#BARBIEMANIA: New Ken Dolls Inspired by the BARBIE Movie
The Barbie movie has unforgettable fashion. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran drew inspiration from Mattel’s history with Barbie and Ken, but she also created new and memorable looks for all the characters. Ken in particular gets some truly excellent ensembles. Ryan Gosling’s Ken shines in pink, denim, fringe—you name it. Every fabric in every hue is his friend. But all the Kens have a standout outfit moment. Mattel is highlighting some of the best looks with Barbie movie Ken dolls. The toy company has had most of these Ken dolls listed already, but they recently added Ken’s fringed cowboy look.
These Ken dolls are currently out of stock, but keep an eye on Mattel’s storeOpens In New Tab to see if they come back. The dolls start at $50.
36 People Have Died In Fires Burning Through Hawaii, County Reports!
At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website Wednesday evening.
Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.
Officials said earlier that 271 structures were damaged or destroyed and dozens of people injured.
On Wednesday, crews were continuing to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.
Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape from under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son grabbed a change of clothes and ran as the bushes around them caught fire.
“We barely made it out in time,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.
As Kawaakoa and Yasso fled, a senior center erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn’t know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.
Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.
“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything,” Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”
The fires were the latest in a series of problems caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.
As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.
“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes.”
State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement Wednesday that a team is working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of an elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.
“Unofficial aerial photos show the King Kamehameha III Elementary campus — on Front Street in Lahaina — sustained extensive fire and structural damage,” he said. “The Department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.
The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.
Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.
Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn’t have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn’t yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.
spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.
Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.
“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”
The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.
“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”
President Joe Biden said he’d ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.
“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” Biden said in a statement.
Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.
Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said tourists who come to Maui all tend to visit Front Street.
“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left,” he said.
Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.
“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”
Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which was passing to the south of the island chain, was partly to blame for the strong winds.
About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.
Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.
“There’s no service so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.
“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.
Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green’s office said he’d cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.
Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the U.S. West. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A major fire on the Big Island in 2021 burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.
Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn’t plan to visit right now.
“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”
The Barbie movie has unforgettable fashion. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran drew inspiration from Mattel’s history with Barbie and Ken, but she also created new and memorable looks for all the characters. Ken in particular gets some truly excellent ensembles. Ryan Gosling’s Ken shines in pink, denim, fringe—you name it. Every fabric in every hue is his friend. But all the Kens have a standout outfit moment. Mattel is highlighting some of the best looks with Barbie movie Ken dolls. The toy company has had most of these Ken dolls listed already, but they recently added Ken’s fringed cowboy look.
36 People Have Died In Fires Burning Through Hawaii, County Reports!
At least 36 people have died in the Lahaina fire in Hawaii, Maui County wrote in a statement posted to the county website Wednesday evening.
Wildfires, whipped by strong winds from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south, took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.
Officials said earlier that 271 structures were damaged or destroyed and dozens of people injured.
On Wednesday, crews were continuing to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.
Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape from under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son grabbed a change of clothes and ran as the bushes around them caught fire.
“We barely made it out in time,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.
As Kawaakoa and Yasso fled, a senior center erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn’t know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.
Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.
“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything,” Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”
The fires were the latest in a series of problems caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.
As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.
“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes.”
State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement Wednesday that a team is working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of an elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.
“Unofficial aerial photos show the King Kamehameha III Elementary campus — on Front Street in Lahaina — sustained extensive fire and structural damage,” he said. “The Department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.
The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.
Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.
Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn’t have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn’t yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.
spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.
Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.
“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”
The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.
“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”
President Joe Biden said he’d ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.
“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses, and communities destroyed,” Biden said in a statement.
Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.
Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said tourists who come to Maui all tend to visit Front Street.
“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left,” he said.
Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.
“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”
Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.
The National Weather Service said Hurricane Dora, which was passing to the south of the island chain, was partly to blame for the strong winds.
About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.
Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.
“There’s no service so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.
Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.
“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.
Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green’s office said he’d cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.
Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of those burning in the U.S. West. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A major fire on the Big Island in 2021 burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.
Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn’t plan to visit right now.
“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Considers Baby No. 2 Says Daughter Wants A Brother and Sister
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore shared that she is considering having another child. In a recent episode of the popular series RHOA, Moore and her daughter Brooklyn, 4, spent time babysitting an infant relative. According to PEOPLE, Moved by seeing Brooklyn bond with the baby, Moore revealed that she is considering giving her daughter a sibling "because I really am thinking about having another child, and right now, really everything is about Brooklyn."
Moore shares Brooklyn with ex-Marc Daly. The couple is in the midst of a divorce that has been in process for nearly three years.
"I still have embryos," she shared with co-stars Kandi Burruss and Shamea Morton. "They're Marc's."
She and Daly have been separated since September 2019, and PEOPLE notes that their divorce documents say that their marriage was "irretrievably broken."
Moore shared that it is becoming more important to her to give her daughter a sibling. "I don't think that I really took it seriously when I thought initially about having another child and carrying another child."
"But I think the only thing that matters to Brooklyn is that she has a sibling," she continues. "And the most important thing to me is being around for Brooklyn should I have another child — and for the other child."
Brooklyn joined Moore in the confessional and shared that she wants both a brother and a sister. "Both," she said when asked which she wanted. "A baby brother for me — [who is] like me, like 4? And I want a bunkbed!"
"I love her being a total big sister caretaker to a young baby," Moore said in a confessional.
According to a teaser trailer, Moore wonders if she would be "jealous" of another woman carrying her baby via surrogacy.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
#MusicNews: PJ Morton Releases Deluxe Edition of Watch The Sun, Including Brand New Songs
Today, with the deluxe edition of Watch The Sun, PJ Morton expands his biggest and best, most honest and inward-looking album into a sweeping collection of 24 self-produced tracks, where his "smooth, soulful funk amalgamates with every style from reggae to Afrobeats" (ESSENCE). In addition to the 2022 LP's original set of 11 songs that feature Alex Isley, El DeBarge, Jill Scott, JoJo, Nas, Stevie Wonder, Wale and more, Watch The Sun's deluxe edition includes instrumentals of the full record, tracked live by PJ Morton and his unbeatable rhythm section, dozens of strings players, horns and a marching band at the remote hideaway of Bogalusa, Louisiana's Studio in The Country, as well as Morton's Gumbo Studios at home in New Orleans. The extended track list also brings the brand new, heartrending ballad "If It Wasn't For You," plus the previously unreleased, star-studded Part 2 of "The Better Benediction," which delivers a show-stopping set of vocal performances from Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le'Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard and Tasha Cobbs Leonard.
Pairing a laid-back, straight-ahead groove with an uplifting message of positivity and protection sung by PJ Morton, Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers and Darrel 'Musiqcity' Walls, the original "The Better Benediction" first arrived as Watch The Sun's final bow but soon emerged the album's runaway hit. Following the music video's millions of views and fans' countless pleas for a second half, "The Better Benediction Pt. 2" gives the song new life through an incomparable, all-female ensemble of close friends and collaborators. With goosebump-inducing solos and soul-stirring harmonies, the arrangement further serves as a musical, universal equivalent of the blessings bestowed when leaving the type of communal church that Morton came up in.
From earning his fourth consecutive year of GRAMMY wins as a self-produced, self-released artist, to laying it all on the line with the unapologetic and uncharacteristically personal Watch The Sun, PJ Morton is currently "in the midst of his greatest musical life yet" (VIBE). With additional legs of US, UK and EU tour dates coming up this fall, the album has brought him and his ten-piece band to more than forty shows across historic stages such as a sold-out Apollo Theater, The Ryman Auditorium, Newport Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival and beyond in 2022. PJ Morton was joined by Stevie Wonderat a recent stop in San Diego, and has also appeared on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Real, Tamron Hall Show, Joe Budden Podcast, NPR's All Things Considered and more in support of the album.
Learn about the making of Watch The Sun, the true challenges that PJ Morton faced in life and love, and what finally forced him to slow down and took a step back in an in-depth profile from CBS Mornings, and find his list of upcoming tour dates at pjmortonmusic.com/#shows.
Moore shares Brooklyn with ex-Marc Daly. The couple is in the midst of a divorce that has been in process for nearly three years.
"I still have embryos," she shared with co-stars Kandi Burruss and Shamea Morton. "They're Marc's."
She and Daly have been separated since September 2019, and PEOPLE notes that their divorce documents say that their marriage was "irretrievably broken."
Moore shared that it is becoming more important to her to give her daughter a sibling. "I don't think that I really took it seriously when I thought initially about having another child and carrying another child."
"But I think the only thing that matters to Brooklyn is that she has a sibling," she continues. "And the most important thing to me is being around for Brooklyn should I have another child — and for the other child."
Brooklyn joined Moore in the confessional and shared that she wants both a brother and a sister. "Both," she said when asked which she wanted. "A baby brother for me — [who is] like me, like 4? And I want a bunkbed!"
"I love her being a total big sister caretaker to a young baby," Moore said in a confessional.
According to a teaser trailer, Moore wonders if she would be "jealous" of another woman carrying her baby via surrogacy.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
#MusicNews: PJ Morton Releases Deluxe Edition of Watch The Sun, Including Brand New Songs
Today, with the deluxe edition of Watch The Sun, PJ Morton expands his biggest and best, most honest and inward-looking album into a sweeping collection of 24 self-produced tracks, where his "smooth, soulful funk amalgamates with every style from reggae to Afrobeats" (ESSENCE). In addition to the 2022 LP's original set of 11 songs that feature Alex Isley, El DeBarge, Jill Scott, JoJo, Nas, Stevie Wonder, Wale and more, Watch The Sun's deluxe edition includes instrumentals of the full record, tracked live by PJ Morton and his unbeatable rhythm section, dozens of strings players, horns and a marching band at the remote hideaway of Bogalusa, Louisiana's Studio in The Country, as well as Morton's Gumbo Studios at home in New Orleans. The extended track list also brings the brand new, heartrending ballad "If It Wasn't For You," plus the previously unreleased, star-studded Part 2 of "The Better Benediction," which delivers a show-stopping set of vocal performances from Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le'Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard and Tasha Cobbs Leonard.
Pairing a laid-back, straight-ahead groove with an uplifting message of positivity and protection sung by PJ Morton, Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers and Darrel 'Musiqcity' Walls, the original "The Better Benediction" first arrived as Watch The Sun's final bow but soon emerged the album's runaway hit. Following the music video's millions of views and fans' countless pleas for a second half, "The Better Benediction Pt. 2" gives the song new life through an incomparable, all-female ensemble of close friends and collaborators. With goosebump-inducing solos and soul-stirring harmonies, the arrangement further serves as a musical, universal equivalent of the blessings bestowed when leaving the type of communal church that Morton came up in.
From earning his fourth consecutive year of GRAMMY wins as a self-produced, self-released artist, to laying it all on the line with the unapologetic and uncharacteristically personal Watch The Sun, PJ Morton is currently "in the midst of his greatest musical life yet" (VIBE). With additional legs of US, UK and EU tour dates coming up this fall, the album has brought him and his ten-piece band to more than forty shows across historic stages such as a sold-out Apollo Theater, The Ryman Auditorium, Newport Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival and beyond in 2022. PJ Morton was joined by Stevie Wonderat a recent stop in San Diego, and has also appeared on Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Real, Tamron Hall Show, Joe Budden Podcast, NPR's All Things Considered and more in support of the album.
Learn about the making of Watch The Sun, the true challenges that PJ Morton faced in life and love, and what finally forced him to slow down and took a step back in an in-depth profile from CBS Mornings, and find his list of upcoming tour dates at pjmortonmusic.com/#shows.
.
Watch The Sun (Deluxe) Tracklist
Love's Disease (Just Can't Get Enough)
Biggest Mistake
Please Don't Walk Away
Watch The Sun (feat. Chronixx)
My Peace (feat. JoJo & Mr. Talkbox)
Be Like Water (feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas)
So Lonely (feat. Wale)
Still Believe (feat. Jill Scott & Alex Isley)
Lil' Too Heavy
On My Way (feat. El DeBarge)
The Better Benediction (feat. Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers & Darrel 'MusiqCity' Walls)
The Better Benediction Pt. 2 (feat. Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le'Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard & Tasha Cobbs Leonard)
If It Wasn't For You
Love's Disease (Instrumental)
Biggest Mistake (Instrumental)
Please Don't Walk Away (Instrumental)
Watch The Sun (Instrumental)
My Peace (Instrumental)
Be Like Water (Instrumental)
So Lonely (Instrumental)
Still Believe (Instrumental)
Lil' Too Heavy (Instrumental)
On My Way (Instrumental)
The Better Benediction (Instrumental)
PJ Morton – 2022 Tour Dates
10/20 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
10/21 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
10/23 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live!
10/25 – Boston, MA – Emerson Colonial Theatre
10/26 – New Haven, CT – Toad's Place
10/27 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
10/30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
11/8 – Birmingham, UK - O2 Institute Birmingham
11/9 – London, UK - Electric Brixton
11/10 – Madrid, ES – Teatro Pavon (Villanos de Jazz Festival)
11/12 – Rome, IT – Alcazar Live
11/13 – Geneva, CH – Soulitude Festival 2022
11/14 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
11/15 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser
11/18 – Lisbon, PT – Capitolio
11/19 – Famalicão, PT – Casa das Artes
11/20 – Paris, FR – Pan Piper
11/25 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore
#HipHopNews: Offset To Drop Lawsuit Against Quality Control Music Over Solo Music Rights
Offset seemingly settled his differences with Quality Control Music by ending a lawsuit against the label over his solo music catalog rights.
Documents obtained by TMZ revealed that the rapper moved to dismiss his case against QC on Tuesday (Aug. 8). Initiated in 2022, the legal action stemmed from accusations that the music powerhouse didn’t honor an agreement regarding the artist’s solo rights. Allegedly, they were negotiated and financially settled in 2021.
Quality Control countered the musician’s claims, asserting that they retained rights due to an existing deal with Motown. Founders Pierre “P” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee argued that audiotapes made by Offset were inherently owned by QC due to contractual obligations. This also included his more recent singles “54321” and “Code.”
However, the artist’s legal team pushed back. The “Clout” rapper’s lawyer stated, “Quality Control no longer owns the copyright to Offset’s solo sound recordings and is no longer licensing Offset’s solo sound recordings to Capitol, and Capitol has acquired ownership of Offset’s solo sound recordings directly from Offset.”
Despite the heated dispute, all seems well now between the parties involved. Although Offset won’t be re-signing with QC as a solo artist, the air has finally cleared.
The Atlanta native’s ties with the label date back to 2013 when Migos signed a record deal. Under their venture, the trio released several albums, including Culture III. In 2019, Offset introduced his debut solo LP, Father of 4, which was co-released by Quality Control, Motown, and Capitol Records. The 16-song project boasted features from J. Cole, Gunna, CeeLo Green, and several more.
On a brighter note, Offset continues to ride the wave of his recent success. His latest single, “JEALOUSY,” arrived in collaboration with Cardi B. The track accumulated over 7 million streams on Spotify. Meanwhile, its accompanying music video surpassed 11 million views on YouTube.
Da Brat And Wife Judy Treat Fans To First Pics Of Son True Legend
Da Brat and her wife Jesseca "Judy" Duppart shared their joy after welcoming their first child together. More than a month after the rapper gave birth to their son True Legend, she and Judy finally gave fans a look at their new bundle of joy.
Making use of Instagram on Wednesday, August 9, the couple shared pictures from their photoshoot with PEOPLE magazine. One of the snaps showed them posing with their baby boy who was sleeping on Judy's lap.
Da Brat and Judy followed them up with cute images of True posing holding a mini microphone and radio as he slept soundly on top of a red background. "it was only right," so read the caption of the post.
In an interview with PEOPLE, meanwhile, Da Brat gushed over becoming a mother. "I'm 49, I'm high-risk, I have high blood pressure. So many women so much younger than me want kids and can't have them, and I had a successful pregnancy," she said tearing up. "It's just an honor. He's such a blessing."
Judy, for her part, expressed her relief for living her true self now. "I was stuck in the closet for so many years, I thought I would never come out," she explained. "But I met somebody that gave me the courage to live in my own truth. Now I’m happily married."
Da Brat and Judy welcomed their son on July 6. "True Legend Harris-Dupart @truelegendhd was born 7/6/23 at 8:30pm coming it at 7k s 8oz , 20inches long and as PERFECT as ever," the couple announced alongside a video from the birth process. "We are overwhelmed with love, Very appreciative for such a blessing of our bundle of joy. This journey has been more amazing than we could've ever imagined."
Lizzo Faces New Sexual Harassment Allegations From At Least Six More Accusers
Lizzo has reportedly been accused by at least six more people of inappropriate sexual behaviour. The "About Damn Time" star, 35, is being sued by her former backing dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez for alleged sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and discrimination and on Wednesday, August 9, attorneys representing the lawsuit told Page Six they have been reviewing and vetting fresh claims from another half-dozen complainants "with similar stories" who worked with the singer.
Lawyer Ron Zambrano said his firm has been examining dancers who worked with Lizzo on her Amazon Studios reality show "Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls". He said in a statement the original three accusers "have bravely spoken out and shared their experiences, opening the door for others to feel empowered to do the same".
The lawyer told Page Six the new allegations are of a "sexually charged environment" and failure to pay employees, adding, "Some of the claims we are reviewing may be actionable, but it is too soon to say". Among the allegations against Lizzo from her former dancers Arianna, Crystal and Noelle is that the singer pressured them to engage with naked performers at a club in Amsterdam and pushed them into eating bananas sticking from sex workers' vaginas in the nightspot.
They have also accused "Big Grrrl Big Touring" and dance team captain Shirlene Quigley of creating a "sexually charged and uncomfortable" work environment in their lawsuit against Lizzo. Lizzo denied their claims in a statement on her Instagram, saying, "These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
In their first UK interview about the allegations, the three dancers told Channel 4 News of their "shock" at Lizzo's dismissal of their allegations. Crystal said, "Initially for me it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated. I think the overall theme in all this is that our experiences were our experiences and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely. It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that's not the case."
‘Big Brother’ star Luke Valentine ousted from show after using racial slur
Luke Valentine has been kicked off of “Big Brother 25” after using the n-word on Tuesday night’s live feed.
“Luke violated the BIG BROTHER code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur. He has been removed from the house,” CBS and the show’s producers said in a statement emailed to CNN. “His departure will be addressed in Thursday night’s show.”
Valentine, who is White, was captured on camera using the slur during a conversation with fellow cast members Jared Fields, Hisam Goueli and Cory Wurtenberger.
“We were in the f***ing (inaudible) room, n***er,” Valentine could be heard saying before he quickly attempted to laugh it off and added, “Dude…I’m sorry.”
Fields, who is Black, then told Valentine “I don’t give a f**k.”
Fields also told Valentine, “In situations that should be uncomfortable for a Black man, White people get more uncomfortable.”
Valentine responded, “Well, I’m in trouble now. I’ve been in worse trouble.”
He has yet to publicly comment on the matter.
“Big Brother,” a reality show staple since 2000, assembles a group of people to live together in a home with cameras recording them the entire time.
Erykah Badu Responds To Dj Akademiks’s Rant
Whew…The social media atmosphere was intense after blogger DJ Akademiks went on a rant about the legendary Erykah Badu. He made the negative comments during a Twitch live stream on August 8.
Initially, Ak was reacting to Tory Lanez’s 10-year prison sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. The former Complex host was also responding to reports that he leaked information from Tory’s team during the high-profile case.
An online user reacted to his commentary and suggested Erykah “work her magic” on him. It set Ak off, “Erykah Badu, let me tell you this: you keep my name out your mouth too,” he began. Then he said,
“Listen, that little Everyday Struggle sh*t, that was another era, my ni**a. I’m down to violate all you ni**as these days. F**k what y’all got going on. You don’t mention my name, please. I don’t f**k with you neither.”
In 2017, Erykah appeared on Ak’s show, Everyday Struggle, and jokingly compared him to the cartoon mouse from “Tom & Jerry.” Today (August 9), Erykah hopped on live and said “I learned today that something I said five years ago,” triggered trauma.
Rap-Up points out social media users blasted Ak, even the legend’s good friend, R&B singer, Summer Walker. “Mom, get the pot. I’m coming over,” Summer said. Another person wrote, “Never in my life have I heard someone disrespect a national treasure like Badu like that. This man needs to be canceled.”
Biggie's estate partners with Budweiser to bring back 'Word Up!' magazine
Iconic teen magazine Word Up! is being revived through a partnership between Budweiser and the estate of The Notorious B.I.G. In its heyday between 1987 and 2012, Word Up! was popular for its focus on Hip Hop and its interviews with notable personalities in the industry. The magazine has received shoutouts in songs and has had a lasting impact on the music world.
The news release, revealed Aug. 9, announced that the collectible magazine will be available on Sept. 13. The drop has been timed to coincide with the 50th birthday of Hip Hop. It will also coincide with the 29th anniversary of Biggie’s album Ready to Die.
The limited edition of the magazine will include exclusive information and images of the late rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace. The content will include rare photos, handwritten lyrics, and previously unreleased stories. Fans can also expect to see statements from industry veterans and Biggie’s mother, Ms. Voletta Wallace.
There will only be 5,000 copies released for sale. They will be made available at select locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia. A digital copy of the magazine will be available for viewing online.
The beverage conglomerate and the late rapper’s estate originally announced that they would be forming a partnership back in 2021. The estate also recently inked a deal with Pepsi that allows the company to place the star’s image on limited-edition cans. The Pepsi deal also includes the creation of a series of art installations that will be placed in various cities around the world.
A new documentary about the late icon is also in the works. The documentary will focus on the life of The Notorious B.I.G. as seen through the eyes of his son CJ Wallace, who was a baby when his father died.
Donald Trump Smears Georgia Prosecutor Fani Willis As a ‘Young Racist’ Who Had ‘Affair With Gang Member’ Ahead of Potential Indictment In ‘Unhinged’ Rant
Former president Donald Trump recently went after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to make some ugly, unsubstantiated claims ahead of the close of her special investigation that could likely result in a fresh indictment for the embattled former president.
Trump is already embroiled in a heap of legal troubles, facing indictments for falsifying business records connected to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, mishandling classified documents, and, most recently, for his alleged role in the deadly Capitol insurrection in 2021 that blocked the peaceful transfer of power after President Joe Biden was elected.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a press conference in Atlanta. (Photo: Facebook/ Fulton County District Attorney’s office.) Former President Donald (Getty Images)
Now, a new election interference indictment could be on the docket for Trump in just a matter of weeks as Willis and her team in Atlanta wrap up their probe on his alleged attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
However, before any indictments are announced, Trump is doing what he can to smear the Georgia prosecutor and make her investigation look like a sham.
During a speech in New Hampshire Tuesday night on veterans benefits, the leading GOP presidential contender took the time to snub Willis. He called her a “young racist” and baselessly accused her of “having an affair with the head of a gang or a gang member.” He also suggested that Willis’ efforts to indict him would advance her career.
While Trump is doing what he can to undermine Willis’ investigation in the public eye, his team of attorneys is doing what they can to halt its course. His legal team filed some petitions over the last month to nullify the probe based on Willis’ purported questionable conduct. A Fulton County Superior Court judge recently rejected a similar motion that was filed in March.
Willis has received several threats and insults by email and voicemail in the last several weeks, calling her racial slurs and other insults as her investigation enters its final stages. She has previously stated that she is prepared to announce a decision about a new indictment by Sept. 1.
“The work is accomplished. We’ve been working for two-and-a-half years. We’re ready to go,” Willis said. “Some people may not be happy with the decisions that I’m making. And sometimes, when people are unhappy, they act in a way that could create harm.”
Phylicia Rashad stepping down as dean of Howard University's Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
Phylicia Rashad is stepping down as dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts.
The Tony Award-winning actor is stepping down as dean at the end of her 2023-24 academic term. Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, the university’s outgoing president, announced Rashad’s exit in an email thanking her for her time with the esteemed HBCU and highlighting her contributions.
“In 2021, Dean Rashad returned to alma mater to lead the re-establishment of the College of Fine Arts as an independent college and to restore it to its rightful place as the center for arts and creativity at Howard University,” Frederick wrote. “The college was renamed in honor of world-renowned actor, playwright, director, cultural activist, and Howard alumnus, the late Chadwick A. Boseman.
“During Dean Rashad’s tenure, contributions to Fine Arts programming at Howard have increased significantly, anchored by a $5.4 million gift from Netflix to establish The Chadwick A. Boseman Memorial Scholarship.”
Rashad was a theater acting major at Howard, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in fine arts in 1970. She launched her career on Broadway before playing Bill Cosby’s TV wife, Clair Huxtable, on the popular 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show.” She has starred in numerous stage, film and television projects in the years since.
The actor’s hiring in May 2021 marked the return of Howard’s College of Fine Arts as an independent school within the university. In 1998, the department was merged with the College of Arts and Sciences for budgeting reasons, upsetting many of the school's performing- and visual-arts students, alumni and faculty.
But just a month after Rashad was welcomed as dean, her “Cosby Show” ties landed her in hot water. She appeared to be in Cosby’s corner after news dropped that the comic’s 2018 conviction for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand had been overturned because of a due-process technicality.
A couple of hours later, as a backlash began to brew, she deleted her post supporting her former TV husband and attempted to clarify her remarks, tweeting, “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.”
By the end of that week, she sent an email to Howard University students and parents, offering her "most sincere apology” for celebrating the overturning of Cosby’s conviction.
“My remarks were in no way directed towards survivors of sexual assault. I vehemently oppose sexual violence, find no excuse for such behavior, and I know that Howard University has a zero-tolerance policy toward interpersonal violence,” Rashad wrote.
She promised “to engage in active listening and participate in trainings to not only reinforce University protocol and conduct, but also to learn how I can become a stronger ally to sexual assault survivors and everyone who has suffered at the hands of an abuser.”
It wasn’t the first time Rashad had defended Cosby. In a 2015 ABC News interview, she said, “This is not about the women. This is about something else. This is about the obliteration of legacy.”
In October 2020, Rashad shared a throwback photo of herself that was taken during Howard University's Class of 1970 commencement ceremony. “I had just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and I knew that the world was before me,” she wrote in the caption. “Looking back at this moment I would say to myself, ‘Take a good look at this campus. It is more than brick and mortar. Yes, you are at the threshold of a new “beginning.” Take this living vibration of legacy forward with you.’”
Other notable Howard fine-arts alumni include Taraji P. Henson, Jessye Norman Alma Thomas and Roberta Flack.
Lil Tay, Teen Internet Rapper, Has Died
Claire Hope, the Canadian pre-teen internet rapper known as Lil Tay, has died, her management confirmed in a statement to Variety.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” Hope’s family announced on Lil Tay’s Instagram page, which has 3.3 million followers. “We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief. During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation. Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Watch The Sun (Deluxe) Tracklist
Love's Disease (Just Can't Get Enough)
Biggest Mistake
Please Don't Walk Away
Watch The Sun (feat. Chronixx)
My Peace (feat. JoJo & Mr. Talkbox)
Be Like Water (feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas)
So Lonely (feat. Wale)
Still Believe (feat. Jill Scott & Alex Isley)
Lil' Too Heavy
On My Way (feat. El DeBarge)
The Better Benediction (feat. Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers & Darrel 'MusiqCity' Walls)
The Better Benediction Pt. 2 (feat. Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le'Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard & Tasha Cobbs Leonard)
If It Wasn't For You
Love's Disease (Instrumental)
Biggest Mistake (Instrumental)
Please Don't Walk Away (Instrumental)
Watch The Sun (Instrumental)
My Peace (Instrumental)
Be Like Water (Instrumental)
So Lonely (Instrumental)
Still Believe (Instrumental)
Lil' Too Heavy (Instrumental)
On My Way (Instrumental)
The Better Benediction (Instrumental)
PJ Morton – 2022 Tour Dates
10/20 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
10/21 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
10/23 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live!
10/25 – Boston, MA – Emerson Colonial Theatre
10/26 – New Haven, CT – Toad's Place
10/27 – Jersey City, NJ – White Eagle Hall
10/30 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
11/8 – Birmingham, UK - O2 Institute Birmingham
11/9 – London, UK - Electric Brixton
11/10 – Madrid, ES – Teatro Pavon (Villanos de Jazz Festival)
11/12 – Rome, IT – Alcazar Live
11/13 – Geneva, CH – Soulitude Festival 2022
11/14 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg
11/15 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser
11/18 – Lisbon, PT – Capitolio
11/19 – Famalicão, PT – Casa das Artes
11/20 – Paris, FR – Pan Piper
11/25 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore
#HipHopNews: Offset To Drop Lawsuit Against Quality Control Music Over Solo Music Rights
Documents obtained by TMZ revealed that the rapper moved to dismiss his case against QC on Tuesday (Aug. 8). Initiated in 2022, the legal action stemmed from accusations that the music powerhouse didn’t honor an agreement regarding the artist’s solo rights. Allegedly, they were negotiated and financially settled in 2021.
Quality Control countered the musician’s claims, asserting that they retained rights due to an existing deal with Motown. Founders Pierre “P” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee argued that audiotapes made by Offset were inherently owned by QC due to contractual obligations. This also included his more recent singles “54321” and “Code.”
However, the artist’s legal team pushed back. The “Clout” rapper’s lawyer stated, “Quality Control no longer owns the copyright to Offset’s solo sound recordings and is no longer licensing Offset’s solo sound recordings to Capitol, and Capitol has acquired ownership of Offset’s solo sound recordings directly from Offset.”
Despite the heated dispute, all seems well now between the parties involved. Although Offset won’t be re-signing with QC as a solo artist, the air has finally cleared.
The Atlanta native’s ties with the label date back to 2013 when Migos signed a record deal. Under their venture, the trio released several albums, including Culture III. In 2019, Offset introduced his debut solo LP, Father of 4, which was co-released by Quality Control, Motown, and Capitol Records. The 16-song project boasted features from J. Cole, Gunna, CeeLo Green, and several more.
On a brighter note, Offset continues to ride the wave of his recent success. His latest single, “JEALOUSY,” arrived in collaboration with Cardi B. The track accumulated over 7 million streams on Spotify. Meanwhile, its accompanying music video surpassed 11 million views on YouTube.
Da Brat And Wife Judy Treat Fans To First Pics Of Son True Legend
Da Brat and her wife Jesseca "Judy" Duppart shared their joy after welcoming their first child together. More than a month after the rapper gave birth to their son True Legend, she and Judy finally gave fans a look at their new bundle of joy.
Making use of Instagram on Wednesday, August 9, the couple shared pictures from their photoshoot with PEOPLE magazine. One of the snaps showed them posing with their baby boy who was sleeping on Judy's lap.
Da Brat and Judy followed them up with cute images of True posing holding a mini microphone and radio as he slept soundly on top of a red background. "it was only right," so read the caption of the post.
In an interview with PEOPLE, meanwhile, Da Brat gushed over becoming a mother. "I'm 49, I'm high-risk, I have high blood pressure. So many women so much younger than me want kids and can't have them, and I had a successful pregnancy," she said tearing up. "It's just an honor. He's such a blessing."
Judy, for her part, expressed her relief for living her true self now. "I was stuck in the closet for so many years, I thought I would never come out," she explained. "But I met somebody that gave me the courage to live in my own truth. Now I’m happily married."
Da Brat and Judy welcomed their son on July 6. "True Legend Harris-Dupart @truelegendhd was born 7/6/23 at 8:30pm coming it at 7k s 8oz , 20inches long and as PERFECT as ever," the couple announced alongside a video from the birth process. "We are overwhelmed with love, Very appreciative for such a blessing of our bundle of joy. This journey has been more amazing than we could've ever imagined."
Lizzo Faces New Sexual Harassment Allegations From At Least Six More Accusers
Lawyer Ron Zambrano said his firm has been examining dancers who worked with Lizzo on her Amazon Studios reality show "Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls". He said in a statement the original three accusers "have bravely spoken out and shared their experiences, opening the door for others to feel empowered to do the same".
The lawyer told Page Six the new allegations are of a "sexually charged environment" and failure to pay employees, adding, "Some of the claims we are reviewing may be actionable, but it is too soon to say". Among the allegations against Lizzo from her former dancers Arianna, Crystal and Noelle is that the singer pressured them to engage with naked performers at a club in Amsterdam and pushed them into eating bananas sticking from sex workers' vaginas in the nightspot.
They have also accused "Big Grrrl Big Touring" and dance team captain Shirlene Quigley of creating a "sexually charged and uncomfortable" work environment in their lawsuit against Lizzo. Lizzo denied their claims in a statement on her Instagram, saying, "These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
In their first UK interview about the allegations, the three dancers told Channel 4 News of their "shock" at Lizzo's dismissal of their allegations. Crystal said, "Initially for me it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated. I think the overall theme in all this is that our experiences were our experiences and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely. It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that's not the case."
‘Big Brother’ star Luke Valentine ousted from show after using racial slur
Luke Valentine has been kicked off of “Big Brother 25” after using the n-word on Tuesday night’s live feed.
“Luke violated the BIG BROTHER code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur. He has been removed from the house,” CBS and the show’s producers said in a statement emailed to CNN. “His departure will be addressed in Thursday night’s show.”
Valentine, who is White, was captured on camera using the slur during a conversation with fellow cast members Jared Fields, Hisam Goueli and Cory Wurtenberger.
“We were in the f***ing (inaudible) room, n***er,” Valentine could be heard saying before he quickly attempted to laugh it off and added, “Dude…I’m sorry.”
Fields, who is Black, then told Valentine “I don’t give a f**k.”
Fields also told Valentine, “In situations that should be uncomfortable for a Black man, White people get more uncomfortable.”
Valentine responded, “Well, I’m in trouble now. I’ve been in worse trouble.”
He has yet to publicly comment on the matter.
“Big Brother,” a reality show staple since 2000, assembles a group of people to live together in a home with cameras recording them the entire time.
Erykah Badu Responds To Dj Akademiks’s Rant
Initially, Ak was reacting to Tory Lanez’s 10-year prison sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. The former Complex host was also responding to reports that he leaked information from Tory’s team during the high-profile case.
An online user reacted to his commentary and suggested Erykah “work her magic” on him. It set Ak off, “Erykah Badu, let me tell you this: you keep my name out your mouth too,” he began. Then he said,
“Listen, that little Everyday Struggle sh*t, that was another era, my ni**a. I’m down to violate all you ni**as these days. F**k what y’all got going on. You don’t mention my name, please. I don’t f**k with you neither.”
In 2017, Erykah appeared on Ak’s show, Everyday Struggle, and jokingly compared him to the cartoon mouse from “Tom & Jerry.” Today (August 9), Erykah hopped on live and said “I learned today that something I said five years ago,” triggered trauma.
Rap-Up points out social media users blasted Ak, even the legend’s good friend, R&B singer, Summer Walker. “Mom, get the pot. I’m coming over,” Summer said. Another person wrote, “Never in my life have I heard someone disrespect a national treasure like Badu like that. This man needs to be canceled.”
Biggie's estate partners with Budweiser to bring back 'Word Up!' magazine
Iconic teen magazine Word Up! is being revived through a partnership between Budweiser and the estate of The Notorious B.I.G. In its heyday between 1987 and 2012, Word Up! was popular for its focus on Hip Hop and its interviews with notable personalities in the industry. The magazine has received shoutouts in songs and has had a lasting impact on the music world.
The news release, revealed Aug. 9, announced that the collectible magazine will be available on Sept. 13. The drop has been timed to coincide with the 50th birthday of Hip Hop. It will also coincide with the 29th anniversary of Biggie’s album Ready to Die.
The limited edition of the magazine will include exclusive information and images of the late rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace. The content will include rare photos, handwritten lyrics, and previously unreleased stories. Fans can also expect to see statements from industry veterans and Biggie’s mother, Ms. Voletta Wallace.
There will only be 5,000 copies released for sale. They will be made available at select locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia. A digital copy of the magazine will be available for viewing online.
The beverage conglomerate and the late rapper’s estate originally announced that they would be forming a partnership back in 2021. The estate also recently inked a deal with Pepsi that allows the company to place the star’s image on limited-edition cans. The Pepsi deal also includes the creation of a series of art installations that will be placed in various cities around the world.
A new documentary about the late icon is also in the works. The documentary will focus on the life of The Notorious B.I.G. as seen through the eyes of his son CJ Wallace, who was a baby when his father died.
Donald Trump Smears Georgia Prosecutor Fani Willis As a ‘Young Racist’ Who Had ‘Affair With Gang Member’ Ahead of Potential Indictment In ‘Unhinged’ Rant
Trump is already embroiled in a heap of legal troubles, facing indictments for falsifying business records connected to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, mishandling classified documents, and, most recently, for his alleged role in the deadly Capitol insurrection in 2021 that blocked the peaceful transfer of power after President Joe Biden was elected.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a press conference in Atlanta. (Photo: Facebook/ Fulton County District Attorney’s office.) Former President Donald (Getty Images)
Now, a new election interference indictment could be on the docket for Trump in just a matter of weeks as Willis and her team in Atlanta wrap up their probe on his alleged attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.
However, before any indictments are announced, Trump is doing what he can to smear the Georgia prosecutor and make her investigation look like a sham.
During a speech in New Hampshire Tuesday night on veterans benefits, the leading GOP presidential contender took the time to snub Willis. He called her a “young racist” and baselessly accused her of “having an affair with the head of a gang or a gang member.” He also suggested that Willis’ efforts to indict him would advance her career.
While Trump is doing what he can to undermine Willis’ investigation in the public eye, his team of attorneys is doing what they can to halt its course. His legal team filed some petitions over the last month to nullify the probe based on Willis’ purported questionable conduct. A Fulton County Superior Court judge recently rejected a similar motion that was filed in March.
Willis has received several threats and insults by email and voicemail in the last several weeks, calling her racial slurs and other insults as her investigation enters its final stages. She has previously stated that she is prepared to announce a decision about a new indictment by Sept. 1.
“The work is accomplished. We’ve been working for two-and-a-half years. We’re ready to go,” Willis said. “Some people may not be happy with the decisions that I’m making. And sometimes, when people are unhappy, they act in a way that could create harm.”
Phylicia Rashad stepping down as dean of Howard University's Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
Phylicia Rashad is stepping down as dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts.
The Tony Award-winning actor is stepping down as dean at the end of her 2023-24 academic term. Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, the university’s outgoing president, announced Rashad’s exit in an email thanking her for her time with the esteemed HBCU and highlighting her contributions.
“In 2021, Dean Rashad returned to alma mater to lead the re-establishment of the College of Fine Arts as an independent college and to restore it to its rightful place as the center for arts and creativity at Howard University,” Frederick wrote. “The college was renamed in honor of world-renowned actor, playwright, director, cultural activist, and Howard alumnus, the late Chadwick A. Boseman.
“During Dean Rashad’s tenure, contributions to Fine Arts programming at Howard have increased significantly, anchored by a $5.4 million gift from Netflix to establish The Chadwick A. Boseman Memorial Scholarship.”
Rashad was a theater acting major at Howard, graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in fine arts in 1970. She launched her career on Broadway before playing Bill Cosby’s TV wife, Clair Huxtable, on the popular 1980s sitcom “The Cosby Show.” She has starred in numerous stage, film and television projects in the years since.
The actor’s hiring in May 2021 marked the return of Howard’s College of Fine Arts as an independent school within the university. In 1998, the department was merged with the College of Arts and Sciences for budgeting reasons, upsetting many of the school's performing- and visual-arts students, alumni and faculty.
But just a month after Rashad was welcomed as dean, her “Cosby Show” ties landed her in hot water. She appeared to be in Cosby’s corner after news dropped that the comic’s 2018 conviction for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand had been overturned because of a due-process technicality.
A couple of hours later, as a backlash began to brew, she deleted her post supporting her former TV husband and attempted to clarify her remarks, tweeting, “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.”
By the end of that week, she sent an email to Howard University students and parents, offering her "most sincere apology” for celebrating the overturning of Cosby’s conviction.
“My remarks were in no way directed towards survivors of sexual assault. I vehemently oppose sexual violence, find no excuse for such behavior, and I know that Howard University has a zero-tolerance policy toward interpersonal violence,” Rashad wrote.
She promised “to engage in active listening and participate in trainings to not only reinforce University protocol and conduct, but also to learn how I can become a stronger ally to sexual assault survivors and everyone who has suffered at the hands of an abuser.”
It wasn’t the first time Rashad had defended Cosby. In a 2015 ABC News interview, she said, “This is not about the women. This is about something else. This is about the obliteration of legacy.”
In October 2020, Rashad shared a throwback photo of herself that was taken during Howard University's Class of 1970 commencement ceremony. “I had just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and I knew that the world was before me,” she wrote in the caption. “Looking back at this moment I would say to myself, ‘Take a good look at this campus. It is more than brick and mortar. Yes, you are at the threshold of a new “beginning.” Take this living vibration of legacy forward with you.’”
Other notable Howard fine-arts alumni include Taraji P. Henson, Jessye Norman Alma Thomas and Roberta Flack.
Lil Tay, Teen Internet Rapper, Has Died
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” Hope’s family announced on Lil Tay’s Instagram page, which has 3.3 million followers. “We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief. During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation. Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Lil Tay achieved viral fame as a 9-year-old social media influencer. The self-proclaimed “youngest flexer of the century,” she became known for her expletive-filled Instagram videos depicting a lavish hip-hop lifestyle. In one video, she boasted about buying a $200,000 sports car despite not having a drivers license. In another, filmed atop a Beverly Hills viewpoint, she proclaimed, “I run L.A.” Lil Tay was associated with popular rappers including Chief Keef and XXXTentacion, whom she called a “father figure” in a 2018 Instagram post. She drew backlash for using the N-word, later apologizing to those she had “offended.” In 2018, she starred in a three-episode docuseries about her rise to fame titled “Life With Lil Tay.”
After disappearing from the internet five years ago, Lil Tay was launched into a custody battle between her parents, while suspicious allegations appeared online about her family situation and safety. In June 2018, Lil Tay’s Instagram was wiped clean, and the words “help me” were posted to her story.
In an alleged Instagram hack a few months later, a series of abuse allegations against her father, Christopher Hope, were posted to Lil Tay’s Instagram. The allegations claimed that Hope had court-ordered Lil Tay back to Canada in order to profit off her earnings. Lil Tay’s manager at the time, Harry Tsang, claimed the allegations were fabricated in a 2018 interview with The Daily Beast.
In a phone interview with The Daily Beast alongside her mother, Angela Tian, Lil Tay said, “Right now I’m in a bad situation and I don’t want to talk about these things,” adding that her father had “filed something to the court and the court ordered us to go back here, and he said that I was in danger and stuff.”
She said of Hope: “He was threatening to arrest — to have my mom arrested if we didn’t go back… I didn’t see him for multiple years. He never saw me for so long, it’s obvious he just came back because he wants money.”
This story is still developing.
Jonathan Majors Trial Postponed as Police Search for Accuser
*Jonathan Majors‘ trial date is set for September 6 to face charges of two counts of third-degree assault, aggravated harassment, and attempted assault for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend back in March.
The attorney representing Majors says he’s the real victim because his “life, reputation, and career have been torn apart.”
According to Black Enterprise, the NYPD is now looking for the accuser, Majors’ ex-girlfriend Grace Jabari, who is allegedly out of the country.
Due to prosecutors’ failure to turn over evidence promptly, the domestic assault trial against the “Creed III” star has been pushed back until next month.
“Many outlets have misreported what happened on Jonathan Majors’ August 3 court date, falsely claiming that I made a motion to delay the trial. That is untrue and incorrect,” Priya Chaudhry, Majors’ defense lawyer, said in a written statement provided to Newsweek. “The prosecution confessed to its unpreparedness, pushing the trial date to September 6. I presented no motions, did not ask to delay the trial, and there were no motions before the court.”
She continued: “Jonathan Majors has been waiting for 132 days to clear his name of these false allegations while the NYPD waits to arrest his accuser upon her New York return.”
In June, Majors filed a complaint against Jabbari, whom he alleged physically assaulted him on March 25, the night that he allegedly attacked her, and was arrested.
Chaudry claimed Majors later went to the police station “to present them with evidence of what really happened on that night,” and alleged Jabbari was “drunk and hysterical” during the incident.
Prosecutors did not press charges against Jabbari despite police having a reason to investigate her.
If found guilty, Majors could face up to a year in jail.
“Jonathan Majors is completely innocent and is probably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows. We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” Chaudhry said in a March statement.
Foot Locker Declines Yeezy Restock Over Pr Concerns
A statement from Foot Locker reads, “While we remain a partner with Adidas and carry a wide assortment of their collections, we will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites.”
When Kanye West made the statements in question in 2022, Foot Locker immediately pulled his inventory of shoes from the shelves and condemned the rapper.fashion mogul in a statement, saying, “Foot Locker, Inc. does not tolerate any form of antisemitism, or hateful and discriminatory behavior.”
Anti-corruption Ecuadorian presidential candidate assassinated at campaign event
An Ecuadorian presidential candidate known for speaking up against cartels and corruption was shot and killed Wednesday at a political rally in the capital, amid a startling wave of gang-driven violence in the South American country.
President Guillermo Lasso confirmed the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio and suggested organized crime was behind his slaying, less than two weeks before the Aug. 20 presidential election.
“I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished,” Lasso said in a statement. “Organized crime has gone too far, but they will feel the full weight of the law.”
Ecuador’s attorney general’s office said that one suspect died in custody from wounds sustained in a firefight after the killing, and police detained six suspects following raids in Quito.
In his final speech before he was killed, Villavicencio promised a roaring crowd that he would root out corruption and lock up the country’s “thieves.”
Prior to the shooting, Villavicencio said he had received multiple death threats, including from affiliates of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, one of a slew of international organized crime groups that now operate in Ecuador. He said his campaign represented a threat to such groups.
“Here I am showing my face. I'm not scared of them,” Villavicencio said in a statement, naming detained crime boss José Adolfo Macías by his alias “Fito.”
Villavicencio was one of eight candidates, though not the front-runner. The politician, 59, was the candidate for the Build Ecuador Movement.
Supporter Ida Paez said that Villavicencio's campaign had given her hope that the country could overcome the gangs. At the rally, she said, “We were happy. Fernando even danced. His last words were, if someone messes with the people, he is messing with my family.”
As drug traffickers have begun to use the country’s coastal ports, Ecuadorians have reeled from violence not seen for decades. The sounds of gunfire ring in many major cities as rival gangs battle for control, and gangs have recruited children. Just last month, the mayor of the port city of Manta was shot and killed. On July 26, Lasso declared a state of emergency covering two provinces and the country's prison system in an effort to stem the violence.
Former vice president and candidate Otto Sonnenholzner said in a news conference following Wednesday's killing, “We are dying, drowning in a sea of tears and we do not deserve to live like this. We demand that you do something.”
Videos of the rally on social media appear to show Villavicencio walking out of the event surrounded by guards. The video then shows the candidate getting into a white pickup truck before gunshots are heard, followed by screams and commotion around the truck. This sequence of events was confirmed to The Associated Press by Patricio Zuquilanda, Villavicencio’s campaign adviser.
Zuquilanda said the candidate had received at least three death threats before the shooting, which he had reported to authorities, resulting in one detention. He called on international authorities to take action against the violence, attributing it to rising violence and drug trafficking.
“The Ecuadorian people are crying and Ecuador is mortally wounded,” he said. “Politics cannot lead to the death of any member of society.”
Villavicencio was one of the country's most critical voices against corruption, especially during the 2007-2017 government of President Rafael Correa.
He was also an independent journalist who investigated corruption in previous governments, later entering politics as an anti-graft campaigner.
Villavicencio filed many judicial complaints against high-ranking members of the Correa government, including against the ex-president himself. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for defamation over his criticisms of Correa, and fled to Indigenous territory in Ecuador, later receiving asylum in neighboring Peru.
Edison Romo, a former military intelligence colonel, said the anti-corruption complaints made Villavicencio “a threat to international criminal organizations.”
Lasso, a conservative former banker, was elected in 2021 on a business-friendly platform and clashed from the start with the left-leaning majority coalition in the National Assembly.
A snap election was called after Lasso dissolved the National Assembly by decree in May, in a move to avoid being impeached over allegations that he failed to intervene to end a faulty contract between the state-owned oil transport company and a private tanker company.
Ecuador’s constitution includes a provision that allows the president to disband the assembly during a political crisis, but then requires new elections for both the assembly and the presidency.
The country has faced a series of political upheavals in recent years.
Authorities said that at least nine others were injured in the Wednesday shooting, including officers and a congressional candidate, in what they described as a “terrorist act.”
The killing was met with an outcry by other candidates who demanded action, with presidential front-runner Luisa González of the Citizen Revolution party saying “when they touch one of us, they touch all of us.”
Villavicencio was married and is survived by five children.
Lay’s Reintroduces Its “Flavor Swap” Chips..UMMMM, Yay or Nay?
Lay’s Kettle Cooked Ruffles All Dressed chips combine iconic tastes such as ketchup, barbecue, sour cream and onion, and salt and vinegar. The long-standing Canadian favorite debuted on American snack shelves in 2015 but was withdrawn in the summer of 2021. Presently, Lay’s is reintroducing this beloved flavor alongside a selection of other delectable crossbred varieties.
As part of the Flavor Swap, Lay’s is making a comeback with the Cheetos and Doritos Cool Ranch potato chip flavors alongside a Funyuns variant. The All Dressed, Cheetos, and Doritos Cool Ranch options will be available until stocks run out.
In 2022, Lay’s introduced the Lay’s Kettle Cooked Fritos Chili Cheese as a component of their flavor mashups. This creation ingeniously merged the distinctive and smoky essence of Fritos with the crunch of kettle-cooked potato chips.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
BadAss Granpa
Breaking Bad?????
Breaking Bad?????
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ALL!!!
EFREM
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