• News

by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2026

‘Play With Your Mother’: Viral Push Sends Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ Up Netflix Charts, Followed By Reclassification And Boycott Threats

Shortly after “Becoming” made it to No. 6 on the Most Watched list, it was removed.

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Michelle Obama’s 2018 Netflix documentary, “Becoming,” drew a surge in viewership amid protests against Melania Trump’s documentary, “Melania.”

Obama’s documentary has seen a 13,000% uptick, according to People. “Becoming” has re-entered Netflix’s top 10 most-watched movies. The documentary film outpaced the premiere-weekend numbers for the current first lady’s much-roasted theatrical release, “Melania.” The effort to overshadow Melania’s opening weekend seemingly began on social media. A user on X suggested that it “would be funny” if anti-Trump or pro-Obama viewers took part in a sweeping effort to embarrass the sitting president and his wife. 

@nathancjun wrote: “It would be funny (aka: awesome) if we could collectively all make ‘Becoming’”’ the Michelle Obama documentary number one on Netflix the same weekend Melanie tanks at the box office.”

TikTok user @stevevonandbritt spread the word on the platform, garnering over 300,000 likes and 1.5 million views on her call to action.

While the power of the people prevailed and the documentary re-entered the top 10, viewers noticed Netflix seemingly attempted to thwart the effort. Shortly after “Becoming” reached No. 6 on the list, it was removed. Somehow, Michelle’s film ranked among the “Most Watched Kids” movies. Many users took notice and levied threats of subscription cancellation if the documentary was not returned to its proper position. 

@stevevonandbrit captioned her follow-up post: “are ya’ll cool? Stop this BS and put the movie back on the top 10 movies list! Everyone keep watching Becoming until it hits NUMBER 1 and make sure Netflix continues to see us.”

@jaimemoss3 took the online outrage straight to Netflix by calling the customer service number to make her grievances heard. She urged others to do the same. 

She captioned her post: “Play with your mother. You only have a couple of hours to put the movie back in its proper category.”

It appears the internet outcry is working as the movie has returned to its proper category and is now labeled one of the platform’s Most Liked films. However, many social media users have documented cancelling their subscriptions.

RELATED CONTENT: Sage Steele Tells Michelle Obama To ‘Shut Up’ About Black Women’s Hair

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2026

Hakeem Jeffries Says It’s ‘F**K Donald Trump’ All Day Every Day

The Democratic House leader let his displeasure be known after Trump's social media team posted a blatantly racist image of former President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama depicted as apes.

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House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is fed up with the Trump administration’s theatrics and racism, and he’s being vocal about his displeasure.

On Feb. 6, the Democratic House leader let his displeasure be known after Trump’s social media team posted a blatantly racist image of President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama depicted as apes.

In a video on X, Jeffries said, “F*** Donald Trump.” In no uncertain terms, he condemned what he described as an intentional act by the president to denigrate the former first family. Jeffries rejected the White House’s claim that the video was shared in error by a staffer. He urged Republican leaders to denounce Trump, whom he called a “serial fraudster” unfit for the presidency.

“This disgusting video posted by the so-called president was intentionally done F Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior. This guy is an unhinged bottom-feeder. President Obama and Michelle Obama are brilliant, caring, and patriotic Americans. They represent the best of this country. It’s time for John, through Mike Johnson and Republicans, to denounce the serial fraudster who’s sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. pretending to be the president of the United States.”

The brief but provocative video was posted on Trump’s Truth Social account late Feb. 5 and remained online for approximately 12 hours before being removed amid mounting criticism, Axios reported. A White House official later said the clip had been posted mistakenly by a staff member. 

The vile imagery sparked backlash on both sides of the aisle. Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina called it “the most racist thing I’ve seen out of this White House.” Scott, a Black Republican who usually falls in line with conservatives, urged Trump to delete the post. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi also called for the video’s removal and an apology. 

Democrats, including Jeffries, described the video as racist and offensive. The timing of the post, coming during Black History Month, intensified reactions as the imagery evoked historically racist tropes. Republicans and Democrats alike said the content was unacceptable, though some GOP lawmakers found a way to absolve Trump’s responsibility for the blatant disrespect.

Jeffries’s remarks seem to mark a turning point for Democrats, who largely maintain decorum in the face of Republican dog whistles.

RELATED CONTENT: ‘Melania’ Trump’s Documentary Is Down Bad With Single-Digit Rotten Tomatoes Rating

• Celebrity News

by Mary Spiller

February 7, 2026

Lil Jon’s Son, DJ Young Slade, Found Dead In Georgia Pond After Days-long Search

Authorities say no foul play is suspected in the death of Nathan Smith, 27, who was reported missing earlier this week.

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The body of Nathan Smith, the 27-year-old son of rapper and producer Lil Jon, was discovered Feb. 6 in a pond near his home in Georgia, just days after he was reported missing, according to law enforcement officials and statements from his family.

Smith, who performed under the name DJ Young Slade, was last seen early on the morning of Feb. 3 in the Milton, Georgia, area, about 30 miles north of Atlanta. The Milton Police Department said he was reported missing after leaving his home abruptly without his phone. At the time, authorities warned that he “may be disoriented and in need of assistance.”

After several days of searching, divers from the Cherokee County Fire Department recovered a body from a pond near Smith’s residence shortly before noon on Friday. Police later said the individual found is believed to be Smith, pending official confirmation.

As reported by The New York Times, the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will formally identify the body and determine the cause of death. As of Friday evening, the office had not released further details.

Investigators said Smith left his home earlier in the week “under unusual circumstances,” prompting a coordinated search involving multiple agencies. In the final stages of the effort, authorities expanded the search area to include a pond located in Mayfield Park, just a short distance from where Smith was last seen.

Police said there were no immediate signs of foul play connected to his death.

Smith was the only child of Lil Jon, the Grammy Award-winning artist credited with pioneering the Crunk subgenre of Southern hip-hop, which dominated airwaves in the early and mid-2000s. Lil Jon is known for hits such as “Get Low,” “Yeah!” with Usher, and “Turn Down for What” alongside DJ Snake.

In an emotional social media post shared Friday, Lil Jon said he and his ex-wife, Nicole Smith, were devastated by the loss of their son. He described Nathan as “the kindest human being you would ever meet” and “an amazingly talented young man.”

According to his father, Smith was an accomplished music producer, artist, and audio engineer who graduated from New York University.

“He was loved and appreciated,” Lil Jon wrote, adding that the family found comfort in knowing that “in our last times together, we expressed that very sentiment to him.”

Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as they await final results from the medical examiner.

RELATED CONTENT: Lil Jon’s Son, DJ Young Slade, Has Been Reported Missing

• Sports

by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2026

Bill Greason Becomes Last Living Negro Leagues Player After Death of Ron ‘Schoolboy’ Teasley

Greason grew up in Atlanta and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.

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Bill Greason is now recognized as the last living player from the Negro Leagues era after the passing of Ron “Schoolboy” Teasley.

Teasley passed away Feb. 3, making Greason, 101, the last surviving person who played in what is recognized as the Negro Leagues era. The Negro Leagues lasted from 1920 to 1948, when the Negro National League dissolved. Greason grew up in Atlanta and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He participated in the historic Battle of Iwo Jima. After the war, he spent more than a decade as a professional baseball player despite having no formal training, starting his career in the Negro Leagues and later playing in organized baseball, MLB reported.

During his Negro League career, Greason pitched for teams including the Atlanta Black Crackers, Nashville Cubs, and Asheville Blues from 1946 to 1948, and then for the Birmingham Black Barons. Though Greason lived during a time when hostility toward Black people was the norm, he was not deterred. A hardened soldier and proud Black man, Greason refused to let hatred steer him from his path and passion. In an interview with Fox Sports, he discussed how he drowned out the noise and walked in faith. 

“We didn’t allow segregation to stop us from playing, from using our talents and gifts for what we were there for. It was a tremendous blessing to have a gift from God to be recognized as such.”

Once the Negro Leagues were dismantled, Greason became the first Black pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954. However, he only took the field for the MLB team three times. After his playing career, he spent decades as a pastor and civil rights advocate in Birmingham, Alabama.

Seventy-six years after his Negro Leagues debut, Greason was honored at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, where he threw out a ceremonial first pitch at an MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.

Reflecting on the moment with Fox Sports, he said, “I have many memories of this place, because we were the only team that played here other than the white team. It was a pleasure to be a part of such an experience that we had here.”

RELATED CONTENT: ATL’s Big Boi And Jermaine Dupri Welcome The MLB All-Star Celebrity Game To The City

• Diversity, Equality, Inclusion

by Mary Spiller

February 7, 2026

Federal Appeals Court Clears Path For Trump Administration To Enforce DEI Restrictions

The Fourth Circuit lifted the lower court block on executive orders targeting diversity programs at federal agencies and government contractors.

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A federal appeals court on Jan. 6 ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing it to move forward with executive orders aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and among businesses that receive government contracts.

In a decision issued by a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, the court overturned a lower court injunction that had temporarily halted enforcement of the policies. The ruling clears the way for President Donald Trump’s administration to implement directives signed shortly after he returned to office that seek to eliminate DEI programming in both the public sector and parts of the private sector tied to federal funding.

The appeals court had already paused the injunction in March 2025 at the government’s request while it reviewed the case. That injunction was originally issued by U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore, who had sided with a group of plaintiffs challenging Trump’s presidential orders.

Those plaintiffs included the city of Baltimore, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and the American Association of University Professors. Their lawsuit argued that the executive orders unlawfully targeted DEI efforts by directing federal agencies to dismantle such programs, requiring contractors and grant recipients to certify that they do not operate DEI initiatives, and instructing agencies to coordinate with the Justice Department to deter and investigate organizations that implement such policies.

Judge Abelson previously found that the directives were likely unconstitutional, concluding they infringed on First Amendment free speech protections and relied on vague standards that could violate Fifth Amendment due process rights.

However, writing for the appellate panel, U.S. Circuit Judge Albert Diaz rejected that reasoning. Diaz said the DEI executive orders themselves could not be broadly challenged in court, but could instead be contested later based on how they are enforced against specific grant recipients or contractors.

“President Trump has decided that equity isn’t a priority in his administration and so has directed his subordinates to terminate funding that supports equity-related projects to the maximum extent allowed by law,” Diaz wrote. “Whether that’s sound policy or not isn’t our call.”

Diaz, an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama, also issued a separate concurring opinion expressing unease with the outcome. He described the record as suggesting a “sinister story” in which programs were eliminated based on keyword searches rather than substantive review.

“For those disappointed by the outcome, I say this: Follow the law,” Diaz wrote. “Continue your critical work. Keep the faith. And depend on the Constitution, which remains a beacon amid the tumult.”

Democracy Forward, the progressive legal organization representing the plaintiffs, said it is reviewing the ruling and considering next steps. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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• Sports

by Mary Spiller

February 7, 2026

Floyd Mayweather Sued By Former Landlords Over Alleged $330K In Unpaid Rent

Owners of a luxury Baccarat Hotel residence claim the boxing star defaulted on a six-figure monthly lease and failed to meet the terms of a settlement agreement.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. is facing a breach-of-contract lawsuit from the owners of a luxury Manhattan apartment who allege the retired boxing champion failed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent and related costs before vacating the property late last year.

According to a filing in a New York State court, a company connected to the high-end unit claims Mayweather owes more than $330,000 in unpaid rent, interest, and additional damages. The lawsuit, reported by The New York Post, centers on Mayweather’s former rental at the Baccarat Hotel and Residences in midtown Manhattan.

The duplex apartment, owned by Miami-based entrepreneurs Leila and David Centner, was leased to Mayweather in 2024 for a reported $100,000 per month. Court documents allege that Mayweather stopped making payments in mid-2025, despite continuing to occupy the property for several months.

The residence spans the 18th and 19th floors of the glass-fronted tower at 28 West 53rd St. and includes five bedrooms and five bathrooms, along with a large wraparound balcony measuring roughly 4,000 square feet.

According to the lawsuit, the undefeated former champion fell behind on rent beginning in July and ultimately accumulated more than $515,000 in back rent and other damages. The filing states that Mayweather later agreed to a settlement that would have cleared the outstanding balance by early December. However, the landlords allege that he failed to follow through on the agreement.
Instead, Mayweather reportedly paid only one month out of the five months owed under the settlement terms, according to Rena Kliot of Pulse International Realty, who is associated with the property. As a result, the plaintiffs claim Mayweather still owes $337,736, in addition to interest, legal fees, and other costs tied to the dispute.

Mayweather vacated the apartment in December, Kliot said. The unit is now vacant and being restaged ahead of a planned relisting this spring. The owners are expected to either put the property on the market for between $22 million and $24 million or offer it again as a rental at approximately $150,000 per month.

Despite those reports, Mayweather has expanded his real estate holdings in recent years, including launching a real estate firm in 2024 and acquiring a minority stake in a New York-based property portfolio valued at $402 million.

Marc Scolnick of Scolnick Law, who represents the plaintiffs, declined to comment further on the case.

RELATED CONTENT: Floyd Mayweather Sues Showtime For $340M

• Celebrity News

by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2026

Olympian Sha’Carri Richardson To Show Up In Support Of The Colgate Women’s Games

Organizers encourage supporters to share coverage of the 50th anniversary event using the hashtag #CWG50 to help amplify awareness. 

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Colgate Women’s Games is marking its 50th anniversary this season and will stream its closing events live on Feb 7 at 10:45 a.m EST.

The nation’s longest-running indoor track and field series dedicated to girls and young women celebrates its 5-decade run with some of the biggest names in sports. This anniversary season includes expanded partnerships with Girls on the Run NYC and PowerPlay NYC, along with continued support from the Armory Foundation, which hosts the indoor competition. Event leaders say those collaborations are designed to strengthen access to sports and mentorship for girls across New York City, particularly in underserved communities. 

This anniversary season includes expanded partnerships with Girls on the Run NYC and PowerPlay NYC, along with continued support from the Armory Foundation, which hosts the indoor competition. Event leaders say those collaborations are designed to give underserved young girls greater access to track and field sports.

According to Colgate-Palmolive and event organizers, the Colgate Women’s Games has helped launch the careers of many Olympic athletes. Olympic gold medalist sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson and Olympic silver medalist Dalilah Muhammad are just a few. While boasting its connection to superstar talent, the Colgate Women’s Games has also supported thousands of participants who later left sports to pursue other careers.

Dedicated to more than just sports, the organization takes its larger mission to support women and young girls seriously. In a press release, organizers said the series awards more than 100 educational scholarships each season, reinforcing its long-standing focus on academic opportunity alongside athletic achievement.

Viewing Schedule:

• 11:00 a.m. ET – Opening Ceremony begins
• 11:45 a.m. – First competition begins
• 12:45 p.m. – First trophy to be awarded

Several Olympians who once competed in the Colgate Women’s Games will return in-person for the anniversary celebration. Richardson, Muhammad, Ajeé Wilson, and Natasha Hastings will be in attendance to pay homage to an institution that hosted them early on in their respective careers.

In remarks shared ahead of the event, Colgate Women’s Games leadership described the series as “the starting line” for generations of girls who have gone on to lead both on and off the track. 

Organizers encourage supporters to share coverage of the 50th anniversary event using the hashtag #CWG50 to help amplify awareness. 

RELATED CONTENT: Sha’Carri Richardson Apologizes To Track Star Boyfriend After Domestic Altercation At Airport

• Black History Month

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 7, 2026

Descendants Revive Route 66’s Only Black-Owned Gas Station, Honoring Their Ancestors

Dedicated descendants have restored Route 66’s only Black-owned gas station to its former glory and are planning to expand it further.

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The Threatt Filling Station in Oklahoma, the only Black-owned station on historic Route 66, has been revived by dedicated descendants determined to honor their ancestors’ legacy.

Founded in 1915 and housed in its current building since 1933, the Threatt Filling Station was the first and only Black-owned service station on Route 66 before closing in the 1970s, News On 6 reports. Now, after renovations by descendants of the original owner, Allen Threatt Sr., much of the station’s original charm has been restored and is ready for the Route 66 centennial.

“I know that they would be proud,” said Edward Threatt. “I firmly believe they’re looking down on us. They know what we’re doing. They know why we’re doing what we’re doing, because that’s the way we were raised.”

The station’s location and service made it a crucial stop for Black travelers during the era of Jim Crow, including sundown towns. In 2023, the founder’s cousins and grandsons led preservation efforts, and they are now planning an expansion that will include an interpretive center to share the station’s history, set to open by May.

“I never thought about that one day, I would be 75 years old,” Edward said. “I never thought about one day I would be an elder of the family. When I was a kid enjoying life, I didn’t think about death. But now, I never come on this property without thinking about Grandma and Grandpa.”

Threatt fostered a close-knit, family atmosphere at the station, with the cousins helping out as they grew up. Even after the station closed, family members continued to live in or visit the building well into the early 2000s.

“He was just proud of himself, of his whole, complete family,” said Rev. Allen Threat III, about his grandfather.

In addition to the interpretive center, the Threatts hope to expand the property across more than 100 acres, potentially rebuilding a baseball diamond that once hosted Negro League games, reopening a restaurant next door, and adding an RV park.

“I’m trying to make sure that people know that they can come here,” Edward said. “They can enjoy, relax, and know that if you don’t look like me, I’m not going to discriminate against you.”

RELATED CONTENT: Nation’s Largest Black-owned Businesses

• News

by Kandiss Edwards

February 7, 2026

Georgia Truck Driver, Mom of Two Surprised with $200K Life-Changing Gift

The home, valued at about $200,000, is the second project built by Flint River Habitat for Humanity.

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A Georgia mom who works as a truck driver was given a home thanks to a partnership between Flint River Habitat for Humanity and Phoebe Medical Center.

On Feb. 4, Salisia Pascoe was able to move into her Albany home with her two children. The home, valued at about $200,000, is the second project built by Flint River Habitat for Humanity in collaboration with Phoebe Medical. Phoebe Medical provided funding and donations in order to complete construction. As is customary, Flint River Habitat For Humanity organized volunteer labor from staff and supporters, KLTV reported.

Pascoe is a single mother who worked hard to complete the required 300 hours of volunteer labor building homes for others. Her home loan will set Pascoe and her children up for long term success with the 30-year, 0% interest mortgage term. She said having a stable home for her family had been a longtime goal, and that the Habitat for Humanity opportunity made it possible, though she initially did not believe homeownership was in the cards for her. 

“I really could not have dreamed this,” Pascoe said. “Obviously, I thought about home ownership, but I didn’t think it was possible.”

Family members and community supporters attended a dedication ceremony to celebrate Pascoe and her accomplishment. 

Longtime friend Ken Bevel, a local pastor, spoke at the event and described the dedication as a celebration of Pascoe’s progress and perseverance calling the moment a “capstone.” Under the arrangement, Pascoe was responsible for closing cost payments. The nonprofit said the mortgage terms are designed to help homeowners build long-term financial stability. 

The organization said it is also working toward closing at least 4 more homes this year and advancing other family applications for similar homeownership opportunities. Habitat for Humanity was established in 1976 and according to its official website has “helped more than 62 million people globally build their futures.”

RELATED CONTENT: Homebuyers Are Backing Out Of Deals At Record High Levels

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 7, 2026

Atlanta Falcons Takes A Trip With KhaDarel Hodge Back To Prairie View A&M University

The team celebrates Black History Month by spotlighting the wide receiver's journey

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To celebrate and acknowledge Black History Month, the Atlanta Falcons released a video highlighting the journey of wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge from an HBCU to the NFL.

The team dropped the video showcasing his HBCU career, which began at Alcorn State University, then at Hinds Community College, and culminated at Prairie View A&M University. They went to Prairie View A&M, where he took the cameras to show the place that helped solidify his collegiate career.

“This is where I grew up,” Hodge said after returning to the PV campus. “I became a man here at PV.”

By the time he left the institution, he had totaled 1,797 receiving yards while scoring 21 touchdowns, earning first-team All-SWAC honors and Black College All-American recognition.

Even with those impressive numbers, no NFL teams selected him in the 2018 NFL Draft. But Hodge knew the odds were against him, as only 36 players who attended an HBCU had been selected in the NFL Draft since 2010.

“I know that HBCU athletes are slept on,” Hodge said. “You just gotta take that to heart, and you have to look at it like I’m just as good as those guys, no matter how much work I gotta put in, I’m going to keep proving to you and whoever else said I can’t do it, to show that I can do it and I am good enough.”

However, after having spent some time with the Los Angeles Rams, the Cleveland Browns, and the Detroit Lions, he landed on solid ground with the Falcons in 2022.

He remembers his time at Prairie View A&M University and where it led him.

“I came here lost,” Hodge said. “I didn’t really know what I was going to [do] as far as my football career or academically, so this is where I grew up, where I found who I was. I disciplined myself. So, when I come back here, it’s always smiles, good times. I get chills every time I walk on the field.”

RELATED CONTENT: ‘A Different World’ Reboot Hosts Casting Call For The Series’ HBCU Students