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Roller-Skating, an Old-School Refuge for Black Americans, is Getting a Revival
Roller-skating is part of the fabric of what it means to be a Black American. One man works to make sure the pastime endures for another generation.
By Maya Eaglin and Nicolle Majette
The mastermind behind The Roller Wave, a traveling roller disco pop-up, is trying to revive an activity that was once a cornerstone of leisure and kinship in Black communities across the U.S.
Harry Martin, its 33-year-old founder, describes roller disco as “a party on wheels.” His latest project, The Roller Wave House BK, is a long-term installation set up in Brooklyn, New York, that pays homage to “old-school” roller-skating rinks with modern amenities, like a live podcast space and art installations.
But before Black Americans could explore their love of roller-skating, their mere presence in roller rinks was barred in those segregated spaces, even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. In the 1960s, only one night a week was set aside for Black skaters in the rink, and it was typically dubbed “Soul Night” or “Martin Luther King Jr. Night,” Martin said.
“This is Black culture, Latino, Latina culture going to these skating rinks,” Martin said. “We’re the ones that brought the vibe to roller-skating. Back in the 1940s it was just, like, ballroom, ice-skating-looking dancing. But once you had that African American touch to it, we added that disco dance, that feeling to it.”
Without access to rinks, Black skaters took to the streets, where they met fewer restrictions. Places such as Central Park in New York City and Venice Beach in Los Angeles became hot spots for Black skaters. They were sanctuaries, places where people could simply express themselves and have fun. Starting around the early 1970s, with the help of legal integration, roller-skating became synonymous with disco, especially among young Black people coming of age in the wake of the core Civil Rights Movement.
As skating became more popular across the country, different cities adopted distinctive styles of skating. At some skating sessions, the DJ announces a “roll call” in which those styles can be put on display.
New York and New Jersey are known for partner skating, as well as trains and trios. JB style, named after musician James Brown, originated in Chicago. Fast backward is a style used by Philadelphia skaters. In the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, “snapping” is a popular style. Other cities, such as Detroit, St. Louis and Los Angeles, also have distinct styles.
Starting at age 6, Martin grew up skating at the infamous Empire Roller Rink in Brooklyn. The rink opened in 1941 and later became known as the birthplace of roller disco. Empire brought joy to generations of skaters, but, as the scene flourished, it also became a breeding place for violence. Rinks like Empire and Skate Key in the Bronx dealt with fatal shootings.
“Growing up in the late ’90s, early 2000s, Brooklyn was notorious for violence. So going to the roller-skating rink, like even just going there, you had to protect yourself in the streets,” Martin said.
The violence was one reason several rinks closed their doors for good in New York City. Not long before Empire closed in 2007, Skate Key shut down in 2006 amid allegations that it was responsible for the increase in violence. Another popular destination in New York City’s West Village, The Roxy, closed the following year, leaving Martin and many other skaters with limited indoor options.
“Closing these spaces is not giving us an outlet to let go and release,” he said.
Martin wanted to change that. He’s helping to revive the roller-skating scene in New York City, and he said thousands of people have visited Roller Wave House BK, bringing together past and present generations of skaters.
The pop-up is scheduled to end in June. Lynna “Moving Star” Davis is a frequent visitor of Roller Wave House BK and sometimes comes to skate several times a week.
“I really want this to be a permanent rink, you know? We need a place that we can come to, that feels like home, that feels safe,” she said.
For now, Roller Wave House BK will continue to shine a light on a cultural pastime that has made its way back into the mainstream.
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Gayle King, Charles Barkley Near Deal to Host CNN Primetime Show
By Brian Steinberg
Getty A news King and Sir Charles are getting ready to mix it up in an unorthodox way.
Gayle King and Charles Barkley are finalizing a deal that would have them jointly lead a primetime hour each week on CNN, according to people familiar with the matter. The pact is not complete and there is always the risk it may not come to fruition, one of these people says. CNN declined to make executives available for comment.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that a deal involving King was nearing completion, but it has been an open secret in TV-news circles that CNN has been courting both personalities — and others like them — for some time. Puck reported on negotiations with both King and Barkley earlier this year.
CBS News declined to offer immediate comment on expectations it had for King, who is also the center of its “CBS Mornings” on weekdays — a critical generator of ad dolls for the Paramount Global news-and-stations division. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, which has relied on Barkley for years as a host of its popular “Inside the NBA,” could not be reached for immediate comment. Warner Bros. Discovery also owns CNN.
The move, if completed, would come as CNN grapples with a severe downturn in viewership as well as a massive overhaul that has in recent months included layoffs and a significant recalibration of its programming. Under CEO Chris Licht, CNN has devoted its 9 p.m. hour to a rotating array of topics and anchors, sometimes presented in the form of town halls, and on other days, in one-on-one interviews with celebrities.
Enlisting King and Barkley could give CNN something approximating one of its best-known success stories: “Larry King Live.” That program, which ran on CNN at 9 p.m. from 1985 to 2010, featured the titular host holding forth in an interview every night with a newsmaker or celebrity, often in less rigorous fashion than a hard-charging traditional journalist. At its height, the show could generate viewership of around one million.
The new CNN program with King and Barkley appears to be coming together just weeks before the TV industry’s annual “upfront” sales session, when U.S. media companies try to sell billions of dollars in advertising ahead of their next cycle of new programming. A King and Barkley duo would certainly give CNN and its corporate parent something to talk about with Madison Avenue.
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2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture Celebrates 50 Years Of Hip Hop With Headliners Ms. Lauryn Hill And Megan Thee Stallion
LEGENDARY BLACK WOMEN EMCEES WILL TAKE THE MAIN STAGE IN NEW ORLEANS AND VIRTUALLY THIS YEAR FROM JUNE 29 – JULY 3
The 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola™, is bringing the ultimate hip-hop celebration to New Orleans June 29 – July 3!
This year, the festival celebrates 50 years of Hip-Hop with in-person and virtual experiences showcasing how the genre has impacted every aspect of the culture – from fashion to food, and of course, music. To bring in Hip-Hop’s milestone anniversary properly, some of the most legendary women emcees to grace a mic over the last 50 years will hit the stage for unforgettable live performances.
Headliner Ms. Lauryn Hill will give a special, can’t-miss performance of the 5x Grammy-winning album that placed her in the essential fabric of Hip-Hop forever, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in recognition of its 25th anniversary. Other headliners include multi-Grammy award-winning artist and head hot girl in charge herself, Megan Thee Stallion.
The four-day event will be a multi-generational experience entrenched in culture, equity, and celebration that extends ESSENCE’s long-standing commitment to creating opportunities that will economically benefit and contribute to local Black-owned businesses.
“As we gear up to celebrate the ‘50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop’, we couldn’t think of a better way to honor the contributions that genre has made on global culture and the impressions that these artists and their deep musical catalogs, which we all know so well, have been ingrained into the fibers of our day to day lives,” said Hakeem Holmes, newly appointed Vice President of ESSENCE Festival of Culture. “This year, we are excited to have everyone join us in celebrating 50 years of musical excellence, experiencing our diverse daytime and nighttime offerings, and in highlighting the importance of Black economic inclusion.”
Through a suite of experiences like partner activations, meaningful conversations, powerful performances, and thought-provoking art installations, attendees will embark on a celebration of hip-hop’s rich history that proudly shows how hip-hop has been the nucleus for every corner of culture. Fans can also look forward to laughs every night with evening hosts Deon Cole, Affion Crockett, and Spice Adams.
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Bronny James NIL Value at $7.2M; LeBron’s Son No. 1 from McDonald’s All-American Game
On3 estimates James could earn $7.2 million from his name, image and likeness.
Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images Bronny James is still a high schooler, yet he has a valuation that rivals what a number of professional athletes are earning.
On3 estimates James could earn $7.2 million from his name, image and likeness. Pete Nakos of On3 noted that was far and away the biggest NIL valuation among the players who competed in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, an annual showcase of the best prep talent in the country.
Jared McCain, who signed with Duke in November, was second on the list and the only other player with a seven-figure NIL valuation ($1.2 million).
Being the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James certainly gives Bronny a leg up in terms of potential endorsements. He was only 15 when he joined the esports organization FaZe Clan.
The 6’3″ combo guard has developed his skills on the court to match his profile off it. He’s the No. 33 overall player in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2023 recruiting class.
James has yet to commit to a school. The Los Angeles Times‘ Luca Evans reported in January that Ohio State, Oregon and USC have emerged as his favorites, with a final decision coming after the season ends.
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Carl Lewis Feature Doc In The Works From LeBron James And Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted
The film will be co-directed by award-winning filmmaker and Noah Media Group’s co-founder, Gabriel Clarke and Chris Hay.
Carl Lewis at the Save The World Awards show 2009 A feature documentary on the former track and field champion Carl Lewis is in the works.
LeBron James and Maverick Carter will executive produce the documentary alongside Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron under Uninterrupted.
The as-of-yet untitled documentary will explore Lewis’ life beyond the Olympic arena, giving viewers exclusive access to his family and close friends.
“We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Carl to tell his timely and important story,” Gabriel Clarke said. “The aim has always been to capture the true scale of his sporting and cultural impact, making LeBron, Maverick and the brilliant Uninterrupted team the ideal production team-mates.
The film will be co-directed by award-winning filmmaker and Noah Media Group’s co-founder, Gabriel Clarke and Chris Hay.
The Carl Lewis feature documentary is just the first of many to be financed, developed and produced under Noah Media Group. The production, distribution and technology company are also developing a documentary on British boxing champion Ricky Hatton and Villeneuve Pironi, which details chronicles the friendship and tragic rivalry between Formula One legend, Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Piron.
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Sly Stone Announces Memoir Via Questlove’s New Publishing Imprint
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) will ‘cover all aspects’ of the musician’s life, including his battles with drug use, and is set for release this September
Headshot of American singer and songwriter Sly Stone performing with his band Sly and the Family Stone on the television series ‘Midnight Special, ‘ circa 1974. (Photo by Fotos International/NBC Television/Courtesy of Getty Images) Sly Stone, the indefatigable frontman, songwriter and producer of funk progenitors Sly and the Family Stone, has announced that his memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) will be released this October via White Rabbit.
Written with Ben Greenman, who has co-written celebrity memoirs for Gene Simmons, Brian Wilson and George Clinton among others, Thank You will also include a foreword from Questlove, whose new publishing imprint AUWA Books, part of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, will release the book in the US.
“For as long as I can remember folks have been asking me to tell my story, [but] I wasn’t ready,” Stone said in a statement. “I had to be in a new frame of mind to become Sylvester Stewart again to tell the true story of Sly Stone. It’s been a wild ride and hopefully my fans enjoy it too.”
Lee Brackstone, publisher of White Rabbit, said in a statement: “[Thank You] covers all aspects of Sly’s creative life (which, contrary to conventional wisdom, never ended) and his personal life; his childhood in a church-going musical family in northern California, the golden years of hits and psychedelic funk with the Family Stone, his battles with drug use over five decades and eventually getting clean three years ago. It is a revealing portrait of one of the defining musical geniuses of the 20th century, inspiring but also melancholy of course.”
Brackstone said that Greenman had spent years trying to track Stone down to ask if he would write a memoir, and that the project started life a decade ago when they were connected via George Clinton. “There was start-and-stop progress for many years,” he said. “Most of the credit should go to [manager] Arlene Hirschkowitz, who persuaded him to write the book when he got clean.”
Stone is one of the key figures in the development of funk music, along with James Brown and Funkadelic’s George Clinton. With the Family Stone, he had hits throughout the 60s and 70s, including Family Affair, Everyday People, I Want to Take You Higher and Dance to the Music. The band’s success began to decline later in the 70s, as Stone and his bandmates became more and more reliant on hard drugs. After failing to reinvigorate his career throughout the 80s, Stone essentially retired after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, rarely making public appearances throughout the 90s and 2000s.
In 2011, it was revealed that Stone was homeless and living in a van. He alleged that unfair contracts he had signed in the 80s – including one with his manager Jerry Goldstein – were to blame for his financial situation. In 2015, Stone won a lawsuit against Goldstein, awarding him $5m, although Stone was still unable to collect the royalties due to his having assigned them to a production company in 1989.
According to his publisher, Stone is now clean and living in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, it was announced that Questlove would direct a new documentary about Stone, which “tells the story behind the rise, reign and fadeout of one of pop music’s most influential artists and, in doing so, tells a very human story about the cost of genius”.
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) will be released on 17 October 2023.
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WATCH: Tupac and His Mother, Afeni Shakur, Tell Their Story in the “Dear Mama” Docuseries Trailer
“Dear Mama” will be released on Hulu on April 21.
It’s Tupac and Afeni Shakur like you’ve never seen them before. FX released the trailer for its new five-part docuseries “Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni & Tupac Shakur” on March 22, and it’s an emotional and reflective look at the bond between Tupac, the legendary rapper who died at just 25 years old in 1996, and his mother, Afeni. As Tupac notes in an archival interview in the trailer, his mother was a Black Panther and political activist who instilled her values of freedom, power, and revolution into her son, whom she gave birth to in 1971 when she was 24.
Tupac notes in the interview, which he gave when he was 17, that he and his mom had a complicated relationship. While he cherished many of the lessons she taught him, she was also often unavailable because of her life in activism. And as Tupac detailed in his song “Dear Mama,” from which the FX series takes its name, his mother eventually became addicted to crack cocaine, putting a further strain on their relationship. Afeni died in 2016 at age 69.
The documentary series is directed by Allen Hughes, who previously directed the 2017 HBO music docuseries “The Defiant Ones” about Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Allen and his brother Albert, who have also directed together as the Hughes Brothers, have a long history with Tupac. The rapper was originally cast in their 1993 film “Menace II Society.” They eventually fired him from the film and claim that he attacked them. Tupac was charged with assault and battery and served 15 days in jail.
FX says that the new docuseries “defies the conventions of traditional documentary storytelling to share an illuminating saga of mother and son.” The network adds, “Their story chronicles the possibilities and contradictions of the U.S. from a time of revolutionary fervor to Hip Hop culture’s most ostentatious decade.”
Director Hughes talked about Tupac in a 2022 interview with the YouTube channel “The Art of Dialogue.” Hughes reflected on the difference between Tupac and Snoop Dogg, saying of the latter that he was “a real street guy out of all these guys,” per Okayplayer. “Tupac, on the other hand, while he came up in the inner city or the urban f*cked-up ghetto, he’s not a street kid. He’s an artist and an activist,” he said, according to the outlet. “He’s a performance-arts kid and he’s delusional. He’s just delusional in a positive way. You have to be delusional to be a great artist.” He added that “to be a great artist,” one must have delusions. “If you’re fortunate, maybe a third of your delusions become art,” he said.
Watch the trailer for “Dear Mama” ahead.
“Dear Mama” Trailer
“Dear Mama” Release Date
“Dear Mama” will be released on Hulu on April 21.
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Boost Mobile Ransomware Outages Strike Many Across the Nation With No End In Sight
The attack started on February 23rd, forcing the company to shut down portions of its IT systems, causing widespread outages among its services.
Satellite broadcast provider and TV giant Dish Network has finally confirmed that a ransomware attack was the cause of a multi-day network and service outage that started on Friday.
As BleepingComputer reported, this widespread outage hit Dish.com, the Dish Anywhere app, Boost Mobile (a subsidiary owned by Dish Wireless), and other websites and networks owned and operated by Dish Network. Customers have also reported that the company’s call center phone numbers were unreachable.
Dish Network first blamed the network and service outage on VPN issues, according to The Verge. However, as first reported by BleepingComputer, an internal memo sent to Dish employees and seen by us stated that the outage “was caused by an outside bad actor, a known threat agent.”
February 28th, in an 8-K form filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dish Network said it “determined that the outage was due to a cyber-security incident and notified appropriate law enforcement authorities.”
The company added that the filed information relates to its “expectations regarding its ability to contain, assess and remediate the ransomware attack and the impact of the ransomware attack on the Corporation’s employees, customers, business, operations or financial results.”
Dish Network also confirmed that the threat actors stole data from its compromised systems (potentially containing personal information) but failed to mention if it belonged to its employees, customers, or both.
“On February 27, 2023, the Corporation became aware that certain data was extracted from the Corporation’s IT systems as part of this incident. It is possible the investigation will reveal that the extracted data includes personal information,” the company added.
Dish Network’s website is still affected by the outage and is only partially functional, with the company prominently displaying a “We are experiencing a system issue that our teams are working hard to resolve” message at the top of the homepage.
Unfortunately, Dish Network’s employees have told BleepingComputer that they have been kept in the dark, with the company sharing little information about what is happening.
While this might be due to the ongoing investigation into the ransomware attack, Dish Network has yet to share further details besides hiring “the services of cyber-security experts and outside advisors’ and notifying the relevant law enforcement authorities about the attack.
Attack allegedly targeted VMware ESXi servers
Even though Dish Network didn’t name the ransomware gang behind the incident, sources have told BleepingComputer that the Black Basta ransomware operation is behind the attack, first breaching Boost Mobile and then the Dish corporate network.
Additionally, multiple sources told BleepingComputer that the attack occurred in the early morning of February 23, with the attackers compromising the company’s Windows domain controllers and then encrypting VMware ESXi servers and backups.
BleepingComputer has not been able to independently confirm this information and no ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Dish Network has yet to reply to multiple emails requesting more details regarding the outage and the ransomware attack behind it.
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Ruth E. Carter is the First Black Woman to Win Two Oscars
Both of Carter’s Best Costume Design Oscar wins come from her work in Marvel’s “Black Panther” films.
By Jazz Tangcay
Ruth E. Carter has become the first Black woman to win two Oscars.
Carter, who in 2019 became the first Black person to win the Oscar for costume design for her work on Marvel’s “Black Panther,” was recognized for the film’s sequel, “Wakanda Forever.” In her speech, she thanked director Ryan Coogler and asked late “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman to look after her own mother, who recently died at 101.
“Nice to see you again,” Carter said as she took the stage. “Thank you to the Academy for recognizing the superhero that is a Black woman. She endure, she loves, she overcomes, she is every woman in this film. She is my mother. This past week, Mable Carter became an ancestor. This film prepared me for this moment. Chadwick, please take care of Mom. Ryan Coogler, Nate Moore, thank you both for your vision. Together, we are reshaping how culture is represented. The Marvel family, Kevin Feige, Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito and their arsenal of genius, thank you. I share this with many dedicated artists whose hands and hearts helped manifest the costumes of Wakanda and Talokan. This is for my mother. She was 101.”
Carter beat out Catherine Martin, who won the BAFTA and Costume Designers Guild awards for her work on Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis.” She also beat Mary Zophres for “Babylon,” Jenny Beaven for “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” and Shirley Kurata for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which was the surprise winner of the Sci-Fi Fantasy award at the CDGA.
Denzel Washington made history in 2002 when he won his second Oscar for “Training Day,” the first Black person to do so in an acting category. He first won in 1990 for “Glory.” Mahershala Ali is the only other Black actor with two Oscars, for 2016’s “Moonlight” and 2018’s “Green Book.” While newly minted EGOT Viola Davis has four Oscar nominations, she has only won once, for 2016’s “Fences.”
Sound mixer Russell Williams II was the first Black person to win two Oscars, sharing the best sound award for both “Dances With Wolves” and “Glory.”
Carter has a total of four career Oscar nominations, including for 1992’s “Malcolm X” and 1997’s “Amistad.” Her credits also include “Selma” and the Tina Turner biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” for which Carter recreated Tina Turner’s most iconic looks from the ’70s and ’80s, including the famous gold metallic fringe dress and high-waisted miniskirts.
In building the costumes of Wakanda, which Carter called one of the biggest challenges of her career, she had to account for the physical immersion of her designs in water. “We put it underwater, and everything just went up. I had to remake things that were tested. I had to weigh them down, and sometimes they were too light, other times they were too heavy,” she told Variety.
Carter, who is Spike Lee’s go-to costume designer, credits the director as being instrumental in changing the way she looks at Hollywood: “‘You walk through Hollywood with your own voice. You walk through there with your portfolio,’ he would say. He gave us that charge.”
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‘Black Panther’ Fans Rally Behind Angela Bassett After Saying She Was “Robbed” at the 2023 Oscars
Fans Defend Angela Bassett’s ‘disappointment’ Over Jamie Lee Curtis’ Oscars Snub
Out of all the losses at the 95th Annual Academy Awards, fans are handling Angela Bassett‘s the hardest.
Earlier on in the evening, Best Supporting Actress was awarded to Jamie Lee Curtis. Angela was up for the title thanks to her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, along with fellow nominees Stephanie Hsu, Hong Chau and Kerry Condon.
The camera panned to all of the Oscar nominees as Jamie Lee was announced as the winner for her portrayal in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Viewers from home couldn’t help but take in Angela’s crestfallen reaction.
One fan reposted the moment on Twitter and added: “Angela’s face … oh I’d be angry too if I got robbed of this award.” It inspired a flux of support toward the actress as the term “ROBBED” trended on the platform. “They really robbed Angela Bassett out of another #Oscar,” a different user added.
Another missed moment that flew under the radar involved Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors who later took the stage. Before the two presented, they took a beat to acknowledge Angela: “Hey Auntie, we love you.”
A Twitter user shared the clip and interpreted it as the pair sending a supporting message amidst her loss. “They know Angela Bassett got robbed. #Oscars,” the user wrote.
This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors give a shoutout to Angela Bassett: “Hey Auntie, we love you.” #Oscars pic.twitter.com/xIQlVq8AOZ— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 13, 2023
Though she didn’t take home the trophy, she’s already made history as her nomination marks the only time a performance from the Marvel Cinematic Universe has appeared in any of the Oscars’ four acting categories.
During the red carpet, the 9-1-1 star looked regal in her purple Moschino gown and told Entertainment Tonight that she was “feeling pretty good.” She was flanked by her husband, Courtney B. Vance, and their twins, Bronwyn and Slater.
“I think it’s long overdue, and I really want to see her be honored the way that I know she should be,” Slater told the outlet. “And so this will mean a lot to me, and I know it’ll mean even more to her, so, I’m waiting I’m waiting and I’m ready for it.”
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‘Embarrassing’: New York City Officials Misspell Jackie Robinson’s Name on Expressway Named After the Hall of Famer
The road sign read “Jakie Robinson Parkway,” leaving the “c” out of the Baseball Hall of Famer’s tribute.
The New York City Department of Transportation ended Black History Month with a huge blunder.
The municipal agency misspelled the name of the first African-American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era, Jackie Robinson, on one of its signs for the 5-mile thoroughfare that runs from Jamaica Avenue in Brooklyn through to the Grand Central Parkway in Kew Gardens.
The road sign read “Jakie Robinson Parkway,” leaving the “c” out of the Baseball Hall of Famer’s tribute. On Sunday, Feb. 26, people started to notice the error. The botched sign features a picture of Robinson in a classic batter’s pose above the text and is located at Myrtle Avenue and Forest Park Drive, according to the NY Post.
Queens Councilman Robert Holden blasted the DOT for misspelling the Brooklyn Dodgers name.
“Not only can’t the central planners at NYC DOT move traffic smoothly and safely, but they can’t even spell. The DOT needs a major overhaul. They’re a mess,” he tweeted.
Not only can’t the central planners at NYC DOT move traffic smoothly and safely, but they can’t even spell.
The DOT needs a major overhaul. They’re a mess. https://t.co/GnoBkBC9kZ— Robert Holden (@BobHoldenNYC) February 27, 2023The politician also said to the press “This spelling mistake is absurd. You don’t have a few eyes looking at these signs? DOT is a mess.”
Adding, “This is a slap in the face. Jackie Robinson means a lot to me. I was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan!”
Many others were outraged.
“It does not make sense that a sign on the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens spells his first name Jakie,” another tweeted.
It does not make sense that a sign on the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens spells his first name Jakie.— Nate Weiser (@nweiser09) February 28, 2023
Glendale native Kira Incantalupo called the sign “embarrassing.”
“It’s embarrassing,” Incantalupo said. “Poor Jackie Robinson. That shouldn’t have happened. I mean, nobody wants to have that. It’s a memorial for somebody. It should be corrected.”
Quana Martin, a local Queens resident, said, “I just feel it’s a little odd because how do you not know how to spell his name? He’s a well-known figure.”
JP Ward, a teen from the area, said the mistake was “f##king stupid.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s disrespectful, but it’s definitely stupid,” the 17-year-old concluded.
The next day, according to CBS News, Department of Transportation spokesperson Scott Gastel said the sign was replaced.
Before it was renamed in 1997, the Jackie Robinson Parkway was known as the Interboro Parkway. The city renamed the strip to honor the 50th anniversary of his historic rookie season when he broke the color-line barrier in 1947 as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers team.
The same year of the renaming MLB commissioner Bud Selig permanently retired Robinson’s number 42. No player after Mariano Rivera, who had already had the number before the late 1990s, will ever play wearing the number.
In 1947, when Robinson joined the MLB, he was named the MLB Rookie of the Year after batting .297, hitting 12 home runs, and stealing 29 bases. Two years later in 1949, Robinson became the MLB’s Most Valuable Player, batting .342.
During his career, he made the All-Star team six times. Over those 10 years he played professionally in the MLB, he hit.313.
Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, ten years before his death in 1972.
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Sen. Cory Booker Aims to Make Prisons Safer, Add Livable Wage for Inmates
Booker has introduced a package of bills that would end cruel labor practices in U.S. prisons, plus tackle fair pay and workplace discrimination on behalf of incarcerated individuals.
By Ashlee Banks
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has introduced a package of bills that would end cruel labor practices in U.S. prisons and tackle fair pay and workplace discrimination on behalf of incarcerated individuals. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker has introduced a package of bills that would end cruel labor practices in U.S. prisons and tackle fair pay and workplace discrimination on behalf of incarcerated individuals.
In a statement obtained by theGrio, Booker proposed that the four bills — the Fair Wages for Incarcerated Workers Act of 2023, Correctional Facilities Occupational Safety and Health Act, Ensuring Work Opportunities in Correctional Facilities Act and Combating Workplace Discrimination in Correctional Facilities Act — would address “inhumane and unacceptable” prison labor conditions in America’s correctional facilities. The Democratic senator believes these bills would end unfair and abusive labor policies.
“The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery ‘except as a punishment for crime,’ but this language has enabled and expanded the exploitation of incarcerated people in our country’s prisons,” he said.
Booker’s prison reform legislation would ensure that incarcerated individuals are deemed employees and would require correctional facilities to routinely report workplace safety and labor conditions to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
Beth Schwartzapfel, a reporter for the Marshall Project, told theGrio that being an incarcerated individual is a “dehumanizing experience” and that Booker’s legislation would be “life-changing.”
“People don’t have access to basic human needs,” she contended. “People don’t have access to their loved ones in any regular way. People don’t have access to their humanity in a way. The culture of prison is such a machismo sort of posturing, violent place that is all about survival.”
Other parts of Booker’s effort would ensure that incarcerated individuals are paid a livable wage and would provide resources for inmates to seek employment and educational opportunities while behind bars. He said that more than half of incarcerated people work while carrying out their sentences.
“Because fair labor standards are virtually nonexistent in U.S. prisons, incarcerated people are often compelled to work in abusive and unsafe conditions,” said Booker. “They work for little to no pay, on average making between 13 and 52 cents per hour in most jobs.”
Schwartzapfel told theGrio that if incarcerated individuals are paid a livable wage, it could prevent recidivism and would benefit the nation’s economy.
“If you have enough money in hand that you can put a down payment on an apartment or that you can buy a car so that you can actually drive to job interviews or that you can actually take a job that you can get to without public transportation … it just creates a better circumstance for people to do better,” she said.
“When people are desperate, that’s when laws get broken,” Schwartzapfel said, “[but] when you release people from prison with enough money like a cushion to settle back into society, you eliminate the incentive to continue to break the law.”
Booker’s proposals also aim to protect incarcerated individuals’ civil rights and prevent them from falling victim to discriminatory practices. For instance, the senator advocated for having the phrase “refusing to work” removed from the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate behaviors list, which is often used to justify why a prisoner should face harsh consequences.
“If they refuse to work,” he said, “they face retaliation by correctional officers and have limited avenues under federal law to fight for their civil rights.”
The senator’s package of bills is backed by several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Brennan Center for Justice and the National Employment Law Project.
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MLK’s Daughter Bernice King, Other Black Investors Make History Buying White-Owned Bank
They plan to rename the institution Redemption Bank, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).
By Abu Mubarik
Dr. Bernice A. King is part of a Black investor group seeking to acquire the $68 million-asset Holladay Bank & Trust in Utah. Photo credit: DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG NEWS A group of Black investors based in Atlanta has agreed to buy a white-owned bank, Holladay Bank & Trust, and convert it into a Black-owned one. The investors include Dr. Bernice A. King, a daughter of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr; Ashley D. Bell, a former White House policy adviser, and former NFL player Dhani Jones.
They plan to rename the institution Redemption Bank, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). What is more, the investors want to target financial services to Black communities historically underserved by financial institutions, providing online banking services and small business loans.
The deal, which is awaiting regulatory approval, will mark the first time Black investors purchased a non-Black bank. It will also be the first time in American history that an existing commercial bank would become a Black-owned Minority Depository Institution (“MDI”) through acquisition, a statement by Redemption Holding Company said.
“There’s never been a Black bank created through the acquisition of a non-Black bank,” Bell told Americanbanker. The platform adds that the investors plan to build the $68 million-asset institution into a national Small Business Administration 7(a) lender.
Bernice King – Ashley D Bell – via Businesswire Bell will act as the executive chairman and CEO of Redemption Holding Co. while King will serve as the bank’s senior vice president for corporate strategy and alliances and sit on its advisory board.
Bell and King previously co-founded the National Black Bank Foundation, which has steered $600 million of deal flow into Black banks since 2020, according to the statement. Data cited by AJC shows that in 2001, there were 48 Black-owned banks insured by the FDIC, however, that number has reduced to about 20 now.
Bell told AJC that more Black banks are critical for financial inclusion and wealth generation. He explained that the U.S. system has historically denied Blacks the opportunity to build wealth.
“This system has offered no grace and no mercy for Black people in our country,” Bell said. “We think that having a bank called Redemption, where grace and mercy will be bountiful for people who need it, is important.”
Holladay currently has only one branch and according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp records, it currently has only 10 employees and ended 2022 with $68 million in loans and other assets under management. Holladay’s current management and staff will remain until the conclusion of the deal. They will be complemented by an experienced management team.
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Berlin Review: ‘Love To Love You, Donna Summer’ Offers Moving Portrait Of Brilliant Singer Who Struggled With Fame And Faith
In the documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer, making its world premiere today at the Berlin Film Festival, we get to revel in that voice.
CIRCA 1978: ‘Queen of Disco’ Donna Summer performs onstage in a shimmering blue dress in circa 1979. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Donna Summer could hit notes more thrillingly beautiful than any other pop singer of her time, or since. I’m not sure even Whitney Houston, as great as she was, quite reached the glistening heights that culminate “Last Dance” (though she comes very close in “I Will Always Love You”). Mariah Carey (no relation to me) performs impressive vocal acrobatics, yet to my ear she can’t match the bell-like shimmer of Donna in the higher registers. And Donna in the lower registers – well, the voice thrums with visceral resonance.
In the documentary Love to Love You, Donna Summer, making its world premiere today at the Berlin Film Festival, we get to revel in that voice. But directors Roger Ross Williams and Brooklyn Sudano – Donna’s daughter – don’t aim for a jukebox music experience, content to press play on one hit after another. Rather, they create a portrait of a woman and artist far more complex – and talented – than has been appreciated. Summer possessed not only a stunning vocal gift, but she wrote or co-wrote some of her most famous songs, and impacted the course of pop music more profoundly than many realize. Yet, she struggled with the mantle of fame and felt deeply conflict between her artistic impulses and the strictures of a deeply religious upbringing. She never quite resolved the tension between the exuberance inherent in her performative abilities and the constricting and shaming imperative to serve the Lord according to what her faith, as she interpreted it, demanded.
Disco singer Donna Summer singing on stage around 1975. The documentary begins with the isolated vocals – or rather orgasmic moans – of Summer recording her first international hit, 1975’s “Love to Love You Baby” (written by Summer, Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte). It made her famous and kicked off the disco era, but the singer would always struggle with feeling defined by the song’s unprecedently frank expression of female sexual pleasure. In archive footage in the film, Summer’s grandmother comments after the song’s release, “I’m never gonna be able to go to church again.” Her mother says, “She knew that I was gonna be shocked. To say the least, I was shocked.”
The film makes the interesting observation that Summer “thought in theater” and recorded songs as though she were embodying a character. “I approach it as an actress,” she explains. “I’m not trying to be me.” In other words, just because Donna Summer recorded “Love to Love You Baby” didn’t mean she was a one-woman orgasmatron.
The music industry, however (as well as music journalists and perhaps the public too) preferred to conflate Donna the person with the song, tagging her as an icon of “sex rock” and “The First Lady of Love.” The film says, “She wasn’t having it.”
It took some years, but Summer eventually was able to display much more of her vocal range in songs like her cover of “MacArthur Park” (she makes you feel the exquisite agony of someone leaving “the cake out in the rain”). She co-wrote (with Moroder and Bellotte) the single “I Feel Love,” coming up with the rhythmic drum track that she described as creating a “floaty feeling.” The song inaugurated electronic dance music. As Elton John reflects in a new interview in the film, “I Feel Love” became a sensation at New York’s Studio 54. He says, “It changed the way people thought about music.”
Love to Love You, Donna Summer, is entirely covered by visuals of Summer and other vintage footage, with the exception of some vérité moments of Sudano going through her mother’s archive and enlisting her aunts, uncles and siblings in an effort to understand her mom. We learn of Donna growing up in racist Boston of the 1950s and ‘60s, and being chased as a kid by anti-Black white youths, an encounter that left her with a permanent scar on her face. At 19, she got a part in an international touring production of the musical Hair and settled in Germany, where she met her first husband, Helmuth Sommer (she would adopt his last name, altering the spelling slightly for her music career).
In Germany she felt free – released from family and their binding religious dictates, free from America’s intense racism, and free, to some extent, from the tortuous memory of sexual abuse she had been subjected to as a girl by a church pastor. She would have continued to live abroad in all likelihood had Casablanca Records, which helped turn “Love to Love You Baby” into a hit, not called her back across the Atlantic.
Like another pop icon who grew up in the church – Little Richard – she could never truly escape feelings of guilt around her musical calling. She says in the film, “I felt God could never forgive me because I had failed Him. I was decadent, I was stupid, I was a fool. I just decided that my life had no meaning.”
Harry Langdon/Getty Images. The documentary reveals she almost committed suicide by leaping from a hotel window, but a housekeeper’s unexpected entrance interrupted her plan. Much later in her life, after recording many hits, she married the songwriter Bruce Sudano and settled into a more tranquil life in Thousand Oaks, California, raising daughters Brooklyn, Amanda – her kids with Sudano – and her youngest daughter Mimi, fathered by Helmuth. She became a born-again Christian, and shared her newfound faith with concert audiences. That went over like a lead balloon.
One of her musicians says of the audience response, “People wanted to dance and party” rather than hear about Summer’s religious reawakening.
That fraught dance with faith led to the biggest controversy of Summer’s career, which in many respects still colors perceptions of the singer to this day. At one concert gig, she made a stray comment to the effect that “God didn’t make Adam and Steve, he made Adam and Eve,” possibly in an ill-conceived attempt at humor. The remark offended Donna’s legion of LGBT fans, who naturally perceived it as anti-gay. She was also quoted – or rather wrongly quoted, the filmmakers insist – as having said AIDS was God’s judgment on gays.
The AIDS activist group ACT UP picketed an exhibition of Summer’s artwork – just one example of the backlash over the alleged hurtful comments. Summer and her husband Bruce initially decided the best course of action was not to respond. Big mistake. Eventually, Summer held a press conference to deny having made the “God’s judgment” remark and to express her love for people of every background. But the controversy never quite went away, shadowing Summer until her death in 2012, at the age of 63, from lung cancer.
“It’s something I don’t think she ever got over,” her widower, Bruce Sudano, observes.
It’s significant that Love to Love You, Donna Summer is co-directed by Williams, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who is an openly gay African American man. He and Brooklyn Sudano by no means paper over the furor that erupted after Summer’s remarks. They don’t try to “resolve” the issue, but the film leaves one with the feeling that Summer truly was a loving and giving person who didn’t harbor animus toward people, even if – again – the dubious influence of conservative Christianity may have led her to wound her fans.
After Berlin, the documentary will premiere on HBO sometime in the spring. It’s a nuanced exploration of an artist of enormous talent and lasting influence, plagued by inner conflict.
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Lizzo on Buying a $15 Million Mansion After Sleeping in Her Car for Years, Look Inside!
She debuted the house in a post on Instagram with the caption “new background unlocked”
By Abu Mubarik
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 02: Lizzo attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Grammy award-winning musician Lizzo was forced to sleep in her car for years. Then in 2022, she bought a new home in Beverly Hills for $15 million. According to Dirt, the property was previously owned by her pal Harry Styles.
She debuted the house in a post on Instagram with the caption “new background unlocked”, showing the treehouse-inspired structure designed by Sam Gnatovich and Alexi Rennalls of SIMO design.
According to Dirt, the house was completed in 2019 and sold for $11 million to music executive and the current CEO of Warner Records, Aaron Bay-Schuck. After living in the facility for less than three years, he flipped it to Lizzo.
The mansion has three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and powder rooms. “A pivoting front door opens into a double-height foyer, and there’s also a fig tree ensconced in an open-air atrium that pierces the middle of the home,” Dirt describes the property. “From there, natural light seeps into most of the main floor spaces, including the minimalist formal dining and living rooms.”
The platform continues that the nearly 1,000-square-foot master suite offers a lavish bedroom and bathroom divided by a floor-to-ceiling marble slab wall.
Speaking for the first time about the luxurious mansion, Lizzo said to “CBS Sunday Morning” that owning the property was a milestone.
“Just ten years ago, you were sleeping in your car,” host Tracy Smith asked her. “Yeah, yeah. And, like, whoo!, staying in, like, people’s rooms and sleeping on their couches,” Lizzo responded.
“And now, on this past tour, which I was blessed to, you know, stay in really nice places, but I was like, ‘I miss my house. Like, I can’t wait to come back to my own home and to my bed.’ And I was like, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever said this.’” “It’s a milestone for me.”
Lizzo came to prominence only three years ago. Since then, she has become a global sensation with die-hard fans. She even had a song and album reach #1 on the Billboard charts.
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Howard University Student Who Asked for Financial Help Gets $22K from Kyrie Irving
Irving’s donation adds up to several other acts of generosity that he has performed.
Kyrie Irving donated $22,000 to Howard University student Destiny Thompson — Left Photo Credit: Erik Drost | Right Photo via GoFundMe Dallas Mavericks’ star Kyrie Irving once again performed a kind and generous act after he donated $22,000 to help a young Howard University student continue her education at the historically Black school. According to New York Post, Irving, 30, donated the money without any publicity whatsoever.
The student who appealed for financial help was identified as Destiny Thompson. The Civil Engineering and Mathematics student initially set up a GoFundMe to help raise $6,000 for her tuition at the school. But Irving’s huge donation meant his fellow New Jersey native received even more than she initially wanted.
After she became aware of the money raised, Thompson shared an emotional Facebook post expressing gratitude to everyone who donated. “I cried just a lot of tears,” the Howard University student said in the video. “I’m at work, y’all. I don’t understand, like, I can’t really wrap my head around how like generous people can be. I am so thankful for everybody that shared it, everybody that had liked, commented and gave me encouraging words, and just kind of helped me keep going and essentially.
“I’m just so, so happy, and I’m so thankful. I never thought in a million years that anybody would give me anything, and I’m so super grateful. And I want to say thank you 1,000 times for blessing me like this Mr. Kyrie Irving. I really don’t know. I’m in shock still. I’m at work wiping down registers.”
Irving’s donation adds up to several other acts of generosity that he has performed. As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, the 30-year-old NBA champion bought a home for George Floyd’s family in the wake of the Black man’s murder. The news of the home purchase was shared by former NBA star and Floyd’s friend, Stephen Jackson.
The Dallas Mavericks’ superstar also donated $65,000 to the family of Shanquella Robinson – the Black woman who died while vacationing with her friends in Mexico. Irving also made another $50,000 GoFundMe donation to the family of Devin Chandler. The University of Virginia football player was among three student-athletes who were fatally shot by Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.
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Exonerated ‘Central Park Five’ Member Dr. Yusef Salaam Announces Candidacy for NYC Council Seat
Salaam is vying for the Council District 9 seat. The area encompasses parts of Harlem, Morningside Heights, and the Upper West Side
Dr. Yusef Salaam is running for NYC Council seat — Photo via Wisconsin Muslim Journal Dr. Yusef Salaam, one of the exonerated “Central Park Five” members, has announced his candidacy for New York City Council seat, CBS News reported. Now known as the “Exonerated Five”, Salaam, together with Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise, served between seven and 13 years in prison after they were convicted of brutally assaulting and raping a white female jogger in Central Park in 1989.
The five men were later exonerated in 2002 when rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the attack, with DNA evidence supporting his claim. Salaam, who is now an author, criminal justice advocate, activist, and motivational speaker, served almost seven years in prison.
Salaam is vying for the Council District 9 seat. The area encompasses parts of Harlem, Morningside Heights, and the Upper West Side, ABC7 New York reported. The other candidates running for the district include incumbent Kristin Richardson Jordan and Assembly members Inez Dickens and Al Taylor.
During an interview with CBS News, Salaam touched on the policies he’s going to champion or support if he wins the seat. “We’re definitely looking at housing, and affordable housing, at that,” he said. “We’re looking at safety. We’re looking at mental health. We’re looking at education.”
Salaam also touched on Tyre Nichols’ killing. When he was asked about his reaction to the fatal encounter, Salaam said, “Here, yet again, is a young man crying out for his mother, crying out for help.”
“I am Tyre Nichols,” he said when he was asked if he relates to the answer he gave. “Now he’s yet another example of why we need to look at policing and say, how do we fix this system?”
Salaam then went ahead to share some ideas on what can be done with regard to police reform. “You have to have components of training,” he said when he was asked what can be done. “I think part of the challenge is if police officers are protecting the communities that they live in, that’s a whole different spectrum.”
The interviewer then asked Salaam if he was going to propose that kind of reform. “You’ve got to live, say in Harlem, if you’re a Harlem cop?” the interviewer asked.
Salaam replied: “You have to live in Harlem if you’re a Harlem cop. Why? Because you offer a certain level of protection, and because you are also one of the members of our community, you also expect a certain level of protection.”
Asked about the lesson of his life story, Salaam said “you have to hold on, that every single one of us were born on purpose, and born with a purpose.”
He added: “And the beauty of that is that we know this because we made it. And we were chosen, we survived. And here we are. And in Harlem, I see people surviving. I want us to thrive.”
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After 2 Super Bowl Wins, Why Can’t Eric Bieniemy Get a Shot at Head Coach?
OPINION: After the defensive and offensive coordinators for the losing team in Sunday’s Super Bowl took the last two open head coaching slots, one has to wonder how dedicated the NFL is in hiring Black coaches.
By Deron Snyder
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes listens to offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, right, as he warms up before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) For all we know, Eric Bieniemy could be the all-time sorriest hire as an NFL head coach.
If the Kansas City offensive coordinator ever got a chance, his tenure could stink worse than Nathaniel Hackett’s 4-11 with Denver or Kliff Kingsbury’s 28-37-1 with Arizona. He could do a lousier job than Adam Gase’s 9-23 with the New York Jets, or Joe Judge’s 10-23 with the New York Giants.
All of those coaches have been hired and fired since Bieniemy won his first Super Bowl as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator in 2019. He interviewed for several of those head coach jobs while waiting for his ring. Hell, he’s interviewed for 15 head coach jobs with 14 teams over the last four hiring cycles, but there he was Sunday, still in place winning another Super Bowl with the Chiefs.
Bieniemy absolutely might’ve been as terrible in Carolina if he’d beaten out Matt Rhule (fired at 11-27). But he also might’ve enjoyed success like Matt LaFleur (47-19 with Green Bay) or Zac Taylor (22-11 the last two seasons with Cincinnati). All secured their gigs since 2019; Bieniemy sipped champagne that season.
By now, Bieniemy could’ve been a big hit or a big miss at calling the shots. We don’t know. No team has given him a shot. His prospects at a head coaching job for next season ended Tuesday when the defensive and offensive coordinators from Sunday’s losing team got the final jobs. That possibly sets up a lateral move away from coach Andy Reid’s shadow.
That’s not how the process typically works for Reid’s top lieutenants. Two of Bieniemy’s predecessors — Matt Nagy and Doug Pederson — went from being under Reid’s wing to running their own shops in Chicago and Philly, respectively. They sat at the guru’s feet and their credibility rose. Bieniemy has excelled, too.
But his validity has been questioned.
Previous coordinators in Kansas City and other places get credit while working under so-called masterminds. But Bieniemy is cast as riding on Reid’s coattails, which the head coach disputes. “He’s been tremendous for us and I think tremendous for the National Football League,” Reid told reporters after the Super Bowl win. “I’m hoping he has an opportunity to go somewhere and do his thing where he can run the show and be Eric Bieniemy.”
The NFL and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes said Bieniemy has earned a shot at one of the 32 head coaching gigs. “He’s done everything the right way,” Mahomes said. “He’s been a part of this offense and this team for so long, holds everybody accountable, is creative in making up plays for us, and I don’t know why he hasn’t been hired.”
Is it because he’s not the primary play caller? Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne said Bieniemy was directly responsible for the two wide-open touchdowns Kansas City scored Sunday in their comeback against Philly. Reid has always called plays but his OC provides plenty of input.
Is it because Bieniemy has been passed over so many times? Chiefs owner Clark Hunt worries that “it’s almost become a little bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy that he’s not getting the opportunity.”
Is it that he does poorly in interviews as alleged? Is it ancient history like the license suspension in 1991, the harassment allegations in 1993 or the DUI arrest in 2001 that some folks inexplicably bring up? Who’s spreading whispers and questionable concerns? Nothing on the surface suggests Bieniemy is an unworthy candidate.
Then again, his surface doesn’t reflect the wave of “whiz kids” and “offensive geniuses” hired recently, most of them white and under the age of 40.
Now 53, Bieniemy should remain a hot candidate but owners have been cold to him. If winning two out of three Super Bowls since 2019 isn’t good enough to merit a chance, only God knows what is. “When it comes to hiring, I can’t control what goes on in the owner’s head,” he told USA Today in 2020, when the Browns, Giants and Panthers interviewed him and passed.
“I can’t force them to make the decision. My job is to make sure that when I’m in there giving that interview, I’m being my most authentic self,” he said. “They get to see me, feel me for who I am and what I’m about.”
Meanwhile, we see and feel what these owners are about.
Brian Flores is suing the league after concluding that race is the holdup in hiring Black coaches. Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, seems to concur. “We’re still dealing with America’s original sin — slavery — and the misconception of who Black men are,” Vincent told the Washington Post. “So, we’re just trying different things.”
Again, Bieniemy might suck as a head coach. He wouldn’t be the first excellent coordinator who failed in the big office. Any list of worst coaching hires is filled with capable assistants who couldn’t cut it with more responsibility. Some are simply better suited as leaders just beneath the top rung. They usually get to show and prove.
But like too many coaches with a similar complexion, Bieniemy hasn’t gotten the protection for those opportunities.
It makes as much sense as denying Black quarterbacks a chance, and we know what that was about.
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The Cincinnati Music Festival 2023 Line Up Announced!
The Cincinnati Music Festival Presented by P&G Returns July 20.21.22, 2023
July 20,21,22-2023 Cincinnati Ohio Music Festival at Paycor Stadium,
Thursday Night: Hip-Hop 50 Tribute w/Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim & Big Daddy KaneFriday Night:
Al Green, Jill Scott, Jodeci, Midnight Star and Gerald Albright
Saturday Night:
Snoop Dogg, Baby Face,
P’Funk Connection , Avery Sunshine, Norman Brown.CINCINNATI (February 15, 2023) – The Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G (CMF) returns to Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati from July 20-22, 2023, with an exciting lineup of R&B music featuring Al Green, Snoop Dogg, Jill Scott, Babyface and more headlining the event over the three days. The Thursday night concert, which will celebrate 50 Years of Hip Hop, will be held at The Andrew J. Brady Center at The Banks.
The 2023 lineup includes:
- Thursday, July 20 (Andrew J. Brady Center): A Tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop w/ Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim, and Big Daddy Kane
- Friday, July 21 (Paycor Stadium): Al Green, Jill Scott, Jodeci, Midnight Star, Gerald Albright
- Saturday, July 22 (Paycor Stadium): Snoop Dogg, Babyface, P-Funk Connection, Avery Sunshine, Norman Brown
Tickets are on sale now through the Festival office at (513) 924-0900 or through Ticketmaster beginning on February 18, 10 a.m.
Additionally, the Opening Festival Press Conference will be held on Thursday, July 20 at the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. The Official Ceremony and musical performances to unveil the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame at The Banks will be held on Saturday, July 22.
Official sponsors of the Cincinnati Music Festival are P&G, Visit Cincy/Meet NKY, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, Fifth Third Bank, Central State University, Johnson & Johnson and Metro.
“We are thrilled with this year’s lineup for the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G,” said Joe Santangelo, producer of the Festival. “It’s the first time for Snoop Dogg to perform at the Festival and Al Green last performed in 1974. We know they will both be huge draws for our fans. It’s also an honor for us to plan a Thursday performance to pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.”
Cincinnati Music Festival: $107 million annual economic impact
The most recent study conducted by the UC Economics Center and commissioned by the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau shows the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G provides a $107.4 million economic impact to the region.
“P&G is a long-time sponsor of Cincinnati Music Festival as a keystone cultural moment for our city and for music fans nationwide,” said Monica Turner, P&G President – North America. “We look forward to coming together to celebrate R&B and Hip Hop Music, and to fuel small businesses in our community.”
FESTIVAL HISTORYOriginally called the Ohio Valley Jazz Festival when it was first held in 1962, the Cincinnati Music Festival has grown and evolved into a spectacular three-day event on Cincinnati’s riverfront. Starting out as an all-jazz concert, over the years it has grown into a three-day festival featuring great music from the hottest stars in R&B, jazz, soul, and hip-hop, as well as up and coming artists. Past performers include Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, Patti Labelle, New Edition, Earth Wind and Fire, Lakeside, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson and many others.
By the year 2000, the festival was the largest of its kind in the United States, drawing more than 50,000 people annually from all across the country. The festival has been held at various sites through its nearly 60 year history, including French Lick Indiana, the Carthage Fairgrounds, and the Hamilton County Fairgrounds before landing at its current home in Paycor Stadium on Cincinnati’s river front. Accompanied by a street festival dubbed Festival 513, the Cincinnati Music Festival Presented by P&G has an estimated annual economic output of $107 million, according to the Greater Cincinnati Center for Economic Education at the University of Cincinnati. 2015 marked the first of many years in partnership with Cincinnati based global company P&G.
The Cincinnati Music Festival Presented by P&G is co-promoted by The Santangelo Group and Ohio Valley Entertainment. 2023 represents The Festival’s 59th year of bringing top R&B talent to Cincinnati.
About The Santangelo Group:
The Santangelo Group, led by Owner Joe Santangelo, has promoted or co-promoted the Cincinnati Music Festival at Paul Brown Stadium since 2005. Prior to that, they promoted the Festival as the Coors Light Music Festival, the Kool Jazz Festival and the Ohio Valley Music Festival stretching back to 1962. In addition to the Cincinnati Festival in Cincinnati, The Santangelo Group promotes the Hampton Jazz Festival in Hampton, VA.
About Ohio Valley Entertainment (OVE):
OVE is an entertainment company created to co-promote the Macy’s Festival in 2006. In addition to its involvement in the Cincinnati Festival, OVE has promoted other events at Paul Brown Stadium including the 2012 Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw “Brothers of the Sun” tour.
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At 82yrs Old Dionne Warwick is Still Putting In Work on Her Upcoming Musical “Hits! The Music”
Warwick has been hard at work preparing for her upcoming 50-city tour dubbed, Hits! The Music
(Images: Wikimedia Commons/Fotograaf Onbekend; Anefo and Neil Grabowsky/Montclair Film) Having a career that spans decades is a testament to ones’ passion for their respective craft, and acting with the mindset of being a lifelong student. Dionne Warwick at 82-years-old continues to work and record music as if she’s a baby-faced and wide-eyed student.
Warwick has been hard at work preparing for her upcoming 50-city tour dubbed, Hits! The Music alongside her son, Damon Elliott.
The East Orange, NJ. native spoke with AP News, about her career, working with her son and their upcoming tour, which she also serves as executive producer.
“Anything that deals with children is an automatic yes for me,” Warwick said to AP news. “These babies are amazing. They’ve proven what music can do, bring joy, happiness, inspiration, ability — just life, you know?”
Proving to be a student of music, the Grammy-winning artist was inspired to do Hits! The Music after watching the group of kids perform songs like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca;” “Where Is The Love?” by the Black-Eyed Peas; Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep;” and “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars.
Warwick added: “I’m really at a loss for words and I’m never at a loss for words. To see this kind of brilliance.”
Fifteen- year- old cast-member, Matthew Jost said he’s excited to work with Warwick.
It’s just music that means a lot to me. For this year, we’re all over the place,” Jost said, to AP news. “Just gets that we’re kids, we’re here, and music brings people together.”
Damon Elliott, Warwick’s son, was nominated for an Academy Award along with songwriter Diane Warren for the song “Applause” from the film Tell It Like A Woman. The duo also joined forces on a song called “Gonna Be You” in the upcoming 80 For Brady movie.
“Mom and I, we don’t take on anything, we don’t endorse pretty much anything,” Elliott said to AP News. “But when it involves kids, as long as they are truly up to par and they work hard and bring that energy, I’ll be behind it.”
Warwick added: “I’ll keep going as long as the people want me to be there and they fill the seats. That’s all I can tell you.”
Earlier this year, Warwick announced that she and Dolly Parton were working on a record. However, the song has yet to be released.
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Michael Jackson’s Nephew Jaafar to Star in Biopic ‘Michael’
“Michael” is expected to depict the complicated legacy of the man who became known as the King of Pop
Jaafar Jackson is portraying his uncle Michael Jackson in Lionsgate’s upcoming biopic “Michael,” directed by Antoine Fuqua.
“Michael” is expected to depict the complicated legacy of the man who became known as the King of Pop. According to the studio, the film will explore all aspects of his life, “including his most iconic performances that led him to become the greatest entertainer of all time.”
The film is being made with the cooperation of the Michael Jackson estate, which may influence the way “Michael” depicts the multiple allegations of child sexual abuse that were brought against Jackson during his career and following his death. Jackson has denied allegations of child sexual abuse and he was tried, and found not guilty, of child molestation in 2003. Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 and always maintained his innocence, but the claims continue to cloud his legacy.
“Michael” will be the first major film role for Jaafar Jackson, the second-youngest son to songwriter, producer and Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson, whose brother was Michael Jackson.
“Jaafar embodies my son. It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers,” said the singer’s mother Katherine Jackson.
Producer Graham King, whose credits include “Bohemian Rhapsody,” says the team administered a worldwide casting search before finding the actor who would portray Jackson.
“I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael,” said King. “It was something so powerful that even after conducting a worldwide search, it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role. I am beyond thrilled that he has come on board to portray his uncle and cannot wait for the world to see him on the big screen as Michael Jackson.”
“It’s incredibly exciting to watch Jaafar bring Michael to life,” said Fuqua. “There was such a spiritual connection when I first met Jaafar, who has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera.”
“Michael” will begin principal photography in 2023. John Logan, who wrote “Gladiator,” “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” is penning the screenplay.
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Damar Hamlin Thanks Family, Doctors, Supporters in First Video Following Cardiac Arrest
“I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support, and everything that’s just been coming in my way,” Hamlin said.
Damar Hamlin expressed gratitude for his family, doctors, teammates, and supporters during his first public address since collapsing from cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football earlier in January.
The second-year Buffalo Bills safety, 24, shared a five-minute video across social media platforms on Saturday. He said he’d been waiting for the right time to post the video, captioned “From the Heart,” amid his recovery.
“As I continue to make so much progress recovering, I think it’s finally a good time to share a few things,” Hamlin said. “I think it was important for me to wait and speak publicly at the right time, as it was just a lot to process within my own self. Mentally, physically, even spiritually.”
He continued: “I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of all the love, all the support, and everything that’s just been coming in my way.”
In a nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2, Hamlin’s heart suddenly stopped beating on the field, a condition known as cardiac arrest, after what appeared to be a routine tackle.
Medical professionals performed nearly 10 minutes of CPR on the field, before Hamlin was rushed to the University of Cincinnati medical center, where he remained in critical condition for several days before being released on Jan. 11.
“What happened to me on Monday Night Football I feel is a direct example of God using me as a vessel to share my passion and my love directly from my heart with the entire world,” Hamlin said.
He added that it had always been his dream to inspire “kids and communities around the world who need it the most.”
The defensive standout’s Chasing M’s Foundation, which has received millions in donations since his injury, funds school supplies, toys and camps for children.
Hamlin thanked a long list of people who helped save his life and support him through his recovery journey, beginning with several members of the Bills training, athletic and medical staff, as well as staff at the University of Cincinnati Medical center and Buffalo General Hospital.
He then thanked family and loved ones, including his mom and dad, who he called “my anchors and my everything, who never left my side the entire time,” and his younger brother, who he said is “my why, my reason why I strive to be my best self everyday.”
Hamlin shouted out the Bills fanbase, known as “Bills Mafia,” for their “genuine love and support,” sharing that “it really encouraged me, and helped me to get through the toughest moments.”
“To the entire Bills organization and my brothers who made it a priority to lift me up spiritually, mentally, and every way possible. Reaching out every day, seeing how I was doing, calling, texting…I’m proud to be a part of this team. I’m proud to be able to call you guys my brothers,” he added.
Hamlin was sure to thank the city of Cincinnati for its outpouring of concern for his well-being despite him playing for the opposing team.
“Just to put team allegiance aside, to root for one kid’s life and just the humanity of a player that’s wearing Buffalo blue, to put humanity above team loyalty, you showed the world unity over division,” Hamlin said.
He additionally thanked all the children who sent him letters and “heartwarming” gifts, and everyone who donated to the Chasing M’s Foundation, adding that it’s always been important to him to be a role model.
“This is just the beginning of the impact that I wanted to have on the world,” Hamlin said. “And with God’s guidance, I will continue to do wonderful and great things.”
“I couldn’t do this without any of the support and the love and I can’t wait to continue to take y’all on this journey with me,” he concluded, before flashing his signature heart sign.
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Angela Bassett Becomes Marvel’s First Actor Nominated for an Oscar
After being nominated in the best supporting actress category, Bassett paid tribute to the character she portrayed.
LOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) – Angela Bassett made history on Tuesday as the first Marvel Cinematic Universe star to be nominated for an acting Oscar for her “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” role as Queen Ramonda.
After being nominated in the best supporting actress category, Bassett paid tribute to the character she portrayed.
“Wakanda Forever’s Queen Ramonda is a character that touched my spirit because she is a mother and a leader who must care for her grieving nation as much as she cares for her family in mourning,” Bassett said in a statement.
Bassett is a favorite to win at the Oscar ceremony on March 12, having already secured a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice award for the role. The film secured four other nominations, including for visual effects and costume design.
Bassett was previously nominated for a best actress Academy Award for her portrayal as Tina Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”
Disney’s “Black Panther” sequel sold around $330 million in tickets and set a November record in the United States and Canada.
In the sequel, the character King T’Challa dies at the opening, a script change made after actor Chadwick Boseman passed away from cancer in 2020 just before filming started.
Marvel decided not to recast T’Challa. Instead, writer and director Ryan Coogler crafted a script that put female characters at the forefront.
“Ramonda is a love letter that reflects and acknowledges what we women do everyday,” Bassett said.
Her nomination challenges a long-held belief by many big names in Hollywood, including directors Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, that Marvel films are not real cinema.
“They seem to me to be closer to theme parks than they are to movies as I’ve known and loved them throughout my life, and that in the end, I don’t think they’re cinema,” Scorsese wrote in the New York Times in 2019, igniting backlash.
Despite that kind of criticism, the first “Black Panther” won three Academy Awards after garnering seven Oscar nominations in 2019, including the first Best Picture nomination for a super hero movie.
Bassett is joined in the category by fellow nominees Hong Chau from “The Whale,” Kerry Condon from “The Banshees of Inisherin,” and Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu from “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
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The Notorious B.I.G. Is Getting His Own Air Jordan
Staying close to the Jordan Year theme, only 23 pairs of the Christopher Wallace x Air Jordan 13 collaboration will be available on an online auction via Sotheby’s.
By JAELANI TURNER-WILLIAMS
Photo Credit: Sotheby’s Dedicated to The Notorious B.I.G., the Christopher Wallace x Air Jordan 13 will be limited to 23 pairs that will be auctioned.
Jordan Brand is commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with an exclusive Air Jordan dedicated to The Notorious B.I.G. The company is partnering with the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation for a special sneaker auction of Christopher Wallace x Air Jordan 13. Originally made in 2017 to celebrate what would’ve been the 45th birthday of the late Brooklyn emcee, Jordan’s namesake brand made the sneaker available this year to celebrate the Jordan Year (’23) and 50 years of hip-hop.
In a moment to champion self-belief, @Jumpman23 , The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation and @Sothebys collaborated on a limited release of the Christopher Wallace Air Jordan XIII in honor of the #JORDANYEAR (2023), and the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. pic.twitter.com/SVphOKFRgo
— Notorious B.I.G (@thenotoriousbig) January 23, 2023
“We are thrilled that the Jordan Brand and the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation have entrusted Sotheby’s with these exclusive pairs of sneakers honoring the legacy of The Notorious B.I.G. as part of the Jordan Year 2023 celebration,” Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and modern collectibles at Sotheby’s, said. “The auction marks the only opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike to acquire these special limited-edition sneakers that bring together the legacies of the greatest athlete of all time with the greatest rapper ever.”
Photo Credit: Sotheby’s Staying close to the Jordan Year theme, only 23 pairs of the Christopher Wallace x Air Jordan 13 collaboration will be available on an online auction via Sotheby’s. Live today (January 23) until February 3, each pair are estimated to sell between $2,300 to $5,200. Proceeds from the auction will go towards the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, established to equip inner-city youth with educational instruments, sponsorships, grants, and community-based mentorship programs. Last year was a massive celebration for the 50th birthday of Biggie, including a weekend-long festivities in New York City, VR concert and a nine-foot-tall statue erected near the Brooklyn Bridge.
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Ed Reed: ‘Prime Was Not Wrong’ and HBCU Administrators Have ‘Broken Mentalities’
Reed expressed frustration with the state of HBCUs and their athletic departments in a recent video
Ed Reed says it’s only been a “week and a half” since he agreed to accept the job as head football coach at Bethune-Cookman,” according the Hall of Famer’s Tik Tok video. Reed is displaying a great amount of frustration — which is not a good sign.
“Prime [Deion Sanders] was not wrong about what he was saying,” Reed said. “All y’all out there with y’all opinions full of crap, I don’t know [expletive], but needless to say.”
Former NFL teammate Deion Sanders, who recently coached at Jackson State, had similar complaints about the lack of financial support and administrative support for HBCU athletic departments.
In interviews and videos, Sanders was highly vocal regarding the HBCUs’ problems and the failed transparency regarding financial solvency. Perhaps, he shared these concerns with Reed which influenced his decision to turn down Jackson State’s offer, according to a source.
The coach also hinted that he has been trying to offer his assistance and resources. Rumors had Reed requesting resources like a new turf and enhanced facilities.
“I just pulled up the work. We’re going to try to help y’all too man. Because I know a lot of HBCUs need help. I’m just here to help here first. I see it all too clearly. All of our HBCUs need help. And they need help because of the people who’s running it. Broken mentalities out here. I’m going to leave you with that. I gotta get in the office.”
Ed Reed Apologizes
Ed Reed, the recently appointed head football coach of Bethune-Cookman and Pro Football Hall of Famer, took to social media to apologize for two Tik Tok videos he posted that were critical of Bethune-Cookman and HBCU leadership.
In his apology, Reed seemed to realize the importance of understanding HBCUs and their challenges. He focused on solutions rather than criticisms and his commitment to helping Bethune-Cookman succeed.
“In regards to my social media and comments about the University, staff, and other institutions, I would like to sincerely apologize to all BCU staff, students, and alumni for my lack of professionalism. My language and tone were unacceptable as a father, coach, and leader. My passion for our culture, betterment, and bringing our foundation up got the best of me, and I fell victim while engaging with antagonists on social media as well. I am fully aware of the hard-working folks at our school who are also fighting to make things better and more financially sound. I am encouraged from my communication with my AD [Reggie Theus] and our administration, and I understand it’s a work in progress. My passion is about getting and doing better, and that goes for me too.” Ed Reed
Reed’s apology did address his tone, speech, and actions. Yet, there are two compelling elements of the apology — “I fell victim while engaging with antagonists on social media” and “I am encouraged from my communication with my AD and our administration.”
Bethune-Cookman’s athletic director Reggie Theus and the administration communicated with Reed regarding the two videos. Reed verified on both that he and the institution still need to finalize his contract to become the head coach. To that point, this may have been a contributing factor to his frustrations.
Still, in the first posting, Reed said “Prime was not wrong” about HBCUs served as an indictment on Bethune-Cookman and other black colleges. The second video shows him riding an open vehicle while clearing off the football field with debris and trash. His post quickly devolved from simple angst into a profanity-laced tirade from Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction.
Clearly, Bethune-Cookman and Reed have “damage repair” to become the focus this week.
After his recent apology, you can only wonder whether the administrators have decided to move forward with Reed’s contract.
At this point, it’s up to Bethune-Cookman and Ed Reed to present a positive and productive alliance. It will be incumbent on both parties to work together as they navigate these unprecedented waters in the era of social media.
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California Latest to Sue Drug Companies Over Insulin Prices
Insulin manufacturers Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi were named in the suit, as well as providers CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California on Thursday announced it will sue the companies that make and promote most of the nation’s insulin, accusing them of scheming to illegally increase the price of the drug and demanding they return millions of dollars to some diabetics who state officials say were overcharged for the medicine they must have to survive.
The lawsuit, to be filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Attorney General Rob Bonta, is the latest in a parade of legal actions against these companies from states across the political spectrum — all who have accused the corporate giants of abusing their power to quash competition and boost their profits by keeping the price of insulin high.
A 2021 study by the RAND Corporation comparing the insulin prices of nearly three dozen countries found prices in the United States were about 10 times higher than everywhere else. The average price of a vial of insulin in the United States was $98, while in nearby Canada it was $12.
Attorneys general in Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Minnesota and Kentucky have all filed similar lawsuits in recent years.
“It is not a partisan issue,” said Bonta, a Democrat who was elected to his first full term in November. Bonta said state attorneys general from both major political parties “all say the same thing: That the status quo is unacceptable and problematic and awful.”
Bonta sued three companies who make insulin — Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi — and three companies who manage prescription drug programs that provide insulin — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx.
Bonta said the manufacturers raise the price of insulin “in lockstep with each other.” The prescription drug managers then negotiate with the manufacturers to get a percentage of that price in exchange for prominently promoting their high-price insulin over cheaper alternatives.
“People are losing their lives because they can’t afford the drug,” Bonta said.
Daphne Dorsey, associate director for media relations for Eli Lilly, said the company is “disappointed by the California Attorney General’s false accusations.” She said the average monthly-out-of-pocket cost for Lilly insulin is $21.80, a 44% decrease over the past five years. She urged anyone paying more than $35 a month for Lilly insulin to contact the company.
A representative for Novo Nordisk declined to comment on the lawsuit. But the company provided background information saying the net prices for its insulin products — the list price minus rebates and discounts — have fallen in each of the past five years “in large part to the significant rebates and discounts manufacturers pay to ensure access for patients.”
Mike DeAngelis, executive director of corporate communications for CVS Health, said the manufacturers alone set the list price for their products.
“Nothing in our agreements prevents drug manufacturers from lowering the prices of their insulin products and we would welcome such action,” he said. “Allegations that we play any role in determining the prices charged by manufacturers are false. We plan to vigorously defend against this complaint.”
A statement from Optum Rx said the company “welcomes the opportunity to show the California Office of the Attorney General, just as it has with other States Attorneys General, how we work every day to provide people with access to affordable drugs, including insulin.”
Insulin is made by the pancreas and is used by the human body to convert the food we eat into energy. People who have diabetes don’t produce enough insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day to survive.
A team of Canadian scientists discovered insulin a century ago. They sold the patent to the University of Toronto for just $1, hoping to avoid a monopoly that could cause high prices. But eventually, the market came to be dominated by just three companies.
Kevin Wren, an activist associated with the California chapter of #Insulin4All, said he must take insulin every day to survive. Around 2009, Wren said he was working two jobs and did not have health insurance. He had to ration his insulin, taking less than the recommended dosage to make it last longer — a dangerous practice that he said ended up putting him in the hospital with ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes.
Today, Wren says he has good health insurance and doesn’t have to ration his supply of insulin. He said he skirts the law each month by providing people insulin from someone else’s prescription “all so that they don’t have to ration.”
The big insulin manufacturing companies have assistance programs to help people purchase insulin. Novo Nordisk said in 2021 that more than a million people used some form of the company’s assistance when purchasing its insulin.
California’s state government is considering making its own insulin and selling it at a much cheaper price. Last year, the state Legislature approved $100 million for the project, with $50 million set aside for developing three types of insulin and the rest going to a potential manufacturing facility.
State officials hope a California brand of generic insulin could disrupt the market and bring all insulin prices down. Bonta said he hopes his lawsuit does the same thing.
“California can drive markets,” Bonta said, citing the state’s size and economic power. “Change emanates and starts here.”
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Lawsuit Claims BMG ‘Refused’ to Pay ‘Uptown Funk’ Royalties to Gap Band Heirs
The Gap Band’s Robert, Ronnie and Charlie Wilson were added as “Uptown Funk” songwriters alongside Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson thanks to a 2015 agreement
BY NANCY DILLON
CIRCA 1980: (L-R) Charlie Wilson, Ronnie Wilson and Robert Wilson of the funk group “Gap Band” pose for a portrait in circa 1980. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Publishing giant BMG has “failed and refused” to pay “Uptown Funk” royalties to the heirs of Gap Band members Robert and Ronnie Wilson after the brothers were credited as co-songwriters of the Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars mega-hit in a 2015 agreement, a new lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan claims.
The complaint filed Thursday by Ronnie’s widow Linda Wilson and Robert’s daughters Robin and LaTina Wilson, among other heirs, alleges BMG has either “retained all funds due to plaintiffs for its own benefit and enjoyment” or “wrongfully diverted” the money elsewhere.
BMG did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent Thursday night. Third brother and former Gap Band lead vocalist Charlie Wilson is not a party to the new lawsuit.
Robert and Ronnie Wilson were among the five songwriters behind the 1979 Gap Band song “Oops Upside Your Head” that was later determined to be a basis for 2014’s “Uptown Funk.” The brothers were each assigned 3.4% of the copyright and music publishing rights to “Uptown Funk” under the 2015 deal that was reportedly brokered to avert a lawsuit and trial in the wake of the notorious “Blurred Lines” $7.4 million jury verdict.
According to the new complaint filed Thursday, Ronnie Wilson and his brother Robert assigned their
music publishing rights for “Oops Upside Your Head” to a third party in 1978 but then terminated the grants of copyright in September 2016. The company that held the rights prior to termination was acquired by BMG in 2015. (Ronnie later died in November 2021.) After the terminations, the brothers’ two separate 3.4% shares of “Uptown Funk” are now owned entirely by their heirs, the lawsuit alleges.The complaint claims BMG has “has failed and refused to pay plaintiffs or account to them for royalties they are obligated to pay plaintiffs pursuant to a written contract as co-writers of ‘Uptown Funk.’”
“Despite its obligations to account for and pay to plaintiffs their share of all income received from the ‘Uptown Funk’ musical composition, BMG has refused and failed to provide either the funds due to plaintiffs or an accounting, despite plaintiffs’ repeated demands therefor,” the lawsuit alleges.
The filing claims BMG also has refused to provide “sufficient documentation for plaintiffs to calculate the sum due them.” The lawsuit asks the court to order an accounting of money received by defendants pursuant to the 2015 settlement so the heirs can determine their alleged damages. It also seeks a trial to determine compensatory damages for the alleged breach of contract and wants the court to order defendants to pay that amount along with interest, costs and attorney’s fees.
“Uptown Funk,” the subject of multiple copyright controversies, was an international sensation, ruling the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks.
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‘Abbott Elementary’ Scores Season 3 Renewal At ABC
The Emmy winning series is currently in its second season, which returned on January 4.
Abbott Elementary is getting another go at ABC. The comedy series has been renewed for a third season.
The news comes during ABC’s Television Critics Association panel, just a day after Season 1 scored three Golden Globe wins at Tuesday night’s ceremony, including acting honors for Quinta Brunson and Tyler James Williams.
The Emmy winning series is currently in its second season, which returned on January 4. Season 2 has averaged a 3.58 rating in the advertiser-targeted 18-49 demographic after 35 days of multi-platform viewing, which is a 31% increase from Season 1, according to ABC. It’s also up 13% in viewership, delivering an average of 9.1M viewers per episode in MP35.
“This renewal is a richly deserved feather in the cap of Quinta Brunson, Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, and Randall Einhorn, as well as the rest of the cast and crew of Abbott Elementary. Each week, this talented group of artists celebrates true unsung heroes — public school teachers. And for some extra icing on the renewal cake, our favorite group of teachers was honored this morning with two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and last night with three Golden Globe Awards. Abbott Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving, and I look forward to many more magnificent episodes of this brilliant, authentic, and just plain funny series,” said Channing Dungey, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group.
(ABC/Gilles Mingasson) SHERYL LEE RALPH, QUINTA BRUNSON Abbott Elementary is a co-production with Warner Bros Television Group and 20th Television.
The series follows a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible public servants may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.
Brunson created the series and stars as Janine Teagues, alongside Williams,
Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Brunson also executive produces the series. Additional executive producers are Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker of Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions, and Randall Einhorn.
In a new episode airing Wednesday, the Abbott Elementary faculty find themselves learning lessons in teamwork during a day of touchdowns and missed plays. Two of Janine’s students aren’t getting along in class, leading her to seek advice from her colleagues on how to help repair their friendship. Meanwhile, Melissa and Ava plot to bring down Mr. Johnson in fantasy football.
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Naomi Osaka Announces She is Pregnant: ‘Every day is a new blessing and adventure’
The tennis star says she plans to return to the court in 2024.
By Kait Hanson
Congratulations are in order for Naomi Osaka, who is pregnant with her first child with rapper Cordea.
The tennis superstar, 25, announced the news across her social media channels Jan. 11, 2023.
“Can’t wait to get back on the court but here’s a little life update for 2023,” Osaka captioned three screenshots, including one photo of a sonogram and two others detailing her exciting life update.
“The past few years have been interesting to say the least, but I find that it’s the most challenging times in life that may be the most fun. These few months away from the sport has really given me a new love and appreciation for the game I’ve dedicated my life to,” she wrote.
Osaka continued, “I realize that life is so short and I don’t take any moments for granted, everyday is a new blessing and adventure. I know that I have so much to look forward to in the future, one thing I’m looking forward to is for my kid to watch one of my matches and tell someone, ‘that’s my mom,’ haha. 2023 will be a year that’ll be full of lessons for me and I hope I’ll see you guys in the start of the next one cause I’ll be at August 2024. Love you all infinitely.”
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Target Stacks Shelves with new Kitchen, Vegan Foods Collection by Tabitha Brown
Vegan foodie Tabitha Brown announced the launch of her new collection of kitchen supplies and vegan foods found on the shelves of Target stores.
It’s a new year, and customers are seeing healthier options on the food aisles of their favorite stores.
Vegan foodie Tabitha Brown announced the launch of her new collection of kitchen supplies and vegan foods found on the shelves of Target stores.
Brown announced in a teaser video she shared with her Instagram followers on Jan. 4. “Food is love, and how I love myself,” Brown said in the video. “Honey, I have already did the work, so you ain’t gotta worry about it.”
“Family look at what the Lord has done,” she wrote in the caption.
“Y’all know that food changed my entire life!! When I went vegan 5 years ago I had no idea what I was doing, but every day I tried to make it easy and fun! I know how tough it can be to figure out what to eat when you first try a plant based lifestyle, so I wanted to help make the transition easier for you,” she told her foodie followers.
“I am so excited to announce my limited time vegan Food and kitchen collection @target ,” the caption continued.
She shared a few product options for Target customers, adding, “Honey we got burgers, pasta, potato salad, popcorn, and even pickled okra to just name a few!! I can’t wait for you all to experience it all!!
According to Eating Well, Brown’s kitchen collection includes various cookware essentials such as tableware, food storage, botanical dip serving bowls, spatulas, and a cast-iron grill pan.
Shoppers can also pick up some vegan food choices, such as Brown’s planted-based sausages, garlicky veggie burgers, vegan popcorn, seasoned nuts, and other snacks. The collection also provides a selection of dips, including lemon-garlic-dill hummus, truffle-garlic spread, and a caramelized onion cream cheese-style spread.
Brown followed up the new endeavor with a post where she appeared at Target for a tasting.
Brown’s collection launched in Target stores on Jan. 8.
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UPDATE: Damar Hamlin is Awake and Holding Hands with Family
His agent tells CNN, days after his cardiac arrest during NFL game
By David Close, Elizabeth Wolfe and Jason Hanna
Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin is awake in a Cincinnati hospital, his agent and a teammate said Thursday morning, eliciting immediate relief and joy from supporters across the nation three days after the 24-year-old’s in-game cardiac arrest.
Hamlin, who had been sedated during his hospitalization, is awake and has been holding hands with family in the hospital, his agent Ron Butler told CNN.
“Our boy is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement. Thank you God,” one of Hamlin’s teammates, Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam, tweeted Thursday morning.
Hamlin has shown “remarkable improvement” in the last day and appears to be “neurologically intact,” the Bills said separately Thursday morning.
“Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the Bills tweeted. “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress.
“We are grateful for the love and support we have received.”
Further details about Hamlin’s condition and how he demonstrated he was neurologically intact were not immediately released by the team, as supporters across the country hang on updates of his condition and NFL players contemplate an emotional return to the field this weekend.
Hamlin collapsed in the first quarter of Monday night’s Bills game against the host Cincinnati Bengals, stunning the packed stadium and leading to the contest’s postponement – a rare move in a league where inherently violent play usually resumes after on-field injuries. The NFL has yet to announce whether it will make up that contest – halted with the Bengals leading 7-3 – even as all 32 teams prepare for their final scheduled regular-season games this Saturday and Sunday.
Players from around the NFL sent tweets of celebration Thursday as news spread that Hamlin was alert. Before that, fellow NFL player and childhood friend of Hamlin’s had said there is “no doubt in my mind” Hamlin will recover.
Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney Thomas II drove directly to the Cincinnati hospital where his 24-year-old friend lay sedated following his on-field collapse early in Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. “I know he could hear me,” Thomas told reporters Wednesday, adding he held Hamlin’s hand. “Even if he couldn’t hear me, it didn’t matter. I said what I had to say.”
“Just basically (I said) that I love him, and I’ve got his back, and I’ll see him in a little bit,” Thomas added Thursday to “CNN This Morning,” before news that Hamlin was awake was released.
After seeing what happened to Hamlin, some players have openly assessed their readiness to play this weekend. It is still unclear what caused Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, and the league will investigate what could have led to it, NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills said Wednesday.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow “probably wants to play” Sunday’s Bengals-Ravens game, but there may be others who don’t, he told reporters Wednesday.
“I’m sure if you polled the locker room, there’d be mixed votes on that,” Burrow said. “Personally, I think playing is going to be tough … I think getting back to as normal as you can as fast as you can is personally how I kind of deal with these kinds of things. But … everyone has a different way of dealing with it.”
The Bills, scheduled to host the Patriots on Sunday, returned to work Wednesday with meetings and are set to hold their first practice of the week Thursday. Players felt encouraged and emotional when Hamlin’s father, Mario Hamlin, did a Zoom call with the team Wednesday and said his son is making progress, a source in the Bills organization told CNN on Thursday.
Thomas, whose Colts host the Texans on Sunday, said each team needs to “trust that everybody would just make the best decision moving forward, whether that’s playing, whether that’s not playing.”
“Player-wise … just the world in general, we’re all just one heartbeat right now … all waiting for Damar just to get healthy,” Thomas told CNN Thursday.
Hamlin and Thomas, who became close friends as high school teammates in Pittsburgh, spoke daily and had talked Monday before Hamlin’s collapse. Seeing his friend soon after the in-game incident “calmed me way down,” Thomas said Wednesday. “It made the trip home a lot easier. I could go home and know he’s gonna be straight. I got him. We all got him. Everybody’s behind him.”
Since his hospitalization, Hamlin has gotten a nationwide outpouring of support from fans and players across pro sports, including more than $7 million donated to his foundation’s toy drive GoFundMe as of Thursday morning. Several athletes have donned Hamlin’s No. 3 or his jersey while teams have honored him through Jumbotron messages and light displays at their stadiums.
Teams around the league honored Damar Hamlin at their stadiums. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/WyMLTqLjJY— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2023
NFL medical chief talks commotio cordis theories
Hamlin collapsed shortly after a collision in which a Bengals receiver tried to power past Hamlin, who’d approached for a tackle, with about six minutes remaining in the first quarter of Monday’s game. Hamlin still twisted the receiver to the ground and stood up – but within seconds fell and lay motionless.
His heartbeat was restored on the field, the Bills have said, before he was ferried from the stadium in an ambulance while stunned and visibly emotional players and fans looked on. Hamlin was on a ventilator and was “flipped over on his stomach” in the hospital to help relieve some of the strain on his lungs, his uncle Dorrian Glenn told CNN on Tuesday.
Any time a player is evacuated from the field, the NFL and its medical experts perform a detailed review of what happened, Sills explained on a call Wednesday with reporters. They also examine the role protective equipment may have played, he said.
In some cases, the medical team will not be able to determine what caused the problem, Sills said.
The doctor addressed theories that the cardiac arrest could have been caused by commotio cordis, which occurs when severe trauma to the chest disrupts the heart’s electrical charge, causing dangerous fibrillations.
“You have to have the right type of blow hitting at the right spot on the chest with the right amount of force at just the right time in that cardiac cycle. So, a lot of things have to line up for that to happen,” he said, emphasizing that while it is possible, investigators will consider all options.
Sills attributed the “transformational response” of medical personnel when Hamlin collapsed to the “60-minute meeting” that is held among medical teams and NFL officials before every game. During the meeting, teams identify the location of medical equipment and nearby medical centers, and establish a chain of command in case of an emergency, including cardiac arrest, among other things.
Shock still weighing heavily on the Bills
Hamlin’s collapse is the latest in a string of recent tragedies to have struck the community of Buffalo and its beloved football team, including a racist mass shooting and a historic blizzard that left