P hiladelphia-bred rapper Meek Mill is no stranger to philanthropy. In the past, the hip-hop star—whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams —has hosted toy giveaways and school drives benefiting children in his hometown. Williams is continuing his mission to inspire and empower the youth in Philly. According to CBS News , he recently unveiled renovated basketball courts in North Philadelphia. Meek Mill joined city officials Saturday afternoon to unveil renovated basketball courts in North Philadelphia. https://t.co/V3zacYqJFu — CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) August 17, 2019 The project was a collaborative effort between Williams, Puma, Roc Nation and local organizations including the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The new courts—which are located at 33rd and Oxford—feature motivational quotes along the sidelines as well as Williams’ “Dreamchasers” logo. During the unveiling ceremony, the “Dreams and Nightmares” rapper thanked those who helped bring the project to fruition and played basketball with the children who were in attendance. Williams says he’s happy to have the platform and resources to give back to his community. “North Philly will always be home. When kids go to East Fairmount Park, they deserve to ball in the best conditions possible, so I’m glad they’ll have that opportunity now,” he said when announcing the project last year. Leaders of the initiative are beyond thankful for his continued commitment to uplift the youth in Philadelphia. “A lot of people make it, come back for a minute, get a little cameras and then they’re gone,” said Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke in a statement. “My man, he keeps coming back and I’m loving it.” Williams has been making power moves beyond music this year. He was named co-owner of the sports apparel brand Lids and he has continued to fight for criminal justice reform by joining forces with lawmakers to propose a probation and parole reform bill . His 12-year gun and drug case recently came to an end. SEE ALSO: #BossMoves: Meek Mill Named Co-Owner Of The Sports Apparel Brand Lids Meek Mill And Lawmakers Propose Probation Reform Bill [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3824556″ overlay=”true”]
T he city of Atlanta has made a major stride in combating homelessness. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that $50 million has been raised to build houses for over 500 families who are without shelter. Mayor @KeishaBottoms announced that Atlanta had reached its goal of raising $50 million to provide 550 homes for the city’s homeless population. https://t.co/qeBTn1YlE5 — AJC (@ajc) August 26, 2019 The HomeFirst Atlanta initiative—which was launched in 2017 when former Mayor Kasim Reed was in office—was created after Atlanta’s largest shelter shuttered. The shelter served over 500 individuals each night. In an effort to develop a sustainable solution for the homeless population, community leaders and political officials teamed up with the United Way Regional Commission on Homelessness and Invest Atlanta to develop a fund that would provide housing so that individuals could focus on rebuilding their lives. Half of the $50 million came from the Homeless Opportunity Bond sale led by Reed and the rest of the funds were from private donors. Bottoms believes that this collaborative effort will make lasting changes in the lives of individuals who need assistance. “HomeFirst will create 550 units of permanent supportive housing that will be part of larger developments that will contribute, in aggregate, more than 2,500 units of affordable housing,” she said in a statement, according to The Atlanta Voice . “We are building a compassionate community of trusted partners who approach homelessness in a strategic, transparent and accountable way. The results show that it is working.” Organizers of the initiative are aiming to make resources more accessible for those struggling with homelessness. “It is a miss-perception that many people have: that homelessness is represented entirely by the people they see on the streets,” Jack Hardin , Co-Chair of the Atlanta Regional Commission on Homelessness told the news outlet. “A far larger proportion of people experiencing homelessness have incomes and function at very high levels, but live on the margins of the economics of our society and any hardship can derail.” There have been several projects launched in Atlanta to combat the city’s homelessness issue. Earlier this year, Gwinnett officials awarded nearly $1 million to an organization that had plans to build two shelters in the county. SEE ALSO: Jaden Smith Launches Company To Provide Free Vegan Meals For The Homeless North Carolina Toddler Helps The Homeless With Sales From Her Lemonade Stand [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3039818″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Brand X Pictures / Getty Being a single woman gets a lot of bad rep, but there are so many beautiful benefits to the single life, and now there is a study to back it up. There has been previous research done that supports the idea that married folks are happier than single people, but apparently, they only have that energy when their spouse is in the room. When they are alone, the narrative changes. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Behavioral science professor, Paul Dolan, told The Guardian that while “married people are happier than other population subgroups,” that only applies to “when their spouse is in the room when they’re asked how happy they are.” “When the spouse is not present: f—ing miserable,” Dolan, who teaches at the London School of Economics, candidly explained. “The healthiest and happiest population subgroup are women who never married or had children.” Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit In Dolan’s book, Happy Ever After: Escaping the Myths of the Perfect Life, the researcher compared data from single, married, separates, divorced and widowed to find out who was happiest amongst the pack. It appears there are differences between how men and women benefit , or don’t benefit, from the old ball and chain. For men, “You take less risks, you earn more money at work and you live a little longer,” Dolan said of the findings, but “She, on the other hand, has to put up with that, and dies sooner than if she never married .” Look like women literally get the short end of the stick when it comes to becoming wives and mothers. “We do have some good longitudinal data following the same people over time, but I am going to do a massive disservice to that science and just say: If you’re a man, you should probably get married ; if you’re a woman, don’t bother,” Dolan said. Of course, these findings are a snapshot of the whole, but it does lead us to believe that the traditional path for women may not be the happiest or ideal scenario for all women. This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Sasha Obama Graduates High School [PHOTOS] Tami Ever After: Tami Roman Lands ‘Basketball Wives’ Spinoff Show Aoki Lee Simmons Stuns At Senior Prom [PHOTOS] Follow @TheRSMS
Earlier this Spring, TKT & Associates CEO Tierra Kavanaugh Wayne ’s company was ranked the no. 2 fastest growing woman-owned/led companies by the Women’s Presidents’ Organization (WPO). The list, full of 50 of a variety of companies including tech, finance and more industries, looked at ages, aggregate revenue and funding sources among other stats. TKT & Associates, which is a multi-dimensional company that provides “diversity for suppliers, workforce and total talent management solutions [and] specializes in garnering inclusive workforce MSPs, staffing, recruitment process outsourcing and contact centers.” Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Believe it or not, Kavanaugh originally wanted to pursue a career in medicine as an allergist, but one day in college, she ran into her school’s Dean of Economics who challenged her to think about what really liked to do — be in control. She ended up studying business and her career took off from there. “Im glad my knees aren’t being showing because you would see all the burns and all the scars. [Success] took a lot of prayers,” she said in our exclusive sit-down. “Honestly, beyond the grace of God, it takes a lot of perseverance, a lot of support from family, friends and peers. It takes an entire network because you’re going to have good days and you’re going to have bad days. You’re going to be told ‘no’ a lot. And you almost have to be your biggest cheerleader.” Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit After holding a bunch of positions in sales, Kavanaugh launched her own business as a single mom (for 10 years), further maintaining her career as a businesswoman, entrepreneur and mother. While she’s married now, she reiterated that each new level of your personal-life and work-life requires balance. “You still have to focus on your business and be cognizant that every decision you make is going to impact them [family and employees],” she said. “You have to be genuine to yourself but also stay in tune to make sure you’re making the best possible decisions that benefit everyone.” Well, thanks to the diligent work of Kavanaugh and her 228 employees, the company revenue sits at approximately $80 million. You go, girl! Check out her three tips for starting a business above! ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Serena Williams Invests In Black Female Entrepreneurs Black Business Boomin’: Watch Viral Star Supa Cent Make $1 Million In 90 Minutes Nipsey Hussle Was Part-Owner of a Las Vegas Resort & Casino, Business Partner Reveals Follow @TheRSMS
Dear Bossip , I am a 27 year old woman who went back to school over 3 years ago to start a second career as a registered nurse. My boyfriend and I, of almost 7 years, have a 2 year old son together. All of my life I have been extremely independent. I moved out of my mother’s house when I was 19 and have been taking care of my own since then. When we first got together, my boyfriend wasn’t very stable in life. I did all I could in my power to help build him into a man (working steadily, getting him to help his parents with bills, etc.). It was hard work, but I slowly started to see improvement. When I first started school, I had to cut down on my work hours so I could focus on my studies. My boyfriend ended up being the one paying for most of our bills. Not too long after I started school I became pregnant. Luckily, my family is an amazing support system and helps a ton with the baby. But, later in my pregnancy I began having complications and couldn’t work anymore. Also, I was approaching the last semester of school and was advised by my dean that I should not work if possible to focus on school and passing my licensing exam at the end of the semester. Well, during all of this, my boyfriend makes me feel like the biggest bum on the planet. We have a lot of stress over finances and he constantly tells me I do nothing and that it isn’t fair to him that he works ridiculous hours. Now, I feel terrible. I know he works like a dog and all, but I think it’s “F’d” up of him to belittle me when since the beginning of our relationship I’ve been the provider and the stable one. For the first time in a long time in my life I’m relying on someone else to hold me down while I try to better myself for the sake of my family. At times, I feel trapped and depressed because I feel like my son and I deserve better in life. He knew what the situation was when I started school and got pregnant. We both knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I felt like we had a partnership and it would be okay in the end. Now, I don’t even know if I want him to share in my success. Is that messed up? In the bottom of my heart I think I want things to work, but I feel like the disrespect has been too frequent and too far. I don’t want my son to witness that, but at the same time I don’t want him to grow up without a father present in his life. – Nurse My Soul Dear Ms. Nurse My Soul , One of the main reasons relationships end, and marriages end in divorce is because of money issues and finances. Money woes ends relationships. You and boyfriend have been together for 7 years with no marriage, and no progress forward other than playing house, and acting like a married couple. You spend years rebuilding him, and transforming him into the man you want him to be – Again, here we are with another woman changing a man into what she desires and what she wants, and in the end he turns the tables on you. You get him to change his ways, do everything you want him to do, and when they become that man, the better man, he soon forgets all the investment you did. And, because there is no obligation to you, he can simply walk away, with no thanks, and move on to another woman who will thank you for cleaning him up, building him up, and transforming him. But, I digress. You do all this work in changing him, and then decide to move in together, and have a child. All the while, you want to better yourself, and go back to school and improve your situation. And, while you’re doing all this for yourself and for him you are the one who is footing the bills, taking care of the finances, the house, the bills, and all the economics. SMDH! Now, because you are unable to work due to the pregnancy, then, have his baby, and now it’s his turn to take care of the finances and to support your dream, it is a problem. He can’t and doesn’t seem to be able to function and work the enormous hours to keep you afloat, and he doesn’t see why he should bear the burden of being the sole money-earner in the household. Well, this is what you created, and now you get to see a side of the same man you helped to build and transform turn on you. How does that feel? Well, I guess you are feeling it because you say that you are depressed, upset, hurt, angry, and reconsidering your relationship, as you should. You want to know why does he belittle you, make you feel bad, and isn’t supportive, or even consider the fact that you held him down in the beginning, and seems to have selective memory about all you’ve done for him. Well, it’s because he doesn’t care, he’s insensitive, inconsiderate, and a jerk. He can’t see the future or what’s ahead of him because he has limited insight, vision, and depth. Notice that it was you who helped him to transform into the man he is today. He couldn’t see that far ahead himself. So, if he can’t see the future for himself, then how can you expect him to see a future for you, him, and your son? He hasn’t had the foresight to even marry you after seven years of being together. Honey, wake up and see this for what it is – a failed relationship. Your investment has now reneged on you, and you can’t even get a return on it. It’s time you start thinking about you and your child. It’s time that you get back on your feet, get yourself a job, build yourself a nice savings, and find yourself an apartment for you and your child. This relationship has run its course. If your man can’t handle this, or support you now, then how can he support you in the future? He holds resentment toward you, and he resents that you are making him take on all the bills while he assumes you’re laying up at home only taking care of your child, and not contributing to the household finances. He feels you are taking his money out of his pocket, leaving him with little for himself, and he probably feels he is working all these hours only to get nothing in return. Therefore, he doesn’t see a future with you. He doesn’t see why he needs to invest in you and his child, and the future that you want to have. You and he are not on the same page. Therefore, get yourself together, and start rethinking how you can do for you and your son as a single parent. Get your career, and spend some time building yourself, loving yourself, and investing in yourself. It’s time to do for you. You’ve done for your man and poured into him, so, now it’s time to pour into yourself. Trust me, he will regret this down the road, especially when you are gone, out of his life, and you put him on child support. Yes, put him on child support, and let him continue to be responsible for his child. He can be part of his child’s life, and you can work out arrangements for joint custody, or visitation. You don’t have to be bitter about this situation, just smarter and wiser. Be better for yourself and your child. Be better because you deserve better. And, finally, you can have the peace of mind, happiness, and joy you deserve and need. Why be in a miserable relationship that causes you to be depressed, or with a man who makes you feel un-needed, unwanted, and a burden? – Terrance Dean ***(Attention all media/news outlets, if you use this story and letter, or any parts of this content for your outlets you must give credit to this site, the columnist, and his advice)*** Hey Bossip Fam, what do you think? S hare your opinions and thoughts below! Also, e-mail all your questions Terrance Dean: loveandrelationships@bossip.com Follow Terrance Dean on Twitter: @ terrancedean and “LIKE” Terrance Dean on Facebook, click HERE! Make sure to order my books Mogul: A Novel (Atria Books – June 2011; $15); Hiding In Hip Hop (Atria Books – June 2008); and Straight From Your Gay Best Friend – The Straight Up Truth About Relationships, Love, And Having A Fabulous Life (Agate/Bolden Books – November 2010; $15). They are available in bookstores everywhere, and on Amazon, click HERE!
John Nash And Wife Killed In Car Crash US mathematician John Nash, who inspired the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind, has died in a car crash with his wife, police have said. Via BBC : Nash, 86, and his 82-year-old wife Alicia were killed when their taxi crashed in New Jersey, they said. The mathematician is renowned for his work in game theory, winning the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994. His breakthroughs in maths – and his struggles with schizophrenia – were the focus of the 2001 film. Russell Crowe, who played him, tweeted: “Stunned… My heart goes out to John & Alicia & family. An amazing partnership. Beautiful minds, beautiful hearts.” The film’s director, Ron Howard, also tweeted his tribute to the “brilliant” John Nash and his “remarkable” wife. Alicia Nash helped care for her husband, and the two later became prominent mental health advocates. The two were thrown from their vehicle, police said. Media reports said the couple may not have been wearing seatbelts when they crashed. Their taxi driver, and a passenger in another car, were also injured. Rest in peace to this beautiful mind and his wife!
Based on logic…Alessandra Ambrosio has too many kids to be in a bikini…but science, or more importantly commerce has made it okay for her to strip the fuck down, because she’s got million dollar contracts to be in a bikini, and despite her catholic, can’t use birth control logic, won’t let that stop her or retire her or throw her on the back burner..but what fascinates me in all this is why they still use the over 30 models, is the market who cares or buys these products against a new generation of girls because young girls make them feel old, and are not relatable, alienating them from buying their product, even though these kinds of woman are hot that even girls younger than them can’t really relate to them when they see them in ads…or did Victoria’s Secret get a long term discount, like a cellphone company when buying these women from their Brazilian pimps, you know take her for 20 years, for 1,000,000, 10 years, 900,000, 5 year, 500,000, hustle… Not that this has anything to do with the economics or marketing budgets of Victoria’s Secret, this is editorial, but I guess when you’re only real job has been Victoria’s Secret…everything she does goes back to that…who cares.
How These Celebrities Knew Michael Jackson The term “six degrees of separation” in Hollyweird terms often seems almost non-existent at times. Everytime we turn around, a new couple or new pair of BFFs are popping up and revealing to have known each other for ages. Michael Jackson was undoubtly a huge influence across all facets of entertainment and yet somehow in all of his superstar-dom , he seemed to know any and everyone….with a few random close connections that we never would’ve suspected. See if you can correctly guess which celeb is associated with MJ before peeping the pics being the page numbers: #3 Was rumored to have had an affair with an R&B banger who was also on his record label. #4 Is the former best friend of a prominent “socialite” and MJ’s goddaughter #5 Was at the forefront of one of the most memorable scandals in political history #8 Is known for her ratchet behavior If you didn’t get them all correct, don’t worry, youuuu are nooot alone. Check out a few more celebs and their surprising connections to the King of Pop when you hit the flip.
Well Damn. Looks like Juan Williams shocked his news anchors along with the rest of us after Ann Romney gave her speech last night during the RNC. Williams took heat from his Fox co-workers and even more criticism from conservative bloggers for his assessment of the potential first lady’s address Tuesday night. “Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann Romney, on the other hand looked to me like a corporate wife,” Williams said on Fox News. “And you know the stories she told about struggle, eh, it’s hard for me to believe. She’s a very rich woman, and I know that and America knows that.” Williams also said that Ann Romney didn’t convince him she understood the struggles of the average American woman and looked like “a woman whose husband takes care of her and she’s been very lucky and blessed in this life.” Of course Money Mitt’s team swooped in to criticize Williams’ comments: “We respect our colleagues in media and appreciate they too have invested a lot to be here to cover the convention,” a Romney aide said in a statement to POLITICO. “But, Juan’s comments are deeply disappointing: Not only were they unfair and personal, they were wrong.” They didn’t sound wrong to us but you know they had to come to Ann’s defense. Juan in the meantime defended himself this morning saying, “I think my criticism was aimed at the reality of the economics and the blessings that the Romneys have had,” Williams said. “They’re not average Americans, in terms of their wealth, by any stretch of the imagination.” If Mitt wants to try and pull any of us in, having his wifey up on stage looking like a robot isn’t going to sway our opinions at all. Source Images via Youtube/WENN/Twitter
‘Saddened to learn one of my precious fans; found tragically murdered in Japan,’ Minaj tweets Thursday of Nicola Furlong’s death. By Nadeska Alexis Nicki Minaj Photo: UMG Nicki Minaj ‘s Pink Friday Tour touched down in Tokyo, Japan, last week, and following one of the rapper’s colorful stage shows, things took a devastating turn: One of Minaj’s fans was murdered after attending the May 25 concert. On Thursday (May 31), Minaj took to Twitter to send condolences and deny allegations that her dancer was involved in the incident. “Saddened to learn one of my precious fans; found tragically murdered in Japan. My love & prayers are with the family of Nicola Furlong,” Nicki wrote . Saddened to learn one of my precious fans; found tragically murdered in Japan. My love & prayers are with the family of Nicola Furlong. — Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 31, 2012 The 21-year-old fan, a foreign exchange student from Dublin City University in Ireland, was found dead in a Tokyo hotel room after attending Minaj’s show at Zepp Tokyo a few hours earlier. An early report on PerezHilton.com stated that Furlong and her friend Sarah Maher linked up with Minaj’s backup dancer James Blackston and another musician, Larry Perry, after the show, heading to the men’s hotel rooms. Furlong was later found strangled to death in the room, while Maher reported that she was sexually assaulted by both men in a taxi. After sending her condolences to the slain fan’s family, Minaj addressed rumors that her dancer was involved, tweeting directly at the celebrity gossip blogger. “My dancers had nothing to do w/this tragedy. No one in my entourage was questioned or arrested. They all flew home from Japan,” she wrote. “That person on your [site] is NOT my dancer. We do NOT know the men in custody. Too much misleading information.” According to IrishCentral , Tokyo police have released a statement confirming that they arrested two American men in connection with the crime. James Blackston, 26, and an unidentified 19-year-old have been taken into custody. “These two men allegedly took advantage of a female unable to resist due to the fact she was in a comatose state from a highly alcoholic beverage,” the report states, adding, “As that is an indecent act, they have been charged with quasi forcible indecency.” The police also confirm Maher’s story of being harassed in the taxi, noting, “On a taxi ride between Shibuya and Shinjuku, they took advantage of a woman by touching her body.” Furlong’s body is expected to arrive in her hometown of Curracloe, Ireland, on Thursday, where she will be laid to rest. The 21-year-old was studying at the Takasaki City University of Economics in Takasaki, Japan. Related Artists Nicki Minaj
