T.I. And Tiny Harris Win $71 Million In OMG Girlz Lawsuit Against MGA Entertainment
The jury decided seven of the L.O.L. Surprise! dolls did infringe on the OMG Girlz's likeness.
T.I. and Tiny Harris have finally proven their case. Their lawsuit against MGA Entertainment, a toy company they claimed stole the likeness of their girl group, OMG Girlz, has resulted in their favor.
The couple started the girl group with their daughter, Zonnique Pullins, as a lead member. Now, the couple has won $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 in punitive damages, as decided by a jury verdict on Sept. 23.
They first tried to sue MGA in January 2023 because they claimed that the OMG line of the L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls took from their intellectual property. This included outfits inspired by OMG Girlz’s real-life looks during performances.
However, that instance ended in a mistrial, leading to a second round six months later. Upon losing their second trial, they were offered a retrial last September. The newest trial lasted three weeks, including testimonies from T.I. and MGA’s founder, Isaac Larian.
“You can hold them up to these pictures and see. Anyone with eyes can see that this picture influenced this doll,” T.I. testified on Sept. 6, as reported byUS Weekly.
During his own testimony, Larian referred to the hip-hop couple and their music act as “extortionists,” denying their influence on the dolls’ designs.
However, the jury decided that seven of the dolls did infringe on the OMG Girlz’ likeness. Upon hearing the news of the favorable ruling, Tiny expressed her gratitude to the jurors for delivering “the best answer possible.”
“[Just feel] Amazingly blessed. [We thank the jurors] for seeing what we’ve been fighting for for the last three trials,” explained the Xscape singer. “They really took their time with the information and didn’t rush. They came back with the best answer possible and they gave us what they felt we deserve. “
She added, “This is a stepping stone for the culture and creators…They’ll know they have this opportunity and that they can win.”
T.I. also shared his own thoughts, noting the “resilience” of the women in his life who fought for this.
“I think justice was served. I think it’s a testament to the relentlessness and resilience of my wife, daughter and nieces,” T.I. toldRolling Stone. “We’re just happy we were able to come out on top and fight for creatives and our intellectual property that large corporations seem to think is just public domain and free for all to come and grab and use.”
Elon Musk: 'The block function will block that account from engaging with, but not block seeing, public post.'
If you’ve blocked certain users from seeing your posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, then you may not like the latest change the social media site is incorporating.
According to The Verge, the feature will change so that the blocked user on X will be able to view the post, but they will not have the ability to respond to it. Elon Musk, the owner of the platform responded to a Tweet after a user mentioned it on X.
The latest “feature” was revealed on Sept. 23 when Nima Owji wrote about it on the platform.
BREAKING: X is about to remove the current block button, meaning that if an account is public, their posts will be visible to the blocked users as well!
Currently, if you are blocked by a user, you will see a message that says, “You’re blocked.” You are unable to view anything associated with the posts, nor can you see their replies, media posted to the account, followers, or who they are following.
Musk has reportedly voiced displeasure with the feature in the past. Techdirt reported last year that Musk responded to a user on the platform who did not like being blocked. He stated that “blocking public posts makes no sense. It needs to be deprecated in favor of a stronger form of mute.”
He is so opposed to the block feature that he previously threatened to disallow people from using it unless it’s for direct messages.
The “workaround” is setting your posts to private. This would allow you to approve any new followers to view your content. Otherwise, anyone who is not following you doesn’t have to be blocked and will not be able to view your posts.
Tech Crunch reported that this had been done more than 10 years ago. In 2013, Twitter allowed blocked users to see content, follow, and reply to the posts of people who blocked them. Although the person who blocked the user wouldn’t know they were able to view their content, other users would know they could. After a backlash from users, Twitter reversed course and changed the protocol to reflect the current policy.
Simone Biles Is Partnering To Open ‘Taste of Gold’ Restaurant in Houston Airport
Taste of Gold is currently under construction and is expected to open inside IAH Terminal A in the first quarter of 2025.
Simone Biles is giving people a taste of gold. The seven-time Olympic Gold medalist is partnering with The Playmakers Group to open the Taste of Gold restaurant at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Biles’s home airport, a press release from the airport revealed.
“I am very excited to partner with The Playmakers Group and their dedicated team to help bring a new restaurant to my hometown airport,” said Biles. “I am a foodie at heart, and our hope with Taste of Gold is to offer a beautiful dining experience that features award-winning, signature menu items with some of my favorite flavors sprinkled in for our guests.”
Taste of Gold celebrates Biles’s remarkable global achievements. Restaurant industry innovator Mark Brezinski curated the chef-crafted menu, featuring signature food and beverage items to ‘wow’ every traveler in one of America’s busiest airports.
In 2023, IAH welcomed more than 46 million passengers and ranked among the Top 10 World’s Best Airport Dining Experiences in 2024.
“Bush Airport is proud to offer one of the top airport culinary experiences in the world, and it’s only going to get better,” said Francisco Cuellar, Chief Commercial Development Officer for Houston Airports, in a statement. “We join the millions of people worldwide who find inspiration in Simone Biles, an athlete who continues to raise the bar while achieving success and defying expectations. Houston Airports is on the same history-making trajectory as we redefine what it means to dine inside an airport.”
Taste of Gold is currently under construction and is expected to open inside IAH Terminal A in the first quarter of 2025.
“Simone Biles is the ultimate symbol of excellence,” said Taste of Gold’s managing partner, Derek Missimo. “Her incredible achievements, inspirational leadership, and spirit align with our values at the Playmakers Group. We are incredibly honored to partner with her on this restaurant, which will offer something truly special to our guests and the Houston airport community.”
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks Continues to Make ‘Power Moves’ In Orlando With Second Stadium Deal
Big Dave's Cheesesteaks continues its expansion into Orlando.
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks is making significant “power moves” in Orlando, Florida, with another stadium deal after its recent partnership announcement with the NBA’s Orlando Magic.
The restaurant chain took to Instagram last week to announce the two new locations coming to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. Big Dave’s owner Derrick Hayes shared how the deals are part of an “ambitious expansion initiative” led by former PepsiCo executive Derek Lewis, “who acquired Florida’s first 10 Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks franchises!”
“This ain’t just an expansion, it’s a REVOLUTION!” Hayes said.
Big Dave’s addition to the stadium will bring Big Dave’s award-winning Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks to the 65,000-seat stadium in the heart of downtown Orlando. Guests will have the opportunity to grab food from two concession stands at Camping World Stadium, which is owned and operated by the city of Orlando.
“This collaboration represents more than just expanding our franchise; it’s about creating a culinary experience that resonates with the vibrant spirit of Florida’s sports community,” Hayes said. “Derek’s business acumen and the dynamic atmosphere of Camping World Stadium provide the perfect backdrop for our authentic cheesesteaks.
“We’re not just opening a store; we’re becoming part of a legacy, serving up our passion-filled flavors to fans and food lovers alike.”
The first major events will be held on Nov. 18 with a concert, followed by the Florida Blue Florida Classic (Nov. 23), the Pop-Tarts Bowl (Dec. 28), the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31), and the NFL Pro Bowl Games (Feb. 2, 2025). This is ahead of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks’ preparation to open 10 new locations in central Florida over the next six months.
Hayes launched the original Big Dave’s in 2016 in Dunwoody, Georgia, at a 700-square-foot gas station spot called Dave’s Philly Water Ice. Since then, Big Dave’s has expanded to six locations—one in North Carolina and five in Georgia, including a concession stand at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
South Carolina HBCU Student Awarded Nearly $700K After Landlord Throws Belongings Away
The award is significantly higher than Postell's original settlement offer for $75,000.
An HBCU student in Columbia, South Carolina, will receive nearly $700K after his landlord unjustly threw away his belongings.
Ansel Postell, who attended Benedict College, returned to Columbia to find his pre-paid apartment emptied. He also found out that his landlord had given away his stuff. However, his mother claims that they paid the rent for six months upfront, as reported byThe State.
It totaled $3,810 to ensure his residence and belongings would be safe over the summer break. The funds went to rental company Campus Advantage, which owns multiple apartment complexes like The Rowan.
The cybersecurity major found that all his clothes, electronic equipment, television, and self-built computers were missing. However, the company ignored requests for compensation. Due to this, the family took legal action and received a lofty sum in its conclusion.
On Sept. 19, a Richland County jury awarded the honors graduate $692,000 in damages, with $462,500 allocated for punitive damages.
“I’m glad I was given the opportunity for this to be taken up in court, and the jury was able to make a decision on the evidence that we provided,” Postell said to the publication the following day.
In the lawsuit, Postell stated that the process of trying to reach The Rowan and replace his lost items left him unable to attend many classes at the start of his senior year. The absences nearly resulted in the loss of his scholarship and academic performance.
The jury also found the rental company violated the state’s Unfair Trade Practice Act. Given this, the former student is potentially entitled to at least triple the damages of some or the entire award.
“Almost half a million dollars in punitive damages is sending a huge message,” said Postell’s lawyer, Todd Lyle. “This case could have been settled for far less, but their obstinance and insistence that they did no wrong ultimately drove this verdict as high as it did.”
The award is significantly higher than Postell’s original settlement offer of $75,000. Now, the company will pay two years of interest at 8% annually.
Family Of Veteran Says His Body Was Parceled Out By University Of North Texas For Cash
Honey’s body was frozen, cut into pieces and sold for money.
The family of Army veteran Carl Victor Honey is claiming that after he died in 2022, his body was parceled out to various entities for money by the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
According to People, Honey was homeless and had paranoid schizophrenia when he died. Still, his body was deemed unclaimed and became one of 2,350 to be donated to the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth for medical research.
His ex-wife, Kimberly Patman, cast doubt on the assertion that his body was unclaimed, telling NBC News, “His son has his same name. How could he be unclaimed?”
According to NBC News, what happened to Honey is not an isolated incident; 11 additional familieshave come forward with stories about how the science center sold the parts of deceased loved ones whose bodies were determined to be unclaimed.
Honey’s body was frozen, cut into pieces and sold for money. His right leg was donated to a Swedish medical device company for $341, and a Pittsburgh medical education company paid $900 for his torso.
“We have become aware of issues within our Willed Body Program and that failures existed in its management and oversight,” the University of North Texas’s Science Center posted on its website. “The program has fallen short of the standards of respect, care, and professionalism that we demand. The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth extends its deepest apologies to the families who have been impacted.”
The statement continued, “HSC has taken the following immediate actions: Permanently closing HSC’s BioSkills Lab. Immediately suspending operations of the Willed Body Program pending the outcome of an internal assessment and review by an external global consulting firm with expertise in health care. Taken personnel actions, including terminating program leadership.”
Patman doesn’t believe that the university even tried to find her or other members of Honey’s family. “He never wanted to be an organ donor,” Patman told NBC. “We talked about it. I don’t believe they tried to find us. You can find people. NBC found me in a day. You can find people.”
NBC News notes that it was only after its investigation shared details with the public that the university took action for months; as it reported on the story, the university defended its practices.
The NBC News investigation has its roots in the stories concerning Mississippi’s failure to notify families before burying their loved ones in pauper’s graves.Multiple outlets, including BLACK ENTERPRISE, covered those stories.
The investigations NBC conducted in those cases led them to North Texas, where officials found a way to dispose of the unclaimed dead, which could be costly to bury or cremate. According to its investigation, Dallas and Tarrant counties gave those bodies to the university’s health center, which then used the unclaimed bodies—often Black, male, and homeless—as teaching canvasses for medical students, selling parts to entities.
According to Thomas Champney, an anatomy professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, this practice is unethical.
“The county and the medical school are doing this because it saves them money, but that doesn’t make it right,” Champney said. “Since these individuals did not consent, they should not be used in any form or fashion.”
A judge in Tarrant County, Tim O’Hare, the county’s top elected official, agreed.
O’Hare, who previously voted to allow the university to continue its arrangement, told NBC News that he would look into his options to ” end any and all immoral, unethical, and irresponsible practices stemming from this program.”
O’Hare’s office also released a statement damning the practice. “No individual’s remains should be used for medical research, nor sold for profit, without their pre-death consent, or the consent of their next of kin. The idea that families may be unaware that their loved ones’ remains are being used for research without consent is disturbing, to say the least.”
Black Twitter Sparks Debate On Equality After Nike Names New CEO Who Started As An Intern
Nike's new CEO started as an intern 30 years ago. But would a Black employee have been able to do the same?
Black Twitter launched a discussion around Nike’s recent appointment of Elliott Hill as the sports retail giant’s new CEO.
According to his LinkedIn page, Hill, 60, has a 30-year history with Nike dating back to 1988 when he started as an apparel sales representative intern. Since then, his only non-Nike role was as an assistant athletic trainer with the Dallas Cowboys in the ‘80s.
While Hill was able to work his way up from intern to CEO, many on Black Twitter think that wouldn’t be the case if Hill were Black.
On Thursday, Nike’s stock valuation jumped when the company announced that Hill would replace current CEO John Donahoe, who will step down next month. The news prompted sports and business journalist Joe Pompliano to share a screenshot of Hill’s LinkedIn profile highlighting his three-decade career at Nike.
“Nike’s new CEO may have the best LinkedIn profile ever—32 years with the same company, from intern to CEO!” Pompliano tweeted.
The tweet garnered a response from a Black Twitter user who shared what the “Black version” of Hill’s resume would look like.
“The Black version of this is making it to Sr. Manager/Director and plateauing,” the user wrote.
The Black version of this is making it to Sr. Manager / Director and plateauing. https://t.co/hcYRzUvaqp
The tweet garnered responses from many who agreed with the message and how it reflects the Black experience in corporate America.
“Elliot (sic): each role given w no experience nor proof they’d succeed in new roles. Black people: excelled in role (& their actual role) for 2-3 years w/o equivalent pay & had network 10 deep of people they’d done free work for in some capacity. Constantly 2nd guessed & scrutinized,” one user wrote in response.
“Either that or they give you the role right as the company going through some BS whether financially or socially so that if you can’t fix it the bigots will blame you being a DEI hire & forget that the company was going bad beforehand,” added someone else.
It’s been five years since the “Being Black in Corporate America” report highlighted how diversity and inclusion efforts failed Black workers. What followed a year later was the murder of George Floyd, which saw significant corporations and companies nationwide make sweeping efforts toward DEI.
But in recent years, many companies have started to reverse diversity, equity, and inclusion programs with efforts facing increasing opposition from conservative lawmakers and activists. Across college campuses and corporate America, concerns over legal risks and political pushback are prompting some to scale back or rebrand their DEI initiatives.
What remains is a community of professionals, in this case, Black workers, who feel overlooked, ignored, and undervalued in the workplace. While Elliott Hill’s story of going from intern to CEO at Nike does give hope for remaining loyal to a company, research shows that that’s not always the case for team members from different racial backgrounds.
As one Black employee who joined the Twitter debate shared, expressing interest in a promotion can garner a “funny” response from higher-ups.
“I feel like this is where I’m headed. They start acting funny once you start asking about the promotions that come with stock,” they wrote.
Sen. Raphael Warnock Says Georgia’s Hand-Counted Ballot Rule Is ‘Effort To Turn The Democracy On Its Head’
Georgia election board's recently ruled that local precincts must hand-count ballots on Election Day.
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) is “very concerned” about the state’s new hand-counted ballot rule, which he sees as an “effort to turn the democracy on its head.”
The pastor and U.S. Senator appeared on MSNBC’s Inside with Jen Psaki on Sept. 22, where he responded to the Georgia election board’s recent ruling that local precincts must hand-count ballots on Election Day. The decision came despite concerns from election officials and opposition from some state authorities who said the last-minute change could cause delays and confusion on election night and the days that follow.
According to Sen. Warnock, the Sept. 20 ruling was prompted by the Republican-led state’s fear of Democrats growing in power.
“The news that Georgia voters [ought to be] paying attention to is this: The fact that they are doing this, means that they know we’re winning,” Warnock said.
“They know that the momentum is with Kamala Harris, and this effort to turn the democracy on its head, so that rather than the voters picking their representatives, the folks who are running get to pick their voters — it won’t stand.”
Elsewhere, Warnock spoke of the “voter suppression” that he experienced during his election runs and the type that’s known to happen in efforts to stop certain communities from voting.
“This is how voter suppression happens. Undermine votes a little bit here a little there,” Warnock said after recalling his lawsuit against Georgia state officials to allow Georgia voters to vote during the first weekend of his run-off election.
Georgia’s election board voted 3-2 to mandate hand-counting of ballots in addition to the existing machine count, a groundbreaking decision made with less than 50 days remaining before Election Day. Sen. Warnock spoke on what the ruling could lead to and compared it to the controversial ballot issue of the 2000 election between George Bush and Al Gore.
Warnock was “old enough to remember Florida [in] 2000,” and doesn’t want that “mess” in Georgia.
“We all saw the mess that that was, and we don’t need that here again in Georgia, so we will continue to press the issue,” he said.
Recent actions by the board have heightened attention on election administration in Georgia, a state where former President Donald Trump and others promoted baseless fraud claims after the 2020 election and which is anticipated to be a key swing state in the 2024 race. The Friday ruling requires the poll manager and two poll officers at each precinct to manually count the paper ballots in each ballot box and compare the total with the number recorded by the ballot scanner.
Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger expressed his concerns over the hand-counting of ballots.
“Attorney General Chris Carr has stated that these rules would not withstand a legal challenge, and I have worked every day to strengthen Georgia’s election law to ensure our elections remain safe, secure, and free,” Raffensperger said after the election board’s ruling.
Questlove’s Earth, Wind & Fire Documentary Announced On The 21st Day Of September
Questlove will make sure everyone remembers the 21st day of September with the Earth, Wind & Fire documentary.
Questlove has an Earth, Wind & Fire documentary on the way, and it only made sense to announce it on the 21st day of September.
Following 2001’s Shining Stars: The Official Story of Earth, Wind & Fire, Questlove has an official documentary that will tell the success story of the legendary soul group, Deadline reports. The film will explore the band’s legacy, cultural impact, and body of work with an exclusive look into its visual, audio, and written materials archives.
The Roots drummer, who won an Oscar for his Summer of Soul documentary, reportedly received the full support of Maurice White’s estate and the band. White served as the founder, leader, main songwriter, and chief producer of Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as the band’s co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
“Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly, I’ve learned and rediscovered myself in the process,” Questlove said in a statement. “I’m so excited to be part of the process of preserving their positive but very vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle.”
Throughout their five-decade career, Earth, Wind & Fire sold more than 90 million records, released 11 consecutive gold or platinum albums, and won six Grammy Awards. Maurice White formed the band in Chicago in 1969. Prominent members of the group include Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Freddie Ravel, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds, and Andrew Woolfolk, who passed away in 2022 at age 71.
Additional accolades include four American Music Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, Hollywood’s Rockwalk, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. The band received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, a Soul Train Legend Award, a NARAS Signature Governor’s Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019.
Rolling Stone credited Earth, Wind & Fire for being the band that “changed the sound of Black pop,” while VH1 described them as “one of the greatest bands” of all time. The group’s only inactive years were during a hiatus from 1984 – 1987. The band’s founder, Maurice White, passed away in 2016 at age
Questlove is producing the film with Maurice White’s son, KB White of Broken Halo Entertainment, and Arron Saxe of Kinfolk Management + Media. Other producers of the film, made in association with Sony Music Vision, include RadicalMedia, Questlove and Black Thought’s Two One Five Entertainment, and financing and sales from Fifth Season. Zarah Zohlman and Shawn Gee of Two One Five Entertainment will serve as executive producers alongside Jon Kamen of RadicalMedia, Cheo Hodari Coker, and Amos Newman.
Eve Reveals Her ‘Stupid’ Insecurities Over Nicki Minaj’s Rise In The Music Industry
'...It has nothing to do with her. It was all these things coming from the industry, I think, also had a lot to do with it, of being the one female."
In her new memoir, Eve admitted she sought therapy to combat the “stupid” and “dumb” insecurities she felt when Nicki Minaj experienced her rise in hip-hop.
The Grammy-winning rapper and Who’s That Girl author appeared on CNN Sept. 21, where she described what felt around the time Minaj was added to the Barbershop franchise alongside her.
“No matter what industry you are in, if you have been at a place in your life or your career where you may have been that one, that person, that thing, and someone comes in and it’s, of course, you were human,” the rapper shared in a clip captured by The Shade Room. “Of course, you feel insecure, of course, you feel protective, of course, you feel, ‘Wow, do I still belong here? What is going on?'”
Eve explained how she put her ego aside and include the revelation in her new memoir.
“I felt like it was important for me to write because it also talks about a time in my life where I wasn’t going to those tools of drinking and doing other things to help me cope with my anxieties,” she shared.
“I had to go to other modalities like therapy. Yeah, and then, as people will read, it all was my stuff; it has nothing to do with her. It was all these things coming from the industry, I think, also had a lot to do with it, of being the one female.”
The “Blow Your Mind” rapper continued.
“I was even thinking, I guess I was thinking, excuse me, I guess I was holding onto that, thinking like, well, how can she be here and how can I be here, which is stupid, which is so dumb,” Eve said. “Yeah, it was. We questioned putting that in there, but I’m glad I did.”
Eve said she and Minaj got along fine on set,” but that women often “project their own insecurities onto other women.”
“It happened at the start of my career and continued in waves as my fame grew,” she said. “I wasn’t going to be that woman to someone else, but in order to do that, I had to physically and mentally prepare myself…”
Nicki Minaj responded to Eve’s admission Sept. 22 with a heartfelt open letter posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Dear Eve,
The various things you’ve shared recently, are groundbreaking (in my opinion) for so many reasons.
First, thank you.
The level of grace; the level of emotional & spiritual maturity it takes to be this vulnerable & transparent is a sign of TRUE peace, happiness,… https://t.co/RDpvcye7lA
“Dear Eve, The various things you’ve shared recently are groundbreaking (in my opinion) for so many reasons,” Minaj wrote in part.
“First, thank you. The level of grace, the level of emotional & spiritual maturity it takes to be this vulnerable & transparent is a sign of TRUE peace, happiness, fulfillment, & mastery of self. Self-reflection @ its height. I always say that I think accountability is the sexiest trait a person can have.”
