Big Boi’s Feathered Friend Steals the Show, Pet Owl Freaks Out Onstage

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

Big Boi’s Feathered Friend Steals the Show, Pet Owl Freaks Out Onstage

Big Boi’s recent college football game performance took an unexpected turn when he introduced a live owl onstage. Things quickly took a nosedive as the bird went on the offensive.

Outkast’s Antwan Patton, known as Big Boi, has a penchant for owls and owns a few as pets. During his performance, one of his owls wasn’t feeling the attention from the crowd or being onstage—and it was all caught on video.

According to TMZ, Big Boi was at Kennesaw State University in Georgia with one of his pet owls. The school’s mascot is an owl, so on the surface it made sense to have an owl onstage at a school that honors it as its representative. As the rapper took the stage holding the owl, the bird immediately started flapping its wings and appeared to have stage fright. As the owl flapped on the ground, singer Sleepy Brown took to the microphone to draw the crowd’s attention away from it.

Meanwhile, Big Boi is seen trying to tend to the bird and gets help from someone in taking it offstage. Without missing a step, Big Boi is still on the mic, singing the lyrics to the song while he releases the glove attached to the chain that held the owl to the guy who stepped onstage to help him out.

With the bird gone, the rapper returns to center stage to join Sleepy, as if that scene was a part of the performance.

TMZ mentioned that during a 2019 Rolling Stone interview Big Boi showed off the four pet owls he owns: Tula, Simon, Whodini, and Hootie.

by Jameelah Mullen

November 3, 2023

The U.S. Virgin Islands To Host 2023 CHICOS Conference

Now in its 12th year, CHICOS has been lauded as the leading hospitality conference in the Caribbean region.

The U.S. Virgin Islands will be home of the 2023 Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit, or CHICOS.

Now in its 12th year, CHICOS has been lauded as the leading hospitality conference in the Caribbean region. The conference, which will take place November 12-14 at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef in St. Thomas, will host over 300 attendees, including representatives from well-known hotel brands plus industry stakeholders and investment firms.

The CHICOS Summit will allow industry professionals to network, discuss industry trends, and explore investment opportunities. Its series of breakout sessions and panels include presentations by 70 speakers such as Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos, Cathay-Ann Joseph, manager of eastern Caribbean airport operations at American Airlines, and Ian Gooding-Edghill, minister of tourism for Barbados.

Joseph Boschulte, commissioner of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, is looking forward to hosting the three-day affair.

“We are honored to welcome CHICOS to our amazing islands. This conference presents an exceptional opportunity for prominent stakeholders to explore the untapped potential and abundant investment opportunities within the thriving Caribbean hospitality industry. We look forward to showcasing the U.S. Virgin Islands as a premier destination and engaging in fruitful discussions that will shape the future of tourism in our region,” Boschulte said in a press release.

The U.S. Virgin Islands saw a 15% increase in tourism in the winter of 2022-2023. Shared economy accommodations such as Airbnb saw a 10% increase in revenue, while traditional hotels averaged a 75% occupancy rate, making the island a premier location for potential investors and developers.

For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands and its offerings, visit the website.

For more information about Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference & Operations Summit, check out the website.

by Iman Milner

November 3, 2023

Anonymous Donor Pledges $10 Million To Rise East Initiative To Transform Lives Of Black Residents In East Oakland

Selena Wilson, CEO of East Oakland Youth Development Center and Rise East's leader, sees the major donation as not only an indication that the organization's plan is attainable but is key to unlocking an even larger fiscal contribution.

Rise East, a collective 10-year initiative to improve the lives of Black families and children in East Oakland, California, just had its prayers answered as an anonymous donor pledged $10 million toward its efforts, KTVU 2 reports. Spurred by the dedication of community leaders, the organization has worked to amplify five levels of power: economic, knowledge, people-centric, cultural, and political.

Rise East wants residents of the Bay Area and investors to “imagine an East Oakland where Black children and families are not only surviving but flourishing,” and now it seems that vision is closer than ever before.

Selena Wilson, CEO of East Oakland Youth Development Center and Rise East’s leader, sees the major donation as not only an indication that the organization’s plan is attainable but also a key to unlocking an even larger fiscal contribution.

“It is helping us to secure a $50 million match from a national funder,” Wilson said. “And in fact, we’re actually working on raising $50 million for that $50 million match. So a one-for-one match totaling $100 million, and we are $10 million closer thanks to this anonymous donor.”

Wilson explained that Rise East’s mission and the work it has already accomplished are made possible by the efforts of myriad community organizations who were already spearheading their own initiatives to support East Oakland. The decision to partner has made its reach and impact even more valuable as it focuses on transforming the lives of its residents.

“[We’re] really thinking about the holistic person all the way from inception through schooling, career years into old age,” said Wilson. “So it’s going to cover housing, learning, supports career, and all of these comprehensive services that we know it takes in order for a person to not only thrive but live with joy and prosperity.”

Rise East’s efforts will help to develop commercial corridors that will be used for affordable housing as well as Black-owned businesses. The investment areas it’s focused on aim to ensure that Black children and youth learn and grow; Black residents are safe, connected, and enriched; Black families have a place to live and thrive generationally; Black workers and small businesses have economic support for sustainability; and the health and wellbeing of Black families is tended to.

Another key component of Rise East’s efforts is a 40-by-40 block area of East Oakland the organization hopes to turn into a “Black Cultural Zone,” a geographic area where Black people have a significant presence and Black culture is celebrated and preserved.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

Louisiana School Bus Driver Arrested For Allegedly Assaulting Student Captured On Video

Video captures Louisiana school bus driver strike a student aboard the vehicle.

A Louisiana school bus driver was arrested after he allegedly struck and choked one of the students aboard the vehicle. The attack was captured on cell phone video.

According to Fox 8 Live, 77-year-old Miles Jenkins faces a simple battery charge after officers from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested him following the incident. The student who was allegedly attacked attends Marrero Middle School, and the incident took place on Oct. 31. Jenkins reportedly resigned the next day.

First Student employed Jenkins, and the company released a statement after the incident.

“At First Student, we take our responsibility to provide a safe environment on our school buses very seriously. The interaction the driver had with the student was unacceptable. He has resigned. Given this is an active investigation, we are unable to comment further,” the statement read.

Police officers arrested Jenkins after a family member of the student called the police department. Video captured by a student on the bus shows Jenkins shoving the student. As the student tries to get out of his seat, Jenkins is seen pushing the student back and striking him on the head. The student pushes back, and that’s when Jenkins is seen pinning the student against the bus window, allegedly choking him.

A spokesperson from Jefferson Parish Schools, Kaela Lewis, said, “All bus drivers who transport our Jefferson Parish Schools students undergo state and federal background checks. They also undergo training before, and during, the period that they transport our students. The district provides thorough instructions to drivers in compliance with state and federal safety and operations guidelines and regulations.”

Lewis added, “Bus drivers for our transportation vendor, First Student, are required to know and abide by our district’s policies and procedures. To the extent that drivers fail to follow those policies and procedures, they are not fulfilling the requirements of their job.”

NOLA.com reported that after Jenkins was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, he was granted bail at $500. He was released without having to pay because of overcrowding at the facility.

MAYOR Eric Adams, Fundraiser, Brianna Suggs

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

FBI Seizes Communication Items and Paperwork From New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Fundraising Chief In Home Raid

The FBI raided the home of New York City Mayor, Eric Adam's fundraising chief.

The FBI raided the home of New York City Mayor, Eric Adams’ fundraising chief, Brianna Suggs on Nov. 2. Agents reportedly took several items, including three iPhones and two laptop computers. They also seized papers and other evidence, including a “manila folder labeled Eric Adams,” seven “contribution card binders” and other materials, according to the documents.

The New York Times reported that Suggs’ home was targeted as part of an investigation into possible corruption of whether the mayor’s 2021 election campaign conspired with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign donations.

The investigation also includes an alleged kickback scheme that involved the Turkish government, a university in Washington DC, and a Brooklyn construction company.

According to CBS News, Adams was on his way to Washington D.C. Thursday formeetings but postponed them to return to deal with the matter.

Adams said he planned on cooperating with the inquiry.

“You probably heard the reports involving one of my campaign staffers, and listen, everyone knows me. I comply with the rules. We’re going to comply with any inquiry, and we will all do that. That is what we do. I have not been contacted by anyone involving this, and I’m just going to continue running this city, the greatest city on the globe,” Adams said.

The mayor was traveling Washington, D.C. to discuss New York City’s migrant situation. He posted a video via X, formerly known as Twitter.

On my way to DC to join my fellow mayors to talk with our federal partners about the asylum seeker crisis. Follow along throughout the day. pic.twitter.com/K6bvwP4gwQ

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) November 2, 2023

Vito Pitta, a lawyer for Adams’s 2021 and 2025 campaign, “The campaign will of course comply with any inquiries, as appropriate.” He added that Adams “has not been contacted as part of this inquiry.”

Investigators are looking for evidence that may bring charges that include the theft of federal funds and conspiracy to steal federal funds, wire fraud, and wire fraud conspiracy. They are also looking to see if there were campaign contributions by foreign nationals and conspiracy to make such contributions.

Suggs was also given a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury hearing evidence in Manhattan.

She worked as an aide to Adams when he was Brooklyn borough president. City records reveal that in the past two years, she was paid nearly $100,000 from Adams’s re-election campaign. It covered fund-raising and campaign consulting services via her company, Suggs Solutions.

by Jameelah Mullen

November 3, 2023

Meagan Good Creates Vodka Line Flavors, Recipes for St. Royale

The vodka retails at $23 and can be purchased in stores such as Total Wine, Costco, Winn Dixie and Green’s Beverages and other locations across the south.

Actress Meagan Good is the latest star to have her own alcohol brand.

The multi-hyphenate star is partnering with Black-owned GreenLine Spirits to create a signature line of recipes and flavors with its St. Royale Vodka brand.

Good took to her Instagram page to share the new business venture with her fans.

“I am excited to announce my new partnership with @StRoyaleVodka. St. Royal Premium Vodka is unparalleled in purity + it’s unique handcrafted distillation process,” The actress wrote.

“Be sure to check out the new green tea lychee flavor I helped create. By far the best vodka I’ve ever tasted, and I’m excited for you all to try it + to share my unique recipes with everyone to enjoy.”

The My Cousin Skeeter star told People that she plans to go on a promotional bottle-signing tour in 2024.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Meag G, Ms. Good~If Ya Nasty (@meagangood)

St. Royale vodka comes in two other flavors, green tea and peach green tea.

GreenLine Spirits, the company that owns St. Royal, was founded by Ted Fason. The former professional basketball player and real estate investor founded the award-winning vodka brand in 2016. Fason says he was inspired by the “enchanting surroundings” of Charleston, South Carolina, where the company is based.

“St. Royale Vodka, a boutique spirits brand rooted in the historic charm of Charleston, South Carolina proudly announces its establishment as a new and innovative player in the world of premium vodka,” the company’s website reads. “Crafted with dedication and a commitment to excellence, St. Royale Vodka embodies the rich heritage and Southern hospitality of Charleston, bringing a taste of the Lowcountry to connoisseurs around the globe.”

The vodka retails at $23 and can be purchased in stores across the South, including Total Wine, Costco, Winn Dixie and Green’s Beverages, or on the company’s website.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

North West Praises Kanye’s Parenting Over Kim Kardashian Due To No Nannies Or Lavish Lifestyle

North West prefers her time with Ye over the reality star because of the simpler life she lives with her dad.

Kim Kardashian is opening up about how much her eldest daughter North West prefers her time with Kanye West over the reality star because of the simpler life she lives with her dad.

The Skims mogul got candid on the latest episode of The Kardashians while explaining why North thinks Kanye is “the best” because he doesn’t have nannies or security, lives in an apartment, and eats instant Ramen with his children.

“She’ll go to her dad’s. She’ll be like, ‘Dad’s the best! He has it all figured out. He doesn’t have a nanny, he doesn’t have a chef, he doesn’t have security, he lives in an apartment,'” Kim said of the 10-year-old.

“And she’ll start crying: ‘Why don’t you have an apartment? I can’t believe we don’t have an apartment!’”

North is also proud of being able to make their “own food” when she’s with Kanye rather than the chef-curated meals she gets when at home in Calabasas with her billionaire mom.

“That’s amazing that you make ramen, you know?” Kim said of her daughter eating instant noodles with her dad.

Kim has been using the reality show to open up about her co-parenting relationship with Kanye. She filed for divorce in 2021; it was finalized last year.

She and Kanye share four children, North, 10, Saint, 7, Chicago, 5, and Psalm, 4. Kanye has admitted that Kim has the kids “80 percent of the time.” He spent his summer in Italy with his current spouse Bianca Censori where they offended locals with their revealing fashion and x-rated antics on a boat rental.

Last month, Kim opened up about being a single parent to her four children. “The struggles that my kids go through really have nothing to do with the amount of help that I have,” she said, as captured by People.

“Obviously, having nannies and a chef to help cook is beyond helpful. It’s all about family and enjoying these moments. It takes a village to raise kids, but at the end of the day, your kids only want you.”

Fans have been enjoying watching the at-home dynamic between Kim and North, who many say is a replica of her dad in seemingly humbling the reality superstar.

Producer: “What do you think about the work your mom does?”

North: “What does she do?” 😭💀 pic.twitter.com/9IpJelJOEo
— yzyupdates (@yzyupdates) November 2, 2023

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

Beary Different: Man Goes Viral After Grilling Black Bear Legs For Dinner

Other posts show Hardison's cooking skills and love for making delicious dishes like pork chops, lobster, chicken, and oxtails.

A man has gone viral and sparked a debate after grilling black bear legs for food.

It all started on Oct. 31 after an Instagram user by the name of Bernard Hardison shared the pair of black bear legs he was about to throw on the grill. The photo showed Hardison holding a pair of skinned black bear legs with the foot still containing the bear’s black fur and claws.

“Black bear legs hitting the grill soon💨💨💨🪵🪵🪵,” he captioned the post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bernard Hardison (@bsdiningexperiencesc)

He followed up with another post highlighting the “Black bear hams🪵🪵🪵🐻🐻🐻” he grilled. Hardison then went viral once The Shade Room caught wind of his eccentric food choices and reposted his bear grilling video to their page.

“Dem legs lookin too goodt! #Roomies, y’all down to try some bear legs or nah?🤔😋,” they wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom)

The video garnered mixed reactions with many questioning if it was legal, ethical, or even safe to eat black bear meat.

“I think I’ll pass on some honey roasted Winnie the Pooh thighs,” one user wrote.

“Y’all was asking when some new meat was going to come out. Here you go,” added someone else.

But one look at Hardison’s page will show you how open he is to eating all kinds of wild animals. One post shows Hardison grilling meat for his birria tacos. The head of an animal can be seen on the grill as Hardison works to prepare the meat stew or soup that’s made from goat, beef, lamb, mutton, or chicken.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bernard Hardison (@bsdiningexperiencesc)

Other posts show Hardison’s cooking skills and love for making delicious dishes like pork chops, lobster, chicken, and oxtails. The certified foodie has the streets talking and it might’ve been the marketing he needed for his chef business.

Khia Criticized After Charging Fan $10 For Selfie At Gas Station

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

Khia Criticized After Charging Fan $10 For Selfie At Gas Station

The "My Neck, My Back" rapper faces criticism after one fan took to Twitter.

Rapper Khia is under fire after she asked a fan for $10 for a selfie they took outside a gas station.

The “My Neck, My Back” rapper faced criticism after one fan took to Twitter on Nov. 2 to share their recent encounter. According to the female fan, after posing for a selfie with the rapper, Khia demanded $10 for the photo.

“She tried to charge me $10 for this gas station selfie in Atlanta & I was like, no ma’am,” the fan wrote. “Then she cursed me out, called me broke & tossed her new mixtape at me & then drove off in a minivan with her face on it.”

She tried to charge me $10 for this gas station selfie in Atlanta & I was like, no ma’am. Then she cursed me out, called me broke & tossed her new mixtape at me & then drove off in a minivan with her face on it. pic.twitter.com/7pU6BXU6dS
— Jehovah's Thickness (@ksmityyyy) November 2, 2023

Soon others were chiming in with their own experiences where Khia allegedly did the same thing.

“I believe it. Lady tried to charge me $5 to take a pic one time,” one person wrote.

“Oh y’all didn’t know Khia charge for pics? That’s been a known thing in Atlanta for a long time. That’s why you never see fan photos 😂😂,” added someone else.

Khia rose to fame in the year 2000 with her highest-charting single, “My Neck, My Back (Lick It).” The single charted at #42 on the Hot 100 chart and #12 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. She reportedly wrote the song in just 15 minutes.

But her fanfare soon fizzled out. Khia kept her name relevant through her podcast. After a fallout with TS Madison on their “Queens Court” show, Khia has continued voicing her opinion on the latest topics by herself on YouTube.

Apparently, she remains a true hustler and doesn’t do anything for free, including posing for selfies at a gas station. But she’s facing criticism for the supposed money grab.

“I wouldn’t even pay to see her perform. YouTube my neck my back is just fine 😂,” one person wrote on The Neighborhood Talk. One person said they got a photo with her free of charge, while another reminded fans how much Chris Brown charges for photos.

“Chris Brown charged 1k…..🤷🏽,” they wrote.

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Nonprofit Free And Just Sponsors Mobile Billboard Against House Speaker Mike Johnson

by Mary Spiller

November 3, 2023

Nonprofit Free And Just Sponsors Mobile Billboard Against House Speaker Mike Johnson

Free & Just as an organization is critiquing the new House Speaker for his fervent support in implementing a national abortion ban and making a legislative push to restrict access to abortion relation health care.

A Washington D.C. mobile billboard from the nonprofit Free & Just took shots at Louisiana Republican speaker Mike Johnson for his medically uninformed opinion on abortions. Sponsored to make the rounds at the end of next week, the billboard’s statement will be shown as Johnson continues to settle into his position as House leader.

The 501 c(4) non-profit will drive the billboard around college campuses in Capitol Hill and the busy D.C. area from Nov. 8 to 10. The mobile campaign has a path that will pass by the Hill and prominent universities like Howard University, American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University.

Projected on the side of the truck, the billboard shows Johnson’s face with an ominous red backlight and a notable quote of his plastered across the front that reads, “Extremely Dangerous For Women,” the exact words he said about abortion.

Campaign director of Free & Just, Chrystian Woods, told The Hill, “Mike Johnson’s record speaks for itself. Now that Mike Johnson has become Speaker of the House, we are putting him on notice that we will not sit back and watch him roll back our freedoms.”

Woods explained that Free & Just wants to use the mobile billboard to spur people to call the newly elected Speaker of the House and convey the message that “Americans support abortion access.”

The nonprofit wants to shed light on Johnson’s controversial views on abortion, which were brought to the forefront after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He’s been on record celebrating the Supreme Court decision and expressing his hopes to take it further to turn Louisiana into a zero-tolerance state for medical procedures.

He formerly based his anti-abortion legal push on his opinion that a “child in the womb [is a] unique human being with unique DNA” from the moment of its conception.

Johnson has already mentioned intentions to defund Planned Parenthood and even welcomed a law in Louisiana that would lay a heavy “1-10 year imprisonment and a $10 to $100,000 fine” on abortion care health providers for conducting the procedure or any post-procedure care.

Mike Johnson’s political career, moving from the House Judiciary Committee to Speaker, has sparked concerns from Free & Just on what abortion proposals he could bring to the House floor.

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