You probably heard about Logan Simmons, the Chick-Fil-A employee who saved a child’s life in the drive through. What you haven’t heard is that Logan lost his dad when he was 8 years old. Logan is saving for a car, so we decided to provide him with a donation towards that car. A Chick-fil-A manager leaped through a drive-thru window to save a choking 6-year-old https://t.co/ZtRosRBqKz pic.twitter.com/JZoLHpBtGy — CNN (@CNN) June 29, 2019
Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Do you remember Ian Connor —the designer/model/influencer who caught a bunch of looks only to be essentually ejected from the paint due to a number of alleged sexual assault allegations ? And For All The Choices I’ve Made, I’ve Accepted The Actions That Come With Them. Love Y’all, Don’t Let Me Down. pic.twitter.com/Z6VGusZgjt — Ian Connor (@souljaian) June 28, 2019 Well, he’s going to jail for a year. Reports Complex : Complex confirmed Connor was sentenced Friday in three different cases in Los Angeles Superior Court. According to a representative for the Public Information Office, two of those cases included the same charges: possession of firearm within 10 years of certain misdemeanor convictions as well as carrying a concealed weapon. Connor received a suspended sentence of five years and eight months for those charges; but instead of serving time behind bars, he will have three years of formal probation. For the third case, which stems from a May 2016 incident, Connor was sentenced to 363 days in jail for negligent discharge of a firearm. The representative said Connor will begin serving that sentence immediately. Connor, who got engaged to Raven Tracy earlier this week, said his fiancée will run all his brands and various business ventures while he’s on “government vacation.” He also said he was confident in his team to execute his vision and ensure his “integrity stays in tact.” According to Connor, his fiancee and business partners will hold down his brand while he’s away. View this post on Instagram No relationship is perfect… sometimes you gotta go through stuff to see what’s real . I found someone that i love from the inside out. Someone that doesn’t lie to me, that encourages me, that allows me to be me, someone who makes me laugh til i have tears, who is weird and quirky too . Since I’ve met this man i can say I’ve become a better woman. He inspires me in so many ways. He puts so many people on around him, constantly uplifting ppl in his own way. He may be different , he may be a little rough around the edges but so what , that’s what i love most about him. You see this ring? We in the mud! We on some 4L type ! Some will and jada unconditional love type i love you babeeeee @ianconnorsrevenge A post shared by Raven Tracy (@soooraven) on Jun 25, 2019 at 7:12pm PDT Although accused, Connor has never been charged with rape. View this post on Instagram Bye Y’all , I’m High As Fuck See Ya Inna Year. A post shared by Sickö (@ianconnorsrevenge) on Jun 28, 2019 at 10:21am PDT
Source: Paras Griffin/Splash / Getty Kiyomi And Erica Mena Put Alleged Abuse From Bow Wow On BLAST Kiyomi Leslie went OFF on ex-boyfriend Bow Wow in tweets and revealed to followers that he allegedly abused her so badly, that he caused her miscarriage. Previously, we spoke to Kiyomi and she said that ‘stress’ caused her miscarriage, now she says it was physical abuse. She writes: Bro some ni**as you wish you never got involved with. Lord that ni**a is a corn BALL. He keep telling lies on my name and imma embarrass you, your momma, and everybody you deal with! PROMISE I didn’t put my bruises on tv because I don’t have too. The police saw them but when I do put them on the “gram” he gonna have an excuse for how I got them too huh? LoI if y’all believe that lame a** ni**a didn’t do NOTHING. Y’all need to be in a mental home with him and his momma… Ni**a no one cares that you a celebrity but YOU! Lmao… them police took his a** cuz I “ LESLIE” had bruises as scratches as well. You better keep calm bro A ni**a get a few scratches on his face and he loss and got beat up? LMAO… man what y’all wanted me to do? Let the lame beat me up like he did in the past? Bet he won’t tell y’all the police been called out more than that one occasion and his family lied & covered for him that time. He beat me while I was pregnant. Punched me in my stomach & all… lost my baby and still covered for the weak a** ni**a I refuse to let him and his washed up family belittle me and trash my name just because their WEAK A** child/family member wanted to date me. I wish I would turned him down and kept it moving. When I speak I have receipts… for everything! Don’t PLAY WITH ME ! Play with your fckn children… play in traffic but don’t not play with ME! On YOU! View this post on Instagram Fit: @fashionnova —> “ Seen it on da gram… but he tryna see dat shit in 3D..” A post shared by Urban Legend (@kiyomileslie) on Jun 29, 2019 at 11:51am PDT Kiyomi continued with her claims, adding that Shad’s mother Theresa was in cahoots with him in covering up his allegedly abusive behavior. His weak ass momma called me sounding all concerned that her son beat me… TERESA KNEW her son beat me numerous times and still got on national television to lie… YOU LUCKY MY MOMMA RAISED ME TO RESPECT WOMEN BECAUSE WHEEEEEW ! Trashhhhh — Lil Mexico (@Thee_Kiyomi) June 30, 2019 Wow! These are powerful claims! Almost as soon as the tweets went off, another ex of Bow Weezy’s was right there to confirm Kiyomi’s claims of Shad’s abuse. Erica Mena commented that she AND Ciara had to fight Bow Wow off of them. Hit the flip to see what she said.
Source: Johnny Nunez/VMN19 / Getty Lil Nas X Comes Out As #LGBTTQQIAAP Lil Nas X seemingly came out on Twitter Sunday night. The “ Old Town Road ” rapper said in tweets that he thought his sexuality was ‘obvious’ because of his album artwork and lyrics to his song “C7osure”. Lil Nas X reiterated that he was indeed celebrating his sexuality for the people not paying much attention. In a series of tweets, the rapper began by saying, “some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. but before this month ends i want y’all to listen closely to c7osure.” some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. but before this month ends i want y’all to listen closely to c7osure. pic.twitter.com/O9krBLllqQ — nope (@LilNasX) June 30, 2019 Immediately after the revelation, jokes flew and the rapper was a good sport about it. lmfaooo https://t.co/rjWoG7icM4 — nope (@LilNasX) June 30, 2019 In his song ‘C7osure’, Lil Nas sings: Ain’t no more actin’, man that forecast say I should just let me grow No more red light for me, baby, only green, I gotta go Pack my past up in the back, oh, let my future take a hold This is what I gotta do, can’t be regretting when I’m old Does this sound like he was coming out, to YOU? deadass thought i made it obvious pic.twitter.com/HFCbVqBkLM — nope (@LilNasX) June 30, 2019 Good for him, though! Happy (late) Pride Month, folks!
Source: Gary Miller / Getty Post Malone and Dre London’s signee Tyla Yaweh is making a name for himself with his hit song “High Right Now” blowing up on the music charts. But Yaweh’s journey has not been an easy one. After getting kicked out of his home for selling drugs, Yaweh packed up his life in Florida and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career. After being homeless and grinding in L.A., Yaweh caught the attention of Post Malone and Dre London before signing to their London Entertainment Label. Now, you can catch the Orlando native hitting festival stages all over the world. Yaweh along with Shordie Shordie took our Who’s Next Summer Series stage. Before, he stopped on the block with our girl DJ AngelBaby to talk about his music inspirations, how being homeless helped him, and tried his luck at a game of bars with DJ AngelBaby. Listen to the full interview:
T ennis star Serena Williams is making historic moves on and off the court. Just weeks after becoming the first athlete to land a spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest self-made women, the Compton native now has her own Wheaties box; making her the second Black woman tennis player in history to be the face of the cereal brand, the Undefeated reported. Serena Williams is finally gracing the cover of Wheaties. https://t.co/jGC0LUiRlM pic.twitter.com/qTFb0SrhoG — The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) June 28, 2019 Gracing the cover of a Wheaties box is a pinnacle for many athletes. The cereal brand—known as the “breakfast of champions”—has been featuring influential athletes on their boxes for 85 years. The leadership team at Wheaties believed that it would be fitting to feature Williams on the box because her impact transcends far beyond the tennis court. Williams has been a fierce advocate for social justice. Over the course of her career, she’s utilized her platform to spread awareness about gender equality and racial injustice. “Serena exemplifies all of the personal attributes that Wheaties looks for when choosing who its next champion will be,” Wheaties marketing manager Tiffani Daniels , said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “On the court she has been named the women’s most valuable player seven times, while off the court she uses her voice to inspire and spark change to make the world a better place.” Williams was humbled by the honor and took to Instagram to express her excitement. She says that being featured on the Wheaties box illustrates the importance of representation. “I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman,” she stated. “I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big.” The decorated athlete—who has four Olympic medals and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles under her belt—joins a group of influential Black women athletes who have been featured on the box. Those who have graced the box include tennis player Althea Gibson , track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee , and gymnast Dominique Dawes . Williams is not only opening doors for women and girls who want to pursue careers in sports, she’s giving aspiring women entrepreneurs a seat at the venture capital table. In March she joined forces with the app Bumble to invest in women of color entrepreneurs. SEE ALSO: Serena Williams Joins Forces With Bumble To Support Women Of Color Entrepreneurs Serena Williams Appointed To Join Poshmark’s Board Of Directors [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3881358″ overlay=”true”]
A 13-year-old entrepreneur from Maryland is using his love for baking as an avenue to pay it forward and fight hunger amongst the homeless. According to People Michael Platt —who owns the bakery Michael’s Desserts—donates one of his treats to a homeless person for each dessert that is sold at his store. 13-Year-Old Boy Opens Bakery and Gives a Cupcake to the Homeless for Every Treat Sold https://t.co/aSXWARtERV — People (@people) June 27, 2019 The pre-teen has been passionate about merging his passion for the culinary industry with activism. Cognizant of the issues faced by individuals from underserved communities, he wanted to utilize his baking skills as a way to uplift the homeless population. Every month he makes over 100 treats and delivers them to shelters in the Washington, D.C. area. Building a business has been far from easy for the youngster. He was diagnosed with epilepsy after suffering several seizures. Due to his ailment, he had to be homeschooled and couldn’t participate in sports which is what led him to baking. Platt didn’t let his health issues hold him back from pursuing his dream. In the midst of everything, he was focused on using his home-made desserts as a way to make an impact. “I’ve seen a cupcake inspire smiles, tears, amazement, joy, satisfaction, happiness and other private emotions that I won’t share out of respect for people’s dignity,” he wrote in an Instagram post . “I’ve passed a cupcake to someone sitting with all their possessions in a shopping cart and had them tell me that this one simple act gave them hope. I’ve left a cupcake beside someone who’s sleeping under blankets on a grate because their friend on the grate next to them said it was ok when I asked. That’s why I give away cupcakes.” Platt has partnered with No Kid Hungry—a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to addressing child hunger in America—to further his mission. Aside from his work with the homeless, he’s also using his desserts to highlight Black pioneers. He’s named some of his cupcakes after influential leaders including Maya Angelou , Nelson Mandela , Harriet Tubman , and Martin Luther King Jr. SEE ALSO: Donations Pour In To Help Formerly Homeless Student Attend An HBCU LeBron James Aims To Combat Hunger In Underserved Communities [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3881358″ overlay=”true”]
S oftball star Natasha Watley is on a mission to empower the youth through sports. According to the Los Angeles Sentinel she has been hosting a youth softball league to provide mentorship for young girls that are from South L.A. Softball Gold Medalist Gives Back with Summer Program #BlackNews #BlackPress #85YearsofLASentinel https://t.co/bjujQ1ZeIx — L.A. Sentinel News (@thelasentinel) June 15, 2019 The Natasha Watley Softball League—which has been in existence for over a decade—is supported by the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. Its an 8-week free softball program for girls between the ages of 8 and 15. This year, the initiative is serving 126 girls from underserved communities. The organizers say their mission is to teach girls about leadership and health and inspire them to join the softball teams at their schools. For Watley—a UCLA alum who helped the USA Softball Women’s National Team win a gold medal during the 2004 Olympics—it’s all about representation. She wanted to ensure Black and brown girls were exposed to softball at a young age and hopes to use her program to increase representation within the sport. “We started the league to give opportunities to young girls in LA to learn how to play softball,” Watley said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “Most of them, when they start, they’ve never even heard of softball so we’re teaching them the game. Through that we hope that they also learn about teamwork, commitment, and dedication.” There are several efforts being made to diversify softball and baseball. In May, Black College Sports Group 360 launched the HBCU World Series as an avenue to spread awareness about baseball programs at HBCUs and increase racial diversity within the sport. “We want to utilize these events to promote educational opportunities to urban youth who in some cases may not even know schools with the history of a North Carolina A&T State University or a Southern University even exists,” said Black College Sports Group 360 founder Erwin Prentiss Hill . “These oftentimes may be first-generation college prospects. They have good grades and good GPAs. They just do not have an understanding from a previous generation of what it takes to navigate that process.” SEE ALSO: HBCU World Series Aims To Diversify College Baseball Serena Williams Becomes Second Black Woman Tennis Player To Grace Wheaties Box [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3881358″ overlay=”true”]
P harrell Williams is investing in the futures of youth from underserved communities. According to Because of Them We Can , the music producer surprised the 2019 graduating class at Promise Academy by vowing to give them all internship opportunities after they complete their first year of college. 100% of the graduating seniors from Harlem’s Promise Academy got accepted into college, then @Pharrell surprised them w/internships next summer! https://t.co/fUvdHeUxeG — #becauseofthemwecan (@Becauseofthem) June 28, 2019 Williams served as the commencement speaker for the Harlem-based school. During his speech, he gave the graduating class—which consisted of 114 seniors—encouraging words about how to navigate the next chapter of their journeys. Graduates and their loved ones were in for a surprise when he shared that he would provide the students with internship opportunities as a way to establish a stepping stone for their success. After Williams shared the news the sea of graduates—who proudly donned blue cap and gowns—erupted into cheers and clapping. “The world is watching Harlem, but this renaissance will be different,” said Williams during his speech . “Believe it or not, with respect, it’s going to actually be better and the reason why is because the new Harlem Renaissance has education at its core.” Williams has lended his voice to several social issues and the philanthropist has been dedicated to ensuring that students—specifically those from underserved communities and underrepresented groups—have access to enriching opportunities. In April, he teamed up with Verizon to introduce a tech-focused music curriculum to schools throughout the country. Through the program, students will have the opportunity to explore music through robotics, virtual reality, and other types of technology. In 2018 he hosted the Yellow Ball gala in partnership with American Express Platinum to benefit Young Audiences Arts for Learning; an organization that implements arts education curriculums in different community centers and schools across the country. SEE ALSO: Pharrell Williams Launches Music Education Program In Partnership With Verizon Black Teacher Gives Students Haircuts For Graduation [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3881358″ overlay=”true”]
Ricco Barrino talks to B High about his new hit single “Baby”. During the convo Ricco talks about how the death of his son impacted him, the struggles he has been through as an artist, and how he overcame the pain to become a better man.
