Barack Obama, Men’s Basketball Team, Olympics
by Sharelle Burt

July 11, 2024

Barack Obama Celebrates With The U.S. Men’s Basketball Team With Surprise Appearance At 50th Anniversary Party

Bring home the gold, Team USA!

America’s first Black President, Barack Obama, celebrated the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team’s 50th Anniversary Party with an encouraging speech on the importance of representing the United States. 

Obama made the surprise appearance in a room full of basketball royalty, including Dawn Staley, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Miller, and Tim Hardaway, on July 10. After announcing he was the “hooper in chief,” Obama expressed the importance of uniting the country and showing what America is capable of. He put the pressure on the team, with a stacked roster, including Golden State Warrior Steph Curry and Los Angeles Laker LeBron James, to bring home another gold medal. “I’m pretty confident that they’re going to be bringing back the gold and representing us the way we should be represented around the world,” Obama said.

Before speaking, Obama “dapped up” the team in a now-viral video referred to as a reenactment of a popular skit seen on the hit sketch comedy show “Key & Peele.” “I just want to come here to obviously help send off the soon-to-be gold-medal winners,” he said. “But I want to come by and say thank you to the legends who have represented USA Basketball and America for 50 years now.”

Obama stayed for the game against Canada during Team USA’s five-game exhibition tune-up for the Paris Olympics, which start on July 26. According to Fox 5, Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards led the team with 13 points after 6-of-10 from the field off the bench. However, the team lost with a final score of 86-72. 

The team felt the former president’s presence, especially Curry, who said Obama set the tone in a “cool” way. “To have President Obama come -– and he’s great with the microphone and really inspiring with his words –- it was cool to set us off into this journey this summer with celebrating the 50 years of USAB and what we’re trying to do this summer,” Curry said. 

“So I got goosebumps while he was talking.”

Obama wasn’t the only political dignitary that gave support to the team. Vice President Kamala Harris briefly visited the team during practice on the campus of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. During her remarks, she told the team they are “ambassadors for who we are as a country.” “You represent leaders in every walk of life. And for you to go to Paris and bring back that gold is just another example of your excellence, your teamwork, your compassion, and your commitment,” she said. 

The team still has a few showcase games left, as they are scheduled to take on Australia in Abu Dhabi on July 15.

RELATED CONTENT: Obamas Appear At ‘Rustin’ Screening For HBCU First Look Film Festival

summer, fun, improve yourself, glow up, protective styles, hair
by Safon Floyd

July 11, 2024

5 Tips For The Best—and Safest—Summer Ever

Safety is paramount for summer fun.

Originally Published July 1, 2016.

It’s summertime! You’ve already traded in your long shirts and covered toes for bathing suits and flip flops, as you head to the nearest tropical climate for fun in the sun.

Not to dampen your excitement, as the summer is all about spontaneity, but there is necessary cause and pause for preparation: summer safety.

Make your good time even better by knowing that your summer will be hazard-free, by following these tips

Stretching

Look now, we know you have an inner Serena. But, if you haven’t done as little as a lunge in the past three or four months, don’t go out on a tennis court and expect to fall into a graceful split to get your shot—you will fail. Pulled muscles are real things. Start preparing your body now for the activity that’s coming later. Get active. Stretch.

Sunblock

Yes, we need that, too. Though Black supposedly doesn’t crack, Black can still be subjected to harmful UV rays, which can result in burning, peeling, and worse. Protect the skin you’re in. Be sure to go for a waterproof block as, contrary to popular belief, you may want to swim. Chlorine plus blazing sun rays are recipe for skin disaster. Lather up.

Protective hairstyles

Ladies, this is the perfect time to braid, twist, and lock your hair! A protective style not only allows for your hair to be maintenance-free, but it allows you to enjoy all the activities that the summer has to offer—minus the fear of water. Cover it up and call it a good time.

Water

Yes, we know that if there is any excuse to be boozy in the middle of the day, the summertime grants that. However, hydration saves lives. Not only does water work wonders for warding off pesky hangovers, it also works wonders at keeping the body adequately functioning, particularly in heat. Severe dehydration can lead to heat stroke or heat exhaustion—both of which ruins parties. If it’s warm out and you’re planning to be outside for any extended period of time, grab a bottle of water and keep the party going.

Repellent

You’re likely planning to head down to Palm Beach Gardens or elsewhere, there are mosquitoes and other things that fly and crawl in south Florida that you don’t want on you. Be prepared to go to war—have repellent on deck.

RELATED CONTENT: Sales Of Chemical Hair Relaxers On The Rise In Africa Despite Ingredients Linked To Cancer 

Left to Right: Shenequa Bucknor (Pronghorn Team), Jeff Osuji (Founder & CEO Eventnoire), Taylor Reed (Pronghorn Team)
by Jameelah Mullen

July 11, 2024

Eventnoire Partners With Pronghorn To Expand Its Global Reach

As of last year, Pronghorn has invested more than $200 million to support Black-owned businesses

The Black-owned event curator Eventnoire announced its partnership with Pronghorn.

Eventnoire is a venue management platform for cultural events in North America and Africa. With more than 10,000 venues and event organizers and nearly 400,000 members, Eventnoire is an emerging leader in the online ticketing industry. Pronghorn is an investment firm that strives to cultivate the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, especially within the spirits industry. 

Pronghorn’s goal is to generate $2.4 billion in economic value for the Black community through its investment in 57 Black-owned spirits brands by 2032. With Pronghorn’s investment, Eventnoire will enhance its app and expand its reach to become the hub for event organizers, consumers, and brands. Pronghorn’s partnership with Eventnoire gives the company access to its vast community of event curators and consumers.

Co-founders Erin J. Hall, Dan Sanborn, and Dia Simms announced the partnership at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

“Eventnoire is thrilled to partner with Pronghorn, and we look forward to a strategic partnership that will allow us to continue to grow while driving innovation and inclusivity in the spirits industry together,” said Jeff Osuji, founder and CEO of Eventnoire in a press release.

Pronghorn co-founder Erin J. Hall echoed Osuji’s sentiments.

“Partnering with Eventnoire is a seamless fit for Pronghorn, as this partnership opens doors to unparalleled growth and collaboration within the special events and spirits industries. Together, we’ll elevate event experiences, forge meaningful connections with emerging Black spirits founders, and redefine the landscape of celebration,” Hall said.

The companies launched the partnership in June with a screening of the “Distilled” docuseries in Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Chicago. The series is a multi-episode series that tells the stories of Black-owned distilleries in the Pronghorn portfolio. It will begin streaming on AMC+ in August, which is Black Business Month. 

For more information about Eventnoire, visit https://eventnoire.com or follow it on Instagram. For more information about Pronghorn Co.,  visit its website or follow its Instagram.

RELATED CONTENT: WOMEN OF POWER 2024 RECAP

Wesley Bell, Missouri, Congressional Seat 
by Sharelle Burt

July 11, 2024

South Carolina House Race Highlights How Gerrymandering Has Heightened Limits For Black Voters

Maybe Michael B. Moore is the answer.

The race for the Democratic seat of South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District is tight after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of gerrymandering that would benefit the Republican Party. 

For the past four years, The Washington Post reports, the district, once a competitive bipartisan area, has been represented by GOP Rep. Nancy Mace. Now, the area is seemingly red thanks to the redrawn lines in spring 2024, which introduced more Republican voters and limited the growth of the 17% of Black voters.

In 2023, a federal three-judge panel found the district lines represented unconstitutional racial gerrymandering that “exiled” a district of thousands of Democratic Black voters. Shortly after, Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote in May 2023 that there was minimal evidence showing that South Carolina lawmakers used race as a focus on how the lines were drawn to force a Republican lead. 

Before the ruling, federal courts could not block gerrymandering. Some Democratic voters, including a supporter of the 1st District’s Black Democratic nominee, Michael B. Moore, think the practice is a thing of the past. During a prayer service, a woman praying for the candidate said, “We don’t care about no gerrymandering.”

However, gerrymandering and the issue of redistricting is a hot topic in a number of GOP-led states, including the Palmetto State. In regards to Black voters, who already struggle with political representation, experts say the decisions handed down have narrowed the scope of guaranteeing they receive equal say. “For minority voters, for people who believe in partisan fairness, federal litigation just isn’t the answer under the Roberts court,” Harvard Law School professor Nicholas Stephanopoulos said. 

Moore is the great-great-grandson of a Civil War hero and is pushing to give South Carolina a fighting chance as its second Black Democrat in Congress, following in the footsteps of Rep. James E. Clyburn.

On top of addressing issues including the rise in crime and abortion, Moore claims he is fighting to curb gerrymandering. “I’m looking to build on battles started by my ancestors,” Moore told a group of voters. “There are very serious threats to democracy that we all know are going on—even in this district, where 30,000 Black folks were gerrymandered out of the district. Either we believe in ‘one person, one vote’ or we don’t.”

He has some support in the fight. Black voters represented by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund sued over the original gerrymandering decision.

Mýa Used First Major Check To Buy Studio Equipment: ‘I Used to Record with a Karaoke Machine’
by Shanique Yates

July 11, 2024

Mýa Used First Major Check To Buy Studio Equipment: ‘I Used to Record with a Karaoke Machine’

Mýa recalls spending her first record deal advance on studio equipment after years of recording on a karaoke machine.

Mýa recalled how her first major check was an investment into the career she is revered for today.

“My first major check was probably $50,000, and that’s a lot for a young girl,” the “Fallen” singer joked. “And it’s called an advance. I invested in equipment and was so excited because before advancing my record deal, I used to use a karaoke machine with cassette tapes to record my harmonies, and I would flip the tape. After I recorded on one, I would record the other, and I would flip them so that I could try to stack my harmonies, and the quality was awful, but it was the way to practice.”

“What I invested in was something called the Roland Vs-880, and I remember it was huge,” she continued. “It had eight tracks on it and it allowed me to physically record myself up to eight tracks, and you could write songs, you could record yourself, etc. Then, a couple of years later, I got the 1680. That allows you to record 16 tracks. So it was equipment and PCs, starting with the [MPC]2000, [MPC]2000xl, and  [MPC]60, Roman numeral two. Tech kids know what I’m talking about… I have a studio right now at home, but it was equipment [where I spent my first check], and then my dad took me shopping in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.”

When she first emerged on the scene nearly 30 years ago, the Washington, D.C. native caught the eyes of many during her work as a video jockey and appearances on BET’s Teen Summit dance posse; however, it was when Mýa emerged as an artist that she really started to take flight. 

“I like to look at my career just for self-examination,” the “My Love Is Like… Wo” crooner told BLACK ENTERPRISE shortly after a riveting performance of her hits on AT&T’s Dream in Black stage during the 2024 Essence Festival of Culture. 

“If I were to talk to my younger self, I’d say that dreaming is very important. To understand that you have permission to dream and dream big, there are no limits except for your mind,” Mýa continued. “There are no limitations on yourself unless you decide. Also, focusing on your gift and knowing that through faith, through perseverance to application and doing the work, what is meant for you is always going to be there when you’re ready.”

As someone who has witnessed the ins and outs of the music industry and its evolution well before the digital age, Mýa’s work stems far beyond her musical accolades. When her fourth studio album, Liberation, was “accidentally” leaked by her label, Universal Motown Records, in 2007, she quickly turned what was meant for evil into something good.

From then on, Mýa became an independent artist a year later and launched Planet 9, her label, where she “executive produced, self-engineered, self-funded, and released seven different compilations.”

Fast-forward to 2020 and that label was transformed into spirits company Planet 9 Vegan Fine Wine, which, in partnership with California’s Frey Vineyards, offers a Red Cabernet Sauvignon with Plum Infusions. However, it is essential to note that Mýa is not new to the entrepreneurial lifestyle but relatively true to it after launching vegan and organic wine options in 2016 as an extension of her leading the charge during PETA’s Go Vegan campaign.

“The most impactful business lesson that I’ve learned is that it’s not about you; it’s about people at the end of the day, and if you want to win in life, you have to go where the people are and what they need,” said Mýa. “Focus on the necessities of folks; that’s what we’re here to do in our purpose, and everyone has one. How do we uplift? How do we elevate? How do we make the world a better place and ultimately be a servant? That’s where it is.”

With a career spanning 26 years, Mýa has been dubbed as a “triple threat entertainer,” thanks to her background in ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child, coupled with her sultry and soulful voice to match. Today, she continues to set a precedence for authentic storytelling through music. During her 2024 Essence Festival performance, not only did fans of the 44-year-old songstress travel back in time through hits like “Take Me There,” “Ghetto Superstar,” “Lady Marmalade,” and more, but were reminded that Mýa’s not going anywhere anytime soon as she performed the new February 2024 single “Anytime.”

RELATED CONTENT: Essence Festival Hosts Kamala Harris, Serena Williams, and More In its Third Day Festivities

tip, tipping, braids, refuse, service, hair, Dosso Beauty, Hypoallergenic Braiding
by Shanique Yates

July 11, 2024

City Of South Fulton Sued By Black Woman For Denying Her A Business Permit, Halted Opening Of African Braid Shop

A South Fulton business owner says she has lost thousands of dollars after a city ordinance prevents her from opening the doors to an African braiding shop.

Updated: Aug. 26, 2024

This South Fulton Black business owner is speaking out against a city ordinance that she says is costing her thousands of dollars for denying her a business permit.

What was supposed to be a joyous occasion for small business owner Awa Diagne has turned into a nightmare after she revealed that she was told that she would not be allowed to open her braid shop due to a law in Atlanta that prevents similar businesses from opening within a one-mile radius of one another. She filed a suit against the city on August 22 disputing her denial of a permit to open her shop.

South Fulton’s like-use zoning code has halted Diagne’s plans to open an African braid shop in a shopping plaza on Campbellton Fairburn Road. According to her, there aren’t any other African braid shops within 15 minutes of the location she sought for her business. 

“I wish they all know I’m not here to compete with nobody. I’m only here to survive,“ said Diagne in an interview with WSB-TV Channel 2.

The small business owner also claims that South Fulton’s business licensing division and the landlord of the space she occupies informed her about the zoning code that prevented her from opening the doors to her shop. Currently, the plaza is home to a beauty supply store, a hair salon, and a barbershop, which may explain why the city is enforcing the like-use zoning code for Diagne and her braiding shop, as they are all similar businesses.

Diagne’s business sits in the Atlanta district overseen by Councilwoman Helen Willis, who says that the zoning code is in place to “diversify the city’s business pool” rather than “deter small business owners.”

“We want an environment where we can have economic fairness and diverse retail,” said Willis. At this time, South Fulton advises all business owners to consult with the city’s economic development department to prevent future hiccups when it comes to seeking locations that fit within the like-use zoning code ordinance.

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Megan Thee Stallion, Ne-Yo, Celebrity Family Feud
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 11, 2024

Megan Thee Stallion & Ne-Yo Compete For Charity On ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ 

The recording artists played to raise money for AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), a Houston-based non-profit organization.

Celebrity Family Feud made its return to the airwaves on July 9 and featured “W.A.P.” recording artist Megan Thee Stallion leading a team against singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and his family.

According to Billboard, the episode premiered as the first in a two-hour bloc which also featured NFL players going up against a team of Olympians for the second show.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Celebrity Family Feud (@familyfeudabc)

Hello Beautiful reported that Megan’s manager, Travis Farris, friends Jaela Mitchell and Kellon Williams, and celebrity fashion stylist Bryon Javar connected with her on the show. Ne-Yo was joined by his mother, Lorraine Smith; his sister, Nicole Smith; his brother, Jayvon Smith; and his brother’s wife, Antonia Soobyia. They were playing to raise money for AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), a Houston-based non-profit organization.

A memorable moment from the show included Family Feud host Stever Harvey asking Megan, “Name something you’ve done to your mate’s feet.” The rapper responded by shouting out, “Massage!” beating her fellow recording artist to the buzzer. The number one answer was, “Rubbed ‘Em.”

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Celebrity Family Feud (@familyfeudabc)

Before the game ended, during the bonus round, Harvey asked her, “Name something that might be curvy.”

Without batting an eye, she swiftly responded by saying, “Me,” which made Harvey start clapping in agreement, and the crowd approved the answer. Megan flaunted her curves in front of the cameras and audience before asking the host, “Can I say that?” As he was still shaking his head in approval, he responded by saying, “You might as well.”

The “Hot Girl Summer” rapper and her team ended up beating Ne-Yo’s family in the matchup.

It’s been a good year for the Texas-bred lyricist. In April, she received the Catalyst of Change Award at the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Spring Into Action Gala, acknowledging her noticeable contributions to women’s health.

RELATED CONTENT: Megan Thee Stallion Signs ‘First Deal Of Its Kind’ With Warner Music Giving Her Ownership Of Masters

Angel Reese, Chicago Sky, players, security, harassment, camera, fan
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 11, 2024

Angel Reese Named WNBA Player Of The Week

The Chicago Sky rookie also broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles

Angel Reese’s impressive rookie season garnered another highlight when the Chicago Sky’s double-double machine was named WNBA’s latest Player of the Week.

She is the first rookie this season to achieve the feat.

The honor came after Reese broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles when she notched her fourteenth. In week seven, she averaged 16.8 points, 14 rebound, and 1.2 assists.

Reese was named WNBA Rookie of the Month in June, when she averaged 14.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game and had double-digit rebounds in all 11 games for the month. After her record-breaking June, she now leads the league in rebounding with 11.4 a game. 

The same day she was announced as the rookie of the month, the league said she would play in its 20th All-Star Game on Saturday, July 20, in Phoenix. Along with the recent honors, Reese and her teammate, Kamilla Cardoso, reached a double-double in the same game in a season for the third time, the most for a rookie duo in WNBA history.

Accolades aside, Reese debuted a new look and shared the news on social media.

She told her followers in a follow-up message, “yall me and wigs dont go together i can’t keep up with lace AT ALL and im not wearing no headband anywhere.”

After getting her hair in a natural style, she revealed her latest hairdo to the masses.

RELATED CONTENT: Angel Reese Sets Press Straight About WNBA Fouls And Player Popularity

Byron Donalds, Trump, Scott Turner
by Sharelle Burt

July 11, 2024

Byron Donalds’ Ex-Wife Exposes Vice Presidential Hopeful’s Past Life, Says He Is Moving ‘Super-Dangerous’

This tea is hot....

The ex-wife of Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds is painting a different picture of the congressman than what Americans are seeing. 

Bisa Hall told how she met Donalds as a freshman on the campus of HBCU, Florida A&M University, in 1996. She described Donalds as an “opportunistic person” who “will take whatever opportunity they’re given.” When the two met, Hall claims the congressman had a Jamaican accent and told her he was from Jamaica. 

She later learned the then 18-year-old was from New York, and he told her the motive for the phony disguise. “He felt like it would make him stand out,” Hall said. “And he was right. There were a ton of guys from New York around, but there weren’t any guys from Jamaica. He was right; it got him noticed.” 

Donalds’ political career made Hall remember that first encounter. “He was always driven to get what he didn’t have,” the married public school teacher said. “He was trying to fill a void and get what he didn’t have.”

Donalds has stood as a strong ally to former President Donald Trump. Once projected as neither religious nor political during the eight-year relationship with Hall, Donalds now spreads ideologies of Christian values while speaking praises of Trump across the country. According to the New Republic, Hall was shy to go on record about her time with Donalds, but after seeing her former partner standing by Trump, who has a history of sexually assaulting women and was found guilty of abusing E. Jean Carroll, she decided to break her silence. “To see Trump and Donalds in collusion together, it was like, ‘If Donalds were a good human, would this very bad person be pushing him as a poster child?’” Hall asked. 

“They’re both very opportunistic. You trot him out there, and it makes some people feel better about Trump. I think what he’s doing is super dangerous, and I think morally, he and I have no crossover at all.”

Hall remembers the Republican lawmaker once registering as a Democrat in the capital city of Tallahassee and said politics was a topic the couple stayed away from. “We never talked once about how we were going to go and vote – it wasn’t a thing,” she said.

 “To see him now, out there saying, ‘I’m a conservative Black man,’ and I’m like, since when? He wasn’t talking about politics at all. To see him now, it’s like, ‘When did this happen?’” 

Since the beginning of the 2024 political season, Donalds has made claims that have raised eyebrows amongst Black voters. During a Black voter outreach event called “Congress, Cognac, and Cigars” on June 4 in Philadelphia, Donalds suggested Black families were more unified and better off during the Jim Crow era.

After Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of supplying hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, Donalds called on the Supreme Court to intervene in the ruling. 

The couple wed on June 15, 1999, but divorced in 2012 after Hall found out Donalds was dating Florida State University student Erika Lees, who is now Donalds’ wife and mother to their three children. At the time, the congressman was back and forth between the two women as Hall reminisced about a time around Christmas 2002 when her soon-to-be ex-husband came to her stating he “wanted to rekindle their relationship.” “He said, ‘Erika and I have split up, and I want to give it another chance – I want my wife back,’” she recalled. 

Shortly after, Donalds recanted, telling Hall a divorce needed to happen as soon as possible because Erika was pregnant and “they had to hurry up and get married.” 

After the two were married, Donalds began his right-winged career as a member of the Tea Party movement, essentially opposing the nomination of former President Barack Obama, the country’s first Black president.

RELATED CONTENT: Donald Trump Calls Into Black Business Roundtable Discussion To Celebrate Support Of Black Voters From His Mug Shot

Argentina National Team, soccer, Drake
by Daniel Johnson

July 11, 2024

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

It's now Argentina's turn to roast Drake.

“Not Like Us” continues to ensure Drake will never again know peace.

This time a reference to the song popped up after Drake lost a $300,000 bet hoping for Canada, his home country, to pull off an upset in the Copa America semifinal against Argentina, arguably one of the world’s best soccer teams.

The Argentina national team’s official social media account proceeded to mock Drake after it defeated the Canadian national team 2-0 behind a pair of goals from Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Drake would have made $2.8 million if Canada had pulled off the upset, but instead he merely added insult to injury. 

The team captioned a photo depicting Messi celebrating with his teammates on its Twitter/X account, “Not like us, not with us,” ending the statement with the Argentinian flag for added emphasis. 

The latest shot at Drake comes on the heels of Kendrick Lamar’s Fourth of July victory lap around the Canadian rapper, which kept the same theme as his Juneteenth performance of the song, which was technically several performances of the song in rapid succession. 

For Argentina, the team moves into position to win three straight major championship titles. If they succeed, they will join Spain as the only team to accomplish this feat. Spain and their prodigious 16-year-old Afro-Spanish forward, Lamine Yamal, are having a phenomenal Copa Euro tournament thus far and could face Argentina should they both win their respective tournaments. 

“It’s insane what this team has done, what the Argentina national team is doing,” Messi told the Associated Press. “For those who remain from the old guard, it’s beyond impressive that the national team is in another final. On Sunday, Argentina will face the winner of the contest between Colombia and Uruguay. Canada will face the loser for the opportunity to take third place in the tournament. 

With his goal against Canada, Messi moves closer to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most goals scored in international competition. “We have to enjoy every moment of what we’re living,” Messi said. “I’m conscious that these are the last battles. It’s has been a very difficult Copa América, very competitive, bad surfaces, excessive heat.”

Copa America is being played in football stadiums across the United States, hence Messi’s “bad surfaces” comment.

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