#FASHIONFAB: H&M Fall 2023 Collection
For H&M Fall 2023, Baroque meets neo-noir with romantic, opulent silhouettes mixing with all faux leather looks and denim, inspired by the late 1990s. Power shoulders, narrow waists and elongated lines feature among the strong suiting, long dresses and statement tops. Sheer fabrics, lace, lingerie details and pearl embellishment elevate each piece spectacularly, while a neutral colour palette of black, silver, earth tones and off-whites keeps the tone sophisticated. The collection launches September 14th and will be available in stores worldwide and online at www.hm.com.
#RHOA: Drew Sidora Slams Courtney Rhodes After RHOA Reunion: ‘Kids Are Always off Limits!’
With Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 15 Reunion airing its first part last night, it was only expected that the cast would be tweeting up a storm. The reunion’s climax focused on Drew Sidora and Ralph Pittman, just as the trailers suggested.
But just as present was Ralph’s “cousin,” Courtney Rhodes, the undoubted villain of RHOA Season 14. Courtney’s dubious relation to Ralph aside, Drew was ready for her arrival. She had a plum in her bag, and a verbal cannonball, all ready for throwing.
Drew did not hold back, throwing all the shade she wanted in response to Courtney’s malicious comments about Drew’s family during the season finale. However, it looked like Drew had more to say than what she had said at the reunion.
Drew fires at Courtney again on Twitter
The day after part 1 aired, Drew tweeted about Courtney, “I must always protect and stand for my children against this type of evil. I gave him the opportunity to shut his unverifiable fake cousin down for her disgusting comments made concerning my son, however, he refused to do so & it breaks my heart.”
She then replied to her tweet, writing, “She meant to be nasty & rude making comments and dragging my child into this… KIDS ARE ALWAYS OFF LIMITS!!! That’s it, that’s all….we’re done!” The idea of kids being “off-limits” is a sentiment that’s been repeated throughout the history of Housewives.
It’s a controversial statement. The ideal would be to keep kids out of production at all costs. But when the well-being of the children is called into question, someone needs to speak up. Of course, in this specific situation, it was clear that Courtney was not in the right. And Ralph might be even worse for enabling the whole thing.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion Part 2 airs Sunday, September 10, at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
#NewMusicVideo from Musiq Soulchild “your love is life” With Hit-Boy
The visuals just keep coming from Musiq Soulchild and Hit-Boy’s collaborative album “Victims & Villains”.
The duo have just released the visual for “your love is life”, a stunning ninth video from the ten song album so far.
WATCH HERE
#RHOA: Drew Sidora Slams Courtney Rhodes After RHOA Reunion: ‘Kids Are Always off Limits!’
But just as present was Ralph’s “cousin,” Courtney Rhodes, the undoubted villain of RHOA Season 14. Courtney’s dubious relation to Ralph aside, Drew was ready for her arrival. She had a plum in her bag, and a verbal cannonball, all ready for throwing.
Drew did not hold back, throwing all the shade she wanted in response to Courtney’s malicious comments about Drew’s family during the season finale. However, it looked like Drew had more to say than what she had said at the reunion.
Drew fires at Courtney again on Twitter
The day after part 1 aired, Drew tweeted about Courtney, “I must always protect and stand for my children against this type of evil. I gave him the opportunity to shut his unverifiable fake cousin down for her disgusting comments made concerning my son, however, he refused to do so & it breaks my heart.”
She then replied to her tweet, writing, “She meant to be nasty & rude making comments and dragging my child into this… KIDS ARE ALWAYS OFF LIMITS!!! That’s it, that’s all….we’re done!” The idea of kids being “off-limits” is a sentiment that’s been repeated throughout the history of Housewives.
It’s a controversial statement. The ideal would be to keep kids out of production at all costs. But when the well-being of the children is called into question, someone needs to speak up. Of course, in this specific situation, it was clear that Courtney was not in the right. And Ralph might be even worse for enabling the whole thing.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion Part 2 airs Sunday, September 10, at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
#NewMusicVideo from Musiq Soulchild “your love is life” With Hit-Boy
The visuals just keep coming from Musiq Soulchild and Hit-Boy’s collaborative album “Victims & Villains”.
The duo have just released the visual for “your love is life”, a stunning ninth video from the ten song album so far.
WATCH HERE
As with each of the videos released so far, the visual presents a cinematic backdrop to perfectly play out the lyrics from the song.
#HipHopNews: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion announce "Bongos" single
On Monday (Sept. 4), Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took to social media to announce their new single “Bongos” and share its official artwork. The track will be released this Friday (Sept. 8) and is expected to be accompanied by a matching visual.
“Bongos” will mark the duo’s latest collaboration since 2020’s “WAP,” a song that received both praise and controversy due to its sexually explicit content. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to date has crossed the platinum-certified mark seven times over. “WAP” also earned several plaques and chart positions in a wealth of other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Poland, and Portugal.
For Cardi B, “Bongos” will be the latest in a string of loose drops that the NYC star released since 2018’s Invasion of Privacy, an album that achieved massive commercial success and boasted appearances from the likes of Migos, Chance The Rapper, Bad Bunny, 21 Savage, and SZA. Subsequent singles like “Money,” “Please Me” with Bruno Mars, “Press,” “Up,” and “Hot S**t” with Kanye West and Lil Durk kept Cardi at the forefront of hip hop while leaving fans clamoring for a sophomore LP.
As previously reported, the “Bodak Yellow” talent told “The Breakfast Club” that a new album is arriving in 2023 because she has “no choice.” She also provided a few details of the project’s status. “I have like a couple of songs that are definite. I don’t know, I don’t know what’s going on with me. I need to just make up my mind and put it out… I think I’m too much in my head about it. I feel like I’m just missing something,” she explained.
Proud Boys’ Enrique Tarrio gets record 22 years in prison for Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for orchestrating his far-right extremist group’s attack on the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to stop the transfer of presidential power after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.
Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases, topping the 18-year sentences that Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and one-time Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean each received after juries convicted them of seditious conspiracy and other charges.
It comes as the Justice Department prepares to put Trump on trial at the same courthouse in Washington on charges that the then-president illegally schemed to cling to power that he knew had been stripped away by voters.
The Tarrio case — and hundreds of others like it — function as a vivid reminder of the violent chaos fueled by Trump’s lies around the election and the extent to which his false claims helped inspire right-wing extremists who ultimately stormed the Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power.
Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear. His voice cracked as he expressed remorse for letting down his family and vowed that he is done with politics.
“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal,” Tarrio said.
“Please show me mercy,” he said, adding, “I ask you that you not take my 40s from me.”
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, said Tarrio was motivated by “revolutionary zeal” to lead the conspiracy that resulted in “200 men, amped up for battle, encircling the Capitol.” Noting that Tarrio had not previously shown any public remorse for his crimes, the judge said a stiff punishment was necessary to deter future political violence.
“It can’t happen again. It can’t happen again,” the judge repeated.
Standing before the judge in orange jail garb, Tarrio lowered his head after the sentence was read, then squared his shoulders and put his hands before his back.
Prosecutors had sought 33 years behind bars for Tarrio, describing him as the ringleader of a plot to use violence to shatter the cornerstone of American democracy and overturn the election victory by Joe Biden, a Democrat, over Trump, the Republican incumbent.
Prosecutor Conor Mulroe told the judge that the Proud Boys came dangerously close to succeeding in their plot to stop the transfer of presidential power — and noted that “it didn’t take rifles or explosives.”
“There was a very real possibility we were going to wake up on Jan. 7 in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” Mulroe said, with “300 million Americans having no idea who the next president would be or how it would be decided.”
The prosecutor urged the judge to ensure that “consequences are abundantly clear to anyone who might be unhappy with the results of 2024, 2028, 2032 or any future election for as long as this case is remembered.”
Tarrio wasn’t in Washington, D.C, when Proud Boys members joined thousands of Trump supporters, who smashed windows, beat police officers and poured into the House and Senate chambers as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. But prosecutors say the 39-year-old Miami resident organized and led the Proud Boys’ assault from afar, inspiring followers with his charisma and penchant for propaganda.
Tarrio had been arrested two days before the Capitol riot on charges that he defaced a Black Lives Matter banner during an earlier rally in the nation’s capital, and he had complied with a judge’s order to leave the city after his arrest.
The judge agreed with prosecutors that the Proud Boys’ crimes could be punished as “terrorism” — increasing the recommended sentence under federal guidelines. But he ultimately sentenced the Proud Boys to prison terms shorter than what prosecutors were seeking.
The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that prosecutors say showed how the extremists saw themselves as revolutionaries and celebrated the Capitol attack, which sent lawmakers running into hiding.
As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media, “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded, “Do it again.”
“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”
Tarrio’s lawyers denied the Proud Boys had any plan to attack the Capitol or stop the certification of Biden’s victory. They argued that prosecutors used Tarrio as a scapegoat for Trump, who spoke at the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 and urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”
Tarrio is the final Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy to receive his punishment. Three fellow Proud Boys found guilty by a Washington jury of the rarely used sedition charge were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 18 years.
Beyonce Knowles Serenaded By Diana Ross At Inglewood Concert
Diana Ross got the crowd to sing Beyonce Knowles a "Happy Birthday" at her Inglewood concert on Monday night, September 4. The "Cuff It" hitmaker marked her 42nd birthday in style at her "Renaissance Tour" stop at the SoFi Stadium, where the 79-year-old Motown legend serenaded her with "Happy Birthday to You."
Beyonce then thanked Diana after excitedly hopping around for "opening the doors for me." "Thank you so much, you are so amazing. This is the legendary Diana Ross. I would not be me without you. Thank you so much for all of your sacrifice, your beauty and your grace. Thank you for opening the doors for me," she said.
Diana replied, "You sang Happy Birthday for me, so I wanted to sing it for you." Beyonce then said, "Give it up for The Queen."
Back in 2019, Beyonce sang "Happy Birthday" to Diana on her 75th birthday in Los Angeles. Beyonce's star-studded crowd included Katy Perry and Kate Hudson. Royalty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex also attended earlier this week.
Beyonce also gave a shoutout to her former Destiny's Child bandmates at Monday's show. She gushed, "I'm thankful for Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams (II), LeToya Luckett, and LaTavia Roberson."
Joe Jonas Files For Divorce From Sophie Turner After 4 Years of Marriage
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are calling it quits after four years of marriage. On Sept. 3, People reported, per a source, that Jonas had retained a divorce lawyer. TMZ was first to break the news. On Sept. 5, Jonas filed for divorce in Miami-Dade County, FL, according to online records. Per "Today," the filing states that "the marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken."
According to "Today," the couple's two children — daughter Willa, 3, and their other baby girl, 1 (whose name has not been shared yet) — have been living with Jonas in Miami and other places throughout the US. However, Jonas notes in his petition that "it is in the best interests of the minor children that the parties have shared parental responsibility." The petition also states that Jonas and Turner have a prenuptial agreement.
Reps for Jonas and Turner did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR's requests for comment on Jonas's divorce filing. Previously, a rep for Turner declined to comment on the initial reports of their split.
On the same day that news broke of Jonas and Turner's impending divorce, the former posted a photo on Instagram of him with his brothers Nick and Kevin and wished his followers a "Happy Labor Day weekend." The snap shows Jonas wearing his wedding ring. Fans who were at the Jonas Brothers concert on Sept. 3 in Austin, TX, were quick to report on social media that he was also wearing the ring on stage.
Jonas, 34, and Turner, 27, started dating in late 2016 and announced their engagement in October 2017. They tied the knot Las Vegas style with a star-studded wedding — which Diplo famously live-streamed on his Instagram — on May 1, 2019, just hours after they attended the Billboard Music Awards. A month later, the parents of two got married again in France with their closest family and friends in attendance.
This year, Turner supported Jonas at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where he received a star with his brothers, Nick and Kevin. The couple also attended Vanity Fair's 2023 Oscars afterparty in March. Most recently, Turner celebrated Jonas's 34th birthday by posting a selfie of them wearing matching pajamas on Instagram. Turner captioned it, "happy birthday handsome."
Whoopi Goldberg tests positive for COVID misses ‘The View’ Season 27 premiere
“The View” returned for its 27th season on Tuesday — with new table and new mugs, no less — but Whoopi Goldberg missed the premiere because of a third COVID diagnosis.
“As you can see, Whoopi is not here,” co-host Joy Behar told the audience on Tuesday, per People. “She has COVID. It’s back. It’s back!”
Goldberg’s colleague did share an optimistic prognosis for the 67-year-old: “She’s on the mend, she’s on the tail-end and will probably be back this week,” Behar said. “But sorry she’s not here, for those of you who were looking forward to seeing her.”
Cases of COVID kept Goldberg from her duties on the talk show twice last year: once in January 2022 and again that November.
For that first case, it was again Behar who broke the news. “Since she is vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very mild,” Behar said of her colleague’s condition, per Deadline.
And Goldberg shared her experience with the virus in November 2022 when she returned from her second absence.
“You can get boosted within an inch of your life, and then the next thing you know, you got COVID again,” she said at the time.
She went on: “I will tell you, we’re used to people saying, ‘Oh [COVID] isn’t that bad [now],’ but this was a rough one. The true thing is, if you really want to protect yourself you probably need to keep the mask on a little more than you want to.”
News of Goldberg’s latest COVID case came one day after Jill Biden tested positive for the virus. In a statement, the White House said that the first lady is experiencing “mild symptoms” and that President Joe Biden has tested negative, according to CNN.
COVID levels have been on the rise in the U.S. for weeks, with 5,000 new hospital admissions for COVID cases in the week ending Aug. 19, CDC data shows.
“Now is the time for us to be practicing good respiratory etiquette,” Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, told CNN last week. “Now is the time for us to remind ourselves to think about our own individual health status and those individuals that we may be around.”
Diddy Reassigns Publishing Rights To Bad Boy Records Artists And Songwriters
Sean “Diddy” Combs decided to relinquish Bad Boys Records’ publishing rights to its artists and songwriters. This surprising decision upends decades of conventional industry practices, where record companies have historically retained the rights to their signees’ work.
Per REVOLT, the announcement came as a seismic shift in an industry often criticized for its exploitative business models. For years, labels have pocketed the lion’s share of revenue generated from an artist’s creative output, leaving many to question the fairness of such arrangements. Now, Combs’ decision seeks to redistribute that wealth to the artists themselves.
Since its launch in 1993, Bad Boy Records followed the industry standard. Over the years, however, Diddy’s viewpoint underwent a significant transformation. Artists like Faith Evans, Ma$e, The LOX, and 112, along with the estate of the late Notorious B.I.G., are among those who stand to benefit from this shift in policy.
Insiders report that Combs’ decision came after he declined several lucrative offers to sell the company’s publishing rights. Instead, the music mogul opted for a more equitable distribution of wealth, reassigning the rights to the artists and songwriters responsible for the label’s success.
Coinciding with Bad Boy’s 30th anniversary, this monumental step also followed a period of public contention between Diddy and Bad Boy alum Ma$e. The dispute peaked after the former criticized the Recording Academy for overlooking Black artists. Last year, the “Feel So Good” artist even offered $2 million to buy back his publishing.
In related news, Diddy’s upcoming sixth studio LP, The Love Album: Off the Grid, is set to drop on Sept. 15. Alongside established acts such as John Legend, Babyface, and Mary J. Blige, rising stars like H.E.R., Jozzy, Kalan.FrFr, and Summer Walker will also appear on the project.
Gary Wright, Singer-Songwriter Known For 70s Hits 'Dream Weaver' And 'Love Is Alive,' Dies At 80
His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. -- Gary Wright, best known for his 70s hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive," died after long health battle, his son told Eyewitness News. He was 80.
His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
The singer-songwriter died Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Halle Bailey Opens Up About How Being In Love for the First Time Inspires Her Music
Halle Bailey is speaking out about being in love for the first time in a new magazine cover story.
The 23-year-old actress and singer has been in a relationship with rapper DDG for nearly two years now, and while the two have had ups and downs in the public eye, and faced many rumors, they’re still going strong and in love.
In a new interview, Halle dished on how being in love has been an inspiration for her music.
“All musical inspiration really just comes from life experiences,” Halle shared with Cosmopolitan. “Love has been a really big one for me too, because that’s something I’m experiencing for the first time, and it’s, like, ‘whoa’ in your brain. It’s just fireworks, a spark for creativity. You know, you have puppy love experiences, you think that’s love. But this is my first deep, deep, real love.”
In the same interview, Halle talked about growing up in the public eye, transitioning to more mature content and people having so many opinions about her life.
“There will always be a conversation because I started so young. There’s a sort of protectiveness or ownership that people feel they have over your story because they’ve known you for so long. Part of me thinks that’s a beautiful thing, to know that you have that support from people and they just want to see good things happen to you,” she said. “But it’s also really easy for us to comment on what other people are doing…to say a lot of stuff. I think the transition will continue to happen naturally. It’s on people to figure it out, not necessarily on me.”
Earlier this year, Halle and DDG faced breakup rumors, among other online rumors.
Nathan Louis Jackson, ‘Luke Cage’ Writer and Producer, Dies at 44
Nathan Louis Jackson, the playwright, screenwriter and producer who worked on the Netflix superhero series Luke Cage, has died. He was 44.
Jackson died Aug. 22 at his home in Lenexa, Kansas, his wife, Megan Mascorro-Jackson, told The Hollywood Reporter. She said her husband had heart issues — he had undergone an aortic dissection in 2019 — and the family has chosen against an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Since 2010, Jackson also wrote and produced for such other shows as Southland, Shameless, Resurrection, 13 Reasons Why, Genius and S.W.A.T.
During the two-season run (2016-18) of Luke Cage, created by Cheo Hodari Coker and starring Mike Colter as the Harlem hero from the Marvel Comics, Jackson wrote two episodes while also serving as a co-producer and executive story editor.
“The series makes a bigger, grander statement about African American men and how we view them,” he told The Kansas City Star a few years ago. “It is undoubtedly a Black show. But at the same time, it’s just a superhero show. We deal with something all the other superheroes deal with. We just do it from a different standpoint.”
Born on Dec. 4, 1978, in Lawrence, Kansas, Jackson attended Washington High School, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Kansas State, where he wrote his first plays.
“I’m there in the Midwest, and there ain’t no other Black folks doing this, so I’d just end up doing August Wilson every time,” he told The New York Times in a 2011 interview. “I wanted to do a piece that speaks for me, so I said, ‘I’ll just write my own stuff.'”
He moved to New York to attend Juilliard and was still in school when his play Broke-ology premiered in 2008 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. Starring Wendell Pierce in the story of a poor Kansas City family, it opened at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center in October 2009.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Pierce paid tribute to Jackson: “He was authentic, Black, insightful, down to earth, literary, uniquely creative, soulful, and a man comfortable in his KC roots. He was a friend who became my brother. I loved him.”
Jackson received two Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Awards, the Kennedy Center’s Gold Medallion and the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award for his stage work, which also included The Last Black Play, The Mancherios, Sticky Traps, Brother Toad and When I Come to Die, which played off-Broadway in 2011.
He was the playwright in residence at the Kansas City Repertory Theater from 2013-19.
Jackson’s work “often showcased his love for his hometown,” his family noted in a statement. “Having lived and worked on both coasts, Nathan’s heart belonged in Kansas City. Nathan was especially passionate about bar-b-que and his Kansas City Chiefs.
“He was a devoted supporter of the arts community within Kansas City. He will be remembered by his loved ones for his warmth and kindness, and his phone calls. He did not believe in text messaging, preferring to speak voice to voice whenever possible.”
In addition to his wife, survivors include his mother, Bessie; children Amaya and Savion; and siblings Ebony and Wardell. A celebration of life is being planned, and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family with expenses.
Scottie Pippen Has Surprising Response to His Ex-Wife Dating Michael Jordan’s Son
*An insider claims Michael Jordan’s “worst nightmare” is that his son, Marcus Jordan, will marry Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife and “be stepdad” to his kids.
The tea spiller told RadarOnline that while Scottie remains friends with his ex-wife Larsa Pippen, he “figures anything that gets under Michael’s skin is a victory for him.” Another insider denied the allegations, according to the outlet.
“Michael’s worst nightmare is Marcus will end up marrying Larsa — and his son will be stepdad to his enemy Scottie’s kids,” the insider told Radar. Larsa and Scottie share four children.
The comments come after Larsa and Marcus denied rumors that they are engaged. Last month, Marcus spoke about wedding venues during an episode of their podcast Separation Anxiety.
“First topic is: Marcus is looking for a wedding venue,” Marcus said during the broadcast. “Obviously, we were at dinner the other night, and paparazzi got us leaving the restaurant and asked us if there were wedding plans in the works, and so, I think I responded in a cheeky way.”
Marcus admitted, however, that wedding bells are not in the immediate future just yet.
“I had a hundred calls and text messages of people congratulating us,” said Larsa on the podcast. The couple is “not engaged”… yet. “But you did give me a promise ring,” she added.
“Yeah, I definitely gave you a promise ring,” Marcus replied.
“He gave her a promise ring,” a source told RadarOnline.com, but “the two have been talking marriage.”
Michael Jordan previously told TMZ that he disapproves of his 32-year-old son dating 49-year-old Larsa. Per RadarOnline, sources claim Michael “accused his son of dating Larsa just to stir the pot and that he should drop her, but Marcus says he is a grown man who makes his own decisions.”
“Larsa and Michael know that with the bad blood between Michael and Scott this could turn into war, but they really are crazy about each other!”
Scottie and MJ won six NBA championships with the Bulls in the 1990s before their relationship soured. During a previous episode of Separation Anxiety, Larsa said MJ’s public diss of her romance with his son “embarrassed” and “traumatized” her.
Rapper B.G. Has Been Released From Prison
Hot Boys rapper B.G. has been released from prison after serving more than a decade behind bars.
Birdman took to Instagram on Tuesday to share the heartwarming moment of welcoming the Louisiana rapper home at an airport
News had surfaced last week indicating that the artist, whose real name is Christopher Dorsey, would be released in the coming days.
The rapper also took to Instagram on Sunday, coincidentally his birthday, to let fans know that he was on the verge of becoming a free man and celebrating his last birthday while “buried alive” in confinement.
“After 12 winters and 13 summers, I see the end zone,” he wrote in the post. “It’s my last #Birthday being buried alive. This year I’m celebrating the whole Virgo cycle, matter of fact, from this year forward I’m living and celebrating like everyday is #MyBIRTHDAY.”
Back in 2011, B.G. pleaded guilty to two charges of firearm possession and one charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice. As a result, he was handed a 14-year federal prison term in the subsequent year, along with three years of federal supervised release.
The Hot Boys group member had previously made efforts to secure compassionate release from prison amid the COVID-19 pandemic but was denied three times. He was originally expected to be released on April 7, 2024, which means he was released ahead of schedule by slightly more than seven months.
Dr. Dre And Jimmy Iovine Set To Launch A New Learning Center In Atlanta High School
The Iovine and Young Education Group, led by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, is launching a new learning center.
Set to launch at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta by August 2024, the center will initially focus on 9th-grade STEAM Academy students. These students will get the opportunity to explore different fields, businesses, and industries, with the goal of finding solutions to challenges in those areas.
“We want to give the next generation of students access to a proven, revolutionary learning experience where technology meets design and entrepreneurship,” Iovine said. “This will not only prepare them for the jobs of today. But equip them to reimagine and shape the jobs, technologies, and creative enterprises of the future.”
He added, “We are thrilled with our results in higher ed and the Los Angeles high school, and hope for similar success with Atlanta Public Schools.”
Annually, the incoming freshman class cohort will expand, granting them the chance to participate. The program’s complete integration across all four grade levels is set to be accomplished by 2027-2028.
Throughout the years, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine have dedicated their attention to philanthropic work. In 2014, the Beats co-founders introduced the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation at the University of Southern California. Years later, Dr. Dre said that his intention was to provide assistance to the younger version of himself.
“Here’s a place that you can go where there’s something that you can learn that you’re really interested in,” Dre explained. “That guy that didn’t have an opportunity, that had to scratch and figure out things on his own. That had the curiosity but didn’t have these type of opportunities.
#HipHopNews: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion announce "Bongos" single
“Bongos” will mark the duo’s latest collaboration since 2020’s “WAP,” a song that received both praise and controversy due to its sexually explicit content. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to date has crossed the platinum-certified mark seven times over. “WAP” also earned several plaques and chart positions in a wealth of other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Poland, and Portugal.
For Cardi B, “Bongos” will be the latest in a string of loose drops that the NYC star released since 2018’s Invasion of Privacy, an album that achieved massive commercial success and boasted appearances from the likes of Migos, Chance The Rapper, Bad Bunny, 21 Savage, and SZA. Subsequent singles like “Money,” “Please Me” with Bruno Mars, “Press,” “Up,” and “Hot S**t” with Kanye West and Lil Durk kept Cardi at the forefront of hip hop while leaving fans clamoring for a sophomore LP.
As previously reported, the “Bodak Yellow” talent told “The Breakfast Club” that a new album is arriving in 2023 because she has “no choice.” She also provided a few details of the project’s status. “I have like a couple of songs that are definite. I don’t know, I don’t know what’s going on with me. I need to just make up my mind and put it out… I think I’m too much in my head about it. I feel like I’m just missing something,” she explained.
Proud Boys’ Enrique Tarrio gets record 22 years in prison for Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was sentenced Tuesday to 22 years in prison for orchestrating his far-right extremist group’s attack on the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to stop the transfer of presidential power after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.
Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases, topping the 18-year sentences that Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and one-time Proud Boys leader Ethan Nordean each received after juries convicted them of seditious conspiracy and other charges.
It comes as the Justice Department prepares to put Trump on trial at the same courthouse in Washington on charges that the then-president illegally schemed to cling to power that he knew had been stripped away by voters.
The Tarrio case — and hundreds of others like it — function as a vivid reminder of the violent chaos fueled by Trump’s lies around the election and the extent to which his false claims helped inspire right-wing extremists who ultimately stormed the Capitol to thwart the peaceful transfer of power.
Rising to speak before the sentence was handed down, Tarrio pleaded for leniency, describing Jan. 6 as a “national embarrassment,” and apologizing to the police officers who defended the Capitol and the lawmakers who fled in fear. His voice cracked as he expressed remorse for letting down his family and vowed that he is done with politics.
“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the results of the election was not my goal,” Tarrio said.
“Please show me mercy,” he said, adding, “I ask you that you not take my 40s from me.”
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, said Tarrio was motivated by “revolutionary zeal” to lead the conspiracy that resulted in “200 men, amped up for battle, encircling the Capitol.” Noting that Tarrio had not previously shown any public remorse for his crimes, the judge said a stiff punishment was necessary to deter future political violence.
“It can’t happen again. It can’t happen again,” the judge repeated.
Standing before the judge in orange jail garb, Tarrio lowered his head after the sentence was read, then squared his shoulders and put his hands before his back.
Prosecutors had sought 33 years behind bars for Tarrio, describing him as the ringleader of a plot to use violence to shatter the cornerstone of American democracy and overturn the election victory by Joe Biden, a Democrat, over Trump, the Republican incumbent.
Prosecutor Conor Mulroe told the judge that the Proud Boys came dangerously close to succeeding in their plot to stop the transfer of presidential power — and noted that “it didn’t take rifles or explosives.”
“There was a very real possibility we were going to wake up on Jan. 7 in a full-blown constitutional crisis,” Mulroe said, with “300 million Americans having no idea who the next president would be or how it would be decided.”
The prosecutor urged the judge to ensure that “consequences are abundantly clear to anyone who might be unhappy with the results of 2024, 2028, 2032 or any future election for as long as this case is remembered.”
Tarrio wasn’t in Washington, D.C, when Proud Boys members joined thousands of Trump supporters, who smashed windows, beat police officers and poured into the House and Senate chambers as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. But prosecutors say the 39-year-old Miami resident organized and led the Proud Boys’ assault from afar, inspiring followers with his charisma and penchant for propaganda.
Tarrio had been arrested two days before the Capitol riot on charges that he defaced a Black Lives Matter banner during an earlier rally in the nation’s capital, and he had complied with a judge’s order to leave the city after his arrest.
The judge agreed with prosecutors that the Proud Boys’ crimes could be punished as “terrorism” — increasing the recommended sentence under federal guidelines. But he ultimately sentenced the Proud Boys to prison terms shorter than what prosecutors were seeking.
The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that prosecutors say showed how the extremists saw themselves as revolutionaries and celebrated the Capitol attack, which sent lawmakers running into hiding.
As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media, “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded, “Do it again.”
“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”
Tarrio’s lawyers denied the Proud Boys had any plan to attack the Capitol or stop the certification of Biden’s victory. They argued that prosecutors used Tarrio as a scapegoat for Trump, who spoke at the “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 and urged his supporters to “fight like hell.”
Tarrio is the final Proud Boys leader convicted of seditious conspiracy to receive his punishment. Three fellow Proud Boys found guilty by a Washington jury of the rarely used sedition charge were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 to 18 years.
Beyonce Knowles Serenaded By Diana Ross At Inglewood Concert
Diana Ross got the crowd to sing Beyonce Knowles a "Happy Birthday" at her Inglewood concert on Monday night, September 4. The "Cuff It" hitmaker marked her 42nd birthday in style at her "Renaissance Tour" stop at the SoFi Stadium, where the 79-year-old Motown legend serenaded her with "Happy Birthday to You."
Beyonce then thanked Diana after excitedly hopping around for "opening the doors for me." "Thank you so much, you are so amazing. This is the legendary Diana Ross. I would not be me without you. Thank you so much for all of your sacrifice, your beauty and your grace. Thank you for opening the doors for me," she said.
Diana replied, "You sang Happy Birthday for me, so I wanted to sing it for you." Beyonce then said, "Give it up for The Queen."
Back in 2019, Beyonce sang "Happy Birthday" to Diana on her 75th birthday in Los Angeles. Beyonce's star-studded crowd included Katy Perry and Kate Hudson. Royalty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex also attended earlier this week.
Beyonce also gave a shoutout to her former Destiny's Child bandmates at Monday's show. She gushed, "I'm thankful for Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams (II), LeToya Luckett, and LaTavia Roberson."
Joe Jonas Files For Divorce From Sophie Turner After 4 Years of Marriage
According to "Today," the couple's two children — daughter Willa, 3, and their other baby girl, 1 (whose name has not been shared yet) — have been living with Jonas in Miami and other places throughout the US. However, Jonas notes in his petition that "it is in the best interests of the minor children that the parties have shared parental responsibility." The petition also states that Jonas and Turner have a prenuptial agreement.
Reps for Jonas and Turner did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR's requests for comment on Jonas's divorce filing. Previously, a rep for Turner declined to comment on the initial reports of their split.
On the same day that news broke of Jonas and Turner's impending divorce, the former posted a photo on Instagram of him with his brothers Nick and Kevin and wished his followers a "Happy Labor Day weekend." The snap shows Jonas wearing his wedding ring. Fans who were at the Jonas Brothers concert on Sept. 3 in Austin, TX, were quick to report on social media that he was also wearing the ring on stage.
Jonas, 34, and Turner, 27, started dating in late 2016 and announced their engagement in October 2017. They tied the knot Las Vegas style with a star-studded wedding — which Diplo famously live-streamed on his Instagram — on May 1, 2019, just hours after they attended the Billboard Music Awards. A month later, the parents of two got married again in France with their closest family and friends in attendance.
This year, Turner supported Jonas at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, where he received a star with his brothers, Nick and Kevin. The couple also attended Vanity Fair's 2023 Oscars afterparty in March. Most recently, Turner celebrated Jonas's 34th birthday by posting a selfie of them wearing matching pajamas on Instagram. Turner captioned it, "happy birthday handsome."
Whoopi Goldberg tests positive for COVID misses ‘The View’ Season 27 premiere
“The View” returned for its 27th season on Tuesday — with new table and new mugs, no less — but Whoopi Goldberg missed the premiere because of a third COVID diagnosis.
“As you can see, Whoopi is not here,” co-host Joy Behar told the audience on Tuesday, per People. “She has COVID. It’s back. It’s back!”
Goldberg’s colleague did share an optimistic prognosis for the 67-year-old: “She’s on the mend, she’s on the tail-end and will probably be back this week,” Behar said. “But sorry she’s not here, for those of you who were looking forward to seeing her.”
Cases of COVID kept Goldberg from her duties on the talk show twice last year: once in January 2022 and again that November.
For that first case, it was again Behar who broke the news. “Since she is vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very mild,” Behar said of her colleague’s condition, per Deadline.
And Goldberg shared her experience with the virus in November 2022 when she returned from her second absence.
“You can get boosted within an inch of your life, and then the next thing you know, you got COVID again,” she said at the time.
She went on: “I will tell you, we’re used to people saying, ‘Oh [COVID] isn’t that bad [now],’ but this was a rough one. The true thing is, if you really want to protect yourself you probably need to keep the mask on a little more than you want to.”
News of Goldberg’s latest COVID case came one day after Jill Biden tested positive for the virus. In a statement, the White House said that the first lady is experiencing “mild symptoms” and that President Joe Biden has tested negative, according to CNN.
COVID levels have been on the rise in the U.S. for weeks, with 5,000 new hospital admissions for COVID cases in the week ending Aug. 19, CDC data shows.
“Now is the time for us to be practicing good respiratory etiquette,” Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, told CNN last week. “Now is the time for us to remind ourselves to think about our own individual health status and those individuals that we may be around.”
Diddy Reassigns Publishing Rights To Bad Boy Records Artists And Songwriters
Per REVOLT, the announcement came as a seismic shift in an industry often criticized for its exploitative business models. For years, labels have pocketed the lion’s share of revenue generated from an artist’s creative output, leaving many to question the fairness of such arrangements. Now, Combs’ decision seeks to redistribute that wealth to the artists themselves.
Since its launch in 1993, Bad Boy Records followed the industry standard. Over the years, however, Diddy’s viewpoint underwent a significant transformation. Artists like Faith Evans, Ma$e, The LOX, and 112, along with the estate of the late Notorious B.I.G., are among those who stand to benefit from this shift in policy.
Insiders report that Combs’ decision came after he declined several lucrative offers to sell the company’s publishing rights. Instead, the music mogul opted for a more equitable distribution of wealth, reassigning the rights to the artists and songwriters responsible for the label’s success.
Coinciding with Bad Boy’s 30th anniversary, this monumental step also followed a period of public contention between Diddy and Bad Boy alum Ma$e. The dispute peaked after the former criticized the Recording Academy for overlooking Black artists. Last year, the “Feel So Good” artist even offered $2 million to buy back his publishing.
In related news, Diddy’s upcoming sixth studio LP, The Love Album: Off the Grid, is set to drop on Sept. 15. Alongside established acts such as John Legend, Babyface, and Mary J. Blige, rising stars like H.E.R., Jozzy, Kalan.FrFr, and Summer Walker will also appear on the project.
Gary Wright, Singer-Songwriter Known For 70s Hits 'Dream Weaver' And 'Love Is Alive,' Dies At 80
His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. -- Gary Wright, best known for his 70s hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive," died after long health battle, his son told Eyewitness News. He was 80.
His son, Justin, said his father had been suffering with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for the past six years.
The singer-songwriter died Monday morning at his home in Palos Verdes Estates surrounded by his family and loved ones.
Halle Bailey Opens Up About How Being In Love for the First Time Inspires Her Music
The 23-year-old actress and singer has been in a relationship with rapper DDG for nearly two years now, and while the two have had ups and downs in the public eye, and faced many rumors, they’re still going strong and in love.
In a new interview, Halle dished on how being in love has been an inspiration for her music.
“All musical inspiration really just comes from life experiences,” Halle shared with Cosmopolitan. “Love has been a really big one for me too, because that’s something I’m experiencing for the first time, and it’s, like, ‘whoa’ in your brain. It’s just fireworks, a spark for creativity. You know, you have puppy love experiences, you think that’s love. But this is my first deep, deep, real love.”
In the same interview, Halle talked about growing up in the public eye, transitioning to more mature content and people having so many opinions about her life.
“There will always be a conversation because I started so young. There’s a sort of protectiveness or ownership that people feel they have over your story because they’ve known you for so long. Part of me thinks that’s a beautiful thing, to know that you have that support from people and they just want to see good things happen to you,” she said. “But it’s also really easy for us to comment on what other people are doing…to say a lot of stuff. I think the transition will continue to happen naturally. It’s on people to figure it out, not necessarily on me.”
Earlier this year, Halle and DDG faced breakup rumors, among other online rumors.
Nathan Louis Jackson, ‘Luke Cage’ Writer and Producer, Dies at 44
Nathan Louis Jackson, the playwright, screenwriter and producer who worked on the Netflix superhero series Luke Cage, has died. He was 44.
Jackson died Aug. 22 at his home in Lenexa, Kansas, his wife, Megan Mascorro-Jackson, told The Hollywood Reporter. She said her husband had heart issues — he had undergone an aortic dissection in 2019 — and the family has chosen against an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Since 2010, Jackson also wrote and produced for such other shows as Southland, Shameless, Resurrection, 13 Reasons Why, Genius and S.W.A.T.
During the two-season run (2016-18) of Luke Cage, created by Cheo Hodari Coker and starring Mike Colter as the Harlem hero from the Marvel Comics, Jackson wrote two episodes while also serving as a co-producer and executive story editor.
“The series makes a bigger, grander statement about African American men and how we view them,” he told The Kansas City Star a few years ago. “It is undoubtedly a Black show. But at the same time, it’s just a superhero show. We deal with something all the other superheroes deal with. We just do it from a different standpoint.”
Born on Dec. 4, 1978, in Lawrence, Kansas, Jackson attended Washington High School, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Kansas State, where he wrote his first plays.
“I’m there in the Midwest, and there ain’t no other Black folks doing this, so I’d just end up doing August Wilson every time,” he told The New York Times in a 2011 interview. “I wanted to do a piece that speaks for me, so I said, ‘I’ll just write my own stuff.'”
He moved to New York to attend Juilliard and was still in school when his play Broke-ology premiered in 2008 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. Starring Wendell Pierce in the story of a poor Kansas City family, it opened at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center in October 2009.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, Pierce paid tribute to Jackson: “He was authentic, Black, insightful, down to earth, literary, uniquely creative, soulful, and a man comfortable in his KC roots. He was a friend who became my brother. I loved him.”
Jackson received two Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Awards, the Kennedy Center’s Gold Medallion and the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award for his stage work, which also included The Last Black Play, The Mancherios, Sticky Traps, Brother Toad and When I Come to Die, which played off-Broadway in 2011.
He was the playwright in residence at the Kansas City Repertory Theater from 2013-19.
Jackson’s work “often showcased his love for his hometown,” his family noted in a statement. “Having lived and worked on both coasts, Nathan’s heart belonged in Kansas City. Nathan was especially passionate about bar-b-que and his Kansas City Chiefs.
“He was a devoted supporter of the arts community within Kansas City. He will be remembered by his loved ones for his warmth and kindness, and his phone calls. He did not believe in text messaging, preferring to speak voice to voice whenever possible.”
In addition to his wife, survivors include his mother, Bessie; children Amaya and Savion; and siblings Ebony and Wardell. A celebration of life is being planned, and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family with expenses.
Scottie Pippen Has Surprising Response to His Ex-Wife Dating Michael Jordan’s Son
The tea spiller told RadarOnline that while Scottie remains friends with his ex-wife Larsa Pippen, he “figures anything that gets under Michael’s skin is a victory for him.” Another insider denied the allegations, according to the outlet.
“Michael’s worst nightmare is Marcus will end up marrying Larsa — and his son will be stepdad to his enemy Scottie’s kids,” the insider told Radar. Larsa and Scottie share four children.
The comments come after Larsa and Marcus denied rumors that they are engaged. Last month, Marcus spoke about wedding venues during an episode of their podcast Separation Anxiety.
“First topic is: Marcus is looking for a wedding venue,” Marcus said during the broadcast. “Obviously, we were at dinner the other night, and paparazzi got us leaving the restaurant and asked us if there were wedding plans in the works, and so, I think I responded in a cheeky way.”
Marcus admitted, however, that wedding bells are not in the immediate future just yet.
“I had a hundred calls and text messages of people congratulating us,” said Larsa on the podcast. The couple is “not engaged”… yet. “But you did give me a promise ring,” she added.
“Yeah, I definitely gave you a promise ring,” Marcus replied.
“He gave her a promise ring,” a source told RadarOnline.com, but “the two have been talking marriage.”
Michael Jordan previously told TMZ that he disapproves of his 32-year-old son dating 49-year-old Larsa. Per RadarOnline, sources claim Michael “accused his son of dating Larsa just to stir the pot and that he should drop her, but Marcus says he is a grown man who makes his own decisions.”
“Larsa and Michael know that with the bad blood between Michael and Scott this could turn into war, but they really are crazy about each other!”
Scottie and MJ won six NBA championships with the Bulls in the 1990s before their relationship soured. During a previous episode of Separation Anxiety, Larsa said MJ’s public diss of her romance with his son “embarrassed” and “traumatized” her.
Rapper B.G. Has Been Released From Prison
Hot Boys rapper B.G. has been released from prison after serving more than a decade behind bars.
Birdman took to Instagram on Tuesday to share the heartwarming moment of welcoming the Louisiana rapper home at an airport
News had surfaced last week indicating that the artist, whose real name is Christopher Dorsey, would be released in the coming days.
The rapper also took to Instagram on Sunday, coincidentally his birthday, to let fans know that he was on the verge of becoming a free man and celebrating his last birthday while “buried alive” in confinement.
“After 12 winters and 13 summers, I see the end zone,” he wrote in the post. “It’s my last #Birthday being buried alive. This year I’m celebrating the whole Virgo cycle, matter of fact, from this year forward I’m living and celebrating like everyday is #MyBIRTHDAY.”
Back in 2011, B.G. pleaded guilty to two charges of firearm possession and one charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice. As a result, he was handed a 14-year federal prison term in the subsequent year, along with three years of federal supervised release.
The Hot Boys group member had previously made efforts to secure compassionate release from prison amid the COVID-19 pandemic but was denied three times. He was originally expected to be released on April 7, 2024, which means he was released ahead of schedule by slightly more than seven months.
Dr. Dre And Jimmy Iovine Set To Launch A New Learning Center In Atlanta High School
Set to launch at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta by August 2024, the center will initially focus on 9th-grade STEAM Academy students. These students will get the opportunity to explore different fields, businesses, and industries, with the goal of finding solutions to challenges in those areas.
“We want to give the next generation of students access to a proven, revolutionary learning experience where technology meets design and entrepreneurship,” Iovine said. “This will not only prepare them for the jobs of today. But equip them to reimagine and shape the jobs, technologies, and creative enterprises of the future.”
He added, “We are thrilled with our results in higher ed and the Los Angeles high school, and hope for similar success with Atlanta Public Schools.”
Annually, the incoming freshman class cohort will expand, granting them the chance to participate. The program’s complete integration across all four grade levels is set to be accomplished by 2027-2028.
Throughout the years, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine have dedicated their attention to philanthropic work. In 2014, the Beats co-founders introduced the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation at the University of Southern California. Years later, Dr. Dre said that his intention was to provide assistance to the younger version of himself.
“Here’s a place that you can go where there’s something that you can learn that you’re really interested in,” Dre explained. “That guy that didn’t have an opportunity, that had to scratch and figure out things on his own. That had the curiosity but didn’t have these type of opportunities.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Riding Onto to Sunset
Hop along Cassidy
Hop along Cassidy
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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