#FASHIONFILES: Lil Nas X in Louis Vuitton on “The Tonight Show HOT or NOT?
It’s amazing what self-confidence and style can do for a person. For instance, here’s Lil Nas X, positively bursting with confidence and style, which allows him to make a skirt and jacket By Louis Vuitton!
Cute outfit, but we ask is HOT or NOT?
#RHOA: Kandi’s Blaze Steak & Seafood Restaurant Fails Health Inspection!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Kandi Burruss’s Blaze Steak & Seafood restaurant has failed its health inspection, which would allow it to reopen. The housewife has a few restaurants under her belt, and all seemed to be doing well.
The steakhouse was supposed to be featured on Kandi’s new spin-off that is still in production. Bravo revealed that the show is set to premiere in late 2021 and will also showcase the singer’s ability to grow her business. Kandi had an intense season as she had to keep quiet about Porsha Williams’ tryst with Bolo, the stripper, while Kenya Moore tried her best at playing Nancy Drew. During the reunion, her issues with Porsha were reignited when they brought up the moment from seasons past when Porsha claimed her co-star had a sex dungeon. Many fans may have forgotten, but Kandi is the longest-running cast member in the franchise and has been on since 2009. She also acts, sings, and owns an adult toy line and clothing store.
The restaurant is owned by Kandi and her husband, Todd Tucker, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Blaze Steak & Seafood opened in November 2020 and claimed to offer a fine-dining feel and an elevated take on steak. Unfortunately, the restaurant failed its health inspection on May 18. The outlet shared that the restaurant scored a 55, which is considered failing, and closed its doors on May 20 in order to address the issues cited in the health inspection. The inspector did not find any bugs or rodents in the restaurant.
The health inspector found multiple infractions and took points away for observing a kitchen worker switching from raw seafood to ready-to-eat foods without washing their hands; the prep coolers were too hot at 41C, lack of procedure on how to handle vomit, residue in ice makers, lack of consumer advisory, storage problems, and staff wearing inappropriate jewelry.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans may remember that this is not the first time Kandi’s restaurants have been called out on health code violations. The Georgia Department of Health also recorded an incident at the Old Lady Gang in August of 2017. At the time, it was given a “C” rating due to the lack of soap in the bathrooms and soil build-up. Hopefully, she can get her ducks in a row and reopen soon.
#MusicNews: SZA Says She Hates Her Label!
After publicly complaining about her label last year, the TDE songstress has voiced her frustration once again after her single “Good Days” exited the Billboard Hot 100 this week. The song, released on Christmas Day, peaked at No. 9 and charted for 20 weeks, her biggest solo hit ever.
SZA responded in the comments of an Instagram post by putting her label on blast for seemingly not doing more to keep the single on the charts. “I really hate my label . So much,” she wrote.
It’s unclear if she is referring to TDE or RCA Records.
SZA admits she was “shocked and confused” by the success of “Good Days.” “It wasn’t meant to be a single,” she told “CBS This Morning” earlier this year. “It was just a song that I liked that I kinda put out as a snippet and then people liked it, but it’s like the type of song that I wouldn’t expect…It’s just honest vibes.”
This isn’t the first time SZA has publicly slammed her label. Back in August, she called out Top Dawg Entertainment after fans asked why it was taking so long to release music.
“At this point y’all gotta ask punch. I’ve done all I can do,” she tweeted in reference to TDE president Punch. She also described her relationship with the label as “hostile.”
SZA’s sophomore album has been a long time coming. She has been teasing the follow-up to 2017’s Ctrl including an unreleased song called “Shirt,” produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, which was featured at the end of the “Good Days” video.
Meanwhile, she currently has a top 10 hit with “Kiss Me More,” her collaboration with Doja Cat off the latter’s upcoming album Planet Her.
#HipHopNews: Nas Returns To Sony Music In a New Deal With Mass Appeal Records!
Nas’ Mass Appeal Records has reportedly signed a deal with Sony Music’s subsidiary company The Orchard, according to Music Business Worldwide. The news brings an end to the label’s three-year global distribution deal with Universal Music Group.
As part of the deal, Nas will also be releasing his own material through Sony Music. The Queensbridge rapper returns to the label after dropping early albums such as Illmatic, It Was Written and I Am… via Sony’s Columbia Records, before signing to Def Jam in January 2006.
“This is a full circle moment for me,” Nas said. “To come back to Sony Music with my own label is a major milestone. We see this multi-phase initiative as an opportunity to continue to push the culture forward, educate, and inspire. It’s what we do it for, I couldn’t be more excited.”
Founded in 2014, Mass Appeal Records’ entire roster will have access to The Orchard’s label and artist services, including distribution, marketing, sync licensing, video services, data analysis, advertising, rights management and radio promotion.
Mass Appeal CEO Peter Bittenbender added, “We are thrilled to be reunited with the team at The Orchard. What Brad [Navin] and his staff have built over the past few years is beyond impressive, and we can’t wait to help supercharge their place in Hip Hop with all the incredible talent and projects we have lined up, including a major project for our Hip Hop 50 platform.”
Naturally, a lot has changed in 15 years. During a December 2006 interview with Complex, Nas explained how rap music was more of a priority for Def Jam than Sony Music.
“Everything is on the up and up,” he said at the time. “You know Sony is a beast, [it’s] a big giant huge company and their front shit ain’t rap music. Def Jam is more hands on Hip Hop, it’s a lot more on the up and up, a lot more real if you will.”
In the same conversation, he revealed he turned down the opportunity to be co-president of Atlantic Records alongside current CEO, Craig Kallman.
“It is a big position for Craig Kallman or for Irv Gotti, but I rap,” he said. “A president is something to do when you’re in somebody like [JAY-Z’s] position. Jay had hit a moment where he felt he needed to take the time off, so then it’s a great position. That’s not where I’m at. I don’t want to deal with artists, artists are fucking crazy. They want to blame me for shit and I can’t deal with that right now.”
From not wanting to deal with artists to starting his own label, Nas came a long way in a short space of time.
Sabrina Peterson Says She’ll Drop Case Against T.I. & Tiny If They Apologize!
Sabrina Peterson is having a change of heart, only under one condition.
As reported on The Jasmine Brand, Peterson said she’ll drop her case against T.I. and Tiny only if they apologize to her within seven days. She also wants the married couple to tell “the truth” about her.
Peterson shared a video on social media talking about her requests to make peace. She said, “Tell the truth about what you did to me and apologize. I’m gone. I don’t want one dime. I don’t want one dime.” Peterson goes on to say,
“And here’s the other stipulation, do it within seven days. Do this, what I’m saying right now, within seven days. Within seven days, tell the truth and apologize, and I’m gone.” Take a look:
Peterson got into a public feud with her former friends, The Harris’ earlier this year. She claimed multiple women reached out to her and shared alleged stories of sexual misconduct, allegedly from T.I. and Tiny. This month, LAPD decided to investigate a case by an unidentified alleged victim. TMZ recently reported the couple was “off the hook” for an alleged case in Vegas, but authorities are still looking into the other matter.
T.I. and Tiny continue to deny the new claims. Their lawyer, Steve Sadow, called out the alleged victims for not revealing their identity. Sadow said, “By continuing to hide behind anonymous allegations, the unnamed accusers effectively render themselves not credible and unworthy of belief.”
In March, Blackburn said Sadow reached out to him, attempting to make a deal. Blackburn said his clients want justice, and he wants state and federal prosecutors to start a criminal investigation against the hip-hop couple. Sadow addressed Blackburn, saying he tried to make a deal. He said that’s false.
T.I and Tiny didn’t respond to Peterson publicly as of yet.
Howard University Renames College Of Fine Arts After The Late Actor Chadwick Boseman!
Howard University will name its fine arts college after famed alumnus Chadwick Boseman.
University officials said Wednesday the school would be named the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, bearing the name of the acclaimed actor who starred in the movie Black Panther and was recognized for his portrayal of iconic Black figures including Jackie Robinson and James Brown.
Boseman, who graduated from Howard in 2000, died last year from colon cancer. He was 43.
“Chadwick’s love for Howard University was sincere,” Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick said in a statement. “It is my honor to ensure his legacy lives on.”
As a student, Boseman led a protest against the consolidation of the College of Fine Arts into the College of Arts & Sciences, Frederick said. He and other alumni pushed for a separate fine arts college for years after graduating.
The efforts eventually led university officials to announce in 2018 that it would re-establish the fine arts college.
Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, said in a statement that re-establishing the college brings her husband’s story “full-circle.” She also lauded the university for recently announcing Phylicia Rashad, an alumna and Tony-award winning actress, as dean of the college.
“Chad was a very proud Bison — both Howard and Ms. Rashad played integral roles in his journey as an artist,” Ledward-Boseman said.
More than 58,000 people signed a petition urging the university rename the fine arts college after Boseman.
After Black Panther was released in 2018, Boseman addressed Howard students at commencement. The academic year had been marked by protests over a financial aid scandal, campus housing issues, and tuition increases.
“Everything that you fought for was not for yourself, it was for those who came after you” said Boseman, who was awarded an honorary doctorate at the ceremony. “Savor the taste of your triumphs today.”
In his role as King T’Challa of Wakanda in Black Panther, Boseman became the face of a movie that broke ground in the industry. The film, which starred a predominantly Black cast, broke box office records and earned several accolades including the award for Outstanding Cast In A Motion Picture at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2019.
Boseman spoke about the film’s cultural reach and described how “young, gifted, and Black” actors are often not given space on screens and stages.
“We know what it’s like to be beneath and not above,” he said. “That is what we went to work with every day … Because we knew not that we would be around during award season or that it would make a billion dollars, but we knew we had something special that we wanted to give the world.”
Rege-Jean Page Opens Up About His Close Friendship with Sterling K. Brown!
Rege-Jean Page has a good friend in Sterling K. Brown! In a new interview, the 31-year-old former Bridgerton actor talked about his relationship with the 45-year-old This Is Us actor, and it all started with Rege-Jean fangirling over Sterling.
“My brain just turned off,” Rege-Jean shared with Variety of the first time he met Sterling at a party back in 2016.
Rege-Jean recalled stumbling over his words when he was talking to Sterling, before blurting out “I just want to be you.”
“And Sterling just smiled patiently and let me do that and then talked me through how not to be overwhelmed by this room,” Rege-Jean shared. “He reassured me and said, ‘You’ve got stuff ahead of you. You can breathe.’”
Since their first meeting, the two have become close friends, with Rege-Jean saying that Sterling “talked me through a couple of things that scared me.”
“He wasn’t somebody who’s like, ‘Give me a couple of years and I’ll be making $10 million a flick.’ He really loves the art of illuminating the human condition,” Sterling said of Rege-Jean in the article. “If stardom comes — and stardom is clearly approaching — I don’t think he was ever actively seeking it; it just kind of happened.
The City of Boston dedicates ‘Bobby Brown Way’ in Roxbury!
This summer, every little step you take towards Roxbury will lead you closer to Bobby Brown Way. The City of Boston dedicated a street to the iconic musician yesterday (May 26), honoring the New Edition co-founder and chart-topping solo artist in an afternoon ceremony led by Boston’s Acting Mayor Kim Janey.
With Brown in attendance, joined by his wife and daughter, Janey praised his rise to the top of the pop music mainstream, helping put Roxbury on the map in the ’80s and energizing the community with a sense of pride that still exists decades later. New Edition’s Michael Bivins was also on hand for the festivities, taking place near where Bivins Court at Ramsey Park was dedicated in 2018.
“To see you, as well as Mr. Bivens, to see what you have done,” Janey remarked, telling a story from her childhood. She proudly referred Brown as “not just Boston’s own, but Roxbury’s own.”
Brown was touched by the honor, posting to Instagram: “Forever and always love you Roxbury ☘️ thank you so much for today – I received a whole street and day May 26 💚 in Boston. Thank you mayor Kim Janey @boston_mayor my brother Mike @617mikebiv and the city. I am forever grateful and proud
Nick Cannon’s Teases New Daytime Talk Show, Premiering This Fall!
The Masked Singer host Nick Cannon has a new project coming later this year. The comedian’s daytime talk show is officially in the works, and it even has a Twitter account.
The talk show had previously been postponed following anti-Semitic comments Cannon made on his podcast last year.
The talk show, simply titled Nick Cannon, is set to premiere this fall. The show now has social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Cannon retweeted the show’s Tweet, letting fans know that the talk show is coming this fall.
The account also linked to the show’s website, where fans can sign up for email updates. A premiere date has yet to be announced, but the show has already shared a teaser video on YouTube.
The video highlights Cannon’s experience hosting The Masked Singer, adding that “he’s bringing it all to daytime.” The clip gives fans a sneak peek of the show’s set, which includes a screen for the virtual audience. Another shot shows Cannon dancing near audience members who appear to be socially distanced.
Kim Kardashian Questions Becoming A Lawyer After Revealing She Didn’t Pass ‘Baby Bar!
The reality TV star apparently needed a score of 560 to pass the first-year exam and received a 474.
Kim Kardashian revealed she didn’t pass the “baby bar” on her first try and suggested to her sisters she’s reconsidering continuing her journey to becoming a lawyer.
In a clip of an upcoming episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” slated to air this week and shared by E! Online, the KKW Beauty founder explained the test: “If you are doing law school the way I’m doing it, it is a four-year program instead of your typical three-year program and after year one, you have to take the baby bar. This one actually is harder, I hear, than the official bar.”
Kardashian’s mentor, attorney Jessica Jackson, said she needed a score of 560 to pass the first-year law student exam. Kardashian got a 474.
“I am a failure. I spent six weeks straight, 10 to 12 hours a day, studying and it was so important for me to take this,” Kardashian says on the show. “And to not pass gets your spirit down and just makes you want to give up.”
Sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian show their support for Kim regardless, with the former remarking that their late father, attorney Robert Kardashian, “would be really proud of you regardless, just the fact that you’re pursuing this.”
Frustrated, Kim explains that she was irritated that she “spent all that time away from my kids” and still didn’t pass.
“Like, I can’t do it again. I don’t have time. To do the next test is in November. And I’m filming the ending of our show, which will be so emotional. I have every birthday under the sun, you know, it’s my birthday — my 40th — I planned this whole trip and it’s too late to cancel. And if I fail again, it’s like, what’s the point?” she told her sisters.
The conversation continues with Kim wondering if she should schedule a follow-up exam in June 2021.
“I don’t want to wait another year to go by for school. I feel like I just got to the end where I almost knew everything,” she says, before adding: “I don’t know, I really need to think about it.”
Kim made her journey to become a lawyer public in April 2019 when she revealed to Vogue that she was doing a four-year apprenticeship with a law firm in San Francisco and planned to take the bar in 2022.
Her desire to do so stemmed from her interest in the case of Alice Johnson, a grandmother who received a life sentence for a first-time nonviolent drug offense. Kardashian visited with then-President Donald Trump in 2018 to advocate for clemency for Johnson, prompting Trump to grant Johnson a commutation. Two years later, in 2020, Johnson was fully pardoned.
“The White House called me to advise to help change the system of clemency,” Kardashian told Vogue in 2019. “And I’m sitting in the Roosevelt Room with, like, a judge who had sentenced criminals and a lot of really powerful people and I just sat there, like, Oh, shit. I need to know more.”
The Kelly Clarkson Show Scheduled To Replace The Ellen Show Next Year!
The Kelly Clarkson Show is slated to take over the time slot of the Ellen DeGeneres show next year.
The Kelly Clarkson Show will take over in fall 2022 on NBC-owned stations once Ellen comes to an end. Clarkson’s show currently airs on 200 stations across the U.S. President of NBCUniversal Local, Valari Staab, says that the network is looking forward to “Ellen DeGeneres’ 19th season paired with Kelly Clarkson for what is sure to be a blockbuster year.”
Talks have been swirling for weeks regarding who would be replacing the Ellen show. Actress Tiffany Haddish was rumored to be a consideration. Ellen DeGeneres announced that her show was ending shortly after employees brought up “toxic workplace” claims against her. This led to an investigation and a sharp decline in ratings. The 63-year-old has not directly linked her departure to the allegations.
The Kelly Clarkson Show is currently in its second season and was renewed last year for two additional seasons, which will go through 2023
Russell Westbrook Addresses 76ers Fan Who Dumped Popcorn on Him!
A Philadelphia 76ers fan made the terrible decision of dumping popcorn on Russell Westbrook as he walked to the locker room after suffering an ankle injury during last night’s playoff game.
As expected, the popcorn pouring did not go well with Westbrook, who was obviously furious and had to be restrained by multiple individuals. The popcorn-throwing fan was eventually recognized and removed. Later it was confirmed that the unidentified fan had his season tickets revoked in addition to being banned from the Wells Fargo Center indefinitely.
Reporters questioned Westbrook, who scored 10 points in the game, about the rude incident after the game.
“This shit is getting out of hand, especially for me,” Westbrook said. “Just, the amount of disrespect… fans doing whatever the fuck they wanna do. It’s out of pocket, man. It’s out of pocket.”
Bradley Beal, a teammate of Westbrook’s, described the display as “disgusting.”
On social media, LeBron James even had something to say about the incident; he wrote: “By the way, WE AS THE PLAYERS wanna see who threw that popcorn on Russ while he was leaving the game tonight with an injury!! There’s cameras all over arenas so there’s no excuse!”
Valerie Camillo, the Wells Fargo Center’s President of Business Operations, denounced the guy who tossed the popcorn at Westbrook after the game.
“This was classless, unacceptable behavior, and we’re not going to tolerate it at Wells Fargo Center,” Camillo wrote. “We’re proud to have the most passionate fans in the country and the best home-court and home-ice advantage around, but this type of behavior has no place in our arena.”
Wendy’s Teams Up With Pringles For Spicy Chicken Sandwich-Flavored Chips!
The chicken sandwich battle is definitely heating up. This time, with a twist.
Wendy’s has partnered with Pringles for spicy chicken sandwich-flavored chips!
Yes, chips! “Pringles Wendy’s Spicy Chicken crisps perfectly encapsulate everything fan have come to know, love and expect from Wendy’s iconic chicken sandwich,” said Carl Loredo, Wendy’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Wendy’s fans can now enjoy our insanely flavorful Spicy Chicken Sandwich in their crisps to satisfy taste-buds until their next restaurant visit.”
The limited-edition Spicy Chicken Sandwich-Flavored chips are now available in stores. Each canister comes with a code that will allow consumers to redeem a free chicken sandwich from Wendy’s.
Last year, Wendy’s partnered with Pringles for the Baconator-flavored Pringles.
John Davis, Milli Vanilli Vocalist, Dead at 66!
John Davis, one of the singers behind the R&B duo Milli Vanilli, has died at the age of 66. Variety reports that Davis, a tenured singer-songwriter and composer, had recently contracted COVID-19. “He made a lot of people happy with his laughter and smile, his happy spirit, love and especially through his music,” his daughter, Jasmine, said in a statement. “He gave so much to the world! Please give him the last round of applause.
We will miss him dearly.” As one of the biggest musical bombshells of the modern era, it was unearthed in 1990 that Milli Vanilli duo Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan didn’t actually sing their own vocals, but rather used backup singers to pass as their own voices. Davis was one of those singers, and as such, his voice is what you heard on popular tracks such as “Girl You Know It’s True,” “Blame It on the Rain” and “Baby Don’t Forget My Number.” In the aftermath of the lip-sync scandal, this cadre of real singers rebranded as the Real Milli Vanilli and released the 1991 album The Moment of Truth, spurring the minor hits “Keep on Running” and “Tell Me Where It Hurts.” In a tweet, Morvan mourned the loss of his “brother.”
Central Park Karen who called 911 on Black man last year in Central Park sues former employer!
Amy Cooper alleges that Franklin Templeton terminated her based on her race and gender while also failing to properly investigate the viral incident.
The white woman who was recorded on video calling police to claim that a Black bird-watcher was threatening her in New York City's Central Park last year filed suit against her former employer, alleging that the company did not properly consider her fear for personal safety prior to firing her.
Amy Cooper filed a federal complaint against investment management company Franklin Templeton on Tuesday, alleging that the company terminated her based on her race and gender while also failing to properly investigate the viral incident that made national headlines. The lawsuit, filed exactly a year after the Central Park confrontation, requests a jury trial.
Franklin Templeton characterized the lawsuit's claims as “baseless” in a statement Wednesday and plans to defend itself.
“We believe the circumstances of the situation speak for themselves and that the Company responded appropriately,” the statement said.
Last May, video was posted to social media of Amy Cooper calling 911 on birdwatcher Christian Cooper, alleging to police that an “African American man” threatened her life and the life of her dog. NBC News does not know what happened prior to the start of the recording, which was shared by Christian Cooper’s sister.
Christian Cooper, of no relation to Amy Cooper, told NBC News at the time that he approached to ask her to put her dog back on a leash, which is the policy for the Ramble area of Central Park. Amy Cooper told NBC New York last year that she overreacted and was sorry.
"When I think about the police, I'm such a blessed person. I've come to realize, especially today, that I think of [the police] as a protection agency, and unfortunately, this has caused me to realize that there are so many people in this country that don't have that luxury," she said.
But the incident from Monday, May 25, 2020, had been seen by millions on the internet within hours of being posted, with many dubbing Amy Cooper the “Central Park Karen.” The next day, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, Franklin Templeton tweeted that it had terminated Amy Cooper’s employment.
“Following our internal review of the incident in Central Park yesterday, we have made the decision to terminate the employee involved, effective immediately," Franklin Templeton said in a statement. "We do not tolerate racism of any kind at Franklin Templeton."
Amy Cooper alleges in her lawsuit that Franklin Templeton failed to launch a legitimate investigation into the matter and its public statement added legitimacy to the “Karen” narrative.
She was also charged with a misdemeanor count of making a false report in the third degree over the incident. The charge was dropped in February by th Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after Cooper completed five "psychoeducation and therapy" sessions as part of its restorative justice program.
The complaint filed Tuesday to the Southern District of New York alleges that “even a perfunctory investigation” would have shown that Amy Cooper did not shout at Christian Cooper “because she was a racist,” but because “she was alone in the park and frightened to death.” The lawsuit goes on to characterize Christian Cooper as “an overzealous birdwatcher engaged in Central Park’s ongoing feud between birdwatchers and dog owners.”
Franklin Templeton did not make an attempt to obtain transcripts of Amy Cooper’s 911 calls from the police, nor did they review minutes from previous New York City Park Board meetings that show Christian Cooper on record stating “it has gotten ugly between birders and unleashed dog walkers,” the suit alleges.
Amy Cooper’s filing also includes a statement given by a man named Jerome Lockett who said he had a previous interaction with Christian Cooper over his dog being unleashed. Lockett gave the statement to NBC News on the record last year.
Lockett, who identified himself as a Black man, alleged in his statement that Christian Cooper yelled at a group of dog owners who had their pets unleashed and tried to call Lockett’s dog to him.
The lawsuit alleges that Franklin Templeton “did not seek to interview Jerome Lockett or anyone else familiar with Mr. Cooper’s past in Central Park to obtain their perspective.” Such perspectives would have shown that Amy Cooper was “selected as the next dog owner he would attack” and that she had reasonable fear for her safety, the suit says.
The company instead discriminated against Amy Cooper based on her race and gender, the filing alleged, resulting in a loss of earnings and severe emotional distress.
Christian Cooper told NBC News and the New York Times that he is often in the Ramble and asks for dogs to be leashed to preserve the area's environment and wildlife. He also said he carries treats with him in an effort to get owners to leash their dogs, "because they don't want their dog eating treats" from a stranger.
He also told NBC News that he chose to record Amy Cooper making the 911 call because he didn't want to "dehumanize" himself by giving in to what he considered an attempt at "racial intimidation."
Christian Cooper did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment on the lawsuit.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
UNLIKE HIS KIND
Out Law? Get out of here man, Out Laws ain’t waiting in line for mac ‘n cheese. Get out of here.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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