Erick Sermon Goes ‘Back 2 The Party’ With Salt-N-Pepa Before Releasing His Next Album
Erick Sermon is dropping a new album, "Dynamic Duos," and just released the project's first single.
Erick Sermon, one-half of the seminal hip-hop group EPMD, has released his first single from his next album, Dynamic Duos.
“Back 2 The Party” is a collaboration with Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Salt-N-Pepa that is sure to enhance the legacy of both acts.
Barely a year after the celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Sermon is in the studio cranking out tracks to add to his lengthy catalog. Partnering will well known artists in his hip-hop class, Sermon’s collaborative project is helping hip-hop stars of the past continue creating and generating income.
“TheideaoftheDynamicDuosalbumstartedbyputtingtogether artistsfrommyerathatpeopleforgotabout.Beforetherecognitionthat hip-hop’s50th anniversarybroughttomyera,Iwantedtoputsomethingspecialtogether,” Sermon said in press release.
The single is the lead from the album that pits Sermon with familiar hip-hop artists like Cypress Hill, MethodMan,Redman,MobbDeep,MOP, and Snoop Dogg. This album is co-produced by Rockwilder who shared the project on his Instagram account: “Once again it’s on. . .”
The upcoming album will be distributed through Sparta+ under 300 Entertainment. A release date hasn’t been announced.
On an October episode of the My Expert Opinion podcast, Sermon revealed thatCurtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, was an unofficial member of Def Squad. He would have most likely signedwith Def Squad if he didn’t get shot nine times in 2000. Three years later, he signed with Eminem’s Shade Records.
Oklahoma Country Radio Station Refuses Fan’s Request To Play Queen Bey’s New Music: ‘We Don’t Play Beyoncé’
Is it racist or a misunderstanding?
Beyoncé’s new country era is already facing backlash from country music professionals.
Country music station KYKC in Oklahoma refused to play Queen Bey’s new song, “Texas Hold Em'” following a fan’s request for the latest track. The fan, who goes by @jussato on Twitter, jumped on social media to share his experience.
“I requested Texas Hold’ Em at my local country radio station (KYKC), and after requesting, I received an email from the radio station stating, ‘We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station,'” he wrote.
I requested Texas Hold ‘Em at my local country radio station (KYKC) and after requesting, i received an email from the radio station stating “We do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station. @BeyLegionpic.twitter.com/eQksQemk6m
The fan, whose name is Justin according to Twitter, continued a thread. He said the station should be “held accountable for their blatant racism and discrimination against Beyoncé,” adding, “@1001KYKC This is absolutely ridiculous and racist. You guys should be ashamed. I grew up listening to your station.”
.@1001KYKC This is absolutely ridiculous and racist. You guys should be ashamed. I grew up listening to your station.
The call for accountability reached the Beyhive, who immediately jumped on board. Several users said they would follow suit and email the station after Justin listed it. One fan said KYKC not playing the song in the name of pride is “fumbling a bag.”
“They don’t realize by them refusing to play one of the biggest stars on the planet is a huge beg [sic] they’re fumbling; Beyoncé can get them millions of new listeners onto country music, but they want to be prideful, let em know Beyhive,” @knowlesvatoo said.
Another provided receipts and sent a screenshot of the email she sent.
“She knows there will be pushback by those who want her to stay in a narrow lane, but she doesn’t care,” a source revealed. “In fact, it has made her more daring. By the time the summer is over, her detractors will know the difference between yee and haw.”
One can only hope that will be the case by the time Broadcasting South Central Oklahoma Radio (S.C.O.R.E.) Enterprises play Bey’s music. After facing claims of racism, the station told Newsweek everything was a misunderstanding.
“The manager was just completely unaware that playing Beyonce on country radio] would be an option,” Craig Stone, a DJ at the station, said. “It’s not that we have something against the songs or anything against Beyoncé. We’re kind of shocked at how everything broke out here a couple of hours ago.”
Jermaine Dupri Reacts To Social Media Clowning His Super Bowl Outfit
Jermaine Dupri's attire for the the Super Bowl halftime show drew comparisons to "Boss Baby" and The Lollipop Guild.
There were many memorable moments from the Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance. Grammy-award winner Usher cycled through his most notable chart-topping songs and brought out artists to perform their famous features. Alicia Keys took the audience back to 2004 performing a snippet of “My Boo,” while Ludacris and Lil Jon joined in to perform “Yeah.”
Usher made it clear he was bringing Atlanta to the Super Bowl, so it was only fitting that Jermaine Dupri hit the stage. The ATL producer, So So Def recording artist, and owner left his mark on the stage and social media—but not for his music.
It was Dupri’s outfit that grabbed the attention of spectators and social media. He sported a black tuxedo short-suit accessorized with flouncy socks and a pair of penny loafers. Comparisons and memes circulated referencing The Wizard Of Oz, Leprechaun In The Hood, and Boss Baby.
Can't believe I live in a timeline that features Jermaine Dupri as one of the members of the lollipop guild. pic.twitter.com/4HbgTmYQoO
Dupri took the criticism in stride, reflecting on his accomplishments, and letting the world know in an Instagram post that his socks were Louis Vuitton.
(Warning: Adult language)
“Haaa!! ok I ain’t have time for y’all last night I was too drunk, me and my homies performed at the Super Bowl!so I’m just really seeing y’all got me fucked up !! But I will say it’s funny as hell,yoooo!! @pharrell 🤣🤣 you see this !? PS we came into this game with our clothes on backwards, i ain’t no regular nigga 🤣🤣”
Usher’s Super Bowl performance was one for the books as his performance incorporated strippers, Vegas glam, skaters, and 13 minutes of movement paired with live vocals.
The moment is cemented in pop culture history—along with Dupri’s outfit.
How To Manage Your Team Through Change In The Workplace
On any given day, a manager must react to and respond to each of these categories of change
Written by Chelsea C. Williams, Founder & CEO, Reimagine Talent Co.
“Change” is already a hot topic in 2024. Two questions I often hear when providing career development training to people managers are: How can I be a more effective manager throughout periods of change? What can I do better to support my team through work and personal changes?
First, let’s talk about the idea of “change.” It just might be the one constant in your daily routine. Change comes at managers from seemingly every direction – organizationally, culturally, generationally, and personally.
On any given day, you as a manager must react to and respond to each of these categories of change:
1. Organizational change:
These changes are specific to your workplace and could include leadership change, expanding a product or service line, downsizing teams, adding cross-cultural departments, or acquiring a new company.
2. Cultural change:
These worldwide events and circumstances affect the entire human population, including global war and conflict, economic factors, technology integration, climate and environmental issues, and headlines about news, politics, and social causes.
3. Generational change:
There are five different generations of workers in our workplaces. Each generation has unique experiences, training, expectations, and needs. Generational changes include emphasizing well-being and mental health, remote work and hybrid work models, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and employee expectations about purpose, autonomy, and opportunities for career growth.
4. Personal change:
Every single day, you and the people you manage are dealing with the highs and lows of their lives, including relationships, births, deaths, childcare, pet care, stress, celebrations, and hundreds of other feelings, events, and circumstances that create change in their lives.
It’s a lot for people managers to process and navigate. Plus, employees have high expectations around change and what they expect from their employers to handle it.
According to a Gartner survey, in 2016, 74% of employees were willing to support organizational change. By 2022, after the massive changes that occurred with COVID-19, only 38% of employees supported organizational change.
In addition, Gartner reported that the decrease in support also correlated with a lower intent to stay with the organization. Just 43% of employees who experienced above-average change fatigue intended to stay with their organization, compared with 74% of employees with low levels of change fatigue.
As a manager, there are a few steps you can take to help your team better manage change.
Change the Conversation
For starters, let’s change the conversation around change! Help your team understand and accept that change is a constant part of business, organizations, life, people, and leadership.
Next, demystify change as a bad thing. Like the notion that feedback is often viewed negatively, change can bring many positive outcomes. Help employees see change differently. Talk about change as a necessary part of your business efforts to help innovate, drive productivity, and build connection and belonging. Turn the conversation about change into a positive opportunity.
Increase Your Communication
During times of change, your communication should skyrocket. As a founder & CEO of a fully remote company, I hold weekly “home team” meetings with my core team to discuss the most critical business opportunities and address any elephants in the room.
We use our virtual face time to discuss what’s happening around the globe, in our industry, and within our organization. As a leader, I forecast future changes impacting our work. As a manager, it’s my job to share those changes with my team. People value transparency. I send biweekly CEO letters to my entire team to communicate about change initiatives. Hence, regardless of role or seniority, everyone understands what’s coming, what it means, and what it will look like.
Another easy communication touchpoint is picking up the phone and calling your team. Check in on them. Ask about their lives. When possible, schedule in-person meetings or gatherings. I’m making a point of meeting with all my employees in 2024 at conferences or meetings just to spend time with them. One-on-one time builds trust and connection.
Utilize Systems to Support Change
Finally, as a manager, you must find and use systems to help support change. During organizational change, project management tools like Asana and team communication tools like Slack become critically important, especially when working with hybrid and remote employees. These tools help track and report the work, dedication, and collaboration accomplished at the end of a month, quarter, and year.
As a manager, asking your organization for a budget to help employees navigate changes is fair. Provide mental health and wellness services, like a library of resources or workshops on stress management. Advocate for flexible work schedules to help employees better manage their work-life balance. Create and support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to encourage community and bonding.
Talk to your employees and find out where their stress stems from. If organizational changes have them worried about the future, pay for opportunities for employees to improve their skills. Invest in skills training and certifications so people feel confident that they’re ready for the change.
While I cannot predict the future, I know 2024 will be full of change. As a people manager, you can work on these practices to prepare yourself and your employees for what’s ahead.
Chelsea C. Williams | Courtesy of Reimagine Talent Co.
Chelsea C. Williams, an Entrepreneur, Workplace Educator, and Mentor, is the Founder & CEO of Reimagine Talent Co., a national talent development firm based in Raleigh, NC. Her national team empowers employers, educational institutions, and nonprofits with high-impact HR & Career Development solutions that support employee engagement, development, and retention. Chelsea is a trusted contributor to CNBC, Fast Company, Investment News, Insider, and Forbes, focusing on leading multi-generational teams and developing Generation Z. She’s a 2021 Forbes Next 1000 Award recipient, 2022 Tory Burch Entrepreneurial Fellow, and 2023 Entrepreneurial Impact Awardee by J.P. Morgan Chase Commercial Bank and Women Presidents Organization (WPO). She is passionate about redefining workplaces through innovation and inclusivity.
Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, A Tribe Called Quest, And More Among 2024 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Nominees
The 2024 Rock & Roll Hame of Fame nominees have been announced and Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and more Black music artists have a chance to be inducted.
The 2024 Rock & Roll Hame of Fame nominees have been announced, and Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and more Black music artists have a chance to be inducted.
On Saturday, Feb. 10, the esteemed music institution unveiled the 15 music artists who were nominated for induction into the 2024 Hall of Fame. Seven out of 15 are Black music artists, making for one of the most diverse Rock & Roll Hall of Fame lineups in the organization’s history.
Along with Blige, Carey, and Kravitz, nominees include Kool & The Gang, Sade, A Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. & Rakim, and Dave Matthews Band. Rounding out the list are Cher, Sinéad O’Connor, Ozzy Osbourne, Jane’s Addiction, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, and Oasis.
Fans now have the chance to vote for who will make the official list of inductees, which will be revealed in late April. The ceremony will take place in Cleveland this fall.
“This remarkable list of nominees reflects the diverse artists and music that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors and celebrates,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said.
“Continuing in the true spirit of Rock & Roll, these artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps.”
It’s the first time Carey, Cher, Kravitz, and Osbourne have made the list, CNNreports. It’s a surprise that Carey didn’t make the list until 2024, considering her chart-topping three-decade career that includes 19 Number One hits—second only to The Beatles.
Artists who are eligible to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years ago.
Mary J. Blige, the queen of hip-hop soul, is being recognized for her 14 Top Ten studio albums, nine Grammy awards, and over 50 million albums sold.
A Tribe Called Quest and Eric B. & Rakim’s nominations come a year after hip-hop celebrated its 50th anniversary. Eric B. & Rakim’s four albums are celebrated for the influence the duo’s wordplay and production have had on future artists such as Jay-Z, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar.
A Tribe Called Quest is lauded for their seamless combination of hip-hop and social commentary, and celebrated for their continued influence on artists like Pharrell Williams, Tyler, the Creator, and Questlove.
The 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will stream live on Disney+ on Feb. 10 and on Hulu the following day; a special airing on ABC will happen at a later date.
Ye Raked In $19 Million In Yeezy Sales From No-Budget Super Bowl Ad
Ye hit a lick during the Super Bowl.
Ye raked in a reported $19 million Yeezy sales from a Super Bowl ad with no budget.
The rap/fashion mogul purchased a 30-second Super Bowl LVIII to promote his Yeezy line on Sunday night. The short, low-budget commercial showed Ye holding his cell phone and urging viewers to visit his clothing website to check out his latest drop.
“Hey y’all, this is Ye, and this is my commercial. And since we spent all the money on the commercial spot, we actually — we didn’t spend any money on the actual commercial. But the idea is I want you to go to yeezy.com,” the said.
He spelled it out for viewers and added, “I’m gonna write it at the bottom of the screen, and I got some shoes, and mmmm, that’s it.”
While 30-second Super Bowl commercials were going for $7 million to air nationally, according to CBS News, Ye’s ad didn’t air in every market, and he likely paid less for his regional spot, via The Hollywood Reporter. It was money well spent for the Yeezy founder as he reportedly made way more than he spent on the televised advertisement.
Ye took to Instagram after the ad aired to share a since-deleted post revealing the reported $19 million he made in Yeezy sales due to the Super Bowl ad.
“The people have spoken Yeezy.com” Ye captioned the post.
The post showed a screenshot from a member of Ye’s team who tallied up the millions Yeezy made in sales of the Pod socks, Box and Vultures t-shirts, and Wet bodysuits and rompers.
Kanye West team sent him a report saying that his $0 Production budget Super Bowl ad was a success. The 30 second slot cost $7,000,000 which generated Yeezy 284,357 orders totaling $19.3 Million in sales in less than 24 hours. 😳 pic.twitter.com/wUMrzxnVJO
With $20 price points on everything, it was a steal for fans who saw the Yeezy Pods priced at $200 before the Super Bowl ad, El Paso Times reports. After the price drop, the foldable futuristic socks that can be worn as shoes sold 266,000 units in one day.
Amid the sale announcement, Ye shared a clip from an old interview where he discussed his desire to have Yeezy products sold for $20 during his collaboration with The Gap.
“Gap didn’t take it to $20 the way I wanted to because they were still trying to protect the classism of the idea of Balenciaga and the idea of Gap,” he says in the clip.
“YEEZY.COM EVERYTHING $20 AS PROMISED,” he captioned the post.
Showstopping HBCU Marching Band Performs With Usher At Super Bowl LVIII
The Sonic Boom of the South was heard loud and clear when the Jackson State University band appeared with Grammy-winning R&B superstar Usher
The Sonic Boom of the South was heard loud and clear at Allegiant Stadium as the showstopping band from Jackson State University (JSU) made a special appearance with Grammy-winning R&B superstar Usher during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show on Feb. 11.
Sharply suited in black uniforms with crisp white lapels and splashes of their signature blue, the Sonic Boom took command of the field in Las Vegas at the nation’s most-watched football game, with early rating projections at roughly 100 million viewers—placing a huge spotlight not only on the school but on the unique showmanship of marching bands from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Photo by William H. Kelly, III/JSUPhoto by William H. Kelly, III/JSUPhoto by William H. Kelly, III/JSUPhoto by William H. Kelly, III/JSUPhoto by William H. Kelly, III/JSUPhoto by William H. Kelly, III/JSU
JSU Director of Bands Dr. Roderick Little said it felt “surreal.”
“It’s not every day you are invited to participate in such a monumental moment. The reality of the situation did not hit us until we began rehearsals in Vegas,” Dr. Little said. “I cannot think of anything more exciting or rewarding than walking onto the field, hearing the roar of the Super Bowl crowd, and immersing ourselves in the spirit that Usher brought to his performance.”
JSU has alumni in the entertainment industry who champion the band for appearances. JSU says alum Cortez Bryant and his friend Jesse Collins, executive producer of the halftime show, had a convo about the show, which has been executive produced by Roc Nation for the past five years.
“He hit me and asked if I knew of any HBCU bands. Of course, Jackson State’s Sonic Boom is the best band in the land. Without a doubt, they were going to receive my recommendation,” said Bryant, also a Sonic Boom alum and Co-CEO of Blueprint Group/Maverick.
Photo by William H. Kelly, III/JSU
JSU President Dr. Marcus L. Thompson said he is “extremely proud of our student’s performance” with Usher, noting it shines a national light on the Mississippi HBCU’s reputation as a global research institution where students excel in and out of the classroom; on and off the field.
“When you realize that these student artists hail from various parts of the country and are studying a variety of majors, including biology, political science, and communications, you can appreciate the level of hard work and perseverance that went into this show,” Dr. Thompson said. “Special thanks to Roc Nation and the NFL for making this historic moment possible.”
Photo by William H. Kelly, III/JSU
Up Next for the Boom: Touring with Drake and The Rose Parade
The Sonic Boom is proving they aren’t new to this, but true to this, having performed many football halftime appearances for teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as a television special for Motown’s 30th Anniversary and the 34th NAACP Image Awards, with a special guest performance by comedian Cedric the Entertainer. JSU notes the band is a favored entry in halftime performances during football season and for parades throughout Mississippi and the nation.
That favor continues to pour over, as just last week JSU announced that an alumni ensemble of The Sonic Boom is currently touring and performing with rap icons Drake and J.Cole for their It’s All a Blur…Big as the What? tour through mid-April. Additionally, the Sonic Boom of the South and the Prancing J-Settes have been invited to participate in the 136th Tournament of Roses Parade presented by Honda on Jan. 1, 2025, in Pasadena, California.
JSU has launched its “Thee Road to Roses” fundraising campaign to invite alumni, friends, and supporters to help the students perform on yet another national stage.
Woman Refused To Tip Despite Being ‘Satisfied’ With Hair After Lengthy Appointment
The woman who paid $350 for seven and a half hours of braiding services chose not to add a tip on top of the cost.
A TikTok user known as “Justice” started a debate on the topic of tipping fatigue after revealing she did not leave a tip for her hairstylist who spent more than seven hours braiding her hair—despite being extremely satisfied with the result.
In a video posted in February 2024, Justice shared that she paid$350 for seven and a half hours of braiding services but chose not to add a tip on top of the cost, Business Insider reported. She said having to pay in cash was “inconvenient” and that she’d arrived to the salon with her hair prewashed and blow-dried.
Justice said in the video: “This is the first time I haven’t tipped to get my hair done, and I was fueled with anxiety, especially when I hand her over the cash and she starts counting it.”
She clarified that her decision was not meant as a slight. “This is no tea, no shade, no nothing. This is the most comfortable braiding experience I’ve ever gotten. She was the best braider I’ve ever had,” Business Insider reported.
The TikToker had previously called out “tipping culture” for being “out of control,” listing drive-thrus and self-serve kiosks as services she would no longer be tipping for. Justice explained her choice not to tip her stylist, saying that $350 for nearly eight hours came out to about $46 per hour. She said, according to the outlet, “How many people are making $40 per hour?”
The video on TikTok sparked a divisive debate in the comments. Some users fully supported Justice’s stance as a non-tipper, validating that “tipping fatigue is real.” Those same users also said tipping needs to be scaled back.
On the other side of the argument, some said that stylists have high overhead costs and taxes. Those TikTok users said that tips help supplement income. Some even said it was “crazy” not to tip for seven and a half hours of work and opined that Justice’s stylist may refuse to see Justice again because she is a non-tipper.
Business Insider reported that with the cost of living skyrocketing, many consumers are speaking out about “tipping fatigue” and are pushing back on the expectation to tack on additional money for services.
Neon Money Club Creates Discussions Around Money Via Score Dating App
Although there is some merit in discussing finances before marriage, as it is often cited as a leading cause of divorce, credit scores are a flawed metric of financial health.
Score, a dating app launched by the financial platform Neon Money Club, is aimed solely at people with good to excellent credit, a move its founders say is designed to create discussion around finances. As Tech Crunch reported, the idea for the app was initially birthed in 2023 at AfroTech.
In a press release, CEO Luke Bailey explained what drove them to take the unorthodox approach of tying access to the app to credit scores.
“Financial wellness often takes a backseat. At Neon Money Club, our mission is to inject financial awareness into the fabric of everyday life. To achieve this, we have to take the conversation to places where it isn’t normally discussed. ‘Score’ by Neon Money Club is our first major attempt at doing this,” Bailey said.
“’Score’ aims to elevate the discussion around financial health, which has remained stagnant for decades.”
Although there is some merit in discussing finances before marriage, as it is often cited as a leading cause of divorce, credit scores are a flawed metric of financial health. Like most things in America, it is often biased against Black people in its application. According to CNBC, Black and Latinx people often have lower credit scores, and that cannot be divorced from multiple reports indicating that Black and Latinx people have less actual wealth than white Americans. Race may not be factored into credit reports on a hard basis, but the factors that go into determining a credit score often end up working against Black people.
Jay Moon, general manager of Credit Sesame, shared that “While the credit system was created to be blind, this data shows that Black and Hispanic Americans are being unfairly shut out of the system.”
Moon continued, “Creating equal credit opportunities is a critical first step toward helping to close the racial gap in our society. Whether it’s creating products explicitly for these underserved groups or providing more ways to access credit and resources, the important thing is to make progress.”
The app, to its credit, does allow for those who are denied, based on their credit score, opportunities to improve their scores, sending them resources aimed at improving their financial literacy and building their credit using Grow Credit. The app also does not strictly restrict users into tiers based on their credit scores; if a user has a 640 credit score, they may still match with a user with an 800 credit score.
In addition to this, the credit score is obtained using a soft check, which does not impact a user’s credit score. According to Tech Crunch, Bailey contends that their use of a person’s credit score is more aspirational than it is classist, pointing out that it is possible to have a high income but low credit score. Bailey briefly described the process, saying, “Afterwards, those people are sent back to us to qualify for our products. There needs to be more awareness about the doors that can be opened with a good credit history.”
However, despite these concerns, Jackie Liao, the CPO of Neon Money Club, says that there’s more planned on the horizon to create discussion about financial health.
“SCORE is just one of the many rollouts we’re doing to bring financial wellness to the table because the table itself is boring and outdated,” Liao said.
“We’re beginning with love, and we’re in good company. A recent Federal Reserve study recognized that “individuals with high credit scores are more inclined to establish committed relationships.”
Following Neon Money Club’s launch in 2021, the company became the first Black-owned tech company to launch a credit card with American Express. That card, the Cream Card, allows its cardholders to transfer credit card points into a cash value that they can then use to invest in the stock market, similar in function to the Stash debit card, which purchases stock in various companies with each purchase or investment made.
79-Year-Old Great Grandmother Followed Tow Truck, Exposed Auto Theft Ring
The great-grandmother spotted her 1999 Cadillac on the back of a tow truck after she had picked up her great-grandchildren from school.
Seventy-nine-year-old Noble Jean Napoleon followed a tow truck after she spotted her white 1999 Caddy on the back of it. And it turns out that the driver has been accused of allegedly selling dozens of stolen cars to an Oregon scrapyard.
Napoleon had picked up her great-grandkids from school in her son’s SUV when she spotted a tow truck driving by the gas station she was at with her car on the back of it, The Oregonian reported. Napoleon recognized her vehicle, which she had left parked at her apartment — and trailed the tow truck with the children buckled up in the backseat of her son’s SUV, the outlet noted.
According to The Oregonian, Napoleon took matters into her own hands, pulling up alongside the tow truck and yelling for the driver to return her car. The great-grandmother allegedly chased the tow truck through North Portland, convincing strangers to help block the truck and confront the driver.
“No, no, no, don’t beat him up!” Napoleon said she told some men she saw on the side of the road who had helped her. “I need him to take my car back home.” When the driver agreed to unhitch the Cadillac, Napoleon allegedly demanded he return it to her apartment parking spot. And she allegedly followed the tow truck the entire way, the outlet reported.
The tow truck driver, identified as Joseph Allen Beard, was allegedly part of an unregistered company called Maters Auto Recycling. Beard and others connected to the company allegedly sold around 80 cars to Rivergate Scrap Metals. The scrapyard allegedly pocketed cash payments without providing proper documentation, The Oregonian reported.
Napoleon reported the incident to police the same day, providing the license plate number for the truck that police had previously been tracking with a GPS device in a fraud investigation, according to The Oregonian.
Further investigation revealed Beard lacked a towing license and forged DMV paperwork to sell stolen cars to the scrapyard. The 52-year-old unlicensed tow truck driver now faces nearly 20 charges, including theft, forgery, and possession of a stolen vehicle, the outlet reported.
Though police strongly advised others to avoid taking such risky actions, the great-grandmother’s persistence helped officers unravel an auto theft ring that had allegedly sold stolen vehicles to a scrapyard in Portland, Oregon. At least five of the vehicles were confirmed stolen, including Napoleon’s 1999 Caddy. Some cars had already been crushed into metal before the owners realized they were missing, The Oregonian reported.
Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin Demer argued that Oregon needs tighter laws around scrap metal businesses to prevent history from repeating itself. “It is easier to sell a stolen car with forged paperwork than it is to pawn an old Xbox console you legitimately own,” Demer said, calling it “ridiculous.”
As of now, the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicles Services (DMV) lacks sufficient fraud prevention. The outlet noted Demer also believes the DMV needs an electronic VIN tracking system rather than relying on paper forms.
