Meet The Twins! Sir And Rumi Carter Also See Beyonce And Jay Z First Night Out since giving Birth!
Time to get in formation! Beyoncé shared the first photo of her and Jay-Z's twins, Sir and Rumi, on Friday, July 14.
Queen Bey, 35, held her newborn son and daughter while wearing a stunning Palomo Spain ensemble. She stood in front of a flowery backdrop, reminiscent of her pregnancy announcement.
"Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today," the proud mom captioned the Instagram post. She also included emojis of hands praying, a heart and images representing the entire family.
Beyonce shared the snap just hours after she was spotted for the first time since giving birth. The photo has already garnered more than four million likes.
Beyonce and the rapper, 47, announced in February that they were expecting twins. The couple, who tied the knot in 2008, are already parents of daughter Blue Ivy, 5.
Even with two newborns at home, Beyoncé’s style game is strong as ever. The global superstar stepped out with husband Jay-Z on Thursday, July 13, to attend Roc Nation artist Vic Mensa’s album listening party at L.A.’s Mack Sennett Studios.
The “Formation” singer, 35, was spotted exiting the venue in a chic, neutral ensemble. Her outfit featured a white top with buttons on the lapel and bell sleeves and a beige patterned skirt. She carried a furry white handbag and strutted in platform sandals. The 47-year-old rap mogul opted for a more casual look with a denim jacket, black pants and a baseball cap.
The showcase marked the first time Beyoncé has been spotted at a public event since giving birth to twins Rumi and Sir last month. She was seen keeping close to her husband in the party’s VIP section.
Beyoncé has given birth to twins in Los Angeles, according to reports on several celebrity news websites that cited unidentified sources.
The singer, who is 35, and her partner, the rapper and music producer Jay Z, already have a five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
E! News, citing multiple unidentified sources, reported the birth and that Jay Z and Blue Ivy were seen at a Los Angeles area hospital on Thursday.
Us Weekly, also citing multiple unidentified sources, reported that the couple welcomed twins earlier this week. “Bey and Jay are thrilled and have started sharing the news with their family and closest friends,” one source told People.
A representative for Beyoncé did not respond to a request for comment.
The celebrity news websites did not provide additional details, such as the date and time the twins were born or the sex of the infants.
The performer, one of the most powerful women in the music business, announced the pregnancy on her Instagram account in February along with an image of her posing in lingerie and caressing a noticeable baby bump.
The announcement had more than 8m “likes” in the first 24 hours to become the “most liked” Instagram post ever.
The R&B singer performed live at the Grammy awards in Los Angeles two weeks later, proudly displaying her swelling belly in a motherhood-themed show. She has since posted numerous pictures of her bare baby bump on social media accounts.
The birth of Blue Ivy caused a paparazzi storm in 2012, with New York’s Lenox Hill hospital shutting down part of its maternity wing to accommodate the family.
News of the pregnancy came less than a year after the release of Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade, in which she appeared to address longstanding rumours of trouble in her eight-year marriage.
The lyrics of several songs spoke about being cheated on, and regretting being married. But Beyoncé made clear in the final tracks of the album and in music videos featuring Jay Z that she had decided to stay in the relationship.
The couple have never addressed the rumours publicly. CONGRATULATIONS MR & MRS CARTER!
Give me BODY! Dwyane Wade Poses Nude For ESPN’s ‘Body Issue’
Dwyane Wade will grace the cover of the 2016 ‘Body Issue‘. Shot by Carlos Serraro for ESPN, the 34-year-old shooting guard says he isn’t ready to retire:
"I never envisioned that I would be playing this long. … But nah, I’m not there yet. I’ve got some good years left."
The issue drops July 6th.
#RHOA: You'll Never Guess Which Physical Attribute NeNe Leakes Had to Assure Mike Tyson Was 'Real'
Make no mistake: NeNe Leakes' lashes are au naturel IF NOTHING ELSE!
Leakes talks that when Mike Tyson appeared as guest panelist on her upcoming game show To Tell the Truth, he had only one question for her: "Are those mink lashes?"
"He asked me about my eyelashes," she explains, adding that she assured him, " 'I don't know about mink but, they're real. They're real honey.' "
The game show revival stars Leakes and Betty White, along with a cast of rotating celebrities, and the superstar panelists – corralled by host Anthony Anderson – must decide which of three people is telling them the truth about their identity and incredible talent or job by asking a number of questions. The series will also include musical performances from a house band.
"Working with Mike was amazing," says Leakes, 48. "For a minute I think Betty was like, 'Okay, okay, okay,' because Mike was all over the place. He was saying and doing everything."
Of the iconic boxer, Leakes adds, "He is definitely an Energizer bunny, and he says a lot and does a lot – but that is an episode that you do not want to miss coming on. He is amazing."
To Tell the Truth premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
#EMPIRE: FOX says Serayah will each perform at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
In addition to confirming Victoria Justice and John Cena as co-hosts, FOX revealed the first two confirmed musical performers for the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
Charlie Puth and Serayah will both be performing at the July 31 ceremony.
FOX added that Puth will perform his current radio single “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” Serayah’s song selection was not available at press time.
YAY for Serayah!
Throwback Thursday: A Look Back At Mary J. Blige’s “My Life” Album
For Flashback Friday, We look back on the album that was considered one of the greatest by the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige.
My Life is her sophomore album was released on this day back in 1994. The album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200 charts.
The first single released from the album was “Be Happy,” but her biggest hit from the album was a cover of the r&b band Rolls Royce‘s 1977 hit “I’m Goin’ Down.”
While recording the album, she was going through clinical depression, battling both drugs and alcohol, as well as being in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend singer K-Ci Hailey from Jodeci.
Years after the release of the album, she continued to release albums but back in 2011, she released a sequel to My Life called My Life II…The Journey Continues (Act I) where she worked with Diddy again.
Let’s Reminisce off of ‘BE HAPPY’
What was your favorite track from My Life?
New Hip Hop; New Music: Jeezy feat. 2 Chainz & Future – ‘Magic City Monday’
The ATL connection turns raunchy as Jeezy heads to the strip club with 2 Chainz and Future on their new collaboration “Magic City Monday.”
Rapping about the famous Atlanta gentleman’s club, the Snowman also proclaims that “Jizzle is the name,” and that “hustlin’ is the game.” Meanwhile, 2 Chainz hits the second verse with “magic” like “Orlando,” and Future rounds it out with bars about jumping in foreign whips.
LISTEN HERE!
Kyrie Irving & His Baby Mama Make Amends
Has Kyrie Irving worked out his differences with his baby mama? New rumors say it’s highly possible.
Kyrie Irving and Andrea Wilson of Texas, have a 6 month old daughter. Roughly three months ago, while Kyrie was still dating Kehlani, Andrea and Kehlani got into a social media back-and-forth over Kyrie allegedly not seeing his daughter in months. However, things seemed to have changed because over Father’s Day Weekend, the same weekend Kyrie became an NBA Champ, Andrea took to social media to wish her ex a Happy Father’s Day and express her appreciation.
Not long after the Father's Day post, the Texas beauty posted a photo from a hotel room in Las Vegas, where the Cavaliers flew to celebrate their championship win on Sunday. Could it be possible she’s kicking it with her baby daddy again? Who knows, but as long as they’ve worked out their differences for their child’s sake, Kyrie’s year will only get better.
Beyoncé And Jay Z Vacation In Hawaii With Daughter Blue Ivy
Beyoncé and Jay Z touched down in Hawaii with their daughter, Blue Ivy, for some rest and relaxation. Bey shared photos from their tropical vacay, which comes ahead of her kicking off the European leg of her Formation World Tour next week.
Beyoncé rock’d a long sleeve patterned swimsuit, lemon(ade) necklace and headpiece, while having some fun in the sun with her family.
Take a peek into their Hawaiian getaway with more photos below..
She posted photos of Blue playing in the sand, cute in a mermaid style skirt and a bun – and also spending some special moments with her dad. Plus, the trio is snapped as they set off on a family bike ride, and Bey and Jay are seen sharing a kiss on the beach.
Beyonce tours Europe starting June 28th at Sunderland, England’s Stadium of Light.
Why was Rihanna CRYING on stage in Dublin?
Rihanna tuned on the water works in Dublin last night During "Love The Way You Lie," she couldn't even
She didn't give a particular reason why, but her fans speculated she was either really sad or really happy and overcome with emotion.
The statements from her fans went from, "I hope @rihanna was crying tears of joy" from Kal Ninaj to another follower saying, "She was crying tears of happiness."
A fan named Chey even tweeted, "Can you come online and explain why you were crying @Rihanna so I can love life again."
A video posted by Stanley Piana Vieira (@stanleyvieira) on
We're gonna go with tears of joy for having a crowd this big and this loud.
She was all smiles backstage with MMA fighter Conor McGregor who came to say hi and give some sweet words:
He posted the two getting into their fighter stance saying: "An honour to see the pound for pound number 1 female in the game perform tonight!! This woman ain't playin!! #AntiWorldTour @badgalriri."
Sweet!
This comes on the heels of Rih being announced as a headliner for the upcoming Made In America Festival in Philly. The Jay Z curated festival goes down annually during Labor Day weekend.
THIS JUST IN! Chicago Bulls Trade Derrick Rose To The New York Knicks
Derrick Rose is set to join the New York Knicks after being traded from the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN.
A source close to Derrick says the Chicago native was very emotional about leaving his hometown team, which drafted him No. 1 overall in 2008, due to all his great memories there, but he’s looking forward to the big stage of New York.
More from ESPN:The Knicks are trading center Robin Lopez, guard Jose Calderon and guard Jerian Grant to Chicago, which is shipping guard Justin Holiday, Rose and a 2017 second-round pick back to New York, sources said. ESPN reported last week that the Knicks had internal discussions recently about trading for Rose, the NBA MVP for the 2010-11 season.
Both Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek and general manager Steve Mills had said that the team was interested in upgrading their point guard position in the offseason.
Over the past four years, the six-year veteran has appeared in just 50 percent of the Bulls’ regular-season games, because of various injuries – including two major knee surgeries. He is owed $21.3 million in the final year of his contract, and will be a free agent after the 2016-17 season.
‘The Real Hosts Chat with ‘Extra’ in First Interview Since Tamar’s Exit (WATCH)
*In their first-sit down interview together since the departure of Tamar Braxton, the co-hosts of “The Real,” Adrienne Bailon, Loni Love, Jeannie Mai, and Tamera Mowry-Housley, joined “Extra’s” Mario Lopez at Universal Studios Hollywood today.
Sharing their feelings about Tamar not joining them for season three of “The Real,” Loni tells Mario:
“First of all we want to let all of our fans know that we love them and we were totally taken by surprise when we found out that Tamar wouldn’t be returning to ‘The Real,’ we love her.”
Mario noting that the ladies all seemed to get along when he was around them, with all of them agreeing. Tamera adding, “We will miss her dearly.”
WATCH HERE
The hosts are not only gearing up for next season, they are also participating in the 2016 ESSENCE Festival.
“We are going down to New Orleans, July 1st, we are having a real live show on the ESSENCE main stage [in the Convention Center], it’s free anybody can come. We’re gonna have some live girl chat, we’re gonna be doing everything we can to give and show love to our fans,” said Love.
The girls will also host a day party during the festival at The Sugar Mill on Sunday July 3rd leaving Adrienne to say:
“We are having a white party which I’m so excited about!”
Tune in to “The Real” when it returns for season three September 12th.
Rep. Chaka Fattah Convicted On Racketeering Charges In Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A veteran Pennsylvania congressman was convicted Tuesday in a racketeering case that largely centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan related to his unsuccessful 2007 mayoral bid.
U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah was found guilty of all counts against him, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering. His lawyers had argued that the schemes were engineered without Fattah’s knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case.
The 59-year-old Democrat had been in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. But he lost the April primary and his bid for his 12th term. His current term ends Jan. 2.
Fattah had little reaction to the verdict, but he kept a smile on his face as he conferred with his lawyers afterward.
He will remain free on bail. A judge set sentencing for Oct. 4.
Fattah told reporters as he was leaving the courtroom: “Well, it’s a tough day, but I do want to thank the jurors for their service.” He said he will confer with his lawyers on the next step.
Prosecutors said Fattah routed federal grant money and nonprofit funds through his consultants to pay back the illegal loan.
His wife, Philadelphia TV news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, took a leave after her husband’s indictment and then quit in February. She was cited in the case over the sham sale of her Porsche, which prosecutors said was a bribe. But she was never charged with any wrongdoing, and she said the sale was legitimate.
In a related case, his son, Chaka “Chip” Fattah Jr., was convicted on charges of bank and tax fraud and sentenced in February to five years in prison. A jury found he took part in a scheme as a subcontractor to defraud the Philadelphia school district.
Justice Department lawyer Jonathan Kravis said in his closing argument that Chaka Fattah Sr. used federal grants and nonprofit funds to enrich his family and friends.
Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes.
Many of them came from co-defendant Herbert Vederman, a wealthy friend who had dreams of scoring an ambassadorship. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, testified that he never took the pitch from Fattah too seriously, even though Fattah once bent the president’s ear about it. Democrat Ed Rendell, a former mayor and governor, was called to defend Vederman, his former deputy mayor. He said Vederman was qualified for the job and accused prosecutors of cynically misreading the help he lent Fattah.
Vederman helped support Fattah’s South African nanny and paid $18,000 for a Porsche owned by Fattah’s TV anchor wife.
“The nanny, the Porsche and the Poconos, they weren’t part of a bribery scheme,” Fattah lawyer Samuel Silver argued in closings. “Those were all overreaches by the prosecution.”
The campaign loan was just one of several schemes prosecutors outlined during the trial. They say Fattah was aided in his endeavors by current and former staffers who ran his district office or the nonprofits; by Vederman, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida; and by political consultants Greg Naylor and Thomas Lindenfeld, who pleaded guilty.
The other co-defendants are Bonnie Bowser, of Philadelphia, who ran his district office; Karen Nicholas, of Williamstown, New Jersey, who ran the education nonprofit
Fattah stepped down as the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee on commerce, justice and science when he was indicted in July 2015.
Under the House’s Code of Conduct, a lawmaker who is convicted is not to vote in committee or in the full House if the punishment for his conviction may be two or more years’ imprisonment.
Prior to Fattah’s conviction, the House Ethics committee had impaneled an investigative subcommittee and, at the request of the Justice Department, deferred action.
A senior Democratic aide said it would not be unusual for Justice to renew that request of the Ethics panel to defer action until appeals are over.
The aide was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the possible steps by Ethics and Justice.
Your First Look: Birth of a Nation
The official trailer for Nate Parker's film about the Nat Turner slave rebellion 'Birth of a Nation..'
WATCH HERE
Coming Soon!
Man Claims He Was Omar Mateen’s Gay Lover says ‘He Did It For Revenge’ Against Latino Men
The alleged male lover of Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen claims he did the shooting as “revenge” against Latino men.
The man, who spoke to Univision on the condition of anonymity, said Mateen held a grudge against Latino men he met at the gay nightclub Pulse because he felt used by them.
“I’ve cried like you have no idea. But the thing that makes me want to tell the truth is that he didn’t do it for terrorism. In my opinion he did it for revenge,” the man who said he was Mateen’s lover for two months told Univision.
The man told Univision that the FBI has interviewed him three times about Mateen. Univision reported that FBI said they have met with the man.
“He adored Latinos, gay Latinos, with brown skin, but he felt rejected. He felt used by them,” the man said. “There were moments in the Pulse nightclub that made him feel really bad. Guys used him. That really affected him.”
The man claimed that Mateen was upset after having a sexual encounter with two Puerto Rican men after one of them revealed he was HIV positive.
“He was terrified that he was infected,” the man told Univision. “I asked him, ‘Did you do a test?’ Yes. He went to the pharmacy and did the test … it came out negative, but it doesn’t come out right away. It takes four, five months.
“When I asked him what he was going to do now, his answer was, ‘I’m going to make them pay for what they did to me.’”
The called Mateen a “very sweet guy” and said he met him last year through a gay dating app.
The Los Angeles Times previously reported that Mateen used gay dating apps. He also frequented the Pulse nightclub before killing 49 people more than one week ago.
The man claims he and Mateen met around 20 times, with the last meeting taking place in December. He said Mateen never revealed his name to him, but told him that he was 35 and married with a son. He told Univision that he believed Mateen’s wife knew that he went to gay bars and that his marriage was to hide the fact that he was “100 percent” gay.
It was reported that on the night of the shooting Mateen went into the club and received a wristband and left. He then returned nearly two hours later to begin his attack.
Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria during the attack on Facebook and 911 calls.
The FBI previously investigated him for possible terrorist ties but those investigations were closed due to lack of evidence.
#EGGPLANT NATION: Meet David
It’s David and he just finished working out! And you can see more when you GO HERE FOR THE PICS!And remember it’s NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
You’re Welcome.
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
Over the weekend she married her longtime love Jose ‘Pepe’ Bastion and Eva Longoria couldn’t have looked any more beautiful.
The “Desperate Housewives” dame posed for an Instagram photo with her gal pal Victoria Beckham, giving the world a first look at her incredible Beckham-designed wedding dress.
Posh captioned the pic, "Congratulations @evalongoria The smartest, most beautiful woman I have ever met. I feel honored to call you my friend X. Such a wonderful day filled with Love X We love Pepe so much!!! @davidbeckham #blessed #toomuchtequilla #omgmyfeethurt #inlovewithmexico.”
#RHOA: Kandi Burruss Celebrates 40th Birthday friends In The Bahamas!
Kandi Burruss turned 40 last week, and as part of her birthday turn up, the singer, entrepreneur and reality star jetted to the Bahamas with a group of friends, including Toya Wright, Rasheeda and Monyettta Shaw.
It looks like the ladies had lots of fun in the sun; sipping on drinks while relaxing by the pool, having a dance battle with the hotel staff to Juvenile’s “Back That A** Up” – and they also hit up the club while there.
Kandi and Rasheeda’s husbands, Todd Tucker and Kirk Frost, were also spotted on the trip, as well as their sons Ace and Karter.
Prior to heading to off for her tropical getaway, the Real Housewives of Atlanta star threw a party at Atlanta’s DS17 Lounge. According to TMZ, Todd gifted his wife a $20k diamond encrusted Rolex for her b-day.
Happy Birthday Kandi!
#EMPIRE: Serayah Rocks 2 different looks at The BBMA’s!
The 2016 Billboard Awards kicked off at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Sunday Night to celebrate the music industry’s biggest and brightest stars.
“Empire” starlet and singer Serayah, who plays Tiana Brown on the hit FOX series, rolled up on the magenta carpet to indulge in the festivities.
She strutted her stuff in a black Baja East crop top from the Spring 2016 collection paired with the brand’s black Fall 2016 trousers and Jimmy Choo heels to round out her look.
Then Serayah slipped into another look that was very similar to her carpet ensemble. This time, she brought springtime fab in a coral asymmetric crop top and matching trousers from the Baja East Spring 2016 collection.
So do you like her looks? I do!
New Music: Donell Jones Feat. David Banner- Never Let Her Go!
Donell Jones promised his woman “Forever” on the title track off his 2013 album, and now he plans to “Never Let Her Go” on his brand new single.
Including a feature from rapper David Banner, the record features an energetic, bass-heavy production where Donell flexes a confident flow.
Singing about turning up with his lady at home, the R&B veteran sets a fun, but seductive mood on the track that he describes as “R&B with a twist.”
“Treat her like a queen, and she know she really is / I’ma never let her go / Make her feel like she’ll never get tired of this,” he sings.
Take a listen HERE
Thoughts on the return of Donell Jones?
HIP HOP NEWS: HUH? Lil Wayne: “Fuck Cash Money”
After Lil Wayne and Birdman were snapped together in the studio back in January, signs of a potential fence-mending operation between the two appeared stronger than ever.
Nevertheless, it seems as though the Hip Hop community spoke too soon as Wayne was videoed hurling some choice words at Cash Money during a performance in Denver on Saturday (May 21).
“Fuck the bullshit,” Lil Wayne bellowed to the concertgoers in attendance. “Fuck Cash Money. Music…”
As previously mentioned, signs of a social and legal ceasefire between Weezy and Birdman have seemed stronger than ever this year. In addition to being snapped in the studio, the pair were spotted together at Drake’s New Year’s Eve party in Miami and a few weeks later, videoed performing in tandem at LIV nightclub.
Nevertheless, with this latest round of verbal mud coming from Wayne’s side, as well as reports that Weezy’s $51 million lawsuit against Birdman is still very much alive, it could be a long time before these two Hip Hop fat cats are papped kissing and on good terms again.
BET Promises A Proper Prince Tribute In A Shade-Filled Tweet About Madonna's Billboard Music Awards Performance and Madonna responds to her haters!
Nearly right from when word first broke about Billboard planning a special tribute to Prince from his friend and legend in her own right, Madonna, petitions were launched to change the artist immediately. Despite the entertainers’ deep friendship (and at one time romance), Prince fans didn’t think Madge had what it took to properly pay homage to The Purple One.
Still, Billboard went ahead with their choice and the tribute went according to plan, with Madonna belting out a cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U” before bringing out Stevie Wonder for “Purple Rain.”
And after seeing all the shade, she responded saying "Deal with it," amongst other things:
However, to the fans who left underwhelmed by Madonna’s Prince tribute whose protests and petitions fell on deaf ears, you need not fear. The BET Awards will soon be here to pay its respects and they announced their return in an incredibly explosive fashion. Mere minutes after Madge’s homage, the network tweeted a promo clip promising to do right by the legend when their award show airs Sunday, June 26.
Yeah, We saw that. Don’t worry. We Got You.
Ouch!
Amidst the madness that ensued afterwards, Questlove -- who introduced the performance and helped produce it -- came to her defense. He responded to the BET shade saying:
"Every Prince rendition will not be a life-changing orgasmic xperience. Just to SING his work is brave enough.
"EVERYBODY wants and deserves a chance to say goodbye in their own way. But remember: there will be AMAs, SoulTrain, NAACP, mtv, GRAMMYS. And a gazillion other tributes. But the point is let's not get ugly w playing the 'Prince would and wouldn't approve' game. & this isn't *just about* the Madge/Stevie tribute btw."
"An Epic Moment for Me to sing in honor of Prince with Stevie Wonder. #luckiestgirlintheworld Such an AmaaaaaaaaaaIng Moment for Me! Thanks to all who made it happen!!!"
It’ll be interesting to see how BET plans to live up to the hype they just generated with a 15-second warning shot, especially when the BET Awards have a reputation of its own. The eyes are on you now.
Baltimore police officer acquitted in Freddie Gray Death
Baltimore police officer Edward Nero was acquitted on Monday of all charges in the 2015 death of black detainee Freddie Gray, the second setback for prosecutors in a case that triggered rioting and fueled the Black Lives Matter movement.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams, who heard the case in a bench trial, told a packed courtroom that Nero, 30, had acted as any officer would have during Gray's arrest in April 2015.
Nero is the second officer to be tried, and he faced misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. The first trial of an officer in 25-year-old Gray's death ended in a mistrial.
"Based on the evidence presented, this court finds that the state has not met its burden to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, all required elements of the crimes charged," Williams said. "Therefore, the verdict for each count is not guilty."
After the verdict, Nero leaned forward and wiped his eyes. He then hugged his attorneys.
Baltimore was calm after the verdict, with only a handful of protesters. Gray's death a week after his arrest sparked rioting in which nearly 400 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the majority black city of 620,000 people. The case helped stoke the national debate over policing in minority communities
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby had charged Nero with arresting Gray without probable cause when he ran from him and other officers unprovoked. She also contended Nero did not secure Gray in a police transport van, where Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury.
Nero's lawyers had argued that Gray's arrest was justified and that the officer had little to do with it. Nero's partner, Garrett Miller, testified that Nero had done little during the arrest and that he, not Nero, had handcuffed and detained Gray.
Nero still faces an internal department investigation.
In a statement, defense attorney Marc Zayon said Nero appreciated Williams' "reasoned judgment" and called on Mosby to dismiss charges against the five other officers accused in the case.
Protesters chased a group of Nero's relatives into a parking garage and yelled, "No justice, no peace."
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement urging calm. In Gray's impoverished neighborhood in West Baltimore, residents said they were angry over the verdict but not surprised.
"In Baltimore and all over the country, nobody pays attention to poor black people unless something goes wrong," said William Griffith, a 65-year-old printer.
Tim Maloney, a Maryland lawyer who has handled police misconduct cases but was not involved in this trial, said Nero's acquittal raised questions for the prosecution about the remaining five trials, including whether to have police officers testify against each other.
He said prosecutors might decide to drop or alter charges. Officers also might opt for bench trials, seen as more favorable for police than jury trials, he said.
"This is a time for introspection for the state, although we haven't seen much of that so far," Maloney said/
The next officer on trial is Caesar Goodson Jr, the van driver. His trial starts on June 6 and charges include second-degree murder.
T.D. Jakes Talk Show Set to Premiere September
* TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) announced that the new syndicated daily one-hour talk show, “T.D. Jakes,” hosted by best-selling author, film and music producer and entrepreneur T.D. Jakes, will premiere in more than 50 cleared U.S. markets on Monday, September 12, 2016.
The enriching show and its original social media content will feature real personal stories and honest conversations with celebrity and non-celebrity guests along with the unique signature wisdom that only T.D. Jakes can bring.
Led by Jakes, and infused with his powerful authenticity, soulful presence and uplifting wit, “T.D. Jakes” will be filmed before a live studio audience in Los Angeles and will air weekdays in afternoon time periods around the country.
It will also live as a multi-platform content experience on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where audiences can engage with the show 24/7 through @tdjakesshow.
“It’s a thrill and a great honor to begin this new journey with such powerhouse media partners as TEGNA Media, 44 Blue Productions and enLight Productions,” said T.D. Jakes. “I’m grateful for this exciting opportunity to bring meaningful, thought provoking content to audiences across the country.”
T.D. Jakes is a prominent, prolific and highly respected Dallas-based pastor, entrepreneur, author and businessman, whose multi-platform reach extends far beyond the pulpit of his 30,000-member church and humanitarian organization, The Potter’s House.
His online presence includes 11 million social media followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with nearly three million listeners tuning in each week through radio syndication.
Jakes is a best-selling author of more than 40 books, including his latest Destiny, which debuted in the top ten on The New York Times Bestseller List in August 2015, and his bestseller Instinct, which continues to resonate with readers around the world.
He has produced Grammy Award winning music and several feature films including the recent box office hit “Miracles from Heaven,” starring Jennifer Garner, which has topped $60 million in domestic sales and eight million internationally; as well as “Sparkle,” “Jumping the Broom,” and others.
Additionally, T.D. Jakes has advised the last three U.S. Presidents, was a featured speaker at the historic 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama and gave remarks at the 2011 White House Easter Prayer Breakfast and the funeral of Whitney Houston in 2012.
Jakes is a frequent commentator for cable news outlets CNN, MSNBC and The Fox News Channel. Called “America’s Treasure” by Oprah Winfrey, he is a welcomed guest on OWN’s Oprah’s Next Chapter, Lifeclass and Super Soul Sunday.
He is a trusted advisor to Dr. Phil and serves on the advisory boards for the Soledad O’Brien + Brad Raymond Foundation and for prolific producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. T.D. Jakes participates in op-ed articles for Time Magazine, CNN.com, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Inc. and Bloomberg/BusinessWEEK, and pens his own columns for Essence Magazine and others.
In a move designed to create more original content and grow its multi-platform slate of programming, TEGNA Media co-produced a successful limited test run season for select markets last summer. To date, TEGNA Media has cleared the show in top 20 markets such as Chicago, Detroit and Orlando, in addition to 30 TEGNA owned media stations around the country. Clearance-to-date represents nearly 40% of U.S. Television Households.
Africa Bambaataa's Lawyers Speak Out
Africa Bambaataa' lawyer answer questions from the media...
At the beginning of the video Zulu Nation King Bro Shep tells the assembled press,
“…I’ve seen it already, and when you see it you know when it’s coming. Please be very vigilant. Don’t listen to rumors...and if you don’t do that…people are going to die if we’re not careful. We’re going to lose people. Because they don’t care about us. We’ve got to care for ourselves, and we’ve got to be very vigilant about what goes on. Don’t listen to the rumors…”
Later Bambaata's lawyer casts doubt on the victims claims describing them as vague and opportunistic and blames the entire situation on a rumor started by a non-credible online media source.
HUH?
Beyonce And Jay-Z’s Joint Album Is Reportedly Finished
Beyonce is way too damn good at this “surprise album” thing.
According to Page Six, Jay-Z and Beyonce have already completed their joint album, and it’s set to drop on Tidal any day now.
After the whirlwind success and critical acclaim of ‘Lemonade,’ Beyonce’s new project with Jay-Z is poised to let us in on the ‘tea’ of their relationship through music.
‘Lemonade’ prompted rumors of infidelity via searing lyrics dragging Becky with the good hair, and sending warning signals to her “spouse” in songs like Don’t Hurt Yourself.
Music heads are hoping their album will expand on the narrative that started on Beyonce’s visual album.
“Jay and Beyoncé were never going to do an interview to address all the questions that came up after ‘Lemonade.’ It’s more their style to respond through music,” a source close to the site says.
We will be waiting not so patiently to take a listen to this one.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet that Tattooed Beast!
Meet that Tattooed Beast! l So you know what to do next. GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
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You’re Welcome!
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
