by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2024

Ye’s Chief Of Staff Exits Yeezy Amid Company’s Transition To Porn, Hopes Mogul ‘Proceeds With Caution’

Ye's Chief of Staff at Yeezy is reportedly exiting stage left amid the hip-hop mogul's transition into the porn industry.

Ye’s Chief of Staff at his Yeezy imprint is reportedly opting to exit stage left amid the hip-hop mogul’s transition into the porn industry.

Milo Yiannopoulos is stepping away from his leadership role at Yeezy ahead of the launch of Yeezy Porn, TMZ reports. In a resignation letter shared with the outlet, Yiannopoulos explains how the shift to pornographic material poses “an imminent danger to my life as a recovering addict and an unacceptable risk to my spiritual and physical health as a former homosexual.”

The British far-right political commentator helped helm the ship at Yeezy for two years. However, with Ye teaming up with Stormy Daniels’ ex Mike Moz to create Yeezy Porn, Yiannopoulos is choosing to leave the company before things get X-rated.

“I wish Ye every success in the future. I have some concerns about his new team, and hope he proceeds with caution,” he says.

In his resignation letter, Yiannopoulos expressed his openness to return to Yeezy in the future, if the company “publicly and permanently abandons any plan to produce, distribute, or profit from obscene content.”

“It would be an honor to serve you again,” he wrote.

Yiannopoulos is reportedly one of a series of Yeezy employees to exit the company in recent weeks. There’s no word on if the other team members left because of the launch of Yeezy Porn. However, Yiannopoulos is making the reason for his exit publicly clear.

Amid news of Yiannopoulos’ resignation, former Yeezy staffer YesJulz took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to claim he was fired and didn’t quit.

https://twitter.com/YesJulz/status/1790938080934875204

“I do not work with them. Just stating the truth. I’m tired of this man running amuck with his lies and manipulation,” YesJulz wrote in a tweet.

She followed up with another screenshot of a text message conversation to shut down further reports of Yiannopoulos quitting his job at Yeezy.

https://twitter.com/YesJulz/status/1790958238327783784

Ye’s plans to launch a porn company were announced late last month. The rap/fashion mogul is reportedly in the development phase and the new business could be up and running very soon.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2024

MC Lyte To Release First New Album In Nearly 10 Years With ‘Winning’ Collaborators

Legendary rapper MC Lyte is ready to bless fans with her first full-length album release in nearly 10 years.

The “Paper Thin” emcee recently appeared on Rock The Bells’ “That’s The Joint with MC Sha-Rock and Grandmaster Caz,” where she revealed the new music she’s rolling out just in time for Black Music Month in June.

“I got a new record. I’m working on it right now. The new single is out. It’s ‘Woman,'” MC Lyte shared. “The new record is coming. We’ll have another single coming in June for Black Music Month, which is going to be spectacular.”

MC Lyte released “Woman” in March with features from Big Daddy Kane, Raheem DeVaughn, and Cheryl “Salt” James from Salt ‘N’ Pepa. The song features empowering lyrics for women from the lineup of legendary emcees and singers. Comments on the YouTube visuals show how well-received the track has been with audiences.

The warm reception “Woman” garnered is the perfect build-up to the full-length album the Grammy-nominated rapper will release in August. With the album coming the same month as hip-hop’s 51st birthday, the female rap pioneer will have some notable features on the record, just like she had on “Woman.”

“Of course, I’ve got some winning folks on this album,” she added.

MC Lyte hasn’t released an album since 2015’s “Legend,” her eighth studio release. The album featured collaborations with notable music acts like Coko from SWV, Common, Faith Evans, Kenny Lattimore, Lil’ Mama, and the winner of “High School Musical: Get in the Picture” Stan Carrizosa.

In recent years, the “Self-Destruction” rapper has lent her lyrical prowess to features with other artists such as Slimkid3’s “Roots, Love & Culture” in 2022, “Partners In Rhyme Unstoppable” with Precious Way and Xhaania and “Hot” with DJ Shoni and Skales in 2021. MC Lyte is also known for serving as the announcer on multiple award shows, including the annual BET Awards.

RELATED CONTENT: Lauryn Hill Says Third Album Coming ‘Soon’

Jayden Perkins, scholarship, Gus Giordano Dance School

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2024

Slain 11-Year-Old Has Dance Scholarship Created In His Honor

The 11-year-old boy who lost his life trying to protect his mother will have a dance scholarship named in his honor.

The 11-year-old boy who died trying to protect his mother from a serial domestic abuser will have a dance scholarship named in his honor.

Jayden Perkins was stabbed to death March 13 when trying to protect his pregnant mother from being fatally stabbed by her paroled ex. Jayden was a celebrated dancer at Gus Giordano Dance School in Chicago.

To honor Jayden’s life and legacy at the dance school, it will host a benefit on Thursday, May 16, to raise funds for the Jayden Perkins Memorial Scholarship, Block Club Chicago reports. It’s the first scholarship named after a dancer in the school’s 70-year history.

The surprise recipient of the new scholarship will be named at the event. The student dancer was friends with Jayden and will receive full coverage for dance training, shoes, attire, travel to showcases, and other expenses.

“This gives us the chance to always remember who Jayden was,” Amy Giordano, the dance school’s executive director, said. “He was always present and engaged, and for that you should be rewarded.”

Jayden was a celebrated dancer at the school who rarely missed a class and “raised the level of every person in the room,” Giordano said. He was just 8 years old when he joined the school and became a standout as one of the school’s 13 male dancers out of 100 students.

“I’ve never seen a child so young have such a strong sense of self,” Giordano said. “He took the opportunity to come here and made the best of it. Working with Jayden, you saw a respect for learning, even when it was difficult.”

Crosetti Brand was charged with Jayden’s murder and with the attempted murder of his pregnant mother on Monday, May 13. Brand was paroled after serving eight years of a 16-year sentence for attacking a different ex-partner.

Testimony from Jayden’s 5-year-old brother recalls Brand arriving at their home around 8 a.m. while the boys were getting ready for school. Brand reportedly barged into the home and began stabbing their mother before Jayden jumped in to protect her and was fatally stabbed.

Brand, who is representing himself in court, had been under a court order to stay away from Jayden’s mother. The new charges prompted a shakeup at the state Prison Review Board where the board chair and another member resigned in March.

Black Businesses , National Minority Supplier Development Council

by Jeffrey McKinney

May 16, 2024

National Minority Supplier Development Council Exceeds $363B In Revenue, Aiming To Boost Sales For Black Businesses

Revenue for Black women minority businesses was $8.8 billion.

Minority business enterprises (MBEs) certified by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) grew their revenues to $363.6 billion in 2023, representing a 15% gain from the prior year.

The growth for the business advocacy group’s Black MBEs advanced last year to $66.5 billion, up 12% from 2022. Revenue for Black women minority businesses (MWBEs) was $8.8 billion versus $7.9 billion during that period.

NMSDC President and CEO Ying McGuire shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE exclusively on the organization’s progress.

“In light of these excellent numbers, NMSDC is on track to reach their goal for MBEs to contribute $1 trillion to the U.S. economy by the year 2030,” McGuire said.

Regardless of the progress made in narrowing the disparity gap for Black businesses, more work needs to be done, according to the 2023 Minority Businesses Economic Impact Report from NMSDC.

For instance, the data revealed that Black MWBEs continue to fall short by making up just 13% of NMSDC’s overall revenue share compared to Black MBEs generating 18% of that. Further, Black MBE’s account for just 18% of all revenue even though they make up a robust 40% of the total NMSDC-certified MBEs.

The report concluded that the disparities offer an opportunity for NMSDC to create greater opportunities for MWBEs and Black MWBEs through programs like Women of Color: Hack in Heels Brunch. NMSDC declared it is committed to investing in more programs and building partnerships to fix the inequities.

“Everyone has a pivotal role to play and our corporate members and chief officers, are needed to fully integrate MBEs into every facet of their business. as they hold the key to MBE success and achieving economic equity.”

Other topics covered include leveraging the power of AI and developing strong growths strategies — discussed this week at the 2024 NMSDC Minority Business Economic Forum in Seattle. The event attracted about 500 of the nation’s top policymakers, academic, business, and community leaders to help MBEs scale up.

With the theme of “Be Next, Now,” this year’s conference centered on helping participants on gaining access to capital, forging valuable connections, advancing economic equity, and embracing new advancement in the energy sector and closing the digital divide with 5G and other opportunities.

Further, McGuire’s remarks touched on the recent national attacks on DEI and how they were a proof point NMSDC’s effectiveness

“Our future success lies in our willingness and our ability, to defend and to advance business diversity, amidst challenges of legal and political challengers, that threaten the very core of our purpose. So let us unite, and let us collaborate, to influence a multi-generational result.”

See more details about the forum, including this announcement.

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 16, 2024

Morgan State University FinTech Center Secures $1M Grant From Blockchain And Crypto Company

The grant from Ripple will help students participate in financial technology research, education, and programming.

Baltimore’s Morgan State University will continue to provide support for its financial technology (FinTech) research, education and programming thanks to a $1 million grant from blockchain and crypto solutions leader, Ripple.

The HBCU (Historically Black College and/or University), located in Baltimore, made the announcement on May 14 as one of three receipts of a three-year, $1,050,000 grant. The funds will be used as a growth platform for the school’s National FinTech Center.

“This generous $1,050,000 grant is not just an investment; it’s a catalyst that propels our ability to innovate, collaborate, and prepare our students to be at the forefront of the FinTech revolution,” said Ali Emdad, Ph.D., interim dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management and founding director of the National Center for the Study of Blockchain and FinTech.

“The ongoing partnership with Ripple stands as a beacon, illuminating the path toward a transformative educational experience that aligns with the evolving landscape of the global economy,” Emdad added.

Morgan’s partnership with Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) started in 2019. The initiative has played a vital role in the expansion of blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, and other FinTech areas through a network of HBCUs.

The program has provided opportunities in educational research as well as a rich learning atmosphere. Ripple’s senior director of university partnerships, Lauren Weymouth, said the company is committed to “evolving technologies through philanthropic efforts, research endeavors, and shared expertise in renewing its partnership with Morgan.”

“Ripple’s commitment to working closely with universities like Morgan State and its broad network of HBCUs is rooted in our vision that blockchain technology is a force for good,” Weymouth said. “As crypto and blockchain integrate further into our daily lives, these university partnerships become absolutely essential—we’re empowering the next generation with the tools they need to shape our financial future.”

With Ripple’s partnership, the FinTech Center can continue focusing on using groundbreaking technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency in order to break through the finance and technology sectors, according to the Daily Record. In the years to come, Morgan will be able to increase research and educational opportunities.

The grant will also assist with ecosystem development and operational support.

The center has been open on Morgan State’s campus since 2018, thanks to a rise in student interest in crypto-economics and blockchain. Looked at as a hub, the center is constantly engaging with students and faculty to find ways to increase innovation, the transfer of knowledge, and leadership skills.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

May 16, 2024

Lauryn Hill Says Third Album Coming ‘Soon’

After more than 25 years since her debut album, Lauryn Hill is teasing how "soon" she'll release her long-awaited third album.

Lauryn Hill has made it abundantly clear that she moves on her own time. After more than 25 years since her Grammy Award-winning debut album, the singer is teasing how “soon” she’ll finally release her follow-up album.

The “Everything Is Everything” singer was in New York City on Wednesday, May 15, with her son YG Marley, when she spoke with TMZ about the possibility of new music. Marley was first asked when fans could expect his mom’s highly anticipated second album.

The 22-year-old smiled and told the reporter, “soon.”

Marley also hinted at the possibility of appearing on Hill’s new album but told fans they would have to wait and see. When Hill joined her son inside the SUV, she told the reporter that her follow-up album to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill would be coming “soon.”

It’s a big reveal for Hill, who has only released two albums to date: her MTV Unplugged album in 2002, which followed her 1998 debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Miseducation dominated the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999 with five total wins, including Album of the Year. It became the first hip-hop album to win the award and made Hill, then 23, the youngest Black artist to win the award.

The “Doo Wop (That Thing)” singer has been hitting the stage in recent months to support her son YG Marley, whom she welcomed in 2001 with Bob Marley’s son, Rohan Marley. YG Marley has been heating up the music scene with his debut single, “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” which entered the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden.

Hill was in New York City with her son, where they performed a medley of three songs on The Tonight Show, including “Ex-Factor,” “Survival,” and “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.” Hill also accompanied her son during his Coachella set last month.

If anyone can get Lauryn Hill back in the studio, it would be her son. Fans are clearly here for the family affair.

Abortion rights advocates protest, Black Women, State Abortion Bans

by Stacy Jackson

May 16, 2024

New Report Says State Abortion Bans Threaten Nearly 7M Black Women In Nation

According to the report, 57% of Black women between the ages of 15 and 49 live in states with active or planned abortion bans.

A new report from the National Partnership for Women & Families (NPWF) and In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda has unveiled that nearly 7 million of the nation’s 11.8 million Black women of childbearing age find themselves residing in states that have instituted abortion restrictions or have plans to do so.

According to the findings, 57% of Black women between the ages of 15 and 49 reside in one of the 26 states that have either enacted bans or pose threats to abortion access, a situation that has intensified in the two years following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Strikingly, over 58% of these Black women are already mothers. Research published in the National Library of Medicine indicates that mothers who lack access to abortion care are negatively impacted when it comes to economic security and development of existing children.

NPWF’s report says that 2.7 million of the Black women of reproductive age inhabiting these restrictive states are grappling with economic insecurity, while 1.4 million are employed in service jobs that are less likely to furnish benefits such as paid sick leave and flexible scheduling. This cohort encompasses Black women who identify as disabled, multiracial, veteransb and immigrants. Jocelyn Frye, the president of NPWF, said that Black women in these states are “overwhelmingly” burdened with apprehensions about their physical and economic well-being. “In addition to abortion bans, they’re also concerned about things like…cost of living, racial justice, which are directly tied to the abortion bans,” Frye said, according to NBC News.

As a consequence of abortion bans, hospitals have shuttered their maternity wings entirely and providers have been forced to modify terms regarding pregnancy care. Numerous providers have been compelled to depart states with abortion bans and residents avoiding training in those areas. The inequity in insurance coverage for Black women further exacerbates the detrimental effects of restricted access to abortion and maternal healthcare. Approximately one-third of Black women rely on Medicaid, which severely limits coverage for abortion services, permitting it only in highly exceptional circumstances. For those residing in states with abortion bans, they may be barred from utilizing their Medicaid coverage even in those narrow permissible cases.

A noteworthy statistic reveals that Black women in Florida (960,500), Texas (over 1 million), and Georgia (948,800) account for 44% of Black women living in states with abortion bans, and a staggering one-quarter of all Black women of childbearing age nationwide. Compounding the issue, all three of these states grapple with above-average maternal mortality rates and lack provisions for paid family and medical leave. BLACK ENTERPRISE recently noted that Black women have prioritized the topic of abortion as one of the key issues in the 2024 presidential election.

Alabama’s Legion Field Stadium, Tuskegee University Students

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

May 16, 2024

Tuskegee University Students Redesign Alabama’s Legion Field Stadium

The NFL helped make it happen through its HBCU Campus Connection

Eight months after announcing its partnership with the NFL to renovate Legion Field Stadium, the university’s Robert R. Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science students have completed a reimagined design.

The project was put together by Tuskegee University students from different majors who designed the stadium focusing on the fan and player experience, architectural design, engineering, and construction. Throughout the semester, they worked together to present their proposed plan to NFL executives and the American Institute of Architects.

“This is exactly the kind of experience we want our students to enjoy,” said President Charlotte P. Morris in a written statement. “Giving them real-world experience in an industry they are working to join, gives them invaluable insight into what they should expect and the success they can ultimately accomplish.”

The students’ proposal included 65,000 seats, 100 luxury suites, a retractable roof, retractable fields and seats to accommodate soccer, and track and field events. They also added modern technology including solar panels, modern water harvesting and cooling systems, a community village, and a garden for high-end concessions to help the stadium’s sustainability.

A hotel has also been added to the design.

This initiative is part of the NFL’s larger vision to engage with HBCU campuses through its Campus Connection program.

“We are proud of the innovation and creativity the students displayed while suggesting solutions to a real issue within the NFL,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Football Operations Arthur McAfee III. “Through the Campus Connection program and our partnership with Tuskegee, the NFL’s commitment to HBCUs extends beyond the field by driving awareness around career opportunities and providing access to the business of sports.”

The NFL’s HBCU Campus Connection program was created to help students through collaborative efforts including lectures, speaking opportunities, case studies, and various events promoting career development. Two-thousand students have benefited since the program started in 2018.

by Sharelle B. McNair

May 16, 2024

Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Louisiana’s Congressional Map With Second Majority Black District

The High Court sided with a bipartisan group of GOP state officials and civil rights groups who joined forces.

After years of debate, the Supreme Court granted Louisiana permission to use a congressional map that includes two majority-Black districts in the 2024 election.

The High Court sided with a bipartisan group of GOP state officials and civil rights groups who joined forces to ask the court to block a ruling by a lower court that invalidated the most recently drawn map. State officials mentioned they needed to have the map finalized by May 15 in order to meet bureaucratic deadlines and avoid “disarray.”

With a 6-3 conservative majority, three liberal justices dissented, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who wrote that the state had more time to draw a map addressing some of the legality issues and concerns raised. “There is little risk of voter confusion from a new map being imposed this far out from the November election,” Jackson wrote.

In previous cases, the liberal justices objected when the court moved to block changes to district maps or election laws during an election year, sometimes to favor Republicans. However, the reasoning of the recent decision was not explained.

Discussion surrounding Louisiana’s congressional map has been tangled in intense litigation since 2022 when the first draft was met with accusations of racial gerrymandering. With the original map, Republicans won five of the six districts during the 2022 election season. In the same year, according to NPR, a federal district court ruled that the new map drawn by the state legislature violated the Voting Rights Act by eliminating the Black vote.

Louisiana has six congressional seats, a 31.4% Black population, and only one district was majority Black. In the summer of 2023, the map was redrawn after the Supreme Court enacted the federal Voting Rights Act, touching on similar circumstances in Alabama, where the state’s congressional map discriminated against Black voters.

Legal experts highlighted how this ruling applies to the Purcell rule—where justices said that courts should not interfere with election rules and procedures too close to an upcoming election—benefiting Democrats since it is likely that Louisiana’s second majority-Black district will elect a Democrat, adding one blue seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

But advocates, like redistricting fellow for the Legal Defense Fund, Sara Rohani, are celebrating the high court’s ruling. “Today’s Supreme Court action ensures that Black voters’ voices will not be silenced during this year’s critical elections,” Rohani said.

“The Voting Rights Act requires Louisiana to have a map where Black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice. While this is not the end of our work to defend that principle, it is a critical moment in our fight for fair maps in Louisiana and reflects the strength of our democracy.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

May 16, 2024

Black-Owned Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Expands To Multiple States

Big Dave's will have 10 locations across central Florida.

More Southerners will soon take a bite out of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks as the popular Black-owned food has announced it’s expanding to states such as North Carolina and Florida.

The restaurant started in Atlanta by Derrick Hayes, a West Philadelphia native who brought his hometown’s delicacy down South. The restaurant emerged as a hit, leading to multiple locations throughout Georgia.

Now, it is celebrating its first out-of-state location in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Hayes held a grand opening event on May 11 for the community to try his famed cheesesteaks.

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A post shared by Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks (@bigdavescheesesteaks)

“From a humble gas station start to expanding across state lines, the journey of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks has been nothing short of extraordinary,” shared Hayes in a news release obtained by Afrotech. “As we open our first out-of-state location in Queen City, I’m filled with a sense of disbelief and immense pride. This milestone is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and unwavering belief that has propelled us forward. The road ahead is paved with endless possibilities, and I’m excited to continue writing the next chapter of our story.”

Moreover, Hayes inked a deal in 2023 that will launch 10 more locations throughout Florida. Former Pepsi Co. executive Derrick Lewis will partner with the entrepreneur to establish the franchise there.

In the midst of his success, Hayes has made giving back part of his journey. He established the David and Derrick Hayes Foundation to support cancer research, as well as a college fund to support students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Hayes and his wife, Slutty Vegan CEO Pinky Cole, have dedicated part of their mission to helping their community. Moreover, their joint mission id to provide financial and mental support for those of all backgrounds.