Michelle Obama, former first lady, election, presidential, 2024

by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2024

New Memoir Outs Secret Service Agent’s Rendezvous At Obama’s Hawaii Mansion

'Under Cover Heartbreak: A Memoir of Trust and Trauma' was released on Oct. 28.

A new memoir is dropping spicy details of a former Secret Service agent being fired for bringing a past lover to former President Barack Obama’s Hawaii mansion, ABC News reports.

Undercover Heartbreak: A Memoir of Trust and Trauma, written by the unidentified agent’s ex-lover, Koryeah Dwanyen, details how she was invited to join the agent at the Obamas’ beachfront property in 2022 while the former First Family was away.

“No one will know. If anything, I’m the one who could get in trouble,” the agent, identified as “Dale,” said, according to Dwanyen.

Dwaynen said Dale had photos of the mansion, including Michelle Obama’s bathroom, which prompted a suggestion. “We should have sex in Michelle [Obama]’s bathroom, like a mile-high club,” Dwanyen writes.

The Oct. 28 release of the book, heaped more scrutiny on the Secret Service following a headline-generating security lapse in July 2024 which resulted in calls for operational reform. Then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was shot at during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, causing the former agency’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, to resign. The allegations pinned on “Dale” in the memoir called for a thorough internal investigation.

Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service’s chief of communications, confirmed one incident matching the Hawaii incident described in the self-published book. That led to the agent being terminated immediately.

“On Nov. 6, 2022, a Secret Service agent involved in protective functions brought an individual who did not have authorized access into a protectee’s residence without permission,” Guglielmi said.

“As soon as the Secret Service became aware of the incident, the agent involved was immediately suspended and after a full investigation, terminated…The U.S. Secret Service’s top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our protectees, and any actions that compromise this commitment are addressed with the utmost seriousness.”

Dwanyen seemingly uncovered the former agent’s secret double life. He mentioned being divorced but the writer found out he was still married after meeting him during a Martha’s Vineyard vacation in Massachusetts. He was still on duty to protect the Obamas who have a home on the upscale island, according to the New York Post.

The agent allegedly also spoke about then-Vice President Mike Pence, whom he was cast to protect during his tenure in the White House. Dwanyen said she then emailed “Dale”‘s boss, whom she once met, to go over safety concerns about the agent, his family, and her own.

“I knew their code names. I knew what day Orangetheory was, what day [Michelle Obama] had private tennis lessons and when her personal trainer came,” she said. “Things that I should not have been privy to as a civilian.”

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by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 15, 2024

RZA Connects With NY Knicks And Nike For Wu-Tang Clan Dunk High Campaign

RZA plays a beekeeper and Raekwon narrates Nike's ad for the rerelease of the legendary shoe.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Wu-Tang Clan Dunk High’s 1999 release, Nike enlisted Wu-Tang founder and producer RZA to star in a new Nike ad, narrated by group member Raekwon, celebrating the kicks’ official comeback.

“The Hive” sees RZA performing his beekeeper duties as Raekwon talks about the significance of the bee in our natural habitat.

“Ancient Egyptians believed that bees were the Servants of the Gods and carved beekeeping instructions inside the chambers of the pyramids,” Raekwon says after announcing the killer bee in Latin. “An individual bee could not survive without the hive just as humanity could not survive without the bees.”

“We all links to the same chain,” Raekwon continues. “The black and yellow patterns serve as a warning to any predator that they ain’t nothing to f*** with.”

As RZA unveils the new reimagined sneakers, New York Knicks starters Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Mikal Bridges also appear, watching the hip-hop legend through binoculars from afar. RZA then takes off his beekeeper hat to look directly into the camera and remind the world that it’s “Wu-Tang Forever” as the bees form the group’s signature yellow and black logo in the sky.

The ad draws inspiration from Wu-Tang Clan’s “Killa Bees” moniker and the group’s many nods to killer bees in their music. Nike’s senior global creative director, Kimou Meyer, developed the idea to incorporate this iconic theme into the spot, and director Ben Solomon brought the vision to life with the final concept, titled “The Hive.”

“We all knew that we wanted to make something that felt true to the language, energy, and culture of both Nike and Wu-Tang Clan without it feeling retro,” Solomon told ADWEEK.

The original sneakers paid homage to Wu-Tang’s 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by only releasing 36 pairs that were gifted to the group members, their family members, and a few Nike employees. Now, the rerelease is available on Nike’s SNKRS app and retails for $150.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 15, 2024

Snoop Dogg Releases Lovechild Jewelry Collection To Combat The ‘Anger and Negativity’ In The World

Snoop Dogg's first jewelry collection is made with love in mind.

Snoop Dogg first-ever jewelry line carries a name he hopes will combat the world’s “anger, negativity, and division.”

On Wednesday, the rap icon released his Lovechild jewelry collection in collaboration with jewelry brand Metal Alchemist and his music and media partner gamma. The “pieces with purpose” serve as lifelong reminders that love is powerful, intentional, and worth carrying with you.

Made in the USA, the six-piece collection includes the Broadus Ring, named after Snoop’s real name, Calvin Broadus, the Cuban chain bracelet and a necklace, priced from $128 to $298.

“I chose to name the collection Lovechild because I felt like the world is so full of anger and negativity and division, and I know that I lead with love,” Snoop Dogg told The Hollywood Reporter. “The news is quick to bring you bad news, so we are stepping in with a whole new force of love.”

“Snoop, Larry [Jackson] and I built our careers from a shared foundational belief: empower others and change the way things are done,” Metal Alchemist founder Carolyn Rafaelian said. “With Snoop’s deep-rooted belief in love as an energy that transforms, and Metal Alchemist’s dedication to crafting clean, powerful precious metal innovation, Lovechild was born. Larry knew bringing us together would spark something extraordinary.”

Snoop partnered with gamma. last year in a long-term licensing agreement for exclusive rights to market and distribute the Death Row Records catalog and release two Snoop Dogg albums. The company was founded by former Apple Music executive Larry Jackson.

“It’s one thing to endeavor to create a new line in any field, it’s another to do so with a captain of industry and a successful entrepreneur by your side,” Jackson told The Hollywood Reporter.

Lovechild launches Wednesday via pre-sale at Snoop.Love. The collection will be available on Dec. 6 exclusively at Reeds’ 57 locations and online at reeds.com.

wu-tang, just blaze, game, Project Shaolin

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 15, 2024

Wu-Tech! Wu-Tang Clan Once Had Their Own Video Game

In 1999, a Playstation video game, 'Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style,' was released in recognition of the New York City collective.

When a Staten Island hip-hop group released a song that captured the hearts of New York City fans and then the world, no one expected the phenomenon those nine emcees came together for. The Wu-Tang Clan released their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1992 (the theme of the album and the emcees were based on the 1978 martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin).

Inspired by the martial arts movies that came on television and were also popularized through video cassettes back then, the group was heavily influenced by the fighting styles of various movies. Several years later, in 1999, a Playstation video game, Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style was released in recognition of the New York City collective.

CBR recently discussed the origins of the game.

The video game was based on a Shaolin master named Master Xin, the group’s mentor, who was kidnapped by an enemy in hopes of stealing the power of Shaolin from him. The members of the Wu-Tang Clan were students of Master Xin, who taught them “honor, virtue, and the unwavering qualities of bravery” in the face of danger. The enemy, Mong Zhu has his minions kidnap Master Xin. This was when the Wu-Tang Clan formed together to leave Staten Island to travel to the Chinese fortress of Mong Zhu to rescue the man who was responsible for teaching them all they knew.

As they went to get their master back from the clutches of Mong Zhu, they were met with defenders of the enemy in their quest to save Master Xin. Along the way, they met different warriors and disciples of the captor, as the game is reminiscent of the same type of Chinese martial arts movies with a mix of the 70s blaxploitation films that occupied the movie screens as well.

Just like in the cinema of that time, where the villains and heroes each possessed special skills as their weapons, it was the same for members of the hip-hop group in the video game. A person playing the game ccould select a particular Wu-Tang Clan member as a fighter.

Examples included Method Man utilizing a giant, but slow hammer; Ghostface Killah used his metal fists as weapons. RZA took on the characteristics of a traditional fighter, with twin swords as his weapon of choice, while his cousin, Ol’ Dirty Bastard used an unorthodox yet effective style as his power.

Although this game wasn’t the first game patterned after a recording artist, (1994’s Revolution X starred Aerosmith, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was released in 1990, and 1982’s Journey Escape was made for the Atari 2600), Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style was the first video game to feature hip-hop artists and music while featuring the group members as characters you can play.

by Kandiss Edwards

November 15, 2024

Pharrell Williams X Evian Present ‘The Fountain Of Youth’

Pharrell Willimas' 'Humanrace' emphasis the need for hydration in new partnership.

Evian is partnering with Pharrell Williams’ skincare line, “Humanrace.” for its “The Fountain Of Youth Campaign.”

The design is minimalistic; its engraving reads, “This Is The Fountain Of Youth.”

According to Forbes, Evian will produce “two limited-edition glass bottles—still and sparkling—in striking blue and green.”

Creating glass bottles was an intentional decision made by Evian and Williams. The Louis Vuitton Creative Director wants people to be more aware of the environment.

Williams is not calling for a no-waste lifestyle, yet he thinks intentionality can make an impact.

“We need to be mindful of how we impact the planet and strive to create products that are better for it,” he said.

The “Happy” singer’s skincare routine has popped up in discussion over the years, as he has maintained his physical appearance well during his decades-long career. Williams admits self-care and body maintenance was not always a top priority for him. At one point, he didn’t understand the need for hydration in daily wellness. That is no longer the case.

“When I was younger, I didn’t really get how important hydration was. It wasn’t even on my radar. But as I dove deeper into health, I realized water is a fundamental part of wellness. Now, it’s a non-negotiable part of my daily routine.”

Evian x Pharrell Williams (2024) pic.twitter.com/XyFdFi5GPH
— Outlander Magazine (@StreetFashion01) November 12, 2024

Williams spoke to Forbes about how the partnership connects with Humanrace’s vision. He believes the message of “The Fountain of Youth” is timely, and the world can benefit from increased emphasis on self-care and joy.

“When we were creating it, the goal was to make something that resonates deeply and brings that sense of happiness to life. Really, that’s what wellness and youthfulness are all about, too. Finding joy in the little things and staying connected to that youthful energy, which is why it was perfect for the latest Evian campaign – we’re both aligned on our youthful joy for life.”

Williams is drinking his water and minding his many businesses. The Evian collaboration is only one in a list of highlights for Williams, this year. The designer was recently named a co-chair of the Met Gala’s exhibit, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which is focused on Black men’s fashion over the years.

Along with co-chairing the Met Gala, Williams released his biopic, Piece by Piece, on Oct. 11. In true Williams fashion, he opted to tell his life story using an outside-of-the-box medium, in Lego movie format.

William’s latest collaborations suit his eccentric style and love of imagination and creativity. Though the Evian collaboration is simple in comparison, it somehow fits.

by Stacy Jackson

November 15, 2024

Tallahassee To Rename Street After Civil Rights Activist Anita Davis

Tallahassee's city commission voted to rename the street to honor Anita Davis who opened doors for other Black politicians in the state.

The Tallahassee City Commission is working to rename a segment of Pasco Street after the late civil rights icon Anita Davis.

The street sign from Orange Avenue to Bragg Drive will soon read, “Anita Davis Place,” in honor of her legacy as a community leader and neighborhood activist in Florida’s state capital. According to ABC27, the location is in the area where Davis lived. The renaming is a tribute to Davis’ service as the first Black woman on the Leon County Commission and efforts that paved the way for members of the Tallahassee Black community to serve in local politics.

City commissioner Curtis Richardson credits Davis for paving the way for his political career in the Tally community. “Right now, many of the streets here in Tallahassee are named after prominent figures in our community,” he said, which BLACK ENTERPRISE recently covered, including a Nov. 11 renaming of a portion of Pasco Street now known as “T-Pain Lane.” Anita Davis Place is the Tallahassee City Commission’s latest effort to continue that tradition throughout the community. “I just think this is very deserving, it’s time and I’m happy to see it done,” Richardson said.

The Tallahassee City Commission voted to adopt a resolution to approve the renaming during an Oct. 16 meeting, according to Tallahassee Reports. Davis moved to Tally in 1979. Following 12 years as President of the state’s NAACP branch, she spearheaded significant initiatives as a member of the Leon County Commission, securing single-member districts for the commission and Leon County School Board to elect representatives centered on their specific needs. She made further strides in Tally’s Southside with the development of parks in Woodville, Dr. B.L. Perry, Jr. Branch Library, and a health clinic on Old Bainbridge Road. Leon County Government honored Davis with the naming of the County’s Anita L. Davis at Lake Henrietta Park in 2018 following her contribution to the restoration of Lake Munson.

Davis’ friend and neighbor, Althamese Barnes, attested to the work she’s done as a true member of the Tallahassee community. “Anita was of the people,” Barnes said. “Her forte and something this community really needed at that time was someone to work with our young people.”

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Un post condiviso da Tallahassee Branch NAACP (@naacptlh)

Signs for “Anita Davis Place” are still in process and the city is in communication with family members to schedule a date for an official ceremony. The Tallahassee advocate died in 2021 and was buried at Tallahassee National Cemetery.

by Jameelah Mullen

November 15, 2024

The Spark Fund Donates $200,000 To Support Mental Health For Black Men In Atlanta

'By supporting mental health, we can help break the stigma around seeking help and promote emotional well-being within our community.'

The Spark Fund, a collaboration between the Global Fund for Children and The Imperative, launched a youth-led initiative to donate $200,000 in grants to support Atlanta-based organizations focusing on Black male mental health.

The initiative comprises a panel of Black men ages 18-30 who received educational tools to guide them through grant writing and equity training. The men then researched and selected five organizations to each receive a $40,000 grant.

The recipients: Black Male Initiative Georgia, Close Ties Leadership Program, Silence the Shame, and The Counseling Brothers of Atlanta.

“As a 21-year-old Black man, I feel it is important to support the mental health of young Black men and boys because they face unique challenges related to systemic racism and societal expectations,” said Kenneth Jones, a Spark Fund participant. “By supporting mental health, we can help break the stigma around seeking help and promote emotional well-being within our community.”

Dr. Avery Rosser, president and CEO of The Counseling Brothers of Atlanta, expressed gratitude for receiving the grant.

“These funds will allow us to provide reduced and free counseling services to Black boys and men in Atlanta, ensuring they have access to the support they deserve,” Rosser said in a press release. “Additionally, we will be able to offer specialized training for mental health professionals, helping them to better understand and address the unique experiences of Black men in counseling.”

According to a study conducted by Forbes, Georgia ranks 49 out of 50 when it comes to access to care. Other barriers to mental health care for Black men include inadequate insurance and a lack of mental health care providers. According to a study conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, Black men represent only 4 percent of mental health professionals, which may contribute to a lack of culturally competent mental health professionals for Black men.

by Jameelah Mullen

November 15, 2024

Palm Springs’ Displaced Black And Latino Families Tentatively Settle For $5.9M

In 2021, the city formally apologized to former section 14 residents.

In the 1960s, The city of Palm Springs forced several Black and Latino families out of a neighborhood known as Section 14. The town and former residents agreed to a tentative settlement agreement of $5.9 million to compensate former residents and their descendants for the financial and emotional trauma they endured.

The neighborhood sat on a square-mile Native American reservation where more than 2,000 Black and Mexican American families once lived. 86-year-old Margarita Genera once lived in the neighborhood with her parents and two siblings before they were displaced.

“We have been fighting for a long time to tell our story,” Genera said to The New York Times.

Palm Springs Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein issued a statement acknowledging the city’s role in displacing former residences of section 14.

“The City Council is deeply gratified that the former residents of Section 14 have agreed to accept what we believe is a fair and just settlement offer,” Bernstein said.

The council will vote to allocate $10 million toward a first-time homebuyer assistance program. The committee will also propose an additional $10 million for a community land trust and a monument to commemorate the neighborhood’s history. If approved, $1 million will go towards supporting small businesses in the community.

Pearl Devers, president of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors, lived in the neighborhood with her family until she was 12; her father helped to establish the city’s first NAACP chapter. The community activist recalls her family leaving their home abruptly. In a statement reported by The Associated Press, Devers said that the settlement will not erase the hardships they endured, but it does help to bring closure to the families. “While no amount of money can fully restore what we lost, this agreement helps pave the way for us all to finally move forward,” she said.

Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella-Damon Dash-Reasonable Doubt, 40/40

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 14, 2024

Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation Launches HBCU Champions For Financial Legacy Program

Jay-Z is launching a financial literacy program designed to support HBCU students and their surrounding communities.

Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation has introduced a financial literacy program designed to empower students at HBCUs along with members of their surrounding communities.

On Wednesday, The Shawn Carter Foundation announced the launch of its Champions for Financial Legacy program in partnership with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The financial education initiative aims to boost students’ financial literacy and equip them with the skills to build wealth within their communities, HuffPost reported.

It will launch in the spring at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Norfolk State University and Virginia State University, before expanding to additional HBCUs in the future. The rapper, real name Shawn Carter, launched his foundation with his mother in 2003, who expressed her pride in launching the financial literacy program.

“Every day at the Shawn Carter Foundation, we dedicate ourselves to uplifting students and communities that are underserved,” Gloria Carter said in a statement.

“To launch a financial education program that will reach more students and communities, along with dedicated partners like Toyota and the Wharton School of Business, is a vision we are finally seeing come to fruition.”

She added, “We are so excited to see the incredible impact of CFFL unfold and look forward to its growth.”

Other partners in the Champions for Financial Legacy program include the Coalition for Equity and Opportunity and Toyota Motor North America. It’s a continuation of the more than $20 million The Shawn Carter Foundation has donated to community and scholarship programs dedicated to servicing at-risk youth.

The initiative’s Pennsylvania roots align with another project announced by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation earlier this year — an educational campaign in Philadelphia aimed at helping underprivileged students access private schooling. The Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS) is a proposed legislative initiative aimed at providing $300 million in scholarships for K-12 students from low-income families.

These scholarships would support students attending the state’s lowest-performing public schools. While the campaign faced some criticism, Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez emphasized the positive intentions behind the effort.

Chicago, Mayor, Brandon Johnson, school board president, resigns

by Sharelle Burt

November 14, 2024

Ex-Cons For Trump Leader Criticizes Chicago Mayor On Protecting Immigrants Over ‘Struggling’ Black Communities

Lots of back and forth here....

Former Chicago gangster-turned-activist and CEO of “Ex-cons for Community and Social Change,” Tyrone Muhammad, thinks Mayor Brandon Johnson is using Black people as a pawn after expressing concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plan, Fox News reported.

During a press conference on Nov. 12, Johnson alluded to Trump’s plan being geared toward more than just the Hispanic community but Black families. “His threat is not just towards new arrivals and undocumented families. His threats are also against Black families…we’re going to protect undocumented individuals,” Mayor Johnson said.

“We’re going to protect Black folks, Brown folks, Asian folks. The city of Chicago will be better, stronger, and safer despite who’s in the White House.”

Muhammad caught wind of the comments and said Johnson is “using Black people and Black families as a scapegoat or a tool for his dirty practices and immigration” and that the deportation is happening because that’s what the American people want. “The American people have spoken,” he said. “Black people have spoken, all across Chicago and all across America … and given President Donald Trump a mandate to remove illegals out of our communities because we didn’t ask for them. … Our community should be given the resources first.”

The nonprofit founder, who ran an independent Senate campaign to unseat Illinois Democratic legislator, Dick Durbin, continued to slam Johnson for allegedly providing resources to illegal immigrants and not the citizens and communities that have been “suffering for decades” in the Windy City. “If he really cared about Black families, the day the mayor thought about giving resources to non-citizens, illegals before he gave it to Black communities that have been suffering for decades, then he would be more true to his word about Black families, Muhammad said.

“That’s a scapegoat using black people and Black families as a tool for his dirty practices and immigration.”

Chicago Voices: Residents Demand Resources Over Migrants @LawrenceBJones3 https://t.co/zHPSJlREXZ #ImmigrationDebate #Chicago #PublicFunding #Activism pic.twitter.com/5xieWFRONt
— exconsfortrump (@exconfortrump) November 13, 2024

Muhammad has been vocal about his thoughts surrounding immigration in Chicago. As the former gang member who spent 20 years behind bars, he mentioned Venezuelan criminal gangs taking over buildings as being the “last straw” for the Black community. “When the black gangs here get fed up with the illegalities and criminal activities of these migrants or non-citizens, the city of Chicago is going to go up in flames, and there will be nothing the National Guard or the government can do about it when the bloodshed hits the streets,” he said, according to Voz.

“It’ll be blacks against migrants. It is impossible to release gang members and criminals into our country through the borders and broken walls and infiltrate them in our community that’s already impoverished and broken.”

He is in support of Trump’s recent cabinet appointee of border czar and former acting ICE director, Tom Homan. To heighten support, Muhammad says he is willing to be on the grounds with Homan to “remove these illegals and these migrants” and identify where they should go as “they have greatly diminished our way of life here in Chicago.”

Johnson, however, has announced his defiance of Trump’s plan, stating that the city will shield all immigrants from federal agents.