Source: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / Getty What seemed like just harmless fun might actually be a huge security risk. Over the past two days, Twitter and Instagram timelines looked like a “retirement home” thanks to FaceApp , which takes a photo and ages it using its impressive face altering technology. After it was learned that app is Russia-based, Democratic Senator, Chuck Schumer is calling for an investigation. It’s perfectly understandable why granting anything Russian-based access to private information raises red flags in the United States. This is the same country that successfully hacked our electoral system paving the way for the orange menace in the White House. Chuck Schumer announced on Twitter that he is calling for an investigation on a federal level into the company that owns the app. He is claiming there are potential national security and privacy risks to millions of Americans. In a letter to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission, Schumer states: “It would be deeply troubling if the sensitive personal information of U.S. citizens was provided to a hostile foreign power actively engaged in cyber hostilities against the United States.” “I ask that the FTC consider whether there are adequate safeguards in place to prevent the privacy of Americans using this application, including government personnel and military service members, from being compromised.” BIG: Share if you used #FaceApp : The @FBI & @FTC must look into the national security & privacy risks now Because millions of Americans have used it It’s owned by a Russia-based company And users are required to provide full, irrevocable access to their personal photos & data pic.twitter.com/cejLLwBQcr — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) July 18, 2019 While there is no evidence at this time of foul play going on, there is definitely some cause for concern. This is a moment for app users to read the acknowledgment and privacy forms thoroughly before they press accept and grant it access to their phones. Before learning of the apps Russian ties, it was already downloaded and used by celebrities like Drake , LeBron James , and more. View this post on Instagram Best caption wins ovo tickets A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Jul 16, 2019 at 1:36am PDT It was at the top of Apple and Google’s download charts by Wednesday. We are interested to see what surfaces if the investigation is carried out. — Photo: Getty
Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Now if these two are in fact dating Diddy knows good and well his 49-year-old self is too old to be dealing with 22-year-old Lori Harvey…. but hey maybe they’re just homies (eye rolls) Check out this video of the two of them together recently. View this post on Instagram #reggaemusic #rastalove #pressplay #diddy #sizzla use your eyes my people #LoriHarvey also spotted #askblondietv #billionairemag #billionairemagjamaica #askblondietvquestionoftheday A post shared by MEDIASELFIEQUEEN (@askblondietv_) on Mar 11, 2019 at 10:21pm PDT [ione_media_gallery src=”https://zhiphopcleveland.com” id=”4824610″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Sean Zanni / Getty Yup, you read that title right. According to reports the White House and Kim K are in cahoots to free our boy A$AP Rocky, as some headlines in 2019 are sometimes just too good to be true. You may have seen Snoop Dogg’s plea on social media for the power couple to try and make enough noise to bring the rapper back home from Sweden, where he’s been detained for weeks following an alleged self defense situation. View this post on Instagram P. S. A. Free @asaprocky A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on Jul 9, 2019 at 3:50pm PDT Only time will tell if Ye and KK can get it done. Here’s to hoping that they do!
The young girl who was recorded in the infamous and wide-spread tape of R. Kelly engaging in sexual acts is going back on years of precedence and cooperating with investigators in the child pornography case against the R&B singer. You may recall in the 2008 trial against Kelly, the girl in the tape along with her family members refused to testify against the singer. The decision, many believe, ultimately resulted in the jury acquitting the singer. But things have changed since 2008. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Our society’s awareness and understanding of sexual assault has increased while Kelly’s funds have dwindled. According to The New York Times , the extent of this girl’s cooperation with authorities isn’t clear, her lawyer, Christopher L. Brown spoke of her willingness to work with authorities days after Kelly was accused, in a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators to protect him. In the indictment, Kelly gave the girl and her family gifts, money before and after the trial in exchange for her lying to investigators, being unavailable for interviews and refusing to testify against him. In addition to child pornography, Kelly is facing state and federal charges of obstruction of justice, sexual assault and racketeering. He is accused of perpetrating these acts against 12 women, at least eight of which were underage at the time he was sexually involved with them. Earlier this week, Kelly who wore ankle shackles along with his orange jumpsuit, pled not guilty to the charges. Though his attorney argued that he was not a flight risk and had appeared at all of his court appointments on time, a judge denied bond calling the case “extraordinarily serious.” If convicted, Kelly would face the maximum of 195 years in prison. Prosecutors believe that there were many more girls, beyond the initially cited 12, who were victim to Kelly’s abuse. This decades-long history of abuse was documented through witness and survivor testimony in the dream hampton produced documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” which aired on Lifetime this past January. It’s impact cannot be overstated and a month later, Kelly was facing new charges in Chicago. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl’s family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. In our exclusive interview, she shared that the decision cost her the relationship with her family. Since the news of her niece’s cooperation has been made public, Sparkle says she is thrilled. “I’m beyond pleased to finally hear the mountain I’ve tirelessly worked on moving over the years is now being assisted with the help of my niece and her parents! Of course I’m in full unwavering support of them and their act of courage!” 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 This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Ja Rule’s Daughter Brittney Atkins Looking Like Her Daddy’s Twin [PHOTOS] Taraji P. Henson Unveils Her Natural Hair, Reveals Plans To Launch Haircare Brand [PHOTO] Karlie Redd’s Rarely Seen Daughter Appeared On Love And Hip Hop Atlanta And She’s Her Mom’s Twin [VIDEO] Follow @TheRSMS
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Apryl Jones is back and she’s better than ever, according to the 32-year-old reality personality and mom. In a video promoting the upcoming sixth season of Love and Hip Hop Hollywood , Jones talked about returning to the show for the new season as the real, unfiltered version of herself after appearing in the first two seasons with ex-boyfriend Omarion. “Season 6 is my comeback season,” she said. “I feel like what they can expect is just the real Apryl. I feel like when I was on Love and Hip Hop before, I was in a relationship, I was pregnant and I couldn’t really have fun. I wasn’t really filmed with all of the other cast members, so this is me finally as a mom but stepping back into the L.A. life, working, hustling and getting my groove back; you know, feeling sexy, just being bomb, living my best life.” Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). What’s changed in her life that people have followed is the fact that she’s been rumored to be dating Lil Fizz (born Dreux Frédéric). Also, her co-parenting relationship with his B2K band mate Omarion is virtually non-existent, as she says she doesn’t get much help , including financially. It’s unclear if the disintegration of Apryl and Omarion’s parenting relationship is a direct cause of how close she is with Fizz, though. “There’s no relationship between Omari and I, I would honestly say that. We co-parent, and we can’t even do that,” she said. “It’s very difficult. I would honestly say this is probably the worst that it has been in our relationship, because we don’t really communicate because he won’t communicate. It’s hard to be dealing with the court stuff, not communicating, having children, my son’s getting ready to start school, so that’s kind of where we are.” SEE ALSO: Take Her Phone: Apryl Jones Put The Game, Shaq, Kevin Durant & More On IG Live Blast [VIDEO] “My relationship with Dreux, he’s definitely someone who I always considered just like an angel sent into my life,” she added. “I’ve known him for some years, but we’ve definitely gotten closer over the last two to three years. He has been there through the course of just the sh-t that I deal with with the father of my kids, just helping me in that aspect. I’m a single mom, I have no family in L.A. It’s awesome to be able to have a friend who chooses to do what’s right, to be there and support his friend, to make sure that I’m healthy mentally and honestly, he’s just an angel sent into my life. I’m just truly honestly grateful for him.” 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 However, she makes it clear in the interview that Fizz is simply someone she considers a good friend. The two haven’t turned their relationship into anything romantic just yet, but they have bonded over the fact that they struggle to co-parent with their former partners. “Me and Dreux’s relationship is a friendship. When it pertains to me dealing with the father of my children and how difficult it has been, he’s stepped in. He’s seen the way that Omari doesn’t communicate, or when he does communicate it’s very ignorant at times, and he feels bad for me. Me and him are as close as we are because he’s dealing with someone who’s almost similar to his children. We have that compatibility in both dealing with the mother and father of our children. He steps in just to help me get sleep or when he sees that I don’t have anyone to help me with the children, he’ll be like, ‘You gotta go work, you gotta make your money, go ahead and do what you gotta do — what a friend would do.” SEE ALSO: Moneice Slaughter Spills The Tea, Claims Lil Fizz & Apryl Jones Only Smashing To Get Back Omarion Still, she admitted that she could possibly fall in love with him down the line, but currently, “where we are is where we are.” They have talked about how they feel about one another but agreed they wouldn’t hop into a relationship without therapy and doing some self-work beforehand. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t need to take all of those type of precautions in order to get in bed with her current BFF. “I’m not opposed to f–king him, is that what you want me to say? I mean I’m not!” she said. “A b—h needs some d–k and I’d rather give it to a person that’s my friend as opposed to a person who’s just a guy that I’m knowing. He’s deserving of the pu–y. Let’s just be really honest. Dreux is definitely deserving of the pu–y, and if I decide to give it to him one day, I would be proud of that because I have given guys my vagina that don’t deserve it. He deserves it! I deserve it, hell.” This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Ja Rule’s Daughter Brittney Atkins Looking Like Her Daddy’s Twin [PHOTOS] Taraji P. Henson Unveils Her Natural Hair, Reveals Plans To Launch Haircare Brand [PHOTO] Karlie Redd’s Rarely Seen Daughter Appeared On Love And Hip Hop Atlanta And She’s Her Mom’s Twin [VIDEO] Follow @TheRSMS
Source: STX / STX After a few months of anticipation, the debut trailer for Hustlers , the upcoming Jennifer Lopez / Constance Wu / Cardi B strip & steal movie is here and it definitely feels like a fresh take on the heist movie. Well, if you’re robbing people like Wall Street bankers who, kind of deserve cosmic comeuppance for how they handled the financial crisis in 2008. The film, based on the story “ The Hustlers At Scores ” written by Jessica Pressler , the film follows Destiny (Wu) as she attempts to provide by any means for her family. Not long after starting a new job as an exotic dancer she meets Ramona (Lopez), who drops probably the money quote of the movie, “When I was a kid, I wanted to work with animals … I was close.” Well, here’s the subtle introduction to their whole crew with Keke Palmer , Cardi, Lizzo (throw them stripper heels!), Lili Reinhart and more. Ramona then hatches a plan, scam the rich, unsuspecting high rollers that come into the club. In true come up fashion, money is spent, the word “family” is introduced, the Feds ( Julia Stiles ) come into play and well … s**t gets crazy. Peep the trailer below. Hustlers hits theaters on September 13. RELATED: Cardi B To Star In A Stripper Revenge Film With Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Keke Palmer And More
Source: MStudioImages / Getty Faceapp had social media going crazy over the past week with people posting pictures of what they would look like as seniors. It even started a viral hashtag called the #faceappchallenge but now people who participated may have voluntarily given their information to Russians. Experts are concerned about the privacy and security of the app and it’s permissions and what it could be collecting from it’s users. Basically if you have the app the Russians who created the app can now have access to your personal information and identity which could pose a problem on many levels. Via NYPost: But be warned: FaceApp, which you grant permission to access your photo gallery, also includes in their Terms and Conditions that they have the right to modify, reproduce and publish any of the images you process through its AI. That means that your face could end up being commercialized — or worse. UK-based Digitas strategist James Whatley said on Twitter, “You grant FaceApp a perpetual, irrevocable… royalty-free… license to use, adapt, publish, distribute your user content… in all media formats… when you post or otherwise share.” That means they can also use your real name, your username or “any likeness provided” in any format without notifying, much less paying, you. They can retain that material as long as they want, even after you delete the app, and you won’t be able to stop them. Even those who set their Apple iOS photo permissions to “never,” as Tech Crunch points
Source: Al Pereira / Getty We may have found the biggest Tupac fan in the Midwest. And no, it’s not who you think it is. The Associated Press reports that 66-year-old Jerry Foxhoven , formerly Iowa’s Department of Human Services Director, was let go from his job after sending a Tupac-referencing email to all 4,300 of the agency’s employees. Now, other folks had complained about Foxhoven’s Tupac themed emails before and according to company documents, Foxhoven released about 350 pages worth of emails with the words “Tupac” or “2Pac” sent to and from him during his two years at the Department. Want your mind blown? This, is Jerry Foxhoven. He would host “Tupac Fridays” parties in the office, traded lyrics with employees and marked his own 65th birthday with a Shakur-themed party, complete with “Thug Life” decorated on the cookies. All in all, Foxhoven seemed to be inspired by the “So Many Tears” rapper, telling colleagues that he was inspired by lyrics that included: “it’s time for us as a people to start makin’ some changes.” Foxhoven’s final email told his co-workers to celebrate Father’s Day and Tupac’s birthday (June 16th) by listening to tracks like “Changes” and “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” among others. The next day, Iowa governor Kim Reynolds told him to resign. Yeah, all because HE didn’t forget about Pac, even if some employees didn’t care for the slain rapper. But, nobody knows for certain why Foxhoven was let go from his position. And according to Iowa law, state agencies are required to release the “documented reasons and rationale” when employees resign instead of being terminated. “As the governor has said, a lot of factors contributed to the resignation of Jerry Foxhoven and now Gov. Reynolds is looking forward to taking DHS in a new direction,” spokesman Pat Garrett said. RELATED: Thug Passion: Teenaged Tupac Shakur Lust Letters Up For Auction RELATED: 2Pac’s Estate Launches Poetry Competition And Capsule Collection [Photos] RELATED: Allen Hughes Will Produce Five-Part 2Pac Documentary Series
Source: Timothy Hiatt / Getty Chance The Rapper has announced his long-awaited debut album. Yeah, all that other music the Chicago rapper has dropped have technically been mixtapes in lieu of a proper LP—go figure. . @chancetherapper reveals the name, release date, and cover art for his debut #owbum ! https://t.co/RpMh7HXH5q #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/MpFpwwEbxT — Fallon Tonight (@FallonTonight) July 17, 2019 Chance revealed his new album will be called The Big Day and that it will be in stores July 26. He did so on the Internets and on The Tonight Show featuring Jimmy Fallon , of course. You can pre-order the album, which will also grant early access to tickets to his forthcoming world tour, at his website www.chanceraps.com . The Big Day 7/26 PREORDER @ https://t.co/vYAw6BptJu #owbum pic.twitter.com/cVBUrsQkGG — Chance The Rapper Album in July (@chancetherapper) July 17, 2019 Chance’s last proper release was 2016’s Coloring Book . View this post on Instagram So close you can almost touch it #owbum A post shared by Chance The Rapper Owbum (@chancetherapper) on Jul 16, 2019 at 10:53am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chance The Rapper Owbum (@chancetherapper) on Jul 16, 2019 at 3:03pm PDT
Source: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com / WENN In the months since the tragic death of Nipsey Hussle , the family has taken steps to make sure that the legacy of the rapper remains intact. Given Nip’s many business holdings, there is a lot at stake and Lauren London is making sure their son, Kross, will benefit from his late father’s efforts. The Blast reports : According to documents obtained by The Blast, London filed to establish guardianship of her 2-year-old son, Kross Asghedom. London writes that Kross is “anticipated to inherit approximately One Million Dollars at the close of” Nipsey Hussle’s estate. The actress writes that she is the person taking care of the minor child, and will look out for his “best interests” as he receives the lucrative inheritance from his deceased father. Because London and Nipsey weren’t married, London filed for the guardianship to make certain monies due to Kross will be handled with care. — Photo: WENN
