Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Anderson .Paak Honors Nipsey Hussle & Mac Miller At Coachella The first weekend of Coachella kicked off on Friday with performances from Childish Gambino, Janelle Monae, Ella Mae, and more. Anderson .Paak was one of the artists to start the weekend of music off strong, and while he was onstage, he made sure to pay tribute to his former friend and collaborator Mac Miller, along with fellow Southern California native Nipsey Hussle. He lovingly mentioned the late rappers before he performed “Dang!” which is featured on Miller’s album The Divine Feminine . Check out what he had to say about them during his performance down below. #AndersonPaak performs “Dang!” At #Coachella and dedicates it to #MacMiller and #NipseyHussle pic.twitter.com/NrwwshX3Uj — Power 106 (@Power106LA) April 13, 2019 .Paak just dropped his fourth studio album Ventura on Thursday night, just in time for these two back-to-back Coachella weekends.
Source: South_agency / Getty Lawsuit Against Cobb County Cop Who Shot Unarmed Teen Upheld Day after day we report on police shootings where the trigger-happy officer faces little to no consequences, today we are happy to report the opposite. According to the AJC , a Cobb County police officer, James Caleb Elliott, will have to answer in court as to why he fired eight shots at unarmed then-16-year-old Neghasi Middleton, one of which struck him in the thigh. The incident was captured on Elliott’s body camera and based on that video U.S. District Court Judge Mark Cohen decided that the civil lawsuit filed against the officer held merit. Back on Nov. 6, 2016, Elliott responded to a call about a suspicious looking vehicle that contained Middleton and 3 other youths. After getting their names and birthdates, Elliott ran the plates and realized the PT Cruiser had been in a carjacking. The officer came back with his gun drawn and told the boys to get out of the car and lay on the ground. Middleton, in fear for his life because police ain’t s#!t, began to run away. Elliott then fired eight shots at him and struck him once. Elliott resigned from the force but Cobb County grand jury determined that the shooting was justified, because of course white cop HAD to shoot unarmed Black boy. SMH. This isn’t Elliott’s first time at the police brutality rodeo. The lawsuit notes that there were three other complaints filed against Elliott. One alleged he was “too aggressive” with a woman who sought assistance for her husband. Another said he demonstrated a racial bias during an accident investigation. Another alleged he used excessive force by pointed his gun at a woman’s chest without justification after he mistakenly went to the wrong address on a call. F**k 12. We hope this guy loses everything he owns in this lawsuit.
Source: jin chu ferrer / Getty Fisher-Price Sleeper Recalled After Several Dozen Babies Die According to the NY Times , Fisher-Price has recalled all of its 4.7 million Rock ’n Play sleepers due to a group of pediatricians urged its parent company, Mattel, to stop selling the product amid reports linking it to multiple infant deaths. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers should stop using the sleeper immediately and reach out to Fisher-Price for a full refund or a voucher. Major retailers sell the product from anywhere between $40 to $149. Fisher-Price also issued a joint safety warning with the product safety commission last week after the commission said it knew of 10 deaths since 2015 of children 3 months or older linked to the baby sleeper. The sleeper reportedly caused the children to suffocate after rolling over in the sleeper from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained. Mattel said in a statement that it stood by the safety of its products but agreed to the voluntary recall “due to reported incidents in which the product was used contrary to the safety warnings and instructions.” A separate investigation by Consumer Reports connected the “cloth-covered cradle” to 32 infant deaths from 2011 to 2018, including some involving children under 3 months.
Source: jin chu ferrer / Getty Fisher-Price Sleeper Recalled After Several Dozen Babies Die According to the NY Times , Fisher-Price has recalled all of its 4.7 million Rock ’n Play sleepers due to a group of pediatricians urged its parent company, Mattel, to stop selling the product amid reports linking it to multiple infant deaths. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said consumers should stop using the sleeper immediately and reach out to Fisher-Price for a full refund or a voucher. Major retailers sell the product from anywhere between $40 to $149. Fisher-Price also issued a joint safety warning with the product safety commission last week after the commission said it knew of 10 deaths since 2015 of children 3 months or older linked to the baby sleeper. The sleeper reportedly caused the children to suffocate after rolling over in the sleeper from their back to their stomach or side while unrestrained. Mattel said in a statement that it stood by the safety of its products but agreed to the voluntary recall “due to reported incidents in which the product was used contrary to the safety warnings and instructions.” A separate investigation by Consumer Reports connected the “cloth-covered cradle” to 32 infant deaths from 2011 to 2018, including some involving children under 3 months.
Source: Rachel Luna / Getty View this post on Instagram @basic_magazine issue 10 A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 26, 2019 at 2:03am PDT View this post on Instagram walk with me A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 17, 2019 at 8:46am PDT View this post on Instagram crouching tiger, hidden dragon A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 17, 2019 at 8:39am PDT View this post on Instagram hilo baby #316 A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 16, 2019 at 12:16am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Feb 10, 2019 at 4:00am PST View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Nov 17, 2018 at 1:42pm PST View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Jul 28, 2018 at 1:42am PDT View this post on Instagram serious question… do these full grown adults who write for / run gossip blogs or have gossip shows… do these people feel proud of themselves? like are they living their dream? do they feel this is their God given purpose? their personal legend? are their parents proud that their children spread rumors for a living? do these people know that the “celebrities” they harass daily are actually living, breathing people with families and children? maybe these people feel their purpose on earth is to entertain at the expense of others? maybe they feel their purpose is to keep people “informed”? if so…. i am hoping they level up at some point and become actual journalist who do actual research on topics worth sharing, information that all humankind can benefit from…. do they just want the clicks or the views so they can make more money in ads? what is the purpose of trying to pry into the personal lives of artists and entertainers? creating completely fabricated stories? its become a whole new form of entertainment, but the problem is the general public ignorantly views this form of entertainment as fact… as “news” when MAJORITY of it is false, ill-informed and ill-intentioned. really most of these “writers”, “bloggers”, and “personalities” are artists themselves and don’t even recognize it. these writers have gifts, indeed. maybe their talents were never nourished? instead of using their imaginations to create art, they create stories to destroy… i am hoping most of them are just using their platform to exercise their wildly imaginative minds… i am hoping they put it to better use one day. i am hoping they realize they would benefit even more from finding their true God given purpose… like maybe putting that creative energy into writing fiction novels, screenplays, tv pilots,songs, speeches for political leaders… idk, something other than gossip maybe? just a thought. A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 14, 2018 at 9:00am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 11, 2018 at 9:49pm PDT View this post on Instagram goodnight from the Philippines #wanderlandfestival A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Mar 10, 2018 at 8:36am PST View this post on Instagram peace out ya’ll see you on Monday, Amsterdam #TripTour A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Feb 9, 2018 at 4:27pm PST View this post on Instagram @j3collection A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on Jan 6, 2018 at 3:57pm PST
Source: ENT / Splash News Marsai Martin Crafts Spotify’s Black Girl Magic Playlist The takeover continues! Today, Marsai Martin , executive producer and star of the highly-anticipated film, Little , is taking over Spotify’s Black Girl Magic playlist to celebrate the film’s theatrical release. Marsai’s selections include contemporary picks like H.E.R.’s “As I Am” and Chloe and Halle’s “Down”, as well as R&B favorites, Rihanna’s “Diamonds” and Beyonce’s “Superpower” in addition to soulful classics like Erykah Badu’s “Honey” and Jill Scott’s “Golden.” You can stream the playlist linked here . You can also follow @Spotify on Instagram to watch Marsai’s Instagram takeover.
Ian Cognito, a popular British stand-up comedian, passed away on Thursday night while performing a routine at the Atic bar in Bicester, England. He was 60 years old. According to the bar’s owner, Ryan Mold, per an interview with CNN, Cognito “sat down” at one point in his set, “put his head and arms back; his shoulders were twitching.” The crowd presumed it was part of his act initially, as Cognito had joked about his health shortly beforehand. “Imagine if I died in front of you lot here,” he actually, incredibly told attendees. An ambulance was quickly called after it was clear this was a serious situation because a fellow comedian realized something was legitimately wrong. Cognito was pronounced dead at the scene upon the arrival of the paramedics. Andrew Bird, who runs the Lone Wolf Comedy Club, told BBC News that Cognito was not feeling well before he went on stage, yet he wanted to perform anyway. Cognito began performing as a comic in the mid-1980s. He was best known for envelope-pushing comedy, claiming to have been banned from more clubs than any other comedian in all of Great Britain. One of his signature bits involved hammering a nail into the wall and hanging his hat on it. “This lets you know two things about me,” he explained. “Firstly, I really don’t give a sh-t. Secondly, I’ve got a hammer.” That’s pretty funny. Cognito earned Time Out Comedy Award in 1999, earning respect of countless comedians over the years. Many of them paid tribute to him on social media after learning of Cognito’s death. Tweeted Jack Whitehall: “Gigged with him when i first started out and he was always so much fun, had his own mythology on the circuit his exploits where [sic] legendary. A true maverick. Hope he’s found somewhere to hang his coat in heaven.” And Jimmy Carr: “I’ll never forget his kindness when I started out & how god damn funny he was.” And Matt Lucas: “He was always kind to me when I started out, and brilliant and provocative and entirely original onstage. What a loss.” We echo the sentiments of those who knew Ian Cognito. We send our condolences to his friends, family members and loved ones. May he rest on stage. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2019: In Memoriam
As previously reported, it is all over for Wendy Williams and Kevin Hunter . AT LAST. In the wake of this announcement, we have a handful of updates about the talk show host finally splitting from her terrible husband, starting with details from her divorce filing… In court papers obtained from a New Jersey Court house by Radar Online, Williams completed her documents and filed her complaint for divorce from Hunter on Wednesday, April 10. She cited irreconcilable differences as the basis for the couple’s split. “There exists irreconcilable differences between the parties, which have caused the breakdown of the marriage for a period of six (6) months and which make it appear that the marriage should be dissolved as there is no reasonable prospect of reconciliation,” the paper read, adding: This would appear to be the understatement of the century. According to numerous outlets, Hunter has been cheating on Williams with a woman named Sharina Hudson for several years. Williams acknowledged these rumors on occasion, never truly shooting them down on her progra, but simply confirming to viewers that she was committed to her marriage for the rest of time. So… what happened? Hudson allegedly got pregnant by Hunter… Williams suffered a relapse and ended up in a sober living facility… Hudson then gave birth to Hunter’s baby … and Williams them got so drunk in response that she was rushed to the hospital. So, basically, a lot happened. Too much for Williams to remain in the marriage. Williams is demanding the marriage be dissolved, that the court equitably divide the parties’ marital property and that the appropriate amount of child support be established, based on these documents. Williams married Hunter on November 30, 1999 in a civil ceremony in New Jersey. They share an 18-year old son named Kevin. After news of this divorce went viral, fans wondered what Williams would say about the decision on air. Would she mention it at all? Yes, in very broad terms. “Honey, I have got a situation going on. We’ve got to get this show done quickly,” Williams said during Friday’s Wendy Williams Show, which was taped on Thursday, April 11. She added: “My ankles and my feet are swelling as we speak. … This here is embarrassing.” While she did open up about her body part “situation,” Williams did not bring up the divorce news specifically. But it’s out there, of course. And Williams has been receiving some support from other talk show hosts in the wake of the break-up. “I think if everything that’s alleged is true, it’s about damn time,” Sheryl Underwood declared yesterday’s installment of The Talk. “We wish her the best,” Sara Gilbert added on this same show. The View also touched on Wendy’s drama, with Meghan McCain telling viewers and her co-panelists: “This is a woman who looks like she’s in a lot of pain. I wish her nothing but love and compassion. “Being vulnerable on TV — when she was talking about living in a halfway house, I actually cried when I watched it. … She’s in a lot of pain. She’s a real talent. I wish her nothing but compassion and love, and I hope she comes back to her show better and stronger than ever. “Screw that guy. She doesn’t need him!” Joy Behar mentioned how Hunter also cheated on Williams in 2001, after she gave birth to their son, while Abby Huntsman delivered a message to Williams that reads as follows: “We are rooting for you. We hope you come back and you feel good.” Amen, right? View Slideshow: Kevin Hunter: Who is Wendy Williams’ Awful Husband?
Source: Jim McIsaac / Getty Students At LeBron’s School Are Improving Their Test Scores In the very short time since LeBron James opened his I Promise School in his home state of Ohio, the students there have already exceeded expectations. According to a new report from the New York Times , children at the school have seen both their math and their reading scores increase since it opened in July of 2018. After participating in the Measures of Academic Progress assessment, 216 of 240 students were found to have met or exceeded their expected growth at the mid-year mark. When they first came into the school, reading comprehension scores for third and fourth grade students were consistently in the lowest percentile. Today, third graders have advanced all the way to the 9th percentile, while fourth graders rose to the 16th. In math, third graders were in the first percentile and have since jumped to 18th. Fourth graders went to the 30th percentile after being in the second. “These kids are doing an unbelievable job, better than we all expected,” James told the Times of the students and their progress. “When we first started, people knew I was opening a school for kids. Now people are going to really understand the lack of education they had before they came to our school. People are going to finally understand what goes on behind our doors.” 2 years ago today, alongside our community, we announced that we would work to open a public school that could forever change the lives of our #IPROMISE families & change the mold of urban public education. Here we are today. #WeAreFamily #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/bW9bmAZCUS — I PROMISE School (@IPROMISESchool) April 11, 2019 While the students are still behind when compared to normal grade levels, their improvement in only one short year shows that James’ promise is actually being fulfilled. The school was built to serve at-risk children, but it also offers parents opportunities, like the ability to finish high school, even promising free tuition to the University of Akron upon graduation. Beyond those already impressive promises, students also receive free breakfast, lunch and snacks, as well as a free bike, according to Time . The school’s first year is set to wrap up in May and STEM-based camps will be offered throughout the summer. The school is expected to serve all grades from first to eighth within the next four years. I Promise’s inaugural students are now preparing to take the state’s standardized tests with results expected in the summer.
