• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 19, 2023

Music Producer Mike WiLL Made-It To Set The Beat Again For The NBA on ESPN

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Music producer Mike WiLL Made-It will again curate music for ESPN’s NBA telecasts during the 2023-24 season.

The first song released by ESPN via Giant Music is the new single “Different Breed” featuring Latto and Swae Lee. The track was released as the initial NBA tip-off TV spot to promote the upcoming NBA season on the Oct. 16’s Monday Night Football. It will continue to air across the network’s various platforms until the season-opening game on Oct. 25.

“This is the perfect partnership because I make the music people want to ball to,”  said Mike WiLL Made-It in a written statement.

This is the third year that the network is using this initiative that features music artists and producers in remixing and producing music around NBA moments with ESPN. Mike WiLL Made-It will be producing tracks during the season, in particular, highlighting the inaugural NBA In-season Tournament, the Christmas Day slate of games, Saturday Primetime match-ups, as well as the NBA Play-in Tournament, NBA Playoffs, and the NBA Finals.

“It didn’t take us long to figure out that Atlanta music, Mike WiLL, and NBA on ESPN were a strong cultural fit,” said Curtis Friends, vice president of sports marketing, ESPN. “Mike WiLL Made-It” is cooking up his recipe for the NBA on ESPN custom music strategy that will set the tone for fans throughout the season.”

Mike WiLL Made-It has worked with the likes of Lil-Uzi Vert, Kendrick Lamar, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, and Future.

Matt LaMotte, managing director of Giant Music, said, “As an independent record label, nothing excites us more than collaboration and creativity. We couldn’t ask for better creative partners than Mike WiLL and ESPN.”

Last year, the NBA on ESPN custom music strategy featured Ty Dolla $ign, Janelle Monáe, G Eazy, Myke Towers, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.

Trey Songz has been sued by two women who claimed the rapper performed nonconsensual sexual acts on them at his August 2015 birthday party in his Los Angeles mansion.

The singer is accused of sexual assault and battery according to legal documents, TMZ reported. Songz allegedly took advantage of the women after inviting them to his mansion in June 2015 after they attended his concert.

Songz’s attorney, Michael Freedman, called the suit “yet another example of nearly decade-old allegations being repurposed to take advantage of California’s constitutionally questionable new lookback window.”

The women maintained contact with the hitmaker, who invited them to attend his birthday party at his Los Angeles home in August. According to the lawsuit, there were fewer men at the event than women at the birthday bash.

Upon arriving at the birthday party, the plaintiffs claim Songz confiscated their cellphones and locked them away in a safe after they gave a password to enter the building. They accused the “I Invented Sex” crooner of forcing them to drink alcohol “under duress.” The women noted that the liquor bottles weren’t sealed and could have possibly been spiked with drugs based on how they felt after drinking a “moderate” amount.

Songz allegedly led them to a bedroom, where they claimed they woke up to see the naked singer forcing himself on them. One woman claimed he performed nonconsensual oral sex on her. The other woman alleged Songz forced his fingers inside her vagina and bit her nipple.

The plaintiffs said they declined to shower with Songz following a demand to get in the tub with him. According to the lawsuit, Songz was enraged by their rejection and yelled for them to leave the mansion.

“You are little f****** girls, get the f*** out of my house.”

“We look forward to vindicating Trey on the merits in court,” Freedman said. Songz has faced similar allegations, including one involving Keke Palmer in 2015.

The Virginia native has been off the music scene since his Back Home album in 2020. His net worth is around $12 million, according to Sportskeeda.

• News

by Iman Milner

October 19, 2023

Patrick Mahomes Wants To Own an NFL Team After He Retires

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Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is already making plans for when his illustrious football career eventually comes to an end. The 28-year-old two-time Super Bowl champion has NFL ownership in his sights, TMZ reports.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, news of Mahomes joining an ownership group of celebrity backers of the Formula One Alpine team began to spread, prompting the NFL star to talk about other planned investments.

“I think Tom [Brady] is trying to do it right now, but that’s definitely where you want to get to,” Mahomes said in reference to someday owning an NFL franchise. “I love this sport and want to give back in any way possible. When I’m done playing, obviously, I’ll be a Chiefs fan, but at the same time I want to have that competitive edge I’ve always had my entire life.”

Currently, the league does not allow active players to join ownership of any teams; however, Mahomes has already ventured out into other sports. He has stakes in the Milwaukee Brewers as well as women’s soccer team, The Kansas City Current.

• Women

by Stacy Jackson

October 19, 2023

Black Women More Likely To Forego Unpaid Maternity Leave Out Of Necessity, Study Finds

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A study from Annuity.org on maternity leave found women were the breadwinners in two-thirds of American families, but for 80% of Black women who bring in the most money, 4 out of 10 opt out of unpaid maternity leave after giving birth. 

Researchers emphasized the gender disparities when it came to paid parental leave provisions. With women being the majority of breadwinners in their families, paid leave is significant to their financial status and likelihood of returning to work. Although women provide substantial financial support to their families, they are the one most likely to reduce working hours or not return to work. If a woman is a recipient of paid family leave, they are 93% more likely to return to work. As far as income goes, “one additional month of paid parental leave can boost a mother’s income by 7%.”

The study also revealed this bombshell: “Black women lose an estimated $3.9 billion in income each year to unpaid or poorly paid leave.”

Paid family leave can impact a child’s well-being based on the support provided to mothers. Receiving paid leave has financial benefits for expecting mothers and increases emotional support when fathers are permitted to receive paid family leave. 

The study found that Oregon, Washington, and New York are the top three states for paid family leave. Oregon’s paid leave policy was enacted in January 2023; however, expecting individuals couldn’t apply for the benefits until September 2023.

“Oregon offers 12 weeks of paid leave, earning 100% of an individual’s average weekly wage (AWW) up to 65% of the state’s average weekly wage (SAWW) of $1,224.82. After that, individuals earn 50% of their AWW for income over 65% of the SAWW ($796.13) up to a maximum $1,446 weekly benefit,” according to Annuity.org. 

Among the states with the least supportive paid family leave policies are Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, respectively. Mississippi, in particular, does not offer any paid leave protections, while Arkansas offers the lowest wages for paid leave, and the state does not have laws to protect paid leave.

The implications of this study show differences in paid leave based on race and socioeconomic status. The study reveals that people of color and low-income individuals are the least likely to reap the benefits allotted by the Family Medical Leave Act due to higher ineligibility rates. 

The rates of FMLA ineligibility are as follows: 55% Native American, Pacific Islander, or multiracial workers, 48% Latinx workers, 47% Asian American workers, 43% Black workers, and 42% white workers. 

In 1993, FMLA was established to provide employees meeting specific requirements with unpaid time off while maintaining health insurance coverage for “12 work-weeks in 12 months to care for a newborn or newly adopted/fostered child,” according to Annuity.org. 

However, paid parental leave is not guaranteed in the U.S. as the country does not offer federal protections. Thus, expecting families must consider parental leave options offered based on state policies and benefits provided by employers.

RELATED CONTENT: Women Are Crowdfunding Their Maternity Leave in Droves

• News

by Iman Milner

October 19, 2023

Taye Diggs’ Ex-Wife Says Black People Were Disappointed He Married A ‘Little White Jewish Girl’

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Broadway star and ex-wife of Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, says the “interracial aspect” of the pair’s relationship was a big contributor to their 2013 divorce, USA Today reports.

In an interview on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, the actress detailed the struggle she and Diggs endured as his prominence as a Black leading man began to grow.

”[Taye] was on the cover of Essence and Ebony, and being interviewed by all of these Black journalists, and I think he had his own stuff to deal with, with that,” Menzel, 52, said. “And it seemed like there was some disappointment in the community with him, because he was married to a little white Jewish girl.”

The pair met as actors in the groundbreaking and controversial Broadway play Rent in 1995, a show that would make both Menzel and Diggs respected and in-demand performers. However, the acceptance of the fine arts community was not the same in the world at large, according to Menzel.

“So, I took that on, too. That was stuff we had to deal with,” she added. “It was less about being successful and more about that stuff.” Diggs and Menzel were married in 2003. She gave birth to their first son, Walker, in 2009.

The pair did go in separate directions career-wise. Diggs carved out an impressive filmography while Menzel remained true to her Broadway roots and provided the voice of Queen Elsa in the massively popular Frozen movies. “He was always so supportive and probably relieved so he didn’t have to feel like he was overshadowing in some way or taking up too much space,” Menzel said.

Currently, Diggs is dating reality TV star Apryl Jones, with whom he regularly makes social media content. Menzel remarried in 2017 to actor Aaron Lohr.

RELATED CONTENT: OMARION RECALLS MEETING TAYE DIGGS WHILE CO-PARENTING WITH APRYL JONES, ‘HE SEEMS LIKE A COOL DUDE’

Yung Joc is under fire for saying he’s “not comfortable” performing for an LGBTQ+ audience since he believes men will look at him with “lustful eyes.”

The “It’s Goin’ Down” rapper recently appeared on Vlad TV, explaining why he would turn down $250,000 if ever asked to perform at an LBGTQ+ event. The reality television star and radio host was responding to Boosie’s recent revelation of turning down an invite to perform at an LGBTQ event that would have paid him that amount.

“Ain’t nobody ever gave me $250,000 for a show, ever in my career,” Joc said. “Don’t get me wrong, if somebody called me today, ‘Yo, man. We’ll give you a quarter million…Nah, I may not do it either.”

“It’s not that I have nothing against the LGBTQ people. But I just may not understand,” he continued.

“I may not be in the know enough to feel comfortable enough to do this. Nah, because I don’t want to start doing that. Maybe I don’t want to be comfortable with this lifestyle. Is that OK?”

He also expressed his discomfort if men looked at him with “lustful eyes.” Once a clip from the interview made the rounds on social media, Joc faced criticism from many for his views.

Rapper Yung Joc says he wouldn’t take $250k to perform at an LGBT event because he’s “not comfortable with that lifestyle” or men looking at him with “lustful eyes” https://t.co/TYGdghXgEq

— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) October 18, 2023

“I’m trying to figure out who would pay HIM for an event in 2023??? Chile…..” one user wrote.

“Does anyone look at him with sex eyes? Like… anyone??” another user asked.

This isn’t the first time Joc has expressed his misunderstanding of the gay community. In August, Joc faced criticism when questioning why anyone would come out as gay.

“My only question is why do people have to come out,” he said. “I be like, ‘Damn, today is the day you want to come out? Why you want to come out?’ For me, I get a lot of tension when I have this conversation with people. I always ask, ‘What’s your sexuality got to do with what the fu*k we got going on?'”

“Hey guy, if you wanna su*k some pe*is, do that! That’s your fu*king business… Why does everybody have to come out and be like, ‘Hey, I’m gay!”

RELATED CONTENT: Boosie Badazz Turned Down $250K To Perform At LGBTQ Event

• Arts and Culture

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 19, 2023

Deion Sanders To Share Playbook For Life In Upcoming Book

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The winning ways of NFL Hall of Famer Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders will soon be available for public consumption.

The Colorado Buffaloes football coach’s second book, Elevate and Dominate: 21 Ways to Win On and Off the Field,” will be released March 12, 2024, according to The Associated Press. It will be published by Gallery Books imprint 13a.

Deion Sanders writing a book set for 2024 release https://t.co/GYY8wh2OYj

— ColoradoBuffaloesWire (@BuffaloesWire) October 18, 2023

“Success isn’t just about what you achieve between the lines on game day or stacking up money that you may never get to fully enjoy. It’s about winning in ALL ASPECTS of life,” Sanders said in a written statement. “From the mindset you cultivate, the discipline you uphold, and your faith in God–champions aren’t born; they’re made, day by day, choice by choice and decision by decision. You’ve got to BE CONSISTENT and BELIEVE every darn step of the way.”

Sanders will offer motivational stories and personal strategies for readers to do better at life, work, relationships, and more. Sanders’ first offering was released in 1999, Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life while he was still playing in the NFL.

Sanders was hired to take over the University of Colorado after two successful seasons coaching at Jackson State University. The Buffaloes only won one game last season, but Sanders has already led the team to four wins in seven games, including an opening season win over nationally ranked TCU. It’s safe to say that Coach Prime has more than exceeded expectations.

The coach has set the college football world ablaze with his ability to get so much out of his players. Perhaps the book will offer clues on how readers can utilize his techniques to accomplish more in life.

RELATED CONTENT: To Date, Deion Sanders Has Generated Over $90M For The University Of Colorado Boulder

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

October 19, 2023

Presidential Candidate Cornel West Receives Huge Donation From GOP Donor Harlan Crow

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Fundraising reports from independent presidential candidate Cornel West show he received a max donation from GOP donor Harlan Crow, NBC News reports. 

Crow, surrounded by controversy involving Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, gave West a $3,300 donation in August 2023, just a few weeks before West switched from the Green Party to the Independent Party. The GOP megadonor called the Ivy League professor “a good friend.”

The self-proclaimed “non-Marxist socialist” dodged questions about whether his campaign would consider support from President Joe Biden after calling the political two-party system an “impediment for the flower of American democracy” during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press NOW.” “The vast number of voters who would vote for the Green Party and myself either would not vote at all, or would never, ever, ever vote for Biden or Trump,” West said.

“There’s this narrative, I think it’s a false narrative, thinking somehow they’re choosing between Biden and myself. No, not really, they’ve given up on Biden.”

West first announced his presidential bid in June 2023 under the “The People’s Party,” but shortly after, he joined the Green Party, claiming to have better ballot access. Being critical of both Democratic and Republican parties, West said he ran Green because “neither party is speaking to the pressing needs of poor and working people,” the outlet reports.

According to recent polls, Biden is coming close to former President Donald Trump, raising concerns about third-party candidates making their way to the Oval Office. Close to 15% of registered voters admitted to being open to voting for a third party or independent candidate if the choice was provided. Now, as an independent candidate, West hopes to provide change for potential voters. “People are hungry for change,” he said in a video posted to X.

“I’m running as an Independent candidate for President of the United States to end the iron grip of the ruling class and ensure true democracy!”

People are hungry for change. They want good policies over partisan politics. We need to break the grip of the duopoly and give power to the people. I’m running as an Independent candidate for President of the United States to end the iron grip of the ruling class and ensure true… pic.twitter.com/34FFQARTEe

— Cornel West (@CornelWest) October 5, 2023

Crow, who reportedly gave lavish gifts and trips to Justice Thomas, seems generous with his donations. According to the Daily Beast, the megadonor gave funds to GOP candidate Chris Christie in quarter three of 2023. The campaigns of fellow candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis were also provided donations.

RELATED CONTENT: DR. CORNEL WEST RESIGNS FROM HARVARD UNIVERSITY, BLASTS RACISM AND ‘SPIRITUAL ROT’ AT SCHOOL

• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

October 19, 2023

New Report Alleges Ongoing Discrimination Against Voucher-Holding Tenants in NYC

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New York City landlords and real estate brokers stand accused of discrimination against tenants relying on government subsidies, according to an October report released by Unlock NYC, a tech nonprofit specializing in housing issues, as reported by Gothamist.

The report exposes 23 corporate owners and real estate firms allegedly responsible for discriminating against government assistance recipients more than 10 times since 2018.

“We are in the throes of a devastating homelessness crisis,” said Manon Vergerio, an advocate with Unlock NYC, during a press conference at City Hall Park. “We need to aggressively tackle the barriers that are standing in the way between New Yorkers and stable homes.”

City and state laws prohibit discrimination based on the source of income, including vouchers used to subsidize rent. The city’s Commission on Human Rights is responsible for enforcing these laws, but advocates argue for more stringent enforcement measures.

“We want to see astronomical fines, more apartment units set aside for voucher holders as a form of repair, and broker licenses revoked,” Manon said.

The report identifies several landlords and brokerage firms as the worst offenders in this regard, including Goldfarb Properties, Chestnut Holdings, Parkchester, and the Parkoff Organization, along with 19 brokerage firms.

Kamilah Newton, a 28-year-old resident, shared her arduous five-year struggle to secure housing for herself and her two children. “It turns out nobody wants vouchers, as one bold broker put it,” she said.

The report is based on a crowdsourced database from more than 500 residents who reported discrimination. Landlords allegedly employed various tactics, including setting minimum income or credit requirements, adding arbitrary fees, failing to attend viewings, or ceasing communication once a tenant mentioned their voucher.

New York City Council member Pierina Sanchez underscored the importance of expanding housing access to provide stable living conditions and to enhance community safety. She noted that housing discrimination against voucher holders is so widespread that many affected individuals may not even realize they are being discriminated against.

As the issue of housing discrimination continues to impact NYC residents, advocates are calling for strengthened enforcement measures to ensure fair access to housing for all.

RELATED CONTENT: DISABLED BLACK GRANDMA FILES $100 MILLION LAWSUIT AGAINST LANDLORDS FOR UNLAWFUL, RACIST EVICTION

• Celebrity News

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 19, 2023

‘I Am Going To Show Up For Her For Rest Of My Life’: Will Smith Joins Wife Jada Pinkett Smith On Her Book Tour Stop In Baltimore

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Will Smith joined wife Jada Pinkett Smith in Baltimore as part of the press tour for her memoir, Worthy, calling their relationship “brutal and beautiful” as he celebrated her book.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the event was very personal Pinkett Smith, a Baltimore native. After speaking to attendees at Enoch Pratt Free Library about the book, the 52-year-old surprised fans of the famous family as Will and their two children, Willow and Jaden, in addition to Will’s oldest son, Trey, from his first marriage, stepped on the stage.

Although their appearance came at the end of the event, Will Smith had plenty to say.

“I just really wanted to come out and just be here and hold it down for you the way you have held it down for me,” he said. He then revealed that the evolution of their relationship has been both brutal and beautiful, blending the two words to say “brutiful.”

However, where they currently stand in a good place.

“And as I stand here before you today, I am happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life,” shared the seemingly doting husband. “I have achieved every single thing I have ever wanted in my entire life. There is not one thing left that I desire in this world—all of the awards, all of the money, the family—everything I’ve ever dreamed.”

He noted that this was all due to Jada’s willingness to make that happen, including ensuring that his blended family was on good terms.

“And those dreams were largely built on the foundation of Jada’s sacrifices. There were many times when Jada put her career aside so I could follow the dreams of mine,” stated the Oscar winner.

This public acknowledgment comes after anecdotes from Worthy revealed the inner-workings of their relationship, as discontentment in their union led them to separate in 2016. As the longtime couple navigates their marriage, Smith made it clear he’s there for Pinkett Smith.