Georgia Judge Allows Defamation Lawsuit by Black Mother-Daughter Duo Against Former Trump Attorney To Proceed
by Derek Major

November 3, 2022

Georgia Judge Allows Defamation Lawsuit by Black Mother-Daughter Duo Against Former Trump Attorney To Proceed

A Georgia judge allowed a Black mother and daughter to continue their defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani, a former President Donald Trump’s lawyer.

MSNBC reported the defamation suit was filed by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, who served as election workers in the Peach State during the 2020 Presidential Election.

Giuliani and the Trump campaign helped spread lies that the two women were involved in a plot to defraud the former president out of winning Georgia and the presidential election. Freeman and Moss testified before the House Jan. 6 Committee that they received numerous death threats after Trump, Giuliani, and other Republicans falsely blamed them for the former president’s election loss.

Judge Beryl Howell called Trump and Giuliani’s disinformation effort targeting Freeman and Moss a  “desperate and illiberal ploy.”

“Put simply, the legal mechanisms in place to challenge and review the election process in Georgia were vigorously invoked, diligently performed and plainly worked to assure the accuracy of the vote counting and validity of the results,” Howell wrote, according to MSNBC.

Despite that, Judge Howell added that Giuliani helped lead the Trump administration’s “media offensive” against the two women labeling them vote riggers. Giuliani argued his statements were opinions and constitutionally protected, but the judge disagreed.

“Defendant Rudolph Giuliani—a current media personality and former politician once dubbed ‘America’s mayor’—propagated and pushed that false narrative,” wrote Howell, who added that Freeman and Moss were “caught in the crossfire of Giuliani’s campaign to undermine the legitimacy of the 2020 election.”

The women initially filed the suit in December 2021 and named several defendants, including the One America News Network, but later amended it, naming Giuliani as the sole defendant.

Promoting Trump’s election lies has led to a host of issues for the former New York City mayor. His bar license in New York was suspended, and he’s also being sued by Dominion Voting Systems and the NAACP.

Trump has refused to compensate Giuliani for this workon his behalf.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2022

Young Dolph’s Girlfriend Says Takeoff ‘Deserved to Grow Old’: Challenges the Community to Change

The death of another hip-hop artist has people calling for the community to take a stand against violence and the killing of each other.

The girlfriend of slain rapper, Young Dolph, made her thoughts known on social media after people were discussing the death of Takeoff, a member of the group The Migos.

Mia Jaye dealt with the death of her longtime partner Young Dolph when he was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee a year ago in November 2021.

She went to her Instagram Story and said, “I am mentally, emotionally and physically drained… I am tired of the same ole s**t… like how many Black men have to die before something different takes place?”

“Peace, blessings and sincere prayers to Takeoff’s family… my heart throbs for you and us all.”

Jaye is the creator of a new clothing line, Black Men Deserve to Grow Old and she posted that Black men deserve to grow old and referenced Young Dolph, Nipsey Hussle, and Takeoff.

“Black men deserve to grow old. Today, this year, tomorrow, and every day in between. Takeoff deserved to grow old. Nipsey deserved to grow old. Dolph deserved to grow old.

“The black men in your lives deserve to grow old.”

Last year, according to Fox 13, Adolph Robert Thornton, Jr., who was known to hip-hop fans as Young Dolph was shot to death reportedly buying cookies at Makeda’s Butter Cookies around 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The owner of the store, Maurice Hill, told the media outlet that employees of the store said the 36-year-old rapper walked into Makeda’s Butter Cookies and was ambushed by the killer who drove up and fired off shots, killing Young Dolph around 1 p.m. at the bakery in South Memphis.

Dwyane Wade Blasts Ex-Wife’s ‘Damaging Lies’ About Forcing Zaya Wade to Transition
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2022

Dwyane Wade Blasts Ex-Wife’s ‘Damaging Lies’ About Forcing Zaya Wade to Transition

Dwyane Wade called out the “harmful allegations” from his ex-wife, Siohvaughn Funches-Wade, who accused him of forcing their daughter, Zaya Wade, to transition for his own financial gain.

The NBA star took to Instagram on Thursday morning to post a three-page statement blasting his ex-wife after she accused him of profiting off Zaya’s gender identity. Wade took time out of his “life-changing” trip to Tanzania to celebrate Gabrielle Union’s 50th birthday, to respond to Funches-Wade’s recent legal filing regarding Zaya’s official name change.

“I’ve received a social media post about me forcing our 15-year-old child to be someone she’s not and to do something against her will,” Wade wrote in his statement.

“These are serious and harmful allegations that have hurt our children.”

 

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“While none of us are surprised by Siohvaughn’s attempt to fight Zaya’s identity and her unwavering attempt to drag my name through the mud, I’m very disappointed that she continuously find ways of centering herself and HER needs, without regard to her children,” Wade continued.

“This report came out while Zaya was in class. This is a kid who has maintained a 4.0 GPA in honors classes while navigating all this unsolicited and harmful attention and debates about her gender and sexuality from those who are committed to not listening to her, much less even knowing her!”

Wade also accused Funches-Wade of being an absentee mother who allegedly hasn’t seen or “truly spoken” to Zaya in years.

“I have given her the opportunity to reach out to Zaya’s teachers, doctors, and therapist over the years and even meet her friends, so she could get her own understanding of our child’s needs for her LIFE!” Wade explained.

“She won’t do it! She has not been to a school, recital, graduation, school dance, play date, practice, parent-teacher conference, etc.,” he stated.

Wade and Funches-Wade were married from 2002 to 2010 and welcomed two children. In 2020, Wade opened up in an interview with Good Morning America and recalled when Zaya knew she was transgender at three years old.

“I knew early on that I had to check myself,” he said. “I’ve been a person in the locker room that has been a part of the conversation that has said the wrong phrases and the wrong words myself.”

White OnlyFans Model Courtney Clenney Was Recorded Calling Black Boyfriend N-Word
by Atiya Jordan

November 3, 2022

White OnlyFans Model Courtney Clenney Was Recorded Calling Black Boyfriend N-Word

The white OnlyFans model charged with the murder of her Black boyfriend in their Miami condo can be heard hurling racial slurs in newly released recordings.

According to NBC Miami, these recordings appeared to come from Christian “Toby” Obumseli’s cell phone in the weeks before he was killed on April 3. The audio reveals numerous arguments in which Courtney Clenney repeatedly calls him the N-word.

In one extremely heated clip, Clenney, 26, was upset that Obumseli did not make her aware that he had greeted a woman while on a bicycle ride.

Obumseli can be heard apologizing, but Clenney tells him to “man up b—-.”

“Shut up and let me slap you, dumb a–!,” she later says in the recording, then demands him to find her phone. “Find my f—— phone and charge it!”

“I was on a bike ride, and she passed me and I said, hi,” Obumseli later tells Clenney. “That doesn’t mean you can call me a f—ing [inaudible].”

The recordings, which were released by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, and which were first obtained by the Miami Herald, are now evidence in the second-degree murder case against Clenney.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, the couple had dated for two years and lived together for a few months. According to Miami-Dade prosecutors, the pair had been involved in an “extremely tempestuous and combative” relationship.

Miami Police bodycam video shows officers responding to the condo building after a domestic dispute was called in just two days before the fatal stabbing. She told officers that Obumseli attempted to attack her and pleaded with them for a restraining order against him.

In response to the recordings, Clenney’s attorneys released a statement Wednesday identifying their client as a domestic violence victim who acted in self-defense when she punctured Obumseli’s chest with a knife.

“She’s not going to trial for her lifestyle, her previous arguments, or recorded rants. She is going to trial for defending herself against a violent struggle with her ex-boyfriend for which she feared for her life; Courtney is a victim of domestic abuse,” the statement read, per NBC Miami.

“Snapshots of ‘evidence’ without any context will prevent our client from receiving a fair trial, where the evidence will show that Courtney acted in self-defense.”

‘I’m Alive’: Al B. Sure! Is On the Mend After Waking From Two-Month Coma
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2022

‘I’m Alive’: Al B. Sure! Is On the Mend After Waking From Two-Month Coma

Singer/radio host Al B. Sure! is awake and reportedly healing after spending two months in a coma. The singer’s son was the first to reveal his health condition.

On Wednesday, a rep for the singer, real name Albert Joseph Brown III, announced that he is “making strides towards recovery” after a health condition landed him in the hospital, ET reports.

“I can confirm on record that Al B Sure was in a coma for the past two months, and he is now making strides towards recovery,” Al’s rep said.

Al’s son, Albert Brown IV, was the first to share the news on his birthday on Sunday after posting a tribute to his father on Instagram instead of the traditional birthday post.

 

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“Thank your every 1 for the bday wishes!! been kinda out of it and in my own world!! @officialalbsure POPS BEEN hospitalized FOR 2 months and he just made it out!!” the post revealed.

“So I’m much better and ready to get back on my sh*t! It’s time to get the f**k up pop!! We got Sh*t to do!!!! And countries to visit! Thank u for all the concerns and worries about my family!,” Al B Sure Jr. wrote, alongside several photos of him and his father.”

He continued.

“Today is my day but this is for my pops! All I want for him is to get out that f**kin hospital!!”

“We need u big homie!! I love all of y’all! And appreciate all of u! And every 1 I touched and shared energy with around the world on my krazy journey! This for y’all!! and to my family I love y’all so much! Thanks for motivating me and making me feel loved always! And mom u are the greatest mom ever!!! And imma make u proud everyday! @anniemac1965.”

On Monday, Al B. Sure! took to Twitter to update fans after he woke from the coma.

“A very humble thank you for the prayers my @WBLS1075NYC family,” the radio host wrote.

“I’m alive, awake, on the mend. Submissively grateful! #AllPraiseisDuetoAllah,” he tweeted. “I’ll share more of my health experience soon in hopes to encourage us all to stay on top of our #HealthandWellness #GoSeetheDoctor ❤️ ABS!.”

On Wednesday, he shared a video collage showing his two-month journey in the hospital.

 

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“I will start with #AllPraiseisDuetoAllah. I thank You for granting me life, this opportunity and platform to share my journey with those who are genuinely invested with care and concern for my #health & wellbeing,” he shared in the caption.

A second video showed Al’s experience undergoing dialysis after accumulating excess fluid in his lungs.

 

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He ended with a third video expressing his gratitude to be alive following an intense health scare.

“I have a very humbling, newfound respect for the # Nurse’s # RN’s & # Doctor’s that are on the #frontline and there around the clock making certain that all is well,” he wrote.

 

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Jay Z
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2022

Spirits Brand Bacardi Accuses Rapper Jay-Z of Reneging on Sale of 50 Percent Stake in D’Ussé Cognac Brand

Bacardi strikes back! The partnership between hip-hop billionaire Jay-Z‘s SC Liquors and Bacardi appears to be coming to a messy end.

Jay-Z is partners with Bacardi through the cognac brand D’Usse. According to TMZ, the controversy came after the Empire State of Mind lyricist questioned the amount of money the cognac brand made.

In court papers, Bacardi’s subsidiary, Empire Investments, stated that Jay-Z and the company had a “handshake deal” last December where Empire Investments agreed to purchase his 50 percent stake in the cognac brand. Now, the company claims that the rapper “abruptly reneged on its agreement and doubled its demanded valuation.” No amounts were revealed.
Empire Investments revealed in court documents that Jay-Z was given more than 800 pages of financial records to review. Last month, it was reported that the J to the Izzo rapper, who has been 50/50 partners with Bacardi since 2011, requested that Bacardi hand over all financial books and records relating to D’Usse.SC Liquor also asked for the location of all associated warehouses keeping the brand’s barrels, bottles, and accessories in inventory. Within that demand, SC Liquors requested all information concerning Bacardi’s physical inventory and its inventory process. The lawsuit stated that SC Liquor needs to “monitor the conduct of [Bacardi’s] business to protect SC’s rights as” a partner in the company.

A hearing is scheduled for Friday, November 4 in New York.Jay-Z is doing fine with his other liquor brand, Ace of Spades. Last year, he sold a 50 percent stake in the champagne to Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.

The business acumen of Jay-Z has been particularly stellar as of late as BLACK ENTERPRISE reported that he is the wealthiest rapper on the list of Hip-Hop’s Wealthiest Artists of 2022 with a reported value of $1.5 billion, the highest he has accumulated since becoming part of the billionaires club.

Chadwick Boseman’s Wife Simone Opens Up About the Most Challenging Two Years Of Her Life
by Stacy Jackson

November 3, 2022

Chadwick Boseman’s Wife Simone Opens Up About the Most Challenging Two Years Of Her Life

Chadwick Boseman‘s wife opened up two years after the tragic death shocked the world.

Simone Ledward Boseman discussed her husband’s legacy and the two ‘most ‘challenging years of her life in an exclusive interview with Whoopi Goldberg that aired on Good Morning America on Tuesday.

“Some days, I’m doing worse than I’m really willing to acknowledge. Other days, I’m doing better than I feel comfortable admitting,” Ledward Boseman shared in the interview.

According to People, Ledward Boseman shared that a decline in her husband’s health began during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Black Panther alum was going into his fourth year battling colon cancer when he died at 43 in August 2020.

“It seemed like, ‘Is this a crazy coincidence?’ That we get to actually be inside, we get to be here with family, you know, together, and everybody in the world is also experiencing this togetherness in the midst of this awful, scary, unpredictable time,” she reflected.

During the interview, she recalled how tight they kept their circle in a careful attempt to keep his health issues private.

“There was always some level of concern,” she said. “But we really do have a very, very trusted circle of people that were there to support him, and support me, and help us, you know, do the best that we could with the challenging time.”

According to Good Morning America, she was with her late husband for about two years before his diagnosis.

“I think that the hardest thing was wondering if he was going to have enough time to do all the work that he wanted to do because he was very clear on what he needed to do,” she said.

“He was the person everybody went to, and I’m sure that was exhausting for him,” she continued as she reflected on how he was a lifeline for others who looked to him for advice. However, she was aware that her late husband needed answers for himself.

People reported that the former King T’challa actor’s legacy continues through a scholarship created by Howard University, his alma mater.

“We have four scholars. One of them graduated this past year and was very proud to be the first graduating Boseman scholar of the first graduating class of the Chadwick Boseman College of Fine Arts,” she said.

Ledward Boseman said she would continue his legacy, taking the mantle through the scholarship program and expanding it to as many people as possible.

Family of Black Fifth Grader Who Committed Suicide After Being Bullied in School Files $14M Claim
by Stacy Jackson

November 3, 2022

Family of Black Fifth Grader Who Committed Suicide After Being Bullied in School Files $14M Claim

A family is stopping at nothing to seek justice for their 10-year-old who committed suicide.

The family of Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor, a Black fifth grader who died from suicide last year, has filed a $14 million lawsuit against her school, claiming the poor response to reports of her being bullied over her race and disabilities led to her death.

According to U.S. News & World Report, attorneys appointed as representatives for Brittany Tichenor-Cox, Izzy’s mother, are seeking $14 million in damages for her daughter’s 2021 death. The family says the school violated state and federal laws that promise equal treatment, educational opportunities, and protection for homeless students.

“As a result of this unchecked bullying and the school’s overall ‘deliberate indifference’ to minority students, Izzy failed nearly all her classes. At the time of her death, she could barely read or do math on a first-grade level,” the claim states.

According to KSL, defendants in the case include Foxboro Elementary School in North Salt Lake City, Utah, the school’s director and principal, along with the Davis County School District, the school board, and superintendent. They have 60 days to respond before the family can officially file the lawsuit.

“The Davis School District sends its sincere, heartfelt condolences to the family of Izzy Tichenor,” the district said in a statement later on Wednesday.

“As we approach the anniversary of her passing, we are mindful of the impact she’s left on the community. We love Izzy and our focus and energy remain devoted to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students. We appreciate the interest on the case, but until we carefully review it and confer with legal counsel, our district will not be able to comment further.”

As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, an investigative report was commissioned earlier this year by the Davis School District in Farmington, Utah, and found that the fifth grader had been bullied by her classmates and teachers. It also found that Foxboro failed to take action after Tichenor’s mother said the child was being bullied. No direct evidence found linked the bullying to Tichenor’s race or disability; Izzy’s family said she had autism.

Naomi Osaka Partners With Mental Health Wellness Brand Hyperice
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2022

Naomi Osaka Partners With Mental Health Wellness Brand Hyperice

Tennis phenom Naomi Osaka has brought awareness to mental health after admitting that she has struggled with hers. Now she has partnered with a wellness brand to help you with your mental health.

Hyperice, a global high-performance wellness brand, has announced a partnership with Osaka. The collaboration has launched a guided meditation narrated by the four-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“I want to be a voice in helping those who may not be as open when it comes to the topic of mental health,” said Osaka in a written statement. “I hope the meditation I co-developed with Modern Health can inspire those to start a practice of their own as it has helped me so much in my mental health journey. I’m excited to combine my long-time support of Hyperice with my advocacy role at Modern Health to help make mental health practices more accessible and approachable for everyone.”

The narrated meditation “Relax with Naomi” includes the tennis star giving instructions and encouraging users to breathe in concert with gentle high and low tones. It can be obtained in the Core App and was developed by the global workplace mental health platform, Modern Health.

“Our mission is to make excellent mental health care more accessible for people across the globe,” commented Alyson Watson, founder & CEO of Modern Health.

“We are delighted to offer one of our meditations co-created between our clinical experts and our chief community health advocate, Naomi Osaka, to Hyperice users to further that mission and normalize the topic of mental health in communities around the world.”

This is Osaka’s latest business move outside the confines of the tennis court.

In August, the company she started, KINLÒ, incorporated five college student-athletes for her inaugural #GlowOutside campaign. She secured NIL brand partnerships with five college athletes aimed at educating communities of color about the importance of year-round SPF use for melanin-rich skin, according to a press release. 

Those athletes are Deja Kelly, the University of North Carolina (basketball);  Reilyn Turner, UCLA (soccer); Robert Dillingham, University of Kentucky (basketball): Xolani Hodel, Stanford University (beach volleyball); and Ziyah Holman, University of Michigan (track and field).

Kamala Harris, Black Men Vote Pac, Harris Economy, Harris
by Derek Major

November 3, 2022

Vice President Kamala Harris Announces $13 Billion Plan To Combat High Energy Costs From Low Winter Temperatures

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced new steps that the Biden administration will take to help lower energy costs for Americans this winter.

ABC News reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will provide $4.5 billion in assistance to help with heating costs for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The program has helped more than 5 million households across the country with their heating, cooling, and weatherization, according to the White House.

“In addition to covering home heating costs this winter and unpaid utility bills, the program will help families make cost-effective home energy repairs to lower their heating and cooling bills,” the White House said in a release.

The U.S. Department of Energy will reportedly allocate $9 billion in funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to help upgrade more than 1 million homes across the U.S. and decrease their energy bills. The funds will be used for two rebate programs: one for whole-home energy efficiency retrofits and one for highly efficient and electric home appliances.

“In addition to lowering costs, energy-efficient and electric building and appliance upgrades can reduce indoor and local outdoor air pollution, improving health in our communities,” the White House said.

“In addition, they will cut millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year to help tackle climate change.”

Harris discussed the measure during a White House press conference on Wednesday.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), almost half of U.S. households are heated using natural gas and their bills could increase by almost 30% this winter. Heating oil prices will increase by 27% and electricity prices will jump by 10%.

There are a number of factors contributing to the increase in energy costs, including inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine War which is entering its ninth month and shows no signs of slowing down.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting drier than average conditions this winter across the South and wetter than average conditions for the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northern Rocky Mountains, and Pacific Northwest.

Oil CEOs are also beginning to caution people about the winter of 2023, which they’re expecting to be much worse.

“We’ve got a difficult winter ahead, and subsequent to that we’ve got a more difficult winter in the year ahead of that, because the production that is available to Europe in the first half of 2023 is considerably less than the production we had available to us in the first half of 2022,” Russell Hardy, CEO of major oil trader Vitol, told CNBC.

“So the consequences of energy shortage and therefore price escalation, all of the things that have been discussed here about the cost of living, the expectation of problems ahead, clearly need to be thought about in that context.”

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