Texas, law, judges,
by Stacy Jackson

November 3, 2023

Biden Names 2 Black Female Judges In 41st Round Of Judicial Nominees

President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Julie S. Sneed for the U.S. district courts in the Middle District of Florida and Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin for the District of South Carolina.

President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Julie S. Sneed for the U.S. district courts in the Middle District of Florida and Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin for the District of South Carolina, adding to the record number of Black female federal judges nominated during his administration.

A Nov. 1 White House press release detailed the president’s 41st round of federal judicial nominees. Sneed and Austin were among five nominees whom the press release referred to as “extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution.”

The Washington Informer reported that Sneed has served as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Middle District of Florida since June 2015. Sneed earned a a Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law. Austin has been a U.S. magistrate judge for the District of South Carolina since 2011 and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, the outlet noted. 

Stephen Benjamin, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and a senior adviser to the president told TheGrio, “The Biden-Harris administration continues to set records when it comes to professional and demographic diversity.”

A total of 32 Black females have been appointed by Biden and confirmed by the Senate for lifelong judgeships, including Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Washington Informer reported that two-thirds of the 148 life-tenured federal judges confirmed identify as BIPOC or women, which supports the present administration’s commitment to diversity. 

 “These choices also continue to fulfill the president’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country — both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds,” White House officials said in a release.

The other three nominees announced in the White House press release were Judge Jacqueline Becerra, Judge Melissa Damian, and David S. Leibowitz, all for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

RELATED CONTENT:  Alabama Trump Supporter Indicted For Making Threats Against Georgia DA Fani Willis and Sherriff

Las Vegas aces
by Iman Milner

November 3, 2023

Las Vegas Aces Guard Chelsea Gray Has Another Reason To Celebrate As She Announces First Child With Wife

Las Vegas Aces star guard Chelsea Gray has announced she and her wife are expecting .

Fresh off celebrating the Las Vegas Aces’ second championship in two years, the team’s star guard Chelsea Gray took to Instagram alongside her wife, Tipesa Moorer, to announce the pair are expecting their first child.

Holding up an adorable onesie that read “a baby is brewing,” the happy couple shared their joyful news in a post that quickly racked up congratulatory comments from Gray’s teammates as well as other athletes. “We can’t waittttt❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥,” said WNBA legend and Aces veteran Candace Parker. Aces Head coach Becky Hammond joined the chorus of supporters with a “💜💜”.

While the Las Vegas Aces recorded their second franchise win, for Gray it was her third time being crowned a WNBA champion, as she’d won with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016 — making her part of both of the league’s franchises that have recorded back-to-back championships. The Aces had a season fraught with adversity as Hammond served a two-game suspension after a probe into the team revealed misconduct, costing them their 2025 first-round draft pick, according to Bleacher Report. The team would also spend the second half of the season without three-time WNBA champion and two-time league MVP Candace Parker, who sustained a foot injury and was ruled out indefinitely. “It shouldn’t be easy. It should be hard as heck to go in there and repeat, and it was,” Hammond said after the win.

With WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson leading the way, the Las Vegas Aces proved themselves once again, defeating the New York Liberty 3-1 on Oct. 18. The Aces also had one of the most memorable ongoing celebrations in sports history, recently popping up at Usher’s Vegas residency, where the superstar serenaded Wilson and the team was seen dancing onstage.

RELATED CONTENT: Las Vegas Aces First Team To Win Back-To-Back WNBA Championships In 2 Decades

Kendrick Lamar
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

Kendrick Lamar’s PgLang Dropping Limited Light Phones

Kendrick Lamar's pgLang is releasing a phone, the Light Phone II.

Kendrick Lamar is dropping a product that was unexpected from the hip-hop recording artist.

Through the company that he owns with Dave Free, pgLang is releasing a phone in partnership with tech company Light, the Light Phone II. A video was released that shows a little baby crawling with the unit in her hand with the screen displaying the words, “just a phone.”

According to Billboard, the phone will be an exclusive limited release as there will only be 250 sold as it goes on sale on Nov. 2. It can be purchased on the pgLang website. The device has been described as a minimalist phone as it will not include a Web browser, which is common on mobile phones these days.  The phone will and the ability to purchase it will appear on the site when it’s available for purchase.

A description of the phone is revealed on The Light Phone website.

“The Light Phone II is a premium, minimal phone. It will never have social media, clickbait news, email, an internet browser, or any other anxiety-inducing infinite feed. It’s an experience we call going light. It’s a phone, it calls and texts. There is a customizable menu of simple tools, and a dashboard website to manage everything. There is a headphone jack, bluetooth, and it can be used as a personal hotspot.”

If people try to buy one after the 250 are sold, there are other options that can be purchased on The Light Phone website.

Three years ago, the Compton lyricist announced the launch of the creative company.

“pgLang is multilingual. Our community speaks music, film, television, art, books, and podcast—because sometimes we have to use different languages to get the point of our stories across. Stories that speak to many nations, races, and many ages. That is why our writers, singers, directors, musicians, and producers break formats when we build ideas and make them real for the curious.”

Billboard reported that last month, pgLang partnered with Converse to release a black colorway version of the Converse Chuck 70.

RELATED CONTENT: Kendrick Lamar Sets Highest-Grossing Tour Record by a Rapper After The Big Steppers Tour Pulled in Over $100M

ohio, barber,
by Lauren Nutall

November 3, 2023

19-Year-Old Teen Forgoes College For Barbershop Entrepreneur Track With Baltimore Mentor

Next One Up's program is making a difference in the lives of Baltimore boys.

Nineteen-year-old Diallo Gainey is paying it forward by offering free haircuts to mentees in the program he attended in Baltimore.

Gainey is a former member of Next One Up, a nonprofit organization that helped him on his journey to becoming a barber. Now, he’s paying it forward by assisting young men with free haircuts.

In an exclusive interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE, Gainey opened up about his journey, his advice for those wishing to follow in his footsteps, and what it’s like being a young graduate. 

“I started in, I want to say, the sixth grade,” the young businessman said when asked about joining Next One Up. “I found out about the program through one of my good friends. His dad had told my mom about it, and I just showed up, and I just kept coming after that. It helped me with school and my athletics and everything like that.”

Next One Up differs from other student-oriented programs because rather than emphasizing the importance of a college education, the program urges boys to pursue their interests — like Gainey, who hadn’t planned to become a barber. The former football player was set on going to a traditional college to continue playing the sport until Matt Hanna, founder and CEO of Next One Up, intervened. 

“He just talked to me. He talked to me about what I wanted to do after high school,” Gainey shared. “We had a conversation about me going to college because I thought I had to. I was a football player, so I was going to talk my way into being in debt just to play football when there was another path for me. I knew I liked barbering, so what he did was create a path for me.”

The 19-year-old revealed that Hanna helped him enroll in barber school and helped cover his tuition.

Despite his mentor’s encouragement, Gainey’s decision to forgo college did not come easily. But as he gradually developed his barbering skills, he started to realize he could turn his passion into a career.

“I had to think about it for a long time,” Gainey said. “I started watching YouTube videos during COVID. I was still in my junior year of high school, and I wasn’t playing any football. I was just sitting in the house all day, and it just came up on my YouTube feed. I just got interested in watching the videos, and that’s how I started cutting my brother’s hair. And then after that, I realized that I could actually turn this into a business and just work [for] myself and my barber career.”

Gaines now works as a barber at Next One Up’s newest Base Camp facility; mentees of the nonprofit are his biggest customers. Gainey offers free haircuts to the boys who frequent the establishment.

“Growing up, you just think that you have to go to college to become successful, and Next One Up teaches you and tells you that there are other paths you can choose to get you to your goals,” he said.

The positive impact of Gainey’s work is undeniable, and he works to ensure that every young man who graces the establishment has a positive experience.

“A haircut can do a lot for people. That’s one of the big reasons why I became [a barber],” he said. “I like turning nothing into a blossoming flower. When they get into my chair, sometimes, they have bad things going on outside of the world that they don’t really want to talk about. When they get into my chair, it’s like therapy for them. You see that come out after the haircut, you know, they feel good about themselves, and that makes me feel good about myself. Making other people happy.” 

The teen credits humility for his commitment to his work.

“It taught me to be humble. That’s one of my values. Being humble, true to myself, and honest. In the program, we have these classes where we talk about public speaking and have one-minute speeches about yourself, and that helps me a lot in my barber career now.” 

For young people who are unsure about their futures, Gainey offers his advice.

“Talk to the people in your circle—your family, you know, because there are other pathways,” he said. “You don’t have to do this. [Going to college] that’s what people tell you you have to do…there are other options out there. I would say just [do] the research. Most people’s careers don’t even need college to do. A lot of people don’t know that. I would say follow your dreams. I mean, whatever you think you can’t do, you definitely could. There are people in this world that are willing to help you. I feel like there’s more than one way.” 

RELATED CONTENT: CNN Honors Black ‘Heroes’ Making An Impact

Antwan
by Lauren Nutall

November 3, 2023

Antwan ‘Ish’ Marby Talks Entrepreneurship And The Joe Budden Podcast On ‘The New Norm With Selena Hill’

Antwan Marby, better known as Ish, has built a platform as co-host on the "Joe Budden Podcast."

Antwan Marby, better known as Ish, has built a platform as co-host on the Joe Budden Podcast. However, the public figure also has stakes in real estate and joined BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Selena Hill to discuss all things entrepreneurship. 

Marby has spent decades in the construction and real estate industry but this wasn’t where he always planned to be. For Marby, becoming an entrepreneur was something he gradually found himself falling into. 

“It wasn’t even really a conscious decision, I don’t think,” he says. “I worked in corporate, I used to work in finance in corporate, and I experienced what I had heard about, where in corporate sometimes you’re fired or let go through no cause of your own. That happened to me at a young age.”

Marby revealed that he began pursuing real estate after being abruptly fired from his corporate job so his boss’s roommate could be hired. The experience marked a turning point for the young man, who promised himself to never feel that way again. That is how he launched his career in real estate as his own boss. 

Marby started out by regularly attending seminars, where he learned his principles about rental real estate and financial freedom. “I was still working,  I still had a job,” he shares.

“You’re scared to kind of jump out and do your own thing and so once that happened it kind of forced me to the entrepreneurial thing as opposed to me just making a deliberate and conscious decision. I won’t take the credit for that but I got kind of pushed down that road and I just ran with it.” 

Now, Marby often finds himself advising twenty-somethings and even older people who are in the same position he was in.

“I get just tons and tons and tons of DMs where it’s younger people in their 20s asking me for tips and advice…A lot of us come from neighborhoods or environments where our parents didn’t own houses, our parents weren’t the most financially knowledgeable or financially sound so you feeling that you could ask questions for somebody that you could relate to, that you might look at as a big brother or uncle. It’s a comfortability there.”

Marby is branching out on a new venture—book writing. He is in the process of writing a novel breaking down finance and real estate. He also talks about how he is at a new stage in his career, adopting a mentorship role for young women and men. 

RELATED CONTENT: ‘THE NEW NORM’: Hip Hop Artist Chingy Discusses His Recent EP ‘Chinglish’

video games, Black women gaming
by Atiya Jordan

November 3, 2023

Shero Games Launches Crowdfunding Campaign To Empower Women Of Color In Gaming

Shero Comics, the place where powerful women rule the world, is raising funds to bring video games to life that feature women and girls of color with main character energy. 

On Nov. 8, 2023, Shero Games, the official gaming division of the female-centered multimedia company, will be unlocking a new level on its quest: a crowdfunding campaign. Shero plans to build games based on its “own library of inclusive stories and will use the funds raised to enlist a game developer” for the company’s highly anticipated mobile, PC, and Roblox games, according to a press release provided to BLACK ENTERPRISE. The campaign will run through Dec. 22.

Thanks to husband and wife duo 2020 NBA All-Star and 2021 NBA Champion Jrue Holiday and two-time Olympic gold-medalist soccer player Lauren Holiday, Shero Games is on its way to the ultimate feat of “taking on the male-dominated world of gaming.” The star athletes are matching up to $35,000 of what the company raises through the couple’s JLH Social Impact Fund.

“Though I’ve been a gamer my whole life, it wasn’t until I exhibited at my first comic con in 2016 when a developer approached me about turning Rayven Choi into a video game that the idea of building games landed on my radar,” Shequeta L. Smith, award-winning writer and founder of Shero Comics, stated in the release. “Now with several more IPs under my belt, I think it’s the perfect time to make video games with Sheroes at the epicenter.”

Level Unlocked

In 2016, Shero Comics was founded by Shero CEO, Shequeta L. Smith, with the intention of creating a “renaissance of Black standalone superheroines,” according to the website. While women make up 48% of all gamers, less than 6% of mainstream games feature a female protagonist, the press release reported. The Los Angeles-based multimedia company has since been on a mission to help women and girls of color tap into their superpowers by architecting diverse technology.

Three years later, Shero Comics celebrated a history-making move. It launched the only all-female comic convention in America, SheroCon, and the first comic con to take place inside a Westfield property. The company has built a stunning platform of Black female-led comic book IPs like Rayven Choi, Squad Goals, The Legend of Cahokia, and Young Grandmaster Choi. 

Shero will be at the LA Comic Con in December. What’s more, Smith is celebrating her nomination for the Distinguished Leadership of the Year Award from the Regional Black Chamber of Commerce of San Fernando Valley.

Supporters of the crowdfunding campaign will have some perks ahead of them, such as early access to the games, tickets to the future release parties, free in-game power-ups, and themed wallpapers. In addition, favor bags will include Shero Games merchandise such as T-shirts, graphic novels, and gaming headsets.

The campaign will also kick off two new games, “SheroCon” and “Raven Choi.” “SheroCon” is a Roblox gaming experience that replicates the real-life magic of the annual Shero Comics Convention, an event that spotlights and celebrates women and their contributions to pop culture and geekdom. “Rayven Choi: Reaper’s Run” is a mobile game based on the Korean-African American graphic novel Rayven Choi.

The Shero Games crowdfunding campaign will go live on at www.fundblackfounders.com/sherogames.

RELATED CONTENT: Xbox Now Has a Black Woman President For The First Time Ever

Melesa Johnson, First Black Woman Prosecutor, Jackson County, Missouri
by Sharelle Burt

November 3, 2023

Abortion Rights Bring Ohio Voters To Polls Early

Celebrities and lawmakers have been rallying for both supporters and opposers of this important issue.

The fight for abortion rights in Ohio is bringing voters to the polls early, The Hill reports. 

A proposed constitutional amendment in set to hit ballots in early November that may place abortion protections in the state’s constitution. Rallies have been held from both supporting and opposing groups allied with political leaders and celebrities to help push the issue.

Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-OH) said, “The poll that I’m the most interested in is the one that happens in the ballot box all the way up through Nov. 7.” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who is up for reelection in 2024, posted a video to Twitter in support of the issue.

“Connie [Brown’s wife] checked my voting record on reproductive rights when we started dating 20 years ago—thankfully I passed her test,” Brown said. “This November, we’ll both be voting YES on Issue One.”

In the state of Ohio, abortion is legal for up to 22 weeks. Initially, a six-week ban was on the table, but it is currently on hold while a decision is made by the state’s Supreme Court, under a conservative majority. Eyes have been on the state to see if Democrats can pass abortion protections in a red state. 

The Buckeye state was under the microscope when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade after a 10-year-old rape victim was forced to travel out of Ohio to get an abortion.

The early voting turnout, which started Oct.11, has been high. The Columbus Dispatch reported data from Ohio’s secretary of state citing over 200,000 residents voted early in person by Oct. 24. Almost 110,000 people mailed absentee ballots. It’s a step up from August’s special election which resulted in 192,000 in-person votes and 93,000 mailed ballots.

“This isn’t your typical Republican-Democrat, liberal-conservative, pro-life-pro-choice debate that’s happening,” said Nancy Natoce , press secretary for Protect Woman Ohio, said. “Issue 1 would cement within our Constitution the most radical abortion regime in this country.”

Ohio is matching the energy of other states like Kansas. According to NPR, Kansas voters voted to keep abortion legal by rejecting a proposed state constitutional amendment in August 2023 that would have banned the procedure in the state. 

RELATED CONTENT: Fight Over Texas Anti-Abortion Transport Reaches Biggest Battlegrounds

50 cent, G unit studio
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

50 Cent Earns His First RIAA-Certified Diamond Record With ‘In Da Club’

The Get Rich or Die Tryin' entertainer received his first diamond plaque.

Go 50, it’s your birthday!

50 Cent has been riding the success of his TV shows while getting in some performances on his Final Lap Tour this year. Now he can add to the good news with the addition of a certified Diamond plaque to his catalog of music.

The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ entertainer received his first diamond plaque in celebration of selling more than 10 million units of his Dr. Dre-produced hit recording, “In Da Club.”

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) just announced that the first single off of 50’s Aftermath/Interscope Records debut was certified diamond on Nov. 1. The news comes 20 years after the album entered the charts. The single took over a year to reach gold status on Oct. 25, 2004. Now, two decades later, he joins the two men responsible for his debut, Eminem and Dr. Dre, in obtaining diamond records.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

50, who is currently on the international leg of his tour, will perform his last show on Dec. 21 in Abu Dhabi.

It’s been quite a productive year for the Queens-bred rapper.

  • He won a $6.2 million judgment against the former director of Brand Management for Sire Spirits, Mitchell Green, who reportedly siphoned $2.2 million from the company. 
  • The prominent television producer and hip-hop entrepreneur signed his first multi-year partnership with an NHL team, agreeing to bring his Sire Spirits to the Vegas Golden Knights.
  • 50 acquired 985,000 square feet of space that will become home to the upcoming G-Unit studio.
  • Sire Spirits became the “Official Spirit Partner of the Timberwolves” with its award-winning Branson Cognac.
  • His G-Unity Foundation will be highlighted during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, as Sire Spirits became the official alcohol partner of the Indiana Pacers, and the game will be held in Indianapolis.
  • The rapper has also inked a deal with Fox Entertainment.

RELATED CONTENT: 50 Cent Almost Signed By Erick Sermon Before Inking Deal With Dr. Dre And Eminem

AI, Sexual Abuse, Deepfake Nudes
by Atiya Jordan

November 3, 2023

President Biden’s Executive Order on AI Seeks Moral Responsibility

President Biden’s latest executive order holds powerful AI systems to new standards while taking action to prevent potential risks.

From AI-enabled fraud and deception to discrimination and bias, the sobering reality is that AI outcomes can restrict those most in need of many essential services. There has long been a call for the Biden administration to prioritize and address how AI and technology can exacerbate racial and other inequities.

BLACK ENTERPRISE spoke with Arati Prabhakar, assistant to the President and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, about Biden’s landmark effort to address these issues. The Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence took effect on Monday, October 30, 2023.

“The Executive Order establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world, and more,” according to a press release provided to BE.

Prabhakar, an engineer, emphasized that companies should have a moral responsibility for deploying technology. Open AI and Google are no exceptions. She is adamant that the newly signed order is crucial to the national security of Americans and the future of AI.

Studies have found AI-enabled anti-Black bias in training and recruiting as well as AI lending. Specifically, 80% of Black applicants are more likely to be rejected for mortgages, along with 40% of Latino applicants, and 70% of Native American applicants. Furthermore, academic research has revealed that predictive algorithmic technology used by policing and judicial systems excludes racially marginalized and other politically oppressed groups. In 2021, there were 1,186 Black adults incarcerated in state or federal facilities for every 100,000 adults, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, compared to 222 white adults.

“Those of us who create technology, we do it because we want to make the world a better place. We want to create a better future. That doesn’t happen unless we’re just as deliberate about how we use the technologies as we are innovating,” Prabhakar explains. “And the president celebrated American innovation and the advances that we’ve made, but he also said we’re [going to] lead in being smart about how we use AI.”

The executive order is “everything a president can do under existing law” to seize the promise of AI’s growing capabilities, Prabhakar says, adding that Biden “cares about getting it right for everyone in this country around the world.” There is no denying the power and potential of AI but the governing AI aims to bolster privacy and advance civil rights, which are among deep concerns.

“When the vice president met with four CEOs of leading AI companies back in May, the president dropped by to meet with [them] briefly,” Prabhakar says. “We had a very blunt conversation with these CEOs and the vice president said to [them] that they had not just a legal, but a moral responsibility to make sure that their products were safe before they went out in the world.”

Experts have particularly challenged AI developers and technologists to address in-built biases Recommendations have included rigorous quality testing of AI systems, full transparency of datasets, and viable opt-outs.

“We can’t have these systems embed discrimination,” Prabhakar says.

To redress the balance, Executive order directs the following:

  •  The National Institute of Standards and Technology will set the rigorous standards for extensive red-team testing to ensure safety before public release. 
  • Promote a fair, open, and competitive AI ecosystem by providing small developers and entrepreneurs access to technical assistance and resources, helping small businesses commercialize AI breakthroughs, and encouraging the Federal Trade Commission to exercise its authorities.
  • Develop guidelines for federal agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of privacy-preserving techniques, including those used in AI systems.
  • Provide clear guidance to landlords, federal benefits programs, and federal contractors to keep AI algorithms from being used to exacerbate discrimination.
  • Address algorithmic discrimination through training, technical assistance, and coordination between the Department of Justice and Federal civil rights offices on best practices for investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations related to AI.
  • Ensure fairness throughout the criminal justice system by developing best practices on the use of AI in sentencing, parole and probation, pretrial release and detention, risk assessments, surveillance, crime forecasting and predictive policing, and forensic analysis.

Carmelo Anthony Returns To Madison Square Garden To Celebrate Collaborative Collection With 1800 Tequila
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 3, 2023

Carmelo Anthony Returns To Madison Square Garden To Celebrate Collaborative Collection With 1800 Tequila

Anthony is the one of the most decorated player in United States Olympic men’s basketball history.

Former NBA player Carmelo Anthony spent seven years playing in New York City at Madison Square Garden with the New York Knicks. The retired future Hall of Famer returned to the venue on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to help celebrate the launch of a collaborative effort with 1800 Tequila.

Anthony, in partnership with the tequila brand, introduced the 1800 Tequila x Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop, a limited-edition apparel collection. The launch took place at the Knicks contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 10-time NBA All-Star sat courtside as he wore his custom 1800 x STAYME7O Ash + Coal Varsity Jacket from the new collection. He was also seen drinking his new signature cocktail, Melo’s 1800 Espresso Martini.

PubClub.com recently reported that the former Syracuse University player will be releasing the Carmelo Anthony Holiday Drop Shop on Cyber Monday on Nov. 27. Included in the 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O collection are a varsity jacket (hero product), hoodie, snapback, and embroidered fabric patch. A purchased bundle will have an 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O item, a bottle of 1800 Cristalino, and an 1800 Tequila x STAYME7O embroidered patch. People can buy merchandise at 1800Tequila.com/HolidayDropShop. Items in the collection will range in price from $75—$295.

“Melo” has been busy since he announced his retirement from the NBA. In February, he was introduced as a partner in a new sports investment firm, Isos7 Sports Investments. The Syracuse University alum is working with the founders and co-CEOs of Isos Capital Management, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson. The pair previously served as co-presidents of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).

“I’m excited to build on my experiences as an athlete, entrepreneur, and investor, and move to the next level of league and team ownership opportunities globally,” said Anthony in a written statement.

“Stuart and I will shift our focus from Melo7 Tech Partners, where we had great success together, and partner with the team at Isos7 to leverage our deep relationships across the sports ecosystem and create value for all those involved. Our collective success will in turn further enable us to have a positive impact on underrepresented populations.”

Currently, Anthony, a potential first-time ballot NBA Hall of Famer, is a top 10 scorer who is listed at No. 9. Although he was born in New York City, in the Red Hook housing projects of Brooklyn, his family moved to the Murphy Homes in Baltimore when he was a child. He attended Syracuse University, where he led the team to its first and only NCAA men’s basketball tournament championship.

After winning the championship, the talented player was drafted at No. 3 in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in the 2003 NBA Draft. Anthony also played for the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, and the Los Angeles Lakers during his legendary career.

Anthony is among the most decorated players in United States Olympic men’s basketball history. While playing in four separate Olympics, he became the United States Olympic men’s all-time leader in games played and rebounds while ranking second in points.

RELATED CONTENT: Carmelo Anthony Pulls Back The Curtains To His ‘Modern Vintage’ Mansion In Westchester, New York

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