Nas And Questlove Criticized For Excluding Female Rap Pioneers In Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Events
Nas, Questlove, and LL Cool J are faced criticism for overlooking female rap pioneers in hip-hop 50th anniversary celebrations.
Hip-hop‘s 50th anniversary in 2023 was marked by various celebrations of a genre music that became a cultural movement, but Nas, Questlove, and LL Cool J are now facing criticism for overlooking female rap pioneers in events where they called the shots, according to VIBE.
MC Debbie D, the self-proclaimed first solo female rapper, took to X (Twitter) on Jan. 2 to express her concern over this trend, sharing an open letter.
MC Debbie D began by acknowledging the beauty of the Grammy Awards and Yankee Stadium events celebrating 50 years of hip-hop. However, she pointed out that female pioneers were notably absent from both performances and acknowledgments. She raised questions about whether these omissions were due to a “lack of knowledge” or an act of “revisionist history.”
“While it was admirable to see my sisters, MC Sha Rock and Roxanne Shante, on the mic performing at the Grammys, they represent only a fraction of the early female rappers,” MC Debbie D wrote.
Others who deserved recognition, MC Debbie D wrote, include herself, Lisa Lee, Us Girls, and MC Pebblee Poo.
MC Debbie D recognized the progress made in acknowledging women in hip-hop today but urged that “to be on the right side of history is to remember the names of the women who paved their way!”
Obviously you don’t know your history … with all due respect to her legacy, there is a long line of female Emcees before 1984!
Responding to criticism on Twitter, MC Debbie D clarified her stance. “Obviously you don’t know your history… with all due respect to her [Roxanne Shante’s] legacy, there is a long line of female Emcees before 1984!”
Several major events in 2023, including a Grammy performance in February, Yankee Stadium in August, and the Grammy Salute event in December, aimed to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
Looters Storm Compton Bakery After Car Bashes Down Security Gates
Surveillance video reveals that a white Kia backed into Ruben's Bakery & Mexican Food before looters rushed in.
A car repeatedly backed into a Compton bakery during a street takeover, which prompted the business to be looted.
According to CBS Los Angeles, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Jan. 1, a white Kia backed into Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food’s security gates at least three times before scores of people stormed the store. This incident occurred after a street takeover, a frequent event in California lately.
Street takeover mob raids Compton bakery smashing 🚗 into store.
Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food Inc. at 2701 N. Santa Fe Ave. was the site of a street takeover at about 3:30 a.m. pic.twitter.com/hg2pDxl8sG
— South Central Native 📸⚡️✍🏾 (@slausongirlnews) January 3, 2024
When police officers got to the location after receiving phone calls about the incident, they were met with trash, including a mattress and Christmas trees. No arrests have been made so far. A Ruben’s employee said the store suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
The white Kia used to bust into the store was abandoned. Investigators say they will check with the owner to see if the car was stolen before the incident.
The New York Post reported that the people who stole from the store covered their faces to avoid being identified by security footage. More than 100 people looted the store, according to CBS Los Angeles.
“When I walked in there and saw you had taken a car and pushed the door in, that was very disheartening for me,” a neighborhood resident told NBC Los Angeles. “People are coming in and vandalizing; it’s just scary.”
The rash of the illegal street takeovers has caused concern for residents.“Ensuring the safety of businesses and residents in our city is our top priority,” Mayor Emma Sharif said at Tuesday’s council meeting.
“In response to the devastating incident that occurred early this morning at Ruben’s Bakery & Mexican Food, the City of Compton is working closely with the Sheriff’s Department to identify and apprehend the perpetrators responsible. Ensuring the safety of businesses and residents in our city is our top priority. No local business should endure such fear and destruction. I urge anyone with information related to this incident to contact the Compton Sheriff’s Station at (310) 605-6500,” Sharif stated.
Sharif urged other city council members to sign an ordinance that would increase citations for people who are caught up doing street takeovers.
Proposed Republican Budget Cuts Would Disproportionately Affect Black Americans
Republicans have proposed budget cuts to programs that would negatively affect Black Americans as a government shutdown looms.
As Congress stares down the threat of yet another shutdown, House Republicans have proposed a litany of budget cuts to programs that will negatively affect Black Americans.
Reuters reports House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger said the group has crafted 12 government spending bills that she called “the most conservative appropriations bills in history.”
The budget cuts include a federally funded program that scrubs hazardous lead paint from homes, the termination of the Healthy Start program, which has battled infant mortality for more than 30 years, and a 67% funding cut to rehabilitate and build affordable housing units.
Republicans also want to make budget cuts to a program that finances the construction and rehabilitation of low-income homes. Under their proposal, the program would see a two-thirds reduction from its $1.5 billion last year, according to Reuters.
The spending bills would significantly affect Black Americans. National Urban League leader Marc Morial told Reuters the cuts are “a large list of politically and racially motivated special interest initiatives.”
In other words “Blame the poor. Blame the Blacks and Latinos” for fiscal problems, Morial added.
Republican-proposed reductions in food stamps would largely affect White people who comprise nearly half of its recipients.
The Committee did back some spending increases, including a $96 million hike in homeless assistance grants.
Republicans argued that merging similar programs and taking back unspent funds would help keep the cuts small, but the Biden administration says that the programs would wither away under Republican proposals.
“Virtually every (House Appropriations) bill has riders blocking the ability of the Biden administration to focus on social justice and diversity,” Charles Kieffer, a former Democratic budget and appropriations aide, told Reuters.
Congress passed a stopgap funding bill last November to avoid a shutdown that is set to expire Jan. 19. lawmakers are split on the next steps as deep divisions over spending persist.
Boston’s New Haitian-American Council President Makes History
Ruthzee Louijeune, a daughter of Haitian immigrants, has been elected as the new Boston City Council president.
Newly elected Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune is focused on incorporating her vision of equity and inclusion into her role.
Louijeune was elected as president on Haitian Independence Day. According to NBC News, Councilor Gabriela Coletta revealed that Louijeune is the first Haitian-American to serve on the city’s council. As a daughter of Haitian immigrants, the new elect overcame hurdles to achieve success as an attorney and policy expert. She now plans to draw on her experiences and diverse background to champion historic change.
“I believe in all of us, and I believe in Boston,” the Harvard Law School graduate said following her election. “One thing to know about me is that I unequivocally reject any zero-sum mentality that suggests that for one group to succeed, another must lose,” Louijeune said at the election.
Inspired by her parents’ sacrifices and ability to come “to this country from Haiti – poor, Black, not speaking the language, and sacrific[ing] so much,” Louijeune is focused on breaking down systemic barriers across the city which ranges from addressing housing discrimination to tackling economic inequality. As she commits to her new role, she plans to increase affordable housing options, provide Bostonians with access to city contracts and liquor licenses, improve trash collection, and protect workers’ rights. Louijeune addressed the influx of Haitian immigrants in Boston and how the area has the third-largest Haitian population in the country. She also praised Haiti as “the first free Black Republic in the Western Hemisphere.”
Highlighting Boston’s strength, she recognized its neighborhoods’ successful universities, hospitals, life sciences sector, and diversity. However, she addressed the disparities that overshadow Boston’s promising future. She said that inequality in education, housing, health, and wealth creates the notion that there are “two different Bostons,” she said.
Boston’s new council president has an extensive resume that includes graduating from Columbia University, serving as senior counsel for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign, and her previous work as a lawyer at Perkins Coie LLP. She has also launched her own legal business, The Opening PLLC.
Louijeune succeeds Council Ed Flynn, who occupied the role before her. Flynn nominated Julia Mejia for the role of president. However, she declined the nomination.
Lil Nas X Offers Sarcastic Response To Dave Chappelle Joke, ‘Me And The Devil Broke Up’
Lil Nas X responds after being the butt of a joke Dave Chappelle included in his latest Netflix comedy special, "Dreamer."
Lil Nas X is full of sarcasm and can take a joke from Dave Chappelle.
The “Montero” hitmaker was the butt of a joke Chappelle included in his latest Netflix comedy special Dreamer. It was that song in particular that Chappelle took aim at when he made a joke after sharing a story about meeting Lil Nas X and the pop star telling him that he wanted Chappelle in the video, which Chappelle did not remember.
The comedian went on to liken the moment to grade school when students would share what they wanted to be when they grew up. Chappelle jokingly recalled what Lil Nas X might’ve said when he was a youngster.
“‘What do you want to be when you grow up, Lil Nas X?’ That n—- stood up in front of the whole class,” Chapelle told the crowd. “‘I want to be the gayest n—- that ever lived. I want to do a music video, slide down a stripper pole, all the way to the depths of hell, and suck the devil’s d— at 10 o’ clock on BET while all the kids are awake and can see me.’ Shockingly, that was the only dream that worked out.”
On Wednesday, Jan. 3, Lil Nas X responded to a clip of the joke that was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. Known for joking about himself, the “Old Town Road” singer took the joke well and even sprinkled in some of his own humor.
“Yall gotta let call me by your name go, me and the devil broke up 3 years ago. yall acting like children of divorce,” Lil Nas X wrote.
yall gotta let call me by your name go, me and the devil broke up 3 years ago. yall acting like children of divorce https://t.co/HVOfhTVaky
Lil Nas X faced backlash for his visuals for the 2021 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” The music video showed the young singer sliding down a stripper pole to hell and twerking for the devil.
Religious groups threw a fit over the video’s messaging which Lil Nas X didn’t make any better when he later released a pair of “Satan” Nikes that contained a bronze pentagram, an inverted cross, and a drop of real human blood. The limited-edition sneakers sold out instantly, according to CNN.
Leave it up to Dave Chappelle to find a way to bring out the humor in the odd moment in history.
While the network was giving viewers a glimpse of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street after returning from a commercial break, the camera panned to a woman lifting her shirt for a NSFW show. They didn’t quite catch it before it aired, but it caught fans attention immediately. “We regret that this happened and apologize that the video aired in the telecast,” ESPN’s Bill Hofheimer said in a statement.
The exposure only happened for a second, as the woman appeared to be revealing herself for some beads from an onlooker above. That’s about how long it took for people to give their takes on social media.
“ESPN casually broadcasting boobs to start the year,” one user wrote on Twitter with a crying laughing emoji. Another viewer highlighted the stroller next to the exposed woman, accompanied by a woman with the look of shock on her face. “That lady pushing a stroller with her young child down Bourbon Street at 11pm was shocked,” @robrider33 wrote.
“What exactly did she think was going to happen lol.”
Another compared the footage to the 1990s Girls Gone Wild tapes, while another felt that someone was going to lose their job over it. “Someone in the control room is fired,” @MrPallet tweeted.
According to The New York Post, there’s speculation about whether the clip was live footage, or pre-recorded b-roll footage but nothing has been determined yet. But the game wasn’t a total wash. Washington Huskies triumphed over Texas Longhorns with a 37-31 victory in a semifinal game of the College Football Playoff. Washington is set to advance to the national title game on Jan. 8 against the Michigan Wolverines.
The title was secured just in time for the new year during Rock The Bell’s New Year’s Eve festivities at Sirius XM’s studio in Miami. An esteemed panel of hip-hop greats came together to make the final decision — including DJ Epps, Cool (of Cool & Dre), DJ Scratch, and Torae.
It was a challenging discussion as the group had to choose from a list of the top 50 beats that included classic hip-hop hits like “We Gonna Make It” by Jadakiss & Styles P, “Boyz In the Hood” by N.W.A., “Gold Digger” by Kanye West, “Big Pimpin'” by Jay-Z, “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” by 2Pac, “Who Shot Ya” by Biggie, and “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” by Busta Rhymes, among many others.
After coming down to a list of the Top 5, which consisted of Nas‘ “NY State of Mind,” Craig Mack‘s “Flava In Ya Ear,” A Tribe Called Quest‘s “Electric Relaxation,” and Dr. Dre‘s “Still D.R.E.,” Mobb Deep “Shook Ones Pt. II,” came out on top. But the conclusion wasn’t made without a fierce debate from the panel.
“”Flavor in Your Ear” changed everything bro. It changed it all,” Torae said. “Big shout out to Easy Mo bee Yo. That record was unlike anything you had ever heard from the blaring siren to the horn to the way Mack approached it.”
“Mo Bee is another producer that he changed the game. East Mo Bee basically taught us that we can make music out of different sounds,” DJ Scratch said of Mo Bee, who produced “Electric Relaxation.” “We can take one sound and make a whole different pattern and just make a whole other, just a section of music out of one sound.”
Havoc of Mobb Deep, who produced “Shook Ones Pt. II” and is the surviving member of the rap duo following Prodigy’s passing in 2017, released a statement celebrating the honor.
“I just want to say how honored I am to have Shook One’s Part two by Mob Deep produced by myself, voted number one, Hip-Hop beat of all time,” he said.
“I remember being in the projects in Queensbridge, me and Prodigy just being there trying to make something for the world to hear our voice. And here we are this many years later, being saluted and held as the number one beat and hip hopgreatest of all time. But I just want to say thank you to all the Hip-Hop fans, rest in peace to my brother Prodigy. He would be just excited. As excited as I am, and I just want to thank all y’all fans, man. Salute.”
Amid Assaults, Corporate America Must Reaffirm Commitment To DEI Principles
The message to business leaders is simple: You’ve committed to these DEI initiatives because they are right to do.
By Hazel Trice Edney
It wasn’t long ago when the nation’s long entanglement with systemic racism seemed to reach a reckoning point.
The horrific murder of George Floyd led to millions of Americans calling for long-overdue justice and accountability. Amid the aftermath, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts became the new buzzwords in corporate America, with businesses pledging to reverse their legacies of longstanding inequity that froze Black Americans out of economic opportunities.
But nearly four years later, many corporations have allowed their commitments to quietly fade. And the DEI philosophy is now under assault by Republicans seeking to dismantle these attempts to build a more equitable and just workforce.
With Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issuing withering attacks on DEI programs and signing legislation banning initiatives at the state’s public colleges, Congressional Democrats — specifically the Congressional Black Caucus — are pushing back and pressing companies who made commitments to not back down and to instead escalate and reaffirm their commitments.
They’re right. Although progress has been made, studies have shown these minimal efforts toward diversity to be “slow-moving and yet to have meaningful impact for the Black community,” wrote the CBC in a recent letter to corporate leaders.
Now is not the time to back down, but rather double down because DEI policies are effective in reversing the historic underrepresentation in fast-growing high-wage industries, low probabilities of advancement, and a lack of representation in executive roles.
Not only do CEOs have to live up to their commitments, but they also must respond to the CBC and make clear their intentions by the Jan. 31 deadline set by lawmakers.
A new study by McKinsey revealed a direct link between diversity and holistic impacts. For starters, the study found that companies with greater diversity on their boards of directors are more likely to outperform financially. Meanwhile, those in the bottom quartile for gender and ethnic diversity are less likely to outperform financially, indicating that lack of diversity may be getting more expensive.
Additionally, diverse leadership teams could help to bolster community involvement, positively impacting ethical disposition, community orientation and the general image of a company, the study determined.
This is clear evidence that DEI policies can effectuate real change and create environments where diverse populations can work and thrive, a concrete step in mitigating the damage wrought after companies built their wealth on the back of racist policies.
Companies must also take a clear-eyed look at public sentiment.
While it’s understandable that many corporations have been rattled over campaigns against how they handle environmental and social causes, as well as consumer-led boycotts as part of the “anti-woke” culture war, evidence has shown that the fervor has started to wane.
Recent polling has shown limited enthusiasm for these efforts, including among many Republican primary voters who would prefer that government revert to the principles of small-c conservatism and stay out of the affairs of private enterprise.
The American people, however, are aligned with the ongoing fight to eradicate injustice. As the CBC pointed out, recent polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans across races, ideologies, and generational lines believe that corporations should be taking active steps to ensure their businesses reflect the diversity of the country.
That doesn’t mean the threat against DEI initiatives has dissipated. Former President Donald Trump has offered a preview for policies he would implement should he retake the White House, wielding the power of the federal government to fully eradicate diversity initiatives in American business, among other dangerous policy ideas.
It’s precisely because of these threats and the very real prospects of a second, more unrestrained Trump term, that corporate America must solidify its commitment to real change. We can’t let a retreat from embracing more responsible governance be a short-sighted causality of these tumultuous times.
The message to business leaders is simple: You’ve committed to these DEI initiatives because they are the right thing to do. And America wants to know that you’re still in.
This isn’t an exercise to simply check off the right boxes, but rather, create lasting change that will close the racial wealth gap, drive upward Black economic mobility, and ensure a prosperous economic future for all — not just the chosen few.
Marshawn Lynch’s Encounter With Fan Goes Beast Mode, Ends In Altercation
Marshawn Lynch found himself in the spotlight after allegedly smashing a fan's phone.
According to TMZ Sports, Seattle Seahawks legend and current Thursday Night Football contributor Marshawn Lynch found himself in the spotlight New Year’s Eve after an altercation with a fan outside a Seattle bar.
Jose Lozano, a Seahawks fan, told TMZ Sports that he initially tried to take a photo with Lynch inside Xtadium bar but was denied by Lynch’s entourage. Undeterred, Lozano approached Lynch outside the bar around 1:30 a.m., attempting one final photo request.
It didn’t go well. At all.
Video footage shows Lozano addressing Lynch, who was wearing a Beast Mode sweatshirt, with the fan yelling, “Marshawn! Beast Mode! Let me take a –.” Suddenly, the footage cuts off as it appears Lynch lunges at Lozano’s phone.
Lozano said once the camera ceased recording, Lynch seized his phone, venting his frustration by declaring, “Y’all mother f***ers are weird.” Allegedly, Lynch damaged on the device using his hands, with Lozano recovering his broken iPhone 14 just before Lynch left.
Though Lozano has no plans to involve law enforcement in the incident, he told TMZ Sports he wished Lynch hadn’t displayed such apparent rudeness in the encounter.
This isn’t the first time Lynch has hand an issue with camera phones. In 2017, he was accused of knocking a phone out of a man’s hands at LAX.
Lynch’s final NFL season was in 2019. He retired with more than 10,000 rushing yards and five Pro Bowls. He won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013. Since his retirement the usually press-shy Lynch has enjoyed a second career with as an entrepreneur as well as his contributor role with Amazon’s foray into pro football.
Las Vegas Judge Attacked In Court As Convict Leaps The Bench After Being Denied Bail
Judge Mary Kay Holthus became the target of a violent assault in Las Vegas by a convicted criminal moments after she denied him bail.
During a hearing in Las Vegas, chaos erupted when a convicted criminal, Deobra Delone Redden, assaulted Judge Mary Kay Holthus of the Clark County District Court on Jan. 3. The incident occurred after Judge Holthus denied Redden bail during the sentencing session. Security footage captured the shocking moment, Daily Mail reports.
The drama unfolded on Wednesday morning in a Las Vegas courtroom, with video capturing Redden leaping from his position and forcefully tackling Judge Holthus at her bench. The assailant, who was convicted of aggravated battery with substantial bodily harm, audibly expressed his hostility, saying, “Nah f*** that b*tch.”
Redden, despite others’ attempts to thwart him, managed to throw himself on top of both the judge and a marshal. He unleashed a brutal beating on Judge Holthus, repeatedly punching her while security officers struggled to restrain him. The judge can be heard pleading for mercy.
The assault left both Judge Holthus and the marshal injured, with the judge’s condition under close monitoring. The marshal was transported to a hospital for treatment. In response to the incident, the Las Vegas District Court issued a statement praising the heroic efforts of court staff, law enforcement, and others who were involved in subduing Redden during his attack on the judge.
“We commend the heroic acts of her staff, law enforcement, and all others who subdued the defendant,” read a statement from the court to KTNV. “The court remains committed to a safe and secure courthouse and courtrooms. We are reviewing all our protocols and will do whatever is necessary to protect the judiciary, the public, and our employees.”
Redden, a 30-year-old with a criminal history in Nevada and Texas, faced charges including battery, robbery, assault, injury to property, and coercion. Prior to the attack, a judge had ordered a competency determination for Redden, who was ultimately found to be competent in October 2023.
