Kanye West, North West
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.

RELATED CONTENT: North West Debuts First-Ever Solo Cover For i-D Magazine

Black Bear Legs
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.

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.

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.

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.

RELATED CONTENT: North West Channels Dad Kanye West, Rocks Bear Mascot Costume For Halloween

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.”

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.

RELATED CONTENT: Bevel Grooming Company Showcases Installation At Atlanta’s OneMusicFest

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.

RELATED CONTENT: Abortion Rights Bring Ohio Voters To Polls Early

Divine 9, Florida State University, Park
by Mary Spiller

November 3, 2023

Morris Brown College Welcomes Back Its Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha After 20 Years

After a long 20 years, Atlanta, Georgia’s Morris Brown College welcomed back a new addition to its Greek life scene.

After a long 20 years, Atlanta, Georgia’s Morris Brown College has welcomed back the Iota Chapter of the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha.

In the Nov. 1 celebratory video on the HBCU Graduate YouTube channel (see below), hundreds of Morris Brown College students came out to see the new line sing their honorary song, stroll, and be welcomed back onto campus. Students cheered as the Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha members walked the campus in their iconic Black and Gold robes.

The chapter’s return has been long awaited and fought for. As reported in a Morris Brown press release, the university has finally received its full accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools just last year. The 141-year-old college has been pushing for this achievement for 20 years. Not only is it now allowed to participate in the Federal Financial Aid program, but it also made room to support Greek Life and call back prominent fraternity chapters to campus that were previously put on pause.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity dedicates itself to developing future leaders by promoting brotherhood and emphasizing the importance of academic excellence. As the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization founded for Black men in the United States, it began in December of 1906, with the Iota chapter coming on March 10, 1941, on the MBC campus.

RELATED CONTENT: HBCU To The Rescue: Morris Brown College Extends A Lifeline To Displaced Students From Art Institute Of Atlanta

The original organization began as a study group, and the new Iota line at Morris Brown has upheld the academic streak. They bolster an average grade point average of 3.7 while conducting required community service and advocacy work. 

The fraternity’s mission statement promises “to prepare them for the greatest usefulness in the causes of humanity, dignity and freedom of the individual; to encourage the highest and noblest form of manhood and; to aid downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social, economic, and intellectual status.”

The current president of the Iota Chapter, Brother James A. Lowe, serves under the principle that the basis of community outreach will be extended through time. By offering academic scholarships, the Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha is “committed to embodying the mission and vision of our revered fraternity.”

RELATED CONTENT: Why The Letters Of The Divine Nine Are Exclusive To Its Members

Tamar Braxton, Vince Herbert
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

Tamar Braxton’s Ex-Husband Ordered To Pay Nearly $70K After Ignoring Jewelry Lawsuit

The songwriter has faced a number of financial hardships since his divorce including being sued for eviction, having to pay millions to Sony Music, and having his car repossessed.

Tamar Braxton’s ex-husband, Vince Herbert, is being forced to shell out nearly $70,000 after seemingly ignoring a lawsuit over custom-made jewelry.

The music producer has been hit with a default judgment and ordered to pay jeweler company Greene & Co International and owner Michael Greene a total of $68,856.96, Radar Online reports. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge made the ruling after Herbert failed to respond to the jeweler’s 2021 lawsuit despite being served with the legal paperwork.

The Streamline Records founder was sued for fraud and breach of contract after requesting seven custom pieces of jewelry in 2018. Herbert reportedly bragged about being able to pay for the jewelry and made mention of “his career, and his involvement in the music industry,” the suit states.

It was because of Herbert’s braggadocious claims that the jeweler allowed Tamar’s ex to open a line of credit and leave the store without paying for the seven custom pieces. While Herbert did write one check for $20,000, the jeweler claims it bounced.

“Immediately, via text messages with the [Herbert], [Greene & Co.] informed the [Herbert] that the check was returned for insufficient funds and inquired when the $20,000.00 and the remaining balance of the invoice would be paid in full,” the suit states.

Herbert made repeated promises claiming he would pay the $66,000 invoice, to no avail. Now he’s being forced to pay up after ignoring the lawsuit and repeated requests for payment.

It’s not the first time Herbert has failed to show up to court for a legal case. Following his 2017 divorce from Tamar, the singer was granted a default after Herbert failed to respond to the case.

The songwriter has faced a number of financial hardships since his divorce including being sued for eviction, having to pay millions to Sony Music, and having his car repossessed.

RELATED CONTENT: Tamar Braxton’s New Rumored Boo Is Already Being Put On Blast

money, financial wellness, OneUnited
by Iman Milner

November 3, 2023

OneUnited Bank Launches AI-Driven Tool To Improve Financial Wellness In Black Communities And Help Close Racial Wealth Gap

The "financial wellness companion" is designed as an informative addition to the bank's app and is the first of its kind from a Black-owned institution.

OneUnited Bank, considered the nation’s largest Black-owned bank, has launched its AI-driven financial tool, WiseOne Insights, to help leverage financial literacy and close the racial wealth gap.

The “financial wellness companion” is designed as an informative addition to the bank’s app and is the first of its kind from a Black-owned institution.

“WiseOne Insights transcends conventional banking solutions,” said Kevin Cohee, chairman and CEO of OneUnited Bank. “As a financial wellness companion, it literally allows individuals to make better financial decisions, thus directly addressing the critical need for improved financial literacy in our society.”

WiseOne Insights operates on three foundational principles: protection, information, and guidance. The tools allow users to track everything from normal bill increases to new savings opportunities, as well as innovative strategies for debt reduction. OneUnited is banking on its advanced technology’s ability to empower “consumers nationwide to make well-informed financial choices” to further complement its commitment to “laying the foundation for building generational wealth.”

Financial illiteracy and lack of empowerment continue to plague the Black community, according to a report by the TIAA Institute, resulting in decreased numbers in overall economic well-being. Sixty-six percent of Black people reported that they were doing “OK financially” compared to 78% among whites, while the household net worth of Black people in 2016 was $17,600 compared to that of the $171,000 of their white peers. The report also highlighted the percentage of those holding a zero or negative net worth in both communities, which found 19% of Black people met the distinction compared to 9% of whites.

OneUnited Bank is a Massachusetts-chartered trust company headquartered in Boston. According to its website, it has over 100,000 customers. The country’s first Black digital bank, it is also registered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and certified as a community development financial institution by the United States Department of Treasury.

RELATED CONTENT: How Redlining And Banking Impact Generational Wealth

Chemico Group , Leon Richardson, Carla Walker-Miller
by Atiya Jordan

November 3, 2023

Chemico Group CEO Leon C. Richardson Named 2023 Michigan Minority Hall Of Fame Legend

The founder of one of the largest minority-owned chemical management and distribution companies in the United States is now a Hall of Famer.

The founder of one of the largest minority-owned chemical management and distribution companies in the United States is now a Hall of Famer.

In October, The Chemico Group CEO Leon C. Richardson was celebrated for the transformational impact he’s made on Michigan’s minority business growth. He was named a 2023 Michigan Minority Hall of Fame Legend by the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC), according to a press release provided to BLACK ENTERPRISE. The honor also recognized trailblazers who are “driving the state’s economy while empowering communities that are often left behind.”

A Chemico Group board member was also inducted into the Hall of Fame. Carla Walker-Miller is founder and CEO of Walker-Miller Energy Services, a 22-year-old values-driven, B Corp certified company. 

The Southfield, Michigan-based Chemico Group is standing tall after an impressive 34 years in business.

BE named the veteran-owned company to its list of the top 100 Black Businesses several times. Richardson’s indelible legacy also landed on the 2013 BE Industrial/Services Companies of the Year list with $85.8 million in revenues as well as a slew of additional mentors answered. 

Since then, the Chemico Group’s team of more than 300 minority employees have been intentional in diversifying operations. For example, the Chemico Group invested $2.5 million to provide chemical management services to Fiat Chrysler plants in Mexico and offered similar services at Honeywell plants throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

“To avoid ebbs and flows that come from focusing on any specific industry, we have diversified our operations. We look for industries where paint is applied or the end unit has wheels. Cars, trucks, airplanes and jeeps all have wheels, making them part of the automotive, trucking, aerospace and defense contractor industries,” Richardson told BE in 2016. “Compressors and refrigerators have paint and are part of the heavy manufacturer and appliance industries. By 2020, we want to be in the $300 million to $400 million revenue range.”

Furthermore, Richardson is a proud financier, mentor, and champion for Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) development. He has served on the Board for the MMSDC for more than 15 years. As evidence of this, Chemico Group committed $26 million with other MBEs since 2014, which is an average minority spend of 5% annually, the company’s website stated. MMSDC awarded Chemico its Supplier of the Year Class IV Award in 2017.

At the 2016 BLACK ENTERPRISE Entrepreneur Summit, Richardson shared his experience on his mentor-protege relationships. The founder and CEO of Ellis Island Tea Nahlah Ellis-Brown admitted that her brand went from car trunk sales to Whole Foods after gaining access to financing and mentorship. Richardson funded her production facility by way of his company and provided Ellis-Brown with strategic planning support and accounting services needed to restructure production costs, BE previously reported.

“The only way to bridge that gap and improve economic wealth in the African American community is by educating the next generation in entrepreneur-ism,” Richardson said.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Millionaires Corner: ChemicoMays‘Leon Richardson Nurtures Emerging Entrepreneurs

Martin Luther King, Bernice King
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

Bernice King Responds To Amy Schumer Posting MLK Speeches Of Support For Israel: ‘We Have Much To Correct’

Amy Schumer attempted to reference old Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches to garner support for Israel.

Amy Schumer attempted to reference old Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speeches to garner support for Israel. But according to the daughter of the late civil rights icon, he would’ve called for an end of the war between Israel and Hamas.

The Jewish comedian has been extremely vocal on social media about the Israel-Hamas war, expressing her support for Israel despite the civilian casualties impacting both sides. To further reiterate her stance on the current war, Schumer recently posted a video of clips where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in support of Israel and denounced antisemitism.

“Israel must exist and has a right to exist and is one of the great outposts of democracy in the world,” MLK said in the clip. In another clip, King denounces antisemitism as “wrong” and says “It’s unjust and it’s evil.”

But once King’s daughter, Bernice King, caught wind of Schumer’s post, she took to Twitter to offer some clarity on her late father’s behalf.

“Amy: Certainly, my father was against antisemitism, as am I,” Bernice King wrote in a thread on Twitter/X. “He also believed militarism (along with racism and poverty) to be among the interconnected Triple Evils.”

“I am certain he would call for Israel’s bombing of Palestinians to cease, for hostages to be released and for us to work for true peace, which includes justice,” she continued. “He said, ‘Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.’ We have much to correct.”

Bernice King concluded her message with a different clip of her father, where he touched on the “moral power” in withdrawing from the Vietnam War. She also encouraged Schumer to read her father’s book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?

“I mourn with all who are mourning,” Bernice King wrote. “I know that we can’t afford to diminish & dehumanize each other if we are truly committed to ridding humanity of the Triple Evils & to freedom from oppression for all.”

Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side (via the Associated Press) and over 9,200 Palestinians in Gaza have died due to Israeli retaliatory strikes, via Al Jazeera.

RELATED CONTENT: Drake Signs Letter Calling For Ceasefire In Israel-Hamas War

QUEEN LATIFAH
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 3, 2023

Queen Latifah Reposts Mysonne’s Response To Akademiks And Saucy Santana Feud

Queen Latifah had time today and it's not looking good for DJ Akademiks.

It’s not often that Queen Latifah enters the chat when drama is involved. But she had time when it came to the ongoing feud between blogger DJ Akademiks and rapper Saucy Santana.

The popular vlogger has been embroiled in a shady back-and-forth with the rapper after Akademiks appeared on VladTV and seemingly cast shade on City Girls member Yung Miami for having made anti-gay remarks on social media while being best friends with Saucy.

Saucy clapped back to defend his friendship with Yung Miami (Caresha Brownlee) while blasting Akademiks.

“Even as me being a gay man, I don’t move like a f*g. And it’s a lot of other gay boys that are feminine or whatever, but everybody don’t move like f*gs. You move like a f*g,” Saucy said in a clip captured by The Neighborhood Talk.

That’s when Akademiks fired back threatening to “spit in [his] face” if he ever runs into Saucy in public. But Saucy took things further when he threatened to penetrate Akademiks after physically assaulting him.

“After I beat you, I’ma f*c0k you in your a** because you’re a bih-a nia,” Saucy warned. “That’s what we do to you.”

Once the threats turned sexual, that’s when Akademiks broke down and became emotional when explaining why he was scared to respond to Saucy out of fear of being “canceled” and labeled a “homophobe” for saying the wrong thing.

“When I see a ni**a like Saucy Santana, it’s rubbing on the mere fabric of what I really grew up on,” Akademiks explained on his stream. “It brings me back to a hateful part of my life that I really try to get past.

“I’m not tryna get canceled to fk up what we got going on. I’m never tryna get canceled saying the wrong thing — I know what we got going on, I love it,” he added.

But there were many who failed to sympathize with Akademiks after remembering the countless harsh and cold remarks he’s made about a number of female stars like Erykah Badu, the City Girls, Megan Thee Stallion, and Glorilla.

Rapper Mysonne was among the critics who took to Instagram to issue a lengthy statement in response to the Saucy vs. Akademiks feud.

“It’s crazy to me how DJ Akademiks is crying scared to say anything to Saucy Santana because he’s a gay man and he’s scared of getting ‘canceled,’ but has said some of the most outlandish, vile, disrespectful, and demeaning things to Black women with absolutely no fear whatsoever,” Mysonne wrote.

“[This] brings me back to Malcolm X’s quote: ‘The most disrespected, unprotected, and neglected person [in] America is the Black woman!’”

The last person anyone expected to repost the message was female rap pioneer Queen Latifah whose repost seemingly highlighted her lack of support for Akademiks amid his ongoing social media war.

At this point, Akademiks might want to throw in the white flag and move on from the petty beef. The Queen has spoken.

RELATED CONTENT: Saucy Santana Confronts Stigma Head On With His First Ever Beauty Deal

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