Donald Trump, Isaac Hayes
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 13, 2024

Donald Trump Sued By Isaac Hayes Estate For Using ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’ At Campaign Rallies

According to the lawsuit, there are 134 examples of copyright infringement.

Donald Trump is facing yet another copyright infringement lawsuit over his unauthorized use of music at his campaign rallies.

The 2024 presidential hopeful was recently slapped with a notice of copyright infringement from the Issac Hayes estate for Trump’s use of the 1966 song, “Hold On, I’m Coming,” which Hayes co-wrote with David Porter. The suit, filed on Monday, Aug. 11, cites 134 counts of copyright infringement over the music being played at campaign rallies from 2022 to 2024, Billboard reports.

“We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action,” a statement shared by Hayes’ son Isaac Hayes III on X, formerly known as Twitter, reads.

The lawsuit results from Trump using the song, performed by Sam & Dave, at a rally as recently as July 31 in Harrisburg, PA.

Hayes and Porter, who worked at the Atlantic-distributed record label Stax at the time, came up with the title of the song when Hayes was trying to get Porter to hurry out of the Stax Studios restroom and get back to songwriting. The single hit the top of the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A revamped version of the song, “Hold On, Edwin’s Coming,” was recorded by Sam & Dave as a promotional single for Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards’ third election campaign in 1982. However, the same can’t be said for Trump.

“It is most unfortunate that these artists have publicly posted on their social media and asked Team Trump and other candidates not to use their music—and yet their candidates keep using their music,” James L. Walker Jr., an attorney for Hayes Enterprises, previously stated.

The Isaac Hayes estate is the latest to file a response on behalf of a top artist or songwriter who has objected to Trump’s campaign use of their songs at political rallies. He has faced such lawsuits since he first ran for president in 2015.

Others who have sued Trump for copyright infringement for using their music include The Rolling Stones, Adele, Rihanna, Sinead O’Connor‘s estate, and Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler. Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 65.

RELATED CONTENT: Kamala Harris Is Queen Bey Approved! VP Granted Access To Use ‘Freedom’ Song In Campaign

Anthony Edwards, Noah Lyles, Adidas, show, Minnesota Timberwolves,
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 13, 2024

Noah Lyles Reportedly Questioned Anthony Edwards Adidas Shoe Deal, ‘How Could You Not See That For Me’

Noah Lyles ignites feud with NBA fans amid claims he shaded Anthony Edwards' Adidas shoe deal.

Noah Lyles is facing more heat from NBA fans amid reports of the hissy fit he allegedly threw in response to Anthony Edwards’ Adidas shoe deal.

The track and field star, who scored two medals during the 2024 Paris Olympics, is accused of criticizing his apparel sponsor, Adidas, for releasing a signature sneaker for Edwards before him.

According to a feature from TIME reporter Sean Gregory, Lyles was offended when Adidas invited him to the shoe-release event for the Minnesota Timberwolves star while in contract negotiations for an extension.

“You want to do what?” Lyles allegedly said. “You want to invite me to [an event for] a man who has not even been to an NBA Finals? In a sport that you don’t even care about? And you’re giving him a shoe?”

“No disrespect; the man is an amazing athlete. He is having a heck of a year. I love that they saw the insight to give him a shoe because they saw that he would be big. All I’m asking is, ‘How could you not see that for me?'”

While Adidas remains mum on the reports, the brand reached a multiyear contract extension with Lyles in February. The six-time world champion and three-time Olympic medalist is said to be adamant about releasing his own signature shoe.

If the reports are accurate, it comes one year after Lyles went viral for questioning why NBA players are referred to as “world champions” when winning a final series.

“You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals, and they have ‘world champion’ on their heads,” Lyles said at the time.

“World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong. I love the U.S.—at times—but that ain’t the world. That is not the world. We are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show that they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA. We gotta do more. We gotta be presented to the world.”

As a result, Lyles faced backlash from NBA fans going into the Paris Olympics, which only heightened amid news of his latest reported comments about a star player.

“Anthony Edwards is more iconic than Noah will ever be btw,” one fan tweeted on Monday, Aug. 12.

“Tearing down others trying to get what you want is always a terrible look. Yikes,” added someone else.

Both Lyles and Edwards walked away with gold medals while in Paris. With two added to his roster, Lyles might have his own Adidas shoe in the works.

50 Cent, Louisiana
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 13, 2024

50 Cent Brings Hollywood To Shreveport With Inaugural Humor And Harmony Weekend

50 Cent is breathing new life into Shreveport, Louisiana with his new Humor & Harmony Festival.

50 Cent is breathing new life into Shreveport, Louisiana, after expanding his media empire and bringing a festival there.

Small businesses enjoyed long lines and sold-out menus following a successful turnout for the hip-hop mogul’s inaugural Humor & Harmony Weekend, KSLA reports. Held from August 8 to August 11, the festival aimed to raise money for underserved youth as part of 50 Cent’s (real name Curtis Jackson) G-Unity Foundation.

People from all over the country flocked to Downtown Shreveport’s Red River District to enjoy pop-up restaurant experiences, vendors, and events that amplified the city’s small businesses. Famous faces drew large crowds. Dave Chappelle served as a special guest at a comedy show. Artists like Master P, Da Baby, and Flo Rida hit the stage. And a celebrity basketball game saw Bow Wow, Andrew Johnson, and 2 Chainz battled it out.

“I could not be more proud of the City of Shreveport and all the people who traveled to participate in our first Humor & Harmony Weekend to benefit the G-Unity Foundation,” 50 Cent shared in a statement. “While this weekend may have served as proof of concept for some, for me, it just confirmed everything I already knew. The City of Shreveport has officially earned its spot on the national scene as a place open for business, investment, and tourism. All Roads Lead to Shreveport. Thank you to all of the people who came out to support us for a great cause.”

The turnout was so big that by Sunday, August 11, the Shreveport Police Department (SPD) had to issue an official announcement about shutting down entry to the Red River District due to the dome having reached maximum capacity. Photos from the event show attendees standing shoulder to shoulder.

Local businesses saw a massive turn in profit thanks to the sudden population boost. One pizza shop was forced to close business for two days due to selling out its entire menu.

“Because we are not like them, this weekend has been PROFITABLE and PRODUCTIVE!” Pop N Pizza wrote on Facebook. “As of 10:34 pm, we are completely sold out and will resume our normal hours of operation on Tuesday! 🙌🏽🙌🏽”

“Humor Harmony, The POWER UNIVERSE we different we #1 @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi,” 50 Cent captioned a video of his stage performance.

The festival is just some of what 50 Cent has planned for his expanding business empire in Shreveport.

“As someone who has always believed in the transformative power of music, film, and television, I’m beyond excited to introduce the expansion of my G-Unit Film & Television through the launch of G-Unit Studios right here in Shreveport,” he told Billboard in April.

Establishing G-Unit Studios in Shreveport “is not just a business decision; it’s a commitment to fostering talent, creating opportunities, and building a community that thrives through creativity and innovation. We see Shreveport as a beacon of inspiration and creativity,” he added.

RELATED CONTENT: 50 Cent Was Almost Excluded From The 2022 Super Bowl Performance

Rikers Island, Correction Officer, Inmates, Prison
by Sharelle Burt

August 13, 2024

Rikers Island Prison Officer Known As ‘Champagne’ Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 24 Female Inmates

It took a while for investigators to track down the real identity of 'Champagne.'

A retired corrections officer at New York’s Rikers Island Prison stands accused of raping and sexually assaulting 24 former female inmates, The Gothamist reports. 

After New York’s Adult Survivors Act opened a one-year window to file civil lawsuits over allegations of sexual abuse in cases where the statutes of limitations had expired, more than 20 jail staff members were repeatedly named in suits. One officer, known as “Champagne” in the complaints, was identified in 24 lawsuits. 

The alleged assailant was labeled as a ghost because, according to the Office of Payroll Administration, there is no record of anyone with that name who worked at Rikers at the time of the alleged assaults. Between the late 1980s and the early 2000s, Champagne allegedly raped, groped, and forcibly kissed dozens of women in their cells or secluded areas of the women’s jail named the Rose M. Singer Center. 

One former prisoner, named Lisa, claimed Champagne repeatedly raped her in a part of the jail used to store recreational equipment. In 1991, at age 22, a judge told her she could possibly go home early on her six-month sentence of a drug distribution charge, but the guard threatened to take that chance away if she failed to comply with his demands. “Going to prison was very, very, very scary at a young age,” she remembered. “Those 60 days meant everything to me. I wanted to go home.” 

Champagne would allegedly force the young inmate to have intercourse and perform oral sex on him. Lisa then discovered she was pregnant by him but experienced a miscarriage in the prison bathroom. After being treated at a local hospital, she returned to Rikers, where no one questioned how she became pregnant in an all-women’s jail. 

A thorough investigation of the lawsuits provided insight into who Champagne could be. After finding the surname of “Fant,” personnel records, payroll, and social media accounts, only one guard with that last name was found working at Rosie’s during the time of the allegations. Correction Officer Keith Fant was ID’d as the possible assailant. The officer confirmed that he was known as “Champagne” on prison grounds on account of his “bubbly personality.” 

However, four former inmates, including Lisa, don’t remember him as such. The women identified him as their attacker. Fourteen women listed Fant in their suits, but he claims they are all lying and just want money. “I know that’s a lot of people and I know it raises eyebrows, but I never, I have not touched anybody inside Rosie’s,” the retired officer, who earns a $45,000 per year pension, said. 

“The only thing I can think of is maybe they’re trying to get some money.”

According to NBC News, attorney Adam Slater, who represents several women accusing Fant of rape or sexual abuse, says most of his clients failed ever know the real name of their alleged predator. However, Slater believes officers who worked at Rikers in the 1990s and 2000s knew Champagne’s behavior but decided to turn their backs. “Incredibly, we represent 18 different women from all different walks of life that have come forward and essentially told us the same story about him,” Slater said. 

“Unfortunately, this particular case is just one example of what was going on there. This was going on rampantly and openly. Guards really were in on it. They would look out for each other. Just an entire culture that allowed these women to be sexually abused and raped for a very long time.”

Two other victims, Karen Klines and Tasha Beasley Carter, are suing New York City for a combined $40 million in damages. The Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association president, Benny Boscio, says the organization “100%” stands behind the retired officer.” A small fraction of the sexual abuse lawsuits against Rikers could result in city-funded payouts.

RELATED CONTENT: Jail Inmate Dies From Scarlet Fever After Initially Denied Medical Help

Olympics, Team USA, Brittney Griner
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 13, 2024

‘My Country Fought For Me To Get Back’: Brittney Griner Tearfully Celebrates Olympic Gold Medal

Griner shed tears following their victory as the 'The Star-Spangled Banner' played.

Brittney Griner is once again an Olympic Gold medalist in women’s basketball. The WNBA star tearfully celebrated the occasion and reflected on how her country fought to bring her home.

The undefeated squad beat France August 11 at the Paris Olympics for its eighth consecutive gold medal. NBC shared footage of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” playing after their win, where Griner shed tears.

Griner, who spent 10 months in a Russian prison on drug charges, reflected on how her country fought to bring her home, and how this win returned the favor. “My country fought for me to get back,” Griner said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There’s just no greater feeling.”

She added, “I didn’t think I would be here. And to be here, winning gold, for my country, representing, when my country fought for me so hard to even be standing here.”

In fact, the trip to Paris marked Griner’s first overseas venture since her incarceration in Russia. She was first detained at a Moscow Airport on Feb. 17, 2022, for having hash oil, a substance derived from cannabis, in her possession. She eventually returned to the U.S. in December 2022 through a prisoner exchange.

The experience was harrowing for Griner, as explained in her memoir, Coming Home. The 6’9″ center was initially hesitant decision to return to the Olympics, according to the U.S. women’s basketball’s head coach Cheryl Reeves.

“She always presents the very best version of herself, despite all that she went through,” shared Reeves. “Inside, there’s a lot going on there.”

“It’s a huge moment for BG. We all know what she’s gone through,” said fellow WNBA star A’ja Wilson. “It was so good just to see her happy.”

Griner’s win isn’t the only milestone. The Olympian welcomed her first son with wife, Cherelle, as she continues advocating for all foreign detainees to come home.

RELATED CONTENT: Brittney Griner Reacts To Fan’s Claim That Team USA Will ‘Need Caitlin Clark’ To Beat Japan

AI, artificial intelligence, trends, A.I., journey, technology, DryMerge, AI, job interview
by Jeffrey McKinney

August 13, 2024

Beef Up Business Using AI Technology

Black businesses looking to optimize their enterprises can use artificial intelligence (AI) to achieve that. However, it’s worth doing a bit of homework before taking the plunge.

The fast-growing technology can help small businesses boost productivity, increase revenue, and enhance efficiency. For instance, those methods could include improving customer service experiences through such means as chatbots. And AI can help personalize marketing efforts by collecting data on spending behavior, service, or product preferences.

Businesses are using AI to save time and cut costs. Forbes quizzed 600 business owners using or planning to add AI to their operations to gauge how various companies are tapping into AI. Among the findings, some 97% of entrepreneurs are convinced ChatGPT will assist their business. Around 64% of business owners believe AI will improve customer relationships. Over 50% of the proprietors use AI for cybersecurity and fraud management.

Still, like any new technology, AI brings some opportunities and possible risks. Experts contend it is vital to have in-house mechanisms to protect your company, customers, and yourself. More precisely, you should have a policy that explains how AI should be used in your business. Be sure it states who or what platforms are approved to use it as well as who is sanctioned to apply it.

Though small businesses don’t have the financial resources of rival larger companies, AI can help them endure more efficiently and flourish. Based on research by BLACK ENTERPRISE, here are some benefits the technology can deliver for entrepreneurs to consider:

Use Chatbot To Automate Customer Communications  

For selling a product or service, small businesses use AI to communicate with customers and answer questions. A bonus function: It can also be used while you sleep. And it allows owners to spend more time focusing on other important tasks. Another perk: AI can improve customer communications via automated messages and digital services.

Advance Content Creation

Another area where AI can be useful is content creation. It can offer tools that analyze data on which kind of content works best with specific audiences and propose topics based on that information. AI can even automatically produce content, including photo and video content as well as product descriptions. Yet, businesses should make sure the content aligns with their voice and other branding efforts.

Use AI To Ramp Up Marketing Efforts

Improving marketing actions has been a hit pertaining to AI. For instance, blog posts written by a human can be condensed into social media posts, making it a marketing tool on a larger scale.

See What Your Competitors Are Doing

Many entrepreneurs like to know what their competitors are up to, including how they are using digital information, video content, and social media. AI can help with that by providing tools to see what rivals do online. Some tools even allow entrepreneurs to follow rivals on their websites and social media to collect data tied to their marketing and pricing.

Make Operations Cyber-Secure

Some cybersecurity tools leverage AI to better identify and protect data from threats. Uniting cybersecurity with AI can improve data collection and make incident management responses more dynamic and efficient. Automating cybersecurity helps organizations better identify and fix possible defects. That could help businesses have more secure IT environments.

Simultaneously, entrepreneurs should be mindful that AI is not error-free and could come with some hiccups. Insight For Professionals offers some insight into that perspective.

BLACK BUSINESS MONTH: Celebrating National Black Business Month 2024

Rick Ross, Rapper
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 12, 2024

Rick Ross Sued By Disabled Fan For Inadequate Accessibility Options At Car Show Event

Disabled man sues Rick Ross for lack of accessbility options at his annual car show.

Rick Ross is being sued by one disgruntled man who risked it all to attend his annual car show but was prevented due to the event’s lack of wheelchair accessibility.

Darris Straughter is suing the hip-hop mogul for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act after he waited hours to gain entry to Ross’s third annual Car & Bike Show, to no avail, TMZ reports. Straughter claims to have sold his car to afford the travel, lodging, and ticket he purchased to attend the event held at Ross’s massive Georgia estate.

However, he never made it inside after a wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus he was promised never arrived to get him to the event. Straughter said he reached out to the venue two weeks in advance to inform them about his accessibility needs and request reasonable accommodation for his wheelchair.

He claims car show organizers assured him a shuttle would take him from the parking lot to the event. But after waiting inside the parking lot for several hours, Straughter got fed up, gave away his ticket, and returned to his hotel once the bus failed to show up.

He wasn’t the only one who didn’t make it inside. Comments under an Instagram post about the event highlight how many people were upset with the lack of shuttle accommodations and event planning.

“8 tickets and we can’t even get in bc of y’all lack of poor planning been riding for 2 hours up down the SAME Street,” one woman wrote. “Whoever you hired to direct traffic, just keep sending us in circles! I’m very upset we have parking passes and still can’t park! Just a complete waste!”

According to Straughter’s lawyer, John Hoover Esq, attendees who didn’t make it inside were promised a refund. But the suit claims nobody ever followed up with him.

Now, he’s suing Ross for damages and an order that will force the car show to provide disabled access at future events.

RELATED CONTENT: Rick Ross Reveals Producer Of ‘Champagne Moments’

Rachelle Zola, Racial Inequality
by Daniel Johnson

August 12, 2024

An Ally! Rachelle Zola Is Walking To Raise Awareness Of Racial Inequality

As she travels across the country, Zola will also perform “Late: A Love Story,” her one-woman show which she has used to connect and discuss the topic of racial inequality with hundreds of people

Rachelle Zola, a 76-year-old white woman who lives in Chicago, is walking 750 miles from Chicago to Montgomery, Alabama, to improve racial equality in America. 

According to WIAT Birmingham, Zola was inspired to act after conversing with several Black people in Chicago.

“I’m a white person, and I’m supposed to use my body, not just my voice. I’m supposed to use this white body and just express this idea that we can’t wait any longer,” Zola told the outlet.

As she travels across the country, Zola will also perform “Late: A Love Story,” her one-woman show, which she has used to connect and discuss the topic of racial inequality with hundreds of people.

According to Theatre Y, “Late: A Love Story” is a performance of vulnerability that segues into stories from the Black community in Chicago. The play is directed by Melissa Lorraine and was co-written by Zola and Emily Bragg. 

“In this performance, Rachelle vulnerably shares her own story as a 75-year-old white woman discovering racism in America, and which transitions seamlessly into ten friends sharing their stories steeped in the devastating legacy of the past.”

Zola told WIAT that she expects to reach Montgomery by October, and according to the outlet, she will perform her show in Birmingham on Aug. 25. Zola, meanwhile, told the outlet that this journey is just the beginning for her. 

“I’m not waiting, I’m getting to Montgomery. This is just the start for me. I don’t know what that looks like, but I know there’s more,” Zola said. 

In March, Zola spoke to ABC 7 and explained that she was done being silent because she had been awakened to the concept that silence is violence during Black Lives Matter protests.

“The signs are up there, ‘Silence is violence.’ And it’s like, I didn’t even know I was being silent. My total ignorance of not knowing, I never thought about their lives, their lived experiences, the trauma, the pain that they experience every day.”

Zola continued, “I expect there will be places that people say, ‘Please just keep going, quietly. I’m asking people, are you willing to hear another story? And so I need to go to them. I want them to know we’re all the human race.”

RELATED CONTENT: Jordan Neely’s Death Highlights A History Of Disregard For Black Life

Noah Lyles, Paris Olympics, Lyles
by Daniel Johnson

August 12, 2024

Noah Lyles Flamed For Partying After Revealing COVID-19 Diagnosis

Lyles allegedly partying while potentially being COVID positive is a reflection that too many people want to forget about COVID-19.

After Noah Lyles ran the 200-meter dash with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, he was celebrated and held up as a symbol of everything wrong with the Paris Olympics officials’ management of the health of their athletes. Now, videos that appear to show Lyles at a party have made him the subject of criticism.

Although there is no context for the video, the 200-meter finals occurred Aug. 8. Lyles took a COVID test, which came back positive the morning of Aug. 6. If Lyles had COVID when he won the 100-meter dash, this puts the timeline at right around five days, which, according to Yale Medicine, is the window that the anti-viral drug Paxlovid is designed to work within to reduce the probability of hospitalization for high-risk patients.

On Aug. 11, Lyles posted a picture of a negative COVID-19 test to his Twitter/X account with the caption, “Thank God, I am Covid-free.”

His seemingly quick recovery prompted fans to mock Lyles, insinuating that despite the athlete collapsing on the track after running the 200-meter finals, Lyles used having COVID-19 as an excuse for losing the race.

According to STAT, Lyles isolated himself in a hotel, took Paxlovid, and tried to rest and hydrate as often as possible. In addition, Lyles has a pre-existing condition, asthma, that places him at risk for serious complications. According to the outlet, Lyles, despite the risks to his health posed by COVID, never seriously considered not competing in the event.

Arthur L. Caplan, the Mitty Professor and head of the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, described a positive COVID diagnosis as something that athletes will happily overlook.

“It is absurd to leave the final decision to compete at the Olympics to any athlete. They will all say yes. Their focus is on winning; most are young and feel immortal, and they aren’t thinking much either about others or the long-term impact of risky competition on their health.” Caplan wrote.

Caplan continued, “The point of having health and medical expertise at any event, including the Olympics, is to ensure the health, short- and long-term, of the athletes, staff, coaches and officials. While the world has tired of COVID-19, it has not tired of harming us. Anyone with COVID-19 in the tight confines of the Olympics should be revealing their infection, isolating, not competing depending on the intimacy required of their sport, and not mingling with others. Leaving decisions about competition up to each athlete is abnegating the duty to protect all who are participating in the games.”

According to Scientific American, Lyles is one of 20 Olympic athletes who have tested positive; it remains unknown how many may have the disease but present no symptoms. If anything, Lyles allegedly partying while potentially being COVID-19 positive reflects how many treat COVID-19, even the officials at the Olympics.

According to experts, that decision is inconsistent with the science of infection itself.  Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, a researcher and St. Louis-based doctor who works on long COVID, told Prism Reports, “I think it’s a step in the wrong direction. I think they’re really learning the wrong lesson from this pandemic … There’s no argument against maintaining the five-day isolation guideline. I think it’s primarily politically motivated.”

As for Lyles’ decision to run while COVID positive, Nathan Crumpton, who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and suffers from long COVID despite being vaccinated, bashed Lyles’ actions in an interview with CNN. “The fact that he risked infection and the health of his competitors by embracing them in close quarters…it’s maddening,” he said. “It’s irresponsible and ignorant, and I hope he didn’t infect anyone else.”

According to Dr. Isabell von Loga, a researcher at University Hospital Zurich and one of Crumpton’s doctors, “There is a genuine risk that he put his long-term health at risk. But of course, time will tell, and we truly wish him that this would not happen. Covid is NOT just another respiratory disease. It affects all systems of the body,” von Loga told CNN.

RELATED CONTENT: Noah Lyles Overcomes COVID-19 To Win Bronze In 200-Meter At 2024 Paris Olympics

Drake
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 12, 2024

Drake Helps Raise $40M For Italian Soccer Club Facing Bankruptcy

The 'Take Care' rapper helped the team avoid bankruptcy.

Canadian superstar Drake has been credited with helping an Italian soccer club stay in business after staring in the face of bankruptcy.

According to GQ Italia, the soccer team, Venezia FC, was having financial issues and needed cash to keep the club afloat. Drake came in and saved the day when he became involved in raising the capital necessary to keep the team from filing for bankruptcy. Before the start of the 2023-24 season, team expenses and several moves caused panic for the team. The soccer club was in debt, and they made several moves to bring the debt down, including selling the contracts of various players while trying to raise money from new investors. Although on the field, Venezia FC was doing well in the standings, but not financially.

But one phone call changed the trajectory of the club. A member of Drake’s management, Matte Babel, who is also the entertainer’s Chief Brand Officer, received that call.

“I got a call from Brad (Brad Katsuyama, star of Michael Lewis’ Flash Boys, ed.), co-owner of Venezia and a good friend of mine. He explained the problem to me in a simple way: Venezia must raise ten million euros in a couple of weeks and then at least thirty million euros in a few months, or the club will go bankrupt. Venice is an incredible city, and Venezia has always been a special club. I talked to Drake, then Brad and I discussed the details of how we could help. Within two weeks we found an agreement, collected the money necessary to pay salaries and avoid bankruptcy.”

That luck off the field transferred to their on-field aspirations as Venezia FC won the playoffs against Cremonese. The ownership group was able to raise over $40 million in capital from a group of North American investors, allegedly thanks in large part to Drake and his team. That group has now formed an Operating Committee to oversee the direction of the club, intending to transform Venezia into a world-class team.

RELATED CONTENT: Argentina’s National Soccer Team Mocks Drake After He Loses $300K Bet

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