The FIFA World Cup has descended upon the States, and the opening ceremony saw Future and Tyla collaborating for a performance spanning the African diaspora.

Their track “Game Time” has been used in promo for the international games for weeks leading up to the official kickoff, but the pair’s chemistry onstage was a must-see. Future stuck to his roots, rocking Atlanta Falcons colors during the performance, while Tyla rocked a blue and white star-spangled number of her own.

The South African beauty also rocked a gold and diamond-encrusted FIFA grill for the occasion. Cute! Though soccer isn’t as big here in the US as it is internationally, there has started to be a vested interest in the sport as more people from different cultures migrate to the States. Unfortunately, the current political climate made the games get off to a rocky start as players, coaches, and referees have run into visa issues while trying to enter the country.

Nonetheless, the games are always a time to commune together for five weeks as the entire world’s attention turns to the World Cup. The games remain the most-viewed sporting event in the world, with FIFA reporting that an estimated 2.1 billion viewers watched the 2022 matches in Qatar, despite criticism of the decision to host in the country.

Amid the tense political backdrop of the United States, FIFA believes the viewership for the World Cup will see an increase as 48 teams are set to compete this year, compared to 32 in 2022. Interest in the matches has seen a steady bump for the last three World Cup games, in fact, as stars of the sport continue to find crossover mass appeal among young fans. Lionel Messi, one of the sport’s most popular and recognizable athletes, now plays for a team based in the States; a major move to continue making soccer the world’s favorite pastime.

There has also been a major improvement in the US Men’s team as they were long considered among one of the worst —often missing the mark of competing in the games—while the women’s team notched numerous accolades, including gold medals at the Olympics. However, they pulled out an impressive 4-1 victory over the Paraguay team to kick off the World Cup on Jun. 12, seemingly putting the world on notice that they may be a squad to watch this go round.

Despite having her own special on the streamer, the comedy legend decidedly passed on the roast even when directly asked by Hart to participate. In hindsight, she credits her intuition and principles with saving her from the fallout of the heavily criticized special.

“Kevin called me before it was announced, and I said, ‘No!,'” Sykes explained during an interview with Vulture‘s Good Ones podcast. “He said, ‘Come on, Wanda. Come on, it’ll be good. It’ll be good for your special. You’ve got a special coming out.’ I was like, ‘Kevin, you know I love you, man.’ He goes, ‘I know. I know it’s not your thing. I know it’s not your thing.’ He’s like, ‘You’ll just come in, do your thing, get out of there.'”

Though she had no idea just how left things would end up, in watching “enough” of the special, Sykes said she was thankful she’d passed on it.

“I consumed enough to go, ‘Thank God,'” she said. “I went to the Sparks game instead.”

Though she took issue with a lot of the things that the general public criticized, from a comedic standpoint Sykes felt the real mishap was that of the writers on the evening.

“Just lazy writing,” she said when asked what she felt made the special a failure. “I felt the same way about the [Tom] Brady roast too. Just, it seems like the roasts are just recycled sexist, racist, gay jokes. Like, come on.”

With her comments, Sykes joins a long line of other comedians who have criticized the special as being one-note and punching down on vulnerable communities, something the comedy world often frowns upon. Hart, however, has remained steadfast in his defense of the special, pointing to its success on the streamer and lauding the comedians who took part. Only time will tell if his views will someday change.

For whatever reason, President Donald Trump’s hand-picked board at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is still so dedicated to collectively humping the president’s leg that it has tried to appeal a federal court’s decision to remove Trump’s name from the center, which was posthumously named for a popular president who was assassinated, not the buffoonish bigot-in-chief, who, according to every recent poll, is the most unpopular president in U.S. history. Fortunately, the federal courts have been largely unmoved by the Trump administration’s many attempts to normalize its authoritarian ridiculousness, and that hasn’t changed regarding the Kennedy Center, as a federal judge, on Friday, declined the board’s motion to delay the removal of Trump’s name from a living memorial to JFK.

From the Washington Post:

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the Kennedy Center’s lawyers failed to demonstrate they were likely to win their appeal or that the center would suffer “irreparable harm” if Trump’s name were removed.

Justice Department lawyers representing the center filed the motion to stay after the center’s trustees voted Thursday to appeal Cooper’s May 29 ruling. They could still pursue a stay through an appeals court.

On Friday afternoon, crews erected scaffolding in front of the building where Trump’s and Kennedy’s names are displayed.

Removing Trump’s name would be the most tangible setback in the president’s 15-month effort to take over the storied arts institution. On Monday, the center removed “Trump” from the title of its website, restoring it to “The Kennedy Center.” That came four days after the venue’s administration directed employees to erase references to Trump from official center materials — signs, social media accounts, email signatures, webpages, documents and promotional materials.

So, the writing was already on the wall, metaphorically speaking, which makes it all the more pathetic that Trump’s chosen board of MAGA sycophants would even bother fighting the ruling to take pro-Trump writing off the wall.

Also, in what world would removing Trump’s name cause “irreparable harm” to the Kennedy Center? Adding his name and making him the board’s chair only served to tank the institution’s ticket sales and cause a chorus line of musicians and other celebs to cancel their appearances. All Trump has done for the Kennedy Center is make it a cultural pariah, just as Trump has taken America 250, a planned celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation, and rebranded it as Freedom 250, making it a MAGA-associated event that no one wants to be a part of, including recording artists, other famous people, and the representatives of several Democratic states.

After unsuccessfully citing bad weather and petitioning for a delay in the removal of Trump’s name, the letters began coming off the building early Saturday morning, according to the New York Times.

Trump and his stooges might as well stop trying to force-feed America his legacy. The Trump era of U.S. politics is an era of shame and idiocracy — one that has done more to disprove the concept of American exceptionalism than anything we’ve seen in the last decade — and that’s how history should record it, regardless of how many buildings, products, and stationary the president tries to slap his name on.

SEE ALSO:

Kennedy Center Board Votes To Shut Down For 2 Years. We All Know Why

More Musicians Cancel Kennedy Center Performance After Trump Renaming

Tell me something . . . Why is it that whenever racists try to degrade Black folks, one of the most popular tropes they always reach for is watermelon?

Think about it. 

It’s never lychee, kumquats, dragon fruit, guava, or even a cheap Del Monte fruit cup. It’s never a charcuterie board with seedless grapes, artichoke hearts, or pâté de foie gras on a water cracker. Nope. It is always watermelon.

I’m really posing a rhetorical question here because you and I both know that the racist imagination will go digging through the same Jim Crow junk drawer every time. That’s because the racist imagination is not only violent and irreparably diseased, it’s boring, lazy, repetitive, and always on some unoriginal plantation vaudeville foolishness.

Which brings us to the racist father of Austin Metcalf, who finally broke his silence after a Texas court sentenced 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for defending his own life. On Wednesday night, Jeff Metcalf sat for a nearly three-hour interview with Jinxed Reality/JinxedSip to talk about the conviction and sentencing of Anthony. He insisted this case was never about race, right before spectacularly and undeniably confirming that race was sitting underneath this situation the whole time, waiting for the gag order to be lifted.

“We don’t see color. We’re not racist,” he said right before obsessing over race and giving a full white grievance sermon. 

“We have friends of all diversities, nationality, ethnicities. It doesn’t matter. I’m like, God, God doesn’t see color. Justice doesn’t see color. Hate doesn’t see color. Love doesn’t see color. If you put on those glasses and you see color as an individual, you need to look in the mirror. You need to re-evaluate who you are.”

In other words, “I don’t see color,” but I see “culture,” “race cards,” “Black fatigue,” “watermelon,” and let me tell you exactly what’s wrong with Black people and prove that I can see Black people just fine.

When he was asked about the public backlash around the case and to respond to Black commentators who had criticized his family and the racial dynamics of the trial, Metcalf said that Black people had embarrassed their “own culture and race.” He told Black people not to “blame the white person” and claimed, “we all have equal rights.” He mocked “your culture” while talking about criminal records. And he called Karmelo Anthony’s parents “grifters” and suggested CPS should check on their other children.

And then, as if he wanted to make sure nobody missed the point, he reached for the oldest racist trope in the book.

“Let me make something racist up so y’all can go viral,” Metcalf said. “I got a new name for Melo, okay? Because he was such this little boy y’all was trying to portray. How about watermelon felon? How’s that one strike you?”

There it is. Watermelon felon. And with those two words, Black Americans everywhere got confirmation that we have been gaslit by a whole year of denials as Metcalf threw an entire history of anti-Black racism at a Black teenager. Those two words verified that Black folks weren’t “making it about race” or being “divisive.” 

Now, I could sit here and give you an academic breakdown about the stereotypical association of Black people with watermelons. I could talk about the jokes, coon songs, minstrel shows, consumer ads, racist postcards, lithographs, and ephemera that turned Black folks into grinning, barefoot caricatures, tearing into huge slices of watermelon. I could explain how this is all tied to post-Civil War era fears about Black self-sufficiency and how whites had to make the case that Black folks were lazy, greedy, animalistic, sexual, and unfit for citizenship.

But honestly, why bother? That would be a waste of my intellectual energy and your time. Because racists like Jeff Metcalf know the history well enough to know where to reach. He knew exactly where to reach because he told us before he did it. “Let me make something racist up,” he said. “Watermelon felon.”

This wasn’t just an insult. What Metcalf did was fuse criminality with caricature. He took “felon,” a legal label, and attached it to “watermelon,” a racist symbol, so that Anthony can be imagined as both criminal and cartoon, laughable, dangerous, punishable, and less than human. That’s the old racial script.

His own words remove the possibility of a stumble into an unfortunate phrase. He did not unknowingly invoke a racist image. He announced his intent unapologetically with a setup and punchline. Some folks will say, “Well, he is grieving.” But grief is not a racial alibi. The language was already there inside the speaker.

A grieving white father does not get to launder racism through his loss. He does not get to turn a Black teenager into a Jim Crow joke and then demand immunity because he is suffering. Black people have suffered for centuries in this country, and we are still expected to choose our words carefully, show decorum, swallow our rage, forgive, manage white feelings, and prove our humanity before we are granted even the smallest measure of empathy.

So my people, let’s go ahead, take this racism, and return to sender. “Watermelon felon” does not reveal any truths about Karmelo Anthony or other Black youth demonized by America. Instead, it exposes Jeff Metcalf and every other racist who swears they “don’t see color” while carrying a whole dusty, fetid Jim Crow museum in their mouths.

SEE ALSO:

America Still Wants To Snatch Our Black Children From The Future

Texas Reporter Makes ‘Gorilla’ Reference During Karmelo Anthony Trial

Sylvia Rhone is finally getting her just due.

The veteran music executive will be honored at the BET Awards for her contributions to the music industry. She was the first Black female executive to run a major label and signing artists who have gone on to become superstars.

She’ll receive the BET Ultimate Icon Award at the upcoming BET Awards broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28 at 8 p.m. ET. Druski is the host.

“Sylvia Rhone’s influence extends far beyond the music business and into the culture itself,” Connie Orlando, EVP & Head of Programming, BET said in a statement. “She championed artists and executives, shattered ceilings that had never been broken, and redefined what leadership looks like for women and people of color in every boardroom that followed.

Orlando continued, “Her legacy is heard in the music, seen in the careers she built, and felt in the generation of leaders walking the path she cleared. We are proud to honor Sylvia Rhone with the Ultimate Icon Award at the ‘BET Awards’ 2026.”

The 74-year-old has worked in the business for five decades, starting as an assistant at the now-defunct Buddha Records. After years of working her way up and a stop as Senior VP of Black Music at Atlantic Records working with Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo Yo, LeVert, and more, she was named the Chairman and CEO of Elektra Records, part of the Warner Music Group. At that time, Missy, Busta Rhymes, and EnVogue were on the label, as well as Metallica and Natalie Merchant.

Ten years later, she’d become the head of Universal Motown, which boasted the talents of India.Arie, Akon, Kid Cudi, and Erykah Badu and was the distribution partner for Cash Money Records. Rhone then joined Epic as its president in 2014, spearheading the careers of Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Mariah the Scientist, Giveon, Future and Tyla.

In 2025, she stepped down as Chairman and CEO of Epic Records after six years.

“I am blessed to have worked with some of the most brilliant and influential artists in the history of recorded music, Rhone said in a farewell memo to Epic staff. “And I’ve discovered this: when we channel our strength and creativity in service of a vision, and collaborate with artists who do the same, we create music that reflects our world, questions our assumptions, and uplifts our spirits. This is a kind of magic, a deeply human connection. Right now, when music’s DNA is being reimagined, when artists face existential challenges, and when all of us are building the future in real time, there is little that is more profound.

According to a BET release, the Ultimate Icon award “honors the trailblazers whose work has transcended their field, figures whose names have become synonymous with excellence. This distinction belongs to those few who didn’t just succeed within the culture; they expanded what the culture believed was possible, leaving a mark so enduring it cannot be measured by any single era or achievement.”

Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Mariah Carey are previous recipients of the award.


 

For many commuters, mornings just wouldn’t be complete without a daily dose of “GRIFF” as co-host of Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell.

Whether it be his signature comedic quips, a prayer for the people or his quotable “Mr. Griffin” segments, it goes without saying that “GRIFF’ has become a pillar of positivity in the lives of many. What you might not know is that he gets it all from his momma, so much so that he decided to dedicate a full book to her titled Cats & Puppies (this is not a book about animals).

RELATED: GRIFF Opens Up About Health Scare on Get Up! Mornings

Originally published around 15 years ago, the 2026 re-release now comes as an audiobook on Audible that “GRIFF” himself stepped in to narrate. The book also comes with a touching foreword from Mrs. Lenoir, the queen in question, and even has musical scoring by GRAMMY-nominated producer TedyP to match the chapters as you listen along.

Read the synopsis for below, via Audible:

“‘Cats & Puppies’ is Arlen “GRIFF” Griffin’s love letter to his mother, Lenoir. Pregnant at fifteen and raising five children, she became the foundation of GRIFF’s candid reflections. In this book, he shares his unique upbringing, praising his mother’s resilience. The title is a metaphor—like a cat raising puppies, it’s about making an unusual situation work. GRIFF’s “no holds barred” comedic voice brings raw, relatable stories that resonate with mothers, sons, and anyone preparing for parenthood.

This book isn’t just for women raising boys; it speaks to men, daughters, and anyone who values honest parenting stories. GRIFF’s debut is a heartfelt, hard-to-put-down journey that leaves you laughing and reflecting long after the last page.”

Being that he part of the REACH Media family, we just had to get an exclusive on everything that went into this publication. He took some time from his busy schedule on-air to chop it up with us about the process, the painand most importantly the healing that he and his family received in being able to verbally tell his story this time around.

Watch our exclusive interview with “GRIFF” from Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell below, and tune in by downloading to his book, Cats & Puppies, from your favorite digital bookstore:

We’re nearly four months into the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran, and, once again, there’s talk of a ceasefire and a deal that could end the conflict. Now, we’ve heard all of this before — dozens of times over, actually — but this time, there actually seems to be some agreement between governments that a peace deal is actually in the works. However — because there’s always a “however” — President Donald Trump has already lashed out at the Iranian government, which he has accused of leaking details of the deal that are, of course, fake news.

So, let’s get into it…

According to Axios: “The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding President Trump claims will soon be signed calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen immediately without tolls and for Iran to receive sanctions relief based on compliance, according to a diplomat from one of the mediating countries and a U.S. official.” If that’s the case, it would only mean Trump is set to sign a deal that would return everything to exactly how it was before the U.S. and Israeli governments began bombing Iran out of nowhere, and with no clear objective.

But Iranian media outlets released their own details about the deal, and those reports seemed to amount to more of a cave to Iranian demands than a mutually beneficial or compromising deal, which, again, has happened before.

From BBC News:

On Friday, Iranian media published what they described as terms of an agreement. The reported details included the lifting of a US naval blockade and “at least $300bn (£223bn)” to address the damage caused by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Israel is not involved in the talks which have been mostly mediated by Pakistan and are meant to lead to an extension of the ceasefire and the start of negotiations on key issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme. For decades, Iran has been accused by Western countries of trying to build a nuclear weapon. It has denied the accusations saying its programme is for peaceful purposes – to generate electricity and for research purposes.

Iran’s Mehr news agency which published the alleged contents of the deal said Iran wanted a final agreement to be endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution.

“The final agreement shall be limited to issues concerning the future of enriched materials and enrichment activities, sanctions relief, and the programme for rebuilding Iran’s economy,” it said.

It added that “final negotiations shall not begin until half of Iran’s frozen assets have been released, Iranian oil sanctions have been suspended, and the naval blockade has been lifted”.

So, slight correction: if what has been reported regarding the deal is true, everything goes back to exactly how it was before the bombing started, and Iran gets an extra $300 billion in the bank.

Trump, of course, was unhappy about the leaked details and, in a Truth Social post, denied that what was presented bore any resemblance to the deal he was prepared to sign.

“Very dishonorable people to deal with,” Trump called the Iranian government in the post. “With them, there is no such thing as dealing in good faith. AMAZING! Also, their totally rebuffed Drone attack last night against Indian Ships leaving the Hormuz Strait is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. They better get their act together, and FAST!”

First, even for Trump, that was a weird and nonsensical use of the word “AMAZING,” although I suppose it’s pretty amazing that Trump didn’t include in his post another idle threat to bomb Iran “back to the stone age” or destroy its entire civilization.

Other than that, though, it’s all the same rinse and repeat: Trump claims there’s a deal coming, a ceasefire is tentatively put in place, then Trump start’s shit talking us out of said pending, possibly imaginary deal. And even if there’s a real deal in place, details get reported, revealing that Iran is getting more than it’s giving up, which is contrary to what Trump claims, so we just end up back where we started, with no deal and no ceasefire. And if the Israeli government never takes part in these talks, but is often the first country to resume launching bombs and missiles wherever it pleases, why should anyone have any confidence that a real, mutually agreed upon deal would be sustainable even if one could be reached?

In the end, we’re left with the same question we had from the start of this debacle: What the hell are we even doing here?

SEE ALSO:

Iran Rejects US Terms To End War, Offers Terms Of Its Own

House Votes To End Iran War, Trump Fumes At GOP Members Who Voted Yes

RIH-diculously adorable A$AP Rocky and Rihanna have been packing on the PDA this week after being spotted in the NYC streets.

It all started with the Knicks. As BOSSIP previously reported, while Rocky attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden —where the Knicks pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history with a stunning 107-106 win over the Spurs after overcoming a 29-point deficit — he and Rihanna also took the celebration to the streets.

A viral clip showed Rihanna taking shots at a Knicks-themed basketball hoop as a crowd of fans cheered her on with chants of “Let’s go RihRih!” while Rocky stood nearby grinning from ear to ear. Rocky has made his Knicks loyalty clear all postseason, telling GQ, “I’m from New York, sweetheart. I ain’t no Knicks fan. I am a Knick.” 

Then came the newsstand moment that absolutely sent the internet into a tizzy. On Wednesday (June 10), Rocky and Rihanna were spotted at a New York City newsstand where a fan captured Rocky holding up Rihanna’s recent W magazine cover story and asking for her autograph. 

“I’ve been your fan for a long time,” Rocky told her. 

When Rihanna pointed out that he was technically “a fan” while she was “a groupie,” Rocky responded,

“I’m your No. 1 groupie. Excuse me miss, can you please sign this for me? Put it out to your future baby daddy.”

The future baby daddy line made Rihanna laugh, and she joked that she couldn’t have their fourth child as she “already had her BBL appointment set up.”

And then Rihanna decided two could play that game. As Complex reported, while chatting with Maurice Kamara’s The People Gallery and holding up the recently released comeback issue of Vibe magazine featuring Rocky on the cover, Rihanna gushed,

“And this is… My baby daddy brought Vibe back. You know, the vibe has been lost. The vibe has been brought back. Oh my god, look. Right there. I f****ed that n***a and I had his babies.”

Rocky then walked into the same interview, again citing himself as a “good luck charm” for the Knicks. The two share three children together, including their youngest daughter, Rocki Irish, born in September of last year. 

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have built one of the most genuinely playful and affectionate public relationships in entertainment. This week, they put the entire blueprint on display. Autographs, baby daddy declarations, sidewalk basketball, and matching magazine covers. Some people get flowers. Rihanna and Rocky get full media cycles dedicated to how much they adore each other. 

RELATED: Reps For Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Tell Fans To RIH-Lax Amid Swirling Met Gala Tension Rumors

“One of the things we wanted to do with [March Forth] is make clear what the stakes were. A lot of times when you think about incarceration, conversations about violence get ignored, and it makes it difficult to get it to the places where you want to get it to…we go there.”

— Reginald Dwayne Betts

If we’re lucky, many of us will never have a firsthand understanding of what it means to be incarcerated. Our culture is sadly all too familiar with the topic though, as an estimated average of 700,000 to 840,000 Black people in the U.S. are currently behind bars. For those who manage to make it through serving their time — that’s a whole other issue in itself — the damage done physically, mentally, socially and economically can oftentimes be irreparable.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Reginald Dwayne Betts. After doing a nine-year bid for a robbery committed as a teen, he used his experience to reverse the odds set against him by adapting his passion for poetry into a degree from Yale Law School, prison reform advocate for the Obama Administration and leading the mission at Freedom Reads to put libraries in every cellblock in America.

It’s the subject of his powerful new documentary, March Forth, which recently debuted at the 2026 Tribeca Festival.

RELATED: Tribeca Festival 2026 Opening Night Review – Earth, Wind & A Fire Documentary

The film is a Spotlight Documentary this year as recipient of a grant from SUBJECT MATTER, which provides funds to projects that specifically highlight topical social issues. March Forth was selected for capturing the dignity and humanity of people in prison and the transformative power of literature, a decision we most definitely agree with.

Betts allows himself to be completely transparent when it comes to the highs and lows of his story. It begins with the latter, as he vividly recollects the fateful night in 1996 when his life forever changed. Through mixed media storytelling, the play-by-play is given dimensional emphasis with animation of the events paired with spoken word by actor Brian Tyree Henry, who serves as an EP and narrates excerpts from Betts’ post-prison memoir, A Question of Freedom. It’s all done expertly as Betts, even in reflecting on the past, still feels the pain of a childish choice that in return took away his youth.

In a conversation we had with the film’s star as he made his way through festival screenings of March Forth, he told us exclusively, “One of the things we wanted to do with the film is make clear what the stakes were. A lot of times when you think about incarceration, conversations about violence get ignored, and it makes it difficult to get it to the places where you want to get it to.” Together with the team who helped him put the film together, including co-directors Valerie Hong and Robe Imbriano, he strived to “go there” in giving a platform to a taboo subject. “People don’t struggle with guilt and the desire to be forgiven,” he says of misconceptions to incarceration, going on to add, “they don’t struggle to become better on a regular basis, even if they go through things while trying to figure it all out.”

It’s hard to ignore the timeliness of a documentary like March Forth given the recent Karmelo Anthony murder conviction, which has resulted in America’s latest race debate. “It’s dangerous when we start expecting justice from the court system,” says Betts, adding to his comment, “When the court makes a decision we agree with, then we say it’s giving us justice; when we disagree, we say we have injustice. I think we need to realize that the court doesn’t do that.” He used the film to instead depict those incarceration stories and the lives they’re both living and struggling in, instead of being reduced to catchphrases.

As more attention is brought to the narrative, even beyond its Tribeca debut, there’s a hope that March Forth will further the efforts in reforming the prison system as rehabilitative as opposed to punitive. It doesn’t hurt having a Marvel star like Brian Tyree Henry willing to lend his voice to the movement, and it doesn’t go unnoticed either. Betts speaks highly of his A-List co-star by stating, “Even though he has a lot of physicality to his work as an actor, when you’re doing a voiceover this way you don’t get to actually have your physicality on the stage. He had to be able to convey a wide range of emotions through his voice, and I think he did a fantastic job.”

“This is one of those films that is supposed to make you do all of the things,” Betts added as one final note. He explains further: “I enjoyed listening to people laugh in [the theater], I enjoyed people saying they cried and just all the sides that you feel. What I hope people expect and experience is the range of emotions that you’re supposed to get from dope art.”

Visit Freedom Reads for more information on how Reginald Dwayne Betts is changing lives with prison libraries, then check out SUBJECT MATTER to donate and even host a funded screening for March Forth.

Dwayne Johnson is opening up about a private health scare that unfolded while he was promoting Jumanji. In a new Esquire cover story, the actor revealed that he faced a testicular cancer scare earlier this year and kept the ordeal to himself, telling no one, not even his wife.

As Variety reported, Johnson revealed that he had a cancer scare earlier this year that coincided with his Jumanji press duties at CinemaCon. The actor discovered a lump on one of his testicles and went to the doctor the morning before his trip to Las Vegas. So picture this. He wakes up to find a concerning lump. He goes to see the doctor before he is due at one of the biggest movie promotional events of the year. And the news he gets back is not exactly reassuring. 

According to Esquire, the doctor felt the lump and said it was probably epididymitis — an inflammation of a tube at the back of the testicle that stores sperm, but it could also be cancer. The doctor asked what his schedule looked like that day, and Johnson told him about the all-day Jumanji event. The doctor said Johnson needed to get an ultrasound first thing the next morning. 

The man was told there was a real possibility this could be cancer, and then he still had to show up to a full day of press, smile for cameras, do interviews, and entertain a room full of people. All while sitting on that information privately.

“So I had to live with that for those 24 hours, not knowing, and I had to be on all day, joking around, making speeches. But I’m okay,” he said, confirming he did in fact just have epididymitis and not cancer. 

The same interview also touched on a few other topics, giving fans a fuller picture of where his head has been this year. Johnson admitted that Oscar buzz around his performance in The Smashing Machine was instant after it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where he notably broke down in tears during a standing ovation. Ultimately, he was not nominated for Best Actor earlier this year. 

“It would have been incredible to get nominated for an Oscar,” he said. “I realized very quickly that it’s a rare thing to reach this pinnacle. It would have been amazing. I wish it happened. But it didn’t. But in no uncertain terms did I ever think, ‘Oh, that doesn’t matter.’ I always thought it mattered. And it has lit a fire in my spine, which is: let’s go back to work.”

As People reported, the description of the lump itself was striking on its own. Johnson described the discomfort as significant enough that it was impossible to ignore, even with everything else going on that day.

Thankfully, Johnson is okay. The lump was not cancer, but the entertainer went through a genuinely frightening twenty-four hours while the world was watching him smile. Now, he is using that experience to remind everyone that health checks matter and that strength sometimes looks like showing up anyway while quietly handling something heavy behind the scenes. Take care of yourselves out here, and please get that thing checked if you have been putting it off.

RELATED: Luxury Larceny & Capitalism Critiques: ‘The Black Watch’ Breaks Down Boots Riley’s Deliciously Disruptive ‘I Love Boosters’

A crew of couture criminals, luxury larceny, and plenty of Boots Riley-style absurdist adventure had BOSSIP and Cassius talking this week.

Today (June 12), the brands released a new episode of The Black Watch, an editorial-led series examining the biggest cultural moments in film and entertainment.

The latest installment of the series brings together BOSSIP’s Managing Editor Dani Canada, executive producer Serita Wesley, and comedian-writer Richard Jones for a candid conversation about Boots Riley’s brilliantly bonkers I Love Boosters.

The 2026 comedy-crime caper follows a group of fashionable shoplifters who steal designer goods from luxury retailers and resell them at discounted prices. The film stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore, and continues Riley’s tradition of blending surreal storytelling with sharp social commentary.

The discussion kicks off with the panel weighing the film’s overall entertainment value and whether Riley’s signature style still packs a punch.

Known for projects like Sorry to Bother You and I’m A Virgo, Riley has built a reputation for creating stories that feel equal parts absurd, thought-provoking, and unpredictable. According to the panel, I Love Boosters fits squarely within that tradition.

The group also spends time dissecting the film’s striking visual identity, which leans heavily into luxury fashion, consumer culture, and status symbols. But beneath the stylish exterior, the panel notes, Riley is making a much larger statement.

“Can we talk more about the social commentary that we’re getting from this film?” Dani asks. “Because it really is kind of talking about the ridiculousness of capitalism. It’s talking about how the boosters are taking from the rich to give to the poor.”

She also points to Riley’s commentary on luxury fashion’s relationship with communities of color.

“Boots also noted that it’s about big fashion houses and how they kind of steal from communities of color,” Dani says. “And then, we never get credit for it, so I thought that was really smart for him to put in there.”

Serita agrees, noting that the film’s themes feel particularly relevant in today’s climate.

“Yeah, I think it’s very timely for everything that’s going on in the country,” she says. “We see it time and time again. Every designer either wants to capitalize on us or they want to rip us off and not give us any credit.”

The conversation then takes a turn as Serita reveals something tied to the film.

“Wait, do y’all know any real boosters? Because I do,” Serita says. “I’m from Philly. I have some boosters in my family.”

“That’s real snitch activity right there,” Richard quips.

“I didn’t say who it was!” Serita fires back with a laugh.

Beyond the film’s social commentary, the group also praises Riley’s ability to assemble memorable ensembles. The cast of I Love Boosters sparks a larger conversation about the filmmaker’s creative partnerships, particularly his collaborations with Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield.

“So we like Keke with Boots. We love LaKeith with Boots,” Dani says. “Who else do we want to see Boots work with next?”

“Lupita Nyong’o,” suggests Serita. “I want to see him with Lupita.”

Dani agrees, and Serita’s suggestion prompts a detour into recent online reactions to Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey.

“I’m glad you brought up Lupita because I don’t know if y’all saw this whole controversy about her playing Helen of Troy,” Dani says. “People like Elon Musk are mad. They’re like she’s not the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Yes, she is!” Serita insists.

Richard is equally unimpressed with the criticism.

“Yeah, Elon was like, ‘Well, he’s doing this to get awards.’ Duh!”

“I mean, why else would you make a film, right?” Dani responds.

“Exactly,” Richard says. “Because he’s not creative.”

He continues ripping into the SpaceX Founder.

He is a big idiot who fails upward. Elon Musk is not a robot. He’s just really good at—how do I put this? Oh, yeah, d*** riding.

The exchange eventually spirals into playful jokes about Hollywood, awards season, and internet discourse before returning to the film itself.

As the episode winds down, the panel agrees that I Love Boosters succeeds because it delivers larger conversations about wealth, culture, and who gets credit for shaping trends, just in the wonkily whimsical Boots Riley way.

Check out the latest episode of The Black Watch below.

The flavors of Houston’s once-iconic Turkey Leg Hut are making a comeback this weekend, as Turkey Leg Hut owner Nakia Holmes prepares to host a special pop-up event giving food lovers another taste of the brand that became a cultural staple in the city.

RELATED: Ex-Turkey Leg Hut Owner Lynn Price Admits to Firebombing Bar 5015

The pop-up is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, at The Quad, located at 4608 Almeda, just three blocks away from the former Turkey Leg Hut location in Houston’s Third Ward. The close proximity adds another layer of nostalgia for longtime supporters, many of whom packed out the original restaurant during its peak.

Holmes stopped by Majic 102.1 this week to discuss the event, where she addressed the latest legal developments involving former Turkey Leg Hut owner Lyndell “Lynn” Price and made it clear the show will go on.

During the interview, Holmes revealed she had just learned that Price had officially pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit arson in connection to the 2020 firebombing of Bar 5015, a nightclub and lounge located near Turkey Leg Hut. According to federal prosecutors, Price admitted under oath that he directed an employee to assemble a crew to carry out the attack, transport gasoline to the business and intentionally set it on fire. The guilty plea marks a major turn in a case that has followed Price for years and could carry serious prison time at sentencing.

The timing of the plea raised eyebrows, coming just two days before Holmes’ pop-up event, but she said it did not change her plans. Instead, Holmes emphasized that the event is about the community and the supporters who have continued to show love to the Turkey Leg Hut brand despite its long and often turbulent history.

For years, Turkey Leg Hut was more than just a restaurant. Located in Houston’s Third Ward, it became one of the city’s most recognizable food destinations, known for its oversized stuffed turkey legs, long lines and celebrity clientele. The restaurant drew not only locals but tourists from across the country, quickly becoming a must-visit stop for anyone visiting Houston. From viral social media posts to national press coverage, Turkey Leg Hut helped turn Houston’s food scene into a bigger part of the national conversation.

But behind the popularity, the restaurant faced its share of controversy. Over the years, Turkey Leg Hut dealt with lawsuits, city violations, financial troubles and public feuds involving ownership. Those issues eventually contributed to the restaurant’s closure, ending an era for one of Houston’s most talked-about eateries. Still, for many fans, the brand never lost its cultural weight.

This weekend’s pop-up offers a temporary revival of that experience, and judging by the buzz surrounding Holmes’ appearance, there is still strong demand for what Turkey Leg Hut brought to the table. Whether it’s nostalgia, curiosity or loyalty, Houston foodies will once again have the chance to reconnect with a place that once stood at the center of the city’s food culture.

Spike Lee has always dressed like somebody who knows the camera might find him. Whether he’s on a red carpet, posted courtside at Madison Square Garden, or walking through Brooklyn, his style has never been quiet. The glasses, the hats, the orange and blue, the custom pieces, the 40 Acres and a Mule touches — it all feels like part of the same Spike Lee uniform.

That is especially true when it comes to sneakers. Long before celebrity sneaker closets became content, Spike was helping turn sneakers into storytelling. His Mars Blackmon character didn’t just help sell Air Jordans; he helped make the phrase “It’s gotta be the shoes” part of sneaker language forever. Nike paired Spike with Michael Jordan in ads beginning in the late 1980s, and that partnership helped change how sneakers were marketed to athletes, fans, movie lovers and everybody in between.

Lately, Spike’s sneaker legacy has been back in the spotlight because the Knicks’ success has put him right back where he belongs: front row, loud fit, louder reactions, and cameras cutting to him every few minutes. So this isn’t just a list of shoes Spike has worn. It’s a look at the moments where sneakers, hoops, Hollywood, Brooklyn and Black culture all met at his feet.

Stephen A. Smith and Donald Trump’s relationship is one of those media-world connections that’s easier to describe as friendly, familiar and complicated than a traditional friendship. They are both loud, New York-coded, camera-ready personalities who understand attention better than most walking this Earth. But their public history is not some deep buddy-buddy saga with years of vacation photos and courtside selfies. It is more like a long-running collision between sports, politics, TV, and ego.

Still, there is definitely history there. Stephen A. has acknowledged knowing Trump; Trump has spoken about Stephen A. in surprisingly warm terms at times; and the two have circled each other through Fox News appearances, political commentary, 2028 presidential speculation, and, most recently, the Knicks’ NBA Finals run. That last part is where things went from “friendly media acquaintances” to full-on public back-and-forth.

The latest drama came after Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks lost to the Spurs, ending their 13-game winning streak. Stephen A., a lifelong Knicks fan, blamed Trump’s presence, security, road closures and overall disruption for messing up the team’s “mojo.” Trump clapped back by questioning Stephen A.’s IQ and presidential qualifications, and Stephen A. responded by mocking Trump for appearing to fall asleep at the game. So, yeah — whatever friendship existed, the Knicks might’ve effectively ended it.

For Black women, rage is rarely afforded the same complexity as grief, love, vulnerability, or even joy. But in Is God Is, writer-director Aleshea Harris delivers something far more radical: a revenge-fueled fever dream that centers Black women not as victims, but as architects of their own justice.

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That energy was palpable at the Brooklyn premiere of the highly anticipated film at Brooklyn Academy of Music, where the cast and creatives gathered to celebrate a project many believe will leave a permanent mark on Black cinema. Adapted from Harris’ acclaimed stage play, Is God Is follows twin sisters on a surreal journey of vengeance after being tasked with confronting the father responsible for their family’s devastation. The film stars Mallori Johnson, Kara Young, Erika Alexander, Vivica A. Fox, Sterling K. Brown and Janelle Monáe, with Tessa Thompson serving as a producer.

“I read the script and my mind was blown,” Monáe told MadameNoire Managing Editor Danica Daniel on the red carpet. “When I say a phenomenal script—I’m crying, I’m laughing. And the film, she just took it to another level.”

Alexander echoed that enthusiasm, calling Harris “a powerful person” whose work is poised to reshape the medium. “It’s going to change cinema,” she said before describing her character, Divine, as a woman trapped between healing and heartbreak. “A lot of women, when they get hurt, they don’t move on. They get stuck.”

For Thompson, the urgency behind bringing Is God Is to audiences was simple. “Because it’s an incredible, wildly entertaining, singular kind of one-of-one piece,” she said.

But perhaps the film’s greatest impact lies in what it offers Black women. “This film does such an amazing job of giving Black women an opportunity to hopefully have some release and some catharsis,” Johnson explained. Young agreed, adding, “We’ve never seen ourselves like this on camera. We don’t have this in the cinema canon.”

And if anyone needed a reminder of what kind of ride audiences are in for, Fox summed it up best with a grin: “Girl power. Yeah. But revenge—a dish best served cold.”

Above, the cast and creatives behind Is God Is tell MadameNoire why this haunting meditation on sisterhood, survival, and revenge is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

Is God Is is in theaters now. Alliance Entertainment, in association with MGM, has announced that it will release Is God Is on Blu-ray on July 28.

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Throughout American history, Black people have endured systemic injustices that continue to manifest in devastating ways. The criminal justice system, rather than serving as a equalizer, has too often functioned as an instrument of oppression, from racial profiling that subjects Black individuals to unwarranted suspicion simply for existing in certain spaces, to acts of police brutality that have claimed countless innocent lives with little to no legal consequence.

When Black Americans fall victim to racially motivated violence and hatred, the scales of justice frequently tip in favor of the aggressor, with perpetrators walking away with charges reduced, sentences minimized, or in many cases, facing no punishment at all.

RELATED: Karmelo Anthony Trial Sparks National Debate On Race & Justice

This imbalance where Black victims are denied the justice routinely given to others sent a clear message that their lives held lesser value in the eyes of the law. It’s through this long, painful history of neglect and injustice that the Black Lives Matter movement was born, rising as a powerful collective demand that the systemic dehumanization of Black people be acknowledged, confronted, and dismantled once and for all.

RELATED: 10 Black American Flags You May Not Have Known Existed

Take a look at the times where the United States Justice System failed the Black community:

A crew of couture criminals, luxury larceny, and plenty of Boots Riley-style absurdist adventure had BOSSIP and Cassius talking this week.

Today (June 12), the brands released a new episode of The Black Watch, an editorial-led series examining the biggest cultural moments in film and entertainment.

The latest installment of the series brings together BOSSIP’s Managing Editor Dani Canada, executive producer Serita Wesley, and comedian-writer Richard Jones for a candid conversation about Boots Riley’s brilliantly bonkers I Love Boosters.

The 2026 comedy-crime caper follows a group of fashionable shoplifters who steal designer goods from luxury retailers and resell them at discounted prices. The film stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore, and continues Riley’s tradition of blending surreal storytelling with sharp social commentary.

The discussion kicks off with the panel weighing the film’s overall entertainment value and whether Riley’s signature style still packs a punch.

Known for projects like Sorry to Bother You and I’m A Virgo, Riley has built a reputation for creating stories that feel equal parts absurd, thought-provoking, and unpredictable. According to the panel, I Love Boosters fits squarely within that tradition.

The group also spends time dissecting the film’s striking visual identity, which leans heavily into luxury fashion, consumer culture, and status symbols. But beneath the stylish exterior, the panel notes, Riley is making a much larger statement.

“Can we talk more about the social commentary that we’re getting from this film?” Dani asks. “Because it really is kind of talking about the ridiculousness of capitalism. It’s talking about how the boosters are taking from the rich to give to the poor.”

She also points to Riley’s commentary on luxury fashion’s relationship with communities of color.

“Boots also noted that it’s about big fashion houses and how they kind of steal from communities of color,” Dani says. “And then, we never get credit for it, so I thought that was really smart for him to put in there.”

Serita agrees, noting that the film’s themes feel particularly relevant in today’s climate.

“Yeah, I think it’s very timely for everything that’s going on in the country,” she says. “We see it time and time again. Every designer either wants to capitalize on us or they want to rip us off and not give us any credit.”

The conversation then takes a turn as Serita reveals something tied to the film.

“Wait, do y’all know any real boosters? Because I do,” Serita says. “I’m from Philly. I have some boosters in my family.”

“That’s real snitch activity right there,” Richard quips.

“I didn’t say who it was!” Serita fires back with a laugh.

Beyond the film’s social commentary, the group also praises Riley’s ability to assemble memorable ensembles. The cast of I Love Boosters sparks a larger conversation about the filmmaker’s creative partnerships, particularly his collaborations with Keke Palmer and LaKeith Stanfield.

“So we like Keke with Boots. We love LaKeith with Boots,” Dani says. “Who else do we want to see Boots work with next?”

“Lupita Nyong’o,” suggests Serita. “I want to see him with Lupita.”

Dani agrees, and Serita’s suggestion prompts a detour into recent online reactions to Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey.

“I’m glad you brought up Lupita because I don’t know if y’all saw this whole controversy about her playing Helen of Troy,” Dani says. “People like Elon Musk are mad. They’re like she’s not the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Yes, she is!” Serita insists.

Richard is equally unimpressed with the criticism.

“Yeah, Elon was like, ‘Well, he’s doing this to get awards.’ Duh!”

“I mean, why else would you make a film, right?” Dani responds.

“Exactly,” Richard says. “Because he’s not creative.”

He continues ripping into the SpaceX Founder.

He is a big idiot who fails upward. Elon Musk is not a robot. He’s just really good at—how do I put this? Oh, yeah, d*** riding.

The exchange eventually spirals into playful jokes about Hollywood, awards season, and internet discourse before returning to the film itself.

As the episode winds down, the panel agrees that I Love Boosters succeeds because it delivers larger conversations about wealth, culture, and who gets credit for shaping trends, just in the wonkily whimsical Boots Riley way.

Check out the latest episode of The Black Watch below.

Rep. Ilhan Omar is calling out Jerry Seinfeld after the comedian appeared to dismiss the existence of Palestine during an interaction with a social media streamer, describing his comments as “disgusting,” “disturbing,” and potentially harmful.

Speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill, the Minnesota Democrat did not mince words when asked about the viral exchange involving Seinfeld outside Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night. In the video, a streamer approached the comedian and asked him to say “Free Palestine.” Seinfeld, who is believed to be a Zionist for his unwavering support of Israel, responded with sarcasm before appearing to suggest that Palestine “doesn’t exist,” sparking backlash online, TMZ reports.

Omar said the remarks were particularly troubling given Seinfeld’s enormous public platform and influence.

“Using your voice to diminish the identity of an entire people is dangerous,” Omar said, arguing that denying the history and existence of Palestinians goes beyond political disagreement and enters the realm of dehumanization.

The congresswoman also pointed to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying that comments like Seinfeld’s ignore the suffering that Palestinians have endured for generations and continue to experience amid the current conflict.

Omar argued that language that seeks to erase a group of people carries real-world consequences, whether it comes from politicians, media figures, or celebrities.

She also highlighted what she described as a painful irony, noting that members of the Jewish community have historically faced persecution and attempts to erase their own identity. Because of that history, Omar said, people should be especially sensitive to rhetoric that denies another group’s humanity or existence.

The lawmaker ended with a direct message for Seinfeld: acknowledge the humanity of Palestinians and recognize that words matter—especially when spoken by someone with a global audience.

The exchange has fueled another round of debate online as the war in Gaza continues to generate strong reactions from public figures across politics, entertainment and sports.

See the ongoing reactions to Seinfeld’s comments below.

Deion Sanders has always been one of the loudest, flashiest and most confident figures in sports, but his latest announcement hit different. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach revealed that he is cancer-free after a serious battle with bladder cancer, telling Good Morning America that he has his health back, his energy back, and, in true Coach Prime fashion, his “swagger” back.

The news comes after a frightening stretch for Sanders, who publicly revealed in July 2025 that doctors had found a tumor on his bladder during a routine checkup earlier that spring. According to his medical team, the tumor was high-grade and considered high-risk, which led doctors to remove his bladder and reconstruct a new one.

That alone would be enough to slow anybody down, but Sanders’ health journey has been heavy for years. Since 2021, he has dealt with multiple surgeries tied to blood clots and circulation issues, including the amputation of two toes on his left foot. Then came the bladder cancer diagnosis, which pushed him into another fight that tested his body, his faith and his usual larger-than-life spirit.

Sanders has been honest about how dark things got. He said last year at this time, he was fighting cancer and did not know which way things were going to go. He also revealed that the ordeal included 14 surgeries, with the bladder removal being the biggest piece of the process.

But Prime did not go through it alone. His doctors in Colorado played a major role in catching the cancer and getting him through treatment while his family, loved ones and support system stayed close during the toughest moments. In footage shared during his recovery, Karrueche Tran was seen emotionally supporting him at the hospital, while Sanders’ son also helped document parts of the journey through the family’s “For Your Glory” series.

For Sanders, beating cancer has clearly been about more than just being able to stand on the sideline again. It has been about surviving something that could have changed everything, then coming out on the other side with a new appreciation for life, health and purpose. He credited God and his doctors for bringing him through, saying, “We fought the battle and we won the battle fighting cancer. I’m cancer-free. I’m good.”

Now, Sanders says he is fully back and ready to coach his team with the same energy people expect from him. After everything his body has been through, the message is simple: Coach Prime is still here, still fighting and still carrying himself like the man who built a career off confidence. The swagger is back, but this time, it comes with a testimony.

RELATED: Shedeur Recreates Legendary Deion Sanders Photo To Celebrate College Graduation

Southern Soul singer Fat Daddy came ready to talk music, family, and his upcoming performance on the One Voyage Cruise. When asked what he’s most excited about for the One Voice Cruise 2026? “I’m looking most forward to them 20 restaurants,” he laughed. “I’m ready to eat. My name Fat Daddy, right?” But once the jokes settled, the real passion came through. This will be his third time on the cruise, and he’s bringing the heat.

“I’m bringing back the soul blues,” he said. “All the way back to your Johnny Taylors, your Bobby Blue Blands. Having a good time, taking y’all all the way.” For Fat Daddy, Southern soul is more than a genre. He calls it “the new age of blues,” a sound that blends a little hip-hop, a little R&B, and a little jazz, all delivered with live music and real feeling.

Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. (Terms and conditions).

The man’s got range, too. He plays guitar, drums, and trombone. Turns out he marched at Grambling, which sparked a friendly band rivalry right there in the studio. Grambling versus Alabama State? Now that’s a show worth seeing.

What Makes This Cruise Special

What makes this cruise special is the heart behind it. They call it a “party with a purpose,” supporting the United Negro College Fund and our HBCUs. That mission hits home for Fat Daddy. “We want all our young kids to go to school and be great in this world,” he shared. “I’m truly happy to be a part of this, to raise some money for these Black kids to keep doing what they doing.” That’s the kind of giving back our community can rally around.

Greatness clearly runs in his blood. Fat Daddy is born and bred in Texas, and his father is none other than the legendary R.L. Griffin, owner of the Blues Palace in downtown Dallas. “It comes from greatness, man,” he said with pride. Forty years in the business? That’s a legacy.

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New Music

He’s also got a brand-new single dropping called “Tito’s in Your Cup.” And when asked who he’s excited to see on the cruise, his answer came quick: Keith Sweat. “That’s so good to me, man,” he smiled.

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Related Article: Who Will Hit The Stage At The ONE Voyage Cruise?

Related Article: Urban One Rebrands Its Iconic Cruise as ONE Voyage Experience, Continues “Party with a Purpose” Legacy with UNCF Partnership

Set Sail on the One Voyage Cruise a True Party with a Purpose

The One Voyage Cruise is bringing fans an unforgettable opportunity to see a laundry list of legendary artists in an once in a lifetime performance. This isn’t just a cruise with a performance, it’s a celebration of music, culture, and community, all while raising money for students attending HBCUs all aboard a luxurious cruise designed to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Set sail with us on the One Voyage Cruise, departing October 26 thru November 1, 2026, on Virgin Voyage’s Resilient Lady from Miami to the breathtaking destinations of Nassau, Bahamas. and Bimini. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, featuring world-class entertainment including T.I., Rick Ross, Keith Sweat, Pastor Mike J, and more, enriching experiences. Secure your spot today at onevoyage.blackamericaweb.com or call 214-495-1963

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According to reporting by WALB, a Georgia family says what began as a peaceful gathering in Lee County turned into a terrifying incident like something from the 1950s when a white man allegedly drove past their home shouting racial slurs before returning armed with an AR-15-style rifle and body armor.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the incident unfolded on June 7 on Autumn Leaf Drive in Leesburg. Family members told WALB that they were outside enjoying a gathering when a vehicle passed by and the driver, later identified as 36-year-old Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer, allegedly began yelling the N-word and other racist remarks at the predominantly Black group. Witnesses said the family initially tried to ignore the harassment and continued their fellowship after Kinzer left.

“He’s talking junk. He started yelling the ‘N-word,’” Ramell Green, a witness said. “He kept going so we let him go. We just discussed what had happened after.”

However, family members said the situation escalated dramatically when Kinzer returned. Witnesses told WALB that he arrived wearing body armor and carrying an AR-15-style rifle. According to relatives, Kinzer allegedly opened fire toward the gathering, causing life-or-death chaos as people scrambled for cover and safety. Several people, including children, were reportedly present during the incident. Witnesses described the encounter as a racially motivated attack and said they feared someone would be killed.

Authorities said deputies responded to multiple reports of an active shooting and determined the violence stemmed from what they described as a verbal altercation. During the exchange of gunfire, Kinzer was shot and injured by a member of the family. Relatives told WALB the family member fired in self-defense after Kinzer allegedly began shooting at them. Kinzer survived the gunshot wound and was transported to a hospital for treatment.

“…People started taking positions because they saw he had a gun. And I was in the middle of the street,” Green said. “And I grabbed my gun and started returning fire and moving with him.”

Thank God these folks were armed and prepared to defend themselves against the hatred that infests America in 2026.

After being cleared by medical personnel, Kinzer was booked into the Lee County Jail. The sheriff’s office charged him with aggravated assault, though investigators indicated that additional charges could be forthcoming as the case remains under review. Officials have not announced whether any hate-crime-related charges will be pursued but hate crime charges should absolutely be pursued. Why is this even in question? The man calls a bunch of Black people ni**ers and shoots at them with a rifle. It doesn’t get any clearer that he hated them and wanted them dead.

For the family, the shooting left lasting emotional scars. They told WALB they believe they were targeted because they were Black and said the racist language allegedly used before the gunfire makes the motive clear.

“It’s so hurtful. I cried all night,” Loucindi Broussard, another witness, said. “I’m laying outside on the ground for a shootout. I’m under a car with my sister who is 77 and I’m 62.”

While no family members were reported seriously injured, relatives say the incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly racist hostility can escalate into potentially deadly violence.

For some weird reason, it’s not enough for state officials in Alabama to execute a man who has been sentenced to death; they feel the need to do it in a way that is likely painful, certainly cruel and definitely unusual. In fact, Alabama officials were so dead set on executing a Black man on death row by using nitrogen gas to suffocate him that, in a rare move, the U.S. Supreme Court had to step in and declare it unconstitutional.

According to the New York Times, on Thursday evening, the Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling that rejected a last-minute appeal by the state after lower-court judges found that the method of execution was “likely unconstitutional” in this case. The court’s decision, which was unsigned and included no reasoning — which the Times noted is typical of emergency rulings — saved convicted murderer Jeffery Lee from being executed via nitrogen hypoxia, just before he was set to be executed at 6 p.m. Thursday. The SCOTUS decision was a 6-3 ruling, with three of the court’s conservative judges, Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., and Neil M. Gorsuch, voting in favor of the nitrogen gas execution.

State officials argued that Lee, 49, initially chose nitrogen gas as the method for his execution. Still, at some point, he became so desperate to escape the odd, rarely used method that he preferred death by firing squad, as he felt it would be quicker and less painful.

From the Times:

In his legal challenge, Mr. Lee disputed claims from proponents of nitrogen hypoxia that the method is efficient and potentially painless. He even proposed death by firing squad as an alternative that he believed would be quicker and less painful.

In a decision late last month, Judge Emily Marks of U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama sided with state officials and said the execution could move forward, finding that using the gas “did not constitute cruel and unusual punishment.” But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit disagreed and sent the case back to Judge Marks.

In a new decision on Tuesday, Judge Marks blocked the state from executing Mr. Lee using the gas. This time, she agreed with his argument that death by firing squad — with four .30-caliber bullets aimed at his heart — “significantly reduces a substantial risk of severe pain.” Judges from the same appeals court affirmed her decision on Wednesday night.

According to CNN, nitrogen hypoxia is a method of execution that experts say causes “air hunger.” A federal court ruled the method violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. According to the Times, Alabama was the first state to use nitrogen gas to execute a person in 2024.  Lee would have been the eighth death row prisoner to be executed in Alabama using that method, and the ninth overall. In other words, nitrogen hypoxia has only been used eight times to kill someone since 2024, and seven of those eight executions happened in Alabama.

It’s significant that, while Lee still doesn’t want to die painfully, he does seem to have accepted his fate, because the jury that presided over his trial had recommended that he not be executed at all. According to CNN, Lee was convicted of murdering two people while robbing a pawnshop in Orrville, Ala., in 1998. The jury recommendation was life in prison, but the trial court overruled that decision and sentenced Lee to death.

“While I am disappointed the Supreme Court did not allow the state to proceed with Lee’s chosen method of execution, I remain committed to ensuring that justice is ultimately served for his victims,” Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama said in a statement.

But death is death, right? So, what does the method even matter, unless cruelty is the point?

SEE ALSO:

Alabama Governor Commutes Sentence Of Black Man 2 Days Before Execution

James Broadnax Executed After Cousin Confesses To Being The Shooter

The radio and TV personality has categorically denied his estranged wife’s allegations that he domestically abused her and had an affair with his co-host Francesca Amiker. This comes following reports from TMZ, which obtained police documents from an investigation involving his wife, Alicia Brown.

According to the docs, Brown was involved in an alleged assault during a May incident that prompted authorities to open a domestic dispute investigation, in which Big Tigger–whose real name is Darian Morgan–is the prime suspect.

Dispatch records indicate that Brown sought medical treatment for her injuries before police were contacted, which led to the launch of an investigation. She was later transported to a hospital, but authorities noted her injuries were not life-threatening. The documents don’t say what led to Brown’s injuries.

This report came after Brown alluded to Tigger being responsible for her injuries, posting an Instagram video showing off her bruised face on Sunday, June 7. In the social media clip, Alicia is crying, paired with the caption, “Someone ask my husband why my face happened,” along with the hashtag #FrancescaAmiker, the name of his radio show co-host.

In a comment under another post, Brown allegedly confirmed that she and Big Tigger are getting a divorce over his relationship with Amiker.

In response to these allegations, the radio personality took to the airwaves and Instagram to issue his own statement on June 12, denying both claims of infidelity and abuse.

“I want to say categorically that these allegations and accusations that have been circulating are false,” he began. “Additionally, it’s important to clarify that Francesca and I have never been anything more than friends and respected colleagues. I’d like to apologize to her for the impact of these last few days.”

His statement continued, “Out of respect for everyone involved, I ask for grace, privacy, and restraint as my family navigates this difficult moment. For more than 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving my community through music, entertainment, and connection, and I remain grateful for the trust so many of you have placed in me throughout that journey. I intend to continue living and leading in a manner worthy of that trust.”

Alicia Brown Denies Accusing Big Tigger Of Abuse

On the same day as her husband’s statement, Alicia released a new statement through media personality Loren LoRosa, denying that she accused Morgan of abuse.

“I want to be clear: I have never called my husband an abuser,” she said. “Social media has drawn its own conclusions from information that was shared, but those conclusions are not statements I have made.”

Brown went on to address the public scrutiny surrounding the situation, insisting that “the facts will speak for themselves in due time.”

Francesca Amiker has also denied the affair accusations.

On Saturday, she posted a meme on her InstaStory that read: “when you hear a rumor about you thats so untrue you genuinely don’t even know how to defend yourself.”

On Sunday, June 7, TheShadeRoom reached out to a source for Amiker, who denied Alicia Brown’s cheating claims.

“Francesca is in shock right now. Nearly two decades of building herself up in this industry, gaining respect from her peers, advocating for Black women, winning four Emmys because of her advocacy in her community, all for it to be ruined because someone she has never met tagged her in horrific imagery,” the source explained.

“Francesca has never been a part of a toxic situation and doesn’t plan to begin now. As a respected Journalist in this industry, she knows exactly how exciting it is to read salacious rumors and headlines.” In addition, the source said, “Her involvement in any of this couldn’t be farther from the truth. She never thought leaving E! news in Los Angeles and accepting a job at her new radio station would lead to this.”

The journalist went on to deny the accusations in a formal statement, saying,

“The allegations being circulated about me are completely false and do not reflect who I am or how I conduct myself. I have never had an affair or cheated with a married man. I stand by my character, my integrity, and the truth.”

Here’s a question: Does anyone who isn’t a MAGA supporter, a GOP official with MAGA constituents, or a billionaire who is being further enriched amid the MAGA movement want anything to do with any event tied to President Donald Trump? Since Trump’s disastrous second term began,  numerous musicians and other big-name celebrities have canceled their appearances at the Kennedy Center — which, until recently, was renamed to include Trump in its title, musicians have demanded over and over again that he stop playing their music at his events, numerous non-current recording artists refused to take part in his Freedom 250 celebration, and several current celebs have reportedly declined to take part in the UFC event the president is planning on the White House lawn.

Now, several states have opted not to participate in Trump’s “Great American State Fair” because a MAGA rally by any other name is still a MAGA rally.

From CNN:

Officials from Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina and Connecticut told CNN they declined an invitation from the Trump administration to showcase their states at the giant fairgrounds being built on the National Mall. Pennsylvania has yet to decide whether it will participate.

While officials said their states’ decisions were largely due to costs, a spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, pointed to concerns about the partisan nature of the event, set to open June 25 and last about two weeks.

“The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented,” spokesperson Luke Harkin said.

Interestingly enough, all six states — Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut and North Carolina — are states where officials fought legal battles against the Trump administration in cases regarding immigration enforcement and/or illegal National Guard Deployments. According to USA Today, Maine, where officials and residents also clashed with federal immigration agents over ICE operations in the state, also declined to take part in the event.

According to an event spokesperson, all 50 states will still be represented in the “Great American State Fair” — which, along with the UFC event, is part of the Freedom 250 celebration that has consistently proven to be a famous person repellent — regardless of states that opt not to participate.

“What we can say is that every state’s story will be told in a way that’s authentic to its people, history, and culture,” the spokesperson told CNN, “Whether represented by a governor’s office, a tourism board, or a beloved state company or organization, every community will be celebrated.”

Still, it says a lot that entire states are refusing to participate in any event associated with the most unpopular president in U.S. history.

Is it a state fair, or a sad state of affairs? Apparently, it’s both.

SEE ALSO:

Celebrities Don’t Want To Be A Part Of Trump’s UFC Event Either, As Freedom 250 Continues To Be A Bust

Trump Wants To ‘Cancel’ Freedom 250 Festival As Most Acts Drop Out

The Virginia Department of Health is issuing a warning about large gatherings as a measles outbreak in Buckingham County continues to rise. More than 80 cases of measles have been reported in the county since last month, and 111 cases have been confirmed in the state since January 1st. VDH health officials are advising anyone who is not vaccinated, is unsure of their immunity status or currently has measles symptoms to avoid large gatherings, crowds and community events until the outbreak subsides.

The Carters are no strangers to being a trending topic. We knew there would be a lot of chatter following Jay-Z’s performance at The Roots Picnic, but we didn’t expect his hair to make headlines. But, when Jay stepped onto the stage at Philadelphia’s Belmont Plateau for the 2026 Roots Picnic on Saturday, May 30, the crowd—in person and online—did not just react to the music, we reacted to his hair.

Since 2017, we have been watching Jay-Z’s natural hair journey, and how his baby fro formed into freeform locs/wicks. It is important to understand the hairstyle that has defined his hair journey over the past decade. We spoke to The Real Wick Lady, who educated us on the loc lifestyle, and important tips to consider before combing out your locs or wicks.

First, were the freeform locs. These are locs that develop naturally with little to no manipulation. Unlike traditional locs, which are started with twists, coils, braids, or the interlock method, freeform locs are allowed to form organically over time.

Oftentimes people who choose freeform locs embrace the style as a symbolism of individuality, self-expression, and a more natural approach to hair care. Because the hair is left to loc according to its own pattern, no two sets of freeform locs are exactly alike. This is why many say Jay-Z’s loc journey felt like freeform.  

Wicks are a style of locs that originated in South Florida and are known for their large, thick appearance. Wicks are created by combining multiple locs into larger sections. Wicks can range from a few inches thick to the girth of an arm or larger; theymake a bold, bad-ass visual statement.

Wicks are deeply rooted in Black culture, specifically in the South, and has become increasingly popular among men and women looking for a distinctive style that differs from traditional locs.

There has been a lot of misinformation about locs, and whether they can or cannot be removed, except by cutting them. However, over the years, we have seen people removing their locs by combing them out, although this is something that not all locticians approve of.

Celebrity stylist The Real Wick Lady offered her opinion on Jay-Z’s new hairstyle and offered somewhat of a blueprint (heh) for combing out locs or wicks.

1. Accept That You Are Going To Lose Hair

The Wick Lady was clear: combing out locs does come with hair loss.

Locs are entangled hair. Once your hair has locked, the process of separating it will cause shedding and breakage. The goal is to save as much healthy hair as possible, because you DEFINITELY will not to walk away with every inch you started with.

2. Freeform Locs Are Usually Easier To Comb Out

According to The Real Wick Lady, freeform and semi-freeform locs are easier to comb out because the hair has not been overly manipulated. Locs that have been interlocked, crocheted, or retwisted often are usually much harder to separate.

3. Leave Your Locs Alone!

If you are planning to comb your locs out, LEAVE IT ALONE! Stop retwisting, interlocking, crocheting, and styling them.

Less styling could leave you with more hair. Continued maintenance only tightens the locs and makes the comb-out process harder.

4. Timing Is Everything! You Need That New Growth!

The Real Wick Lady recommends allowing about six months of new growth before attempting a comb-out. That softer, newer hair at the root gives you a better chance of preserving length and avoiding unnecessary breakage.

5. Avoid Tight Styles And Tension

Do not keep pulling your locs into tight ponytails, buns, or heavy styles. Tension at the root can encourage more locking and put stress on the hair you are trying to save.

6. Moisture Matters!

Keep Your Hair Hydrated: Use lightweight, water-based hydration sprays, gentle oils, and conditioning products to keep the hair soft and flexible. Dry locs are going to break!

7. Stop Coloring Your Hair

If you want to preserve as much hair as possible, The Real Wick Lady recommends against coloring your locs before a comb-out. Color can dry the hair out, and dry hair is more likely to crumble and break during detangling.

8. Brush Your Locs!

The Real Wick Lady recommends using a medium-firm brush to gently brush the locs in the direction of the hair growth. Do not use harsh tools or aggressive brushing methods. The goal is to slowly loosen the loc structure, not rip through the hair.

9. Do Not Sleep With Damp Locs

Sleeping with wet or damp locs can cause the hair to mat and lock even more. When you moisturize or wash your hair, make sure it is completely dry before bedtime.

10. Be Patient!

Combing out locs takes time, patience, product, and care. Depending on your texture, loc size, length, and maintenance history, the process may take hours, days, or multiple sessions.

11. Remember: The Goal Is Preservation, Not Perfection

You may be able to save a lot of your hair, especially if your locs are freeform or semi-freeform. But you should not expect to save it all.

As The Wick Lady makes clear, combing out locs is possible, but it is not magic.

So yeah, Jay-Z’s latest hairstyle has sparked a lot of conversation. What some people see as a dramatic transformation, many members of the natural hair community simply see more receipts of Black hair’s incredible versatility.

From freeform locs to an afro, Jay’s journey serves as a reminder that Black hair doesn’t have to fit into one category or stay the same forever. Black hair is and will always be a beauty standard.

Growing out a relaxer is all about learning how to care for two different textures at the same time: your natural new growth and your relaxed ends, which can feel like an extreme battle. So how do you grow out your relaxed hair without causing further damage? Here’s what experts say.

Daphne Joy, who’s been the talk of the town lately, performed a little striptease for us in her selfies. Former Love Island star Cinco gave us a taste of what he’s been packing on in the gym. Ari Fletcher let her buns get a little tan in the Turks and Caicos sun.

But you know we can’t give it all away. Here’s the rest of volume 30!

RELATED CONTENT: Fine AF Fridays! Olandria Leads A Lineup So Scorching Hot It Should Come With A Warning Label, Vol. 29

1. Shenseea, 29

Source: Ari Fletcher/IG: @therealkylesister

Shenseea girl….what’s all that you carrying back there? The “Shen Yeng” singer looked ethereal in her white dress and faux locs.

Father’s Day is coming upon us soon, and the weekend should be filled with fathers or father figures kicking their feet up and enjoying their gifts and families. For those of you who have yet to get something for the dads in their lives, check out our latest Father’s Day gift guide.

Fathers and father figures the world over are certainly anticipating not lifting a finger on Father’s Day, especially for those who devote themselves to the task of fatherhood and being a positive influence on their families. Whether Dad is a simple guy who doesn’t need a lot of fuss, or someone who loves a gadget and all sorts of dads in between, we believe this gift guide will cover most bases.

I personally don’t even know what I want aside from a little quiet, some downtime, and maybe a round or two of video games. I have a lot of what I need, and just being thought of on the day is enough.

For the rest of the dads out there, I hope your loved ones come across this guide and, if the spirit moves them, they’ll be handing you one of the items we’ve featured here.

Happy Father’s Day to all the men out there doing the honorable job.

NOTE: This post will be updated throughout the weekend.

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Photo: Getty

A white man in Leesburg, Ga., has been arrested after allegedly terrorizing a Black family reunion with an AR-15-style rifle.

According to WALB 10, deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were called to the 100 and 200 blocks of Autumn Leaf Drive on Sunday, following reports of a shooting in progress. Lee County officials haven’t revealed much about the shooting, outside of reporting that it began with a “verbal altercation,” and that the man arrested in connection with the gunfire has been identified as Jeffrey Tyler Kinzer, who, according to the family that held the event, drove past the home at around 9 p.m., leaned out of the window of his vehicle, and began shouting racial slurs at the Black people he saw standing outside.

From WALB:

“He’s talking junk. He started yelling the ‘N-word,’” Ramell Green, a witness said. “He kept going so we let him go. We just discussed what had happened after.”

The person who lives at the home also said that she called the Lee County Sheriff’s Office after Kinzer left. But about five minutes later, Kinzer and the driver returned.

This time, Kinzer was reportedly wearing body armor and carrying an AR-15-style rifle.

Those outside spotted the suspect with the gun from a distance and began running, Green said. Then Kinzer opened fire, and Green said a bullet flew past him.

“…People started taking positions because they saw he had a gun. And I was in the middle of the street,” Green said. “And I grabbed my gun and started returning fire and moving with him.”

Green said he is a Marine veteran. He wanted to defend the roughly 20 children and older adults who witnesses said were at the home when the shooting occurred.

“It’s so hurtful. I cried all night,” Loucindi Broussard, another witness, said. “I’m laying outside on the ground for a shootout. I’m under a car with my sister who is 77 and I’m 62.”

Thankfully, the only person reported to have sustained an injury was Kinzer, who was shot by a member of the family he allegedly attacked.

According to WSAV, Kinzer, who reportedly acknowledged to deputies that he had been involved in the shooting, has been charged with aggravated assault and was transported to the Lee County Jail after he was released from the hospital. It’s a charge that many would consider paltry, considering he allegedly unleashed racial terror on a Black family in what sounds like an attempted mass shooting, motivated by hate.

“We were having a family gathering. And it was a great family gathering,” Green told WALB. “It was peaceful…He came and caused that to happen. And he found out that he’s not the only one that has training.”

According to WSAV: “Investigators believe additional witnesses, victims, and potentially other individuals involved in this incident have not yet been identified or interviewed. Anyone involved in this incident in any capacity and has not already provided a statement to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office is asked to contact investigators at 229-759-6012.”

Mind you, earlier this month, we reported that a white man in Texas was arrested after he allegedly brought an AR-15-style rifle to a Black teen’s birthday pool party after his wife got into a verbal altercation with partygoers. It’s almost as if the bible belt has an issue with armed white supremacists terrorizing Black communities.

Who would’ve thought?

SEE ALSO:

White Man In Texas Brings AR-15 To Black Teen’s Birthday Pool Party

White Man Accused Of Plotting To Shoot Up Atlanta Airport