#MAGFAB: Megan Thee Stallion for Elle Magazine
Megan Thee Stallion is reclaiming her power. In a recent interview with Elle Magazine for its latest cover, she addresses her shooting at the hands of Tory Lanez for “the final time.”
The hot girl is featured in the magazine’s April issue and opened up about how she overcame public humiliation after being shot, her decision to stay out of the public eye following Lanez’s guilty verdict, and providing a voice for other Black women who may be victims of violence.
“I don’t want to call myself a victim. As I reflect on the past three years, I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable,” Megan shared with the magazine. “Not only did I survive being shot by someone I trusted and considered a close friend, but I overcame the public humiliation of having my name and reputation dragged through the mud by that individual for the entire world to see.”
As Blavity reported, the 28-year-old was shot by Lanez after the two attended a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s home on July 12, 2020.
Megan said the Canadian native, social media users and her musical peers had made jokes about the injuries she sustained in the shooting. However, she couldn’t understand why people weren’t “condemning” the “Say It” artist for his actions after he shot her.
“I could have let the adversity break me, but I persevered, even as people treated my trauma like a running joke. First, there were conspiracy theories that I was never shot. Then came the false narratives that my former best friend shot me,” the “Savage” rapper said.
She continued, “Even some of my peers in the music industry piled on with memes, jokes, and sneak disses, and completely ignored the fact that I could have lost my life. Instead of condemning any form of violence against a woman, these individuals tried to justify my attacker’s actions.”
In December 2022, a Los Angeles jury found Lanez guilty on charges of discharging a firearm with gross negligence, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, per Blavity.
“When the guilty verdict came on Dec. 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them,” the Houston native recalled.
Megan took a months-long hiatus from social media following the high-profile case. From spending time with her dogs or her manager, Farris, the 28-year-old said she reflected on her life after what she described as “trauma.”
“These last few months, I’ve been healing after being in such a dark place. The physical and mental scars from this entire ordeal will always sting, but I’m taking the appropriate steps to resume my life.”
Megan also encouraged other survivors to continue using their voices and speak up, despite what some may say about them.
“For anyone who has survived violence, please know your feelings are valid. You matter. You are not at fault. You are important. You are loved. You are not defined by your trauma. You can continue to write beautiful, new chapters to your life story. Just because you are in a bad situation doesn’t mean you are a bad person. Our value doesn’t come from the opinions of other people. As long as you stand your ground and live in your truth, nobody can take your power,” she said.
#RHOA: HOT or NOT? Marlo Hampton in a Pink Corset Midi Dress with Floral Details
Marlo Hampton has a sartorial spring in her step for the new season.
On April 17, The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member took to Instagram to share a snapshot of herself rocking a dusty pink midi dress by Zimmermann ($1,600), which featured a fitted corset bodice, a sweetheart neckline, and stunning floral details around the straps.
“Word to the wise, live in the moment, things change, cherish your happiness,” Marlo captioned the post, which showed her posing in her living room and holding a large Louis Vuitton clutch with an oversize monogram print. The raven-haired beauty, who wore her locks sleek and straight for the evening, paired the style with similarly colored blush pink strappy heels by Giuseppe Zanotti and fresh pink- and peachy-toned glam with smoky elements around the eyes.
Marlo later met up with her RHOA castmates Sanya Richards-Ross and Shereé Whitfield for a very special occasion: the TASTE charity event for Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers meals to individuals who are unable to purchase or prepare their own food.
“On Friday night we had the opportunity to support a great charity event ‘TASTE’ presented by Meals on Wheels Atlanta! What a night!!” Marlo captioned an Instagram photo of herself and her fellow peaches in glamorous looks. Sanya stunned in a sleek, shimmery, off-the-shoulder black midi dress and carried a crystal-studded triangular Prada bag ($3,600), while Shereé showed up with striking light blonde hair, a white midi dress with a beachy print, and neon yellow strappy heels.
So is she HOT or NOT?
#MusicNews: Alicia Keys Announces 'Keys To The Summer Tour'
Alicia Keys is returning to the road this summer.The R&B songstress has announced dates for her “Keys to the Summer Tour.” Produced by Live Nation, the 22-date arena trek kicks off June 28 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and travels across North America, with stops in Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Chicago, wrapping Aug. 2 in Los Angeles.
The tour will feature an all-new “in the round” stage. “The ‘Keys to the Summer Tour’ is going to be completely unforgettable and unmissable!” said Keys. “I describe it as a celebration of freedom and self-liberation! It’s going to be colorful, magical and will light up your body, soul and all of your senses! This is my first time creating a 360 experience and we’ve made sure it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen! I’m so excited to see y’all this summer!”
It follows last year’s “The Alicia + Keys World Tour,” which included dates in North America and Europe. In May, she will head to Latin America for a series of shows.
Keys released her latest album KEYS in December 2021. The 26-track double set featured appearances from Pusha T, Lil Wayne, Khalid, Lucky Daye, and more. In August, she released the deluxe KEYS II featuring the single “Trillions” with Brent Faiyaz.
Pre-sales will begin today and run through Thursday, April 20. The general on sale begins Friday, April 21 at 9 a.m. local time.
KEYS TO THE SUMMER TOUR DATES
June 28 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – FLA Live Arena
June 30 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
July 2 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
July 3 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
July 5 – Memphis, TN – FedExForum
July 7 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
July 9 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
July 10 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
July 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
July 14 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
July 15 – Cleveland, OH – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
July 17 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
July 18 – Chicago, IL – United Center
July 20 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
July 21 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
July 23 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Arena
July 24 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
July 27 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
July 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
July 30 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Aug. 1 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Aug. 2 – Los Angeles, CA – The KIA Forum
#HipHopNews: Latto Responds To Coachella Photoshop Accusations
Latto’s Coachella set continues to stir controversy. The rapper brought the “Big Energy” to the festival when she performed for the first time. After Sunday’s set, which she dubbed “Lattochella,” she tweeted photos from the performance including one of herself looking out at a packed sea of festivalgoers at the Sahara stage.
But some of her detractors analyzed the photo and accused Latto of Photoshopping the crowd to make it appear that she exaggerated the size of her audience.
“photoshopping your fans is a new low,” tweeted one Nicki Minaj fan, while sharing a screenshot of the Photoshop job, which shows duplicate fans in the crowd.
In an Instagram Story, Latto addressed the Photoshop accusations, explaining that she was trying to expand the photo to fit her Instagram grid. However, she accidentally included the doctored image in her Twitter post.
“Never photoshopped a crowd lmao,” she wrote. “I expanded it so it would fit in my Instagram swipe without getting cut off but it was clearly f.cked up so I didn’t end up using it & just posted the wrong version by accident on Twitter babes 🥰 next.”
While some fans tried to expose her, others defended Latto amid the Photoshop accusations. “Lmfao Whoever noticed this is a real hard hater,” tweeted one person.
Latto has been on the receiving end of hate from Nicki fans ever since their highly-publicized feud last year. During her Coachella set, Latto debuted a new song on which she seemingly took shots at her idol turned rival.
“She thought I would kiss her ass, she must ain’t took her meds,” Latto raps on the track. Before she left the stage, she yelled out, “We tired of the subtweets this year. Bitch, let me know.”
Fox to Pay $787 Million in Dominion Defamation Trial Settlement
In an unexpected and abrupt end to a legal battle that had fascinated the media industry, Fox Corporation and Dominion Voting Systems agreed to settle a much-discussed $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit mere hours after a jury had been seated to consider the matter in Delaware’s Superior Court.
Attorneys for the two sides had been set to deliver opening statements to the jury Tuesday afternoon. But that activity was delayed after Judge Eric M. Davis called for a lunch break. When he finally returned to the courtroom two hours later than originally planned, the matter was moot.
“The parties have resolved their case,” the judge said, without releasing any terms of the agreement between the two sides. Earlier Tuesday, Dominion had asserted it was not backing off its assertion that Fox had caused damages of more than $1.6 billion to its business and operations.
But in remarks delivered outside the Wilmington, Delaware courthouse, officials and executives from Dominion said Fox had agreed to pay the company $787.5 million — nearly half of what the company had sought in trial. “Fox has admitted to telling lies about Dominion,” said John Poulos, Dominion’s CEO.
At issue in the case were damages Dominion alleged it was owed after Fox News aired false claims about its actions and influence on the 2020 election. It is the second legal proceeding made against Fox News for its coverage of the aftermath of the 2020 race for the White House. Smartmatic, a separate voting technology company, has filed a massive $2.7 billion suit against Fox News that is still pending. Both suits alleged that Fox News falsely claimed the companies had rigged the election, repeated items about the matter and then refused to engage in efforts to set the record straight. The 2020 election was not fixed and its results were certified by multiple legal processes
The legal case had already generated intense scrutiny, with documents, emails and texts from senior Fox executives and well-known Fox News anchors and hosts all suggesting many people at the company knew they were disseminating conspiracy theories around the 2020 presidential election and Dominion Voting’s role in it.
The trial would have put the inner workings of Fox News on full display. Dominion had been prepared to summon Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Bret Baier from the network, as well as CEO Suzanne Scott and even Rupert Murdoch, the executive chairman of Fox Corp. himself.
“We are pleased to have reached a settlement of our dispute with Dominion Voting Systems. We acknowledge the Court’s rulings finding certain claims about Dominion to be false,” Fox said in a statement. “This settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards. We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward from these issues.”
Some First Amendment scholars feared the case would undermine libel protections that have been enjoyed for decades by U.S. media, despite acknowledging that Fox likely acted recklessly. Had Fox continued to fight the allegations, they argued, the case might have gone to a higher federal court, where laws governing media might have potentially reworked.
Whether the case will affect perceptions of Fox News by its core customers remains to be seen, but it does not seem likely. Fox News has not covered the case to the extent that media rivals have. And it will not be baking any kind of on-air retraction, according to a person familiar with the matter. Audiences for its programs, like “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and “The Five,” continue to generate more viewers that shows on Fox News rivals like CNN and MSNBC.
Effects are more likely to be seen in the parent company’s stock price. Fox Corp. has said in recent filings that it has $4 billion on hand. Even so, $787 million is no small sum, and Dominion’s victory suggests that Fox will also have to contend with Smartmatic in the not-too-distant future.
#DREAMSCOMETRUE: TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones Lived Out Her Dream As Janet Jackson’s Backup
*TODAY‘s Sheinelle Jones is a Janet Jackson superfan and she had a surreal moment with the singer over the weekend when she joined Jackson onstage as a backup dancer.
The moment occurred on April 16 during the opening weekend of Jackson’s “Together Again” tour at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, Today.com reports.
“If this is a dream, please just don’t wake me,” Sheinelle said on TODAY April 17.
“It was absolutely magical,” she added.
As reported earlier, when Jackson appeared on TODAY back in December, she invited Sheinelle to appear with her in concert.
For her big moment, Sheinelle had only a few hours to learn the dance moves for her performance during Jackson’s encore.
WATCH
“Suddenly my nerves melted away and I just embraced the magic of the moment and the next thing I knew I was dancing with Janet Jackson,” she said TODAY.
“It was surreal, one of the best days of my life,” Sheinelle said when she came offstage, per the outlet.
“To take that little girl who was dancing and making up moves in my basement and to be on stage with her, it’s crazy,” Sheinelle said on TODAY prior to hitting the stage.
Parking garage collapses in New York City, killing one person and injuring several others
One person is dead and others are injured after the roof of a parking garage in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.
The Department of Buildings is investigating the cause the collapse; acting DOB Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik said Tuesday the building had a history of city-issued violations. The DOB database revealed at least three open violations for 57 Ann St. dating as far back as 2003, and each of which pertained to issues with concrete.
The building was at significant risk of structural failure and collapse, the FDNY reports, so much so that the department’s rescue teams were pulled back. Instead, rescue crews utilized the “Digidog” and drones to assess the scene without putting firefighters at risk.
A massive emergency response following a garage collapse on Ann Street in the Financial District.
Photo by Dean Moses
FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito said that six workers were in the garage at the time of the collapse. Four of the workers were taken to an area hospital; another passed away from their injuries, and the last one refused medical attention.
The identity of the deceased victim has yet to be released.
“This was an extremely dangerous operation for our firefighters,” said Esposito, who noted that the Digidog and drones sent back video of the scene after firefighters were recalled from the flailing structure.
Esposito said that the department believes all the workers are accounted for, but couldn’t confirm that. “That structure is very unstable,” he said. “We’ve had some of the slabs, a couple of the concrete slab floors collapsed, crushed some of the cars that are inside, and this will be a prolonged operation.”
One worker was said to have been trapped in a car on the upper floors, but was rescued by firefighters before they were recalled.
FiDi local Chad Scott, who parks his car at the garage, said the building had long been in “disarray.”
“It’s a mess,” Scott told amNewYork Metro. “The building’s been in disarray for years. It’s really bad. Not surprised at all.”
Scott’s car is unaccounted for, but he said he doesn’t care as long as the garage workers are safe.
Mayor Eric Adams briefs the media on the garage collapse, flanked by (from left): Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, City Councilmember Christopher Marte, FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
Photo by Dean Moses
The building was constructed in 1925 and repurposed as a parking garage in the 1950s, said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. The building appeared to be storing a number of cars far in excess of what it was originally intended to, which was five per floor.
The garage had an active construction permit, possibly for electric charging infrastructure, said Levine.
Maude v Maude: Angelina Jolie & Halle Berry to star in action thriller
Deadline reports that Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry are set to join forces for Maude v Maude, an action thriller which sparked a multi-studio bidding war over the weekend.
Warner Bros. came out the victor in the battle of Maude v Maude. Roseanne Liang (Shadow in the Cloud) will direct the movie from a script by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Not much is known about the project, but an insider described it as a “Bond vs Bourne” type of action thriller. I can get onboard with that. While both Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry have their share of action movies under their belts, this will be the first time that the two actors have worked together.
Of course, Angelina Jolie played Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, but her other action credits include Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted, Salt, and more. Halle Berry played Jinx in Die Another Day as well as Storm in the X-Men movies, and she was also featured in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.
Warner Bros. Pictures co-studio heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy were keen to snag Maude v Maude. Deadline’s report states that Warner Bros. was aggressive in the bidding war, and wound up putting in an “impressive eight-figure” bid to bring the project home.
In addition to Maude v Maude, Angelina Jolie is said to be teaming up with Pablo Larraín (Spencer) to star in Maria, a biopic celebrating the final days of Maria Callas, who is considered to be one of the greatest opera singers to ever grace the stage. “I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge,” Jolie said in a statement. “Pablo Larraín is a director I have long admired. To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.” Halle Berry has several projects on her slate, including sci-fi adventure The Mothership, which is supposed to be released on Netflix later this year. She also starred in Our Man From Jersey alongside Mark Wahlberg, an action thriller which is also destined for Netflix.
Tommy Lee deletes transphobic repost on Instagram, insists 'I'm the gayest motherf---er around!'
Tommy Lee is issuing a non-apology of sorts after reposting a 2017 transphobic clip from the news network OAN.
The clip, which we will not link to here, features OAN host Liz Wheeler ranting against transgender people and people who identify as "transracial" (think Rachel Dolezal) and "transabled" (or rather, those who have body integrity dysphoria).
"I deleted my 'controversial' post, because I am in no way transphobic or against the LGBTQIA+ community or any f---ing community," Lee wrote on Instagram before insisting, "I'm the gayest motherf---er around!"
As if to prove his point, Lee scored his mea culpa to the late singer-actress Elaine Stritch growling "Are You Having Any Fun?"
The rocker and Pamela Anderson ex continued, "I just don't agree with how far some things have been taken. I just think it's crazy that some people are blinding themselves because they feel they should've been born blind. I get being born female and identifying as male or being born male and identifying as female or whatever. But when [people] start identifying as babies or animals...WTF!"
Being transgender, which is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity or gender expression doesn't correspond to their sex assigned at birth, is not the same as "identifying as babies or animals" or believing one should have been born blind. Conflating them, however, is a tactic that has been used to undermine the rights of transgender people.
Was Lee, noted "gayest motherf---er around," aware of that when he reposted a six-year-old bit of propaganda? Who knows, but at least he's kinda sorry about it...? Is this what we call progress?
Shooting at Elgin H-E-B parking lot critically injures teen cheerleader, suspect arrested
A man accused of shooting a Round Rock cheerleader was arrested on Tuesday by Elgin police.
25-year-old Pedro Tello Rodriguez, Jr. was identified as the suspect and taken into custody on a charge of deadly conduct, a third-degree felony.
The violent attack happened at 12:15 a.m. in the parking lot of an H-E-B located at 1080 E US 290.
Elgin Police say a group of cheerleaders was returning home from a Houston-area practice when an altercation between the two groups led to multiple shots being fired into their vehicle.
Two girls were hit by the gunfire. One was grazed by a bullet and treated on scene and released. Payton Washington, a senior at Stony Point High School and a standout member of the school’s cheerleading squad sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition after being shot twice in the back.
Washington has also won numerous awards as a member of a competitive cheerleading group based in Houston.
Officers also responded to another shooting victim half a mile away on State Highway 95. Police say the two shootings are related.
Washington is a member of Woodlands Elite Cheer and Tumbling. The Houston-area academy set up a GoFundMe account on Tuesday to help pay for her medical expenses.
The Stony Point High School Cheer squad in Round Rock is also showing its support. Tuesday afternoon on the Stony Point Cheer Facebook page, they asked students to wear purple this week to show support for the senior who is planning to go to Baylor University. The Facebook post also included additional unconfirmed information that the shooting happened when Payton and other cheerleaders were returning home from out-of-town cheer practice. The post says the girls stopped in Elgin at the HEB parking lot to drop off one of the team members.
The post also says Washington is recovering at a hospital after undergoing emergency surgery.
The investigation remains active, and additional or enhanced charges may be filed.
2 suspects arrested and charged with murder in massacre at a Sweet 16 party that left 4 dead and 32 injured, state police official said
Authorities have arrested two suspects in the deadly rampage Saturday night in downtown Dadeville that left four people dead and 32 others injured, including at least 15 teenagers who suffered gunshot wounds, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Wednesday.
The suspects, 17-year-old Ty Reik McCullough and 16-year-old Travis McCullough were arrested Tuesday and charged with four counts of reckless murder each, he said.
After four days of agony and bewilderment, new details are expected Wednesday in the weekend massacre that left four young people dead and dozens injured at a birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama.
Authorities so far have not released any information about a suspect or a motive behind the deadly rampage at a Sweet 16 celebration Saturday night.
Representatives of the FBI, the US Marshals Service, a prosecutor’s office and local police will be among the agencies at a news conference set for 10 a.m. CT, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. Details about what could be revealed were not immediately available.
The carnage was one of at least 165 US mass shootings – with four or more shot, excluding a gunman – in the first four months of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
The party, celebrating Alexis Dowdell’s 16th birthday, was in full swing when gunfire erupted, witnesses said. Her 18-year-old brother Philstavious “Phil” Dowdell was killed, along with Marsiah Emmanuel Collins, 19; Shaunkivia “Keke” Nicole Smith, 17; and Corbin Dahmontrey Holston, 23, the Tallapoosa County coroner said.
Another 32 people were injured, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has said, without giving their ages or indicating whether all were shot. At least 15 teens were shot and taken to Dadeville’s Lake Martin Community Hospital, a spokesperson said earlier this week, when several were in critical condition.
Damar Hamlin fully cleared to play in NFL following cardiac arrest
Damar Hamlin can officially return to playing with the Buffalo Bills. As previously reported, a scary situation played out on Jan. 2, when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed during a live Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Medics and NFL emergency personnel rushed to render aid, and it was later revealed that he suffered a cardiac arrest.
After a long road of recovery, the 25-year-old has finally been allowed to return to the sport he loves. Today (April 18), Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane shared the good news. “He’s fully cleared, he’s here, and he is of the mindset. He’s in a great head space to come back and make his return,” Beane said of Hamlin, according to ESPN. The safety has been working with doctors since the incident and has attended some practices with his team.
“When he left Cincinnati, he came here, it was Buffalo General [Hospital]. He saw a couple of specialists here in Buffalo, and then, since then, he’s seen three additional specialists, most recently on Friday (April 14), and they’re all in agreement. It’s not 2-1 or 3-1 or anything like that. They’re all in lockstep of what this was and that he’s cleared, resumed full activities just like anyone else who was coming back from an injury or whatever,” Beane added. In February, Hamlin spoke about his plans to play for the Bills again.
While talking with sports broadcaster Michael Strahan in an interview shown during the Super Bowl, Hamlin elaborated on what he believed his future would hold. “Eventually. That’s always the goal, like I said, as a competitor, you know, I’m trying to do things to keep advancing my situation. But I’m allowing that to be in God’s hands. I’m just thankful he gave me a second chance,” the athlete confessed. Beane noted, “I’m excited for him and his family at where they are in this journey.”
Gabrielle Union And Keith Powers To Star In New Netflix Film ‘The Perfect Find’
Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers are set to star in the new Netflix film The Perfect Find. The movie is set for a global release on June 23.
The film’s synopsis reads: After a high-profile firing, Jenna’s (Gabrielle Union) fashion career comeback hits a snag when she falls for a charming, much younger coworker (Keith Powers) — who happens to be her boss’s son. As sparks fly, Jenna must decide if she’ll risk it all on a secret romance.
Joining Union and Powers in the film are Aisha Hinds, DB Woodside, Janet Hubert, Alani “La La” Anthony, and Gina Torres.
“[It] really sparked something inside of me about older women, and how we can oftentimes disappear from society, almost, in terms of people looking at us as like we are past our prime. That we carry no value, that no one sees value in a woman over 28, much less over 35, much less over 40,” Union said to Vanity Fair. “But baby, I’m thriving.”
AI-Created Track Featuring Drake & The Weeknd Pulled From Streaming After Racking Up Over 250,000 Listens
Earlier this week, there was an AI-generated song that was blowing up on social media and streaming platforms featuring the replicated voices of both Drake and The Weeknd.
While many were big fans of the track, which was put together by Ghostwriter977 on TikTok, it was quickly taken down after Universal Music Group started to ban it on platforms.
The track was titled “Heart on my Sleeve”, and for a quick second was available on many streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal, before it was taken down.
Universal Music Group shared a statement with the BBC, saying that “The training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs [digital service providers], begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation.”
“Heart on My Sleeve” racked up 253,900 listens from 161,100 users on Spotify, according to Variety, which adds that the same track on YouTube was at 197,000 views after two days.
The fake Drake and The Weeknd song comes just after Drake called out another AI track, where his replicated vocals were heard rapping on an Ice Spice song.
This the final straw AI,” he had written on his Instagram Stories over the weekend.
Former NFL Player Chris Smith Passes Away at 31: ‘The Ultimate Give-Back Guy’
Former NFL defensive end Chris Smith has died at the age of 31, his high school football team confirmed.
“Rest in Peace to a West Rowan Legend! Chris was a better person than he was player! The impact he had on those around him will be remembered forever!,” West Rowan Football tweeted.
The Salisbury Post also confirmed the news with an obituary posted on Monday: “It’s a tragic loss for his family, friends, former teammates, and for Rowan County,”
The obituary described him as the “ultimate give-back guy” and was known as a “generous donor to local schools and projects.”
His cause of death has not been revealed.
Denver Broncos star Russell Wilson paid tribute to him as well, “RIP Chris Smith Praying for your loved ones,” in a tweet.
As well as, former teammate Brook Ellis who said Smith’s “smile and personality could light up a room.”
“Deeply saddened to hear about Chris Smith’s passing. He was not only a great leader, teammate, and monster of a player, but more so an amazing person,” Ellis wrote.
Smith played for several NFL teams during his eight-year career in the league after being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Draymond Green Ejected For Stomping Domantas Sabonis In Game 2
The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings series is definitely the one to watch. And just when you think you have seen everything you possibly can from Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, he stomps a player during the game.
Monday night, the Warriors dropped game 2 in Sacramento 114-106, making a hard road for the defending champs.to make it out of the first round. The Warriors committed numerous turnovers and in the end just flat out lost.
But, lets get to it. Draymond stompped Domantas Sabonis in the fourth quarter. It all unfolded when Sabonis fell and grabbed Green’s leg. As the rest of both teams headed back up court, Draymond was able to shake his leg free but then stomped on Sabonis’ chest.
Speaking after the game, Sabonis said, “There is no room for that in our game today.” A postgame examination says the star forward avoided injury.
Green offered his own explanation. “My leg got grabbed — the second time in two nights — and the referee is just watching. I got to land my foot somewhere, and I’m not the most flexible person, so it’s not stretching that far. … I can only step so far with someone pulling my leg away.”
He added, “I guess ankle grabbing is OK.”
Klay Thompson said to ESPN, “What are you going to do when someone grabs your foot when you’re running full speed? That’s not cool. I’m not saying what Draymond did was right, but you can’t just grab somebody’s foot taking off in a full sprint.”
In the game, Green was given a automatic ejection via a Flagrant 2 foul. Sabonis received a Falrant 1.
It is uncertain if the league will pursue further punishment. But the Internet is surely dishing out some in the form of jokes
Oklahoma Governor Calls on Officials to Resign Over Recording of Racist and Threatening
The governor of Oklahoma is calling on four McCurtain County officials to resign after they allegedly participated in a secretly recorded conversation that included racist remarks about lynching Black people and talking about killing journalists.
The McCurtain Gazette-News over the weekend published the audio it said was recorded following a Board of Commissioners meeting on March 6.
The paper said the audio of the meeting was legally obtained, but the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it was illegally recorded and is investigating. The sheriff’s office also said it believes the recording had been altered.
“I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement Sunday. “There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office. I will not stand idly by while this takes place,” the statement said.
The governor called for the immediate resignations of McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, sheriff’s investigator Alicia Manning and jail administrator Larry Hendrix. He also said he would ask the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.
McCurtain County is in southeastern Oklahoma, about 200 miles from Oklahoma City.
The recording was made hours after Gazette-News reporter Chris Willingham filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, Manning and the Board of County Commissioners, alleging they had defamed him and violated his civil rights, the newspaper reported.
In the recording, Manning spoke of needing to go near the newspaper’s office and expressed concern about what would happen if she ran into Willingham, the Oklahoman reported, citing additional reporting from the Gazette-News.
According to the Oklahoman report, Jennings said, “Oh, you’re talking about you can’t control yourself?” and Manning replied: “Yeah, I ain’t worried about what he’s gonna do to me. I’m worried about what I might do to him. My papaw would have whipped his a**, would have wiped him and used him for toilet paper … if my daddy hadn’t been run over by a vehicle, he would have been down there.”
Oklahoma officials' racist remarks caught on tape
Jennings replied that his father was once upset by something the newspaper published and “started to go down there and just kill him,” according to the Gazette-News.
“I know where two big, deep holes are here if you ever need them,” Jennings allegedly said. Clardy, the sheriff, allegedly said he had the equipment.
“I’ve got an excavator,” Clardy is accused of saying during the discussion. “Well, these are already pre-dug,” Jennings allegedly said.
In other parts of the recording, officials expressed disappointment that Black people could no longer be lynched, according to the paper.
CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of the recording or confirm who said what. CNN has reached out to all four county officials for comment.
The Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association voted Tuesday to suspend the membership of Clardy, Manning and Hendrix, the group’s executive director told CNN.
State and local agencies investigating
Willingham and his father, Bruce Willingham, the paper’s publisher, have been advised to temporarily leave town, CNN affiliate KJRH reported.
“For nearly a year, they have suffered intimidation, ridicule and harassment based solely on their efforts to report the news for McCurtain County,” Kilpatrick Townsend, the law firm representing the Willingham family, told CNN in a statement.
The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday that there is an “ongoing investigation into multiple significant violations” of the Oklahoma Security of Communications Act, which makes it “illegal to secretly record a conversation in which you are not involved and do not have the consent of at least one of the involved parties.” It also said the recording has yet to be “duly authenticated or validated.”
“Our preliminary information indicates that the media released audio recording has, in fact, been altered. The motivation for doing so remains unclear at this point. That matter is actively being investigated,” the statement said.
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has received an audio recording and is investigating, Communications Director Phil Bacharach said.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
I Feel Pretty
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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