Jordan
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 22, 2026

Jordan Brand X Levi’s Air Jordan 3 Release Dates Revealed

The footwear collection will be available initially in China before making its way to the States in time for the Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Game

NBA Hall of Fame SuperFan Spike Lee revealed the Levi’s Air Jordan 3 collaboration while watching the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 9, 2025. Now, the new Jordan Brand x Levi’s Collection will be available for purchase starting Jan. 24.

The denim collection debuts exclusively in China on Jan. 24, then in Japan and Korea on Jan. 30. The Black and Rigid colorways will debut Super Bowl LX weekend on Feb. 5 in San Francisco. After that, on Feb. 13, the LA Exclusive colorway will be available for purchase during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

Lee is featured in the promotional campaign, which also stars artist Rio Amor; skater Josh Velez; and bucket drummer Jay Wright, whose father, Larry Wright, appeared in the original Levi’s “Button Your Fly” ad.

The collection has four different colorways:

  • The Rigid colorway entails indigo denim with a black-on-black elephant print.
  • The Black colorway has pebbled black leather, black denim panels, and an embroidered black denim heel piece embedded with the Nike Air branding.
  • The Year of the Horse colorway, which is being launched in time for the Lunar New Year in China, Japan, and Korea, has an unbleached rigid ecru denim, premium pony hair panels, a jacquard heel tab with red “Year of the Horse” chain stitch embroidery.
  • The LA Exclusive colorway features pebbled leather, strategic blue denim accents, and red “City of Angels” chain-stitch embroidery.

“Jordan Brand and Levi’s are more than just icons in fashion and sport — they are cultural leaders who have continually set the standard for creativity and self-expression,” says Nico Fearn, Jordan Brand GM of Energy, in a written statement. “As two of the most globally recognized American heritage brands, our history together speaks to the power of authentic partnership and innovation. From our beginnings, both brands have obsessed creating quality products that stand up to the demands of the daily hustle. Together, this partnership honors our shared legacy while turning the page, inviting new generations to redefine what it means to be original, what it means to be great.”

The full Jordan Brand x Levi’s collection will be available at Levi.com, the Levi’s App, SNKRS, and select Levi’s and Jordan Brand stores globally on Feb. 20.

RELATED CONTENT: Jordan Brand Readies Release Of Air Jordan 12 Retro ‘Bucks’

chef, global, international, Ebenezer Smith
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 22, 2026

Chef Marcus Samuelsson Launches Fellowship Retreat For Mid-Career Culinary Professionals

James Beard-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson has launched a fellowship retreat for mid-career culinary professionals.

Renowned chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson is giving back to the culinary community with a new fellowship program that provides culinary professionals with a two-week experience at the Denniston Hill retreat in the Catskills.

The Red Rooster head chef took to Instagram on Jan. 15 to announce the launch of his Rise Residency at Denniston Hill, a mentorship program giving mid-career culinary professionals — including chefs, food writers, sommeliers, entrepreneurs, and recipe developers — a two-week stay at the Catskills artist retreat, along with a $5,000 stipend.

“Time to reflect, develop ideas, and build meaningful connections is rare in this industry,” Samuelsson wrote.

After the two-week retreat, fellows receive six months of mentorship with Samuelsson and other industry leaders, including Dawn Padmore, vice president of the James Beard Foundation Awards; and Chip Wade, CEO of Union Square Hospitality. Supported by the Mellon Foundation, the program aims to give creative leaders in the food space the opportunity to engage in artistic practice at a pivotal point in their careers.

“In partnership with @DennistonHill, the artist retreat co-founded by my good friend @juliemehretu, we are creating space for two individuals (whether food writers, sommeliers, chefs, or anyone else currently in the field with five or more years of experience), to experiment, learn, and grow,” Samuelsson explained.

The program aims to give creative leaders in the culinary world a chance to explore artistic practice at a pivotal moment in their careers. At the heart of the fellowship is exclusive access to The Rise Residency’s extensive food archive, highlighting the foundational role of Black culinary heritage in American cuisine.

Fellows also engage in garden-based sustainability practices at Denniston Hill. The program concludes with a community conversation series and a pop-up restaurant, where fellows present their innovative culinary projects alongside Chef Samuelsson. The James Beard Award-winning chef aims to use the fellowship to emphasize the value of shaping the next generation of culinary leadership.

“In my 30 years as a chef in the US, I’ve learned firsthand how making systemic, sustainable change in the industry starts by elevating the next generation,” Samuelsson said in a statement. “The Rise Residency at Denniston Hill represents exactly that: building a culinary residency program within a historic artist community, where professionals can develop breakthrough projects that honor Black food heritage and shape the future of American cuisine. This collaboration with Denniston Hill, with the support of the Mellon Foundation, creates something unprecedented in hospitality education. We’re not just offering kitchen space—we’re offering what every emerging culinary leader needs: intensive mentorship, a community of creative peers, and the time to think big about impact.”

RELATED CONTENT: An Executive Chef Dishes Out the Secret to Success in the Culinary Business

Derrick Rose
by Kandiss Edwards

January 21, 2026

Derrick ‘Rose’s Flower Shop’ Is Open For Business

Rose’s Flower Shop operates on a limited “bloom drop” model, with fresh floral arrangements made available weekly.

Derrick Rose, the former NBA star and Chicago native, has launched a family-owned flower shop in his hometown. 

Rose’s new business, Rose’s Flower Shop, opened in early January and was developed alongside his wife, mother, and children. 

On the shop’s site, Rose said roses have “always meant more to me than something simply beautiful” and represent “love and appreciation,” citing memories of sending roses to family, friends, and supporters after his NBA retirement on Sept. 26, 2024.

That gesture, he said, “planted the seed for something bigger.”

Rose’s Flower Shop operates on a limited “bloom drop” model, with fresh floral arrangements made available weekly. Bouquets are named after Chicago-inspired themes such as Chicago Red, Morning on Michigan, and City Lights, and a standard 12-stem arrangement is priced at about $89.99, according to the shop’s website.

The venture builds on earlier community-oriented efforts. A one-day pop-up version of Rose’s Flower Shop drew long lines in downtown Chicago in January 2025 and gave away flowers to fans and residents. 

The new shop plans to offer limited online drops nationwide.  Most importantly, the brick-in-mortar location aims to remain rooted in Chicago’s neighborhoods. In an Instagram post, Rose says he hopes to bring knowledge to the next generation. 

“I want Rose’s Flower Shop to be an agricultural platform for kids where they can learn about agriculture, business and what’s possible when you invest in your own neighborhood and believe in what you’re building.”

While Rose provides flowers to the community, he is still receiving his own.

The one-time NBA Most Valuable Player will have his No. 1 jersey retired by the Bulls on Jan. 24. Rose’s number will join  Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and other legends in the rafters.

RELATED COTNENT: NBA Star Derrick Rose Debuts As Filmmaker With Short Honoring Chicago Roots

Mike Colter
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 21, 2026

Mike Colter Talks Possibility Of Marvel’s Luke Cage Returning

‘I have some unfinished business there.'

A decade after his character, Luke Cage, debuted on Netflix in 2016, the actor who played him, Mike Colter, teased a possible return, saying that there is “some unfinished business” with Cage.

While appearing on Shawn Stockman’s On That Note podcast, the Marvel star spoke about talks to reprise the popular character, eight years after the series was canceled. Luke Cage may have been his most popular role over the years, though he has had several others since then. He also played Cage in another Netflix crossover series, The Defenders, which combined the characters of Luke Cage, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones, fighting as one unit against criminals through the streets of New York City.

Stockman, a self-proclaimed Marvel fan, asked him the question most Luke Cage fans have been wondering for years: Is there a possibility that we will see Luke Cage on screen again?

Colter responded, “Listen, I will say this, I’ve had conversations, and I’ll leave it at that.”

He explained that after the series was canceled by Netflix, as most actors do when they lose work, he was on to the next project. He admitted that fans and people who approached him would ask him the same question, but, in his mind, that answer was always “no,” because he was looking for his next memorable role. But now, his mindset has changed. He now wonders if there should be a return of Luke Cage.

“It’s been years now, so I’m doing other projects but, now, I think to myself, ‘I have some unfinished business there. Now I’ve reached the point where I’m like, ‘I have some unfinished business,’ and I think Daredevil’s back so, come on … Jessica’s back.”

The long layoff from the series and the fans’ demands for another crack at it, he feels, place them in a better negotiating position to bring it back.

“I would say we’re in a better position to see this come into fruition faster than we think.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘LUKE CAGE’ HAD FEW WHITE VILLAINS BECAUSE CREATOR WAS ‘TRYING TO KEEP BLACK PEOPLE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED’

Justin Jones
by Sharelle B. McNair

January 21, 2026

Justin Jones Lets Fox News’ Sean Hannity Have It Over List Of Trump Administration ‘Wrongs’

The back-and-forth interview took place Jan. 20 when Jones joined the Trump-favored host as a guest on “Hannity.”

Tennessee State Democratic Rep. Justin Jones gave Fox News anchor Sean Hannity a piece of his mind during a chaotic interview where Hannity criticized Jones’ stance on ICE while the congressman bashed the popular media personality for hanging with “pedophiles and perverts.”

The back-and-forth interview took place Jan. 20 when Jones joined the Trump-favored host as a guest on “Hannity.” Things went left almost immediately as Hannity blasted Jones for comparing ICE agents to members of the Ku Klux Klan, with disturbing pictures to correspond. After the host took jabs at the leader for failing to list crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Tennessee, Jones decided to flip the script to the Epstein files, claiming he can list names of “perverts” that hang out at President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate. “So my question remains…can you name a single victim of crime in your state by illegal immigrants, yes or no?” Hannity asked. 

“I can name the people who have been criminalized by this administration and masked agents who are kidnapping people in this community,” Jones said while the host attempted to interrupt. 

Successful, Jones decided to change the terms of the exchange. “You want to go through a list? Go through the list of pedophiles and perverts who hang out at Mar-A-Lago. Go through that list.”

Both Trump and ICE agents have been under fire for different things: ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the unrest occurring in U.S. cities such as Minneapolis at the hands of federal officers. Just days ago, Jones was seen carrying an “Abolish ICE” flag while walking into the new Tennessee legislative session. 

Then things got personal after Hannity accused Jones of being “lazy” and not having a full understanding of what white supremacy was or is. In response, the lawmaker accused Hannity of being out of touch. “They ran my grandparents out of Tennessee,” Jones educated him, according to The Independent. 

“My father was a U.S. Marine; he fought for this country. Who have you served, Sean, other than your pocketbook?” Jones said.

The Democratic leader continued to scold Hannity for projecting that he knows what the American people want, being out of touch by using fear tactics, and simply working for the wealthy. “You never got off your ass and picked up the phone to talk to one constituent ever to talk to them and give them condolences because you are making them less safe and secure,” Hannity said, pointing his finger. 

“All you do is use the same talking points to keep people fearful because you make $45 million a year to keep these people that watch your show fearful so they don’t pay attention to CEOs taking their healthcare, for letting their farms close….you don’t care about the American people,” Jones said in a heated rebuttal. 

“All you have is fear, Sean. You want people to be fearful, but it’s not immigrants, it’s the corporate CEOs who are screwing them over and making it so they can’t afford groceries or their healthcare. That’s who we need to go after.”  

Jones’s criticism is supported by reports of grocery prices being sky high. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed the cost of food at home has gone up 2.4% in total over the past 12 months of Trump’s presidency. In December 2025, prices went up 0.7%, which was the fastest single-month increase since October 2022. 

However, the president continues to falsely take credit for dropping the prices of groceries by “400, 500, and even 600 percent.”

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Ghost Debt, Buy now, Pay later,checkout, paying, apple pay, purchase, Credit Card, medical debt
by Kandiss Edwards

January 21, 2026

Put That Rent On Lay-A-Way: Affirm Offers Flexible Rent Payments

As BNPL products expand into new areas such as rent, consumers should understand that these options still involve taking on credit obligations.

Affirm Holdings, a provider of buy now, pay later (BNPL) financing, has begun a pilot program that allows tenants to use BNPL services to split their monthly rent payments into two equal installments without interest or hidden fees.

Affirm is working in partnership with financial technology platform Esusu. Renters who qualify can break up what is typically a single monthly rent charge into two smaller payments. The payment plan will help tenants align more closely with pay periods, Affirm said in a statement to Fox Business. Affirm is thoroughly assessing the success of the pilot to hopefully provide widespread relief to its customers.

“We’re approaching this use case thoughtfully and evaluating it alongside Esusu, which shares our focus on clear, consumer-first financial tools,” Affirm wrote in its statement.

The program is intended to offer tenants more flexibility in managing one of their largest monthly expenses. Affirm’s BNPL rent option, which initially is available to a subset of users in a pilot phase. does not charge interest and does not apply late fees or compound interest as long as payments are made on schedule. Some observers say expanding BNPL options into housing costs could change how consumers budget for essential monthly bills. 

Affirm already offers BNPL plans for general purchases that allow shoppers to pay for goods and services over time rather than upfront. Those plans, often marketed as “pay in four,” have become increasingly common at online checkouts and in retail stores. 

As BNPL products expand into new areas such as rent, consumers should understand that these options still involve taking on credit obligations. Industry data shows that although BNPL accounts were once excluded from standard credit scoring models, changes are underway that could integrate BNPL repayment performance into consumer credit assessments. 

In 2024, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on BNPL companies, like Affirm, partnering with credit scoring company FICO. Many are updating their scoring formulas to include information from BNPL products. Beginning with new models such as Score 10, BNPL loan data may be factored into credit scores. The new model will make on-time payments potentially beneficial and missed payments harmful for borrowers. 

The evolution means BNPL users may soon see their rent or retail BNPL payment histories influence their overall credit profiles. Historically, BNPL activity was not widely reported to credit bureaus, leaving a “blind spot” that the updated scoring models aim to address. 

RELATED CONTENT: Timely Rent Payments Are Now Considered In Home Loan Evaluation

KARAMO brown
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 21, 2026

Karamo Brown Skips ‘CBS Mornings’ Appearance With ‘Queer Eye’ Cast, Cites Worry ‘About Being Bullied’

Karamo Brown distances himself from the "Queer Eye" cast as they promote the show's 10th and final season.

Karamo Brown is hinting at trouble in paradise among the Queer Eye cast after skipping out on scheduled television appearances in promotion of the show’s final season.

Brown issued a statement after he was noticeably absent when cast members Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and Jeremiah Brent appeared on CBS Mornings and Today with Jenna & Sheinelle on Jan. 20, canceling his scheduled interviews just an hour before airtime, People reported. Gayle King shared the news first, reading Brown’s statement on air that explained his decision.

“Thank you to everyone around the world for welcoming me into their homes for 10 seasons. Season 10 is amazing, and I know you will fall in love with the deserving people we helped,” the statement read. “Though the show is ending, I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/ peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today,” the statement continued. “Thank you to the crew for being the best in business and the executives for believing in me. 10 Seasons, I’m truly humbled.”

After reading the statement, King added that Brown’s assistant had noted he was also “worried about being bullied.”

She then brought the attention back to the Queer Eye cast, asking for responses to Brown’s absence and statement.

“Surprised is a fair understatement,” Porowski said. “I will say, our Queer Eye family, we’ve been doing this for almost a decade — which is pretty wild to believe — and families are complicated, and we’re definitely not excluded from that. But I think two things can exist at the same time. And while that is definitely true, we’re also here to showcase these incredible heroes we have and really honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives and all these wonderful heroes that we’ve had the blessing of getting to meet and have conversations with.”

Brent, who joined Queer Eye in Season 9 following Bobby Berk’s departure, spoke up, saying his experience with the group has been “transformative” and that he has “felt safe and supported” by the entire cast and crew.

The Queer Eye cast addressed Brown’s absence once more on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, where he shared a video message after previously telling the NBC morning show that he had “felt mentally and emotionally abused for years” and that his therapist advised him “to protect himself and his peace by not attending.”

“Just like the themes of this season, I’m modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. That’s why I’m here at home and not there,” Brown said in a video message.

Brown’s separation from the cast comes after former Queer Eye star Bobby Berk announced his departure following eight seasons. In a 2024 Vanity Fair interview, Berk spoke about tensions within the Fab Five, specifically noting conflicts with image expert Tan France.

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OPEN CARRY, GUNS,
by Mitti Hicks

January 21, 2026

Supreme Court Debating Whether States Can Limit Gun Carry On Private Property

At the heart of this case is Hawaii, but at least four other states, including California, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey, have similar laws.  

Do private property owners have the right to decide whether they want guns on their private property? That’s the question the Supreme Court is currently deciding. It’s a case about whether states can limit firearms on private property that’s open to the public without first receiving the property owner’s consent.

At the heart of this case is Hawaii, but at least four other states, including California, Maryland, New York, and New Jersey, have similar laws.  

State lawmakers have set strict “default rules” that prohibit the possession of handguns in privately-owned places where members of the public might gather, unless the owner explicitly gives permission, ABC News reports.

“This law is extremely restrictive. It bans public carry in 96.4% of the publicly available land in the County of Maui,” Alan Beck, an attorney for three Maui residents and members of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition who are challenging the law, told the outlet.

He adds, “They’d like to carry dropping off money at the ATM late at night or just going to have lunch at a restaurant. They are unable to carry on any private business that is open to the public, that is unwilling to put up a sign saying ‘guns ‘allowed.’”

Gun Laws In Other States

In the 45 other states, lawmakers allow handgun owners to presume that they can legally carry weapons onto private property that is open to the public, unless the owner explicitly says otherwise with verbal instructions or by posting a sign.

Gun control groups say this is more of a property rights case, not a Second Amendment dispute. Advocates argue that it has been a longstanding tradition in the United States to allow property owners to set rules for their property.  

However, challengers say it’s unconstitutional for Hawaii to impose “default” rules that prohibit firearms in privately owned public spaces. They argue that the laws would mean that gunowners would have to presume that guns are banned in most public spaces.

Hawaii leaders are pushing back. They argue that there has never been a “right to armed entry onto private property without consent.” They say the law is meant to protect the property owners’ right to exclude guns.

But it also appears that the six conservative Supreme Court justices are expressing skepticism about Hawaii’s gun laws, CNN reports.

Justice Samuel Alito said Hawaii’s defense of the law is “relegating the Second Amendment to second-class status.”

A decision in this case is expected by June.

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Nas, casino
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 21, 2026

Applications Open For 2026-27 Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship At Harvard University

You have until Jan. 30 to apply for the 2026-27 school year.

Queens recording artist Nasir “Nas” Jones recently announced that Harvard University is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship.

The fellowship, named after the “Hip-Hop Is Dead” lyricist, was established over a decade ago, making it the first academic fellowship named after a hip-hop artist.

Applications must be received by Jan. 30 for the 2026-27 school year.

When the fellowship was launched in July 2013 to honor the Queensbridge rapper, the mission was “to facilitate and encourage the pursuit of knowledge, art, culture, and leadership through the exchange of artists and scholars in residence at the Du Bois Research Institute.”

At the time, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research, said, “Nas is a true visionary, and he consistently shows how boundaries can be pushed and expanded to further the cause of education and knowledge. The work of the Du Bois Institute is enriched by the addition of the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellowship.”

Nas, who recently released his latest project with DJ Premier, Light-Years, and performed at a recent NBA game, has been.

The label that released his album, Mass Appeal Records, is owned by the rapper. Mass Appela has also released albums by legendary emcees who began their careers around the time Nas started his.

Seven albums were released throughout 2025: De La Soul’s Cabin in the Sky; Slick Rick’s Victory; Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon’s The Emperor’s New Clothes; fellow Wu-Tang Clan brother Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele 2; Mobb Deep (featuring vocals from deceased member, Prodigy)’s Infinite; and another rapper, and the late Big L’s Harlem’s Finest: Return of the King. 

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LeBron James, Cleveland, Ohio, Los Angeles Lakers
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 21, 2026

LeBron James Won’t Start in NBA All-Star Game, Breaking 2 Decade Streak

The Lakers player has been selected as a starter every year since 2005.

The NBA announced the starting lineups for the upcoming All-Star Game, and for the first time in over 20 years, future Hall of Famer LeBron James was not selected to start.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo were the leading vote-getters for the 2026 All-Star Game, which will take place Feb. 15 at the Inuit Dome in Los Angeles.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the competition.

According to ESPN, the Lakers forward had been selected as a starter for the All-Star game a record 21 times. LeBron can still play in the contest if the NBA coaches select him as a reserve. The league will announce those players on Jan. 25.

LeBron missed the first 14 games due to a bout of sciatica. As his career winds down, injuries appear to be taking a toll in his 23rd season. In December, he scored under 10 points, breaking a streak of 1,297 games with double-digit points. LeBron has not revealed if this is his last season, as his contract also ends when it’s over.

Joining Dončić and Antetokounmpo on this year’s roster are Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry for the Western Conference. Starting for the Eastern Conference are New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, and Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown.

The starters were chosen by a formula that weighted fans’ votes (50%), current NBA players (25%), and a media panel (25%). The top five players with the highest scores in each conference were named starters.

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