#MAGFAB: Cynthia Erivo for Billboard Magazine - Pride 2025 Issue
There was a time when Cynthia Erivo could glide around town on her Razor scooter in peace. “Don’t laugh!” she quips as she reminisces about those halcyon days while sitting in a cozy loft above a cavernous Los Angeles studio. “I’ve been doing it for years!”
Whether maneuvering New York’s busy streets or transporting her from her L.A. home to a nearby studio to record voice-over work, Erivo’s reliable kick scooter was once her preferred mode of transit. But even a decade ago, she was warned that her hobby wasn’t sustainable with the life she was building. “[Director] John Doyle said to me, ‘Cynthia, you’re not going to be able to do that for very long,’ ” she recalls. “And I was like, ‘But why? I’m good! It’s fine!’ ”
His prediction ultimately came true. In the years since making her 2015 Broadway debut in Doyle’s production of The Color Purple, Erivo has transformed from buzzy theater ingenue to certified, capital “S” star by practically every metric. At just 38, the multihyphenate is already nearly an EGOT (she’s only missing her Oscar, despite three nominations); has starred in prestige TV series like The Outsider, Genius and Poker Face; paid tribute to musical legends at the Kennedy Center; and, most recently, scooped up that third Oscar nom with Wicked, the highest-grossing musical adaptation in film history.
Along the way, Erivo hasn’t lost sight of what matters to her, using the star power she has accrued for good. When she publicly came out as queer in 2022, she cited the importance of helping “some young Black queer actress somewhere” feel less alone in the industry. At the top of 2025, she took home GLAAD’s prestigious Stephen F. Kolzak Award for her continuing commitment to promoting visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. And in June, she’ll bring her talents to the massive WorldPride celebrations in Washington, D.C., making sure that everyone hears her voice — including politicians aiming to strip her community’s rights.
For her latest endeavor, though, Erivo decided to take the same energy she puts into both her community and others’ projects and turn it inward. She didn’t take to the stage or the screen, but rather the studio, looking to reinvigorate her solo music career — and the result is her revelatory second album, I Forgive You, out June 6 through Verve and Republic Records.
Back in September 2021, Erivo released Ch. 1 Vs. 1, her debut LP of adult contemporary tracks where she aimed — and, reflecting today, thinks she failed — to provide a soundtrack to her life up until that point. “It never quite felt like it was mine,” she says. She recounts working with a group of “lovely” producers and writers who provided plenty of new ideas and sounds — yet the project itself underutilized her own vocal dexterity. “It didn’t feel like it was one uniform story.”
So when she began thinking about her next album, she started from scratch. On the advice of Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, Erivo met with Republic Records chairwoman and chief creative officer Wendy Goldstein to discuss her strengths and figure out a path forward. What could Erivo do that nobody else could? “Everything fell into place really fast from there,” Goldstein recalls of their first meeting.
The answer was simple: Erivo’s greatest asset is and always has been her protean voice, an instrument that belies her diminutive frame and lets her craft entire worlds of intricate harmonies. Her mother has said she first heard her daughter sing beautifully at a mere 18 months old, though Erivo has since said she first recognized her own innate talent around the ripe old age of 11. Following a brief stint studying music psychology at the University of East London, she dropped out, later enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (where she now serves as vice president). After graduating in 2010 and spending three years performing around the United Kingdom, Erivo landed a breakthrough role in the off-West End production of The Color Purple in 2013.
“Anyone who saw her in that performance knew pretty quickly that she was just a generational talent,” says Jessica Morgulis, Erivo’s longtime manager who began working with her a year before The Color Purple transferred to Broadway in 2015. “In all my days of going to the theater, I’ve never seen the entire audience leap out of their seats mid-song in applause.”
So when it came to creating her own music, Goldstein asked why Erivo wasn’t leaning into her biggest strength. “When you hear Cynthia’s voice, you’re transfixed. I felt like we needed to lead with that,” Goldstein says. “We spoke a lot about how to really highlight her vocals, using it as an instrument with stacking and layering to create beautiful production.”
That, Erivo says, unlocked something for her. “Wendy is a very singular human being who just gets it,” she says. “It was the first time that everything became really clear. To have someone who understands who you are as a musician and a singer and an artist was just a new experience within this space for me as an artist.”
The subsequent project, executive-produced by Erivo and her longtime collaborator, Will Wells, spans pop, soul, jazz, disco, gospel and more, with her voice front and center. But more importantly, after a career dedicated to portraying characters, I Forgive You is just Erivo, telling the world who she is.
“People see a very cookie-cutter version of me, and we do this thing with people where we isolate them or crystallize them in one space and go, ‘She’s just that,’ ” she says. “People don’t know me as a musician in the way they’re getting to know me now.”
As Erivo arrives for our conversation, you’d never guess that she’s coming off one of the biggest performances of her life. Less than 48 hours earlier, she was belting out her forthcoming ballad, “Brick by Brick,” and Prince’s “Purple Rain” alongside maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic during a surprise appearance at the orchestra’s Coachella set. “I was so surprised at how vast that audience was,” she giddily admits. “It was unbelievable.”
Though Erivo remains humbly awestruck by the ensemble inviting her to perform for her biggest crowd to date, her own reputation has preceded her from the jump. “I mean, for anyone who likes singers, all of our algorithms were just filled with endless bootlegs of her singing her f–king ass off,” all-star songwriter Justin Tranter says of her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut.
But while the world was tuned into Erivo’s jaw-dropping performances of The Color Purple’s showstopper “I’m Here,” she found herself focused on something else entirely while playing the character of Celie: her sexuality. “I hadn’t really ever explored [my queerness], I hadn’t really ever discovered or understood or really learned about it,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, I get to play this woman who is exploring and learning about her own queerness at the same time as trying to discover what love is.’ This sort of wonderful thing happened at the same time — I got to do the same for myself.”
Erivo had been out to her close friends and family since her early twenties, but playing Celie for two years began to open the door to come out publicly, as fully embodying the experience of a queer woman eight times a week slowly made her more assured. “It’s like your feet finally hit the ground,” she explains. “Even the work that I started doing, whether I’m on a set or in a studio, I just felt a lot more relaxed.” Get more at Billboard
Whether maneuvering New York’s busy streets or transporting her from her L.A. home to a nearby studio to record voice-over work, Erivo’s reliable kick scooter was once her preferred mode of transit. But even a decade ago, she was warned that her hobby wasn’t sustainable with the life she was building. “[Director] John Doyle said to me, ‘Cynthia, you’re not going to be able to do that for very long,’ ” she recalls. “And I was like, ‘But why? I’m good! It’s fine!’ ”
His prediction ultimately came true. In the years since making her 2015 Broadway debut in Doyle’s production of The Color Purple, Erivo has transformed from buzzy theater ingenue to certified, capital “S” star by practically every metric. At just 38, the multihyphenate is already nearly an EGOT (she’s only missing her Oscar, despite three nominations); has starred in prestige TV series like The Outsider, Genius and Poker Face; paid tribute to musical legends at the Kennedy Center; and, most recently, scooped up that third Oscar nom with Wicked, the highest-grossing musical adaptation in film history.
Along the way, Erivo hasn’t lost sight of what matters to her, using the star power she has accrued for good. When she publicly came out as queer in 2022, she cited the importance of helping “some young Black queer actress somewhere” feel less alone in the industry. At the top of 2025, she took home GLAAD’s prestigious Stephen F. Kolzak Award for her continuing commitment to promoting visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. And in June, she’ll bring her talents to the massive WorldPride celebrations in Washington, D.C., making sure that everyone hears her voice — including politicians aiming to strip her community’s rights.
For her latest endeavor, though, Erivo decided to take the same energy she puts into both her community and others’ projects and turn it inward. She didn’t take to the stage or the screen, but rather the studio, looking to reinvigorate her solo music career — and the result is her revelatory second album, I Forgive You, out June 6 through Verve and Republic Records.
Back in September 2021, Erivo released Ch. 1 Vs. 1, her debut LP of adult contemporary tracks where she aimed — and, reflecting today, thinks she failed — to provide a soundtrack to her life up until that point. “It never quite felt like it was mine,” she says. She recounts working with a group of “lovely” producers and writers who provided plenty of new ideas and sounds — yet the project itself underutilized her own vocal dexterity. “It didn’t feel like it was one uniform story.”
So when she began thinking about her next album, she started from scratch. On the advice of Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, Erivo met with Republic Records chairwoman and chief creative officer Wendy Goldstein to discuss her strengths and figure out a path forward. What could Erivo do that nobody else could? “Everything fell into place really fast from there,” Goldstein recalls of their first meeting.
The answer was simple: Erivo’s greatest asset is and always has been her protean voice, an instrument that belies her diminutive frame and lets her craft entire worlds of intricate harmonies. Her mother has said she first heard her daughter sing beautifully at a mere 18 months old, though Erivo has since said she first recognized her own innate talent around the ripe old age of 11. Following a brief stint studying music psychology at the University of East London, she dropped out, later enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (where she now serves as vice president). After graduating in 2010 and spending three years performing around the United Kingdom, Erivo landed a breakthrough role in the off-West End production of The Color Purple in 2013.
“Anyone who saw her in that performance knew pretty quickly that she was just a generational talent,” says Jessica Morgulis, Erivo’s longtime manager who began working with her a year before The Color Purple transferred to Broadway in 2015. “In all my days of going to the theater, I’ve never seen the entire audience leap out of their seats mid-song in applause.”
So when it came to creating her own music, Goldstein asked why Erivo wasn’t leaning into her biggest strength. “When you hear Cynthia’s voice, you’re transfixed. I felt like we needed to lead with that,” Goldstein says. “We spoke a lot about how to really highlight her vocals, using it as an instrument with stacking and layering to create beautiful production.”
That, Erivo says, unlocked something for her. “Wendy is a very singular human being who just gets it,” she says. “It was the first time that everything became really clear. To have someone who understands who you are as a musician and a singer and an artist was just a new experience within this space for me as an artist.”
The subsequent project, executive-produced by Erivo and her longtime collaborator, Will Wells, spans pop, soul, jazz, disco, gospel and more, with her voice front and center. But more importantly, after a career dedicated to portraying characters, I Forgive You is just Erivo, telling the world who she is.
“People see a very cookie-cutter version of me, and we do this thing with people where we isolate them or crystallize them in one space and go, ‘She’s just that,’ ” she says. “People don’t know me as a musician in the way they’re getting to know me now.”
As Erivo arrives for our conversation, you’d never guess that she’s coming off one of the biggest performances of her life. Less than 48 hours earlier, she was belting out her forthcoming ballad, “Brick by Brick,” and Prince’s “Purple Rain” alongside maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic during a surprise appearance at the orchestra’s Coachella set. “I was so surprised at how vast that audience was,” she giddily admits. “It was unbelievable.”
Though Erivo remains humbly awestruck by the ensemble inviting her to perform for her biggest crowd to date, her own reputation has preceded her from the jump. “I mean, for anyone who likes singers, all of our algorithms were just filled with endless bootlegs of her singing her f–king ass off,” all-star songwriter Justin Tranter says of her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut.
But while the world was tuned into Erivo’s jaw-dropping performances of The Color Purple’s showstopper “I’m Here,” she found herself focused on something else entirely while playing the character of Celie: her sexuality. “I hadn’t really ever explored [my queerness], I hadn’t really ever discovered or understood or really learned about it,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, I get to play this woman who is exploring and learning about her own queerness at the same time as trying to discover what love is.’ This sort of wonderful thing happened at the same time — I got to do the same for myself.”
Erivo had been out to her close friends and family since her early twenties, but playing Celie for two years began to open the door to come out publicly, as fully embodying the experience of a queer woman eight times a week slowly made her more assured. “It’s like your feet finally hit the ground,” she explains. “Even the work that I started doing, whether I’m on a set or in a studio, I just felt a lot more relaxed.” Get more at Billboard
#RHOA: Brit Eady sues Bravo for $20 million over explicit photo controversy
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Brit Eady has sued Bravo for $20 million, accusing the network of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual harassment, and fostering a hostile work environment.
Eady, 37, who joined the reality series in its 16th season, filed the lawsuit on Thursday in the New York State Supreme Court. Bravo’s parent company, NBC, and production companies True Original and Endemol Shine North America are also named as defendants.
In the filing seen by The Independent, the reality star’s allegations stem from an incident that occurred during a June 6, 2024, taping of the show and the subsequent airing of the moment on an April 2025 episode.
In the season’s fifth episode, titled “About Last Night,” former RHOA star Kenya Moore celebrated the grand opening of her hair spa with longtime co-stars Porsha Williams, Cynthia Bailey, Drew Sidora, and new castmates Eady, Shamea Morton, Kelli Ferrell and Angela Oakley in attendance.
Upon arrival, Eady, who had sparred with Moore earlier in the season, attempted to make peace by gifting her a bouquet of flowers. Moore, however, rejected her apology, leaving Eady to bow out of the event early.
In Eady’s absence, Moore proceeded to slam her and accuse her of “looking for a moment,” saying: “I’m gonna pay you dust.”
Moore then brought out a poster board with the words “Who Is This Ho?” across the top. Below were explicit images supposedly of Eady — which were blurred out — that she said she obtained with the help of an investigator.
Reacting in horror and shock, the other women told Moore she had gone “too far” before walking out.
The episode ended with a title card that read: “Based on Kenya’s behavior, the decision was made to cease filming with her this season.”
Appearing on an episode of the Tamron Hall Show in November last year, Moore insisted she was not fired from the show, claiming she is “still under contract and I am still an employee of the network and the show.”
However, according to People, Moore will not appear in the upcoming season 16 reunion episode, as sources claim she wasn't invited.
On Thursday, Eady shockingly denied that the photos were of her. “I do want to set the record straight about one thing: the graphic sexual photo surrounding the events in Episode five,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “That photo was not me.”
She explained: “As the episode makes clear; I did not see the photo at the time. Rather, I was made aware of the photo being presented at the event, and based on what I was told, assumed that it was a photo of me — which is why I reacted in the way that I did.
“I did not know who was in that photo, but upon seeing it for the first time recently, I now know it wasn’t me,” Eady said.
Eady’s lawsuit describes Moore’s actions as “defamatory, harassing, and damaging.”
Moore’s representative did not immediately respond to The Independent’s request for comment.
Moore “also displayed posters containing written false and defamatory statements regarding Plaintiff and her occupation,” the document reads, “as well as an explicit photograph depicting a woman engaged in graphic sexual conduct. The cast member falsely claimed that the photograph depicted the Plaintiff.”
The documents additionally accuse the defendants of “willfully, intentionally, recklessly, and/or with gross negligence” producing, editing, and airing the episode, which “falsely, yet unmistakably implied that the graphic sexual photograph presented by the cast member depicted Plaintiff.
“On information and belief, Defendants knew that the photograph did not depict Plaintiff or, at the least, were reckless or grossly negligent in failing to learn that the photograph did not depict Plaintiff,” the filing claims.
It claims that despite Eady’s “repeated requests” that she be shown the photograph before the episode aired, “Defendants refused to do so.”
Eady is seeking the “immediate removal of the episode from public access on all platforms, networks, and media outlets in the Defendants’ control,” as well as a public statement from the defendants that Moore’s comments about Eady and the explicit photograph shown were false.
She is also seeking a monetary award to be determined at trial, punitive damages, and legal fees. “Should Defendant(s) fail to appear herein, judgement will be entered by default for the sum of not less than $20 million, with interest, and the costs and fees of this action,” the filing states.
Eady, 37, who joined the reality series in its 16th season, filed the lawsuit on Thursday in the New York State Supreme Court. Bravo’s parent company, NBC, and production companies True Original and Endemol Shine North America are also named as defendants.
In the filing seen by The Independent, the reality star’s allegations stem from an incident that occurred during a June 6, 2024, taping of the show and the subsequent airing of the moment on an April 2025 episode.
In the season’s fifth episode, titled “About Last Night,” former RHOA star Kenya Moore celebrated the grand opening of her hair spa with longtime co-stars Porsha Williams, Cynthia Bailey, Drew Sidora, and new castmates Eady, Shamea Morton, Kelli Ferrell and Angela Oakley in attendance.
Upon arrival, Eady, who had sparred with Moore earlier in the season, attempted to make peace by gifting her a bouquet of flowers. Moore, however, rejected her apology, leaving Eady to bow out of the event early.
In Eady’s absence, Moore proceeded to slam her and accuse her of “looking for a moment,” saying: “I’m gonna pay you dust.”
Moore then brought out a poster board with the words “Who Is This Ho?” across the top. Below were explicit images supposedly of Eady — which were blurred out — that she said she obtained with the help of an investigator.
Reacting in horror and shock, the other women told Moore she had gone “too far” before walking out.
The episode ended with a title card that read: “Based on Kenya’s behavior, the decision was made to cease filming with her this season.”
Appearing on an episode of the Tamron Hall Show in November last year, Moore insisted she was not fired from the show, claiming she is “still under contract and I am still an employee of the network and the show.”
However, according to People, Moore will not appear in the upcoming season 16 reunion episode, as sources claim she wasn't invited.
On Thursday, Eady shockingly denied that the photos were of her. “I do want to set the record straight about one thing: the graphic sexual photo surrounding the events in Episode five,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “That photo was not me.”
She explained: “As the episode makes clear; I did not see the photo at the time. Rather, I was made aware of the photo being presented at the event, and based on what I was told, assumed that it was a photo of me — which is why I reacted in the way that I did.
“I did not know who was in that photo, but upon seeing it for the first time recently, I now know it wasn’t me,” Eady said.
Eady’s lawsuit describes Moore’s actions as “defamatory, harassing, and damaging.”
Moore’s representative did not immediately respond to The Independent’s request for comment.
Moore “also displayed posters containing written false and defamatory statements regarding Plaintiff and her occupation,” the document reads, “as well as an explicit photograph depicting a woman engaged in graphic sexual conduct. The cast member falsely claimed that the photograph depicted the Plaintiff.”
The documents additionally accuse the defendants of “willfully, intentionally, recklessly, and/or with gross negligence” producing, editing, and airing the episode, which “falsely, yet unmistakably implied that the graphic sexual photograph presented by the cast member depicted Plaintiff.
“On information and belief, Defendants knew that the photograph did not depict Plaintiff or, at the least, were reckless or grossly negligent in failing to learn that the photograph did not depict Plaintiff,” the filing claims.
It claims that despite Eady’s “repeated requests” that she be shown the photograph before the episode aired, “Defendants refused to do so.”
Eady is seeking the “immediate removal of the episode from public access on all platforms, networks, and media outlets in the Defendants’ control,” as well as a public statement from the defendants that Moore’s comments about Eady and the explicit photograph shown were false.
She is also seeking a monetary award to be determined at trial, punitive damages, and legal fees. “Should Defendant(s) fail to appear herein, judgement will be entered by default for the sum of not less than $20 million, with interest, and the costs and fees of this action,” the filing states.
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey Returns With New Single ‘Type Dangerous’
It’s a cause for celebration. Music icon Mariah Carey is back with her new single “Type Dangerous,” which she co-wrote with Anderson .Paak and Rae Khalil.
On the hip-hop soul track, which samples Eric B. & Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President,” struts with confidence as she eyes someone who looks like trouble — the kind she doesn’t mind falling for.
“Oh yes, I want someone to step to me / Oh yes, I want someone to rescue me / OH yes, I’ve never been afraid of love / Oh yes, that’s why I like ’em dangerous,” she sings.
Speaking on her new single, Carey shares, “I’m so excited to finally be releasing ‘Type Dangerous’ into the world! I’ve been locked up in the studio for quite some time working my behind off on new music, and I’m thrilled for the unveiling of it to my fans, starting with ‘Type Dangerous’!”
It’s a cause for celebration. Music icon Mariah Carey is back with her new single “Type Dangerous,” which she co-wrote with Anderson .Paak and Rae Khalil.
On the hip-hop soul track, which samples Eric B. & Rakim’s “Eric B. Is President,” struts with confidence as she eyes someone who looks like trouble — the kind she doesn’t mind falling for.
“Oh yes, I want someone to step to me / Oh yes, I want someone to rescue me / OH yes, I’ve never been afraid of love / Oh yes, that’s why I like ’em dangerous,” she sings.
Speaking on her new single, Carey shares, “I’m so excited to finally be releasing ‘Type Dangerous’ into the world! I’ve been locked up in the studio for quite some time working my behind off on new music, and I’m thrilled for the unveiling of it to my fans, starting with ‘Type Dangerous’!”
LISTEN HERE:
“Type Dangerous” is the first single from Carey’s highly anticipated 16th album. The Songbird Supreme teased her era-launching track on Monday (June 2) with a video posted to her millions of followers on social media. “What’s your type?” she wrote in the caption for the video that also contained a snippet of the track.
The upcoming album is the follow-up to 2018’s Caution, which was released via Epic Records. The 10-track album included popular tracks such as “GTFO,” “A No No” and “The Distance” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. Other collaborators included Gunna, Slick Rick and Blood Orange.
Caution debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
Carey will be honored with the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday, June 9. She, along with Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg, will be recognized for “their decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact.”
“Type Dangerous” is the first single from Carey’s highly anticipated 16th album. The Songbird Supreme teased her era-launching track on Monday (June 2) with a video posted to her millions of followers on social media. “What’s your type?” she wrote in the caption for the video that also contained a snippet of the track.
The upcoming album is the follow-up to 2018’s Caution, which was released via Epic Records. The 10-track album included popular tracks such as “GTFO,” “A No No” and “The Distance” featuring Ty Dolla $ign. Other collaborators included Gunna, Slick Rick and Blood Orange.
Caution debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart.
Carey will be honored with the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2025 BET Awards on Monday, June 9. She, along with Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Snoop Dogg, will be recognized for “their decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact.”
#HipHopNews: LEGO Teams Up With Run-DMC & Global Girls Crew For New Video “She Built That”
Last year, LEGO surprisingly teamed up with Pharrell to bring to life his biographical documentary in the animated Piece By Piece, and now, the iconic toy company will continue their relationship with Hip-Hop as they’re now collaborating with the legendary Run-DMC and the Global Girls Crew.
In an effort to spread an uplifting message to the young girls today who’ll become the women of tomorrow, LEGO and Run-DMC have teamed up to remix their classic 1983 hit “It’s Like That.” And with the help of the Global Girls Crew, turned it into a girls’ anthem for 2025. Starring the likes of DJ Livia, drummer Nandi Bushell, singer Pink Oculus and Chinese alt-pop artist Cacien, the visuals to “She Built That” features both live-action appearances from the aforementioned artists and LEGO versions of themselves as well as the iconic group, Run-DMC.
Looking to inspire young girls to take the initiative and chase whatever dreams they may have for their future, the song and video are sure to be a hit among parents who not only want to encourage their daughters to blaze their own path in life, but also show them what old-school Hip-Hop sounded like and how influential it still can be today.
Check out the video to “She Built That” HERE
In an effort to spread an uplifting message to the young girls today who’ll become the women of tomorrow, LEGO and Run-DMC have teamed up to remix their classic 1983 hit “It’s Like That.” And with the help of the Global Girls Crew, turned it into a girls’ anthem for 2025. Starring the likes of DJ Livia, drummer Nandi Bushell, singer Pink Oculus and Chinese alt-pop artist Cacien, the visuals to “She Built That” features both live-action appearances from the aforementioned artists and LEGO versions of themselves as well as the iconic group, Run-DMC.
Looking to inspire young girls to take the initiative and chase whatever dreams they may have for their future, the song and video are sure to be a hit among parents who not only want to encourage their daughters to blaze their own path in life, but also show them what old-school Hip-Hop sounded like and how influential it still can be today.
Check out the video to “She Built That” HERE
Coco Gauff Beats Aryna Sabalenka to win The French Open
A jubilant Coco Gauff said she had "won the one she wanted" after she picked up her first French Open title at Roland Garros on Saturday, storming back to beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in the most dramatic of Grand Slam finals.
The 21-year-old showed enormous resilience in the face of big hitting by Sabalenka, and a gusting wind, as she won her second Grand Slam title and became the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.
"I didn't think honestly that I could do it," Gauff said on court, after accepting the trophy from four-time champion Justine Henin. "But I'd like to quote American rap star Tyler the Creator, who said: 'If I ever told you that I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying. I think I was lying to myself, because I could do it.
"I also felt like this is one I really wanted, because I do think this was one of the tournaments that, when I was younger, that I felt I had the best shot of winning. I just felt like if I went through my career and didn't get at least one of these, I would feel regrets and stuff.
"Today, playing Aryna, I was just, like, I've just got to go for it and try my best to get through the match. That's what I did."
Gauff was congratulated on social media by many famous names, including former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, and said she hoped she had given people at home something to cheer about.
"There's a lot going on in our country right now with things," she said. "But just to be able to be a representation of that and a representation of, I guess people that look like me in America who maybe don't feel as supported during this time period, and so just being that reflection of hope and light for those people."
Sabalenka had her chances and more than played her part, storming to an early 4-1 40-0 lead and taking the first set on the tiebreak despite failing to serve it out twice. But the Belarusian was guilty of too many unforced errors -- 70 in all -- as Gauff fought back and then held her nerve under intense pressure in the final set.
As Sabalenka's final backhand flew agonizingly wide, Gauff fell on her back, almost unable to take in what she had achieved. "Oh my god, oh my god," she said, before embracing the world No. 1 and then, after shaking hands with the umpire and high-fiving film director Spike Lee, sat courtside.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Gauff said: "It feels great. It was tough. I don't think either of us were playing great but I knew as soon as I stepped on the court, when I felt that it was windy, it was going to be one of those matches, so I wanted to give myself the best chance on every point."
It's a second straight Grand Slam final defeat for Sabalenka, who was in tears as she addressed the crowd, apologizing for what she said was "terrible tennis."
"Conditions were terrible, and she simply was better in these conditions than me," Sabalenka told a media conference. "I think it was the worst final I ever played."
This was the first Slam final between the world's top two players since Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep to win the Australian Open in 2018 and the first at Roland Garros since Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova in 2013.
Sabalenka went into the match as the favorite, having beaten Gauff in the Madrid Open final last month. But with the roof open and a strong wind gusting around Court Philippe Chatrier, clean ballstriking was almost impossible, the ball dying on the clay one minute and flashing through the court the next.
Gauff held serve to open the final, but Sabalenka was quickly into her stride, holding to love and then breaking to love in the next game, helped by a number of deftly played drop shots. Gauff had shown enormous mental resilience throughout her run to the final, coping with 30 double faults along the way, and she fought back from 0-40 on her serve at 1-3, only to be broken anyway as Sabalenka marched to a 4-1 lead.
At 40-0 on serve in the next game, Sabalenka double-faulted and the tide seemed to turn. Gauff won the next four points, to get one of the breaks back, before holding to love in the next game.
Suddenly, Sabalenka was the one making errors, and Gauff took full advantage, breaking in a long eighth game to level at 4-4, much to the approval of Lee and Dustin Hoffman watching in the stands.
A forehand error from Gauff gave Sabalenka the chance to serve for the set, but she double-faulted on set point and then missed a backhand on the next. After a 13-minute game, Gauff finally broke back as Sabalenka sent a wild forehand over the baseline.
Sabalenka had another chance to serve for the set after breaking for 6-5, but Gauff broke back again, this time with a brilliant backhand pass off a Sabalenka smash. Gauff led the tiebreak 3-0 and 5-3, but Sabalenka put together a string of brilliant points to take it 7-5 and move ahead.
Gauff had battled back from the loss of the first set in beating Madison Keys in the quarterfinals and yet again, she showed her mental courage as she broke in the opening game of the second set.
A second break, to love, gave her a 4-1 lead that she never looked like relinquishing as Sabalenka began to let the wind and the situation get to her, blasting errors all over the place. Though Sabalenka did break back for 2-4, Gauff broke again in the next game and served out to level the match.
Using her drop shot well and moving Sabalenka out of her comfort zone, Gauff broke in the third game of the decider and extended her lead to 3-1. In the fifth game, she had two chances for a second break but couldn't take them and Sabalenka held, before breaking back to level at 3-3.
But yet again, Gauff showed courage under fire, breaking to love to lead 4-3, holding crucially for 5-3 and then, after Sabalenka held serve, saving a break point and finally clinching victory on her second match point when Sabalenka fired a backhand wide.
An emotional Sabalenka apologized to her team on court and though she vowed to bounce back, she couldn't get over how badly she felt she played.
"I think it got more windy [after 4-1]. Also, I think I was overemotional. I think today I didn't really handle myself quite well mentally, I would say. So basically, that's it.
"I was just making unforced errors. I have to check the statistics. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from, if you look from the outside, kind of like from easy balls."
A jubilant Coco Gauff said she had "won the one she wanted" after she picked up her first French Open title at Roland Garros on Saturday, storming back to beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in the most dramatic of Grand Slam finals.
The 21-year-old showed enormous resilience in the face of big hitting by Sabalenka, and a gusting wind, as she won her second Grand Slam title and became the first American to win the French Open since Serena Williams in 2015.
"I didn't think honestly that I could do it," Gauff said on court, after accepting the trophy from four-time champion Justine Henin. "But I'd like to quote American rap star Tyler the Creator, who said: 'If I ever told you that I had a doubt inside me, I must be lying. I think I was lying to myself, because I could do it.
"I also felt like this is one I really wanted, because I do think this was one of the tournaments that, when I was younger, that I felt I had the best shot of winning. I just felt like if I went through my career and didn't get at least one of these, I would feel regrets and stuff.
"Today, playing Aryna, I was just, like, I've just got to go for it and try my best to get through the match. That's what I did."
Gauff was congratulated on social media by many famous names, including former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, and said she hoped she had given people at home something to cheer about.
"There's a lot going on in our country right now with things," she said. "But just to be able to be a representation of that and a representation of, I guess people that look like me in America who maybe don't feel as supported during this time period, and so just being that reflection of hope and light for those people."
Sabalenka had her chances and more than played her part, storming to an early 4-1 40-0 lead and taking the first set on the tiebreak despite failing to serve it out twice. But the Belarusian was guilty of too many unforced errors -- 70 in all -- as Gauff fought back and then held her nerve under intense pressure in the final set.
As Sabalenka's final backhand flew agonizingly wide, Gauff fell on her back, almost unable to take in what she had achieved. "Oh my god, oh my god," she said, before embracing the world No. 1 and then, after shaking hands with the umpire and high-fiving film director Spike Lee, sat courtside.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Gauff said: "It feels great. It was tough. I don't think either of us were playing great but I knew as soon as I stepped on the court, when I felt that it was windy, it was going to be one of those matches, so I wanted to give myself the best chance on every point."
It's a second straight Grand Slam final defeat for Sabalenka, who was in tears as she addressed the crowd, apologizing for what she said was "terrible tennis."
"Conditions were terrible, and she simply was better in these conditions than me," Sabalenka told a media conference. "I think it was the worst final I ever played."
This was the first Slam final between the world's top two players since Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep to win the Australian Open in 2018 and the first at Roland Garros since Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova in 2013.
Sabalenka went into the match as the favorite, having beaten Gauff in the Madrid Open final last month. But with the roof open and a strong wind gusting around Court Philippe Chatrier, clean ballstriking was almost impossible, the ball dying on the clay one minute and flashing through the court the next.
Gauff held serve to open the final, but Sabalenka was quickly into her stride, holding to love and then breaking to love in the next game, helped by a number of deftly played drop shots. Gauff had shown enormous mental resilience throughout her run to the final, coping with 30 double faults along the way, and she fought back from 0-40 on her serve at 1-3, only to be broken anyway as Sabalenka marched to a 4-1 lead.
At 40-0 on serve in the next game, Sabalenka double-faulted and the tide seemed to turn. Gauff won the next four points, to get one of the breaks back, before holding to love in the next game.
Suddenly, Sabalenka was the one making errors, and Gauff took full advantage, breaking in a long eighth game to level at 4-4, much to the approval of Lee and Dustin Hoffman watching in the stands.
A forehand error from Gauff gave Sabalenka the chance to serve for the set, but she double-faulted on set point and then missed a backhand on the next. After a 13-minute game, Gauff finally broke back as Sabalenka sent a wild forehand over the baseline.
Sabalenka had another chance to serve for the set after breaking for 6-5, but Gauff broke back again, this time with a brilliant backhand pass off a Sabalenka smash. Gauff led the tiebreak 3-0 and 5-3, but Sabalenka put together a string of brilliant points to take it 7-5 and move ahead.
Gauff had battled back from the loss of the first set in beating Madison Keys in the quarterfinals and yet again, she showed her mental courage as she broke in the opening game of the second set.
A second break, to love, gave her a 4-1 lead that she never looked like relinquishing as Sabalenka began to let the wind and the situation get to her, blasting errors all over the place. Though Sabalenka did break back for 2-4, Gauff broke again in the next game and served out to level the match.
Using her drop shot well and moving Sabalenka out of her comfort zone, Gauff broke in the third game of the decider and extended her lead to 3-1. In the fifth game, she had two chances for a second break but couldn't take them and Sabalenka held, before breaking back to level at 3-3.
But yet again, Gauff showed courage under fire, breaking to love to lead 4-3, holding crucially for 5-3 and then, after Sabalenka held serve, saving a break point and finally clinching victory on her second match point when Sabalenka fired a backhand wide.
An emotional Sabalenka apologized to her team on court and though she vowed to bounce back, she couldn't get over how badly she felt she played.
"I think it got more windy [after 4-1]. Also, I think I was overemotional. I think today I didn't really handle myself quite well mentally, I would say. So basically, that's it.
"I was just making unforced errors. I have to check the statistics. I think she won the match not because she played incredible; just because I made all of those mistakes from, if you look from the outside, kind of like from easy balls."
Eddie Murphy & Mel B’s Child Has Reportedly Come Out As Trans w/Full Support From Both Parents
Mel B and Eddie Murphy’s daughter Angel is reportedly now living as a trans man and using he/him pronouns.
According to a report from DailyMail, a source claims that Angel, who just turned 18, quietly updated his pronouns on Instagram to make the gender transition known and that both Mel, 50, and Eddie, 64, have been fully supportive. The source stated:
“It’s a decision Angel made and Mel has been understanding, likewise Eddie. There was no big event to mark it. Angel just wanted it to be known what pronouns are now suitable.”
Mel B celebrated Angel’s 18th birthday with a heartfelt post back in April, writing:
“I cannot believe you are 18. You are so special and so bright and so talented! I couldn’t be prouder of watching you grow and become the person you are… but you’ll forever be my babyyy.”
Angel is Mel’s middle child and the only one she shares with Eddie Murphy. The source says Eddie is fully supportive of Angel’s transition, and Mel has confirmed in past interviews that the two now co-parent peacefully.
Neither have spoken publicly about Angel’s gender change at this time.
According to a report from DailyMail, a source claims that Angel, who just turned 18, quietly updated his pronouns on Instagram to make the gender transition known and that both Mel, 50, and Eddie, 64, have been fully supportive. The source stated:
“It’s a decision Angel made and Mel has been understanding, likewise Eddie. There was no big event to mark it. Angel just wanted it to be known what pronouns are now suitable.”
Mel B celebrated Angel’s 18th birthday with a heartfelt post back in April, writing:
“I cannot believe you are 18. You are so special and so bright and so talented! I couldn’t be prouder of watching you grow and become the person you are… but you’ll forever be my babyyy.”
Angel is Mel’s middle child and the only one she shares with Eddie Murphy. The source says Eddie is fully supportive of Angel’s transition, and Mel has confirmed in past interviews that the two now co-parent peacefully.
Neither have spoken publicly about Angel’s gender change at this time.
Ryan Coogler Confirms Denzel Washington Will Star In ‘Black Panther 3’
Denzel Washington is officially suiting up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler confirmed the legendary actor is joining the third installment of the blockbuster franchise.
“That’s a big f**k with it,” Coogler revealed during a June 5 appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s “7 p.m. in Brooklyn” podcast. “You crazy?”
The 70-year-old star will have a role written specifically for him. “There’s no fiction out there about that,” Coogler added, keeping plot details under wraps.
Coogler, who’s long admired Washington’s work, expressed his excitement: “Denzel is family at this point. I’ve been trying to work with him since day one. I think he’s the greatest living actor. In terms of what he means to our culture? Forget about it, man.”
He also teased how powerful it’ll be to hear Washington say “Wakanda Forever” alongside returning cast members.
Denzel Washington is officially suiting up for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler confirmed the legendary actor is joining the third installment of the blockbuster franchise.
“That’s a big f**k with it,” Coogler revealed during a June 5 appearance on Carmelo Anthony’s “7 p.m. in Brooklyn” podcast. “You crazy?”
The 70-year-old star will have a role written specifically for him. “There’s no fiction out there about that,” Coogler added, keeping plot details under wraps.
Coogler, who’s long admired Washington’s work, expressed his excitement: “Denzel is family at this point. I’ve been trying to work with him since day one. I think he’s the greatest living actor. In terms of what he means to our culture? Forget about it, man.”
He also teased how powerful it’ll be to hear Washington say “Wakanda Forever” alongside returning cast members.
Wayne Lewis Founder & Singer of Atlantic Starr Has Died at 68
Wayne Lewis — a founding member of the R&B band Atlantic Starr who sang vocals, played the keyboard and penned hits like “Always” and “Secret Lovers” — has died, the group announced on social media. A cause of death was not revealed.
“It’s with great sadness we have to post the passing of Wayne Lewis on June 5, 2025,” Atlantic Starr wrote in a statement on Facebook. “please keep the family in your prayers and respect there [sic] privacy #waynelewis #restinpeace #flyhigh Sunrise 4/13/1957 Sunset 6/5/2025 #restinpeaceWayne.”
The White Plains, NY-based band was founded in 1976 by Wayne Lewis and his two brothers — David Lewis (vocalist and guitarist) and Jonathan Lewis (keyboardist and trombonist) — as well as drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer and percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillips. Early members also included lead singer Sharon Bryant (later replaced by Barbara Weathers), trumpeter William Sudderth and saxophonist Damon Rentie (replaced afterward by Koran Daniels).
Throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, Atlantic Starr scored a number of hits on the R&B charts, including “Circles” off of the 1982 album Brilliance, which marked the group’s first single to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Later tracks, like “Always,” peaked at No. 1 on the coveted chart, while 1992’s “Masterpiece” topped at No. 3.
First signing to A&M, the group then moved over to Warner Bros. Records, having trimmed down to a quintet with the three Lewis brothers, Phillips and Weathers by 1987. Following the smash success of “Always,” Weathers left to pursue a solo career and was replaced with a number of other female vocalists. In 1992, the Atlantic Starr members appeared as themselves and performed on an episode of daytime soap Another World.
Wayne Lewis and David Lewis are credited with writing a majority of the band’s songs, and the group’s most recent album, Metamorphosis, was released in 2017.
“It’s with great sadness we have to post the passing of Wayne Lewis on June 5, 2025,” Atlantic Starr wrote in a statement on Facebook. “please keep the family in your prayers and respect there [sic] privacy #waynelewis #restinpeace #flyhigh Sunrise 4/13/1957 Sunset 6/5/2025 #restinpeaceWayne.”
The White Plains, NY-based band was founded in 1976 by Wayne Lewis and his two brothers — David Lewis (vocalist and guitarist) and Jonathan Lewis (keyboardist and trombonist) — as well as drummer Porter Carroll Jr., bassist Clifford Archer and percussionist-flutist Joseph Phillips. Early members also included lead singer Sharon Bryant (later replaced by Barbara Weathers), trumpeter William Sudderth and saxophonist Damon Rentie (replaced afterward by Koran Daniels).
Throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, Atlantic Starr scored a number of hits on the R&B charts, including “Circles” off of the 1982 album Brilliance, which marked the group’s first single to hit the Billboard Hot 100. Later tracks, like “Always,” peaked at No. 1 on the coveted chart, while 1992’s “Masterpiece” topped at No. 3.
First signing to A&M, the group then moved over to Warner Bros. Records, having trimmed down to a quintet with the three Lewis brothers, Phillips and Weathers by 1987. Following the smash success of “Always,” Weathers left to pursue a solo career and was replaced with a number of other female vocalists. In 1992, the Atlantic Starr members appeared as themselves and performed on an episode of daytime soap Another World.
Wayne Lewis and David Lewis are credited with writing a majority of the band’s songs, and the group’s most recent album, Metamorphosis, was released in 2017.
‘Love Island USA’ Contestant Removed From Season 7 Over Past Use Of N-Word
The show made a quick announcement that Yulissa left the villa during the premiere episode.
Yulissa Escobar’s stay in the Love Island USA villa was over before it could begin, as producers made it clear they have no tolerance for racist language.
Amid season seven’s premiere episode on Tuesday (June 3), the show’s narrator, Matthew Hoffman, told viewers that “Yulissa has left the villa” following viral past podcast clips surfacing of her using the N-word multiple times.
In the resurfaced clips, Escobar — a proud MAGA supporter — could be seen and heard saying in one podcast epsiode, “You f**k my ni**a, perfect, but thats it. Like, now I’m f**king my ni**a, he’s my ni**a. Like bye bi**h.” In another clip she rants to co-hosts, “are you that ni**a that controls what she wears …” See below.
Without further explanation, she was seemingly edited out the rest of the episode, with the remainder of the show diving right into the islanders waking up to explore their romantic “options.”
The decision follows online backlash from fans who were already calling for her removal after seeing the clips online. Some viewers took to Instagram with celebratory comments like “WE WON SHES GONE!” and “robbed us the chance of voting her out.”
TMZ also reported that one of Escobar’s friends defended her on social media, writing: “lol… y’all act like you never said the N word before, stop being so f**king sensitive.”
Escobar, herself, hasn’t publicly commented.
The shows swift decision to boot Yulissa Escobar speaks volumes, as the show has been championed for its inclusivity of participants. Last season, social influencers and reality stars Serena Page and Kordell Beckham made show history as the first Black couple to win the U.S.A. series.
Peacock has yet to release a statement about the matter.
The show made a quick announcement that Yulissa left the villa during the premiere episode.
Yulissa Escobar’s stay in the Love Island USA villa was over before it could begin, as producers made it clear they have no tolerance for racist language.
Amid season seven’s premiere episode on Tuesday (June 3), the show’s narrator, Matthew Hoffman, told viewers that “Yulissa has left the villa” following viral past podcast clips surfacing of her using the N-word multiple times.
In the resurfaced clips, Escobar — a proud MAGA supporter — could be seen and heard saying in one podcast epsiode, “You f**k my ni**a, perfect, but thats it. Like, now I’m f**king my ni**a, he’s my ni**a. Like bye bi**h.” In another clip she rants to co-hosts, “are you that ni**a that controls what she wears …” See below.
Without further explanation, she was seemingly edited out the rest of the episode, with the remainder of the show diving right into the islanders waking up to explore their romantic “options.”
The decision follows online backlash from fans who were already calling for her removal after seeing the clips online. Some viewers took to Instagram with celebratory comments like “WE WON SHES GONE!” and “robbed us the chance of voting her out.”
TMZ also reported that one of Escobar’s friends defended her on social media, writing: “lol… y’all act like you never said the N word before, stop being so f**king sensitive.”
Escobar, herself, hasn’t publicly commented.
The shows swift decision to boot Yulissa Escobar speaks volumes, as the show has been championed for its inclusivity of participants. Last season, social influencers and reality stars Serena Page and Kordell Beckham made show history as the first Black couple to win the U.S.A. series.
Peacock has yet to release a statement about the matter.
Victoria Monét Announces Small But Special Tour For Her Kids' Book "Everywhere You Are"
Victoria Monét is going on the road, just maybe not for what you’d expect. On Wednesday (June 4), the “On My Mama” singer announced a small signing and meet-and-greet tour for her upcoming children’s book, “Everywhere You Are.”
“In support of this book, I will be doing a really special, very, very small book tour,” she shared via Instagram. The five-stop run will take place in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles between June 24 and June 29. She added, “It’s really a chance for us to get to see each other again, take photos, mingle and each ticket sold comes with a signed copy.”
“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Monét said about the project. “The goal is to combat separation anxiety in children and parent guilt, people balancing work and family life.”
According to its synopsis, the melodic picture book follows “a gentle moon [who] comforts a young star as night ends and they separate.” The book, illustrated by Alea Marley, will be available starting June 24 through Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and several other major retailers.
“Everywhere You Are” was first announced in October 2024 as a tribute to hard-working parents who want to reassure their kids that love doesn’t disappear with distance. “Even when a loved one isn’t right next to us, the love you have for each other still carries so much presence!” the songstress captioned the announcement.
Music-wise, Monét graced fans with both the deluxe and holiday editions of JAGUAR II last year. The expanded version of her Grammy Award-winning album came with the Usher-assisted “SOS (Sex on Sight),” as well as guest appearances from Bryson Tiller and Thundercat. As for 2025, she lent her vocals to Davido’s “Offa Me” in April.
That same month, the singer took her daughter, Hazel, to catch Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter Tour." As Monét wrote at the time, “I can tell she really enjoyed seeing everyone else dressed in the same theme once we arrived. She was excited!”
“In support of this book, I will be doing a really special, very, very small book tour,” she shared via Instagram. The five-stop run will take place in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles between June 24 and June 29. She added, “It’s really a chance for us to get to see each other again, take photos, mingle and each ticket sold comes with a signed copy.”
“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Monét said about the project. “The goal is to combat separation anxiety in children and parent guilt, people balancing work and family life.”
According to its synopsis, the melodic picture book follows “a gentle moon [who] comforts a young star as night ends and they separate.” The book, illustrated by Alea Marley, will be available starting June 24 through Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and several other major retailers.
“Everywhere You Are” was first announced in October 2024 as a tribute to hard-working parents who want to reassure their kids that love doesn’t disappear with distance. “Even when a loved one isn’t right next to us, the love you have for each other still carries so much presence!” the songstress captioned the announcement.
Music-wise, Monét graced fans with both the deluxe and holiday editions of JAGUAR II last year. The expanded version of her Grammy Award-winning album came with the Usher-assisted “SOS (Sex on Sight),” as well as guest appearances from Bryson Tiller and Thundercat. As for 2025, she lent her vocals to Davido’s “Offa Me” in April.
That same month, the singer took her daughter, Hazel, to catch Beyoncé’s "Cowboy Carter Tour." As Monét wrote at the time, “I can tell she really enjoyed seeing everyone else dressed in the same theme once we arrived. She was excited!”
Diddy Asks for Mistrial Over Balcony Incident
Last week meta data from a photo submitted into evidence in Bad Boy Entertainment CEO, Sean 'Diddy' Combs', human trafficking and RICO trial contradicted testimony from a prosecution witness
Now Diddy's legal team is requesting a mistrial...Diddy's asking the judge in his case for a mistrial again ... accusing prosecutors of presenting testimony they knew -- or should've known -- was false.
The rapper and mogul's legal team filed the letter Saturday morning ... and, the reasons for their request are related to testimony about the alleged incident where Bryana Bongolan -- a friend of Cassie's and fashion designer -- says Diddy held her over the edge of a balcony, 17 stories in the air.
Diddy's lawyers say prosecutors presented untrue testimony when Cassie testified about the incident because she said she actually saw Diddy holding Bryana over the balcony's edge.
Last week meta data from a photo submitted into evidence in Bad Boy Entertainment CEO, Sean 'Diddy' Combs', human trafficking and RICO trial contradicted testimony from a prosecution witness
Now Diddy's legal team is requesting a mistrial...Diddy's asking the judge in his case for a mistrial again ... accusing prosecutors of presenting testimony they knew -- or should've known -- was false.
The rapper and mogul's legal team filed the letter Saturday morning ... and, the reasons for their request are related to testimony about the alleged incident where Bryana Bongolan -- a friend of Cassie's and fashion designer -- says Diddy held her over the edge of a balcony, 17 stories in the air.
Diddy's lawyers say prosecutors presented untrue testimony when Cassie testified about the incident because she said she actually saw Diddy holding Bryana over the balcony's edge.
However, texts from Cassie to Kristina Khorram -- one of Diddy's employees often called his chief of staff -- indicate she didn't actually see the incident ... because she texted, "I just found out some crazy s***."
Diddy's attorneys also point to the photos prosecutors showed of Bryana's alleged injuries. Remember, Bongolan testified that Diddy dangled her over the edge of the balcony, then pulled her back onto the balcony and flung her into some furniture.
She said she sustained bruises on her leg and neck injuries ... with prosecutors showing photos they said were taken of the alleged injuries. The photo metadata proved they were taken on September 26, 2016.
However, Diddy's team presented evidence that the mogul was on the East Coast and couldn't have done anything he was accused of on September 26. Prosecutors later clarified that Cassie's text -- the one mentioned above -- seems to indicate it occurred later in the week, around September 29 or 30.
The ruling is pending.
R.I.P. Gospel Artist and Pastor Bishop Norman Hutchins Has Died at 62
Pastor and gospel singer Norman Hutchins has died at the age of 62, his family said.
Hutchins died at home in California on Friday after a long battle with diabetes and kidney failure, according to gospel radio station Praise 102.5.
Born in Dover, Delaware, Hutchins began preaching at just 8 years old and was ordained by age 12.
He launched his solo music career in 1992 with Sparrow Records and went on to release 10 albums across Sparrow, JDI, and IR Records—seven of which charted on Billboard's Gospel Albums chart.
Hutchins earned multiple Dove, Stellar, and Grammy nominations, with signature songs like "Jesus I Love You" and "God's Got a Blessing" becoming gospel staples.
Hutchins died at home in California on Friday after a long battle with diabetes and kidney failure, according to gospel radio station Praise 102.5.
Born in Dover, Delaware, Hutchins began preaching at just 8 years old and was ordained by age 12.
He launched his solo music career in 1992 with Sparrow Records and went on to release 10 albums across Sparrow, JDI, and IR Records—seven of which charted on Billboard's Gospel Albums chart.
Hutchins earned multiple Dove, Stellar, and Grammy nominations, with signature songs like "Jesus I Love You" and "God's Got a Blessing" becoming gospel staples.
In addition to his music, Hutchins was a pastor and founder of Frontline Ministries in Dover. He also served as minister of music at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. He held a master's degree in biblical counseling and a doctorate in church administration.
Hutchins faced serious health challenges over the years, including temporary blindness and kidney failure caused by diabetes. In 2014, he revealed to Path MEGAzine that his wife had donated a kidney for him.
GSSL Radio praised Hutchins as a "gospel trailblazer" and "faithful servant" whose songs and spirit became part of the "soundtrack of our faith." They encouraged his supporters to take comfort in knowing he "fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith."
Hutchins is survived by his wife and three children.
'RuPaul's Drag Race' Winner Alaska Reveals Why She Thinks She Hasn't Been Asked Back: 'The Door Is Fully Closed'
Alaska is opening up about RuPaul’s Drag Race. The 40-year-old Race Chaser podcast co-host and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2 winner, who originally appeared on Season 5, made an appearance on The Kelly Mantle Show and got candid about the chances of her returning for an All Winners season, and why she thinks she hasn’t been asked back.
If you didn’t know, Season 7 of All Stars featured all winners from previous seasons, with Jinkx Monsoon ultimately taking the title as Queen of All Queens.
When asked by Kelly Mantle why she thought she wasn’t asked to come back for the All Winners All Stars season, Alaska said: “They don’t want to talk to me.”
“I think it comes back to the fact that I have a podcast with Willam, because Willam is sort of very not, very on the outs with [production company] World of Wonder,” she continued, referring to her Race Chaser co-host and Season 4 contestant, who memorably became the first person to be disqualified and kicked out of the series due to breaking the rules of the show.
“When we decided we wanted to do a podcast together, Thairin [Smothers, World of Wonder co-executive producer] was like ‘we’re really disappointed that you’re doing a podcast,’” Alaska went on.
“He didn’t say that to me, he said that to someone here…someone on my team. And I never really put two and two together until it was like, ghosted, and the door was closed. Now it’s like a joke. The door is fully closed, but I would love to go back.”
If you didn’t know, Season 7 of All Stars featured all winners from previous seasons, with Jinkx Monsoon ultimately taking the title as Queen of All Queens.
When asked by Kelly Mantle why she thought she wasn’t asked to come back for the All Winners All Stars season, Alaska said: “They don’t want to talk to me.”
“I think it comes back to the fact that I have a podcast with Willam, because Willam is sort of very not, very on the outs with [production company] World of Wonder,” she continued, referring to her Race Chaser co-host and Season 4 contestant, who memorably became the first person to be disqualified and kicked out of the series due to breaking the rules of the show.
“When we decided we wanted to do a podcast together, Thairin [Smothers, World of Wonder co-executive producer] was like ‘we’re really disappointed that you’re doing a podcast,’” Alaska went on.
“He didn’t say that to me, he said that to someone here…someone on my team. And I never really put two and two together until it was like, ghosted, and the door was closed. Now it’s like a joke. The door is fully closed, but I would love to go back.”
Beyoncé fans react to dance captain’s absence during London concert: 'Where is Amari?'
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter lit up the stage for the second night of her "Cowboy Carter" tour in London, and while fans were thrilled to see Les Twins dancing once again, many pointed out one familiar face was missing.
The Grammy-winning singer took the stage June 7 for her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. During the electric performance many fans noticed that Amari "Monster" Marshall, dubbed Beyoncé's dance captain, was not among the performers onstage.
One fan wrote, "What happened to Amari," and many others cosigned.
Marshall began working with Beyoncé during her iconic 2018 Coachella "Beychella" performances. She eventually assumed the role of dance co-captain on the "Renaissance World Tour," where she played a key part in mentoring Beyoncé’s then 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy during her stage debut. Beyoncé publicly praised Marshall for her guidance with the family dubbing her Blue’s “dance stage momma." She also took the stage with Bey during her 2024 Christmas Day NFL halftime show during the Texans-Ravens game.
Marshall has continued performing with Beyoncé as dance captain on the "Cowboy Carter" tour, often sharing photos from various tour stops. However, she appeared to be absent from the stage in London, and fans especially noticed during Saturday night’s show. It's not yet clear why Marshall didn't appear onstage or if she'll be making a return soon.
The concert marked Beyoncé's second of six shows at the stadium. She is set to hit the stage again June 10, 12, 14 and 16, before heading to Paris for three nights.As fans know, Beyoncé first debuted her "Cowboy Carter" tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. Her shows have been filled with family, fashion, different music genres, and most notably country music and cultural commentary.
Of course, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year.
The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter lit up the stage for the second night of her "Cowboy Carter" tour in London, and while fans were thrilled to see Les Twins dancing once again, many pointed out one familiar face was missing.
The Grammy-winning singer took the stage June 7 for her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. During the electric performance many fans noticed that Amari "Monster" Marshall, dubbed Beyoncé's dance captain, was not among the performers onstage.
One fan wrote, "What happened to Amari," and many others cosigned.
Marshall began working with Beyoncé during her iconic 2018 Coachella "Beychella" performances. She eventually assumed the role of dance co-captain on the "Renaissance World Tour," where she played a key part in mentoring Beyoncé’s then 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy during her stage debut. Beyoncé publicly praised Marshall for her guidance with the family dubbing her Blue’s “dance stage momma." She also took the stage with Bey during her 2024 Christmas Day NFL halftime show during the Texans-Ravens game.
Marshall has continued performing with Beyoncé as dance captain on the "Cowboy Carter" tour, often sharing photos from various tour stops. However, she appeared to be absent from the stage in London, and fans especially noticed during Saturday night’s show. It's not yet clear why Marshall didn't appear onstage or if she'll be making a return soon.
The concert marked Beyoncé's second of six shows at the stadium. She is set to hit the stage again June 10, 12, 14 and 16, before heading to Paris for three nights.As fans know, Beyoncé first debuted her "Cowboy Carter" tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 28 with 39 songs on the set list. Her shows have been filled with family, fashion, different music genres, and most notably country music and cultural commentary.
Of course, Beyoncé first released the 27-track project in March 2024. It has since made history and broken multiple records. As Beyoncé's first country album, she deliberately featured country legends and emerging Black country artists alike. She became the first Black woman to win best country album at the 2025 Grammys and also took home album of the year.
The nine-city tour will span the U.S. and Europe with the grand finale taking place in Las Vegas on July 26.
Jennifer Lopez shows First Teaser for ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’
Jennifer Lopez unveiled the teaser trailer of her hotly anticipated latest film, “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” The musical drama, directed by Bill Condon, finds the actress/singer portraying Ingrid Luna, a glamorous Old Hollywood star brought to life through the imagination of two imprisoned men in 1983 Argentina.
Set during the waning days of Argentina’s military dictatorship, the story follows two cellmates, Luis Molina, played by Tonatiuh, and political prisoner Valentin Arregui, played by Diego Luna. They forge an unlikely connection inside their dark prison cell, bonding over the dazzling cinematic tales Luis shares. “I couldn’t live without movies,” Tonatiuh’s character says longingly, gazing at a poster of Lopez’s Ingrid. “One of them I’ll never forget: Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
The teaser highlights musical numbers composed by Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb. The film is an adaptation of the 1993 Tony-winning Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel. That source material also inspired the Oscar-winning 1985 film starring William Hurt and Raul Julia.
Lopez, speaking about the intensity of the shoot, told Deadline, “I had 10 musical numbers (in the movie)… It’s brutal, it’s an indie film, we didn’t have time that most movie musicals have.”
Set during the waning days of Argentina’s military dictatorship, the story follows two cellmates, Luis Molina, played by Tonatiuh, and political prisoner Valentin Arregui, played by Diego Luna. They forge an unlikely connection inside their dark prison cell, bonding over the dazzling cinematic tales Luis shares. “I couldn’t live without movies,” Tonatiuh’s character says longingly, gazing at a poster of Lopez’s Ingrid. “One of them I’ll never forget: Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
The teaser highlights musical numbers composed by Broadway legends John Kander and Fred Ebb. The film is an adaptation of the 1993 Tony-winning Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel. That source material also inspired the Oscar-winning 1985 film starring William Hurt and Raul Julia.
Lopez, speaking about the intensity of the shoot, told Deadline, “I had 10 musical numbers (in the movie)… It’s brutal, it’s an indie film, we didn’t have time that most movie musicals have.”
Watch the trailer HERE;
Condon, known for directing the movie musicals “Dreamgirls” and “Beauty and the Beast,” helmed this adaptation as both writer and director. As Deadline reports, he shot the film in the style of classic MGM musicals, favoring long, uninterrupted takes. The result, produced by Artists Equity, debuted to buzz at the Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate, and LD Entertainment.
“Kiss of the Spider Woman” is scheduled for theatrical release on October 10, landing squarely in the fall awards season window.
“Kiss of the Spider Woman” is scheduled for theatrical release on October 10, landing squarely in the fall awards season window.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Has been returned to the US, Now he appears in court on charges of trafficking migrants
Abrego Garcia returned to US to face charges for alleged human smugglingDavid Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, offers insight into the criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Mistakenly deported Salvadoran native Kilmar Abrego Garcia appeared in a Tennessee courtroom Friday, hours after he was brought back to the United States to face criminal charges for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S.
More than two months after the Trump administration admitted it mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia from Maryland to his native El Salvador, a two-count indictment unsealed Friday alleges that he participated in a yearslong conspiracy to haul undocumented migrants from Texas to the interior of the country.
The return of Abrego Garcia from his native El Salvador follows a series of court battles in which the Trump administration repeatedly said it was unable to bring him back, drawing the country toward the brink of a constitutional crisis when the administration failed to heed the Supreme Court's order to facilitate his return.
He made his initial court appearance Friday evening in the Middle District of Tennessee, answering "Yes, I understand" in Spanish when U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes asked him if he understood the charges against him.
Judge Homes set a hearing for June 13, where Abrego Garcia will be arraigned on charges and the judge will take up the government's motion to hold him in pre-trial detention on the grounds that he "poses a danger to the community and a serious risk of flight" He will remain in federal custody in Tennessee pending next week's hearing.
"If convicted at trial, the defendant faces a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment for 'each alien' he transported," said the government's motion for detention, which also contained an allegation -- not included in the indictment -- that one of Abrego Garcia's co-conspirators told authorities that Abrego Garcia participated in the murder of a rival gang member's mother in El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia's attorney, in an online press briefing, called the charges against his client "an abuse of power."
"They'll stop at nothing at all -- even some of the most preposterous charges imaginable -- just to avoid admitting that they made a mistake, which is what everyone knows happened in this case," said attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg.
"Mr. Garcia is going to be vigorously defending the charges against him," the attorney said.
The decision to pursue the indictment against Abrego Garcia led to the abrupt departure of Ben Schrader, a high-ranking federal prosecutor in Tennessee, sources briefed on Schrader's decision told ABC News. Schrader's resignation was prompted by concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons, the sources said.
Schrader, who spent 15 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Nashville and was most recently the chief of the criminal division, declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.
The alleged conspiracy spanned nearly a decade and involved the domestic transport of thousands of noncitizens from Mexico and Central America, including some children, in exchange for thousands of dollars, according to the indictment.
Abrego Garcia is alleged to have participated in more than 100 such trips, according to the indictment. Among those allegedly transported were members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, sources familiar with the investigation said.
Abrego Garcia is the only member of the alleged conspiracy charged in the indictment.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, at a Friday afternoon press conference, thanked Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for "agreeing to return Abrego Garcia to the United States."
"Our government presented El Salvador with an arrest warrant and they agreed to return him to our country," Bondi said.
Bondi said that if Abrego Garcia is convicted of the charges, upon the completion of his sentence he will be deported back to his home country of El Salvador.
"The grand jury found that over the past nine years, Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring," Bondi said. "They found this was his full time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. He made over 100 trips, the grand jury found, smuggling people throughout our country."
In a statement to ABC News, Abrego Garcia's attorney said that he's going to keep fighting to ensure Abrego Garcia receives a fair trial.
"From the beginning, this case has made one thing painfully clear: The government had the power to bring him back at any time. Instead, they chose to play games with the court and with a man's life," Sandoval-Moshenberg said. "We're not just fighting for Kilmar -- we're fighting to ensure due process rights are protected for everyone. Because tomorrow, this could be any one of us -- if we let power go unchecked, if we ignore our Constitution."
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living with his wife and children in Maryland, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13. His wife and attorneys deny that he is an MS-13 member.
The Trump administration has acknowledged in court filings that Abrego Garcia's removal to El Salvador in March was in error, because it violated a U.S. immigration court order in 2019 that shielded Abrego Garcia from deportation to his native country, according to immigration court records. An immigration judge had determined that Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution there by local gangs that had allegedly terrorized him and his family.
The administration argued, however, that Abrego Garcia should not be returned to the U.S. because he is a member of the transnational Salvadoran gang MS-13, a claim his family and attorneys have denied. In recent weeks, Trump administration officials have been publicizing Abrego Garcia's interactions with police over the years, despite a lack of corresponding criminal charges.
After Abrego Garcia's family filed a lawsuit over his deportation, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that ruling on April 10.
Abrego Garcia was initially sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison but was believed to have later been transferred to a different facility in the country.
The criminal investigation that led to the charges was launched in April as federal authorities began scrutinizing the circumstances of a 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, according to the sources. Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding in a vehicle with eight passengers and told police they had been working construction in Missouri.
According to body camera footage of the 2022 traffic stop, the Tennessee troopers -- after questioning Abrego Garcia -- discussed among themselves their suspicions that Abrego Garcia might be transporting people for money because nine people were traveling without luggage, but Abrego Garcia was not ticketed or charged.
The officers ultimately allowed Abrego Garcia to drive on with just a warning about an expired driver's license, according to a report about the stop released last month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Asked what circumstances have changed since Abrego Garcia was not taken in custody during that traffic stop in Tennessee, Bondi replied, "What has changed is Donald Trump is now president of the United States, and our borders are again secure, and thanks to the bright light that has been shined on Abrego Garcia -- this investigation continued with actually amazing police work, and we were able to track this case and stop this international smuggling ring from continuing."
Asked by ABC News' Pierre Thomas asked whether this should be seen as resolving the separate civil case in Maryland in which a federal judge ordered the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "There's a big difference between what the state of play was before the indictment and after the indictment. And so the reason why he is back and was returned was because an arrest warrant which was presented to the government and in El Salvador. So there's, there's a big difference there as far as whether it makes the ongoing litigation in Maryland moot. I would think so, but we don't know about this. He just landed today."
As ABC News first reported last month, the Justice Department had been quietly investigating the Tenessee traffic stop. As part of the probe, federal agents in late April visited a federal prison in Talladega, Alabama to question Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes, a convicted felon who was the registered owner of the vehicle Abrego Garcia was driving when stopped on Interstate 40 east of Nashville, sources previously told ABC News. Hernandez-Reyes was not present at the traffic stop.
Hernandez-Reyes, 38, is currently serving a 30-month sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a prior felony conviction for illegal transportation of aliens.
After being granted limited immunity, Hernandez-Reyes allegedly told investigators that he previously operated a "taxi service" based in Baltimore. He claimed to have met Abrego Garcia around 2015 and claimed to have hired him on multiple occasions to transport undocumented migrants from Texas to various locations in the United States, sources told ABC News.
When details of the Tennessee traffic stop were first publicized, Abrego Garcia's wife said her husband sometimes transported groups of fellow construction workers between job sites.
"Unfortunately, Kilmar is currently imprisoned without contact with the outside world, which means he cannot respond to the claims," Jennifer Vasquez Sura said in mid-April.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who flew to El Salvador and met with Abrego Garcia shortly after his deportation, said Friday that the Trump administration had "relented" regarding his return.
"After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump Admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia," Van Hollen posted on X. "This has never been about the man -- it's about his constitutional rights & the rights of all."
Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager in 2012, according to court records. He had been living in Maryland for the past 13 years, and married Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen, in 2019. The couple has one child together.
Abrego Garcia returned to US to face charges for alleged human smugglingDavid Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, offers insight into the criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Mistakenly deported Salvadoran native Kilmar Abrego Garcia appeared in a Tennessee courtroom Friday, hours after he was brought back to the United States to face criminal charges for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S.
More than two months after the Trump administration admitted it mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia from Maryland to his native El Salvador, a two-count indictment unsealed Friday alleges that he participated in a yearslong conspiracy to haul undocumented migrants from Texas to the interior of the country.
The return of Abrego Garcia from his native El Salvador follows a series of court battles in which the Trump administration repeatedly said it was unable to bring him back, drawing the country toward the brink of a constitutional crisis when the administration failed to heed the Supreme Court's order to facilitate his return.
He made his initial court appearance Friday evening in the Middle District of Tennessee, answering "Yes, I understand" in Spanish when U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes asked him if he understood the charges against him.
Judge Homes set a hearing for June 13, where Abrego Garcia will be arraigned on charges and the judge will take up the government's motion to hold him in pre-trial detention on the grounds that he "poses a danger to the community and a serious risk of flight" He will remain in federal custody in Tennessee pending next week's hearing.
"If convicted at trial, the defendant faces a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment for 'each alien' he transported," said the government's motion for detention, which also contained an allegation -- not included in the indictment -- that one of Abrego Garcia's co-conspirators told authorities that Abrego Garcia participated in the murder of a rival gang member's mother in El Salvador.
Abrego Garcia's attorney, in an online press briefing, called the charges against his client "an abuse of power."
"They'll stop at nothing at all -- even some of the most preposterous charges imaginable -- just to avoid admitting that they made a mistake, which is what everyone knows happened in this case," said attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg.
"Mr. Garcia is going to be vigorously defending the charges against him," the attorney said.
The decision to pursue the indictment against Abrego Garcia led to the abrupt departure of Ben Schrader, a high-ranking federal prosecutor in Tennessee, sources briefed on Schrader's decision told ABC News. Schrader's resignation was prompted by concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons, the sources said.
Schrader, who spent 15 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Nashville and was most recently the chief of the criminal division, declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.
The alleged conspiracy spanned nearly a decade and involved the domestic transport of thousands of noncitizens from Mexico and Central America, including some children, in exchange for thousands of dollars, according to the indictment.
Abrego Garcia is alleged to have participated in more than 100 such trips, according to the indictment. Among those allegedly transported were members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, sources familiar with the investigation said.
Abrego Garcia is the only member of the alleged conspiracy charged in the indictment.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, at a Friday afternoon press conference, thanked Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for "agreeing to return Abrego Garcia to the United States."
"Our government presented El Salvador with an arrest warrant and they agreed to return him to our country," Bondi said.
Bondi said that if Abrego Garcia is convicted of the charges, upon the completion of his sentence he will be deported back to his home country of El Salvador.
"The grand jury found that over the past nine years, Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring," Bondi said. "They found this was his full time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. He made over 100 trips, the grand jury found, smuggling people throughout our country."
In a statement to ABC News, Abrego Garcia's attorney said that he's going to keep fighting to ensure Abrego Garcia receives a fair trial.
"From the beginning, this case has made one thing painfully clear: The government had the power to bring him back at any time. Instead, they chose to play games with the court and with a man's life," Sandoval-Moshenberg said. "We're not just fighting for Kilmar -- we're fighting to ensure due process rights are protected for everyone. Because tomorrow, this could be any one of us -- if we let power go unchecked, if we ignore our Constitution."
Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living with his wife and children in Maryland, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13. His wife and attorneys deny that he is an MS-13 member.
The Trump administration has acknowledged in court filings that Abrego Garcia's removal to El Salvador in March was in error, because it violated a U.S. immigration court order in 2019 that shielded Abrego Garcia from deportation to his native country, according to immigration court records. An immigration judge had determined that Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution there by local gangs that had allegedly terrorized him and his family.
The administration argued, however, that Abrego Garcia should not be returned to the U.S. because he is a member of the transnational Salvadoran gang MS-13, a claim his family and attorneys have denied. In recent weeks, Trump administration officials have been publicizing Abrego Garcia's interactions with police over the years, despite a lack of corresponding criminal charges.
After Abrego Garcia's family filed a lawsuit over his deportation, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that ruling on April 10.
Abrego Garcia was initially sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison but was believed to have later been transferred to a different facility in the country.
The criminal investigation that led to the charges was launched in April as federal authorities began scrutinizing the circumstances of a 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, according to the sources. Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding in a vehicle with eight passengers and told police they had been working construction in Missouri.
According to body camera footage of the 2022 traffic stop, the Tennessee troopers -- after questioning Abrego Garcia -- discussed among themselves their suspicions that Abrego Garcia might be transporting people for money because nine people were traveling without luggage, but Abrego Garcia was not ticketed or charged.
The officers ultimately allowed Abrego Garcia to drive on with just a warning about an expired driver's license, according to a report about the stop released last month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Asked what circumstances have changed since Abrego Garcia was not taken in custody during that traffic stop in Tennessee, Bondi replied, "What has changed is Donald Trump is now president of the United States, and our borders are again secure, and thanks to the bright light that has been shined on Abrego Garcia -- this investigation continued with actually amazing police work, and we were able to track this case and stop this international smuggling ring from continuing."
Asked by ABC News' Pierre Thomas asked whether this should be seen as resolving the separate civil case in Maryland in which a federal judge ordered the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "There's a big difference between what the state of play was before the indictment and after the indictment. And so the reason why he is back and was returned was because an arrest warrant which was presented to the government and in El Salvador. So there's, there's a big difference there as far as whether it makes the ongoing litigation in Maryland moot. I would think so, but we don't know about this. He just landed today."
As ABC News first reported last month, the Justice Department had been quietly investigating the Tenessee traffic stop. As part of the probe, federal agents in late April visited a federal prison in Talladega, Alabama to question Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes, a convicted felon who was the registered owner of the vehicle Abrego Garcia was driving when stopped on Interstate 40 east of Nashville, sources previously told ABC News. Hernandez-Reyes was not present at the traffic stop.
Hernandez-Reyes, 38, is currently serving a 30-month sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a prior felony conviction for illegal transportation of aliens.
After being granted limited immunity, Hernandez-Reyes allegedly told investigators that he previously operated a "taxi service" based in Baltimore. He claimed to have met Abrego Garcia around 2015 and claimed to have hired him on multiple occasions to transport undocumented migrants from Texas to various locations in the United States, sources told ABC News.
When details of the Tennessee traffic stop were first publicized, Abrego Garcia's wife said her husband sometimes transported groups of fellow construction workers between job sites.
"Unfortunately, Kilmar is currently imprisoned without contact with the outside world, which means he cannot respond to the claims," Jennifer Vasquez Sura said in mid-April.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who flew to El Salvador and met with Abrego Garcia shortly after his deportation, said Friday that the Trump administration had "relented" regarding his return.
"After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump Admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia," Van Hollen posted on X. "This has never been about the man -- it's about his constitutional rights & the rights of all."
Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager in 2012, according to court records. He had been living in Maryland for the past 13 years, and married Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen, in 2019. The couple has one child together.
National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles as immigration enforcement tensions escalate
National Guard troops arrived in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday morning following a couple of days marked by violent clashes between law enforcement officers and protesters over President Trump's immigration enforcement operations conducted in the area.
Large-scale protests have sprouted throughout L.A. County including in the Westlake District, downtown L.A. and Paramount, and have escalated to violence on several occasions. A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News that multiple federal law enforcement officers were injured during confrontations with protesters on Friday and Saturday. The amount of total arrests made is not yet clear, but a senior city official in L.A. told CBS News that at least 29 protesters were arrested Friday night.
Mr. Trump announced Saturday night that he'd deploy the guard in response to the massive protests. In a post to his Truth Social late Saturday night local time, Trump called the events in L.A. "two days of violence, clashes and unrest."
"These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED," he continued. Mr. Trump added that masks will no longer be allowed to be worn at protests, although he did not specify how or if this would be enforced.
A Presidential Memoranda issued Saturday stated that at least 2,000 National Guard troops were going to be deployed. The majority of the soldiers are from the California National Guard, a Defense Department official told CBS News.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday criticized Mr. Trump's military deployment, calling it "purposefully inflammatory" in a post to X.
"The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle," he said in another post. "Don't give them one."
The new military presence in L.A. comes after days of escalation between protesters and law enforcement, notably Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Friday evening, multiple immigration operations were conducted across L.A., primarily in the Westlake District, downtown and South L.A., ICE officials confirmed. While numbers remain fluid, a federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the operations tells CBS News that at least 118 allegedly unauthorized immigrants have been arrested although that number is expected to grow. The charges for their arrest remain unclear as of Sunday morning.
ICE confirmed to CBS News Los Angeles that four federal search warrants were served at three locations in L.A. on Friday night. As news of those warrants spread, protests broke out. The most notable of which was Friday night, and took place outside the Federal Building in downtown L.A. after demonstrators learned that detainees were allegedly being held inside.
As tensions escalated and some protesters threw objects toward law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department eventually issued an unlawful assembly declaration and a dispersal order. Dozens of officers sporting riot gear and shields formed a skirmish line.
A federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the operations tells CBS News that ICE requested assistance from LAPD multiple times over the course of Friday night. That same official said it took local authorities more than 2 hours to honor that request, although a senior city official in L.A. told CBS News that it took LAPD 55 minutes to respond, not 2 hours.
On Saturday, protests centered in on the city of Paramount after ICE and other federal law enforcement officers were spotted. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that there was no ICE "raid" on Saturday in Paramount, but instead the agents were staging at an office.
The protests in Paramount eventually spilled over into Compton, where hundreds of demonstrators gathered around a car that was set on fire in the middle of the intersection of Alondra Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue, near Dale's Donuts,
Images captured at the scene by CBS News Los Angeles showed law enforcement deploying what appeared to be tear gas to disperse crowds and shooting non-lethal munitions at some protesters.
As of Sunday morning, it's not yet clear if any more immigration enforcement operations would be taking place in L.A. County or if any protests would occur.
A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News that deputies with LA County Sheriff's Office are now assisting ICE officials with perimeter protection, although they will not be assisting with any immigration enforcement efforts.
Large-scale protests have sprouted throughout L.A. County including in the Westlake District, downtown L.A. and Paramount, and have escalated to violence on several occasions. A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News that multiple federal law enforcement officers were injured during confrontations with protesters on Friday and Saturday. The amount of total arrests made is not yet clear, but a senior city official in L.A. told CBS News that at least 29 protesters were arrested Friday night.
Mr. Trump announced Saturday night that he'd deploy the guard in response to the massive protests. In a post to his Truth Social late Saturday night local time, Trump called the events in L.A. "two days of violence, clashes and unrest."
"These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED," he continued. Mr. Trump added that masks will no longer be allowed to be worn at protests, although he did not specify how or if this would be enforced.
A Presidential Memoranda issued Saturday stated that at least 2,000 National Guard troops were going to be deployed. The majority of the soldiers are from the California National Guard, a Defense Department official told CBS News.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday criticized Mr. Trump's military deployment, calling it "purposefully inflammatory" in a post to X.
"The federal government is taking over the California National Guard and deploying 2,000 soldiers in Los Angeles — not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle," he said in another post. "Don't give them one."
The new military presence in L.A. comes after days of escalation between protesters and law enforcement, notably Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Friday evening, multiple immigration operations were conducted across L.A., primarily in the Westlake District, downtown and South L.A., ICE officials confirmed. While numbers remain fluid, a federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the operations tells CBS News that at least 118 allegedly unauthorized immigrants have been arrested although that number is expected to grow. The charges for their arrest remain unclear as of Sunday morning.
ICE confirmed to CBS News Los Angeles that four federal search warrants were served at three locations in L.A. on Friday night. As news of those warrants spread, protests broke out. The most notable of which was Friday night, and took place outside the Federal Building in downtown L.A. after demonstrators learned that detainees were allegedly being held inside.
As tensions escalated and some protesters threw objects toward law enforcement, the Los Angeles Police Department eventually issued an unlawful assembly declaration and a dispersal order. Dozens of officers sporting riot gear and shields formed a skirmish line.
A federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the operations tells CBS News that ICE requested assistance from LAPD multiple times over the course of Friday night. That same official said it took local authorities more than 2 hours to honor that request, although a senior city official in L.A. told CBS News that it took LAPD 55 minutes to respond, not 2 hours.
On Saturday, protests centered in on the city of Paramount after ICE and other federal law enforcement officers were spotted. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement that there was no ICE "raid" on Saturday in Paramount, but instead the agents were staging at an office.
The protests in Paramount eventually spilled over into Compton, where hundreds of demonstrators gathered around a car that was set on fire in the middle of the intersection of Alondra Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue, near Dale's Donuts,
Images captured at the scene by CBS News Los Angeles showed law enforcement deploying what appeared to be tear gas to disperse crowds and shooting non-lethal munitions at some protesters.
As of Sunday morning, it's not yet clear if any more immigration enforcement operations would be taking place in L.A. County or if any protests would occur.
A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News that deputies with LA County Sheriff's Office are now assisting ICE officials with perimeter protection, although they will not be assisting with any immigration enforcement efforts.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Courtesy of P.O.Wm
Daddy Smurf?
All in Blue
All in Blue
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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