Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Justice Jackson
by Daniel Johnson

August 28, 2024

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson Sounds Alarm About Trump Immunity Ruling

Jackson suggested that the ruling allows Trump special protection in a new interview with CBS Evening News.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson detailed her concern over the Supreme Court’s ruling in July 2023 that former presidents can never be prosecuted for actions related to their core powers; Jackson suggested that the ruling allows Trump special protection in a new interview with CBS Evening News. 

Justice Jackson told CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell that she had concerns that the ruling was a net negative for the criminal justice system. 

“I was concerned about a system that appeared to provide immunity for one individual under one set of circumstances when we have a criminal justice system that had ordinarily treated everyone the same,” Jackson said. 

According to the SCOTUS Blog, Justice Jackson’s public comments are not that much different from the minority dissent, which was joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, in the Trump v United States case, which spelled out their grave concern with the majority’s ruling in the case. In their dissent, they warned that if a future president “misuses official power for personal gain, the criminal law that the rest of us must abide will not provide a backstop.”

Jackson also authored a separate dissent, which, like Sotomayor’s separate dissent, did not respectfully disagree with the majority’s opinion, a sign that the break between Jackson, Sotomayor, and the conservatives on the court regarding this issue is deep. 

Jackson opened her dissent by calling the Court’s decision a paradigm shift.

“I write separately to explain, as suc­cinctly as I can, the theoretical nuts and bolts of what, ex­actly, the majority has done today to alter the paradigm of accountability for Presidents of the United States.  I also address what that paradigm shift means for our Nation moving forward.”

Jackson continued, “Departing from the tra­ditional model of individual accountability, the majority has concocted something entirely different: a Presidential accountability model that creates immunity—an exemption from criminal law—applicable only to the most powerful of­ficial in our Government.”

As Jackson warned in her dissent, “If the structural consequences of today’s paradigm shift mark a step in the wrong direction, then the practical con­sequences are a five-alarm fire that threatens to consume democratic self-governance and the normal operations of our Government…Having now cast the shadow of doubt over when—if ever—a former President will be subject to criminal liability for any criminal conduct he engages in while on duty, the majority incentivizes all future Presidents to cross the line of criminality while in office, knowing that unless they act “manifestly or palpably beyond [their] authority,” they will be presumed above prosecution and punish­ment alike.”

RELATED CONTENT: WTH? Supreme Court Grants Presidential Immunity To Convicted Felon Donald Trump In Landmark Ruling

hackers, Xfinity, cable
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 28, 2024

Mother Calls Out Xfinity After Hackers Accessed Her TV, Listened To Private Conversations

A woman calls out Xfinity for allegedly allowing her TV to get hacked.

A mother is revealing the “hell” she and her children have been living in after allegedly having their Xfinity account hacked.

In a video posted to TikTok earlier this month, a user named @immabeme215 shows how someone accessed her smart TV without her authorization. With the camera panned to her television while holding her remote, the woman shows someone attempting to type in an incorrect passcode to access her television.

“Look, not touching nothing, and they just try to type in personal information,” she says as a box pops up on the TV, and the numbers 5332 appear in the input area inside the box.

“Look, how do they know my passcode?” she asks. “How do they know? Now they’re just typing it in and typing in and typing it in. How do they know? And I got the remote right here, not touching nothing.”

@immabeme215 My children and I have lived in hell for months. My Xfinity cable was hacked. People have been typing awful things about me and kids for months. I have over 60 videos like this but worse. These people were listening into our personal lives before we even knew what was going on. Let xfinity know about it all and they laughed in my face. The mental anguish we went through meant nothing to them. They refused to look at my emails with the video proof claiming they don't want to be liable for seeing it smh. How tf do you think we feel living it. I'll have to post a part 2 because there is so much to the hell we lived and the world needs to know about it.#fypシ #foryoupage #xfinity #helpmeplease ♬ original sound – immabeme215

The woman expressed her frustration at her cable provider, Xfinity, for the alleged hacking by people she believes are in an entirely different country.

“Xfinity allowed my information to be breached, and now I have someone in a different country hacking my box and talking to me through my remote,” she says.

She explained how she tried to fight off the hackers by changing her passcode. But that hasn’t stopped them from being able to access her television set.

“I locked them out of it. Every single time they try to get into my areas that they’re not supposed to be in, I always … look, I fight with them when they try to type in my PIN, so it locks them out,” she shares.

The woman used the video’s caption to provide more details about the stressful situation she and her children have allegedly been enduring for months.

“My children and I have lived in hell for months,” she writes. “My Xfinity cable was hacked. People have been typing awful things about me and the kids for months. I have over 60 videos like this, but worse.

Not only have the hackers been trying to use her television, but they’ve also allegedly been listening to her family’s private conversations.

“These people were listening into our personal lives before we even knew what was going on,” she explains.

The woman goes on to accuse Xfinity of not taking her issue seriously.

“Let Xfinity know about it all, and they laughed in my face. The mental anguish we went through meant nothing to them,” she says. “They refused to look at my emails with the video proof claiming they don’t want to be liable for seeing it, smh.”

Another video shows the woman threatening to file a police report against the hackers while showing the messages they typed in a search bar.

@immabeme215 Part 2 on proof my xfinity box was hacked. This situation was a living nightmare for my children and I. You can clearly see I'm talking and what I'm saying isn't coming up on the TV but what the hackers are saying is. So it's no way this is fake like xfinity tried to say. Sometimes I'd argue with the TV and say mean things back so I could get recordings of them talking. #xfinity #helpmeplease #foryoupage #fypシ ♬ original sound – immabeme215

“Part 2 on proof my Xfinity box was hacked,” she wrote in the caption. “This situation was a living nightmare for my children and I. You can clearly see I’m talking and what I’m saying isn’t coming up on the TV but what the hackers are saying is.”

She continues. “So, it’s no way this is fake like Xfinity tried to say. Sometimes, I’d argue with the TV and say mean things back so I could get recordings of them talking.”

Denzel Washington, Gladiator
by Stacy Jackson

August 28, 2024

Denzel Washington Predicted To Land 3rd Oscar With ‘Gladiator II’

If the "Gladiator II" actor is nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Academy Awards, he will become a 10-time Oscar nominee.

Actor and film producer Denzel Washington might be on his way to accepting a third Academy Award with his role in “Gladiator II,” a win that would add him to an exclusive list of three-time Oscar-winning recipients.

Washington stars as “Marcinus” in Ridley Scott’s 2024 remake of the 2000 action film that won Best Picture. According to predictions from Gold Derby, the two-time Oscar winner will likely appear as a nominee for Best Supporting Actor, bringing him to a total of 10 Oscar nominations. Washington has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor twice for “Cry Freedom” (1988) and “Glory” (1990). If victorious in the category at the 2025 Academy Awards, the achievement would mark 22 years since his last win for “Training Day” (2002).

According to IMDB, Washington stars alongside Paul Mescal, who plays the role of Lucius, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ grandson. As Lucius fights to return the glory of Rome from the power of tyrannical emperors, Marcinus, in opposition to the rule of the emperors, leads Lucius as his mentor.

“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in,” Washington told Empire. “I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley.”

The Gladiator II actor is expected to join other Hollywood powerhouses as a Best Supporting Actor nominee, including Samuel L. Jackson, Clarence Maclin, Kieran Culkin, and Stanley Tucci. If he reaches 10 nominations, Washington will hold the same amount of bids as Bette Davis and Laurence Olivier.

Aside from “Training Day,” Washington has been up for an Oscar in the Best Actor category six other times for his roles in “Malcolm X” (1993), “The Hurricane” (2000), “Flight” (2013), “Fences” (2017), “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” (2018), and “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (2022).

The 2025 Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST on ABC. “Gladiator II will be released on Nov. 22, 2024.

RELATED CONTENT: This TikToker’s Impression of Denzel Washington Performing Beyonce’s Hit ‘Break My Soul’ Is On Point

Divine Nine, fraternities, sororities, 2024 election
by Sharelle Burt

August 28, 2024

Here’s How Divine 9 Sororities And Fraternities Are Turning Up The Heat For The 2024 Election 

Let's keep this going.....

Members of historically Black fraternities and sororities, also known as the Divine Nine, are reshaping the way Americans support the 2024 political season with Vice President Kamala Harris as a presidential nominee, Politico reports. 

It’s no secret that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is a member of the first Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Since her campaign launch, members of the pink and green, as well as others, have shown up in creative ways with innovative ideas to help voters select the right choice before heading to the polls in November. 

During the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, comedian D.L. Hughley, an honorary member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., gave a shout-out to the ladies of the oldest Black Greek letter organization founded by Black college-educated women. Members of Harris’s sorority sat proudly as they prepared to watch her take the stage. “I absolutely knew she would be on this stage tonight,” one soror said. 

“We’re just so happy and proud of her.” 

Outside of showing up in the thousands for their presidential nominee soror, the sorority created a PAC — political action committee — to raise money to support down-ballot candidates who are members. Fellow Divine Nine sorority Delta Sigma Theta showed out with its first-ever get-out-the-vote ad, showcased in Chicago and Philadelphia.

The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. also created a grant program worth $100,000 to boost voter mobilization within local chapters. The “microgrants” have funds between $500 to $3,000 allocated for individual chapters with a history of successful voter engagement programs. The goal is to have the grants designated to the “Alpha South” region, including Georgia and North Carolina; “Alpha Midwest,” including Wisconsin and Michigan; and “Alpha East,” which is in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. 

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), a Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. member, applauded the groups for doing their part on a collaborative wavelength. “Everyone understands the assignment,” she said. “We recognize we have, you know, less than 100 days, and we got to propel this sister.”

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Alpha fraternity, says, “There’s a great deal of excitement that Kamala Harris is running.” All nine national presidents of the groups came to the United Center to watch Harris accept the nomination, sitting together in order of the year each one was established. While all the fraternities and sororities are nonpartisan, Harris’ passion has become a driving force for support. 

According to Town & Country Magazine, most candidates understand that they must rally around the Divine Nine for votes and lean on Black women who are members to promote political change. Despite criticism from former President Donald Trump about Harris attending the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Biennial Boule, which he called “a party,” the candidate also appeared at the Zeta’s and AKA’s conventions. 

Alpha Phi Alpha member and author of The Divine Nine: The History of Black Fraternities and Sororities, Lawrence Ross, witnessed the excitement when Harris visited her alma mater, Howard University, in Washington, D.C., to welcome the incoming class of 2028. Ross says it’s amazing how GOP members have yet to recognize how powerful it is when Black women link together. “I keep laughing at the GOP because I’m like, ‘Y’all have no idea what happens when you get motivated Black women to do stuff,’” Ross said.

RELATED CONTENT: Why The Letters Of The Divine Nine Are Exclusive To Its Members

Deion Sanders, credit union,students
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 28, 2024

Deion Sanders Recruits Elevations Credit Union To Open Bank Accounts For Children Of Players on Football Team

The bank gave eight of his football players with children a bank account with $2,121

NFL Hall of Famer and current University of Colorado Boulder football coach Deion Sanders has partnered with Elevations Credit Union to give eight of his football players with children a bank account and starting them off with $2,121.

Elevations Credit Union posted a video of the football head coach speaking to the young fathers and expressing to them the purpose of the bank accounts.

Sanders gathered the fathers to the front of the room and said, “Want y’all to know, it ain’t like you’re in trouble. You ain’t done nothing wrong. Actually, matter of fact, you did something right. A child is not a mistake. A child is an opportunity to mature you, grow you, advance you, and give you some skills. Y’all know how I am about fathering. You know I would not hire a coach unless he’s a great father. I don’t hire a coach that’s a deadbeat, I don’t hire a coach that’s not taking care of his responsibilities. I would never hire a man that he says he’s going to look after y’all but he won’t look after his. That don’t make sense to me.”

“Elevations is honored to help support these CU students and their young families. By creating these accounts and matching a $2,121 contribution, these children of CU athletes have a solid start to their financial futures. We are proud to be the official credit union of CU Boulder.

@cuboulder @deionsanders”

According to WFAA, Sanders took to his social media account to put a call out to a local banking institution on August 22 to do this type of partnership with.

The money was presented as an NIL (name, image, likeness) package as Elevations Credit Union partnered with 5430 Alliance, the school’s NIL collective. In case you’re wondering why the amount is $2,121, it was Sanders’ uniform number when he played the sport.

Shaquille O'Neal, 32, 34, jersey, retire, rafters, magic, Orlando, Miami heat, number, Shareef O'Neal
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 27, 2024

Shaquille O’Neal Persuaded Son Shareef To Help With Rebranding Reebok

Shareef was headed to Australia to continue his basketball career but stayed to help his father rebrand Reebok.

Shareef O’Neal, son of Shaquille, followed in his father’s footsteps by playing basketball but has yet to achieve the same success. His father asked Shareef to join him in making Reebok a bigger company, with Shaq now president of Reebok’s basketball operations.

Shareef revealed that he was taking the opportunity to connect with Shaq and work with him to help rebrand Reebok after his father gave him the offer last year. He talked about the situation that led to him making that move on the Then They Rose podcast.

After recently playing with G League Ignite last season, he was about to head to Australia to continue his basketball dream, but Shaq called a halt to that when he told him he wanted his help with rebranding Reebok. Although he still wants to play, he’s happy working with his father. He recalls when his father asked him to work at the sneaker brand.

“I was getting ready to go to Australia in about late December or January.” He stated that Shaq invited him to Thanksgiving dinner. While they were on a plane ride, Shareef said, “We’re sitting. He’s like, ‘Australia’s far. You know you don’t have to go to Australia.’ And I’m kinda like, ‘Yeah.’ I kind of just wanted to move. I don’t know why, but I was like, ‘Let me just go try something new.’”

Shaq was talking to Shareef about his new role with Reebok. He requested that Shareef help him redesign the sneakers and clothes, “He’s like, ‘Can you do me a favor this year? Can you help me rebrand Reebok? I’ll let you help redesign the shoes and redesign the clothes, help sign players. I really need your help.”

After that conversation, Shareef felt that since his family was there for him when he underwent surgery that sidelined him from basketball, he needed to be there for them. So, now, he is doing what Shaq asked as they prepare to take Reebok back to the top.

“We’re doing a really good job. I say that by the time 2025 starts, Reebok will be up there with the rest of these brands. I’m glad I contributed to that.”

RELATED CONTENT: Shaquille O’Neal To Receive ‘Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Of The Year’ Award

President Kamala Harris, Kamala Harris Roast
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 27, 2024

Petition Launched To Cancel Kamala Harris Roast At University Of South Carolina

Thousands believe a planned comedy roast of Kamala Harris at USC could promote "white supremacy."

Thousands have signed a petition to get a planned Kamala Harris comedy roast canceled at the University of South Carolina (USC).

A Change.org petition was launched in response to USC’s student-led group Uncensored America and its Sept. 18 event titled “The Roast of 2024 Presidential Nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.” The event tapped far-right British political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos and Proud Boys Founder Gavin McInnes as guest speakers and used a sexually explicit reference to spell Vice President Harris’s name, WACH reports.

The petition has since garnered over 6,400 signatures of its 7,500 goal from many who are “shocked and disappointed to witness the university’s decision to allow the hosting of an event with inappropriate and sexist promotion,” the petition states.

Given the event’s two guest speakers, petition supporters believe the roast could promote “white supremacy” on the campus. Citing the school’s creed, the petition calls out the university for seemingly going against its doctrine by hosting the event.

“Yet, this event directly contradicts with this creed and encourages the use of racism, homophobia, and sexism by a student-led organization on campus,” the petition states.

Former state lawmaker and USC Law School alumni Bakari Sellers posted the event flyer on X, formerly known as Twitter, last week to demand “accountability” from the university for allowing the roast to take place.

The petition notes the grievances minority groups at USC have expressed to school officials that have seemingly gone ignored while calling out the university for allowing the controversial roast to take place on the campus.

“The hosting of this event exemplifies a larger issue at USC, where minority students have been expressing their grievances since 2021 regarding the environment they are/were forced to learn in, leading to various on-campus advocacy movements, with little to no acknowledgment from the university,” the petition states.

USC officials responded to the backlash, saying the school is not sponsoring the event and claims the student group has the right to hold it. Uncensored America Founder Sean Semanko has described the event as “a fun, lighthearted comedy show where we bring some joy to campus.”

The roast remains scheduled for Sept. 18 and is free to the public to attend.

RELATED CONTENT: Over 200 Members Of The Bush, McCain, Romney Administrations Nix Support Of Trump To Endorse Kamala Harris 

Terrica Smith, developer
by Mitti Hicks

August 27, 2024

Terrica Smith Is One Of The Youngest Real Estate Investors In Louisiana With A Multimillion-Dollar Development

Terrica Lynn Smith went from being homeless to being one of the youngest Black real estate investors in Louisiana.

Terrica Smith sits in front of a map of Harriet Tubman’s route. It’s positioned in her office as a reminder of where she’s been and where she’s going and to bring people along for the journey. She has made millions from real estate investing. But statistically, this wasn’t supposed to be her story. She was a foster child in Louisiana -– escaping whenever she could. She remembers being homeless and living under the highway with her son -– the same son with a street named after him in the development she helped create in Lafayette.

Real estate happened by chance—maybe even fate. At 17, she worked in the magazine business and traveled the country, knocking on doors to sell magazines.

“I ended up in California knocking on some of Hollywood’s wealthiest people’s doors. I would always ask, ‘What do you do for a living?’ and they would respond, ‘I’m in real estate,’” Terrica Smith tells Black Enterprise.

The seed was planted.

Terrica Smith says she committed herself to God and made a promise she would never be homeless again after she found herself stranded in New Orleans with her child after Hurricane Katrina. It took them days to leave the city before moving to Lafayette, northwest of New Orleans. She started working at a mall when she became intrigued by a gentleman and his daughter. She asked him what he did for a living, and he replied, “Real estate,” before giving her the name of an excellent real estate school to attend. That was her confirmation to dive into the industry in full force.

From Knowing Nothing About The Industry To Building a Million-Dollar Complex

When Smith enrolled in the class, she knew nothing about real estate, including terms like mortgage and lien.

“No one in my family had ownership. I’ve always heard people talking about making rental payments.”

It took her seven attempts to pass the real estate exam, and by the time she was a licensed real estate agent, she only made $5,000 in her first year. Smith says it was the worst year in her career, but it inspired her to think outside the box.

“Every other real estate agent was focused on buyers and sellers, so I went toward investors,” she says. “Investors would buy different things and get a return on it. Eventually, they would hire me to find, design, or sell the property.”

An attorney handed her a folder with what she thought was her 3% commission after closing on a property for an investor. She remembered seeing a six-figure check, but the attorney immediately took it away because he mixed the checks. She was amazed by the numbers on the check. From then on, she told investors she would charge them 50% for the work she was already doing for them at a lower rate. She lost all her clients except one and decided to start from scratch. 

“I gave that investor all of my attention, and he made so much money that year,” says Smith. “The thing I believe is true is that one rich person knows another rich person. He told all of his friends about me, so when they approached me, they all knew I charged 50%.”

At the same time, Smith began working with a builder constructing new homes in older neighborhoods throughout Lafayette. This planted another seed of building, and she began doing just that, one by one.

After running into a white woman who built a community of homes with streets named after her grandchildren, Smith decided she was ready for her next endeavor. However, despite her success as a real estate agent and building single-family homes, banks and investors did not want to initially lend her the money to create the development.

However, she was determined to build in her community and became her own bank with a real estate crowdfund in Louisiana.

“I made hundreds of thousands of dollars for my investors, and they just didn’t see the vision,” Smith recalls. “I got three people to tell me yes. We put all of our money into the first development. I put my son’s name on the street sign and named the community. Now, it’s a $21 million mixed-use community.”

Smith says the key to success is understanding that it’s OK to fail and believing in your vision. The same banks that denied her the first time eventually came back around.

“We have over 200 doors in this community with single-family, multi-family homes, townhomes, commercial complexes, and now we’re looking to bring a grocery store in,” says Smith. “In this industry, I’ve learned you can’t take anything personally because if I did, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now as a Black woman developer and one of the youngest from Louisiana.”

As Terrica Smith continues to build community across the state, she is also on a mission to build the next generation of real estate investors. Her new goal is to teach over a billion people to invest in real estate.

“If I can overcome being homeless up under a bridge, a teenage mom trapped in the city for three days, unsure if I’m going to live and having to start completely over in a foreign place, then other people can do it, too,” she says. “If you look at this map behind me, that’s Harriet Tubman’s route. It reminds me every day that I have to continue walking.”

RELATED CONTENT: 93-Year-Old Woman Fighting To Keep Family’s Land Reaches $350K Fundraising Goal

car crash, pregnant woman, Florida
by Stacy Jackson

August 27, 2024

Groom-To-Be Dies In Car Crash A Day Before His Wedding

The 38-year-old fiancé and his cousin were riding in the car together when they were struck by an oncoming pickup truck going the wrong way.

Shauntea Weaver is grieving the loss of her fiancé Kirk Walker, 38, after he was killed on Aug. 24 in a wrong-way car crash in Harlem the day before their wedding.

“I’m supposed to be in my wedding dress right now — not in mourning,” Weaver told The New York Post on Sunday, Aug. 25. “Our ceremony was supposed to be at 5 p.m. today — in a few hours.” The father of three was celebrating his bachelor party when a pickup truck heading in the wrong direction struck Walker’s Dodge Challenger on the Henry Hudson Parkway at around 2:20 a.m. Rob McLaurin, Walker’s 40-year-old cousin who was in the car with him, also died in the head-on collision that morning near West 154th Street.

“He died 24 hours before our wedding,” said Weaver, who was looking forward to becoming a bride at the Royal Manor in Garfield, New Jersey. “It’s devastating, and not just for me,” she added. “Every hour since it happened, I’m having a different emotion take me over.” The 40-year-old bride-to-be said her fiancé’s three children loved him “immeasurably” and are heartbroken by his death. She described Walker as generous and hard-working. “He had a heart of gold,” she said about her lover and business partner who she thanked for the success of a car rental business they ran together.

According to ABC7, both individuals in the pickup truck fled the scene. The passenger was caught, but police are still searching for the driver. Weaver told The Post that the passenger was taken to the hospital and had broken legs. Detectives reported that DNA was left on the driver’s airbags and assured they would do everything to get justice.

On August 25, loved ones gathered in Bergenfield to comfort Weaver and the family. Messages poured in on social media extending prayers and condolences under a post by Akilañ Ke-Ki Woods, who referred to the two victims as her cousins.

RELATED CONTENT: Mother Of Rapper YG’s Children Involved In Los Angeles Car Crash, Elderly Woman Killed

Blue Ivy Carter, Lion King Prequel
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 27, 2024

Blue Ivy’s ‘Lion King’ Role Defended Against Nepo Baby Claims, ‘She Was The Right Young Woman For The Job’

Blue Ivy didn't secure her role in "Mufasa: Lion King" because of nepotism. The director claims she was the right person for the job.

Blue Ivy Carter is making her voice acting debut in a major motion picture and she didn’t land the role because of her superstar parents.

According to Barry Jenkins, director of Mufasa: The Lion King, Blue Ivy secured the gig because of her talent, not because of her hip-hop mogul dad, Jay-Z, or multifaceted mom, Beyoncé, who will reprise her role as Nala, Kiara’s mother.

“She did a wonderful job bringing this character Kiara to life,” Jenkins told Entertainment Tonight. “I’m really proud of her, really proud of the work she did. As we were thinking of who could play this character, I thought, ‘Oh, this is it. She’s the right age, the right vibe. Let’s test it out.’”

“She was just tremendous,” he continued. “There are some things she does in this film that are really emotional. She’s a thespian. [And the casting] had nothing to do with Mom and Dad. She was the right young woman for the job.”

As for getting the mother-daughter duo to voice act alongside each other for the animated film, Jenkins came up with the idea after hearing Blue Ivy read the audiobook recording of Matthew Cherry’s Hair Love.

“Starting this project and just having that in the ether, I was like, ‘Is it worth a shot? Would Blue Ivy want to do it? Would Beyoncé want to act opposite her daughter? Is it too close to home?'” Jenkins recalled to Entertainment Weekly. “But once we put the question to them, they both responded with enthusiasm.”

It’s among the many talents of Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s eldest daughter, including dancing, which she showed off as part of her mom’s Renaissance world tour, and playing the piano, which her grandmother Tina Knowles said came to her naturally.

“She’s self-taught and she sounds like a concert pianist. She paints, she draws, she does poetry. She’s just an artistic soul,” Tina told E! News. “I’m really, really proud of her. I can’t wait until the world gets to really hear.”

Fans will get a chance to see just how much of a thespian Blue Ivy is when Mufasa: The Lion King opens in theaters on Dec. 20.

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