Family of Nate Dogg Still Arguing Over Estate; Now Ex-Girlfriend Wants Child Support
A long-complicated matter adds another wrinkle.
Twelve years since the untimely death of Nathaniel “Nate Dogg” Hale, the family is still battling over the rapper’s estate. This time there’s a complication: Hale’s ex-girlfriend, Shereda Williams, is seeking child support for the pair’s 17-year-old son, Radar Online reports.
Williams filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming the late artist was ordered to pay her $4,358 per month in child support in 2006. In 2013, a court agreed to a $3,000 monthly payment for the child; however, the woman claims a paperwork error has jeopardized the remittance.
She wants the court to demand Hale’s estate to cover the child support she is owed until their son’s 18th birthday.
In 2011, Hale’s net worth was an estimated $1.5 million though, he died without having a will in place. Hale’s family has had trouble establishing an administrator for his estate, causing conflict between his surviving wife, LaToya Calvin, and his six children. The artist’s mother, Ruth Holmes, was also named as a co-administrator of his estate in 2012 before withdrawing her request amid disapproval from her grandchildren.
Hale’s four daughters and two sons reportedly agreed to nominate attorney Alex Borden as the administrator of the late artist’s estate.
Hale, known for his melodic hooks on some of hip-hop’s most popular tracks, became a main fixture in West Coast rap, signing to Death Row Records in 1993. It was during his tenure at the controversial label that he would record some of the genre’s most notorious hooks for tracks like Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun (If The Homies Can’t Have None),” Warren G’s “Regulate,” and Tupac’s “All About U.”
Nate Dogg died from complications of several strokes. The rapper had suffered a stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralyzed and another the following year. He was alert and his memory had returned before his death.
Hopping On The ‘Reality Reckoning’ Train Is A Big Nope For Real Housewife Eboni K. Williams
Eboni K. Williams has absolutely no interest in joining Bethenny Frankel's "Reality Reckoning" case against Bravo.
Eboni K. Williams might’ve had an untimely end to her short-lived tenure on The Real Housewives of New York City, but she has absolutely no interest in joining Bethenny Frankel’s “Reality Reckoning” case against Bravo network as reported by Anna Peele in a Vanity Fair feature.
When asked to respond to Frankel’s actions, Williams didn’t hold back.
“F–k Bethenny Frankel,” Williams told Peele. “You think I’m going to let some white girl speak for me with my experience with a multibillion-dollar corporation?”
Frankel, with lawyers Bryan Freedman and Mark Garagos, has accused Bravo and NBCUniversal of “making deliberate attempts” to “manufacture mental instability” with their reality stars by feeding their talent “alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep, as well as denying mental health treatment” for those in need, Page Six reports.
The “RHONY” OG has no plans of suing the network. But hopes to unionize reality stars to create “systemic change” in the network. However, Williams had her own experience while on “RHONY” after becoming the franchise’s first Black housewife in Season 13 which aired in 2020.
More details have emerged into the alleged behind-the-scenes racism from fellow “RHONY” OG Ramona Singer that prompted an internal investigation that came back “inconclusive.” While the investigation didn’t exactly prove whether or not Singer was racist, she was accused by multiple sources of making racially insensitive remarks and even using the N-word.
The conflict played a huge part in “RHONY” receiving no Season 13 reunion (the first and only time that ever happened in Real Housewives history) and eventually being put on pause ahead of a full reboot with a new and more diverse cast.
With Williams being an attorney herself, she doesn’t want Frankel’s help and would rather handle matters herself. Despite her issues with Bravo and NBCUniversal, Williams reportedly pitched a new show following her departure from “RHONY,” to no avail.
“It is a promotional machine unlike anything you can even buy,” Williams said of her attempt to develop her own show with the network.
Singer has since been cut from appearing at BravoCon in Las Vegas but is still expected to appear in the upcoming season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip.
How Redlining And Banking Impact Generational Wealth
Redlining, as defined by Cornell University’s Legal Information Institute, is a discriminatory practice characterized by the deliberate refusal of essential services like mortgages, insurance loans, and various financial services to inhabitants of specific regions based solely on their racial or ethnic background. Data from the Federal Reserve suggests that Black people are twice as likely as white people to be denied credit, regardless of their income level. This impacts mortgage loans. A potential solution to this designed inequality is the emergence or re-emergence of Black-owned banks, reports Forbes Advisor.
Between 1888 and 1934, 134 Black-owned banks were formed in an attempt to assist Black borrowers with securing credit and other monetary services, according to One United Bank. Today, the number of Black-owned banks sits at 42, reports Finder. Furthermore, to qualify as a Black-owned bank, an institution must be at least 51% Black-owned and serve a population of mostly minorities.
One United, considered the largest Black-owned bank in America, holds around $625 million in assets, compared to Bank of America, which holds approximately $2.5 trillion. This value difference is comparable to the difference in wealth between Black and white citizens in America. According to data from the Federal Reserve, the average Black family’s wealth is six times less than the average white family’s wealth. While wealth is not income, it is difficult to accrue wealth with lower income levels, evidenced by the Fed’s data showing that the Black/white wealth gap widened despite a faster growth in wealth for Black families in 2022.
The historical practice in America of redlining was created by the United States government’s New Deal through the Federal Home Owners Loan Corporation, which created color-coded maps showing high-risk lending areas in red. Those red-lined areas tended to be populated by Black people, which meant, essentially, that Black people were blocked from participating in homeownership, a key cog in wealth creation. “Redlining was part of a systemic, codified policy by the government, mortgage lenders, real estate developers and real estate agents as a bloc to deprive Black people of homeownership,” according to Rajeh Saadeh, a real estate and civil rights attorney in Bridgewater, New Jersey. “The ramifications of this practice have been generational.”
Black-owned banks might not be the only solution to the legacy of redlining.
Michel Martin of PBS discussed how banking deserts exacerbate the wealth gap in America in a 2020 interview with Mehrsa Baradaran, author of The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.
Baradaran, an Iranian-American law professor specializing in banking law at the University of California, Irvine, suggested to Martin that a postal banking system could help offset costs associated with traditional banking.
“So, what happens in these areas is, people have to drive 30 miles to an ATM and a 7-Eleven and pay $7.50, right? Or they can go to Walmart or a payday lender or a check cashier to get their financial transactions. And so the idea with the postal bank is to actually have the post office, which, by its original mission, is in every community, just allow for simple banking,” said Baradaran.
He continued, “So this is a debit card, so you can participate in nationwide commerce and a checking account, so you can pay your bills online, and not have to operate in cash. It’s just a simple idea, I think, that would benefit a ton of communities, not just Black and brown committees, but certainly also to that.”
While Baradaran admits that it is not a complete solution to the issue of the racial wealth gap, she says the nature of that arrangement requires a much more concentrated effort, one that would go a long way in providing some assistance to the estimated 25% of the Black population that is currently operating without access to traditional banking methods.
Damon Dash Claims He’s ‘Broke,’ Has Lost Money Investing In Himself For Years
Among his expenses: between $300,000 to $400,000 annually in child support.
Roc-A-Fella cofounder Damon Dash shared his financial struggles, including difficulties making child support payments, on The CEO Show with Dr. Taje Moreno, according to Complex.
“While I’m investing in something else, I might not be making the money and the profit, so I can’t afford to pay out what I was when I was having EBITA [earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization] of $8 million a year,” said on the Oct. 19 episode. “So you can’t judge how much I’m gonna pay out by how much I made 20 years ago.”
In recent years, Dash has launched a new enterprise without the initial capital. This situation was further complicated by the impact of the recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, he explained, he couldn’t afford to pay annual child support amounts of $300,000 to $400,000.
However, Dash emphasized that he wasn’t ashamed of this financial circumstance, describing himself as a “proud broke” and highlighting that he had tangible assets despite his temporary financial constraints.
According to Complex, what he was ordered to pay in child support to ex-wife Rachel Roy was calculated based on his then-earnings—including one of Roy’s fashion lines. That line is controlled by her, he said, though his ownership stake determined what he would have to pay.
According to the video, he suggested that it was only fair for his ex-wife to contribute to their children’s expenses since she was receiving the money he was contributing and was, in fact, in a better financial position. Dash noted his dedication to his investments and assets, even if it temporarily affected his ability to fulfill child support payments.
Dash has faced legal issues related to child support payments in the past. In November 2019, he was arrested for failing to meet child support obligations. At the time, he indicated financial hardship, with an inability to pay the required $2,400 as part of a lawsuit.
Diddy Calls Out Warner Bros. Studios For Banning His Joker Costume
Diddy allegedly received a letter from Warner Bros. Studios demanding he not dress up as the Joker.
Diddy ate and left no crumbs when he dressed up as the Joker for Halloween 2022. But he performed so well that night that Warner Bros. Studios reportedly banned him from dressing as its iconic character this year.
The Bad Boy founder took to social media on Tuesday, Oct. 31, to reveal the slight disappointment he faced on Halloween when he allegedly received a letter from Warner Bros. Studios preventing him from dressing up as the Joker.
“Breaking Halloween news: last year after I did the Black Joker, I got a bunch of emails from the studio telling me to not be the Joker anymore, that I was breaching the trademark. So I dont know what I’m going to be this year,” Diddy said.
“To the motherfu*ker that took all this time… to tell me not to be the Joker, you win. I’m not going to be the Joker this year because your ass had enough time to fu*k up my motherfu*king Halloween.”
But Brother Love got the last laugh as he stepped out on Halloween night in his Batman costume he dubbed “The Darkest Knight.”
Diddy appeared on Jimmy Kimmel on Monday, where he first revealed his alleged conflict with Warner Bros. Studios.
“Last year I was the Joker, and I actually got a letter from the studio that I can no longer be the Joker because they said it broke their trademark that I did it too good, I swear,” Diddy told Kimmel. “I have this letter from Warner Brothers.”
“Warner Brothers lawyers, can you see me? Put this camera on me right here. Head of legal, tomorrow, watch what I do,” he added.
Diddy bounced back with his Batman costume that seemingly took a jab at Warner Bros.’s alleged formal threat.
The Love Records CEO might’ve switched it up for Halloween 2023. But no one will ever forget how legendary his Joker costume was last year.
Diddy has revealed he received a letter from Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. banning him from dressing up as the Joker again for Halloweenpic.twitter.com/89nJ5n8Csw
Surgeon Becomes First Black Woman To Hold Presidential Position For A Cardiothoracic Surgery Society
Dr. Africa Wallace, director of thoracic surgery at Capital Health, has been appointed as president of the Eastern Cardiothoracic Surgical Society (ECTSS), and is the first Black female to occupy the role.
“The Eastern Cardiothoracic Surgical Society works to advance the highest standards of excellence in patient care through education, research, and surgical training programs,” the board-certified thoracic surgeon said in a press release.
“I’m excited to lead an organization that aligns with my personal commitment to quality, diversity, and inclusion in health care and Capital Health’s mission of improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves.”
Wallace specializes in treating cancer patients at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. As a thoracic surgeon, she also performs procedures for other conditions that involve diseased or injured organs. At the medical center, the doctor incorporates video-assisted or robotic surgery techniques. According to an article published by the Journal for Thoracic Disease, surgeons use the robotic approach to resect lung cancer.
Wallace is part of a team of surgeons who perform the robotic-assisted procedures. The team of medical experts make up the Capital Health Surgical Group and the team with Capital Health’s Robotic Center of Excellence. Capital Health’s Lung Center of Excellence, which is is co-led by Wallace, “provides comprehensive care in the detection, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of lung disease.”
The new ECTSS president holds several other leadership roles. A press release states that Wallace is part of the Society of Thoracic Surgery’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work Force and a member of the Women in Thoracic Surgery and Association of Women Surgeons. Her research focuses on using minimally invasive approaches in pulmonary and esophageal surgery to treat diseases such as cancer. Her research includes studies on “racial disparities in the surgical management of thoracic cancers.”
Wallace’s new appointment makes her the first Black female president of any cardiothoracic surgery society.
Study Finds Testosterone Replacement Can Help Men With Type 2 Diabetes
In a new medical study, the inclusion of testosterone replacement therapy can be quite beneficial to men dealing with type 2 diabetes. This reveal is considered to be a breakthrough to remedy not only sexual dysfunction but also issues stemming from the disease itself.
The audit, which included 428 diabetic participants from eight countries globally, surveyed patient data to review testosterone levels, as reported by Medscape. With testosterone replacement therapy initiated, 121 of the men found “a significant reduction” of their A1c levels, which measures one’s blood sugar, within 1-2 years.
With the newfound information, the coordinators of the audit encourage doctors and patients to check for one’s testosterone and to seek treatment if lower than usual.
“If you have a patient with type 2 diabetes, sexual dysfunction, or fatigue, please consider checking their testosterone level,” expressed study lead author Dr. T. Hugh Jones to the medical news outlet. “And if they fulfill criteria for testosterone deficiency and have had their [prostate-specific antigen] checked, consider a trial of treatment and follow them.”
Dr. Jones, an endocrinologist based in the United Kingdom, also emphasized the value of doctors inserting this data into the international audit to gain further insight into the impact of this treatment.
Type 2 diabetes is a medical condition that is particularly common within the Black community. According to the National Health Institute, Black adults in the United States are almost twice as likely to develop the disease than their white counterparts.
While the results are promising, other doctors remain cautious, given the correlation of diabetes-induced weight gain to lower testosterone levels. However, for those who are suffering from the decrease in the primary male sex hormone, treatment can provide a wide range of benefits that can be of help beyond the bedroom.
“It’s important when you give testosterone to replace it to the normal level,” explained Dr. Jones. “Adequate treatment gives the greatest benefit.”
$75K Settlement Reached For Nursing Assistant Tackled By Police For Jaywalking
A $75,000 settlement was reached in connection to a Black nursing assistant who was tackled and arrested by an officer in Snohomish County in Washington State in March 2020 for jaywalking.
The woman, who was 25 at the time of the incident, was identified as Sharon Wilson, according to The Daily Herald. Wilson said Deputy Matt Lease allegedly brought her down to the ground after she attempted to catch a bus to see her grandmother, who was in the hospital.
The outlet noted Lease claimed Wilson jaywalked across Highway 99 at the intersection of 216th Street SW. The officer wrote in his report that he had the green light but had to slow down while driving his car because Wilson was in the crosswalk. The report said the signal to walk across the highway was not on.
The outlet reported that Lease commanded Wilson to wait at the bus bench and told her she could not leave. The Community Transit pulled up to the bench where Lease had stopped his car to speak with Wilson. The officer’s report said the woman pleaded with Lease to let her get on the bus. But he told the nursing assistant, who had just left a shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, that another bus would come and that he needed to identify her. Security camera footage from the bus showed the then 25-year-old attempting to run to the bus. Lease tackled her and held her down with his knee. Wilson reported being in an “agonizing amount of pain” because of hypersensitivity to contact from having sickle cell disease.
She was arrested for resisting arrest and obstructing law enforcement, the outlet noted.
However, the lawsuit filed against the sheriff’s office in federal court in March stated, “Ms. Wilson tried to explain that she had not heard any commands because she was wearing headphones and could not hear over her music.”
The outlet reported a man who had gotten on the bus that Wilson missed gave another account of what happened. He said the nursing assistant had crossed the street “while the light was red” and that Lease was “giving her a hard time.”
The nursing assistant spent one night in jail. Working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilson said in the lawsuit that she should not have gone to jail because she was “immunocompromised” and could have exposed others to the virus.
The incident, which occurred the same year George Floyd was murdered, resulted in a $75,000 settlement this month on Oct. 23. Wilson called the officer racist, according to the outlet. Lease denied that he had arrested her on account of her skin color. A prosecutor who reviewed the allegations in Whatcom County, Washington, said a few weeks after police had killed George Floyd in Minnesota that it would be challenging to prove the case to a jury, The Daily Herald reported.
Apps To Help Make Filing Taxes Easier For Self-Filers In The Upcoming Year
It is never too early to start getting information organized and prepared for filing your taxes.
It is never too early to start getting information organized and prepared for filing your taxes.
Though potentially painful and burdensome, that reality is approaching as the deadline for filing federal income tax returns is April 15, 2024.
Taxpayers must be mindful of that date and file their returns by then to evade penalties and interest on unpaid taxes.
There are scores of software products on the market to help make filing taxes easier, and there are some fundamental tips self-filers may do well to consider online and mobile apps to help make the process potentially easier.
Observers declare it’s crucial for self-filers to identify each tax deduction and credit they can possibly gain. For instance, some tax apps purportedly offer an option that digitally adds data to forms automatically and offers live assistance to expedite the process. Others can supposedly help you secure an advance refund, while others might even provide monitoring for expenses and mileage.
According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average taxpayer spends 13 hours to complete a return. While that can make the process burdensome, some tax-prep software could make filing returns for federal and state taxes less difficult. The encouraging news is that many Americans can qualify to file for free, particularly if they have a basic 1040 Form that includes a W-2. Based on the Wall Street Journal, some of them are included here.
When it comes to the marketplace, it is another story. Considering key factors such as costs, accessibility, functionality, and whether the service is free or comes with a price, Black Enterprise did some research to spot some tax apps or software in various categories for possible users to consider to help simplify filing in the upcoming tax season. Check out some options here:
Getting overall help
Turbo Tax by Intuit or TaxAct Express:
Widely known and with high brand recognition, Turbo Tax reportedly provides services for numerous filers who need help, people who like doing taxes themselves, and individuals seeking support from a tax expert who can help on many fronts. A purported pitfall is all your fees are not made clear until you finish the process. Another hurdle is Turbo Tax has no physical sites, meaning it might not be a great option if you’re looking for personalized service.
TaxAct Express scores high largely because of its supposedly moderate pricing. It also reportedly allows the most robust free option among providers and lets you pay for tax filing with your tax refund. The downside includes no expense tracking, and there is a charge for state filing, even with the free service.
Tapping into free tax software
Cash App Taxes
This app offers a quick, easy, and entirely free way to help you file both federal and state taxes, according to Vice. The website states, “No hidden fees, no matter your tax situation. Plus, we include free audit defense with every return.”
Some of the reported cons of the app are Cash App Taxes do not work for some tax situations, no expert is offered, and the financial service platform must be downloaded to use the service.
Accessing personalized support
H&R Block
This tax preparer offers several options for people who prefer to do their own taxes and seek face-to-face expert advice. Users can gain access to many choices, ranging from downloading software to a home computer to filling your return through the web or mobile app. It has a large network of offices across the country, helping simplify the process of getting help from a live pro if filing the return becomes too difficult. A downside is the package can be costly unless you qualify for the free option.
Using an app for business tax purposes
QuickBooks Online
This app can help various types of businesses and independent contractors gain help after starting up and growing. For instance, its website claims it can help users “get every tax deduction to help calculate, file, and pay your payroll taxes for you.” Some cons may include a learning curve to getting started, which can be costly compared to other providers.
DJ Kool’s Iconic Hip-Hop Single ‘Let Me Clear My Throat’ Finally Goes Platinum
In a report by WTOP on Oct. 30, DJ Kool’s iconic 1996 live club recording of “Let Me Clear My Throat” has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, a long-overdue recognition for the D.C. native.
He said, “Who would have thunk that DJ Kool would’ve ever been on WTOP? I grew up listening to WTOP, so this is big for me!” He shared that a friend informed him of the platinum certification, and he discovered it on the RIAA website. The achievement comes as a source of pride for DJ Kool, a DJ and artist deeply rooted in the District.
Born as John W. Bowman Jr. in 1958, DJ Kool spent his formative years in D.C., attending local schools and being actively involved in sports. He was a four-sport athlete, participating in baseball, basketball, football, and track. His unique DJ name, “Kool,” was inspired by his basketball prowess and the compliments he received from teammates during games.
Throughout the years, DJ Kool consistently released singles on the Billboard chart and recorded albums like “The Music Ain’t Loud Enuff” and “20-Minute Workout.” However, his breakthrough came with the 1996 album “Let Me Clear My Throat,” featuring the title track with its memorable samples. It became an anthem in parties and urban nightlife worldwide. The song’s distinctive call-and-response style is deeply rooted in go-go music, with DJ Kool delivering a lively performance.
The unexpected success of “Let Me Clear My Throat” led DJ Kool to various collaborations and opportunities, including a collaboration with WWF superstar “Macho Man” Randy Savage on the song “Hit the Floor” in 2003.
Today, DJ Kool proudly represents his hometown by wearing a curly “W” at D.C. sports arenas. The “W” symbolizes his deep connection to the city and its influence on his life and career.
