Jamal Crawford,MSG Network , Knicks Season
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 2, 2024

AJ Griffin Leaves NBA ‘To Follow Jesus’ And Become A Minister

'I truly get to serve God.'

AJ Griffin, who was drafted in the first round in 2022 by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks before being released by the Houston Rockets last month, took to his YouTube channel to announce that he is retiring from basketball to become a minister.

He posted the video on Sept. 28.

“I gave up basketball to follow Jesus,” Griffin said. “And I know that in a lot of people’s eyes, that seems like—it seems like a loss in the world’s eyes. But I just want to let you guys know that I’m super-excited because I truly get to serve God, you know, with my full ‘yes,’ and I feel like letting go of basketball is allowing me to go into full-time ministry and truly serving the Lord with all my heart, with all my time too, as well. So, I’m just excited to see where that leads me.”

According to People, Griffin is the son of former NBA coach and player Adrian Griffin. The younger Griffin played for the Hawks for two seasons before he was traded to the Rockets, where he played for the team in Summer League. The Houston Chronicle reported that the Rockets bought out Griffin’s contract for $250,000 in September, a month before the NBA season starts.

After only playing one season with Duke University, he decided to enter the NBA Draft. In his video, Griffin said that he “gave [his] life to Christ in 2020” and “truly accepted” his path toward religion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the description of his YouTube video, Griffin explained that he hopes that his “video encourages others to take a leap of faith, with trusting in God and giving him your full yes in whatever that may look like to you.”

RELATED CONTENT: CDC Partners With Black Churches To Continue COVID-19 Outreach

Daniel_Kaluuya
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 2, 2024

Daniel Kaluuya To Be Honored With A Statue In London For His Breakout Role In ‘Get Out’

Daniel Kaluuya will have a statue of his breakout role in Get Out placed in his hometown of London.

Daniel Kaluuya is set to receive high honors in his hometown in London by having a statue made to honor his breakout role in the 2017 film Get Out.

The decision follows Kaluuya’s selection from a poll of 5,000 British film fans, who voted the Academy Award-winning actor as the star they would most like to see included in the “Scenes in the Square” trail in Leicester Square, Variety reports. Kaluuya’s statue, which captures Get Out‘s iconic “Sunken Place” scene where his character descends into a hypnosis-induced metaphysical abyss, is set to be unveiled in October.

Organizers noted that the unveiling of Kaluuya’s Get Out statue will coincide with Halloween and the U.K.’s Black History Month, aligning with the film’s horror genre and reflecting themes celebrating Black American culture and lived experiences. The statue is expected to symbolize modern cinematic achievement and local talent alongside a diverse collection of statues along the trail that features iconic figures from the past century of film, including Harry Potter, Batman, Wonder Woman, Mary Poppins, and Gene Kelly.

“We are excited to welcome Daniel Kaluuya and Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ to our Scenes in the Square line-up as a celebration of a modern cinematic success and homegrown British talent,” said Mark Williams, deputy chief executive for Heart of London Business Alliance, which runs “Scenes in the Square” with support from Westminster City Council.

“It points to a bright future for our trail, with Kaluuya as a chosen symbol of the future of entertainment, and it is a pleasure to be able to spotlight such a pioneering film.”

Since the trail’s inception four years ago, temporary additions include the aforementioned, the iron throne from Game of Thrones, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Indiana Jones. Kaluuya’s statue appears to be the first time the Square has highlighted a Black actor and/or film character.

It represents Kaluuya’s continued rise in Hollywood since his breakout role in Get Out, which also catapulted the career of the film’s writer/director, Jordan Peele. Since Get Out, Kaluuya has appeared in Judas and the Black Messiah (for which he earned a Supporting Actor Oscar), Black Panther, and Peele’s 2022 sci-fi thriller Nope. His performance in Get Out garnered four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Kaluuya), Best Director, and Original Screenplay, which Peele won.

RELATED CONTENT: Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Charles Fuller Dies at 83

true stories, podcast, Kiese Laymon, Deesha Philyaw, Podcast, Reparations, NYC, Reparations
by Daniel Johnson

October 2, 2024

Incel Podcaster Spews Anti-Black Lies About Reparations

Gaines is the same host who was allegedly crying on the podcast shortly after it was demonetized by YouTube for violating the platform's policies.

Myron “Fit” Gaines, a co-host of the misogynistic podcast Fresh & Fit, said on a recent episode of the podcast that Black people who want reparations are just looking to buy Jordans, chains, and drugs, a common anti-Black talking point.

According to Business Insider, Gaines is the same host who was allegedly crying on the podcast shortly after YouTube demonetized it for violating the platform’s policies for its YouTube Partner Program.

When a clip from the podcast was posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Gaines was roasted by Black Twitter for his claims.

https://twitter.com/RedPillSayian/status/1840429862785360007?t=X9eZ_RR0WY2yetScBIbsAg&s=19

As Ta-Nehisi Coates made plain in his seminal long-form article for The Atlantic, The Case For Reparations, Black people are collectively owed recompense for a myriad of abuses perpetrated by the United States of America. The idea that Black people do not know how to spend money or will be irresponsible with the money they receive from the federal government is a vestige of the system of white supremacy.

Gaines’ words are also close to what a 2023 Slate excerpt of Johnny Smith’s book Jumpman: The Making and Meaning of Michael Jordan called a racist panic over Air Jordan sneakers created by the media in the 1990s.

Similar to Gaines’s comments, white reporters in the 1980s conjured up and inserted the idea in the national consciousness that Black teenagers were “super-predators” pursuing drugs, money, and whatever else they wanted using violent means. Nike’s Director of Public Relations Liz Dolan questioned those assumptions, slamming them as racist hysteria.

“What’s baffling to us,” Dolan said, “is how easily people accept the assumption that Black youth is an unruly mob that will do anything to get its hands on what it wants. They’ll say, ‘Show a Black kid something he wants, and he’ll kill for it.’ I think it’s racist hysteria.”

Gaines’ argument, therefore, fails when given scrutiny.

In 2020, Michelle Singletary discussed the racial wealth gap in a column for The Washington Post. “It’s a common misconception: Black people would be wealthier if they just didn’t spend so much on clothes, sneakers, and cars. Like so many other misrepresentations when it comes to Black people, reparations and how they spend and save, stereotypes supplant substantive analysis,” Singletary wrote.

As Darrick Hamilton, the founding director of the Institute for the Study of Race, Stratification, and Political Economy, told the Post, “For the vast majority of Americans, and especially for those who are wealthy, it is wealth that begets more wealth,” Hamilton said. “So, in other words, having the endowment, to begin with, puts you in an asset that’s going to passively appreciate, regardless of the decisions you make.”

Hamilton continued, “We can find instances in our history in which, even when Black people were able to acquire those assets, they were subject to confiscation, fraud, and theft because we remain politically vulnerable.”

RELATED CONTENT: BLACK HISTORY: Descendants Of Oklahoma’s 1st Landholding Black Children Owed Reparations

Ta-Nehisi Coates Defends Palestinian Voices After CBS Correspondent Labels Him An ‘Extremist’
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 1, 2024

Ta-Nehisi Coates Defends Palestinian Voices After CBS Correspondent Labels Him An ‘Extremist’

Think Ta-Nehisi stood his ground?

CBS Mornings host Tony Dokoupil is getting the side-eye on social media over some awkward questions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict toward author Ta-Nehisi Coates, the Washington Post reports. 

Coates appeared on the CBS morning show on Sept. 30 to promote his new book, “The Message,” which showcases Coates’s trip to the Israeli-occupied West Bank and how his experience heightened his criticism of “apartheid” in Israel. 

While sitting next to co-hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson, things took a turn when Dokoupil said that if he didn’t know the book was by Coates, he would think it was by an “extremist.” “If I took your name out of it, took away the awards and the acclaim, took the cover off the book, the publishing house goes away — the content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist,” Dokoupil said. 

Coates immediately defended himself, saying that the passage in his book always comes from the perspective of those who don’t have a voice. “I have asked repeatedly in my interviews whether there is a single network mainstream organization in America with a Palestinian-American viewer chief or correspondent who actually has a voice to articulate their part of the world,” Coates responded. 

“I’ve been a reporter for 20 years. The reporters of those who believe more sympathetically about Israel and its right to exist don’t have a problem getting their voice out. But what I saw in Palestine, what I saw in the West Bank, what I saw in Haifa in Israel, what I saw in the South Hebron Hills, those were the stories that I have not heard, and those were the stories I was most occupied with.”

Despite a passionate response, the CBS correspondent continued to push against Coates’ reasoning for not including more arguments from Israel’s perspective — such as mentioning the terrorist attacks that resulted in “the little kids blown to bits.” “What is it that particularly offends you about the existence of a Jewish state that is a Jewish safe place and not any of the other states out there?” Dokoupil asked. 

The published author responded by saying it’s not about a Jewish state but more so, “I am offended by the idea of states built on ethnocracy, no matter where they are.”

Social media came to Coates’ defense and said that the morning host forgot for a minute that he is a journalist and took on another role. “Tony Dokoupil stopped being a journalist; became political critic. His mind was made up that Ta-Nehisi Coates was motivated to undermine Israel in his book. Coates kept telling him, his focus was on the decades of oppression on Palestinians. Not professional,” @maynotbejoking said. 

Others celebrated the exchange. Since the conversation did not become heated, some social media users highlighted the importance of the exchange. “I see nothing wrong with it. Tony and Ta-Nehisi are obviously friends with great respect for each other. I think we could all learn from both of them as to how to converse on an extremely sensitive subject with a calm but firm resolve,” @gcoln wrote. 

“We all get irritated by journalists who ask softball questions; these weren’t.”

https://x.com/gcoln/status/1841205409878864146

According to the Daily Mail, Coates has had his share of controversy regarding his published pieces. His memoir, Between the World and Me, was banned within several South Carolina schools after white students claimed it made them “ashamed” of their race.

RELATED CONTENT: 7 Powerful Takeaways from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Testimony to Congress about Reparations

Kamala Harris
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 1, 2024

Frustrated White Man Attacks Black Postal Worker Over Kamala Harris Ad

It's never that serious.....

A man from Michigan is facing multiple charges after being accused of attacking a Black postal worker with a knife because of frustrations over an ad for Vice President Kamala Harris, The Independent reports. 

Prosecutors from the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills charged 61-year-old Russell Frank Valleau with assault and ethnic intimidation on Sept. 27 after Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald labeled the case as Valleau simply being annoyed with the 2024 election season and the overwhelming amount of flyers that coincide with it. “The defendant was allegedly upset that he had received mail regarding presidential candidate Kamala Harris and allegedly said that he did not want that ‘black b**ch’ in his mailbox,” McDonald said.

According to Fox 2 Detroit, the incident happened on Sept. 26 while the postal worker was delivering mail to the assailant’s home. Valleau, who was allegedly intoxicated, started to yell racist and derogatory remarks about Harris and the mail carrier as a result of the political ads delivered to his mailbox. The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office mentioned Valleau allegedly told the mail carrier that he didn’t want that “black b—-” in his mailbox and then used the same slur toward the postal employee. 

Afterward, Valleau allegedly took out a knife and lunged at the mail carrier but was stopped when she sprayed him with pepper spray, according to a police report. He fled after being sprayed and was later found by police in a neighbor’s yard, where he was arrested. McDonald says issues like this happen during high-stakes political seasons, but that doesn’t make it right. “In this highly charged political moment, everyone has a right to their political opinion and vote. Whatever our political beliefs, no one should be assaulted or threatened because of their race or for doing their job,” the prosecutor said. 

“Hate crimes impact all of us, and we will vigorously pursue all such cases.” 

Chief of the Farmington Hills Police Department, Jeff King, mimicked McDonald’s sentiments with a released statement condemning Valleau’s actions, claiming such acts won’t be tolerated. “The Farmington Hills Police Department is dedicated to preventing attacks based on race, gender, or political affiliation,” King said. 

“Such conduct is not tolerated in this great community, and the Farmington Hills Police Department will use every resource to bring offenders to justice, ensuring the community remains a safe and welcoming place for all people.”

Valleau’s charges carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison. Public records show the assailant is a registered voter with a decades-long wrap sheet of criminal arrests and convictions that range between aggravated stalking, domestic violence, and felon possession of a firearm.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Voters In Nevada Rally Behind Kamala Harris As She Tries To Make History

Diddy, Hip-Hop, Off The Grid Movie
by Sharelle B. McNair

October 1, 2024

120 More Sexual Assault Lawsuits To Be Filed Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs 

Could this be the tip of the iceberg?

A group of lawyers announced on Oct. 1 disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs will be named in an additional 120 sexual assault lawsuits, The Washington Post reports.  

While Combs is being held at a Brooklyn jail on federal racketeering and sexual trafficking charges, the massive number of additional lawsuits will drastically increase the number of sexual abuse accusations against the Bad Boy Records founder. 

During a press conference, according to NBC News, Texas-based lawyer and representative of the 120 accusers, Tony Buzbee, didn’t just call out the music producer.

“We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors. We will pursue this matter no matter who the evidence implicates,” Buzbee said. “Many powerful people … many dirty secrets,” he said, adding that he and his team are in possession of pictures, videos, and texts.

Claiming the list is lengthy, Buzbee highlighted that the allegations will include “violent sexual assault or rape, facilitated sex with a controlled substance, dissemination of video recordings, sexual abuse of minors.” “These names will shock you,” the lawyer said. 

More than 3,000 people that have come to his office with accusations, Buzbee said, and 25 of them were minors at the time of the incidents that happened as early as 1991. Victims have said, according to Buzbee, that the events took place at parties hosted by Combs, a father of six. Others occurred as auditions for people looking to “break into the industry.”

Buzbee’s office, which has represented other victims tied to high-profile cases, including Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Deshaun Watson, plans to start the filing process in a number of states by the end of October 2024. The names of the other defendants, in addition to Combs, will be released at a later date.

Diddy’s reign began to crumble in 2023 when singer and former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, dropped a bombshell lawsuit, listing accusations of rape, sex trafficking, and abuse dating back to the early 2010s. In May 2024, footage from 2016 emerged backing Ventura’s claims as Combs was seen on video viciously assaulting her in a hotel hallway. Shortly after, Combs issued an apology. 

In September 2024, a former member of Diddy’s protege group, Danity Kane, Dawn Richard, filed a suit against the music mogul. She accused Combs of patterns of sexual assault, vindictive and violent behavior, and sex trafficking dating back years. (Combs has denied all the claims.)

Another member of the same group, Aubrey O’Day, has been outspoken against Diddy for years. During a podcast interview, the singer revealed she was forced out of the girl group in 2008 after allegedly refusing to do “what was expected of her” by Combs in areas unrelated to music.

RELATED CONTENT: Shyne Speaks On Diddy’s Arrest: ‘This Is Someone Who Destroyed My Life’

fat Joe, jay z
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 1, 2024

After Fat Joe’s Theft Allegations, Jay-Z And Megan Thee Stallion Reportedly Left BDO Accounting Firm

Fat Joe filed his lawsuit against BDO in 2022.

Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion are among the big-name clients who have exited the BDO accounting firm after Fat Joe accused the company of losing thousands at the hands its former employee, Vanessa Rodriguez. BDO has denied the claim.

Sources familiar with the situation and Fat Joe’s 2022 lawsuit told Financial Times that the “Lean Back” rapper felt the accounting firm became overly defensive and was slow to grant him full access to his financial records. This frustration prompted Jay-Z to leave BDO in 2023. Earlier concerns about Rodriguez prompted Megan Thee Stallion to exit the firm in 2022.

Fat Joe filed the lawsuit in September 2022, accusing Rodriguez of using his, his wife’s, and his business accounts and credit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash. The rapper also alleged that BDO’s management was so disorganized that his mortgage payments were frequently late, and at times, it seemed his credit card bills were being paid from accounts belonging to other celebrity clients, including Major League Baseball players.

The rapper’s lawsuit was settled on undisclosed terms earlier this year. Last month, Rodriguez was indicted in Miami on four counts of fraud, accused of making unauthorized charges on credit cards that did not belong to her. The details of the charges and the names of two alleged victims remain sealed as Rodriguez plans to plead not guilty, denying the accusations made against her in Fat Joe’s 2022 lawsuit as well.

The exit of several prominent clients has overshadowed BDO’s January 2021 acquisition of Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra.

BDO, which has boasted that its Florida’s largest accounting firm, released a statement saying the firm “does not comment on pending litigation or matters related to current or former clients.”

RELATED CONTENT: Fat Joe, Charlamagne Tha God, Tamika Mallory Among Speakers At Roc Nation’s United Justice Coalition Summit

John amos, elder abuse, arrest
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 1, 2024

Beloved ‘Good Times’ Actor John Amos Dead At 84

The veteran actor died Aug. 21 in Los Angeles.

One of the most beloved Black sitcom fathers has died. John Amos, who played James Evans on Good Times died of natural causes on August 21 in Los Angeles. He was 84.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, John Amos’ son made the announcement.

“It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” K.C. Amos said in a written statement. “He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold…and he was loved the world over. Many fans consider him their TV father. He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor.”

No reason was given as to why his death was just being reported.

Amos played football on a scholarship at Colorado State University, and although his career trajectory took a different path, he reportedly had training camp tryouts with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League. He also tried out for several  the Norfolk Neptunes of the Continental Football League and the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

But he received some career advice.

“God kept telling me, ‘I don’t want you playing football,’” he said. “The direction I was getting from above was to be a performer, to be a writer, something that I had always done and came easy for me.”

After playing a weatherman on the sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, his acting career took off.

He was known for his roles on television shows such as Roots, Two and a Half Men, Hunter, and The West Wing. Amos’ movies included roles in Coming to America, Let’s Do It Again, and The Players Club. 

He is survived by his son, K.C., and daughter, Shannon Amos.

RELATED CONTENT: A 35th Anniversary Tribute to the Landmark ‘Roots’ Miniseries

vote, swing states, black male voters
by Mitti Hicks

October 1, 2024

Voting Registration Deadlines Approaching In These Key Swing States

With a little more than a month to go until Election Day, the deadlines to register to vote are fast approaching in seven key swings state.

With a little more than a month to go until Election Day, the deadline to register to vote is quickly approaching in seven key swing states for the 2024 presidential election. If you live in one of these swing states, it’s time to hunker down and register before it’s too late.

Here are the voter registration deadlines and early voting information for the following swing states.

Arizona

Arizona voters have until Oct. 7 to register to vote. Arizona offers online voter registration or mailing and in-person by the end of the day. Online registration has to be complete by 11:59 p.m. MST, in-person at the local election office by close of business, or postmarked by Oct. 7, if it’s by mail.

Early voting will take place between Oct. 9 and Nov. 1, 2024.

Georgia

Eligible Georgians can register to vote either online or in person by Oct. 7. To be considered eligible, you have to be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of the county, at 17 ½ and 18 by Election Day, not serving a sentence for a conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude, and have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge.

Early voting in Georgia lasts between Oct. 15 and Nov. 1.

Michigan

Michigan voters can register to vote online or by mail by October 21. However, it’s important to note the state is one of nearly two dozen that offers same-day voter registration. Unregistered voters can sign up at the polls on November 5 by 8:00 with a Photo ID, but registering early is better to avoid possible disruptions.

Early voting in Michigan depends on the community, according to Michiganvoting.org, but most people can vote between October 26 through Sunday, November 3.

Nevada

Nevada offers online voter registration. You can register by mail to vote in Nevada by printing a voter registration form, filling it out, and mailing it to your local election office. Nevada joins Michigan in offering same-day voter registration by close of businesses on Nov. 5.

Early voting in Nevada is from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1.

North Carolina

The voter registration deadline in North Carolina for the 2024 general election is 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11.

North Carolina only offers online voter registration to existing customers in the state.  Everyone else has to register in person or by mail.

There is an option to vote same-day with strict eligibility. According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, people who can register on the same day are would-be voters who become naturalized U.S. citizens or whose rights of citizenship are restored after serving a felony sentence ahead of Election Day, but after the regular voter registration deadline, may register and vote during early voting or on Election Day.

Early voting in North Carolina is in person from Oct. 17 through Nov. 2.

Pennsylvania

The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21. Voters can register online, in person, or by mail. Early voting in Pennsylvania varies by county. Click here for more information.

Wisconsin

Voters can register to vote in Wisconsin online, in-person, or by mail by Oct. 16. Same-day voter registration is also available on Election Day. Early voting is considered in-person absentee. and it varies by location.

RELATED CONTENT: Harris-Walz Campaign Kicks Off HBCU Homecoming Tour

Jackson State University, JSU
by Stacy Jackson

October 1, 2024

JSU Sonic Boom Hand-Selects Ariel Woods As 4th Woman Drum Major

The Jackson State University senior hopes to inspire other women and young girls in band to take on the male-dominated, drum major role.

Jackson State University has hand-selected Ariel Woods as the fourth woman to assume the role of drum major in its historic 300-member band, the Sonic Boom of the South.

Since 2021, the Sonic Boom has been the most sought-after and followed HBCU band in the lineup, and Woods will now lead the ensemble as one of the “Jackson Five” drum majors for the 2024-2025 band season. The historic band, which started in the 1940s, is recognized as one of the top in the nation, and Woods gets to be a part of a huge legacy during her senior year. “Everything kind of just started happening in slow motion,” Woods told 16 WAPT. “This position is something I’ve been dreaming about for the last seven years now.” The student has been showered with congratulations from those excited to witness her take on the role of a drum major.

Despite having doubts along her journey toward the drum major honor, giving up was never an option. The student attempted to secure the drum major role once before; however, it wasn’t until this second try that she landed a spot among the leading five. “I’m getting the crowd hyped. I’m getting the crowd riled up. I’m getting people excited for the band and the football team.” Woods understands that her role as a drum major isn’t solely about the music but also takes the passion of a natural-born leader capable of leading and making the tough calls.

Woods came to Jackson State University from Dallas, Texas, and prior to her enrollment as a student, she had no other ties to the HBCU. She became familiar with the band, which, according to its history, is known for intricate, precision marching, by watching videos of the Sonic Boom musicians online. As she became well-versed in the big band sound, she was inspired to join the legacy.

The newly appointed drum major follows the path of Jackson State University alum and former female drum major DeyShaun Roberts, who held the role in 2017. Roberts was the first woman drum major at the HBCU since 2006. Woods shared that becoming the fourth woman drum major at the HBCU is “nothing short of an honor” and “blessing.” Now, a major part of the legacy of female drum majors at the Mississippi HBCU, Woods believes she will inspire young girls who aspire to become drum majors. Her goal is to encourage and attract more women to the male-dominated role across middle schools, colleges, and universities.

According to Sonic Boom’s official Instagram, Woods joins Christian Houghton, Devin Ard, Jared Coleman, and Desi Jenkins as this year’s “Jackson Five.”

RELATED CONTENT: Jackson State University, Getty Images Join Forces For Photo Exhibition Celebrating JSU’s Homecomings

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