Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty We’re hearing from Jussie Smollett for the first time since his brutal attack earlier this week. “Let me start by saying that I’m OK,” the Empire actor said in a statement to ESSENCE on Friday. “My body is strong but my soul is stronger. More importantly I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words.” Smollett was beaten and brutalized by two men on Tuesday in Chicago. According to police there, the attackers first yelled racial and homophobic slurs before they beat him and poured an unknown chemical substance over him. They released photos of a pair wanted for questioning about the incident on Thursday. “I am working with authorities and have been 100% factual and consistent on every level,” Smollett said about the misinformation being spread across social media about his attack. ” Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served.” “As my family stated, these types of cowardly attacks are happening to my sisters, brothers and non-gender conforming siblings daily. I am not and should not be looked upon as an isolated incident. We will talk soon and I will address all details of this horrific incident, but I need a moment to process,” he concluded. “Most importantly, during times of trauma, grief and pain, there is still a responsibility to lead with love. It’s all I know. And that can’t be kicked out of me.” Smollett ended his statement by signing, “With Love, respect & honor…Jussie.” The Smollett family released a statement of their own yesterday that echos some of the same sentiments made in Jussie’s statement.
Source: hot1079atl / hot1079atl THE DELTA COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION HBCU SCHOLARSHIP About Delta Community Credit Union Delta Community Credit Union is committed to improving the financial lives of its members. Programs like the HBCU Scholarship and our annual Delta Community Scholarship were created to help members with early financial milestones like going to college. Additionally, we are proud to offer products like free Savings and Checking Accounts to meet your financial needs during this important time of your life. Learn more about Delta Community Credit Union or open an account online. In 2019, Delta Community will award $10,000 in scholarships to select students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Each quarter, Delta Community Credit Union will award a $2500 Scholarship to a student attending an HBCU in Georgia. How to Enter Do you know a student that should be nominated this quarter? Submit an essay with 100 Words or less telling us why your nominee deserves the $2500 HBCU Scholarship from Delta Community Credit Union. Click this link to apply. The contest period is open Monday, January 28, 2019 to Wednesday, February 13, 2019. For other scholarship opportunities at Delta Community, please visit the Delta Community Credit Union’s Scholarships page. Prize Each quarter, a scholarship for $2,500 will be awarded to one student. Scholarships will be awarded in February, May, September and December 2019. Who’s Eligible Current undergraduate students at any of Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) which include Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, Paine College, Savannah State University and Spelman College. Graduating high school seniors who have received an official acceptance letter to a Georgia HBCU. Winner Selection Delta Community Credit Union will select one winner each quarter from among the most compelling submissions. Winners will be chosen after the contest period ends. Winners will be contacted by a representative from Delta Community and announced by Radio One on-air within 7 days after each contest period.
Source: Paramount Pictures / Paramount Pictures Win tickets to the HOT 107.9 screening of “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson, Tuesday, February 5th at 7:00PM at Regal Atlantic Station. _____ ____ WHAT MEN WANT (Paramount Pictures) Release Date: Friday, February 8th Rating: Rated R (for language and sexual content throughout, and some drug material) Directed By: Adam Shankman Produced By: Will Packer and James Lopez Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Tracy Morgan Source: Paramount / Paramount Synopsis: Ali Davis (Taraji P. Henson) is a successful sports agent who’s constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. When Ali is passed up for a well-deserved promotion, she questions what else she needs to do to succeed in a man’s world… until she gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts! With her newfound power, Ali looks to outsmart her colleagues as she races to sign the next basketball superstar, but the lengths she has to go to will put her relationship with her best friends and a potential new love interest (Aldis Hodge) to the test. WHAT MEN WANT is the latest comedy from director Adam Shankman (HAIRSPRAY) and producers Will Packer and James Lopez (GIRLS TRIP), co-starring Tracy Morgan, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Josh Brener, Tamala Jones, Phoebe Robinson, Max Greenfield, Jason Jones, Brian Bosworth, Chris Witaske and Erykah Badu. #WhatMenWant
F resh off a year that saw a number of notable firsts for African-Americans, 2019 has already been capitalizing on that momentum and seems set to be a legitimate challenger for one of the most significant set of 12 months in the annals of Black history, especially politically. As this year’s Black History Month gets underway, you could be forgiven for thinking that statement is hyperbole; what with the rich legacy that Black people have established on earth for centuries. But given the current context in which Black and brown folks across the globe and especially in the United States have been living, it’s a safe bet that there is no safe bet for what to expect. It would seem that in this unprecedented time of existence for Black folks, all we have are indicators to go by. And if recent history was any indication of what’s to come, Black people better be prepared for continued rising prominence in a society that has routinely made the mistake of misjudging us. Those under estimations have already manifested themselves in a record number of Black people being sworn into the elected offices they won during last year’s contentious midterm elections. The most diverse class of lawmakers— several of them African-American women who made history as the first to represent their state in the House—have made their collective and individual presence felt on Capitol Hill and beyond during this young year. And while that was in the recent past, it has lasting political implications heading into the future, starting Tuesday when Stacey Abrams was set to deliver the Democrats’ response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. Abrams, as you might recall, was the very strong Georgia gubernatorial candidate who was disenfranchised by a corrupt opponent’s voter suppression efforts against his opponent’s supporters. Well, her political performance wasn’t missed by top Democrats, who, aside from tapping her to be the first Black woman to offer a major political party’s State of the Union rebuttal, appeared to be grooming her to launch a Senate run this year. If Abrams does run, she would be the first Black woman from Georgia ever elected to the Senate. But that only accounts for the start of this year, which could lead to a whole lot more political theater, with much of it [reluctantly] starring the president himself. That was because there has been a growing sense of urgency from the newly minted majority House of Representatives that there was no better time to impeach the president. That point was hammered home on Black History Month eve by California Sen. Maxine Waters , who said in no uncertain terms that it was “Past time for impeachment!” When are the people of this country going to wake up to the fact that this president is a disgusting liar, documented to have lied over 8,000 times in 2 yrs? Add to that his recent, blatant lies on our nation's intel chiefs' testimony in the US Senate. Past time for impeachment! — Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) January 31, 2019 The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) member has made no secret of her disrespect for Trump, who has belittled her every chance he’s gotten. And while the CBC Chair Karen Bass recently told NewsOne that impeachment was not a priority for the Caucus, Waters seemed to indicate otherwise. As Special Counsel Robert Mueller ‘s investigation into possible Russian collusion with Trump heats up, so could impeachment talk spurred on by Black lawmakers. Chicago could also get its first Black woman mayor if Amara Enyia wins. While Enyia was polling behind candidates with more name recognition, if last year taught America anything, it was to never discount Black women. The election is Feb. 26. Continuing in the political realm, there was still much work to do in the arena of social justice, especially as it pertains to Black people. That topic will be on Front Street this weekend when the Super Bowl is played in Atlanta, where police just last week killed an unarmed Black man under suspicious circumstances. That police shooting is colliding with an event celebrating a professional sports league being scrutinized for how it treats its Black players . This could be the perfect opportunity for players who have been silenced to speak out about blacklisted quarterback Colin Kaepernick , whose silent protest of social justice issues have effectively gotten him banned from the NFL. In that same vein, 2019 could finally see some justice for the New York Police Department (NYPD) killing of Eric Garner , which has gone all but unanswered since the deadly episode was captured on a viral video in 2014 showing NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo employing an illegal chokehold on a man who was only guilty of selling untaxed loose cigarettes—a misdemeanor punishable by a fine. Pantaleo’s disciplinary trial has been scheduled for May and he could finally be fired from his six-figure job . On a more positive note, it appeared that the Oscars So White campaign from a couple of years ago has finally paid off, as two movies helmed by Black directors have been nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony next month—the first time that’s ever happened. So even if “ Black Panther ” as well as Spike Lee’s “ BlacKkKlansman ” don’t win the top Oscar, history has already been made and will likely lead to a victory in the near future. In fact, this year’s Oscars is probably the most diverse on record. Oh, and did we mention Cory Booker has joined Kamala Harris as candidates running for president who just so happen to be Black? Harris announced her bid last month on Martin Luther King’s national holiday. Booker announced his on Friday, the start of Black History Month. Coincidence? SEE ALSO: Watch ‘Black Panther’ And Support UNCF For Free During Black History Month Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Black History? [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3844698″ overlay=”true”]
So it’s 2019, and ain’t much changed. Let me take that back. It almost seems as if racist white people are feeling less inhibited to confine their racism. The public displays of despicable behavior haven’t stopped, and in fact it seems as if Mr. Trump’s takeover as president of the United States has emboldened some people who’ve been hiding these tenancies. Long story less long – race relations within the borders of this country are going backwards. It’s not shocking to see some of the things that we see. It’s just sad. Yesterday evening (1/31) a Detroit police officer named Gary Steele pulled over 23-year-old Ariel Moore for having an expired license. Her vehicle was ultimately apprehended, and even though it was freezing outside Moore reportedly refused a ride home from the officers, as she was just going around the block. This is where things got pretty sketchy. As Moore is walking away, one of the officers decided to take to his social media. He took video of the young woman and put it on his SnapChat, with captions like “What black girl magic really looks like” and “Celebrating Black History Month.” They say he also closed the clip by saying the phrase “Bye, Felicia”. Smh. How are we not passed this point? How is a person who’s sworn to protect and serve the community so willingly (I mean, he posted on the internet) allowed to maneuver in such a manner? According to the Detroit Police Department Steele has been reassigned while an investigation carries out. We’ll keep you posted.
Source: John Lamparski / Getty Danish pop group Lukas Graham is facing some backlash after the band decided to cover XXXTentacion ‘s song “Sad!” The late rapper was facing several legal charges at the time of his death and admitted to a lot of the violence he’d been accused of, according to tapes posted by Pitchfork back in October. XXXTentacion was charged with aggravated battery of a pregnant victim , domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness tampering—but Lukas Forchhammer, frontman of the aforementioned pop group, says he wasn’t aware. Now that he is, he’s having the Spotify session removed , according to Billboard . “Our cover of SAD will be taken down ASAP,” he wrote on Instagram, according to the site. “I had no knowledge of his violent history. I’m very sorry for the pain I’ve caused. Again, I’m very sorry.” Billboard states that Warner Bros. Records had no additional comment regarding the song’s removal. Thoughts? Photo: Getty
N ew Jersey Senator Cory Booker has announced his candidacy for president, joining what was expected to be a crowded field of people challenging Donald Trump for the White House. Booker, 43, made his announcement Friday morning, NBC News reported . “I believe that we can build a country where no one is forgotten, no one is left behind; where parents can put food on the table; where there are good paying jobs with good benefits in every neighborhood; where our criminal justice system keeps us safe, instead of shuffling more children into cages and coffins; where we see the faces of our leaders on television and feel pride, not shame,” he said. “It is not a matter of can we, it’s a matter of do we have the collective will, the American will? I believe we do. Together, we will channel our common pain back into our common purpose. Together, America, we will rise.” Booker’s announcement came about a week after California Sen. Kamala Harris threw her presidential hat in the ring and said she would be running for the White House. Trump and Booker have been taking shots at each other for years now. But it was perhaps Booker’s role on the Senate Judiciary Committee that may have compelled him most to run for president after he saw firsthand the types of judges Trump has been pushing to be confirmed. While he has always been a prominent voice in the Senate, Booker raised his political profile significantly during the Senate confirmation hearing for Brett Kavanaugh , who was nominated by Trump and ultimately confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice despite a damning sexual abuse scandal that resurfaced from his past. Booker was also behind the introduction and Senate passing of the landmark legislation last year to finally outlaw lynching. Booker, Harris and Republican Sen. Tim Scott introduced the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018 in June. The bill called for a life sentence for those found guilty on federal anti-lynching charges. After helping to draft the legislation in June, Booker criticized Congress for taking so long—even after the civil rights movement—to pass anti-lynching legislation. “It’s a travesty that despite repeated attempts to do so, Congress still hasn’t put anti-lynching legislation on the books. This bill will right historical wrongs by acknowledging our country’s stained past and codifying into law our commitment to abolishing this shameful practice,” he said in a statement. SEE ALSO: Cory Booker Speaks Out On Gay Rumors Cory Booker Releases More Brett Kavanaugh Documents [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3844029″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Anthony Barboza / Getty Here’s some key events that happened on this day brought to you by Black Facts 1. 1997 – First 24-Hour Black Movie Channel BET Holdings and Encore Media Corp. launch BET Movie/Starz the first 24 hour Black Movie channel. 2. 1997 – Black Facts Online Goes Live! Black Facts Online, the premiere spot for Black history goes online. 3. 1990 – Original Sit-In Revisited In Greensboro, North Carolina, Joseph McNeil, Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair), Franklin McCain and David Richond repeated the original sit-in of 30 years prior, by having breakfast at the Greensboro Woolworth store. 4. 1990 – Ida Wells Postage Stamp Issued Ida Wells, a black reformer who compiled records on lynching, is the subject of a United States Postal Service stamp. 5. 1978 – The first stamp of the U.S. Postal Service’s The first stamp of the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage USA series honors Harriet Tubman, famed abolitionist and “conductor” on the Underground Railroad 6. 1974 – Good Times premieres “Good Times” premieres on CBS. 7. 1967 – Poet Langston Hughes dies Poet Langston Hughes dies. 8. 1965 – Selma Demonstration Ends in 700 Arrests More than seven hundred demonstrators, including Martin Luther King Jr., arrested in Selma. 9. 1965 – Actress Ruby Dee in Shakespeare Festival Ruby Dee was the first African American actress to play a major role at the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford Conn. 10. 1960 – Sit-in Movement in Greensboro, North Carolina Four students form North Carolina A&T College started Sit-in movement at Greensboro, N.C., five-and-dime store. By February 10 movement had spread to fifteen Southern cities in five states. 11. 1952 – Singer Rick James born Rock/Funk singer Rick James is born 12. 1937 – Actor/Comedian Garrett Morris born Actor/Comedian Garrett Morris, formerly of Saturday Night Live, born in New Orleans, Louisiana. 13. 1926 – Negro History Week Begins What is now known as Black History Month, was first celebrated on this date as Negro History Week by Carter G. Woodson. It became a month long celebration in 1976. 14. 1902 – Langston Hughes One of the most famous poets, Langston Hughes was born in the year 1902. Hughes came from the Harlem Renaissance, the early stages of the Black Arts Movement. Hughes was well known in the streets of Harlem, making him one of the greatest poets of all time. Before his death in 1967, he wrote fifteen collections of… 15. 1887 – J. Robinson patents food carrier Robinson, J. Dinner Pail Feb. 01, 1887 Patent No. 356,852 16. 1871 – 1st Black to Speak in US House of Representatives Jefferson Long of Georgia became the first Black to make an official speech in the House of Representatives. He opposed leniency to former Confederates. 17. 1870 – Jonathan Jasper Wright Jonathan Jasper Wright is elected to the South Carolina Supreme Court. He is the first African American to hold a major judicial position. 18. 1865 – First African American Before US Supreme Court John Sweat Rock (1825-1866), a noted Boston lawyer, became in 1865 the first African-American to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the first Black person to speak before the U.S. House of Representatives. 19. 1865 – Ratification of the 13th Amendment The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery, was adopted by the 38th Congress. Ratification was completed December 6, 1865. 20. 1834 – Henry McNeal Turner Born Henry McNeal Turner was born on what is now Hannah Circuit, near Newberry, which was then in Abbeville County, South Carolina. Young Turner was “bound out” to the hardest king of labor in the cotton fields and the blacksmith’s trade in Abbeville until his “manhood” at age 12. He possessed an insatiable craving for…
Source: Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com / WENN Ariana Grande is super proud of her new single “7 Rings,” despite what Soulja Boy and 2 Chainz have had to say about the pop star stealing their pretty boy trap house swag for the song and visual, respectively. In case you missed it, Big Soulja hit Twitter to confront Ariana about jacking his flow, then 2 Chainz hit Instagram to “figure out” if he “should Big Draco” Ariana after she pretty much copied his infamous Pink Trap House for her video set. You would think she would stop there…but nope…and now she seems to be paying for it. The singer made headlines after revealing a new tattoo earlier this week… she got “7 Rings” in Japanese, or so she thought. Social media was quick to point out a huge error—and long story short, her tattoo actually translated to “shichirin,” a small charcoal grill. Hilarious right? Taking to Twitter in an attempt to trivialize her mistake, she wrote “Indeed, I left out ‘つの指,’ which should have gone in between. It hurt like f*ck n still looks tight. I wouldn’t have lasted one more symbol lmao. But this spot also peels a ton and won’t last so if I miss it enough I’ll suffer thru the whole thing next time.” Adding, “also….huge fan of tiny bbq grills.” But it doesn’t end there…apparently after trying to get her tattoo fixed, Ariana f*cked up again. Uploading a photo of what she believed to be new and improved ink to her Instagram Story, she wrote “Slightly better. thanks to my tutor for helping me fix and to @kanenavasard for being a legend. and to my doctor for the lidocaine shots (no joke). rip tiny charcoal grill. miss u man. i actually really liked u.” But… Why… how… now Ariana’s tattoo reads “Japanese BBQ finger” pic.twitter.com/zC2LxSKJtI — Eimi Yamamitsu | 山光瑛美 (@eimiyamamitsu) January 31, 2019 Buzzfeed Japan news reporter Eimi Yamamitsu claims the tat is still incorrect. “Why… how… now Ariana’s tattoo reads ‘Japanese BBG finger’” she hilariously tweeted . Of course, social media was quick to drag the hell out of Ariana . “I still have a hard time understanding why ANYONE would get a tattoo in a language they don’t speak/aren’t connected to through heritage or even location. Literally what is the point? Y’all can defend Ariana Grande all you want but she low key dumb af” – @arikvash “ariana fucking up her tattoo shows why you shouldn’t use a language as an aesthetic this is humiliating” – @jksdaydream “ariana grande getting an incorrectly google translated tattoo in japanese is karma for trying to user another culture as an accessory. imagine tattooing bbq grill onto ur hand omg…” – @chromegens But also, people want to know if Ariana’s hand was photoshopped because… Tattoo aside…was this pic facetuned or does ariana not have fingerprints/hand lines pic.twitter.com/2Vg53OPT4J — Veronica de Souza (@HeyVeronica) January 30, 2019 Welp.
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Source: WENN.com / WENN For over two months, Bill Cosby has been in jail . According to BET , while there he’s been allegedly treating inmates as if he was Dr. Cliff Huxtable from “ The Cosby Show. ” 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 Sources say, “[He] believes he learned a lot about how to cure people and speak to patients after playing Dr. Huxtable for nearly eight years on The Cosby Show.” Cosby throughout the day allegedly spends time coaching healthy inmates and helping them with meditation as well as dieting and helping ones that are sick. The actor also calls the medical officials at Pennsylvania’s SCI Phoenix state prison “overeducated, unintelligent children with a clipboard.” SEE ALSO: Why Is Bill Cosby Selling Paintings From His Valuable Art Collection? One source even mentioned Cosby has gone as far as accepting appointments. When he allegedly meets with these inmates and believes they’re incurable he makes them go to the infirmary with a ‘preliminary diagnosis.’ We aren’t sure what’s going on, but we will keep you updated on this story. Photos of Bill Cosby below. ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Comedian & ‘Rel’ Co-Creator Kevin Barnett Dead At 32 Woman Speaks Out After Alleged Sexual Assault Inside An Atlanta Night Club ‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Hospitalized In Chicago After Alleged Homophobic Attack [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1943725″ overlay=”true”] Follow @TheRSMS
