by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 20, 2024

Cruise Line Offering 4-Year Voyage For Those Wanting To Escape Trump Presidency

The cruise will take passengers around the world to escape Trump's policies.

Folks upset with the red wave can wave goodbye to their troubles. A cruise line is offering four-year voyages for people wanting to leave the United States during Donald Trump’s second presidency.

Villa Vie Residences will allow those weary of America’s future to temporarily remove themselves from the country by boat. Through its Tour La Vie program, the Florida-based company will take voyageurs on a four-year journey to visit over 140 countries.

For those not wanting to be at sea for four years, Tour La Vie has a variety of packages. There’s the one-year “Escape from Reality” cruise, the two-year “Mid-Term Selection” trip, a three-year option deemed “Everywhere but Home”, and the four-year ‘Skip Forward” variation would take one away from the potential dangers of Trump’s policies.

However, Villa Vie’s CEO, Mikael Petterson, came up with the idea before Trump won a second term, telling Newsweek that it was a plan for any group dissatisfied with the election result. He insisted that the company has no political preference.

The cost ranges from just under $40,000 a year, with the full course starting at $256,000. However, one will have all food and drinks covered, as well as Wifi and medical visits. Moreover, travelers will get to see two World Wonders and cultural experiences such as Carnival in Rio and a visit to the Panama Canal.

For those still wanting to perform their civic duty, U.S. residents who will be sailing during the 2026 and 2028 elections can cast their votes through mail-in ballots brought to the ship.

The embarking ship, Villa Vie Odyssey, can house up to 600 guests. Petterson has already noted an “uptick” in interest since the voyage’s announcement on Nov. 7, two days after Election Day.

Nas, Rapper, Broadway, Hip-Hop Film, Nas Soccer Jersey, Illmatic 30th Anniversary

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 19, 2024

Nas Releases Limited-Edition Soccer Jersey In Celebration Of ‘Illmatic’ 30th Anniversary

Nas and Umbro and Nicholas Daley released a limited-edition soccer jersey in honor of Illmatic's 30th anniversary.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Nas’ iconic debut album, Illmatic, the hip-hop legend has partnered with London-based menswear designer Umbro and Nicholas Daley to create a limited-edition soccer jersey.

The jersey’s design was made to reflect Nas’ New York City roots and the global impact Illmatic has had on music, as cited by Hybebeast. Aesthetically, the jersey boasts a relaxed silhouette that blends design elements from sports, music, and fashion while celebrating Nas’ iconography through his logo, the signature Illmatic font, and the No. 94, paying homage to the year the album was released.

The limited-edition release seeks to highlight Umbro and Daley’s style and aesthetic and their approach to heritage-inspired fashion.

“Curating this exclusive Nas 30th anniversary Illmatic style in collaboration with Umbro has been a true honor for one of hip-hop’s legendary icons. Illmatic is one of my favorite albums of all time, and the impact it has had both musically and culturally is so evident today,” Daley said.

“The collaboration is a celebration of hip-hop and the legacy of Illmatic whilst incorporating the heritage of Umbro in a collection which I wanted to feel both classic and forward-looking.”

Columbia Records released Illmatic on April 19, 1994. It was recorded between 1992 and 1993 at several studios across New York City. DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and Nas himself oversaw the album’s production. A cornerstone of hardcore hip-hop, Illmatic is revered for Nas’ complex, unmatched lyricism and vivid inner-city narratives drawn from the rapper’s experiences growing up in the Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York.

“It’s only nine songs. I think it’s a perfect record,” Nas told Fuse in 2012. “I couldn’t say that before, but there’s so many different dynamics to it. The album cover started a whole thing where, since then, there’s been tons of artists who put their child picture, close-ups of their child picture from here up.”

“There’s just nine songs on it, and it’s straight to the point, the music on it. I wouldn’t change nothing,” he said.

In 2015, Billboard named Illmatic “the best hip-hop album ever.” In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it at No. 44 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The following year, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

by Kandiss Edwards

November 19, 2024

Overtime Pay Exemption Now Lowered For Salaried Workers

Trump era EPA exemption reinstated by federal court limiting overtime pay for salaried workers.

On Nov. 15, according to Bloomberg Law, the Department of Labor (DOL) suffered a hit to its new guidelines for overtime pay.

The United States District Court Eastern District of Texas ruled that executive, administrative, and professional (EAP) salaried employees earning above $35,568 will no longer receive federal minimum wage for overtime work.

The amount was rolled back from the current Biden administration threshold of $43,888.

In his ruling, Judge Sean Jordan of the Eastern District of Texas stated that the administration overreached its authority when modifying the rule.

“The State of Texas and a coalition of trade associations and employers (“Business Organizations”) contend that the 2024 Rule’s changes to the salary level exceed the Department’s authority under the FLSA.”

Judge Jordan states that a change in the wage for a salaried exemption does not meet the requirements without adding or modifying the duties of employees.

The ruling “essentially ma[de] an employee’s duties, functions, or tasks irrelevant if the employee’s salary f[ell] below the new minimum salary level,” and unlawfully “ma[de] salary rather than an employee’s duties, the determinative factor for the EAP Exemption,“ Jordan said.

The rise in salary exemption was an attempt by the Biden administration to allow salaried workers to profit from labor that exceeds the standard 40-hour work week. The administration released a statement regarding the initial change from $35,568 to $43,888.

“This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time. Too often, lower-paid salaried workers are doing the same job as their hourly counterparts but are spending more time away from their families for no additional pay. That is unacceptable. The Biden-Harris administration is following through on our promise to raise the bar for workers who help lay the foundation for our economic prosperity.

The EAP Exemption was scheduled to raise the overtime threshold to $58,656 in January 2025 and continue to rise every three years. The reversion to the 2019 Trump policies will see millions of EAP Americans lose access to the benefit.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 19, 2024

Floyd Mayweather Makes His ‘Most Significant’ Investment In $10B Collection Of Office Buildings

Floyd Mayweather's latest real estate deal is a knockout.

Floyd Mayweather is expanding his real estate portfolio to include office properties nationwide in addition to the multi-unit residential buildings he purchased in New York City for $402 million.

The legendary boxer’s latest investment in 601W Companies aligns him with the office landlord’s extensive portfolio, a $10 billion collection comprising 18 buildings and 10 million square feet of space, The Real Deal reports. A source said its Mayweather’s “most significant” investment to date.

With his investment in 601W, Mayweather becomes an owner-partner in notable properties such as the Amazon-anchored 410 10th Avenue in NYC’s Hudson Yards, Chicago’s Aon Center and Old Post Office Building, and the Harborside office complex in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Mayweather is confident in a post-pandemic revival of the office market and sees “tremendous upside” in the 601W portfolio, citing the landlord’s strong track record, according to a spokesperson.

Mayweather’s investment will support repositioning existing assets and funding new acquisitions, said Mark Karasick, a managing member of 601W. Mayweather is also targeting distressed office deals in major cities like Chicago and New York, Karasick added.

The entry into the office space sector follows Mayweather’s $100 million investment with office landlord SL Green and a month after his $402 million acquisition of an apartment portfolio from Black Spruce Management in Upper Manhattan. That deal, encompassing more than 60 rental buildings, is poised to be one of the city’s largest transactions this year.

“New York City is the center of the world,” Mayweather said in a statement. “A wise person once told me if you buy real estate in New York and you hold on to it over the years, you will always make money and win.”

The millions Mayweather earned inside the ring have solidified his status as a savvy investor. He amassed a net worth of $1.2 billion, including approximately $300 million from a single fight in 2015.

HBCU Track Legend, Jamaican Olympian, George Rhoden, Dies, Olympic

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 19, 2024

Olympic Track Champion Gets His Stolen Phone Back By Running After Thieves

Sir Mo Farah chased down the thieves who grabbed the phone, left in a van but returned it when he caught up to them

An Olympic champion had to resort to his profession to chase down property that belonged to him after witnessing some thieves stealing a mobile phone that he owned.

According to The Times, 41-year-old Sir Mo Farah, a four-time Olympic track winner, chased down some men who allegedly tried to steal his mobile phone while he was out for a jog in his neighborhood last week. Farah was with his wife when the incident took place.

While running with his wife, he saw a white van pull up alongside a private road he usually exercises on and left his phone. He noticed the van with two men moving slowly and then saw one of the two men in the van grab the phone. As the man headed back into the van, Farah instinctively took off in pursuit of the white van. The champion runner caught up to the van, and as his wife looked on, the men gave him his phone back and drove off.

An investigation was initiated on the estate, which has around-the-clock security.

Sadly, Farah has been a target for thieves in the past. In 2019, while staying at a fellow Olympic gold medal winner, Haile Gebrselassie’s hotel in Addis Ababa, Farah had a watch, two phones, and £2,500 (3,167.54 USD) stolen from him. Farah accused Gebrselassie of not doing enough to help him find out about the theft, as Gebrselassie accused Farah’s entourage of “disgraceful conduct.”

People reported that Farah is one of Britain’s most decorated track athletes in history. He won double golds in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. His medal tallies are six gold medals as well as two silver medals at the World Championships during his running career.

Farah married his wife, Tania Nell, in 2010. The couple has three children: twin daughters, Aisha and Amani, and a son named Hussein. Nell also has another daughter, Rihanna.

by Mitti Hicks

November 19, 2024

Trump’s Attorney General Pick Faces Backlash For Alleged Sex And Drug Parties

A storm is brewing within the Republican Party over President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general.

A storm is brewing within the Republican Party over President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz allegedly paid two women to have sex and watch his appearance on Fox News.

The women also claim he paid them to attend the Broadway show Pretty Woman, their attorney told ABC News. Pretty Woman is about a businessman who falls in love with a prostitute.

This all allegedly happened in 2019 and more than once, the women’s attorney, Joel Leppard, revealed.

Both women testified before the bipartisan House Ethics Committee. The two told the committee that Gaetz paid for them to travel across state lines to have sex on at least two occasions. Leppard said his clients provided the committee with text messages they allegedly exchanged with Gaetz that show he paid for sex and drugs.

Gaetz resigned from Congress following Trump’s announcement that he had been selected to serve as attorney general. Following a yearslong investigation, the Justice Department has declined to charge Gaetz, who has denied any wrongdoing. Meanwhile, the House Ethics Committee is considering releasing a report summarizing its investigation findings.

“These are baseless allegations intended to derail the second Trump administration,” said Trump transition spokesperson Alex Pfeiffer. “The Biden Justice Department investigated Gaetz for years and cleared him of wrongdoing.”

Leppard said his clients testified to the committee they had sex with Gaetz between 10 and 15 times. Most of the sexual interactions happened at what Leppard described as drug-fueled parties or during private trips to New York or the Bahamas.

According to the women’s testimony, other men, ranging from ages 30 to 50, attended the parties. The women were between 19 and 21. On some occasions, both women testified that Gaetz also paid them to travel to the Bahamas with other young women, including one who has accused the former congressman of having sex with her as a minor.

Venmo records and text messages provided to the House Ethics Committee allegedly show payments for sex and coded requests for illicit drugs, such as MDMA.

Gaetz’s friend, Joel Greenberg, would reference them in text messages as “vitamins” or “party favors.”

Greenberg is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence after reaching a deal with federal prosecutors in May 2021. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sex trafficking of a woman when she was a minor and introducing her to other “adult men” who had sex with her when she was a minor.

As for Leppard’s clients, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been paying for their counseling following the investigation despite his clients saying that their sexual interactions were fully consensual.

“Now that they’ve been through all that, they don’t want to go through this again, and now that it’s considered for Rep. Gaetz to be the most powerful law enforcement officer in the land, I think that’s relevant information for the American people to consider,” said Leppard.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

November 19, 2024

Pusha T Launches ‘Grindin’ Coffee Brand With Exclusive Los Angeles Pop-Up

To celebrate its release, Pusha T collaborated with Cafe Tropical to serve up cups to curious fans.

Pusha T is expanding his enterprises to coffee. The rapper has launched his coffee brand, Grindin, with an exclusive pop-up in Los Angeles.

The premium coffee blend is high in caffeine and takes its name from a song from the original duo, Clipse, produced by Pharrell. To celebrate its release, Pusha T collaborated with Cafe Tropical to serve cups to curious fans.

The collaboration also ties into Pusha T’s persona. The rapper, known for his gritty and clever lyrics about drug dealing, decided to launch Grindin with Cafe Tropical as a distributor. According to Hypebeast, the cafe’s original owners were also heavily involved in smuggling cocaine in the ’70s.

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“All my dreams and ideas start from my passions,” wrote the rapper in the caption about the partnership. “Luckily, I have been able to find partnerships and platforms to help bring my visions to life… This is just a piece of me and how I start my day.”

The house ambassador for Louis Vuitton channeled his inner barista by appearing at the restaurant on Nov. 16 for the brand’s debut. The blend can be used in traditional drinks such as hortados and cortados, with a press release calling it “a strong black coffee reflecting the artist’s taste,” per Pitchfork.

Another chance for coffee lovers to try Grindin occurred at Camp Flog Gnaw. Pusha T hosted a pop-up at the music festival, but attendees were able to get more than a drink from the brand. The 47-year-old also debuted merchandise, such as T-shirts and hoodies, to accompany the coffee.

Pusha T continues to build his empire, as the multi-Grammy nominated rapper capitalizes on his provocative brand to blend up something new. For those outside Los Angeles, Grindin will also make its nationwide debut in early 2025. In the meantime, those who want to try out a cup will have to seek out the next pop-up.

by Kandiss Edwards

November 19, 2024

This Black Woman CEO Lifts Up Small Businesses Amid DEI Attacks

Robichaux started "Chief of Minds" to help support Black business.

Chief of Minds, a human resource strategy firm, is working to help Black entrepreneurs streamline their operations and reach peak efficiency to help sustain longevity.

Established in 2014, “Chief of Minds” is making a mark in the human resources sector. CEO and Founder Lakeisha Robichaux is working to help businesses strategize their way to success — even in a hostile corporate landscape.

Robichaux’s focus is to “alleviate workloads, optimize HR functions, and minimize cost.” The CEO is seasoned; she honed her skills in business optimization, working with companies such as CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General Corporation, and Loyola University.

The founder serves as president of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, helping to navigate the trials of small business owners in the capital of Louisiana.

As president, Robichaux provides networking opportunities, training, and information to help Baton Rouge entrepreneurs build profitable and sustainable businesses.

Robichaux’s work through “Chief of Minds” is more important than ever, as legislative attacks on DEI have been successful in recent years, leaving multiple minority demographics vulnerable. Black entrepreneurs need to prepare for the barriers that may arise now that the legal protections, plans, and incentives for minorities are being slowly stripped away.

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Her work emphasizes a thoughtful approach to efficiency and employee relations. Studies have shown that employees are burning out quicker than in generations past. A stringent work environment and heavy workloads are factors in decreasing productivity, which in turn decreases companies’ bottom line. However, there is a way for a company to lead with compassion while maintaining high standards for employees’ performance and production.

She believes “Having a genuine concern for others and expressing empathy creates a positive work environment and improves team performance.”

Robichaux and “Chief of Minds” are ready to guide companies during the next four years of Donald Trump’s presidency. A conservative House of Representatives and Senate may mean a reduction in programs geared toward supporting small businesses. In order to thrive, companies will need to take stock. Evaluating HR practices is a great first step.

by Sharelle Burt

November 19, 2024

Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant Gives Advice For Success: ‘Don’t Try To Be A Black Belt In Everything’

Hope everyone is taking notes....

Taco Bell’s CEO Sean Tresvant says the key to success and climbing the company ladder is not pretending to be a whiz at everything, Money Control reports.

While appearing on LinkedIn’s “This Is Working With Daniel Roth” podcast, the first Black CEO to run the Mexican-inspired fast food chain revealed the best advice he received while transitioning from chief brand officer to CEO in January 2024. “When I transitioned from being the chief brand officer to the CEO, some great advice I got was, don’t try to be a black belt in everything,” Tresvant said, labeling it the “biggest surprise.” He continued to reveal that, since he was given the golden nugget, the 43-year-old now says that instead of attempting to be an expert on everything, he stuck to being a “black belt in marketing and “a brown belt in everything else.”

After holding executive positions at Nike and Sports Illustrated, Tresvant learned that a successful manager’s strength truly shows when they admit to not knowing everything. That’s something he identified that helped the transition within Taco Bell come out smoothly — knowing your strengths and weaknesses and then simply going to a team member that possesses those skill sets. “That’s what I think helped me to be successful early on because I’m not trying to be everything,” the first-time CEO said.

“I understand I’m not a CFO, but I have a great CFO who can lead the business.”

According to MSN, the tactic is a sign of “great leadership.” It allows those around to get a shot at developing their own set of skills, which could result in them being afforded other opportunities. “I’m not trying to be everything,” Tresvant said. “Leaders who try to be everything to everybody, and try to maybe be a little too micro and don’t empower their teams to lead — I think that’s when the teams aren’t at their best. I try to be a good leader who understands what I’m good at, but also understands what other people are good at, and make sure I’m giving them the space to be great.”

Communications expert Matt Abrahams supported the CEO’s theory of good leadership by providing advice on ways to build successful relationships in the workplace. The first step is asking questions. Posing strong questions demonstrates that you care, it demonstrates empathy, it demonstrates you’re willing to learn, and in some cases, admit you don’t know everything,” Abrahams said.

“Those are all valuable tools and assets to have when you’re trying to grow your career or deepen relationships.”

On the podcast, “The Path,” leadership wizard Charlene Li said admitting to not knowing something is the fine line to cross into success. “You can open to a learner’s mindset, and that is absolutely crucial,” she said. Li also highlighted that having the balance of humility aligned with confidence can garner improvement from failure and get back up if one falls.

by Stacy Jackson

November 19, 2024

UNCF’s Unity Dinners Foster Relationships Between Black And Jewish Communities

Black and Jewish college students from Atlanta, D.C., and New Orleans HBCUs and PWIs gathered at the Unity Dinners to become lifelong allies.

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) welcomed hundreds of guests to its series of Unity Dinners this month in collaboration with Robert Kraft’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS), designed to promote unity and strengthen partnerships between Black and Jewish communities.

According to a press release, the collaborative event series gathered Black and Jewish college students from across several HBCUs and predominantly white institutions to connect, engage in open dialogue, and share experiences in an effort to encourage students to become life-long allies against injustice and bridge the divide between younger generations.

“By having young people engaged in meaningful conversation about their own shared struggles and culture, we are helping to foster empathy and understanding to create the next generation of civic and social justice champions to combat hate in our world,” said UNCF president and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax

“Our UNCF Black and Jewish Unity Dinners embody the spirit of Tikkun Olam, healing the world,” he added.

According to The New Orleans Agenda newsletter, UNCF’s Unity Dinners are a cornerstone of the Tikkun Olam Society Initiative, which partners with Hillel International and funding from Kraft’s foundation.

As UNCF celebrated its 80th anniversary in April, the minority education organization was awarded $1 million from Kraft to support the organization of the Unity Dinners and other UNCF-led initiatives at HBCUs that support fellowship and social justice leadership among Black and Jewish students.

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UNCF’s series of Unity Dinners started at the National Civil and Human Rights Museum in Atlanta, with attendance from such institutions such as Agnes Scott College, Clark Atlanta University, and Emory University. The series continued to George Washington University, which included attendees from American University, Catholic University, and Georgetown University, before concluding at Dillard University in New Orleans.

Local leaders were in attendance for the Unity Dinners, including Hillel International CEO Adam Lehman, Clark Atlanta University President Dr. George French, George Washington University President Dr. Ellen Granberg, and Dillard University President Dr. Monique Guillory.