school.”

Well before the Supreme Court’s ruling to ban affirmative action in 2023, public schools in California were prohibited by state law from considering race in admissions. Lucero’s outburst concerned some admissions officers, causing one to reach out to others via email. “We are not consistent in the way we apply the metrics to these applicants,” the email read. “This is troubling.”

The faculty raised concerns about how students are prepared for clinical rotations. Jeffrey Flier, the former dean of Harvard Medical School, shared similar sentiments, claiming DEI modifications promote “extensive and dangerous misinformation.”

Fellow critics feel practices do more than lower standards for medical education but also put future patients in danger by graduating future doctors with insufficient training.

UCLA’s medical school was once ranked 6th by U.S. News & World Report and has dropped to 18th place since Lucerno took over. The school once received 14,000 applications a year. For the 2023 admissions season, only 173 students were accepted, a record low of 1.3%.

Arrest, Child Abuse
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 29, 2024

3 Arrested After Chaotic Brawl At Tennessee Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony

Three people were arrested after a fight broke out at a kindergarten graduation in Tennessee.

A brawl took place in Tennessee that was caught on video of at least 10 adults and children fighting during a kindergarten graduation ceremony two weeks ago.

According to Fox 13 Memphis, during a graduation ceremony at Buckley Carpenter Elementary on May 15, a fight occurred in front of several hundred parents and children that led to three people being arrested. Police officers were summoned to the ceremony after the fight broke out, and when they arrived, they allegedly witnessed a large group of adults fighting in the bleachers.

One of the officers allegedly grabbed one of the participants, Tyeisha Humphreys, who was seen punching another person, Kierra Smith, according to police records. Law enforcement officials were able to obtain video footage of the incident. It shows that Smith was allegedly already sitting in the bleachers when Humphreys entered the gym and sat behind Smith. When a man entered the gym and sat beside Smith and another child, Humphreys moved up several rows.

The footage shows that Smith allegedly started arguing with a child, and when the child stood up and took an aggressive stance, Smith also stood up. That’s when Humphreys came down the bleachers and allegedly hit Smith from behind. As Humphreys continued to hit Smith, a more significant fight took place between 10-12 adults and children.

The media outlet spoke to Humphreys about the incident.

“It’s really embarrassing for the county. I hope the law can get to the bottom of this, and I can clear my name and find what really happened to my son because the board won’t let me look at the video,” she said. “I got hysterical. The police called the ambulance. They said he had a concussion and released him.”

Humphreys was arrested and taken into custody for violating an order of protection and inciting a riot, as well as three counts of simple assault, records reveal. A man identified as Dantavious Gilchrease was charged after allegedly threatening a woman named Rhonda Humphreys. During an argument outside the school, he told her that he would shoot her in the face.

Rhonda was also arrested, according to The New York Post.

Tinubu, Megan Markle, nigeria, nakedness, children, call out
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 29, 2024

Nigeria’s First Lady Warns Young Women Against ‘Nakedness’ In Fashion After Meghan Markle’s Visit

Nigeria's First Lady calls out "nakedness" in fashion after Meghan Markle's recent visit where she was criticized for revealing clothing.

Nigeria’s First Lady is taking a stand against any “nakedness” in local fashion, following Meghan Markle’s recent visit to the country where she was criticized for her revealing ensembles.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, addressed the West African nation during the first anniversary of her husband’s administration and took aim at the scantily clad fashions being popularized by American stars. Tinubu focused her speech on Nigeria’s young women to encourage them not to emulate what they see coming out of the Western world, The New York Post reported.

“We have to salvage our children,” she declared. “We see the way they dress. We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed.”

“Tell them we don’t accept nakedness in our culture. That is not beautiful. It’s not beautiful at all,” Tinubu added.

While the First Lady didn’t publicly criticize the Duchess of Sussex’s fashion choices while in Nigeria, she did reference her visit as a way to instill pride in Nigerian women and their ability to influence style.

“Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with [us]. We know who we are. Don’t lose who you are,” Tinubu said.

“They’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in who they are. We are fashionable, we see what is going on.”

Tinubu ended with a call to action urging elder Nigerian women to bring their families and local communities together to ensure the prosperity of their nation.

“When mothers stand with you, the house is in order,” she said. “Looking ahead, we must endeavor to become the unifying force in our homes and our communities, to bring about greater prosperity for our nation.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in Nigeria for three days earlier this month to promote the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. While there, Markle shared her roots in the country following a DNA test that revealed she is 43% Nigerian.

During their visit, Markle was criticized by the media for the expensive and revealing clothes she wore at public events with some calling out her outfits that “bared too much skin” or needed “more modesty.” Some claimed she wouldn’t have shown so much skin if Buckingham Palace had organized the events.

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