‘I’m Not Here To Get Drunk. I’m Here To Get Money’: Snoop Dogg Admits He Doesn’t Drink The Alcohol He Endorses
Snoop Dogg has endorsed several alcoholic brands over the years, including Indoggo Gin and 19 Crimes Wine, and we’ve even seen him in commercials for Corona beer. Although he is well known for the blunts he smokes, he recently revealed that he doesn’t drink the product that he peddles to the masses.
On the latest episode of his podcast, “GGN – Double G News,” the Doggfather spoke to Girls Trip actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish. The conversation was about Snoop being endorsed by three different alcohol brands, and Haddish wanted to know how he was able to obtain the deals and how she could learn from him. Snoop, while smoking a blunt, explained to the comedian that you need to dictate the terms, instead of the other way around. He then confessed that he doesn’t even drink the brands he represents.
“What’s so cold is — they know it, and I can say it publicly — I don’t drink none of that shit. And they know what it is. It’s like, n**ga, you don’t pay me to drink it, you pay me to promote it. So I’m not here to get drunk. I’m here to get money,” he said, like a true sage!
As Snoop is a master of pushing products, earlier this summer he and Bay Area legend E-40announced a collaborative cookbook,Snoop Dogg Presents Goon with the Spoon. The offering was originally supposed to be released this month, but the release date was pushed back to Nov. 14 by Chronicle Books. It will feature more than 65 recipes from the two businessmen as a follow-up to Snoop’s successful cookbook, From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen.
Snoop is also going back to his first love – music. He and Dr. Dre have been in the studio preparing the world for the next project the duo will be releasing soon.
Florida Man Sues Jack in the Box Employee Over Drive-Thru Shooting
A video of a restaurant worker shooting at a customer through a drive-thru window in Texas was recently been released by law enforcement more than two years after the incident occurred. The customer filed a lawsuit against the employee and the Jack in the Box restaurant where it happened.
According to Law & Crime, Jack in the Box, A3H Foods, and the employee, Alonniea Fantasia Ford, are being sued by the customer, Anthony Ramos, after the March 3, 2021, incident.
The shooting happened after Ramos stopped by the restaurant near Bush Intercontinental Airport at 11:30 p.m. He had just picked up his wife, Jeraldin Ospina, and her 6-year-old daughter from the airport. After getting his food, he noticed the curly fries he ordered were not in the bag, so he notified Ford that the item was missing. According to the suit, she refused to give Ramos and his family the fries, and they requested to speak to a manager. The situation escalated from there.
“Defendant Alonniea Fantasia Ford refused to fulfill the order that plaintiffs had paid for already,” the complaint read. “Defendant Alonniea Fantasia Ford began cursing at plaintiffs and yelling at them to ‘get the f— outta here!!'”
An argument ensued between Ramos and Ford, and the employee reportedly threw condiments and ice into the man’s vehicle. The Jack in the Box employee allegedly brandished a gun and proceeded to bust shots at Ramos’ car as he sped away.
The complaint also stated that Ospina’s daughter, identified with the initials “AH,” was in the back seat and that Ospina was pregnant. The incident was so troubling for Ramos that he quit his job in Houston and returned to Florida.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages and alleges negligence on the part of Jack in the Box. It states that the restaurant should have “conducted background checks and proper investigations of its employees so that they only employ individuals that can provide a safe environment to customers.”
Ford was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She pleaded guilty to a single charge of deadly conduct, a misdemeanor, and was given a year of deferred adjudication. Her case was dismissed in June.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis Hits Back At Ohio State Rep. Jim Jordan, Labels Document Demand A ‘Threat’
Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis said Ohio State Rep. Jim Jordan’s demand for documents concerning the criminal indictment of Donald Trump was a “threat.”
“In this job, and as a woman in general standing in this position, to threaten me is a waste of time,” Willis said during Atlanta’s Revolt World Festival on Sept. 24. “It’s not going to get anyone results, and I don’t care if it’s a member of Congress, I don’t care if it’s a local someone in the community, one thing that people learn about me is that I’m an equal opportunity prosecutor.”
As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Willis’ remarks came following a letter Jordan sent out in August asking her to provide documentation related to her prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
The letter also mentioned the 18 others being tried on charges related to election interference.
“There is no justification in the Constitution for Congress to interfere with a state criminal matter, as you attempt to do,” she said.
According to The Hill, the district attorney called the House Judiciary Chairman’s “attempt to interfere” with the office’s prosecution “an “unjustified and illegal intrusion.” Willis was prompted to send a nine-page letter to Jordan after he sent his hours before Trump was scheduled to report to a Fulton County jail.
During Sunday’s festival, Georgia’s DA made it clear that “if you come into this community and you violate the law, you’re going to be held accountable.” Willis is standing firm on her duty to her community.
“What they don’t do is sit in my seat. I am the one there with the crying mama, which usually looks like me, and they’re telling me stories like ‘My baby was going to graduate so we buried him in his cap and gown,’” she said. “It is not until you’ve had that kind of burden on your shoulders that you understand why it’s so important, that people have value.”
The Hill reported that the trial for two of the 19 defendants charged in the case begins next month. Trump and the other defendants will face trial in Georgia in 2024.
‘Take That, Rewind It Back!’ Usher’s Streaming Numbers Rise Following Super Bowl Announcement
Following Apple Music’s announcement that consummate showman Usher would be headlining the 2024 Super Bowl halftime slot at February’s big game, the R&B icon’s streaming numbers have gone through the roof.
After fans rallied for the singer to take on sports’ biggest stage, the NFL, in partnership with Roc Nation, made it official, sending people into a frenzy of nostalgia to “pregame” for his performance. The 44-year-old’s old and new music saw a significant bump in streams since Sunday, Sept. 24.
According to Billboard, Usher’s music received a 16% increase in overall listens, with certain tracks dominating replays. His latest single, “Good Good,” features Summer Walker and 21 Savage, reportedly gained 1.1 million streams in the two days following the Super Bowl announcement.
Earlier Usher tracks also benefited from the momentous announcement. Tidal reported that “You Make Me Wanna,” the lead single from the singer’s My Way album, saw a 55% streaming boost, while “Superstar” from Usher’s diamond-certified Confessions album was the most popular track after the announcement. “Yeah!”, “My Boo” and “DJ Got Us Fallin in Love” are other Usher songs that music lovers have streamed back into popularity, bringing in an additional 2.4 million listens. Usher’s massive hit “Yeah!” also brought users to Amazon’s music streaming service, with a reported 140% increase in listens since Sunday’s big news.
Usher has completely cemented his icon status, starting with an appearance on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” in June 2022, the most watched in the series history, which led to his newfound reign as the King of Las Vegas due to his My Way: Residency popularity. From festival appearances to making headlines for being as talented, charming, and drool-worthy as ever, the dimpled superstar has claimed his rightful place on the Mount Rushmore of the world’s greatest entertainers, and it seems his next chapters will be even better than those of his past.
Recent Study Says Black Entrepreneurs Strive For Business Success Despite Challenges
Whether in success or in adversity, Black entrepreneurs keep fighting to flourish, despite facing a challenging business climate. A new study shows some encouraging signs, as almost 70% of Black business owners recently surveyed reported they are either breaking even or making a profit with their enterprise.
Yet the owners are vulnerable to economic challenges and emergencies, as 80% have less than three months’ worth of cash reserves, and fewer than one in three possess just a few weeks worth of those resources.
The latest findings were shared exclusively with BLACK ENTERPRISE by the Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF). For its “Empowering Excellence: Building Ecosystems for Black Entrepreneurs” report, AOF received 660 responses from Black entrepreneurs. Examining areas such as entrepreneurs’ business, support, and financial health, the study exposed how owners keep facing barriers impacting their ability to pursue and achieve long-term growth.
Calling itself one of the nation’s top nonprofit small business lenders, AOF reported it originated $113 million loans to 2,421 borrowers in 2022. Over 90% of its clients are women or people of color.
Another top disclosure in the report was that 76% of respondents said access to capital was a challenge. Based on those who have never received money for their business, about 80% reported they either could not find the right support or were unable to pay for services connecting them to the capital.
According to Joshua Miller, AOF’s VP of research and policy, the report shows women respondents were more likely than men to face significant disparities. For instance, they have lower average revenues and less than one month of cash on hand.
The study also revealed that many Black entrepreneurs are looking to start businesses that not only generate a profit but also will have a positive impact in their communities.
“We would all benefit from the boost in jobs, business activity, and economic output they would create,” Miller noted.
To help Black business owners boost access to capital, Miller suggested they seek lenders, including AOF, that have an explicit mission to provide responsible, accessible financing to under-invested entrepreneurs.
He said that many of the lenders provide free coaching services to help business owners improve their financial management and position themselves for successful loan applications. He also suggested researching specific loans or grant programs for minority-owned businesses.
Shanayla Sweat, founder of A Few Wood Men, reflected on how AOF has helped her watch and accessories business.
“I struggled to understand my options in terms of growth and equity and felt excluded from traditional financial institutions,” she shared via email. “I was so glad to have found AOF this year because not only did they provide funding options, but they also provided business advising support that has helped me form strategic and lasting relationships, taking my business to the next level.”
An AOF webinar will take place Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. PDT and 2 p.m. EDT; register here.
Angelina Jolie Admits Disparities Black Shoppers Face ‘Never Crossed Her Mind’ Until She Shopped for Daughter
Actress Angelina Jolie is speaking out against the disparities Black people face when shopping and trying to find clothes that match their skin tone.
As Jolie, 48, prepares for the launch of her fashion brand, Atelier Jolie, she’s noting the struggles her daughter Zahara, 18, faces when shopping for clothes. The collection includes a silk slip dress that comes in various shades of nude, a touch recommended by her Ethiopian daughter.
For Jolie, disparities in shopping are something that “never crossed her mind” as a white woman. She didn’t take notice of the issue until she started shopping for Zahara.
“Obviously, as a white woman, I’ve never had this experience,” Jolie toldVogue.
“It never crossed my mind until we went shopping together and I saw that there’s so much room for improvement.”
This isn’t the first time Jolie has served as an advocate for the disparities faced by people of color. With Jolie having adopted multiple children from different racial backgrounds, she has seen the harsh reality many people of color face when simply going to the doctor.
In July, the Maleficent star penned an op-ed for the American Journal of Nursing calling out the disparities in health care that have “endangered” her children of color. Jolie noted how most medical research imagery and training centers focus on white skin, which results in medical professionals who “often miss injuries depending on race and ethnicity.”
“As the mother of children of multiple races, I have seen my children of color be misdiagnosed, at times in ways that endangered their health,” Jolie wrote.
While Jolie’s family has the benefit of “access to high-quality medical care,” she recognizes that “simple diagnoses are missed because of race and continued prioritization of white skin in medicine.”
“Reflecting personally, when my daughter Zahara, who is from Ethiopia, was hospitalized for a medical procedure, the nurse told me to call her ‘if she turns pink near her incisions,’” Jolie recalled. “I stood looking blankly at her, not sure she understood what was wrong with what she had said. When she left the room, I had a talk with my daughter, both of us knowing that we would have to look for signs of infection based on our own knowledge, not what the nurse had said, despite her undoubted good intentions.”
Jolie adopted her eldest child, Maddox, from his birth country Cambodia in 2002. She adopted Zahara in 2005, and her son Pax was born in Vietnam and she adopted him in 2007. Jolie also shares three biological children with ex-husband Brad Pitt; daughter Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.
The Housing Market Is Stagnating While The Feds Tries To Manage Inflation
The housing market is feeling the effects of the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates to fight inflation.
According to Markets Insider, mortgage rates have skyrocketed following the Fed’s choice to raise the federal short-term interest rate from near 0% to 5.5%. Because of this ripple effect, homeowners are unwilling to sell their homes. With prospective buyers facing an increased cost burden, many would-be buyers are instead choosing to rent, which has pushed the national average price of a home up to $420,846 as recently as August.
Insider notes that the only people currently selling homes are selling them out of necessity due to life events like marriage or finding a new job, which Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman calls rock bottom.
“The only people who are moving are the ones who absolutely have to,” Kelman added. “I wouldn’t call that a Goldilocks scenario; I would call that rock bottom. But that’s where we are right now, and the only relief is that it can’t go much lower. Kelman concludes his warning by saying that the slump will be here “a long, long time.”
The hikes were made to combat skyrocketing prices, and over the past year and seven months, the average monthly mortgage has risen from $1,212 in January 2022 to $2,246 in August 2023. Tom Hainlin, a national investment strategist at U.S. Bank, says to bear in mind that the housing market is an indicator of where the American economy is, saying:
“The formation of households is one of the main drivers of economic growth in the U.S.,” Hainlin said. “It has a large spillover effect on the economy, including materials that go into building or remodeling, and furnishings for homes.”
According to a February 2023 NBC News article, in early 2022, some homes in Atlanta received strong offers. Courtney Phillips, a realtor for EXP Realty, told NBC News those offers had slowed to a crawl by summer:
“We were getting one, two offers towards the summer, And then it just kind of slowed,” Phillips said, “where you’re on the market a couple of weeks, and you get one really strong offer at list price.” Eventually, home sellers started dropping their prices to try and entice people to buy. No relief is coming soon, as Fed Chairman Jerome Powell did not mince words, telling NBC News at the time,“We expect ongoing hikes will be appropriate,” Powell added, “I don’t see us cutting rates this year.”
Actor Omar Epps Unpacks His Latest Dystopian Sci-Fi Novel In Exclusive Interview
This week, NAACP-award-winning actor, rapper, and producer Omar Epps joined BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s The New Norm With Selena Hill to discuss his new young adult sci-fi novel, Nubia: The Reckoning.
Co-written with author Clarence A. Hanes, the book follows three teens struggling to navigate a futuristic New York City after being displaced from their African homeland. This is Epps’ third novel; the actor previously published the series’ first installment, Nubia: The Awakening, as well as an autobiography, From Fatherless to Fatherhood, which chronicled his journey into stardom and his complex relationship with fatherhood.
The concept of the Nubia series has been an idea of Epps’ for over a decade.
“I consider myself the consummate creative. I just sort of [followed] my ambition and this story just kept speaking to me. I just started, you know, working away,” Epps shared.
He added, “The original idea was, you know, we live in such a tumultuous world, and I was just wondering one day, well, what if love itself was illegal and just like, what would the world look like?”
The story takes place in New York City, which Epps himself hails from. He discussed the importance of this detail with Hill, saying, “I’m a native New Yorker, born and raised and, for me, imagining a different geological design of the world, it was just natural for me. It had to be in New York because I know that state like the back of my hand, right? So, you know, I let my imagination take me, but it had to be a place familiar to me.”
Nubia: The Reckoning is as entertaining as it is reflective of society, highlighting some of the more pressing issues that we’ve witnessed in recent years. Epps revealed that the story was intended to explore the struggles of adolescence.
“It was important to me to tell the story through the eyes of a developing mind, you know. And that’s that age right there – 13 through like 17,” he stated.
He continued, “You know we’ve all been that age or when you are of that age, you think you know it all, but you don’t. But in the back of your mind, you know you don’t. But you think that all the older people are kind of dumb. But that’s kind of that age where our ideologies are really shaped and formed, right?”
In line with the mission to shine a light on societal concerns, the book also examines the role of climate change. Epps discussed why he made this subject a central aspect of the story’s plot.
“It takes place 100 years from now. The story in the book does, but it felt so important to make that immediate parallel, something that this young reader of now could be like, ‘Well, hey, that’s happening right outside my window,'” he said. “So that’s when they take that emotional journey that the infighting as you described. They start to really focus in on what the resolutions look like because the world will be here long after we’re gone. It’s just, what will the world be like?”
If the positive public reception is any indication, this book may very well be adapted into a film or television show.
“I mean, as people keep reading the books — and the feedback from the young people has honestly been mind-blowing, it’s been amazing — it’s just about spreading the word that the books are out there. And I think as people really make that emotional investment into the story and into the characters, it’s only natural that, you know, we keep the Nubia world evolving, and I definitely have ideas for film and television and animation and a few other things,” Epps said.
Ultimately, however, he hopes that this novel will encourage young people to think critically about some of our world’s pressing issues and to not only acknowledge but take pride in their culture.
“I think one of the main themes I want the reader to take away is the idea of unity and exploring the levels of unity, because we’ve been unified in some shape, fashion, or form throughout all of history. And right now, especially right now, specifically in America, everything seems very divided along a multitude of issues. But there once was a time where we could agree to disagree, and there was even a better time where people wanted to learn,” he said.
“I want the reader to take away as well as the idea of heritage. Knowing from when you came in your bloodline is supremely important because I think it informs not only your current footsteps but the path that you will set forth for those coming after you,” he continued. “Especially as you know, a Black person, there was a point in history where our literal history was stolen from us, you know: our native tongue, the way we worshiped, the foods we ate, and all of this. But somehow, through our heroes, our griots, you know, we kept our history going through the form of song, through the form of dance, through all of these things. But we truly as a people know how to make lemonade out of lemons, you know, so giving the reader that sense of cultural pride was very important to me.”
Watch the full interview with Omar Epps on The New Norm below.
Kevin Hart Gets Cold Shoulder Over Comments About Lack Of People With Bank Accounts From Low Income Areas
Comedian Kevin Hart is one of the most celebrated comedians of this era, with a massive following across the globe; however, the funny man gave fans something to frown about when he referred to people in the hood as not being “smart enough” to open bank accounts, in a now-viral video.
Kevin Hart says the hood is full of liquor stores and check- cashing payday loan places because people aren’t “smart enough” to have bank accounts.
These celebs get a little $$ and think they can comment on planned systemic poverty + financial exploitation. pic.twitter.com/iiGidvNXws
The clip, pulled from Hart’s 2021 panel at the 10X Growth Conference hosted by Grant Cardone, began making the rounds on social media on September 26 and caused a firestorm of responses about the tone-deaf nature of the comedian’s comments.
“If you look in the hood, there’s liquor stores and check cashing places. You know why? Because they know the people in the hood aren’t smart enough to open up bank accounts. They’re gonna get a check, they gon’ cash it, and it’s a liquor store right next to it,” Hart said while attempting to address socioeconomic inequality.
“Let’s just put that around them. Let’s also put a bunch of s–t that’s easy and cash available. We don’t want you to gain credit. We want you to be cash-driven. That’s how we keep the poor poor. It’s not until you understand that you get out.”
Hart’s words hit a sour chord with listeners who believed the comedian was unfairly aiming at people who have been historically disenfranchised and systemically oppressed.
As Black people instead of insulting each other when we make it we need to work harder for their to be financial literacy taught in schools & talk money in our homes. We have kids about money. As in savings 😳Encourage each other to take economics & marketing.
“As Black people, instead of insulting each other when we make it, we need to work harder for [there] to be financial literacy taught in schools & talk money in our homes,” writer Kathia Woods said.
Woods’ feelings were echoed by many who expressed similar sentiments about the power of educating one another rather than pointing fingers. At the same time, there were others who felt Hart’s comments were much more pointed.
This is a specific type of explaining that these brothers do when they want to sound smart by saying things they think rich white men want to hear. Like intellectual minstrelsy or something. https://t.co/3wjHqshhvs
The 52-year-old actress shared a clip from the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, in which host Yaba Blay detailed the difference in reaction to white women’s pain compared to that of Black women, alongside a caption that read, “Where was this level of awareness a year ago @celtics ??? #kathleenlynch.”
In the post, Long called Udoka’s alleged mistress by name for the first time since news of their affair was made public by the Boston Celtics organization in September 2022. “Thank you @yabablay for your fearlessness and speaking facts for all of us”, she continued. “This is such an important conversation that needs to be heard and understood.”
At the time of the affair, the Celtics protected the identity of Kathleen Lynch, while failing to honor the privacy of Long and the child she shares with Udoka, 11-year-old Kez. The Soul Food actress had been dating the former Celtics head coach since 2010, before confirming their separation in December 2022.
Long, also mother to 22-year-old Massai from a previous relationship, had relocated to Boston to be close to Udoka weeks before rumors began to circulate of an alleged affair between him and another member of the team’s organization. Allegedly, Lynch coordinated travel for the team and their families, including overseeing the relocation of Long and the couple’s son.
The actress previously called out the Celtics for making her family’s most difficult moments available for public consumption, while ignoring the harm they caused, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think the most heartbreaking thing about all of this was seeing my son’s face when the Boston Celtics organization decided to make a very private situation public,” Long said. “It was devastating, and it still is. He still has moments where it’s not easy for him. If you’re in the business of protecting women — I’m sorry, no one from the Celtics organization has even called to see if I’m OK, to see if my children are OK. It’s very disappointing.”
Long was honored for her contributions to TV and film during the 22nd annual ChangeMakers Gala in May 2023 and announced plans to release a memoir that will chronicle her long-running career. Udoka was suspended for the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season before being fired by the Celtics. He is now the head coach of the Houston Rockets.
