Rihanna, Eminem, Monster
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 27, 2025

Rihanna, Eminem Score A Billion Views On 2013 Collaborative Song, ‘Monster’

It's the second time the duo hit that number; 2010's 'Love the Way You Lie,' was the first song that hit one billion views.

Songstress Rihanna and rapper Eminem have created another “Monster.” YouTube announced that the duo’s second collaborative hit has reached a billion views.

According to Billboard, after releasing the song and video for “The Monster” over 10 years ago in 2013, the pair reached over a billion views. The song appeared on the rapper’s “The Marshall Mathers LP2.” The record was a No. 1 hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks after its release.

That was not the first time that Rihanna and Eminem struck that magic number as a duo on YouTube. “Love the Way You Lie,” which appeared on Eminem’s 2010 album “Recovery,” reached that milestone and currently has over 3 billion views.

The Bajan beauty has 12 songs that have been seen over a billion times on the video platform. Slim Shady has nine videos that have eclipsed the billion mark.

Although Rihanna has been spending her time in the boardroom as an executive for her Fenty brand, music lovers are still listening to her songs, despite her not releasing an album in nearly 10 years. Hot97 recently reported that the “Umbrella” singer is the top Black female artist on Spotify, with over 101 million monthly listeners.

In a recent social media post, the singer thanked her fans for being with her since she left Barbados to embark on her musical journey.

“20 years ago, I left my country, my culture, my food, and family to embark on a journey that started with the release of my very first body of music! So many of you were a part of my life and career since the very beginning, and some of you have joined the adventure along the way. I’m forever grateful to all of you. Each of you played a very crucial role in where this journey has taken me thus far! I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you! Thank you for the greatest first 20 years ever!”

RELATED CONTENT: Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Foundation Named One Of Greatest Inventions By Time Magazine

ICE, lightfoot, Chicago
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 26, 2025

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Wants To ‘Unmask’ ICE

Lightfoot and a group of attorneys have put together a nonprofit organization named 'The ICE Accountability Project.'

To combat the alleged illegal actions of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the rounding up of immigrants in Chicago, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and a group of attorneys have put together a nonprofit organization named “The ICE Accountability Project.”

According to Fox 32 Chicago, Lightfoot said that organization will serve as as a website and “central repository” to track moves made by ICE agents in their pursuit of people they claim are in the country illegally. The move has been made during the government’s planned “Operation Midway Blitz.”

“We want to create a centralized archive of all the purported criminal actions of ICE and CBP agents,” Lightfoot said. “We want to create a portal where what’s happening in real time can be centralized and put out for the public to view.”

The group plans to “unmask” unidentified agents working for ICE, but not reveal personal information such as names or identities. They will identify physical traits, clothing, and vehicles of the people involved in the alleged illegal actions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said there has been a 1,000% increase in threats against federal agents.

“They are on public property out in the open,” she said. “We have an absolute right under our constitution to document what’s happening.”

After Lightfoot appeared on The Chicago Report, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a threat toward Lighthfoot.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the Lori Lightfoot video was just now on your show,” she stated while appearing on Fox News. “She will be getting a letter from us tomorrow to preserve anything she has done as well, to make sure that she’s not violating the law. It appears she is. You cannot disclose the identity of a federal agent—where they live, anything that could harm them.”

RELATED CONTENT: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Highlights The ‘Ancestors’ In Push For A General Strike

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Trump, ballroom, DC Hillbillies
by Mary Spiller

October 26, 2025

‘Come And Listen To A Story ’Bout A Man Named Trump’: $300M White House Ballroom Inspires Jasmine Crockett’s ‘D.C. Hillbillies’ Parody

Crockett trolls Trump—again!

As the nation suffers through its second-longest government shutdown, President Donald Trump is overseeing a reportedly $300 million construction project to add a grand ballroom to the White House, a move that has ignited frustration across social media as millions of Americans face food insecurity.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) responded to the news online.

Recent demolition photos of the East Wing, which went viral this week, show major renovations already underway. The timing of the project has drawn sharp criticism, especially as 25 states are expected to suspend SNAP benefits in November, leaving many families uncertain about where their next meal will come from.

Crockett took to TikTok to mock the construction with a parody video titled “The D.C. Hillbillies: Orange Edition,” riffing on the theme song to the classic 1960s sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. The clip features footage of the East Wing being torn apart while “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”—the show’s theme song—plays in the background.

Crockett captioned the post with a biting remark: “Families can’t afford groceries but sure, let’s build a ballroom.”

The parody quickly gained traction online, with many users applauding the congresswoman’s choice of song and its pointed commentary on political priorities.

The lyrics—“Come and listen to a story ‘bout a man named Jed, poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed”—resonated with viewers who saw irony in celebrating luxury while millions struggle with rising costs and halted assistance programs.

While the White House has not commented on the project, the images of construction juxtaposed with the ongoing shutdown have fueled outrage, reinforcing public perception of a widening gap between Washington’s leadership and the everyday struggles of American families.

Users online have also offered their support for Crockett.

One online user wrote, “Jasmine Crockett is trolling Trump like Gavin Newsom is and everyone is loving it! What Trump did to the East wing is an absolute disgrace especially since most Americans believe it was planned ahead of time and no mistake! I’m curious who’s paying the extra $50 million now!”

Others chimed in on the demolition and how reflective it is of his recent behavior.

RELATED CONTENT: Jasmine Crockett Hints At Becoming Third Black Woman To Sit In The U.S. Senate

Nikole Hannah-Jones, literary salon, Brooklyn
by Kandiss Edwards

October 26, 2025

Nikole Hannah-Jones Looks To Spark A Brooklyn Renaissance With Soon-to-Open Literary Salon

The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of the '1619 Project' hopes to open North Star Books + Bar in early 2026.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and creator of the “1619 Project,” Nikole Hannah-Jones is opening The North Star Books + Bar, a literary salon in Brooklyn. 

North Star Books + Bar aims to honor Black writers, old and young, and create a space for community in the literary world. The salon will occupy a two-story brick building at the corner of Macon Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard. The building previously held long-standing Black-owned Macon Hardware.

The plan includes a space for micro-residencies so visiting writers can lead workshops, readings, and community engagement. 

Hannah-Jones, a Brooklyn resident for nearly 15 years, said she has hosted multiple writer salons in her home. She now wants to scale that energy into a dedicated public space for all. 

“I started holding these writers’ salons at my house within a year of moving to New York. I felt that young Black writers needed to have a place where they could be with their heroes, where we could do readings. At one of my early salons, Ta-Nehisi Coates read an early draft of his [2015 Pulitzer-nominated nonfiction book] Between the World and Me on my stoop…So I’ve been thinking for a long time about trying to open a public salon-style space that involved the greatest attributes of the Harlem Renaissance,” Jones told Harper’s Bazaar. 

While the opening date has not been finalized, organizers say the salon will begin programming in early 2026. Activities are expected to include author talks, community book clubs, and partnerships with local schools and cultural institutions to deepen literary engagement in the neighborhood.

Hannah-Jones emphasized that the salon is more than a bookstore or bar—it is set to become “a space where creative folks can come together and exchange knowledge, ideas, literature, art.” 

The writer and activist is committed to furthering the rich literary culture in New York, while cultivating cultural infrastructure in Black communities. The North Star Books + Bar is a small foothold for Black New Yorkers in a rapidly gentrifying borough, anchoring literature, culture and community in Bed-Stuy. 

RELATED CONTENT: 4 BLACK ENTERPRISE Books To Help Fuel Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

Jay-Z, Jay Z, paternity
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 26, 2025

Judge Allows Jay-Z’s Attorneys To Sanction Godmother Of Rymir Satterthwaite, Who Claimed Rapper Was His Father, In Failed Paternity Cases

According to court records, in 2022, a New Jersey judge barred Lillie Coley and Satterthwaite from filing new lawsuits in that state without obtaining the court's approval.

Roc Nation’s Jay-Z is looking like a “Teflon Don” in the case involving Rymir Satterthwaite, who claims to be the billionaire’s son. AllHipHop reports that a federal judge in California has rejected an emergency restraining order request by Satterthwaite’s godmother, Lillie Coley.

Satterthwaite has been trying for years to pin a paternity tag on Jay-Z, trying to obtain the businessman’s DNA to prove he is the father.

U.S. District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett denied Coley’s request to prevent Jay-Z’s attorneys from issuing what she describes as “retaliatory” sanctions against her for trying to prove his alleged paternity. 

She told the judge that she was being targeted because she had been advocating for Satterthwaite in his pursuit to find out if Jay is his father.

Earlier this year, in a lawsuit against the rapper, the 31-year-old Satterthwaite claimed Jay-Z had sexual relations with his mother, who is now deceased, in the 1990s. She was 16 and the rapper was 22 when the alleged incident occurred. He said he filed multiple paternity suits against the “Hard Knock Life” rapper but that all were dismissed.

The suit says Jay-Z has refused to submit to a DNA test, choosing “instead to obstruct and manipulate the legal process.” Satterthwaite has since dropped his lawsuit.

According to court records, in 2022, a New Jersey judge barred Coley and Satterthwaite from filing new lawsuits in that state without obtaining the court’s approval. The judge cited repeated attempts to litigate the paternity issue that failed.

The latest decision will allow Jay-Z’s attorneys to move forward with their efforts to penalize Coley over what has been described as “decades-long harassment,” according to court filings.

Jay-Z, of course, is now married to another superstar, Beyoncé. The couple has three children.

RELATED CONTENT: Jay-Z Says Paternity Suit Is Full Of ‘Fabricated Allegations’

remote work, microsoft
by Kandiss Edwards

October 26, 2025

Microsoft Latest Corporation Ordering Employees Back to the Office

Microsoft said employees who live within 50 miles of its Redmond campus will be expected on site at least three days a week by the end of February 2026.

Microsoft is the latest corporation to order employees back to the office.

In a memo posted to Microsoft Blog, Executive Vice President Amy Coleman laid out her reasoning for the change. Microsoft wants to return the days when employees “worked with the people right down the hall.” While stating the power of in-person community, the Sept. 9 memo also acknowledged that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence required an immediacy of attention that instant communication tools cannot replicate. 

“In the AI era, we are moving faster than ever, building world-class technology that changes how people live and work, and how organizations everywhere operate. If you reflect on our history, the most meaningful breakthroughs happen when we build on each other’s ideas together, in real time,” Coleman wrote.

Luckily for employees, the company is not calling for a five-day, in-person work week. Microsoft said employees who live within 50 miles of its Redmond campus will be expected on site at least three days a week by the end of February 2026. The policy will roll out in phases for other U.S. and international offices. 

The announcement comes on the heels of NBCUniversal giving its employees an ultimatum. In a memo that hybrid employees must be on-site Monday through Thursday beginning Jan. 5, 2026, workers who cannot comply may discuss a voluntary exit assistance package with human resources.

“We are better when we are together,” NBCU Chief Operating Officer Adam Miller wrote.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 40 million people are work-from-home employees, but as more companies demand employees return to the office, the change isn’t so easy. Employees at companies that tightened policies report having to rearrange childcare plans, relocate, or accept severance packages if they cannot comply.

As more companies insist “togetherness” is the way to success the debate over office presence and productivity is likely to persist. Employers say they want teams together to spark innovation. Employees say the modern workplace should respect proven hybrid practices that helped many balance work and life without harming their output.

RELATED CONTENT: What Employees Need To Know About After A Retun-To-Work Policy Resulted In A Major Lawsuit

Indianapolis, police, protest, ICE
by Mary Spiller

October 26, 2025

Bill Maher Questions Lack Of Black People At ‘No Kings’ Protests

'Here’s a question that I saw —I did not realize until it hit the news a lot—was that it was very white,' Maher said of the 'No Kings' protest movement.

During Oct. 24’s episode of “Real Time,” Bill Maher questioned why the nationwide “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump appeared to lack racial diversity. Maher pointed to a report from The Baltimore Sun, which noted that its photographers had difficulty finding Black demonstrators among the millions who gathered across the country.

“Here’s a question that I saw—I did not realize until it hit the news a lot was that it was very white. What do you make of that?” Maher asked panelist Michael Steele. “The guy in Baltimore, the paper there said, we struggled to find a picture of Black people in this march. I’m OK with that. I didn’t go and I feel like, well, you talk.”

Steele, the former Republican National Committee chairman, responded with humor before adding that he believed race should not overshadow the broader message of the movement. “That is a distraction for me to go down that road,” he said, arguing that the protests differ from deeper political issues between Democrats and Black voters.

“You look at the fact that in the first version of that, five million Americans showed up, this version seven-plus million—that’s a trend line that you pay attention to.”

Maher later speculated that fear of surveillance or professional repercussions might explain why fewer Black participants attended.

“In China, if they see you at a rally—and they always do because they have cameras everywhere—and they may have that here,” he said.“Maybe when I go into work, I’m not going to be welcome there. And I think Black folks have a greater understanding of this than the white folk, which is why they might not have shown up, and I don’t blame them.”

The “No Kings” demonstrations, which drew millions nationwide, were organized in response to concerns about democratic norms under Trump’s leadership.

RELATED CONTENT: Protesters Rally Again, Calling For ‘No Kings’ In America

doritos, gun, Baltimore
by Mary Spiller

October 26, 2025

Student Says He Was Handcuffed After Baltimore High School’s AI Security System Mistook Doritos Bag For Gun

'I was just holding a Doritos bag—it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun,' said the student, Taki Allen.

A Baltimore high school student says he was terrified after police officers approached him with guns drawn after an artificial intelligence (AI) system falsely identified his bag of Doritos as a firearm.

Taki Allen, a student at Kenwood High School, was sitting with friends outside the school Oct. 20 when police suddenly arrived, responding to what they believed was a report of an armed individual.

“At first, I didn’t know where they were going until they started walking toward me with guns, talking about, ‘Get on the ground,’ and I was like, ‘What?’” Allen told outlets, as reported by The Guardian.

Allen said the officers handcuffed and searched him before realizing he was unarmed. They later showed him the image that had triggered the AI system’s alert. “I was just holding a Doritos bag—it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun,” he said.

The incident stemmed from Baltimore County’s use of an AI-powered surveillance system that scans school security footage for what it interprets as weapons. The system pinged Allen. When the software flags a potential threat, it sends an automatic alert to school staff and law enforcement.

In a letter sent to families, school officials acknowledged the distress caused by the event.

“We understand how upsetting this was for the individual that was searched as well as the other students who witnessed the incident,” the letter read. “Our counselors will provide direct support to the students who were involved in this incident and are also available to speak with any student who may need support.”

The Baltimore County Police Department confirmed the false alarm, stating that “officers assigned to Precinct 11-Essex responded to Kenwood High School following a report of a suspicious person with a weapon. Once on scene, the person [Taki Allen] was searched and it was determined the subject was not in possession of any weapons.”

Allen’s grandfather, Lamont Davis, said he was shaken by the encounter. “Nobody wants this to happen to their child. No one wants this to happen,” he told outlets.

RELATED CONTENT: IBM Senior Engineer Says AI Empowers Systemic Racism

senate, Jasmine Crockett, texas, threat
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 26, 2025

Jasmine Crockett Hints At Becoming Third Black Woman To Sit In The U.S. Senate

'Every other day, there’s a poll that comes out that makes it clear that I can win the primary for the U.S. Senate race in Texas,' she said in a radio interview.

Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett is hinting at making a run for U.S. Senate, continuing her fight for her constituents in the 30th district, Politico reports. 

“Every other day, there’s a poll that comes out that makes it clear that I can win the primary for the U.S. Senate race in Texas,” Crockett said on Sirius XM’s The Lurie Daniel Favors Show. “And I am looking. Because if you want to take my seat of 766,000 away, I feel like there has to be some karma in that to where I take your seat that is for 30 million away.” 

If she won, Crockett would join two other Black women in the Senate—Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware— the most in the history of Congress.

While Crockett made headlines after dropping out of the race to become the top-ranking blue-party member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, nothing is stopping her from stepping up in the ranks of politics—including being a highly vocal critic of President Donald Trump and her Republican colleagues.  

Crockett is often praised and criticized for her banter against the GOP, including a viral spat with Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. During a committee hearing in early 2024, the two lawmakers had a shouting match in which Crockett coined the now-famous term, “bleach blonde bad built butch body,” in reference to Greene’s blonde hair and physique.

She is prepared to potentially change the narrative of Texas being an overly red state, and she knows what’s needed to make that happen.

”The question will be whether or not we believe that we’ve got enough juice to expand the electorate and looking at those cross tabs and looking at which demographics are more inclined to come out, who normally do not vote,” Crockett said. “If we can expand the electorate, then I will strongly be considering hopping in the Senate race.”

Some critics are pushing Crockett to run because they feel she will lose and be out of power for good. Others are saying that Black women being in leadership in the Lone Star state is almost imaginable. “Electing a black woman in Texas is like trying to catch a tiger with a butterfly net,” one user said. 

Others are looking forward to having such a powerful vote as they feel it’s needed. 

According to Politico, the leading candidates for the Texas’ Democratic seat are former Rep. Colin Allred, who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024 Rep. James Talarico.

On the Republican side, other Black leaders are stepping up to the Senate plate in Texas as well, including Rep. Wesley Hunt challenging longtime Sen. John Cornyn.

RELATED CONTENT: Jasmine Crockett Accused Of ‘Racism’ For Remarks On Byron Donalds’ Interracial Marriage

Florida Woman, Arrested , Child Neglect, Alleged Abuse, Girlfriend's Son
by Mary Spiller

October 26, 2025

Texas Mother Charged After Allegedly Moving Out And Leaving Behind 12-Year-Old Son

Authorities say a Copperas Cove woman packed up her apartment and moved out while her child was at school.

A Texas mother has been charged with felony child endangerment after police say she moved out of her apartment while her 12-year-old son was at school—without telling him.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by People, 32-year-old Erica Renee Sanders allegedly vacated the Copperas Cove apartment she shared with her son on October 17, taking all belongings and furniture.

When the child returned home from school that afternoon, he found the apartment “empty” and “completely barren,” the responding officer noted.

The situation came to light after the boy’s school principal contacted police around 5:15 p.m. to reporting the child’s situation. Officers who arrived at the scene confirmed the boy’s description and said he appeared confused and unaware of where his mother had gone.

Neighbors later told investigators that Sanders and her boyfriend, Keven Dwyane Adams, had a “history” of kicking the child out of the apartment. Police echoed this claim, citing a “history of contention” between the couple and the boy.

Both Sanders and Adams were arrested. The case has been referred to the Texas prosecutor’s office for review. Sanders faces a third-degree felony charge of abandoning a child under 15 without intent to return, according to court documents.

The boy reportedly told police that his mother and Adams had mentioned moving at some point but never told him when. Adams later claimed Sanders “had not abandoned” her son, but admitted the child “was not welcome” in his home. Sanders told police her brother was supposed to pick up her son after school, but she refused to share contact details.

Hours later, after no one retrieved the boy, officers contacted the alleged uncle’s girlfriend, who said he had no knowledge of any such arrangement. Police then took the child to the Copperas Cove Police Department and notified Child Protective Services (CPS).

By evening, CPS allowed Adams to take custody of the child, though he refused to provide their new address. Police eventually located the residence through water utility records, and around 9:20 p.m., the boy was released to Adams—who reportedly “complained at length” about caring for him.

RELATED CONTENT: Florida Mother Arrested After Trying To Drown Her Three Children

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