Georgia Declares Sept. 9 ‘Otis Redding Day’ On The Soul Singer’s 80th Birthday, Club Quarantine Will Celebrate His Music

by Alexa Imani Spencer

September 9, 2021

Georgia Declares Sept. 9 ‘Otis Redding Day’ On The Soul Singer’s 80th Birthday, Club Quarantine Will Celebrate His Music

The state of Georgia officially declared Sept. 9 “Otis Redding Day,” on what would’ve been the late soul singer’s 80th birthday.

On Thursday, the proclamation was formally announced during an event at The Otis Redding Museum in Macon, Georgia. A new collection of Redding’s memorabilia that celebrates his life, legacy, and global influence will also be unveiled at the museum, New York Daily News reported.

The exhibit will include handwritten notes, unseen photos and more from the Dock of the Bay singer and Dawson, Georgia, native who called Macon his hometown.

In partnership with Macon Arts Alliance, the city recently launched a new art exhibition “INSPIRED BY OTIS,” showcasing works of art by local artists inspired by Redding and his musical legacy. The exhibition runs through Sept. 24.

Rhino will also be releasing new immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of seven of Otis’ popular recordings; including “These Arms of Mine,” “Pain in My Heart,” “Love Man,” “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and two classic holiday covers, “Merry Christmas Baby” and “White Christmas.” The mixes will be released to all streaming platforms that feature immersive audio.

Also on Redding’s birthday, DJ D-Nice will host a birthday celebration for the singer as part of his Club Quarantine virtual parties on Instagram. The party will get started at 8 p.m. EDT.

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For his support of Redding’s legacy, the popular deejay will receive the Award of RESPECT from the Otis Redding Foundation, a philanthropic organization established in 2007 by Redding’s widow, Zelma Redding.

The award’s name pays homage to Redding, who was the original singer of “Respect,” the song that made Aretha Franklin the “Queen of Soul.”

Carrying on the celebration, this fall, a series of special remixes of classic Redding songs created by various artists will be released. This first of the series launches Thursday and will be a remix of his classic 1967 duet with Carla Thomas, “Tramp,” by Australian electronic duo Korky Buchek.

Redding’s legacy lives on and on.

The late singer died on Dec. 10, 1967, in a plane crash in Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. He was 26 and has just recorded his hit record “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

September 9, 2021

Sha’Carri Richardson Suffers Back-to-Back Losses in Europe While Attempting Comeback

Sha’Carri Richardson might’ve gone to Europe in hopes of redeeming herself following her embarrassing defeat at the Prefontaine Classic, but the controversial track star walked away with two more losses over the weekend.

After being disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics for smoking marijuana, and coming in last place in her first race back on the field, Richardson took a trip overseas to compete in Brussels and Italy, Yahoo Sports reported.

On Friday, September 3, Richardson competed in the 200m race at the Wanda Diamond League at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, but the colorful track and field star lost the race to 18-year-old Namibian athlete Christine Mboma, who finished with a time of 21.84 seconds.

Richardson landed in fourth place with a time of 22.45 seconds after Shericka Jackson, who came in second place (21.95 seconds) and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who finished in third place (22.04 seconds).

But Richardson continued to compete. On Sunday, she showed up to run the 100m race at the Internazionale Citta’ de Padova in Italy. Although she was given a slight advantage by not having to compete against Jamaican stars Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann, and Shericka, Richardson came in second to her training partner, Javianne Oliver, who won the race with a time of 11.19, Essentially Sports reported.

After the races, Richardson showed a bit more sportsmanship than when she lost the Prefontaine Classic. She gave a quick handshake to Jackson following her win in Brussels and showed support for Oliver after her loss in Italy.

Her back-to-back losses come after she was dragged on Twitter for seemingly dissing track and field star Allyson Felix after Felix offered support to Richardson during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Many have blasted Richardson, who shrugged off the kinds words, for not coming off as humble and allowing her mouth to constantly get her in trouble.

At 21 years old, Richardson has a lot to learn as she continues competing to get her name back on the top.

The BMW Tupac Shakur Was Shot In 25 Years Ago Is Up For Sale For Nearly $2M

by Ashantai Hathaway

September 9, 2021

The BMW Tupac Shakur Was Shot In 25 Years Ago Is Up For Sale For Nearly $2M

It has been 25 years since the iconic rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and killed and now the car that he was riding in that fateful night is up for sale.

The 1996 BMW 750iL is the same one Pac was riding in the night he was shot in Las Vegas along with Suge Knight who was driving the vehicle on Sept. 7, 1996. Tupac was struck in the chest, arm, and thigh by four .40 caliber rounds from a Glock. The Dear Mama rapper was rushed to the hospital but he died six days later from the gunshot wounds. He was 25 years old.

But the car is not in the same bullet-riddled state as the night of the murder. According to TMZ, the car has been restored to its original condition and the barrage of bullet holes has since been repaired.

And if you’ve got your eye on scoring this classic, the car will cost you a whopping $1.7 million.

The car is for sale and on display at the Celebrity Cars Las Vegas showroom, which is not too far from where the fatal shooting took place.

The new owner of the car will be provided with documentation proving its history. This includes a certificate showing it was first purchased by Death Row Records, which was founded by Knight.

Tupac’s Murder

The night of the murder, Tupac and Suge stopped at a traffic light following a Mike Tyson fight, when another vehicle pulled up alongside them and opened fire, hitting Tupac multiple times while only grazing Suge.

Tupac’s murder has led to many conspiracy theories, with many pointing the finger at the Southside Crips, a gang from Compton, California.

The rapper was also in an ongoing feud with rapper Notorious B.I.G. To this day, Hit ‘Em Up is considered the greatest “diss track” of all time, with repeated threats made toward Biggie and fellow East Coast rappers.

Despite many leads and several investigations, Tupac’s killer has never been found.

New York’s Rikers Island Has Become a Hotbed For Violence, Wild Parties and Fatal Overdoses Due to Staffing Shortages

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 9, 2021

New York’s Rikers Island Has Become a Hotbed For Violence, Wild Parties and Fatal Overdoses Due to Staffing Shortages

The prison system in New York City has always been a hotbed for violence but based on recent reports, it has gotten significantly worse and it’s due primarily to a shortage of staff according to The NY Post.

A recent video that was posted on the NY Post‘s website reveals a Tik Tok video showing inmates partying, smoking, and just having a great time at the infamous Rikers Island facility and officials are stating that it’s due to not having enough prison guards.

In an earlier news report last month, the newspaper published that three inmates from the Folk Nation gang jumped and beat a Bloods gang member and slashed him in the face. This incident took place at the jail’s largest facility, inside an unmanned housing area at the Anne M. Kross Center, according to records from the facility.

At the time of the disturbance, 26 corrections officers had been working quadruple shifts, while 35 were on triple shifts and 30 patrol posts across the jail facility as they deal with the shortage of staff there.

More recently, there was a cell phone video that was captured inside of the jail that emerged Sunday night that shows that three inmates were viciously attacking another inmate. The video clip shows the inmate being thrown on a bed and being beaten as he desperately cried out in pain.

It wasn’t clear if there was a correction officer present when it took place, but the beatdown lasted at least 25 seconds without intervention from anyone. On Sunday, there were at least 33 guard posts that were unmanned and 22 officers who were working on triple shifts during two different shifts, said Patrick Ferraiuolo, the president of the Correction Captains’ Association.

On Tuesday, an inmate, 24-year-old Esias Johnson was found dead inside of the jail. That made him the tenth prisoner to die in the last nine months, the Department Of Corrections (DOC) said.

Ferraiuolo and a source from inside the jail have both stated that Johnson died of an apparent overdose and the DOC said the area he was found in was under supervision. Ferraiuolo had also stated that he was informed that drug paraphernalia was found close to Johnson.

“We have at least three medical emergencies a day from inmates doing drugs. I’m not sure what they’re taking but it’s definitely not marijuana. I had a medical emergency in my housing area, the inmate was hallucinating and foaming at the mouth,” said a Rikers source, also stating that most inmates have been dabbling with the synthetic drug K2 mixed with fentanyl. “He was on the floor and the inmates were throwing water on him,” the source said. “For how long is unknown.”

The newly-appointed DOC Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi has acknowledged that the agency is “deeply concerned” about the current conditions on Rikers Island.

“We are doing all that we can to address the current conditions in our facilities, to improve safety, and to encourage staff to return to work,” Schiraldi said. “We are deeply concerned about what is occurring and won’t rest until we create an environment at Rikers in which people feel safe to work and live.”

Openly Gay Archbishop and Activist Carl Bean Who Sang ‘I Was Born This Way’ After Signing With Motown, Dies

by Ashantai Hathaway

September 9, 2021

Openly Gay Archbishop and Activist Carl Bean Who Sang ‘I Was Born This Way’ After Signing With Motown, Dies

Carl Bean, the preacher, performer, and activist recognized for opening the first Black church for LGBTQ+ people and known for first singing the gay liberation song “I Was Born This Way,” has died.

Bean died from a “lengthy illness,” according to a statement from the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, the church Bean founded.

“Our hearts go out to all as we mourn the loss of this trailblazing leader and legend in the worlds of activism, advocacy, AIDS, community outreach, faith, liberation theology, and so much more,” wrote the church.

Bean was an openly gay Motown singer. He released the song “I Was Born This Way” in 1977. When Berry Gordy signed him, it was a first for the biggest Black-owned record company to broadcast a statement on gender identity. The No. 1 song, recorded with the Sweet Inspirations, was the first gay liberation dance club hit.

With lyrics like “Yes, I’m gay/ It ain’t a fault, it’s a fact/ I was born this way” and “I’m happy/ I’m carefree/ and I’m gay/ I was born this way,” it was quickly embraced as a gay liberation anthem. It appeared for eight weeks on Billboard’s dance club songs chart and peaked at No. 15 in 1978.

Lady Gaga commented on how his song influenced her song “Born This Way.”

“‘Born This Way,’ my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay Black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being ‘Born This Way,'” wrote Gaga in May, alongside photos of herself celebrating “Born This Way Day” in West Hollywood, California; the local holiday celebrated the 10th anniversary of Gaga’s second studio album.

After his music career, Bean moved toward religion and activism. In 1982, he founded the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, later recognized as the first Black church for LGBTQ+ people. The church focuses on an “all-embracing progressive theology,” where the message is God’s Grace is for all: “God is love, and God is for everyone.”

In 2019, an intersection in Los Angeles was designated “Archbishop Carl Bean Square.”

Bean was 77 years old.

Raven-Symoné Explains Why She Told Disney Not to Make Her ‘Raven’s Home’ Character A Lesbian

by Ashantai Hathaway

September 9, 2021

Raven-Symoné Explains Why She Told Disney Not to Make Her ‘Raven’s Home’ Character A Lesbian

Even though Raven-Symoné has come out as a proud lesbian, she says her character on her Raven’s Home show does not have to be.

According to the actress, her character on the Disney show Raven’s Home could have been a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She recently appeared on the Pride podcast and said Disney Channel executives asked whether she wanted her character to identify as a lesbian in the show’s reboot, but she declined.

She explained:

“You know what, there was a conversation before the series started, and I was asked the question, ‘Would you like Raven Baxter to be a lesbian?’ And I said, no. I said no,” Raven said.

“And the reason I said no wasn’t because I wasn’t proud of who I was, or I didn’t want to represent the LGBTQ+ community in any way. It was because Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter is Raven Baxter.”

The View alum continued, “There was no reason for me to change the human that she was in order to fit the actress that played her. And Raven Baxter is a character that I was proud to play, even if she is straight, cisgender, I don’t mind. Let her have her moment. She was divorced though, and I had no worries about saying, ‘No boyfriends.'”

The actress came out to her fans in 2013 in a tweet following the US Supreme Court’s decision to allow marriage equality.

She married her wife Miranda Maday in a private ceremony in June 2020. “Despite being someone who has kept my personal life private, I decided to share this moment because it’s one of the biggest and happiest of my life,” Raven said.

“Miranda makes me feel confident and empowered in an entirely new way,” she continued. “We planned our ceremony together, and it was a true reflection of our love and partnership.”

Now, the couple is planning on starting a family together.

Little Progress Made In Providing Blacks Financial Services and Healthcare, But NFHA Wants To Change That

by Jeffrey McKinney

September 9, 2021

Little Progress Made In Providing Blacks Financial Services and Healthcare, But NFHA Wants To Change That

For over 50 years, Black Americans have not garnered much help in gaining access to basic resources like financial services and healthcare.

Those are among the discoveries in “Where You Live Matters,” a new report by Zillow. The analysis was commissioned by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). The organization’s efforts include boosting the homeownership rate for communities of color and Millennials as well as closing the wealth gap.

Based on data from business-listings firm Yelp, a top finding was that communities of color disproportionately lack access to traditional financial outlets, health services, and fitness facilities when compared to majority-white communities.

The report focused on 10 metros identified by the National Fair Housing Alliance’s Keys Unlock Dreams Initiative. They were Atlanta; Baltimore; Detroit; Houston; Memphis; New Orleans; Oakland; Philadelphia; Columbus, Ohio; and Washington, D.C. The report includes a probe of amenities in the business categories of traditional finance, alternative finance, fitness, health services and healthy food.

In those areas, majority-white neighborhoods had better access to established services like banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders. Further, the scarcity of traditional financial institutions in Black and Latinx neighborhoods means residents are more likely to use other resources like payday lenders and pawn shops. The pitfalls are those outlets are often more costly to users and demand onerous repayment terms.

The bottom line: The inequities are troubling as they can make it harder for Black and Latinx residents to build wealth, buy homes, and improve health outcomes.

This report crystalizes the daily experiences of unequal treatment and lack of access that communities of color continue to face,” Lisa Rice, NFHA‘s president and CEO, stated. “The research shows that housing and opportunity are inextricably linked. We hope this serves as a call to action for our cities — where you live should not affect your access to the building blocks of a healthy, prosperous life.”

The NFHA in 2018 engaged with Zillow to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, Laurie Benner, the NFHA’s associate vice president of programs, told BLACK ENTERPRISE by email. “Now, three years later, we find that inequality still lingers. It’s heartbreaking and shameful that some of our community members are still treated as less than. What is shocking is how little has been done about it.”

Benner recognized some current efforts as well as ideas to help shore up the disparities.

She noted the Biden administration’s Executive Order on advancing racial equity is encouraging, but it will require constant pressure to keep the momentum going.

Benner says the NFHA’s Keys Unlock Dreams Initiative’s main goals include preventing an unbalanced recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and removing structural barriers that perpetuate racial inequality. “NFHA will be working with community hospitals and health institutions to evaluate their Community Health Needs Assessments.”

She added the pandemic has laid bare racial health disparities and many local, state, and federal health-related stakeholders are convening, such as this group in Virginia, to explore solutions. In 2019, the City of Milwaukee was the first to declare racism a public health crisis. Since then, she says dozens of other jurisdictions have followed suit. She noted this is important because funding and research can be directed toward achieving health equity.

Further, Benner says there are various ways banks and financial institutions can help end disparities. One way is to evaluate their underwriting systems to ensure there is not unfair lending and credit biases to Black and brown borrowers. She promotes the creation of Special Purpose Credit Programs to expand opportunities in communities of color.

She added federal agencies and regulators need to work to address racial disparities. She maintains the existing credit scoring system needs a massive overhaul. Benner says it has been shown repeatedly that being in the hands of private, profit-seeking corporations is not in the best interest of those who rely on it for access to financial products, auto insurance, and employment.

Benner suggests that banking products which support credit and wealth building need to be expanded. For instance, she maintained MoCaFi, a Black-owned fintech firm, is endeavoring to do just that through its online banking platform and soon-to-be-released Rent-to-Home homebuying initiative.

Federal Investigation Underway After Former Prisons Officer Suspected of Leaking R. Kelly Information To YouTuber Tasha K

by Ashantai Hathaway

September 9, 2021

Federal Investigation Underway After Former Prisons Officer Suspected of Leaking R. Kelly Information To YouTuber Tasha K

As the R. Kelly trial continues to reveal disturbing details about the singer, authorities have begun a federal investigation into a U.S. Bureau of Prisons officer, who they say allegedly leaked illegally accessed information about the singer.

R. Kelly had been held at Chicago’s federal jail for four months. During this time, a popular YouTube personality Tasha K, whose real name is Latasha Kebe, claimed to “have the inside scoop.”

“Yeah, there’s a phone tap somewhere, and I’m not gonna tell you where it’s at,” Tasha K. told her viewers during the 39-minute video. “I have the plug. I’m not gonna tell you where I got the information from, but just listen to the damn information, OK?”

However, federal investigators say they do know who “the plug” is.

A retired U.S. prisons officer allegedly shared information from R. Kelly’s recorded phone calls.

According to a federal search warrant, agents seized a laptop from a U.S. Bureau of Prisons officer suspected of illegally obtaining Kelly’s recorded phone calls, emails, visitor logs, and other restricted information from the jail.

According to the 24-page document obtained by the Chicago Tribune, the female officer, who has not been identified, worked as a disciplinary hearing officer at a federal prison in Wisconsin. She accessed Kelly’s records more than 150 times in a six-month period in 2019. The officer was not assigned to the case and “had no official reason” to be looking them up.

The officer also emailed herself a 12-page scan of Kelly’s jail records, according to an affidavit from an investigator with the U.S. Justice Department’s Inspector General’s Office.

The officer retired in December 2019, according to the affidavit. She has not been charged.

R. Kelly Trial

The search warrant comes as lewd details emerged from testimonies in Kelly’s racketeering trial in New York. The singer is facing charges for allegedly heading a criminal enterprise that for decades recruited girls and young women and held them against their will to satisfy Kelly’s sexual appetites.

NYPD Starts Investigation Into the Death of Michael K. Williams, Searching For His Alleged Drug Dealer

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 9, 2021

NYPD Starts Investigation Into the Death of Michael K. Williams, Searching For His Alleged Drug Dealer

On Monday, “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams was found dead inside of his Brooklyn residence around at 2 p.m., according to the New York Police Department. Now, the NYPD is looking for a drug dealer who may have supplied Williams with the drugs that may have killed him.

According to TMZ, Williams’ death of an apparent drug overdose has sparked a criminal investigation and the police are trying to locate the drug dealer. Police officials believe that the drugs were heroin-based according to the drugs found at the site of Williams’ death.

The “Boardwalk Empire” star was discovered dead in his Brooklyn apartment where authorities found drug paraphernalia. Although an official autopsy has not been done yet, speculation is that he may have died through the use of drugs. A toxicology report, which could take weeks, should provide much-needed answers.

This past Monday, after not hearing from Williams for several days, a relative went to his apartment and found Williams already dead.

TMZ has also reported that New York State Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who represents Williams’ old neighborhood of East Flatbush, stated that she and her team are working with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in preparation to propose a bill that will be in his honor that would help lower the state’s prison population.

Hermelyn also stated that she plans to meet with his family about the pending bill when the time is right. The proposed bill will focus on the youth and Black and Latino individuals who currently encompass a disproportionate amount of inmates.

Williams was an ACLU ambassador for the cause of ending mass incarceration.

The venerable actor had a breadth of work that has received critical acclaim. Most recently, he received a 2021 Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, and a 2019 Emmy nod for When They See Us, where he played the father of Antron McCray, one of the Exonerated Five who was coerced into signing a false confession. He also played Omar Little, the rogue stickup robber of drug dealers in the hit HBO series The Wire.

Simone Biles Has A Message For Her Haters: ‘I Can’t Hear You Over My 7 Olympic Medals’

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

September 9, 2021

Simone Biles Has A Message For Her Haters: ‘I Can’t Hear You Over My 7 Olympic Medals’

One of the most celebrated Olympic medalists in the world has a very strong message to anyone who has made any disparaging remarks against her and/or those who have doubted her and lost faith in her.

“I can’t hear you over my 7 Olympic medals!”

Gymnast Simone Biles, winner of the aforementioned seven Olympic medals went to her Instagram page to send a message to her nearly 7 million followers, and anyone else who just happens to view it, and opened up about her Olympic experience.

“Can’t believe it’s already been a month,” she began.

“Definitely not the way I planned the olympics going but I wouldn’t change anything for the world 🤎 I’m proud of myself and the career I’ve had thus far. this olympics doesn’t erase the past accomplishments I’ve achieved nor does it define who I am as an athlete. I’ve pushed through so much the past couple years, the word quitter is not in my vocabulary. for some of you that may be how you define me but keep talking because I can’t hear you over my 7 olympic medals which tied me for the most decorated gymnast EVER as well as most decorated american gymnast 😊🤭”

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Biles is also handling her business as well!

Just last month, Biles recently stepped into the cryptocurrency world as a new partner with Autograph, where she will launch her own non-fungible tokens, also known as NFT’s.

“Like most people, I’ve been hearing more and more about NFT’s over the past few months,” Biles told Forbes. “It’s been such an interesting space to learn about, and I’m thrilled to finally participate with my first-ever NFT collection.”

Biles’ partnership with the newly launched Autograph is right on the heels of Naomi Osaka, who recently announced her collection with the company. The two have joined a number of other high-profile athletes who release exclusive digital content for purchase by fans—including founder Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, Wayne Gretzky, and Tony Hawk.