#MAGFAB: Yusef Salaam For Esquire Magazine!
Yusef Salaam and the Act of Forgiveness. As one of the Central Park Five, he served seven years in prison for a horrific crime he didn’t commit. Now he wants to serve the city that condemned him.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. . . . Exodus, 23:1–2
“I’m dedicating my life to being useful,” he says. “To my community, to my neighborhood, to my city. And to do that means letting go of some burdens of the past. Never forgetting, but forgiving. There is power in forgiving.”
Spare a thought for the falsely accused. For the man sent to prison as a boy for something he didn’t do. Does anyone ever allow the reality of a false accusation to sink in and upset the equilibrium for even a moment, or is it just in and out and on to the next, like everything else? That accusation, after all, was leveled on our behalf. State power is derived from us. Justice is meant to make us whole. But what does an injustice do to us? When an innocent person serves a full prison sentence, gets out carrying the excruciating knowledge that justice is for other people and facts and innocence don’t matter when you’re a kid raised by your mom in an apartment on Fifth Avenue, uptown—Harlem, U. S. A. Spare a thought for the falsely accused.
He can’t walk down the street for getting stopped by people who have never met him but to whom he is famous. In this neighborhood, the man who was falsely accused is well-known. The elders have known him for decades, since he was a tall, skinny kid with a flattop, on the front page of all the papers. The city was coming apart in 1989—you could’ve lit the air with a match, the racial tension was that combustible. And the crime that he was accused of committing was so terrible that once he and his codefendants were identified to the public on the word of the police, the case was over before it even began. White victim, a young professional out for a jog in Central Park, raped and beaten nearly to death with a tree branch, three quarters of the blood in her body soaked into the ground. The accused were Black and brown, five of them, aged fourteen to sixteen, four confessing on videotape. What more is there to know? New York in the aftermath was a tinderbox, braying for justice, instead finding vengeance, which is supposed to belong only to God, according to God Himself.
A local man who had inherited a real estate fortune even took out full-page ads in all the local papers calling for the state to bring back the death penalty, writing: “What has happened to the respect for authority, the fear of retribution by the courts, society and the police for those who break the law . . . ?”
But that was a lifetime ago, and so some others here in Harlem seem to recognize the falsely accused man not as Yusef Salaam of the Central Park Five but as Yusef Salaam, current candidate for public office, running to represent Harlem on the New York City Council. He’s not yet even in office, but the expectation invested in him is daunting. On the street, Harlemites are taking him in, greeting him with broad smiles and queuing up for selfies, bumping elbows and shaking hands, happy that this gracious man of forty- nine has not only come through the time the state stole from him without bitterness but has agreed to be a voice for the ambitions, grievances, and despair of this beautiful, historic, and desperate neighborhood in America’s largest city. He has a ready smile and a welcoming face. “Blessings, blessings, blessings!” he will greet old friends and new. As a politician, he is a complete novice, but for the retail politicking that is the bedrock of democracy—hearing from people on the street where they live—he has a natural gift. He is inexperienced enough at the game that he will stay and talk until you’re done with him. And a city-council district may be democracy in its purest form—big enough to require a proper campaign in order to prove your worth, small enough that an officeholder, especially a rookie, might legitimately feel responsible for every soul and pothole in it.
Salaam likens any neighborhood to a human body, and each of us to cells in the body—if you put healthy, nutritious food into a body and take care to educate the mind, do things in moderation and get good rest, the body will be functioning, flourishing, and happy. If you eat badly or partake in unhealthy habits, do drugs or sleep irregularly, then the body gets sick. Dies. It’s not a bad metaphor for how society works, and it allows for just how interdependent we actually are much more than our current politics does. If some of us are left out or are doing poorly, the health of all of society is put at risk.
The needs of this body, of Salaam’s neighborhood, are intense. And as he makes his way up and down its streets, from all sides, his fellow Harlemites come to him:
“You know how long it’s been since the senior center had a coat of paint?” says a man holding a cue stick at the Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Center. “And we sure could use another pool table—gives people a place to gather in the evenings. . . .”
A woman buttonholes him at a community meeting at Graham Court, a Gilded Age gem on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard that has seen better days: “What are you going to do about the defecation and the urination that goes on outside my front door?!”
“I applied for affordable housing, but affordable housing ain’t affordable!” says a man who stops him on 135th Street and comes in for a hug. “We need a two-bedroom, and they’ve had us in a studio for twenty years! . . . I sound Black, right?” He is Asian, and points this out by circling his face with his index finger. “People here don’t look like me, but they sure live like me.” He complains to Salaam about the conduct of corrections officers. “But they just scared. I don’t talk from no textbook—I did fifteen years.” As Salaam begins to walk away to his next appointment, the man reaches out for his hand and issues a plea: “You’ve come too far. Don’t sell yourself out.”
Get more at Esquire https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a45236189/yusef-salaam-central-park-five-interview-2023/
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Feels ‘Severely Punished’ After Bravo Lawsuit
Real Housewives of Atlanta alum NeNe Leakes is still talking about Bravo, but Bravo is definitely not talking about NeNe. NeNe has been referred to as a legend and icon by Andy Cohen. At one point he said RHOA was the house that NeNe built, and he was absolutely right.
But something changed with NeNe when she found relative success. Hollywood came calling and she began being featured outside of the Bravoverse. NeNe was also the first person to let you know how successful she had become. Then her success started to shift and her actions became questionable.
In an interview with former Real Housewives of New York star and fellow disgruntled Bravoleb Bethenny Frankel, NeNe speaks on how mistreated she’s been since her own reality reckoning was dismissed.
The tale of the tape
NeNe claimed that she was being phased out of RHOA for Season 13, and apparently, she was only offered six episodes. This made NeNe incredibly angry – this is despite feuding with the majority of her co-stars and getting physical on-camera with RHOA production. Bravo responded NeNe was offered a limited amount of episodes because she appeared so miserable.
Cut to the court case. Nene filed a lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Bravo, True Entertainment, Truly Original, and executive producer Andy in April 2022 citing unfavorable working conditions. The case was started in Atlanta and was resolved four months later. After the suit was dismissed, NeNe alleges she hasn’t been able to work in “any arena of entertainment” since. This is wholly untrue because she is all over TikTok as the new face of Poise incontinence products.
Anyway, NeNe told Bethenny that as a result of the lawsuit, she’s being “severely punished.” She said, “What’s happening to me right now with these doors closing everywhere, you would think I have drugged, raped, stabbed, cut somebody.” Who’s gonna remind NeNe she literally called Andy a racist cokehead and future employers probably don’t look at that and say, “Let’s hire her!”
Obviously, NeNe believes Bravo is the overlord of the entertainment industry and fully blacklisted her. Bethenny asked NeNe why she thinks Bravo would call other networks to put her on the no-hire list. “They obviously called ABC and EFG,” NeNe replied. OR maybe NeNe made herself unhirable by publicly trashing people she worked with.
Who is at fault for the fall of NeNe?
“They shut my work down. I do everything. So you mean to tell me as a talented person that there was nothing for me to host? There was nothing for me to act in, sing in, dance in, jump in, clap in? Nothing?” Well I mean, there was also that one-time NeNe made a rape joke when she was “doing comedy,” so this all sounds less like Bravo and more like attitude.
According to NeNe, her agents advised, “the doors were closed.” “Apparently when he says the door is closed, the door is closed all over the entire industry,” NeNe explained.
Well, at least NeNe and Beth can support each other in the knowledge that neither one of them will probably ever appear on Bravo again – but they will both continue talking about it.
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE NENE WAS BLACKLISTED?
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey Announces Dates For Holiday Shows
Today, Mariah Carey has announced the return of her Christmas extravaganza – Merry Christmas One And All! The special 13-date run will kick off on November 15 in Highland, CA making stops in Los Angeles, Montreal, Chicago, and more before wrapping up on December 17th at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. . . . Exodus, 23:1–2
“I’m dedicating my life to being useful,” he says. “To my community, to my neighborhood, to my city. And to do that means letting go of some burdens of the past. Never forgetting, but forgiving. There is power in forgiving.”
Spare a thought for the falsely accused. For the man sent to prison as a boy for something he didn’t do. Does anyone ever allow the reality of a false accusation to sink in and upset the equilibrium for even a moment, or is it just in and out and on to the next, like everything else? That accusation, after all, was leveled on our behalf. State power is derived from us. Justice is meant to make us whole. But what does an injustice do to us? When an innocent person serves a full prison sentence, gets out carrying the excruciating knowledge that justice is for other people and facts and innocence don’t matter when you’re a kid raised by your mom in an apartment on Fifth Avenue, uptown—Harlem, U. S. A. Spare a thought for the falsely accused.
He can’t walk down the street for getting stopped by people who have never met him but to whom he is famous. In this neighborhood, the man who was falsely accused is well-known. The elders have known him for decades, since he was a tall, skinny kid with a flattop, on the front page of all the papers. The city was coming apart in 1989—you could’ve lit the air with a match, the racial tension was that combustible. And the crime that he was accused of committing was so terrible that once he and his codefendants were identified to the public on the word of the police, the case was over before it even began. White victim, a young professional out for a jog in Central Park, raped and beaten nearly to death with a tree branch, three quarters of the blood in her body soaked into the ground. The accused were Black and brown, five of them, aged fourteen to sixteen, four confessing on videotape. What more is there to know? New York in the aftermath was a tinderbox, braying for justice, instead finding vengeance, which is supposed to belong only to God, according to God Himself.
A local man who had inherited a real estate fortune even took out full-page ads in all the local papers calling for the state to bring back the death penalty, writing: “What has happened to the respect for authority, the fear of retribution by the courts, society and the police for those who break the law . . . ?”
But that was a lifetime ago, and so some others here in Harlem seem to recognize the falsely accused man not as Yusef Salaam of the Central Park Five but as Yusef Salaam, current candidate for public office, running to represent Harlem on the New York City Council. He’s not yet even in office, but the expectation invested in him is daunting. On the street, Harlemites are taking him in, greeting him with broad smiles and queuing up for selfies, bumping elbows and shaking hands, happy that this gracious man of forty- nine has not only come through the time the state stole from him without bitterness but has agreed to be a voice for the ambitions, grievances, and despair of this beautiful, historic, and desperate neighborhood in America’s largest city. He has a ready smile and a welcoming face. “Blessings, blessings, blessings!” he will greet old friends and new. As a politician, he is a complete novice, but for the retail politicking that is the bedrock of democracy—hearing from people on the street where they live—he has a natural gift. He is inexperienced enough at the game that he will stay and talk until you’re done with him. And a city-council district may be democracy in its purest form—big enough to require a proper campaign in order to prove your worth, small enough that an officeholder, especially a rookie, might legitimately feel responsible for every soul and pothole in it.
Salaam likens any neighborhood to a human body, and each of us to cells in the body—if you put healthy, nutritious food into a body and take care to educate the mind, do things in moderation and get good rest, the body will be functioning, flourishing, and happy. If you eat badly or partake in unhealthy habits, do drugs or sleep irregularly, then the body gets sick. Dies. It’s not a bad metaphor for how society works, and it allows for just how interdependent we actually are much more than our current politics does. If some of us are left out or are doing poorly, the health of all of society is put at risk.
The needs of this body, of Salaam’s neighborhood, are intense. And as he makes his way up and down its streets, from all sides, his fellow Harlemites come to him:
“You know how long it’s been since the senior center had a coat of paint?” says a man holding a cue stick at the Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Center. “And we sure could use another pool table—gives people a place to gather in the evenings. . . .”
A woman buttonholes him at a community meeting at Graham Court, a Gilded Age gem on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard that has seen better days: “What are you going to do about the defecation and the urination that goes on outside my front door?!”
“I applied for affordable housing, but affordable housing ain’t affordable!” says a man who stops him on 135th Street and comes in for a hug. “We need a two-bedroom, and they’ve had us in a studio for twenty years! . . . I sound Black, right?” He is Asian, and points this out by circling his face with his index finger. “People here don’t look like me, but they sure live like me.” He complains to Salaam about the conduct of corrections officers. “But they just scared. I don’t talk from no textbook—I did fifteen years.” As Salaam begins to walk away to his next appointment, the man reaches out for his hand and issues a plea: “You’ve come too far. Don’t sell yourself out.”
Get more at Esquire https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a45236189/yusef-salaam-central-park-five-interview-2023/
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Feels ‘Severely Punished’ After Bravo Lawsuit
But something changed with NeNe when she found relative success. Hollywood came calling and she began being featured outside of the Bravoverse. NeNe was also the first person to let you know how successful she had become. Then her success started to shift and her actions became questionable.
In an interview with former Real Housewives of New York star and fellow disgruntled Bravoleb Bethenny Frankel, NeNe speaks on how mistreated she’s been since her own reality reckoning was dismissed.
The tale of the tape
NeNe claimed that she was being phased out of RHOA for Season 13, and apparently, she was only offered six episodes. This made NeNe incredibly angry – this is despite feuding with the majority of her co-stars and getting physical on-camera with RHOA production. Bravo responded NeNe was offered a limited amount of episodes because she appeared so miserable.
Cut to the court case. Nene filed a lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Bravo, True Entertainment, Truly Original, and executive producer Andy in April 2022 citing unfavorable working conditions. The case was started in Atlanta and was resolved four months later. After the suit was dismissed, NeNe alleges she hasn’t been able to work in “any arena of entertainment” since. This is wholly untrue because she is all over TikTok as the new face of Poise incontinence products.
Anyway, NeNe told Bethenny that as a result of the lawsuit, she’s being “severely punished.” She said, “What’s happening to me right now with these doors closing everywhere, you would think I have drugged, raped, stabbed, cut somebody.” Who’s gonna remind NeNe she literally called Andy a racist cokehead and future employers probably don’t look at that and say, “Let’s hire her!”
Obviously, NeNe believes Bravo is the overlord of the entertainment industry and fully blacklisted her. Bethenny asked NeNe why she thinks Bravo would call other networks to put her on the no-hire list. “They obviously called ABC and EFG,” NeNe replied. OR maybe NeNe made herself unhirable by publicly trashing people she worked with.
Who is at fault for the fall of NeNe?
“They shut my work down. I do everything. So you mean to tell me as a talented person that there was nothing for me to host? There was nothing for me to act in, sing in, dance in, jump in, clap in? Nothing?” Well I mean, there was also that one-time NeNe made a rape joke when she was “doing comedy,” so this all sounds less like Bravo and more like attitude.
According to NeNe, her agents advised, “the doors were closed.” “Apparently when he says the door is closed, the door is closed all over the entire industry,” NeNe explained.
Well, at least NeNe and Beth can support each other in the knowledge that neither one of them will probably ever appear on Bravo again – but they will both continue talking about it.
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE NENE WAS BLACKLISTED?
#MusicNews: Mariah Carey Announces Dates For Holiday Shows
Today, Mariah Carey has announced the return of her Christmas extravaganza – Merry Christmas One And All! The special 13-date run will kick off on November 15 in Highland, CA making stops in Los Angeles, Montreal, Chicago, and more before wrapping up on December 17th at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Produced by Live Nation, the Merry Christmas One And All! performances are set to be the must-attend events of this winter, as these live shows will be Mariah Carey’s exclusive Christmas concerts for this holiday season. This festive event is a celebration of the global superstar’s timeless collection of holiday classics including the record-breaking mega-hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” and fan favorite chart toppers.
TICKETS: Tickets to shows will be available via several presales beginning Wednesday, October 4 at 10AM local time ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, October 6th at 10AM local at LiveNation.com. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, invitation to a pre-show reception, exclusive merchandise & more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.
MARIAH CAREY – MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL! TOUR DATES:
Wed Nov 15 | Highland, CA | Yaamava Casino*
Fri Nov 17 | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Bowl^
Tue Nov 21 | Denver, CO | Ball Arena
Fri Nov 24 | Kansas City, MO | T-Mobile Center
Mon Nov 27 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena^
Wed Nov 29 | Montreal, QC | Centre Bell^
Fri Dec 01 | Detroit, MI | Little Caesars Arena
Sun Dec 03 | Chicago, IL | United Center
Tue Dec 05 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena
Mon Dec 11 | Boston, MA | TD Garden
Wed Dec 13 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center
Fri Dec 15 | Baltimore, MD | CFG Bank Arena
Sun Dec 17 | New York, NY | Madison Square Garden
#HipHopNews: Ice Cube Announces First Studio Album In 5 Years
On September 26, Ice Cube was interviewed on The RAPstation radio show, hosted by Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, where the “It Was a Good Day” rapper shared that he is in the process of releasing a new album. The Friday actor said:
“I’m working on an album that hopefully I can finish in the next couple of weeks and schedule to put it out and yeah, I’m digging what I’m doing. The name of the record is called Man Down and, you know, it’s a pretty good record. I like it. It’s dope.”
Ice Cube’s new album, titled, Man Down, aims to be released in the coming weeks. Fans are eagerly awaiting the release of this eleventh solo studio album, which will be his first since the 2018 album Everythang’s Corrupt.
Beyonce Breaks Record With 'Renaissance' Tour's $579 Million Gross Worldwide
- Beyonce Knowles' sold-out "Renaissance World Tour" performed impressively at the Billboard Boxscore. The 32-time Grammy winner broke record after it was announced that the superstar's global trek earned more than $579 million worldwide.
Produced by Parkwood Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation, the tour was attended by 2.7 million fans across 56 dates in 39 cities. "Renaissance" tour's number also doubled the musician's previous touring record set by her "Formation World Tour".
According to Billboard Boxscore, the world tour marks the seventh-highest-grossing tour in the chart. As if that's not enough, the "Break My Soul" hitmaker is the only woman, only black artist and only American solo act to enter the Top 10, which was previously composed solely of white, male artists.
Elton John ($939.1 million) tops the chart with 330 dates. Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran needed 258 dates to hit $776 million gross.
The remaining Top 5 are U2, Coldplay and Harry Styles. U2's "U2 360 Tour" grossed $736 million with 110 shows. Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres World Tour" earned $617 million gross with 107 shows, while Harry earned $617 million gross from 169 shows of "Love on Tour".
Lady GaGa Wins Dispute Against Dog Kidnapper Accomplice Following Judge's Final Ruling
Judge Holly J. Fujie ruled in July that Jennifer's complained was "legally insufficient in its entirety" following her "involvement in the theft" after the woman had previously pleaded no contest to charges of receiving stolen property and was therefore "not entitled to thereafter benefit from their wrongdoing by seeking to enforce the contract."
And while the plaintiff had been given 20 days to amend her filing, and subsequently claimed she was "in no way involved in the theft" and only "took possession" of the dogs to return them, the judge made a final ruling on Monday, October 2 which shut down Jennifer's claim.
According to court documents obtained by People magazine, the judge found "that nothing alleged in the [first amended complaint] changes this conclusion" and closed the case, refusing to allow the claimant another revised complaint.
Attorneys for Gaga said McBride claimed to have been a good Samaritan who found the dogs on the street by chance and had "no idea" they belonged to the "A Star is Born" actress, but they argued she was in fact a "direct and knowing participant in the criminal enterprise."
In December, McBride was sentenced to two-year probation after pleading no contest to knowingly receiving stolen property. She was also seeking legal fees and compensation for financial damages, pain and suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life but Gaga's team argued she had not suffered any damages in returning the dogs.
11-Year-Old Florida Youth Football Player Arrested After Allegedly Shooting 2 Teammates
An 11-year-old Florida boy has been arrested after he was accused of shooting two 13-year-olds following their youth football practice.
As reported by NBC News, the incident occurred Monday night at the Northwest Recreation Complex in Apopka, Florida, which is about 30 miles northwest of Orlando.
On Tuesday, police released surveillance video of the incident. The 11-year-old was detained and charged with second-degree attempted murder.
According to law enforcement, the shooting, which took place around 8 p.m., stemmed from an argument and physical fight that took place between the three boys during practice.
The 11-year-old allegedly grabbed a gun out of his mother's SUV, ran toward his teammates, and fired one shot, hitting one boy in the arm and another in the back. Both children were transported to the hospital, where one underwent surgery and is said to be in stable condition. They are each expected to make a full recovery.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley expressed his disdain for the country's sad reality when it comes to gun violence.
"We shouldn't have 11-year-olds that have access to guns and think they can resolve a dispute with a firearm," McKinley said.
He continued by urging "society" to "reflect on this."
"We see this way too often in our society now of juveniles—young juveniles, and they're getting younger every day—that have access to guns," McKinley said. "But the more disturbing part is they believe that gun, that firearm, is a resolution to their problems—and it's not a resolution to anybody's problems."
Michael Jordan Is Officially One of Forbes 400 Richest Americans, a First for a Professional Athlete
Earlier this year, Jordan significantly increased his bank accounts when he unloaded his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. He sold it off at an estimated $3 billion valuation for the team, having bought the stake in 2010 for $175 million. Jordan hasn’t been hurting throughout the years, though. Prior to selling his Hornets stake, he cobbled together a tidy sum from Gatorade and Nike endorsements, and is now estimated to be worth around $3 billion.
Speaking to Forbes, Ted Leonsis, owner of multiple sports teams and an investment partner of Jordan’s, marveled at the sports legend’s success in his multiple roles as player, team owner, and sneaker magnate. “Michael's one of the few people that have had success three times,” he said. “A lot of entrepreneurs, they make it once. He’s had three mega successes.”
Professional athletes entering the billionaires club is still fairly rare. Jordan was the first player to do so, in 2014. Lebron James and Tiger Woods soon followed, but no one's been able to compete with the original.
While Jordan has a way to go before reaching the top of the list, he has no lack of cash-flow opportunities. In addition to maintaining a small stake in the Hornets, Jordan has his NASCAR team, which Leonsis estimates will occupy much more of the NBA Hall of Famer’s time moving forward.
“I bet you it's going to end up being a great business for him too,” Leonsis told Forbes. “It's his competitiveness and desire to win.”
JAY-Z and mother Dr. Gloria Carter honored at Brooklyn Public Library Gala
On Monday (Oct. 2), the Brooklyn Public Library played host to a gala in honor of JAY-Z and his mother, Dr. Gloria Carter. Attendees included Meek Mill, Quavo, Travis Scott, Kim Kardashian, Jack Harlow, Lil Baby, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Tom Brady. NYC Mayor Eric Adams was also present to introduce the man and woman of the hour.
In clips that have been shared on social media, Hov revealed during his speech that his mom was unable to attend. “I figured if these young men could speak on behalf of their dad, I could speak on behalf of my mom,” the hip hop legend stated. “Dr. Gloria had to see a doctor earlier. She’s gonna be very upset that I told y’all that. She gave me a very bad excuse, and I couldn’t do it and lie to the good people of Brooklyn.”
JAY-Z then added in humorous fashion, “I think she’s hungover. There’s no other way to put it. She wanted to be with you guys, but this is what she would want me to say. Y’all not taping this, are you?”
Since July, fans have been able to visit said library to check out a sprawling exhibit titled “The Book of HOV: A celebration of the life and work of Shawn ‘JAY-Z’ Carter.” As explained on the institution’s website, the multi-floor showcase “features never-before-seen images, art, and ephemera from the artist’s archives, providing an unparalleled look at an extraordinary life and career. This free, immersive experience is one of the only installations of its scope to be housed in an active public space and features text, audio and curation by Roc Nation teams and partners.”
Those interested in checking out “The Book of HOV” are able to pay a visit for free until the display comes to a close in December.
Suge Knight says that he will not testify in Tupac Shakur murder trial following Keefe D arrest
Much of the hip hop community remains astonished about the new developments in the 1996 death of Tupac Shakur. As previously reported, Duane “Keefe D” Davis was arrested by Las Vegas authorities on Friday (Sept. 29) and is now facing a deadly weapon murder charge with an attached gang enhancement.
“There’s been many people who did not believe that the murder of Tupac Shakur was important to this police department. I’m here to tell you that was simply not the case,” said Sheriff Kevin McMahill in a press conference. “Our goal at LVMPD has always been to hold those accountable and responsible for Tupac’s violent murder.”
On Monday (Oct. 2), TMZ’s Harvey Levin spoke with Suge Knight about said arrest, to which the former Death Row Records CEO responded with surprise. “I didn’t think Keefe D would ever get arrested, nor do I want to see him get arrested,” he stated. “Me and Keefe D played on the same football team, and whatever the circumstances, if he did have involvement or if he didn’t have involvement in anything, I wouldn’t wish someone going to prison on my worst enemy.”
He was also asked by Levin if Keefe D‘s nephew, Orlando Anderson, was the one who pulled the trigger on that fateful night. “It was only two people in the car… I never had anything bad to say about Orlando because, number one, he wasn’t the shooter. Number two, he came to my hearing, and told them to let me go and told the truth, and they still didn’t let me go,” he explained.
Finally, Knight spoke on whether or not he would take the stand in a trial over the murder of Shakur. “I’m not gonna be on the stand to testify for somebody. For what?” the Compton native said matter-of-factly. “One thousand percent I wouldn’t go, I wouldn’t testify, none of that s**t.”
Currently, Knight sits behind bars after pleading no contest to a voluntary manslaughter charge in 2018; he was handed 22 years in the death of Terry Carter and another six under California’s three strikes law. He will become eligible for parole in 2034.
Angela Bassett, Paris Hilton Hit the Runway In Mugler Fashion Show
The celebs joined several models in the Paris Fashion Week runway presentation, including Irina Shayk, Amber Valletta, Adut Akech, Helena Christensen, Paloma Elsesser and Natasha Poly.
“Dream come true walking the runway for @MuglerOfficial tonight at #PFW 💃🏼 So iconic!🤩 Love you @Cadwallader!😍So proud to be a part of your big night!🥰 Congratulations on another epic collection!🙌
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Renewed for Season 4 at Hulu
Hulu has renewed “Only Murders in the Building” for a fourth season. The news comes the same day as Hulu’s release of the Season 3 finale.
The series follows Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), three neighbors in a New York City apartment called the Arconia, who came together in Season 1 to record a true crime podcast about the murder of fellow resident Tim Kono (Julian Cihi). Season 2 saw them investigate the murder of Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell), president of the apartment’s board. In Season 3, they seek the killer of Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), a famous actor who dies on the opening night of his Broadway debut in Oliver’s play. Meryl Streep stars as castmate Loretta Durkin.
Steve Martin and John Hoffman serve as co-creators of “Only Murders in the Building”, and executive produce alongside Short, Gomez, Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal. The series hails from 20th Television.
“Only Murders in the Building” is Hulu’s most-watched original comedy series to date, and its third season had the most-watched premiere day of any Hulu scripted original in 2023 thus far. According to Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings, the show ranked as the No. 9 most-watched title of the week upon the launch of Season 3, and the No. 3 streaming original series. It has remained a top-six streaming original in the following weeks.
Speaking about the themes at play in Season 3, Hoffman told Variety, ““All of the anxieties and all of the funny stresses are there to exemplify that thing we can all understand and connect to when you want something so badly. You feel like, ‘This is what I’m meant to do.’ How far would you go? That’s the question right off the top of the season: how far would you go to hold onto it?”
Baltimore Police Confirm Multiple Victims After Active Shooter Situation at Morgan State University
Baltimore police responded to an active shooter situation involving multiple victims at Morgan State University Tuesday night, the department confirmed to CNN.
Officials have confirmed the incident is no longer considered an active shooter situation and have lifted a shelter-in-place order, according to a post from the university on X.
There was a “preliminary report of four individuals shot” somewhere on the university grounds, Baltimore City Fire Department Director of Communications Kevin Cartwright told CNN.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott was on scene at the university early Wednesday as law enforcement and school officials were handling the ongoing investigation, he posted on X.
Footage from CNN affiliate WJZ shows multiple emergency response vehicles surrounding a taped-off student dormitory building. The glass of one of the building’s upper-floor windows appears to be shattered.
Both police and the university – a small HBCU in northeast Baltimore – had urged those on campus to shelter in place and avoid the area. They also asked concerned family members of students to avoid the campus area.
“Please stay clear of the area surrounding Thurgood Marshall Hall and the Murphy Fine Arts Center and shelter in place,” the university said in a notice on its website. Police said they were responding to the 1700 block of Argonne Drive.
ATF Baltimore said its agents were assisting police in responding to the shooting.
Morgan State is a historically Black university and had about 9,000 students enrolled in Fall 2022. The shooting occurred at the beginning of its Homecoming week as it prepared to welcome alumni and community members to campus for celebratory events including a pep rally, gala, and parade.
It also falls just days before a scheduled candlelight memorial service intended to honor university members who have died over the past year.
Tamar Braxton And Fiancé Jeremy 'JR' Robinson Call it Quits
Tamar Braxton, 46, is single again and her ex-fiancé Jeremy “JR” Robinson made the announcement on Instagram. The couple met on Peacock’s Queen’s Court and got engaged during the finale back in March.
“So many questions. So many assumptions. I want to answer all that I can with respect,” Robinson wrote on his Instagram story. “Yes, Tamar and I are no longer together. I ended the relationship to focus on getting back to positive energy & being a better person.”
He continued, “What happened and why – that’s our private place. No, I never cheated. No, I wasn’t there when she was at her mothers [sic] place when her car was burglarized.”
What Robinson is referring to is when Braxton came to social media recently to reveal she had been robbed in Atlanta. She disclosed she “doesn’t live anywhere” and “isn’t safe anywhere” or “with anyone.” This got fans worried, and they began speculating and asking where Robinson was in the comments as well as asking if the two were still together.
“I have always represented famous people, and the truth is I was in an amazing place financially and mentally,” JR, a personal injury and criminal defense attorney, added. “I turned down Queens Court several times before I gave in. Ultimately, I fell in love, and it did not end how I wanted it. So, I want to heal.”
The news was unexpected to some seeing as Braxton recently celebrated Robinson’s birthday by gifting him a billboard in New York City. The former couple seemed to be doing well and shared glimpses of their journey to blending their families. He has five children from four different women, while Braxton has a son with ex-husband Vince Herbert. There was some public baby momma drama between one of the mothers of Robinson’s kids who accused Braxton of “causing chaos,” but he publicly defended the singer at the time.
“Tamar and I will always be friends and family for life. Thank you for respecting our privacy,” Robinson concluded in his latest post.
Before meeting him, the TV personality and singer was dating Nigerian businessman David Aderes between 2018 and 2020. She was married to Herbert from 2003 to 2017.
The series follows Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), three neighbors in a New York City apartment called the Arconia, who came together in Season 1 to record a true crime podcast about the murder of fellow resident Tim Kono (Julian Cihi). Season 2 saw them investigate the murder of Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell), president of the apartment’s board. In Season 3, they seek the killer of Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), a famous actor who dies on the opening night of his Broadway debut in Oliver’s play. Meryl Streep stars as castmate Loretta Durkin.
Steve Martin and John Hoffman serve as co-creators of “Only Murders in the Building”, and executive produce alongside Short, Gomez, Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal. The series hails from 20th Television.
“Only Murders in the Building” is Hulu’s most-watched original comedy series to date, and its third season had the most-watched premiere day of any Hulu scripted original in 2023 thus far. According to Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings, the show ranked as the No. 9 most-watched title of the week upon the launch of Season 3, and the No. 3 streaming original series. It has remained a top-six streaming original in the following weeks.
Speaking about the themes at play in Season 3, Hoffman told Variety, ““All of the anxieties and all of the funny stresses are there to exemplify that thing we can all understand and connect to when you want something so badly. You feel like, ‘This is what I’m meant to do.’ How far would you go? That’s the question right off the top of the season: how far would you go to hold onto it?”
Baltimore Police Confirm Multiple Victims After Active Shooter Situation at Morgan State University
Baltimore police responded to an active shooter situation involving multiple victims at Morgan State University Tuesday night, the department confirmed to CNN.
Officials have confirmed the incident is no longer considered an active shooter situation and have lifted a shelter-in-place order, according to a post from the university on X.
There was a “preliminary report of four individuals shot” somewhere on the university grounds, Baltimore City Fire Department Director of Communications Kevin Cartwright told CNN.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott was on scene at the university early Wednesday as law enforcement and school officials were handling the ongoing investigation, he posted on X.
Footage from CNN affiliate WJZ shows multiple emergency response vehicles surrounding a taped-off student dormitory building. The glass of one of the building’s upper-floor windows appears to be shattered.
Both police and the university – a small HBCU in northeast Baltimore – had urged those on campus to shelter in place and avoid the area. They also asked concerned family members of students to avoid the campus area.
“Please stay clear of the area surrounding Thurgood Marshall Hall and the Murphy Fine Arts Center and shelter in place,” the university said in a notice on its website. Police said they were responding to the 1700 block of Argonne Drive.
ATF Baltimore said its agents were assisting police in responding to the shooting.
Morgan State is a historically Black university and had about 9,000 students enrolled in Fall 2022. The shooting occurred at the beginning of its Homecoming week as it prepared to welcome alumni and community members to campus for celebratory events including a pep rally, gala, and parade.
It also falls just days before a scheduled candlelight memorial service intended to honor university members who have died over the past year.
Tamar Braxton And Fiancé Jeremy 'JR' Robinson Call it Quits
“So many questions. So many assumptions. I want to answer all that I can with respect,” Robinson wrote on his Instagram story. “Yes, Tamar and I are no longer together. I ended the relationship to focus on getting back to positive energy & being a better person.”
He continued, “What happened and why – that’s our private place. No, I never cheated. No, I wasn’t there when she was at her mothers [sic] place when her car was burglarized.”
What Robinson is referring to is when Braxton came to social media recently to reveal she had been robbed in Atlanta. She disclosed she “doesn’t live anywhere” and “isn’t safe anywhere” or “with anyone.” This got fans worried, and they began speculating and asking where Robinson was in the comments as well as asking if the two were still together.
“I have always represented famous people, and the truth is I was in an amazing place financially and mentally,” JR, a personal injury and criminal defense attorney, added. “I turned down Queens Court several times before I gave in. Ultimately, I fell in love, and it did not end how I wanted it. So, I want to heal.”
The news was unexpected to some seeing as Braxton recently celebrated Robinson’s birthday by gifting him a billboard in New York City. The former couple seemed to be doing well and shared glimpses of their journey to blending their families. He has five children from four different women, while Braxton has a son with ex-husband Vince Herbert. There was some public baby momma drama between one of the mothers of Robinson’s kids who accused Braxton of “causing chaos,” but he publicly defended the singer at the time.
“Tamar and I will always be friends and family for life. Thank you for respecting our privacy,” Robinson concluded in his latest post.
Before meeting him, the TV personality and singer was dating Nigerian businessman David Aderes between 2018 and 2020. She was married to Herbert from 2003 to 2017.
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