In the years since Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, his eldest son, Prince Michael Jackson, has mostly kept a low profile. These days, Prince is trying his hand at acting and stepping behind the camera to direct music videos for up-and-coming artists, but it's his work with an important organization inspired by his father's generous spirit that got him to sit down with Robin Roberts on GMA this morning. Prince has started an organization called Heal LA, it's name inspired by his father's song “Heal the World.” He describes the group's endeavors in the clip below: “We have partnered with a charity called 'A Sense of Home,' which supports foster kids who have aged out of the system in a sort of preempt against homelessness because it's very hard to get on your feet once you've gotten out of the system,” Jackson says. Though his main reason for giving the interview was to promote Heal LA, but also took time to offer some insights into his feelings toward his iconic father. Asked for his favorite video from the King of Pop, Prince answered: “Personally I love 'Moonwalker,' and I know it's kind of an easy way out — it's so many different videos into one — but if I had to pick one specific, I would choose 'Smooth Criminal,” Asked how his father would feel about his kids' career choices, Prince answered: “As we were growing up my dad always said, 'I really don't care what you do in life, as long as you're happy doing it and you're the best at what you do. If you want to be a janitor at a high school, you should be the best janitor that you can be.'” Watch the full interview below:
Chance The Rapper Donates Over $1 Million To Chicago Public Schools Chance the Rapper is still keeping up the momentum from his Friday evening meeting with the Governor of Illinois over the fate of severely underfunded Chicago Public Schools. After what he called a “disappointing” exchange with Governor Rauner, Chance vowed to bounce back on Monday with a plan of his own to help the school system: Chicago Public Schools and I did not lose today. Please don't let that become the narrative. Monday morning I'll have a plan. — Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 3, 2017 And he stuck to his word. The rapper held a press conference at Westcott Elementary School in Chicago on Monday afternoon to not only discuss the importance of and possibilities for education funding but to announce that he is personally making a $1 million donation to Chicago Public Schools. The news conference focused on what Chance called an “urgent need” to provide funding for Chicago schools, and glossed over his disappointment in the Governor’s stance on the matter, noting that Rauner was unwilling to budge on denying funding to the schools without pushing back with his own ultimatums. “Gov. Rauner can use his executive power to give Chicago’s children the resources they need to fulfill their God-given right to learn. Our talks were unsuccessful.” Great to see Chance taking matters into his own hands! Hopefully he can get someone in goverment on his side to follow suit. Splash
Immigrants??? https://t.co/f0RH7iXBrn — NAACP (@NAACP) March 6, 2017 Ben Carson’s Knowledge About Slavery History Is Pretty Much Trash Not sure how Ben Carson made his way through all those years of college and was able to get into medical school without knowing jack isht about history, but then again this country has never given much credence to telling the truth about black history anyway. The HUD secretary made another huge blunder today during a speech to employees where he called the U.S. the land of dreams and opportunity, Carson mentioned “immigrants” riding in the bottom of slave ships with dreams for their descendants: Via The Daily Beast : “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less.” He added: “They too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.” Pretty sure those “immigrants” on the bottom of slave ships were dreaming about escape, survival and death — not this so-called land of opportunity where they’d be forced to work for ZERO wages, be tortured regularly and torn away from their loved ones. WTF @ worked even harder for “less.” SMH… This cabinet is so full of dummies it’s hard to tell who the biggest fool is. HUD spox says no one in the room believed Secretary Ben Carson “was confusing voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude. Please.” — Michael Del Moro (@MikeDelMoro) March 6, 2017 And we’re supposed to believe Carson actually knew what he was talking about? PLEASE!
Prince Michael says his father wanted all his children to pursue whatever they wanted in life. He chose a video production company entitled “King’s Son.” He gave the reason why: “So, I was born as Prince and that was the name my dad had given to me, but my dad had earned the epithet King of Pop and that’s through hard work and years of training and everything that he worked so hard to get. So it’s a form of motivation because my name is Prince, but for all intents and purposes I am the King’s son — working to get my own epithet.” GMA
SMH… Diamond Reynolds Arrested For Hammer Attack Diamond “Lavish” Reynolds, the woman who showed the world on Facebook Live that her unarmed boyfriend Philando Castile was brutally murdered by a police officer, is in headlines for a crime. The Minnesota native was arrested this week after authorities say she and two friends brutally beat a woman. Reynolds allegedly used a hammer in the attack. According to the Star Tribune , the victim told police Diamond and two other women followed her into a parking garage and attacked her. Diamond is accused of punching the victim with her fists before striking her with a hammer and knocking her to the ground. She then allegedly shattered the victim’s windshield with the hammer and one of the other attackers pepper sprayed the woman. The 27-year-old is facing charges of second- and third-degree assault in the Tuesday morning attack. Her alleged accomplices, Chnika Blair, 18, and Dyamond Richardson, 25 are facing the same charges. Diamond previously stated she’s battling PTSD, unemployment and eviction since broadcasting Philando Castile’s shooting.
New Kids On The Block Mourn Former Collaborator Tommy Page Sad news, especially for folks who grew up in the 90’s. Former pop star Tommy Page, whose song “I’ll be Your Everything” made it to #1 on the charts in 1990, has passed away, according to Page Six reports . Page’s body was discovered in New York Friday. He was only 46-years-old. Page’s post-pop star career included work as an executive at Warner Bros. Records where he worked with artists including Michael Buble, Alanis Morissette, Josh Groban and Green Day. He also became an associate publisher at Billboard magazine in 2011 and was promoted to publisher a year later. “We are all mourning the loss of our friend and colleague, Tommy Page,” Billboard Entertainment Group President John Amato said. “He was a magnetic soul and a true entertainer.” He was a senior vice president at Cumulus Media Inc. when he died, but previously led artist partnerships, branded content and events at Internet radio company Pandora. Page is survived by his husband Charlie and their three children. So so sad. Several members of New Kids on the Block reacted to the news on social media. R.I.P. @Tommypage https://t.co/gd3k0QARgA — Danny Wood (@dannywood) March 4, 2017 #RIPTommyPage — Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) March 4, 2017 Recording “I'll Be Your Everything” w @jordanknight and #tommypage in '89! Special memories. Great times. #RIPTommyPage pic.twitter.com/TZr1X0fqUc — Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) March 5, 2017 The reminders of how precious life is, are all around us. Yet, we so often take the present moment for granted. Be #Thankful for today. ❤ — Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) March 5, 2017 So sad to hear about this. #riptommypage . My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones — Jordan Knight (@jordanknight) March 4, 2017 In your darkness I pray you now find light! Your bright soul will continue to shine in my heart forever. #RIPTommyPage — Jonathan Knight-Rodr (@JonathanRKnight) March 4, 2017
Too Short Releases A Statement Denying Rape Allegations Earlier this week, we reported that one of Too Short’s artists had accused him of sexually assaulting her at an L.A. mansion. While Short has not been arrested or formally charged, he has released a statement refuting all the allegations against him. “Today, I read that I am being investigated for allegedly committing sexual assault. The allegations against me are completely false. Let me be clear, I have NEVER had nonconsensual sex with anyone, ever. I have directed my lawyers to vigorously combat these ridiculous claims. I have not been contacted by the LAPD about this matter and doubt I ever will be. If I am, I will direct my lawyers to fully cooperate and turn over 100’s of text messages and other evidence that will prove this woman is falsely accusing me. Thanks for your support.” At this point we still have no update on the LAPD’s investigation. Guess we’ll have to wait and see how this unfolds. Image via Instagram
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