Their relationship has been a whole topic on social media, with folks wondering if it’s built to last. But this latest video, which quickly racked up 8 million views on Instagram, ain’t leaving no doubt about how cute they are together.

In the gym, Megan and Thompson are not playing around. They’re tackling every exercise in pairs, lifting weights, and doing Russian twists, tossing a ball back and forth like it’s a hot potato. Megan brings her signature humor with the voice-over, detailing their every move, while Thompson throws in his own two cents.

“We had to do these goddamn russian twists, throwing the ball thingamajigs, and I don’t really like how he was throwing the ball to me, because I feel like he was plotting on my downfall, wanting me to miss.”

To which Thompson adds, “She was better than me.” And the couple burst into a fit of giggles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Megan Thee Stallion (@theestallion)

The video is non-stop cuteness as the couple hype each other and laugh together in the voice over. The cuteness overload doesn’t stop there, as at the end of the video, Thompson wipes the sweat off Megan’s face, and Megan helps Thompson stretch.

The comments under the post were filled with people cheesin’ over the couple:

“I ain’t NEVA heard Klay talk this much! That man in love lol,” wrote another user.

The couple has even earned the blessing of Taraji P Henson and Tamar Braxton, who were also in the comments hyping the couple up:

“I love all of this,” wrote the Empire actress with heart emojis.

“Sister, this is the one,” wrote Toni Braxton with both fire and heart emojis.

In a recent interview with Page Six, the Savage rapper had this to say about her boyfriend:

“I have never dated somebody so kind. This is my first relationship where I’ve been with someone who is genuinely a nice person, and he makes me genuinely happy… I’m just grateful that he’s here by my side and he feels the same way about me.”

Like the majority of the comments, I think we can agree we don’t mind seeing more of this adorable couple, and most importantly, seeing Hot Girl Coach Megan be happy.

The post Megan Thee Stallion, Klay Thompson’s Workout Video Post Is Breaking the Internet appeared first on The Root.

The 87-year-old quietly listed his six-bedroom property on the market on April 16, according to Realtor.com. This was just four months after he was sued for allegedly defaulted on multiple loans. As The Root previously reported, Cosby defaulted on the mortgage for his crib on the Upper East Side after not making payments since June 2024.

According to recent news reports, Cosby reduced the price of his Manhattan home by approximately $250,000. The residence, which he had listed for sale in April, is now on the market for $6.75 million.

In the court filing, First Foundation Bank claims Cosby, 87, and his wife, Camille, 80, owe $17.5 million on their loan. The foreclosure complaint isn’t against Cosby personally but “a limited liability company” set up by the married couple, according to the Daily Mail.

Now, it seems Cosby is trying to get at least one townhome off his hands. He was asking for $6.99 million, up from the $1.2 million Cosby and his wife paid for the home in 1980. Take a look at the details of the stunning house and how things have changed or stayed the same over the past decades.

Outside Views

Located in the heart of Lenox Hill’s iconic Treadwell Farm Historic District, this home is straight out of a New York City movie. The home is a mixture of “historic charm” and modern amenities that make this the perfect forever home.

Living Room

It’s hard to find a living room in NYC with ample sunlight, a fire place, and plenty of space for seating, but this one has it all!

Family Room

In the listing, the property is described as an “architectural gem.”

Bedroom No. 1

The four-story townhouse has six bedrooms and six bathrooms.

Master Bedroom

You can tell sunlight was important not only to Cosby, but also to the architects who designed the space. In the master bedroom, floor-to-ceiling windows allow for a modern and homey environment.

Master Bathroom

According to Realtor.com, the home has not been occupied for some time. Many of these photos have been virtually staged to give viewers a feel for the space’s potential.

Bedroom No.3

The exposed brick in this single bedroom gives the space more character. It also helps contrast with the mostly white walls in the unit.

Throwback Kitchen

If you’re looking at this space and thinking “this looks very retro,” then you’d be right. Cosby purchased the home in 1980, and boy have things changed since then. Clearly, one thing that hasn’t changed is this kitchen!

Kitchen Appliances

Despite the dated interior of the kitchen space, these stainless steel appliances are modern and up to date.

More of the Kitchen

The home was crafted using red oak, mosaic hardwood flooring and marble tiles, according to its listing.

Dining Area

“Unlike apartment life, townhouses offer the freedom of full independence: no shared walls, no co-op boards or common lobbies, no neighbors above or below,” the listing reads. “Just your own private home, enhanced by exclusive outdoor spaces perfect for entertaining or simply unwinding.”

Patio and Sunroom

Speaking of privacy, with the house, you also get your own private backyard. And with spring here and summer just around the corner, this could be the perfect space for a barbecue or gathering for friends and family.

Backyard

With privacy a priority with this home, it’s important to note there are no shared walls, no above or below neighbors and no common lobbies as seen in traditional apartment style buildings.

Spiral Staircase and Elevator

In addition to this spiral staircase, the home also features different amenities, like an in-house elevator that was, according to the listing, “only the 10th residential elevator to be installed in New York City.”

The post A Peek Inside Bill Cosby’s $7 Million (Oops, $6.75 Million!) NYC Townhouse He’s Forced to Sell appeared first on The Root.

Even some rappers who’ve garnered serious street cred like Offset and Travis Scott don’t have the stereotypical “rags to riches” upbringing. So that got us thinking and our wheels spinning to see exactly who grew up very middle-class and not of poor. While some of these people’s stories may not come as a surprise, others just might be enlightening.

Keep reading to get all the insight!

Michael Jordan

NBA legend Michael Jordan also grew up in a middle-class home in North Carolina. His father James joined the Air Force and later worked as a mechanic with the goal of eventually becoming a supervisor at the General Electric. His mother Deloris went to trade school and later climbed up the corporate ladder at United Carolina Bank.

Vanessa Williams

Former Miss America winner and “Ugly Betty” star Vanessa Williams also had a middle class upbringing in New York. A classically trained singer, she reportedly attended Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Williams’ mother was an accomplished pianist and served as a professor at Manhattanville College. Williams’ father was a music teacher who earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Fredonia College and later a master’s from Columbia University.

Tupac Shakur

Despite experiencing homelessness and growing up in poverty, legendary rapper Tupac Shakur still experienced somewhat of a privileged lifestyle by attending a performing arts school in Baltimore before he moved to California in 1988. While there, he was encouraged for his poetic and acting skills.

Kanye West

Ye is also a rapper who didn’t grow up in abject poverty. In fact, he grew up in a middle-class family in Chicago. His father was reportedly a former Black Panther and a photojournalist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His mother Donda was a college professor who served as the chair of the English department at Chicago State University. Ye also went on to attend the American Academy of Art and later Chicago State University before eventually dropping out to pursue his music career. There’s definitely nothing rags-to-riches about this.

Jadakiss

Though Jadakiss grew up in Yonkers, New York, he was raised in a fairly stable two parent household with his father reportedly working as a businessman. He also went to private school and attended college for one semester.

Clipse: Pusha T and Malice

While lyrical examination of Clipse rappers Pusha T and Malice might make you think the two of them grew up in poverty, they actually grew up in a middle class home in Virginia Beach. Pusha himself confirmed that he didn’t grow up “in the trenches” in an interview in 2022.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Though he championed for the rights of poor people and the disenfranchised, civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t have any firsthand experience himself. He reportedly lived in a relatively middle-class home and his father served as the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church and activist. His mother served an educator, musician, activist and graduated from Spelman College and Morris Brown College.

Travis Scott

In an interview with Complex in 2012, rapper Travis Scott revealed that he had a middle-class upbringing. He also shared that his parents had pretty good careers but the time spent with his grandmother is what gave him an “edge.”

“I was born in Houston, Texas. I grew up in Houston, by Missouri City. It’s like a suburb in the area, it’s middle-class. But I used to stay with my grandma in the hood from ages one to six.,” he said at the time. “My mom worked for Apple and my dad owned his own business. I lived in [Houston] most of my life until I was like 19, I’m 20 now and I stay in L.A.”

He later added: “Growing up, my grandmother stayed in the hood so I seen random crazy shit. [I saw] mad bums and crazy spazzed out motherfuckers, I saw people looking weird, hungry, and grimey. I was always like, ‘I gotta get the fuck out this shit.’ It gave me my edge—[it made me] who I am right now.”

Beyonce

Beyonce’s upbringing, while not super wealthy, never looked like poverty. In fact, her mother Tina Knowles worked as a popular hairdresser while her father Mathew Knowles worked as Xerox salesman before becoming a music executive and managed his daughter’s singing career.

Offset

A Georgia native, rapper Offset also grew up in a middle class family on the outskirts of Atlanta. At age 11, he was already working as a backup dancer, appearing in a popular Whitney Houston video in 2002 before eventually finding fame as a part of the Migos nearly 11 years later. According to Page Six, he only curated a “street” persona to aid in his career narrative.

SZA

SZA’s upbringing never gave poor. In fact, the “Snooze” singer had a very middle-class, suburban lifestyle in New Jersey. Per an interview with Flaunt Magazine, her dad was an executive producer at CNN while her mom worked as an executive at AT&T.

Will Smith

Though Oscar-winning actor Will Smith didn’t grow up super wealthy, according to his own account, he grew up in a pretty decent, middle-class neighborhood in West Philadelphia. Smith’s father worked at a steel mill before eventually starting his own refrigeration firm and did electrical technician work. His mother worked as school board administrator for the state and was a Carnegie Mellon University graduate.

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle never experienced the poor life, famously joking that his parents “did just well enough so I could grow up poor around white people,” according to the Daily Mail.

“When Nas and them used to talk about the projects, I used to get jealous. It sounded fun,” he said.

He reportedly lived in a house in the North Woodside Neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland–a middle-class area. He also had parents who were reportedly both activists and educators.

The post SZA, Will Smith and Other Black Celebs Who Grew up Middle Class appeared first on The Root.

But the bandmates also had a complicated love story that often spilled over into their work and gave us some of the classic breakup songs fans know and love, like “Go Your Own Way” and “Dreams.”

Nicks and Buckingham broke up in 1976, but they continued to make music for decades. And a powerful onstage moment between the two during a 1997 performance while singing a song Nicks wrote about their breakup has become a favorite of Fleetwood Mac fans, young and old..white and Black. It’s something anyone who’s ever been in love can relate to, and we can’t help but think it’s one of the Blackity Blackest moments ever.

This is the story of the deliciously messy love story between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

Defrosting a Frozen Love?

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are back in the news this week after cryptic social media posts, including the lyrics from the group’s 1973 song, “Frozen Love,” left fans wondering if they’re considering a reunion (a musical one, of course).

“And if you go forward,” Nicks wrote. Moments later, Buckingham finished her sentence with a post of his own, writing, “I’ll meet you there.”

“Huge day for people who don’t know how to move on from anyone,” wrote @urfavblondedisaster on TikTok.

We Sing Along

Don’t get it twisted, Black people love Fleetwood Mac. TikTok is loaded with posts by Black people performing their own renditions of the group’s biggest hits. This cover of the Fleetwood Mac hit “Dreams” posted on TikTok by Ariona Hall got nearly 63,000 likes on the app and over 5,000 comments from users who loved the soulful spin she put on the song.

“That’s a hard song to sing and sound good. you are the real deal,” wrote someone in the comments.

They Take Us to Church

Although most of the band’s biggest songs were released before they were born, Gen Zers are discovering Fleetwood Mac’s songs sound just as good today. Black TikTokers TerryAndKaniyia lost their minds while listening to the soulful track “The Chain.”

“Just listened to their album “Rumours”, we had no idea they had this much SOUL ,” they captioned a post.

Commenters agreed. “Fleetwood Mac is a spiritual experience,” wrote someone.

Friends as Teens

Long before the sold-out shows and hit records, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham first met as teenagers when Nicks transferred to Buckingham’s high school in Northern California for her senior year. The pair’s mutual love of music led them to become friends.

First Came Fritz

After high school, Buckingham asked Nicks, who was studying at San Jose State College, to join a rock band he was in called Fritz. The group performed around the Bay Area before eventually landing bigger gigs opening for larger acts like Janis Joplin. Nicks left school to pursue her music career full-time.

Then Came Love

Fritz was unable to land a record deal, which ultimately led to the group breaking up. But Buckingham and Nicks weren’t ready to give up on their dream and decided to form the duet, Buckingham Nicks. They recorded a self-titled album together in 1973, which didn’t get a lot of love.

“That album didn’t do well commercially, but it certainly was noticed,” Buckingham told Dan Rather in an interview.

But little did they know it would be a major milestone in their personal and professional lives. The pair, who had worked together for years as friends, found themselves in love.

Joining Fleetwood Mac

Although the Buckingham Nicks album didn’t take off the way the pair would have liked, it did catch the attention of Mick Fleetwood, who met Lindsey Buckingham at a recording studio in 1974. After hearing Lindsay’s guitar work on the Buckingham Nicks song “Frozen Love,” Fleetwood asked him to join Fleetwood Mac. The band had been plagued by personal conflicts and lots of changes in the lineup. Buckingham told Fleetwood he would join the group under one condition.

“Of course, my response was, ‘If you take me, you’ll have to take my girlfriend too,” Buckingham told Dan Rather. “And they did.”

The rocker called the chance meeting a “very nice piece of luck.”

“Landslide”

With its two new members, Fleetwood Mac released a self-titled album in 1975. The album contained several hits, including “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.”

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

By 1976, Nicks and Buckingham’s romantic relationship was waning, but Nicks refused to let the end of their love affair mean the end of Fleetwood Mac. Although they were no longer dating, they continued to work together for the sake of the band.

“You just have to throw yourself into your song. I mean, I broke up with Lindsey in 1976. We’d only been in Fleetwood Mac for a year and a half, and we were breaking up when we joined,” Nicks told The New Yorker in an interview. “So we just put our relationship kind of back together, because I was smart enough to know that, if we had broken up the second month of being in Fleetwood Mac, it would have blown the whole thing.”

Rumours

Despite the personal issues between the bandmates, the group released the album “Rumours” in 1977, which would become one of their most successful projects. The album, which sold over 40 million copies and won a GRAMMY for Album of the Year, remains one of the highest-grossing albums in history. But as Buckingham told Dan Rather in an interview, he believes most of the album’s appeal came from the fact that the songs gave fans an inside look at the romantic relationships (and breakups) of the band’s members. Bandmates John and Christine McVie, who were once married, were also going through a divorce at the time.

“Basically Stevie was writing dialogues to me. I was writing dialogues to her, and Christine McVie was writing dialogues to John,” he said. “So you could say that what we did beyond the music was really to tap into the voyeur in the audience. People were really able to invest in us as people because they could see and it was very well documented.”

“Go Your Own Way”

One of the biggest hits on the “Rumours” album was “Go Your Own Way,” a song Buckingham wrote about the end of his love affair with Nicks.

He wrote:

“Loving you
Isn’t the right thing to do
How can I ever change things
That I feel?”

“Tell me why
Everything turned around
Packing up
Shacking up is all you want to do.”

“Dreams”

Of course, Nicks had to tell her side of the story, and she did so with an amazing clap back, the hit song “Dreams.”

She wrote:

“Now here you go again,
You say you want your freedom,
Well, who am I to keep you down?
It’s only right that you should,
Play the way you feel it,
But listen carefully,
To the sound of your loneliness.”

“Thunder only happens when it’s rainin’,
Players only love you when they’re playin’,
Women, they will come and they will go,
When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.”

It’s All in the Eyes

Stevie Nicks wrote lots of songs about her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham, but “Silver Springs,” a revenge track which is all about their breakup, is probably one of the deepest.

Just check out the haunting lyrics:

“Time cast a spell on you, but you won’t forget me,
I know I could’ve loved you, but you would not let me.
I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you.
Give me just a chance,
You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.”

The song, which was written for “Rumours,” didn’t make the album’s final cut and was later released as a B-side. But this performance during a 1997 Fleetwood Mac reunion still has everyone talking on social media today. People can’t help but focus on the way she looks at him – a perfect reminder of what could have been.

“It’s the intense and deliberate eye contact for me ” wrote someone on TikTok.

Others who’ve watched the clip are reminded about a love of their own that gives them the same feeling.

“We all have a Lindsey Buckingham in our lives,” wrote another commenter on the app.

Now I Know Why Mama Loved This Song

TikToker@mrprofessor318 posted his reaction to “Silver Springs.”

“When you listen to ‘Silver Springs’ and realized why your mom loved that song,” he captioned his post.

“She didnt just stare into his eyes…she stared into that mans soul while singing this straight to him. Stevie will always be iconic,” wrote someone in the comments.

A Powerful Hex

TikTokers who watch the performance today can’t help but think Nicks, whose bohemian style gives some of her fans witch vibes, was casting a spell on Buckingham, who was involved with his wife Kristen when the band performed together in 1997. And in one of the ultimate bad ass moves, Nicks even made Buckingham sing along.

“And she made him sing the incantation Of his own hex! I love it!,” wrote one person on TikTok.

“It Was You”

Although Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were never married to each other, Buckingham did walk down the aisle with Kristen Messner, a photographer he met in 1996. The two had a son together in 1998 and eventually tied the knot in 2000. They went on to have two more kids in 2000 and 2004.

Buckingham says Messner was the inspiration behind some of his songs, including his 1997 song, “It Was You,” a song in which he thanks her for choosing him to start a family with.

He sings:

“Every day now how the time has flown,
Every day now I am finally home,
Because I waited for a woman who,
Was true,
I waited for a woman it was you.”

But Messner ultimately filed for divorce in 2021, due to irreconcilable differences, which left some fans wondering if the split could open the door for Nicks and Buckingham to give their love another try.

“I will simply combust if Stevie and Lindsay end up together in their old age,” one TikToker said in a post. “I’m sorry, that was my first thought. I know I’m not alone.”

“He’s Not My Best Friend”

While most Fleetwood Mac fans would love to see a romantic reunion between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, it’s probably not in the cards. Although the pair have a decades-long personal and professional relationship, Nicks says she doesn’t think they could ever go back to being the kinds of friends they were as teenagers.

“He’s not my best friend and never will be, because we were those kinda lovers, you know, and when we broke up, it was awful, and it was nasty and bad. And so we can never really be good friends,” Nicks said in an interview. “We care about each other very much, but we don’t hang out.”

If they ever do find their way back together, we know the music will be fire.

The post Why Black Internet Is Obsessed With Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham’s Petty Break up Onstage appeared first on The Root.

The writers met in London in 1971 to record a conversation for a PBS Black culture series called “SOUL!” During their riveting two-hour talk, the pair smoked plenty of cigarettes and covered everything from slavery to gender roles within the Black community. Although their gender identities and their 20-year age gap often led to some healthy disagreement, so much of what came out of their brilliant discussion is still relevant today.

This is the story of the conversation between James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni.

Two Generations, One Powerful Conversation

Nikki Giovanni was 28 years old when she sat down for this conversation with a then-47-year-old James Baldwin. In a 2024 interview with Penguin Books UK, Giovanni said she discovered Baldwin’s work as a teenager and read his work over and over again. So when she was approached by PBS in 1971 to speak with one of her literary idols, she jumped at the chance, even though it meant flying across the pond to the UK.

“I said if I could do anything, I would like to meet James Baldwin,” she said. “I’d walk to London to talk to James Baldwin.”

They Kept Their Cool

One of the things that makes this interview something people can watch again and again is that while Baldwin and Giovanni don’t agree on everything, the conversation never goes off the rails. If you’re looking for some table-flipping drama, you won’t find it here. It’s easy to see the mutual respect these writers have for each other and how much they appreciate being heard.

In the same 2024 interview with Penguin Books UK, Nikki Giovanni described James Baldwin as a “great storyteller,” which she said made it easy for her to sit and listen intently to him throughout their conversation.

Beautiful Cinematography

Along with the powerful messages about Black identity and culture, fans of the interview also appreciate the cinematography.

“They turned 2 (maybe 3) cameras into absolute gold with all the various angles and shots they were getting. Masterful,” wrote someone on YouTube.

Giovanni said one of the things she loved most about the way the interview was edited for television was that it included close-up shots of their hands while they were speaking.

“Why I think it is so good, if I may, is that the British look differently at filming,” she told Penguin Books UK. “Both Jimmy and I talk with our hands. The Americans would never have photographed our hands in the same way.”

The Conversation Continues to Resonate With New Generations

Although Baldwin and Giovanni’s conversation took place over 50 years ago, it still captivates audiences today who share their favorite moments in short posts that go viral on every social media platform. A YouTube clip of the entire talk has received over 600,000 views to date and is flooded with thousands of comments.

“This should be required viewing for EVERYONE,” wrote someone.

Becoming a Collaborator

Early in the interview, Baldwin stressed that the impact of racism is extremely damaging to a Black person’s psyche. He argued that those who are oppressed are indoctrinated to believe that they are less than, and as a result, play a role in keeping themselves down.

“It was not the world that was my oppressor only,” he said. “Because what the world does to you is the world does it to you long enough and effectively enough, you begin to do it to yourself. You become a collaborator, an accomplice to your own murderers because you believe the same things they do.”

How Can a Man Love Without Morale?

When discussing gender roles in the Black community, Baldwin argued that Black men have a hard time being a loving presence at home because of the oppression and discrimination they face in the outside world.

“You get older. You get more weary, and since you cannot get a job, your morale begins to be destroyed, and the body begins to fail you. Your death approaches all because being a man, you’ve never been able to execute what a man ought to be able to do,” he said. “It’s not for anything that you have done or not done. By some arbitrary sentence. How in the world if I can’t get a job, if I can’t even get my axe out of the pawn shop, if I can’t even get money to get on the subway, how am I going to love anybody except in such an awful pain and rage that nobody could bear it?”

Bring Yourself

Giovanni pushed back on Baldwin’s position and challenged Black people to steer clear of the traditional roles she believes are destroying their relationships and families. Not being able to provide everything their family needs, she argues, is not an excuse for a Black man to not be physically present.

“The baby’s gonna sleep someplace, she’s gonna eat something, but what she needs at that moment is a man. And if the man functions as a man, which is not necessarily a provider for all that stuff, because everybody can understand why you can’t buy something. You don’t have a job, you didn’t have a job when you all was going to bed,” she said. “You’re never going to get the crib, bring yourself.”

Because I Love You, I Get the Least of You

In one of the most viral clips from the conversation, Giovanni talked about Black women receiving less than the best from their men. She suggests that if they can smile in the face of their bosses or other oppressors, they can give more to their women.

“You come home and I catch hell because I love you. I get least of you. I get the very minimum. And I’m saying, ‘fake it with me.’ Is that too much for the Black woman to ask of the Black man?” she asked.

We’ve Paid Too Much For The Country to Abandon It

James Baldwin believed the story of the Black experience in America is an important part of the nation’s history. Although he had no intention of making excuses for their plight, he told Nikki Giovanni that Black people have already been through too much to give up.

“I’m not being a missionary trying to save America, but I do know that we have paid too much for it to be able to abandon it,” he said.

Advice for Future Generations

Throughout the conversation, Baldwin stressed the importance of improving the quality of life for future generations of Black Americans. He argued that young Black people can carry the ball further than their ancestors by ensuring they know and understand their painful past, while being liberated from it. 

“He’s got to have respect for it but not be trapped by it,” Giovanni added.

We Can Get Further

James Baldwin shared his views on many of the obstacles that have been standing in the way of Black people’s progress, but the “Go Tell it On The Mountain” author was still hopeful for the future, telling Giovanni that the only way to overcome the pain of our past is to keep moving forward – something he believed we were more than ready to do.

“We have survived the roughest game in the history of the world,” he said. “No matter what we say against ourselves, no matter what our limits and hang-ups are, we have come through something, and if we can get this far, we can get further.”

Their Conversation Was Released as a Book

The transcript of the interview between Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin was made available as a book. “A Dialogue” was published in 1973. If you happen to be lucky enough to own a first edition copy, hold on to it. The book is out of print.

The post Behind James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni’s Viral 1971 Black Men-Women Convo That Still Resonates appeared first on The Root.

According to The Hill, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has made claims that the Trump administration has access to the late Jeffrey Epstein’s financial records and it is not making the files available to Congress and the public. Wyden used his social media platform to inform the public that there are 4,725 wire transfers that total almost $1.1 billion. And that is just in ONE of Epstein’s bank accounts.

“Big news from my investigators on Epstein’s sex trafficking operation: the Trump administration has an Epstein file detailing 4,725 wire transfers and almost $1.1 billion flowing through just one of his banks. Hundreds of millions more through others.”

Wyden: Here is what it says: Treasury’s Epstein file details… 4,725 wire transfers. Let me repeat that. 4,725 wire transfers adding up to nearly $1.1 billion flowing in and out of just one of Mr. Epstein’s bank accounts.

If you ask me, that is more than 4,000 potential lines… pic.twitter.com/qf19lfbEjB

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 17, 2025

He also stated that the evidence shows that Epstein used Russian banks to process hundreds of millions in payments. After the FBI and the Department of Justice claimed that there were no Epstein files, Trump initially agreed with the assessment until turning back around and not “really” admitting that there was a list, but intimated that there is one, but it is a fake, contrived by former FBI Director James Comey, President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden.

Of course, Black folks are questioning the evidence after Wyden made the claims.

Every day seems as if Pandora’s Box is spewing out more!

The post Why There Could Be an Epstein Files Cover-Up That’s Much Deeper Than We Imagined appeared first on The Root.

In each hilarious clip, Steven appears as Blue Ivy, writing long emails to Rumi, Beyoncé and even Jay-Z after each show with extensive notes on their performances. Steven’s Blue Ivy character brings the “manager” meme to life, with fans eating up every single video he posts. We caught up with Etienne, breaking down what inspired him to craft this larger-than-life version of Blue.

@thestevensteven #blueivy ‘s gentle reminder to #rumi to never forget who they are #cowboycarter #beyonce ♬ original sound – steven

“We’ve all been able to have fun with the whole Blue Ivy ‘managerial allegations’ since she was born, pretty much,” Etienne tells us. “So, after Rumi was first revealed in ‘PROTECTOR,’ I just had the thought of, ‘What if this was actually occurring, and Blue Ivy is over here sending emails to the family down the hallway?’ In my head, it was just funny.”

Millions of TikTok users clearly agree. Typing on a bag of rice, Steven (as Blue Ivy) writes these stern letters to her sister, about remembering to follow the right steps in the choreography, to stop distracting her mother from doing her job right, and more.

@thestevensteven Replying to @Teri-lynn Pringle from hats, lassos, & bows, #rumi said she’ll do as she pleases! #blueivy #cowboycartertour #beyhive ♬ original sound – steven

Etienne has also incorporated some physical comedy into the bit as well. Instead of typing on a computer or on his desk to have this effect, however, he types on a bag of rice (to hilarious effects). He tells us that using the bag of rice, while outlandish and hilarious, was more of a logistical decision than anything else.

“When I did the video my very first time and I was watching it back, I was typing on the table and it was shaking the camera,” he explained. “I looked to my left and I had just gone food shopping … I grabbed the bag of rice and it seemed to work, the phone was no longer shaking and boom, we were in business.”

@thestevensteven Replying to @•K14• yall had ONE job, now you have NO job #blueivy ‘s email releasing the crew #cowboycarter #beyonce #cowboycartertour ♬ original sound – steven

He explained that that the bag “just so happened” to sound like a computer, so he kept leaning in, even letting the bag of rice appear in the frame. As he explains, the videos are heightened on purpose, and he tries to make them as “ridiculous” as he can.

The videos have continued to grow, along with his following. Now, in addition to the post-show email videos, Steven has appeared as both Beyoncé and Rumi, parodying all of the times Rumi has hyped the crowd up. In one clip with over a million views, Steven replied to a comment saying that Rumi was “about to crowd surf,” playing Rumi, Bey and Blue as Rumi attempts to jump into the crowd of her adoring fans.

@thestevensteven Replying to @solitarily_eclectic the #blueivy x #rumi world tour, #beyonce is also there, allegedly #beyhive #cowboycartertour ♬ original sound – steven

The comments are always filled with hilarious reactions and suggestions, which Etienne explains to us is where he draws a lot of inspiration. “The comments really tell me what to do,” he says. Now, his fans literally comment about how they can’t wait for “Blue’s” reviews of each show. An Atlanta-based artist, he got to attend the shows there, which, as we reported, we clearly some of the best in the entire run.

In the days since he started making these videos, more and more eyes have seen his work. A pinch me moment for Etienne came when host of The Read podcast Crissle West, gave him a shoutout on a recent episode of the show. Comments were flooded with fans saying “The Read” and “Crissle” sent them there.

@thestevensteven Replying to @naopiotennione Atlanta #cowboycartertour night 1 was IT. #beyhive did #blueivy ♬ Diva – Beyoncé

As for whether or not Etienne plans to continue this stylized character of Blue, Rumi and Beyoncé post the Cowboy Carter World Tour? It’s unlikely, at least while they aren’t performing for us.

“I think it’s fun to have fun with this whole thing during their professional, front-facing work,” he explains. “But, when they’re not working, I don’t know if its fun to pretend like they’re not real people and just make up stories, you know? So, I think as a respect to them, this will only happen when they are working.”

He concluded, “There are already people being like, ‘After the tour you should do Blue Ivy talking about this or that,’ and I’m like, one, I don’t know her. Two, she’s 13! Three, it has nothing to do with her work as a professional dancer right now.” Once this tour is done, he’ll be “leaving” the Blue Ivy character alone, and we’re sure there are plenty of other pop culture figures he can tackle next.

The post TikTok Creator Goes Viral For ‘Manager Blue Ivy,’ Rumi Cowboy Carter Tour Videos appeared first on The Root.

Arguably one of the most loved couples on the show, Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe and Ace Greene didn’t make it to the season finale. But they did, however, win over the hearts of thousands of viewers across the world. The couple– nicknamed “Chellace” on socials– have been taking their sweet time getting back to the real world. That is until Thursday (July 17) when both of them reflected on their journey inside the villa.

In a heartfelt post, Chelley wrote, “To those who’ve stood with me since the beginning, to my new fans, to every person whether white, Black, purple, yellow who has shown nothing but love, thank you.” As one of the few dark skin women this season, Chelley faced colorism and criticism from outside fans during the show’s filming.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CHELLEY (@_slimthin)

She continued, addressing the controversies saying, “To the women who look like me, who saw parts of themselves in me, who felt inspired or found a little more light and confidence through my journey, I see you, I feel you, and I love you.”

The 27-year-old also thanked “the people who used their platforms not just to recap a show but to speak truthfully about the deeper realities Black women face.” She continued, “Thank you for holding the line of truth with me and for me in times where hate seemed stronger than usual.”

Ace, who was somewhat of a controversial character on the show, shared a similar sentiment. He wrote on Instagram, “This journey had its challenges emotionally, mentally, spiritually. But even in those moments, I never let go of who I am.” He continued, “As a man, I think before I speak and always listen to my heart when it comes to my feelings and what I choose to express; I cannot allow society and the ways of the world to dictate who I’m deemed to be.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ace (@realacegreene)

Chellace made their relationship exclusive before being voted off in episode 34 of the show. Many fans were disappointed, arguing that they had the best connection of all of the couples this season. “The truth is, who I am in real life and who I may have been perceived to be on TV are two very different things. But one thing is for sure I walked out that Villa a winner,” Ace continued. “I left with the most beautiful girl in the world, someone who truly means everything to me. And if I had to do it all again, I’d do it a billion times over.”

Ace and Chelley are set to return for the “Love Island USA” reunion hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen on Peacock. It will air on Aug. 25. 

The post Ace and Chelley From ‘Love Island USA’ FINALLY Break Their Silence After the Controversial Season Ends appeared first on The Root.

From his rise to fame, to his dramatic downfall, this is the story of David Ruffin.

Mississippi Roots

David Eli Ruffin was born in Whynot, Mississippi on January 18, 1941. His mother passed away shortly after his birth, leaving Ruffin to be raised by his father Eli, who was a truck driver and a Baptist minister.

On a Mission to Be a Minister

Ruffin left home at age 14, intending to become a minister. But along the way, he got his first taste of the music business, performing in talent shows around Memphis. Eventually, he started writing songs of his own and touring with gospel groups, including The Womack Brothers and The Staple Singers.

Building Motown

By age 16, Ruffin made his way to Detroit and decided to sing secular music. In 1957, he met Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. The 16-year-old lived with Gordy’s father, who was a contractor and helped him with the construction work on the Motown Records headquarters. In an interview, Ruffin joked about building Motown…literally.

Joining The Temptations

In 1964, Ruffin was tapped to replace Elbridge Bryant in the R&B group The Temptations. Ruffin started singing backup, but he eventually took his place in the spotlight, singing lead on some of the group’s biggest hits, including the group’s first number one single, 1965’s “My Girl,” “I Wish It Would Rain” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.”

Introducing the Four-Headed Mic Stand

David Ruffin is also credited with coming up with the idea for one of the group’s signature trademarks – the four-headed microphone.

The group began incorporating the mic in their routines in 1966, which allowed them to add more complex choreography to their stage performances. In a video, Temptations member Otis Williams talked about how Ruffin’s idea set them apart from other groups that were popular at the time.

“When [our security] would bring the microphone out and put it in position for us, the place went crazy. And from that day on until we retired it in 1983, that four-headed mic made us different from all of the other groups that ever existed,” he said.

Meeting Tammi Terrell on Tour

In 1965, Tammi Terrell, a talented young singer, joined the Motown family and started touring with The Temptations. Within a year, Terrell and Ruffin started a romantic relationship, and it wasn’t long before Ruffin proposed. However, the two never made it down the aisle. Terrell found out that not only was Ruffin married to his wife, Sandra, with whom he had three children, but he also had another girlfriend on the side.

Issues With Abuse

But by 1967, Terrell and Ruffin’s relationship was over, after a violent argument that led to Ruffin hitting Terrell in the head with a motorcycle helmet. Terrell sadly passed away in 1970 due to complications related to brain cancer.

Stealing the Show

Even after Ruffin split from the group, he was known to show up and steal the show from the remaining members. And while it drove fans of The Temptations crazy, his bandmates didn’t appreciate it so much. This famous scene from The Temptations biopic is perfect example.

“Otis so mad he didn’t even spin,” wrote someone on TikTok.

Leon’s Classic Line Was an Ad Lib

When you think of David Ruffin, it’s hard not to think of Leon, the actor who captured his essence perfectly in The Temptations movie. But you may not know that his most famous line, “Ain’t nobody coming to see you, Otis,” was not an original part of the script.

In an interview with Tamron Hall, Leon explained that the classic line was an ad lib that came out naturally when filming the scene.

“To this day, I think this is the real David Ruffin,” wrote someone on TikTok.

Problems Within The Group

As The Temptations’ popularity grew, Ruffin’s growing ego began to cause problems among the members. One of the biggest issues was his wanting to change the name of the group to David Ruffin and the Temptations, highlighting himself as the leader. Ruffin left the group in 1968 and was replaced by Dennis Edwards.

In an interview, Temptations member Otis Williams said Ruffin’s desire to prioritize himself over the other group members went against their promise that they would not change, no matter how much fame came their way.

“Success can act as a very strong aphrodisiac, and when you are a group, you have to move and think as one unit. You can’t have five guys going in five different directions,” he said.

But while the story goes that Ruffin was fired, he had a different view of what went down.

“I don’t see how you could fire someone out of a group of that magnitude. I just think that that was time for a change and life lands a crushing blow sometimes,” he said in an interview. “At that time, things just could not be smoothed out.”

Problems With the Law

In the 1980s, Ruffin faced lots of legal issues. In 1982, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of income tax evasion, which totalled more than $300,000. In 1988, he was arrested in Detroit for crack cocaine possession. After his arrest, Ruffin was sentenced to two years of probation and community service, but he eventually violated the probation and was forced to enter a treatment program.

The Temptations Reunion Tour

Although he had been gone from the group for decades, David Ruffin joined The Temptations on a 1983 reunion tour. However, his struggle with addiction led to problems on the road and cut the group’s reunion short as he missed the first three shows.

Tragic Passing

David Ruffin died on June 1, 1991, after collapsing in a Philadelphia crack house. He was taken to a local hospital by a limousine, where he passed away. Doctors determined his cause of death was due to a drug overdose.

Walking in the Line of Fire

Although fans were saddened by his untimely passing, many who were close to him say they weren’t surprised that his issues with addiction would be the thing that ultimately led to his death.

“He walked in the line of fire,” Ruffin’s then-girlfriend Dianne Showers said at the time of his death. “I asked his ex-wife and daughters a lot of times to have him committed somewhere for approximately two years. He usually denied that he was doing anything.”

The post Do You Know About the Tragic Story of David Ruffin, The Temptations’ Legendary Soul Singer? appeared first on The Root.

According to recent polls, the president’s overall approval rating has been steadily dropping. And it can’t help that much of the criticism is coming from his own party. Notable folks like podcaster Joe Rogan and Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are sounding the alarms… and if you’ve missed any of the drama, don’t worry. We got you covered with a full list of MAGAnites who are singing a much different tune.

Colo. Rep. Lauren Boebert

As the days go by, more Republicans are speaking up and out against Trump as he continues to deflect about the release of the Epstein files. Colo. Rep. Lauren Boebert was once an avid support of the president, but it seems she’s drawing a clear line between herself and the administration over the controversial files. She has called Matt Gaetz, who was previously Trump nominee for attorney general, to lead a special counsel investigation into the Epstein files, The Independent reported. “There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren’t going to be provided information,” Boebert said on “The Benny Show.” She added, “I want answers and maybe that takes that special counsel to do so.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson

Although House Speaker Mike Johnson remains close with President Trump, he boldly declared that there needs to be “maximum transparency” in regards to the Epstein files. He also called for the files to be made public. “Everybody wants the Epstein files, which is the real documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and anybody associated with that. We want the American people to see it,” he said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” This is one of the only times Johnson has expressed a separate view from Trump since his November election.

Commentator Candace Owens

Conservative commentator Candace Owens appeared on the “Piers Morgan Uncensored” show to finally admit she was wrong about the president. Trump came under fire — perhaps more than usual– after joining Israel’s longstanding beef with it’s Middle Eastern neighbor Iran and launching missiles at its nuclear facilities. “He’s been a chronic disappointment,” Owens told British show host Piers Morgan. “I feel embarrassed that I told people to go vote for him because this wasn’t going to happen, and it is happening,” she continued, referring to U.S. attack on Iran.

Podcaster Dave Smith

Right-wing podcaster Dave Smith is another MAGA supporter who came out to apologize for voting for Trump. Smith took major issue with Trump’s handling of Iran as well. And in response, he said “I supported him this last year. I apologize for doing so. It was a bad calculation.” Smith continued, “Trump should be impeached and removed for this. All of his supporters should turn on him.” He even went as far to add, “It’s an absolute betrayal of everything he ran and campaigned on… He is going to lose his coalition over this.”

Former DOGE Director Elon Musk

Ever since Tesla CEO Elon Musk left Trump’s White House as the head of DOGE, the beef between him and the head of state has been anything but civil. From Musk’s rant on X about how dangerous the GOP-led spending bill– named the Big, Beautiful Bill Act– is to his shocking claims that Trump is in the Epstein files, Musk hasn’t been holding his tongue. The CEO even took responsibility for Trump’s November win. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk wrote on Thursday (June 6). Musk is seemingly over his alliance with Trump, and he announced plans to launch his own political party, the America Party.

Ohio Rep. Troy Balderson

Ohio Rep. Troy Balderson told his own district that the president’s blitz of executive orders was “getting out of control,” according to the Columbus Dispatch. Trump has signed over 170 orders in his second term so far. Balderson added, “Congress has to decide whether or not the Department of Education goes away. Not the president, not Elon Musk. Congress decides.”

Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

Republicans like Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had major critiques for the Big, Beautiful Bill. In the case of the Georgia congresswoman, a small provision in the bill took away state’s rights to regulate artificial intelligence, and Greene said that is a pure violation. This was of course after she voted to pass the bill to the Senate, admitting she didn’t read that part of the more than 900-paged document.”I am adamantly OPPOSED to this and it is a violation of state rights and I would have voted NO if I had known this was in there,” she wrote on X.

Podcaster Andrew Schulz

Conservative podcaster Andrew Schulz is one of the last people you’d expect to give props to Democratic socialists… but oh how the tables turn. Like the others on this list, Schulz is having regrets about helping elect Trump back in office. He said “The only party right now that to me seems ‘America First’ is the Democrat Socialist Party.” The president ran on a “America First” campaign, promising to make Americans a priority, but Schulz doesn’t think he’s doing a good job at it. He continued on the “Flagrant Show” declaring folks like Vt. Sen. Bernie Sanders, N.Y. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and N.Y. mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani are actually doing what Trump claimed he would. “Lying to Americans is not ‘America First,'” he continued.

Ala. Rep. Gary Palmer 

Back in February, Ala. Rep. Gary Palmer said, lawmakers “need to remind” Trump that “Congress has a role” in governing the country. He said this in response to Musk joining Trump’s administration and in response to Trump trying to dismantle key government agencies without Congressional approval. “In some of these [cases], he has to work with Congress,” Palmer continued. Although it might not seem like complete disapproval, it’s more than many of his colleagues have addressed in the past. 

Commentator Tucker Carlson

Although the MAGA commentator Tucker Carlson says he still supports the president, his recent criticisms of Trump have landed him on the president’s bad side. For starters, Carlson did not approve of Trump’s handling of the Iranian war with Israel. In June, he said Trump was “complicit in the act of war.” He’s previously called Trump “corrupt” and even went as far as to criticize the administration’s refusal to answer his own questions. “The fact that the U.S. government, the one that I voted for, refused to take my question seriously and instead said, ‘Case closed, shut up conspiracy theorist,’ was too much for me,” he said according to NBC News. In response, Trump called Carlson “kooky.”

Comedian Tim Dillon

On June 12, Tim Dillon took to his podcast to criticize Trump sending military to silence Los Angeles protesters. “Rubber bullets to the face, National Guard in the streets, so many things go so badly so fast,” the comedian said. Dillon was once adored by MAGA, but now, he’s become a strong critic of the administration. Later on, he added to his critiques. “The immigration raids that are random are barbaric,” Dillon said referring to Trump’s self proclaimed deportation mandate. “It’s inhumane, and I think a lot of people feel that way.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said the White House has “gone too far” by allowing tech giant Musk to lead in the White House, according to MSNBC. Collins also chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. She warned that if Trump continues to ignore court orders and flood legislation, she expects to “see lawsuits.” The senator added, “A lot of these issues are going to end up in court.” So far, the administration has been sued more than 100 times.

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley

Even the oldest, most traditional Republicans have been clapping back at Trump. Just days into the president’s second term, Trump fired 18 inspectors general, and Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley was not pleased by the move. He and Sen. Dick Durban sent a formal letter demanding answers as to why proper protocol was not followed in the case of the firings. “While IG’s aren’t immune from removal, the law must be followed,” it read according to KCCI. “The communication to Congress must contain more than vague statements. It must include sufficient facts to assure Congress and the public the termination is due to real concerns… This is matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the public’s confidence in the Inspector General community,” the senators continued.

Podcaster Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan was key to Trump securing votes from younger generations. But now, he’s sounding off after he claims Trump is taking the immigration crisis in America too far. “You got to get scared that people who are not criminals are getting like lassoed up and deported and sent to El Salvador prisons,” Rogan said during a podcast episode. He even doubled down on the sentiment, adding “It’s insane” that Trump is not just targeting “criminals and gang members” but also the “targeting of migrant workers.”

Ky. Sen. Rand Paul

The Kentucky senator was one of the few Republicans who were openly critical of the Big, Beautiful Bill Act while it was still in Congress. “If they want my vote, they’ll have to negotiate,” Paul said, according to NBC News. His major criticism of the bill came down to the fact that an expected $4 trillion will be added to the national debt. “I talked to the President last evening after the parade, and we’re trying to get to a better place in our conversations,” said Paul. “And I’ve let him know that I’m not an absolute no.” In the end, he stood his ground and did not vote yes to the bill. But Congress was able to pass it without him. And on July 4, Trump signed it into action.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino

Among the most vocal against Trump’s handling of the Epstein files is Deputy Director Dan Bongino who stormed out of a meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Guardian reported. MAGA leaders once promised to unleash the sealed files if Trump was elected to office. But now that he’s been there for six months, many say the administration is trying to hide something. Bongino, who works in the FBI isn’t here for it, however. That’s why he walked out. Now, his fate in Trump’s administration is up in the air as he continues to be outspoken about his disapproval of Bondi and the Epstein files findings. When asked if Bongino was still at his position in the FBI, Trump responded “I think so,” CNN reported.

Podcaster Brandon Tatum

Brandon Tatum once got Fox News and declared his MAGA hat “has given me hope about America.” Six years later, his thoughts on Trump and MAGA have changed. Tatum told a crowd at the Tampa Convention Center, “I think that these people — and I don’t know, for whatever reason, there could be reasons — but I don’t think they’re telling us the truth about Epstein.” He continued criticizing the president. “That guy [Trump] was involved in something nefarious that implicates a whole lot of people. And my guess is that a whole lot of people may happen to be some of our allies and some people that we don’t want to have a bad relationship with,” he said, NBC News reported.

The post Trump’s Closest Allies Are Starting to Turn on Him… Here’s a Full List appeared first on The Root.