Jennifer Hudson showered Bel-Air star Coco Jones with compliments. 

The actress/singer appeared on the Jennifer Hudson Show on Wednesday, March 22, to discuss her journey in the industry and her new music, but the two were overwhelmed by comments that they have both been mistaken for each other.

“Do we look alike to y’all?” Hudson asked the audience, who immediately agreed. She then asked Jones if she got that comment a lot in return.

“I get that so often that honestly, at this point, I just play into it,” Jones responded before singing the lyrics, “And I am telling you.” As the two appeared side-by-side on the screen, audience members continued to mumble, agreeing that the two superstars resembled one another.

“People say, ‘Who would you want to play you?’ And I see your name keeps popping up,” Hudson said.

“Stop playing with me. I’m ready at this point,” Jones said with a huge smile. Hudson then continued complimenting Jones, sharing her adoration for her and adding that when people call her Coco Jones, she just thanks them.

“Honestly, I take it as such a compliment because you know you have been so impactful in my life. Just watching you, another beautiful dark-skinned woman, killing it. That’s my motivation,” Jones said in a heart-to-heart with Hudson, who expressed she felt the same.

Jones spoke about feeling misunderstood in the industry as a young Black girl trying to find her niche with people who didn’t necessarily know how to market her, but the young artist has formed her own lane and is making major moves in the industry.

The singer’s name has also been circulating in the conversation surrounding the role of Princess Tiana in the rumored The Princess and the Frog live-action remake.

Jones currently stars in the Peacock original series, Bel-Air, preparing for its third season.

• Education

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 23, 2023

American Library Association: Number of Banned Books in U.S. Has Doubled Since 2022

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Data from the American Library Association (ALA) show book bans in school and public libraries reached a record high in the United States last year.

Huffpost reports over 1,200 challenges were put together by the ALA in 2022, almost double the recorded record in 2021. Director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, Deborah Caldwell-Stone, said she’s surprised by the outcome.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Caldwell-Stone said. “The last two years have been exhausting, frightening, outrage-inducing.”

Bills supporting book bans have been proposed or passed in several states including Florida, Arizona, Iowa, Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Books on the chopping block cover several topics including Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, 1619 Project, the Pulitzer Prize-winning report from The New York Times on the legacy of slavery in the United States, and the late legendary novelist Toni Morrison’s Beloved.

Book lovers across the country have put on protests regarding the ban. In Oregon, students at Canby High School students set up a protest after the school district’s removed over 30 books from the school’s libraries.

“The whole point of education is to learn and grow through knowledge, and I’m worried we’re not going to get that chance if we sit back and let this happen,” student Jason Hupp, told KGW 8, Portland, Oregon’s NBC affiliate. The request stemmed from community members who felt notes of sexual content, violence, promiscuity and nudity in the books were enough reasons for reconsideration.

Students aren’t the only ones against the growing book bans. Grace Linn, a 100-year-old woman from Martin County, Florida, created a quilt in protest. During a school board meeting, Linn showed iff the quilt, made with images of the books that have been either targeted or banned.

“Banning books and burning books are the same,” Linn said. “Both are done for the same reason—fear of knowledge.”

Rapper and entrepreneur Rick Ross is continuously building his empire. The Miami-bred lyricist now has a High Tolerance for cannabis and is introducing a new strain for weed connoisseurs.

According to TMZ Hip Hop, Ross has collaborated with High Tolerance to bring to the public a cannabis strain named Collins Ave.

“High Tolerance is the best flower for all the ones who like to blow that good gas,” Rozay told TMZ Hip Hop. “This is the best flower in the world…this is why I decided to team up with High Tolerance. They have the best flower on the streets. Shout out to Manny, the biggest.”

Ross alluded to the partnership several months ago when a video of him was posted on the High Tolerance Instagram account.

“Collins Ave x High Tolerance
Officially coming soon !!
#GASONLY #TheBiggest #Boss #HT #HghTolerance #RealExotic #HTtakeover”

 

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A post shared by High Tolerance (@hightoleranceusa)

High Tolerance’s website states that the company is “A Cannabis Base Street Brand CREATED by Someone From The Bronx.”

Collins Ave is slated to drop June. Ross is just the latest hip-hop recording artist to join High Tolerance, joining  Rappers who have been connected with the brand include Jadakiss, Jim Jones, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, and many more

This may be a rebranding of some sort as Ross announced Collins Ave three years ago in a partnership with another cannabis company, Cookies.

At the time, Cookies introduced the COLLINS AVE brand, which included three specially curated strains: “Collins Ave,” “Pink Rozay,” and “Lemon Pepper.”

Ross may need to “get high on his own supply” after recent reports of the “Bawse” allowing his buffaloes—yes, the man owns buffaloes—to roam freely off his property to his next-door neighbor’s yard in Fayetteville, Georgia. TMZ obtained several photos and videos showing the buffaloes roaming freely on her property near a driveway full of parked cars.

Nick Cannon is the father to 12 children with six different women, but he still wishes he had welcomed a child with one of his most-known exes.

The Masked Singer host sat down for a deep dive where he got candid about his brood of children, his relationship with his baby mamas, and his love for ex-wife Mariah Carey.

But Mariah isn’t the only ex for whom Cannon still holds a special place.

Cannon opened up about his regrets about not having children with his ex-girlfriend from the early 2000s, Christina Milian. The two met on the set of their 2003 film Love Don’t Cost a Thing and dated in their early 20s before parting ways due to Cannon’s infidelity.

“If I say this, I know this gonna go viral,” Cannon told The Shade Room.

“But when Christina Milian and I were doing ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing,’ I remember when I found out she was pregnant [years later] … I was like, ‘Dang, man,’ but I was so happy for her.”

 

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A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

“I remember we was [sic] kids in love early on, and so we talked about that, but to each his own,” the NCredible CEO continued.

“Life plans it out. The universe gives it how it’s supposed to be given.”

Milian went on to marry and give birth to a daughter, Violet, in 2010 with her ex-husband, music producer The-Dream. She is also the mother of Isaiah and Kenna with current husband Matt Pokora, whom she married in 2020.

Meanwhile, Cannon is the father to 11 children with six different women. He shares 11-year-old twins Monroe and Morrocan with ex-wife Mariah Carey, son Golden, 6, daughter Powerful Queen, 2, and son Rise Messiah, 5 months, with Brittany Bell; twin sons Zion and Zillion, 21 months, and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin, 4 months, with Abby De La Rosa.

He shares son Legendary Love, 8 months, with Bre Tiesi; daughter Onyx Ice Cole Cannon, 6 months, with LaNisha Cole; and daughter Halo Marie, 3 months, with Alyssa Scott. He and Scott’s son, Zen, died from brain cancer when he was 5 months old in December 2021.

• Lifestyle

by Iman Milner

March 23, 2023

Idaho Lawmakers Pass Bill That Would Allow Execution By Firing Squad

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On Monday, Idaho lawmakers passed a bill that would allow for execution by firing squad for those convicted of premeditated crimes, according to the legislature’s website.

State Rep. Bruce D. Skaug confirmed the decision in a statement to CNN.

“H186 has now passed the Idaho Senate and House with a veto- proof majority,” Skaug wrote in an email. “Upon signature of the governor [Brad Little, a Republican], the state may now more likely carryout justice, as determined by our judicial system, against those who have committed first-degree murder.”

In a system that routinely hands down harsher sentences to Black and Brown people, a move like this could cause irreparable damage to those awaiting clemency or reprieve.

The bill details that death by firing squad will only be employed when the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections; an issue that has caused several states to pause executions, allowing inmates to file lawsuits that claim the injections are inhumane. Idaho will also be able to employ firing squads in situations where courts deem the usual means of carrying out death penalty sentences unconstitutional.

The bill, which passed through with a 24-11 vote from officials, also carries a pretty hefty price tag. In order to meet “safety and execution requirements for the firing squad”, the Department of Correction must be refurbished to the tune of $750,000.

If the bill is signed into law, Idaho will not be alone in the questionable choice as South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, and Oklahoma all have approved the use of firing squads over the last decade.

Though the decision has been in effect in other states for quite some time, the last time a firing squad was actually used to carry out an execution was in 2010 for the death of convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner in Utah.

New Edition’s nationwide tour has the legendary R&B group considering its odds with turning its live show into a Las Vegas residency.

Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill were guests on Sherri Sheperd‘s show on Tuesday where they were asked about the possibility of embarking on a Las Vegas residency.

“We’ve talked about it throughout the years and we’ve had offers to do it, Tresvant revealed.

But with a musical legacy dating back to the 1980s and generations of fans, New Edition wants to ensure their residency would be properly organized before signing on the dotted line.

“When we’ve always gone to the Last Vegas shows, they were big. The sets were big; they were elaborate,” Tresvant explained. “And it just seemed like there was a lot of time, effort, and money put behind whoever the artist was that was up there. So, they could really showcase themselves in a way that they can’t do it on the road. So, for New Edition, it’s the same thing.”

While offers have been made, New Edition hasn’t been presented with the right deal that would ensure the group can give their fans the show they deserve.

“Some of the offers just haven’t been at that level yet …where we are like, ‘Why can’t we do it like we’ve seen the other artists do it?’” Tresvant continued.

“So we’re waiting for it to come together and we can do it right and give our fans something special.”

“When you think about Vegas, we just want to be able to come and be able to give the best display of who we are,” Gill added.

The group is currently traveling nationwide as part of its “Legacy Tour” where fans can see the iconic six-member group dance and belt out the lyrics to classic hits like “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” and the smooth sounds of “Can You Stand the Rain.”

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 23, 2023

Ben Crump Is Crowdfunding For Former Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Gillum’s Legal Defense

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When someone is in trouble, they know who to get on their team.

WFSU reports civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been crowdfunding for Andrew Gillum’s legal defense. The former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 gubernatorial candidate is accused of lying to the FBI and wire fraud in a campaign finance scheme. Gillum and accused co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks, were indicted last June on charges that they illegally pocketed campaign donations.

The 43-year-old allegedly spent the money on lavish trips, including one to New York, where money was spent on hotel rooms, Statue of Liberty boat rides, and tickets to the Broadway show Hamilton. According to Tallahassee Democrat, the charges came about after an undercover FBI probe, Operation Capital Currency, led to prior bribery convictions against former Mayor Scott Maddox, his aide, Paige Carter-Smith, and businessman John “J.T.” Burnette.

Crowdfunding for public figures has grown popular at an eye-raising but effective rate. Former federal prosecutor Timothy Jansen says it opens doors for serious money to be raised. “I’ve seen GoFundMe become more popular recently, probably in the last three to five years,” Jansen said. “I’ve seen some high-profile cases where GoFundMe was utilized to help cover the cost of an expensive trial and try to get really good lawyers to defend them.”

The downside is there is no way to track where the money comes from, especially if gifts are made anonymously, which causes more legal problems.

Gillum’s lawyers, David Markus and Katherine Miller of Miami, requested to unseal a government motion accusing the FBI of using drugs, alcohol, and women to “ensnare” their targets. However, U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor shot them down earlier this week. Prosecutors claim they have no reason to believe those allegations are anything more than agents “conducting an appropriate investigation.”

In an email, Markus thanked Crump and others for their fundraising efforts, with Gillum’s trial set to begin in April.

When it comes to comedy giants, few are bigger than Dave Chappelle and Katt Williams. And there tends to be an unbreakable camaraderie amongst vets, so many fans were surprised to see Williams and Chappelle in a war of words on Twitter a few years ago.

On a recent episode of The Midnight Miracle, the podcast Chappelle hosts alongside rappers Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, he and Williams told the true story behind their beef.

According to Chappelle, it all started because he arrived late to Twitter. “I went to see who was using it and it was a fake Dave Chappelle. This n— had my pictures, this when I thought Twitter was brand new,” he explained. “And I thought, you know, put a stop to this, and then I started reading this n—’s tweets and they were hilarious.”

The Mark Twain Prize recipient said he became obsessed with his impersonator, going as far as making reading the imposters tweets with his morning coffee.

It was all fun and games until the fake Chappelle began to go after celebrities; some of which the comedy great knew personally, including Williams.

“Katt Williams wasn’t having that s—,” said Chappelle.  Shortly after, an account believed, at the time, to be Williams, himself, began to respond to the fake Dave Chappelle. “The problem was Katt Williams was saying things to fake Dave Chappelle that was hurting real Dave Chappelle’s feelings”, Dave explained, before detailing a confrontation between the two in Los Angeles.

“I said, Yo, Katt can I talk to you?’ and he’s like, ‘Of course.’ And I go, ‘Away from Suge [Knight],’” said Chappelle before sharing that they went on to realize that neither of them actually had accounts on the social media app but that it was a beef between two people impersonating them.

“I still don’t have a Twitter account”, revealed Williams. “It turns out it was fake Dave Chappelle and fake Katt Williams. But Katt’s fake was funnier than my fake,” said Chappelle.

Though the legendary “beef” between the pair took place over a decade ago, fans were happy to hear the two set the record straight.

• News

by Sidnee Michelle Douyon

March 23, 2023

Student Accused of Shooting Two Faculty Members in Denver Found Dead

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The student who was accused of shooting and wounding two faculty members at his Denver high school has been found dead near his vehicle in Park County.

The Park County Coroners Office confirmed in a Facebook post that the body belonged to 17-year-old Austin Lyle, who shot faculty members as they were patting him down for weapons as part of a “safety plan” devised for the youth based on previous behavioral issues.

The East High School student fled the shooting scene on foot immediately after Wednesday’s violence, which unfolded just before 10 a.m. local time (1600 GMT).

Denver Police Department had said in a tweet that a body was located near the suspect’s vehicle, adding that the identity and cause of death would be determined by the Park County Medical Examiner’s Office.

“This particular student had a safety plan that was in place where they were to be searched at the beginning of the school day every day,” Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas told reporters during a news conference earlier.

Neither police nor education authorities disclosed the specific conduct that led the school to adopt an individualized security protocol for the student. A wanted bulletin issued after the shooting included a photo of the student and of a car similar to one he might be driving.

The dean of the school and other staff members were conducting the search when several shots were fired, and the student fled, apparently still armed with the handgun used in the attack.

The two victims were taken to an area hospital where one was listed in critical condition and undergoing surgery, and the other was in serious but stable condition, Thomas said.

The bloodshed came three years after the Denver school board voted to eliminate its program of assigning armed city police officers, known as school resources officers, to its public school campuses, relying instead on the school district’s own security team.

In light of Wednesday’s shooting, two armed police officers will be returned to East High School, located in Denver’s City Park neighborhood, for the rest of the current academic year, said Alex Marrero, the district superintendent.

Classes for the school’s 2,500 students will be canceled for the rest of the week, Marrero said.