Niecy Nash, Jessica Betts, For The Advocate Magazine!
When Niecy Nash realized she had fallen in love with her best friend, another woman, the acclaimed actress didn’t know what the reaction would be if she made their relationship public. She was warned that coming out might jeopardize her career and ruin everything she’d worked so hard for. And she had a lot to lose. Now an Emmy Award-winning performer known for shows like Claws, When They See Us, Scream Queens, and Reno 911!, Carol Denise Nash (“Niecy” is short for Denise) made her film debut in 1995’s Boys on the Side and then spent the last 25 years working to reach this pivotal moment in her career.
She was finally in high demand in Hollywood, starring in multiple series, with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and her own daytime talk show about to launch. Personally, at the time, Nash was a twice-married (and recently divorced) woman of deep faith — a former pastor’s wife with three children (she’d kept her first husband Don Nash’s last name instead of reverting back to her birth name, Ensley).
Even as Nash became a big star, family remained key to her. The loss of her 17-year-old brother, Michael, to gun violence in 1993 spurred her mother, Margaret Ensley, to found MAVIS (Mothers Against Violence in Schools) to advocate for nonviolence and support parents and schools in violence prevention. Nash helped her mother run the organization and was a spokesperson for MAVIS for years.
Nash couldn’t know how well her family, especially her mom — let alone her friends, her church, her fans, and the entertainment industry — would react to the news of her new relationship. She could lose it all.
But a part of Nash didn’t care what the ramifications would be. That was how in love she was. So thoroughly and totally in love — butterflies, fireworks, every delightful cliché — that she wanted to share it with the world. She didn’t want to lose what she had, but she also wasn’t willing to keep her relationship a secret, to force it to exist only behind closed doors.
Months before, Nash found herself sitting on the couch next to Jessica Betts, a singer and a close friend of many years. The night was, or at least was supposed to be, unremarkable. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary in their relationship to grab takeout and watch a movie, except at that point, newly single for the first time in almost a decade, Nash saw Betts anew. It was intoxicating.
There on the couch, she reached out and gently placed her hand on the back of her friend’s neck. Betts initially freaked out. She’d assumed that Nash was 100 percent straight, just as Nash had assumed herself to be, but after a brief moment, Betts too began to see the brilliant possibilities of their future together.
Betts admits she thought rather unexpectedly, Damn. I could love again.
But potentially falling in love with such a dear friend is a big deal, no matter the gender. It’s not something either of them took lightly. Nash needed some time after that night to figure out what she wanted. She promptly began ignoring all of Betts’s texts to her.
“Good morning.” Crickets. “Good afternoon.” Crickets. “Good evening.” Crickets.
Betts persisted and eventually Nash did come back around. This is a love story, after all.
“She was all I could think about,” Nash recalls. “I was like, I never want to imagine a future without this being.... I don’t want that.”
They started small, sharing their relationship with family and friends. When friends asked how they should respond to people who might ask questions about their relationship, Nash replied, “Tell them I’m happy.”
But keeping their relationship secret from the wider world still caused an inordinate amount of stress.
Niecy Nash, Jessica Betts, and the Great Queer Love Story of 2021
“When we first started dating, when no one knew, she would just cry,” Betts recalls. “She would cry because it was almost as if she was not able to show her love. And we had to tell each other we loved each other in secret.”
They were grocery shopping one day in the middle of lockdown when Betts heard the sudden sound of Nash’s crying.
“I’m just standing in the middle of the aisle like, ‘Ahhhhh!’” Nash admits, making the sound of someone stabbed in the heart. “She [Betts] comes from around the corner and said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ I was like, ‘I just want to hold your hand in the grocery store.’”
Nash hasn’t been hiding or even grappling over the years with her identity. It’d be reductive to claim this as the reason her first two marriages ended. The expanse of Nash’s sexuality was a part of her, always, even if she didn’t know it was there until Betts came along.
Nash says she didn’t know what was going to happen when the world found out that she’d fallen in love with a woman, but that’s not the same thing as being closeted. She hadn’t been hiding her real desires, wasn’t burying anything under the guise of heterosexuality.
“It wasn’t like I was living a lie. I loved the people who I loved when I was with them. Do you understand me? I wasn’t living a lie,” Nash says. “And I didn’t want that to be anything that was kept in the shadows or in dark corners even. So it wasn’t as much about me coming out as much as it was about me coming into myself, owning that I allowed myself to not only feel what I felt but then to do something about what I felt. And then to love her enough — and myself enough — to be able to share our truth with the world.”
Labels and declarations of identity were secondary to that which was most important: Nash wanting to feel like she had the freedom to hold the hand of the person she loves while buying groceries at the store.
Nash and Betts got engaged in the middle of July 2020, and six weeks later, after everyone was virus tested, they were married in front of 24 friends and family members. Now it was time to tell the world.
“I don’t want to be outside walking down a street somewhere with this lovely thing and [have] somebody tell my story,” Nash says. “Like, ‘Oh, I saw Niecy Nash with a woman down at the Piggly Wiggly.’”
Two days after exchanging vows, Nash posted a photo of the two from the ceremony on Instagram, alongside the caption “Mrs. Carol Denise Betts” and the hashtag #LoveWins.
Describing what led up to that moment, the women adorably rush to finish each other’s sentences. Nash recalls, “I could not wait to just—” and Betts offers “love you.”
Nash clarifies, “Love you out loud. I couldn’t wait.”
Still, Nash acknowledged, making the leap to coming out about the relationship was scary. “I cried about it. I prayed about it. And then once we posted that picture...I felt so free.”
“We jumped,” Betts adds.
“We jumped,” Nash echoes. “We jumped off the cliff and I felt so free.”
Amid a global pandemic, during a summer that included wildfires of biblical proportion, foreign insects nicknamed “murder hornets,” and a social justice reckoning where “Black Lives Matter” became an overdue rallying cry chanted across the globe, the news of their matrimony landed on the internet with the force of an earthquake. This celebration of Black queer love rippled and arrived just when we needed it most. Whether we were stuck on the frontlines, or inside and living our lives entirely online, Nash’s love story provided a rare glimmer of hope during a year of endless trauma.
In some ways, it was a remarkable step: a major Black TV star coming out about her relationship with another Black woman, also a performer. In other ways, it was completely mundane. They were just a couple announcing their love and their marriage to the world.
“We do what we do,” Betts explains. “We love each other. And it’s bringing normalcy to a place that people still at this day and time feel really uncomfortable with. And we don’t feel uncomfortable at all.”
are also working together, with Betts appearing alongside Nash as the latter hosts the reboot of Don't Forget the Lyrics! for the 2021-2022 season on Fox.
Get more at The Advocate!
#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey’s Daughter Noelle Robinson Reveals Brief Gig On Bravo Show Got Her FIRED From Restaurant Job!
REAL Housewives Of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey’s daughter, Noelle Robinson, revealed she was FIRED from a job due to her brief stint on the reality show.
The 21-year-old content creator joined other children of famous Bravo personalities for a first-ever Housewives Kids special on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
She was joined by several other kids from the franchise, including Riley - daughter of RHOA’s Kandi Burruss and Avery, who’s mom is RHONY’s Ramona Singer.
When asked about the biggest downfalls the Bravo kids have dealt with due to their mom’s fame, Noelle revealed it led to her being axed from a job.
The LA based model told Andy: “It definitely made my experience a lot different and harder for me socially.
“People assume you’re boogie or stuck up and that’s just really not true. I definitely think it made it harder for me at college.
“I actually got fired from the hob because [fans] were noticing me.
“They were like, ‘We don’t want people noticing you at the job. That’s not what it’s about,'” she shared.
Noelle said that the establishment she was let go from was celebrity hotspot Nobu - a popular seafood restaurant.
She has been featured on Real Housewives Of Atlanta since her mom, Cynthia, 54, joined the series in 2010 with her then-husband, Peter Thomas.
The show followed Noelle’s journey to attend Howard University in Washington D.C. in 2018.
However, Noelle revealed last year that she was not heading back to college as she moved to Los Angeles to pursue modeling.
She opened up about the decision previously, telling her YouTube subscribers: “I really did not like college, guys.
“Like, I had my best moments with people at college, but just being on campus, I didn’t really have a best moment.
"I just had moments where I was not having a bad moment, if that makes sense. Keep in mind, guys, I was homeschooled for the last two years of high school and I took a gap year, so I was not ready for college at all.
“From a social standpoint, an academic standpoint, I kinda just got the carpet ripped from underneath me,” she revealed.
She has focused her career on modeling and digital content creationCredit: Instagram/Noelle Robinson
The covergirl continued: “I just felt like I could only just go to school there, and not be able to pursue my passions.
“As far as academically, I just felt like I was studying a lot of things that I wasn’t passionate about, that I knew I wasn’t going to use in my career.
“I felt myself feeling emotionally, kind of like, drained. My mom didn’t go to college and my dad didn’t go to college, either, and they’re very successful.
“I was just like, let me see if there is another option, because there are so many other ways to make money, like now.
“There’s just so many ways to make money now without a college degree.”
Noelle was featured during this past season of the Bravo series as her mom wed her second husband, Mike Hill, in an extravagant Georgia ceremony.
#NewMusic from Dawkins & Dawkins – ‘In My Feelings’!
Dawkins & Dawkins have released their brand new single “In My Feelings”. The song is the lead single off their upcoming album “Never Gets Old”. The project will have everything we love about the duo as they’ve been putting out quality music in the gospel world for decades now. The project will also have an R&B feel to it as they continue to create music that will inspire people.
LISTEN
Many may not realize that Eric Dawkins has also been one of the most successful R&B producers over the last twenty years producing hits for Omarion, Marques Houston and Tank.
#HipHopNews: Swizz Beatz And Timbaland Announce Verzuz Rematch!
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland are going back to where it all began. The super-producers will once again face off in a Verzuz battle this Memorial Day weekend. Their “rematch,” which was teased back in March, will take place live at Miami nightclub LIV on Sunday, May 30, as part of what’s being called the “new Verzuz Live.” It’s unclear what that means exactly since Verzuz is always live, but it could involve a live audience. The hashtag #VerzuzLive is also being used to promote the matchup.
The series launched at the start of the pandemic on March 24, 2020 with Swizz and Timbaland battling it out on Instagram Live in the first-ever Verzuz, which would mark the beginning of a cultural phenomenon.
Since its inception over one year ago, Verzuz has featured powerhouse pairings between DMX and Snoop Dogg, Brandy and Monica, Jeezy and Gucci Mane, and Ashanti and Keyshia Cole. In March, the Verzuz co-creators sold the platform to Triller for an undisclosed amount, while allocating a portion of their equity to all 43 performers who appeared on Verzuz to date.
Xscape and SWV most recently appeared on the platform, while Soulja Boy and Bow Wow announced that they will go head-to-head in an upcoming Verzuz battle.
The Verzuz rematch with Swizz and Timbaland will stream live on Sunday, May 30, at 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST on Instagram and the Triller app.
White Woman Hit 2 Black protesters in North Carolina, Has Been Charged!
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (AP) — Police in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, say two women were hit by a car while peacefully protesting a police killing.
Police say Michelle Morris and Valerie Lindsey were treated at a hospital Monday night after being hit by a car driven by Lisa O’Quinn of Greenville.
The protesters are Black and O’Quinn is white.
O’Quinn was jailed on charges including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill by the use of a motor vehicle.
Police are also reviewing the case as a potential hate crime.
Her first appearance is Thursday.
The women were protesting the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr.
Kim Kardashian Sued By Staff-Claims The Vendors Are Responsible
Kim Kardashian is facing a lawsuit from some members of her staff. It was previously reported that the reality star’s employees were considering their legal options against her over work conditions and unpaid wages. Now, they’ve taken the next steps as they seek damages and other penalties in their lawsuit.
The maintenance and cleaning crew have joined forces and are alleging they weren’t paid for time worked and that meal and rest breaks weren’t provided. They also claim other job-related expenses weren’t covered and there was no system to record their work hours. They allege they weren’t given pay stubs and were not paid on a regular schedule.
According to legal documentation acquired by TMZ, seven staff members who worked for Kim Kardashian at her Hidden Hills property, are claiming they were told upon hire they were full-time employees but were treated as independent contractors instead, and allegedly manipulated out of receiving employee benefits.
Kim Kardashian‘s rep told TMZ she hired a third-party vendor for ongoing maintenance and cleaning services and isn’t privy to the agreement made between the vendor and the employees they hired. Kim’s rep commented:
“She is not responsible for how the vendor manages their business and the agreements they have made directly with their staff.”
The rep added:
“Kim has never not paid a vendor for their services and hopes that the issue between these workers and the vendor who hired them can be amicably resolved soon.”
One source close to the Kardashian family said,
“Kim’s never missed a cellphone bill payment, let alone payment for workers at her home.”
Do you think Kim Kardashian should be held responsible?
Marlon Wayans Opens Up About ‘Scary Movie’ Franchise: “We Didn’t Walk Away From Our Franchise, Them N*ggas Took It”!
With the release of the highly popular “Scary Movie,” Marlon Wayans and his uber-talented family cemented the Wayans name in Hollywood.
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The film, which was released in July 2000, spawned a whole franchise parodying classic horror films. However, the Wayans family was notably absent from the third and fourth sequels after the first two film installments.
According to Marlon, his family’s lack of continued involvement with the films stemmed from sour deals with Dimension Films, a division of Miramax Films, which is owned by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein. Marlon opened up on what he claims contributed to his family’s exit from the movies when speaking with Kevin Hart on the “Comedy Gold Minds” podcast.
He explained, “We didn’t walk away from a franchise; they didn’t want to make our deal, so they snatched it.” Marlon and his brother Shawn appeared in the first two films, directed by their eldest brother Keenan Wayans.
“They was like, they just did, Weinstein did some really terrible, like rape and pillage villages type of business,” he elaborated. “That’s just the way they did their business, so it wasn’t that we, we ever walked away from our franchise that we created, it was taken and us being the creatives that we are was like ‘alright, bet. F*ck you, now watch what I create.’”
According to IMDB, the first film had a budget of $19 million but grossed more than $270 million at the global box office. A year later, the Wayans family spent an estimated $45 million on the sequel. The film was a commercial and critical success for the parody genre, grossing about $141 million worldwide.
Despite the laughs and profits, Marlon clarified that his family’s relationship with The Weinstein Company had deteriorated.
“The second one they rushed us into, and by the third one, they didn’t want to pay the money, so they snatched it. We found out on Christmas that they hired somebody else to go do it, like n*gga write a book about this sh*t,” he said. “You can take that, we probably should sue for hundreds of millions of dollars because they probably owe us a sh*t load of money, and maybe one day we will, but that, we didn’t walk away from our franchise, them n*ggas took it.”
Atlanta Restaurant Le Bilboquet Issues Apology To Hawks Legend Dominque Wilkins After He Was Refused Service!
ATLANTA — An NBA Hall of Famer who spent most of his career with the Atlanta Hawks says he was refused service restaurant at a Buckhead restaurant known for its French Bistro style food.
Hawks legend and broadcaster Dominique Wilkins posted on Twitter Saturday that he’d been turned away from grabbing a meal at Le Bilboquet restaurant in the “Shops of Buckhead” plaza. Wilkins posted a photo on Twitter and said the restaurant denied him service.
Wilkins believes he was turned away due to the color of his skin.
The restaurant was made aware of the post later in the day and posted a response stating:
“We do our best to accommodate all of our guests. We have a “business casual” dress code which includes jeans & sneakers but prohibits athletic clothing including sweat pants & tops. The definition of “casual” is ever evolving, we strive to maintain our policy requirements daily.”
Later Sunday, the restaurant issued a new statement apologizing to Wilkins, reading:
“We want to apologize to Mr. Wilkins for his experience at our restaurant and also for any confusion our dress code may have caused. We in no way intended for him to feel unwanted, and welcome an open dialogue with him. Our upscale dining experience and our brand’s culture is made up of multiple elements, which include our music, our food and our patrons’ attire. We continue to strive to manifest our dining experience in a way that is exciting and most importantly, inclusive.”
The original statement has since been removed.
Wilkins did add later in the day that he wouldn’t have had an issue if they had said there were no tables available at the restaurant. He added that restaurant staffers looked him “up and down” and told him the clothes he was wearing were not appropriate.
Wilkins says he was wearing “designer casual pants and a shirt.”
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden talked the the restaurant’s general manager, Mark Hoefer, who said that Wilkins’ race had nothing to do with the situation.
“Just to be clear, this had nothing to do with the color of his skin,” Hoefer said. “Oh God no. If anything, I wish I could speak with him personally and speak to him myself. It had nothing to do with the color of his skin.”
The restaurant’s dress code online says hats, flip flops, seat pants and athletic attire is too informal to eat there.
“He is revered and loved in this town for all of the right reasons, and that I have for years counted myself as one of those people who does revere and respect and care for him. And I just want a chance to show that to him in person,” Hoefer said.
Celebrities who live in Atlanta quickly jumped in to blast the restaurant on social media.
“How y’all mistreat NIQUE?” Rapper Killer Mike wrote.
“Dominique is ATLANTA royalty!!” Deion Sanders wrote. “How can this happen?”
'American Idol' winner Chayce Beckham says it 'broke' his heart to beat Willie Spence!
Chayce Beckham's American Idol win Sunday night was, of course, thrilling and happy. But it was also complicated, because it meant his friend, fellow contestant Willie Spence, had lost.
So the moment Beckham was named the winner was "bittersweet," he told Access.
“Because Willie, that’s my man, dude. That’s my boy right there," Beckham said. "Like, I love Willie. We hang out outside of the competition, you know, we’re tight."
Beckham explained that he had shared an exchange with Spence as they made their way to the Idol stage for the last time together.
"So when we was walking up there, I told him, I said, ‘Man, I hope you win. I just really, from the bottom of my heart, I just hope you take this home, dude, and … it broke my heart a little bit that it wasn’t him, because, I mean, you see these people work so hard and put in so much hard work, and they deserve it, man. They all deserve it."
The two faced one other competitor, Grace Kinstler, in the final round. After Kinstler was eliminated early in the show, just Beckham and Spence remained. Before host Ryan Seacrest announced the results, the men exchanged "I love yous." And Beckham added, "The bond that we have, it's gonna last forever, I already know. Either way, we're good." When Beckham's name was called, Spence gave a him a big hug.
Beckham said watching clips of Spence's journey on the show before he left — an Idol tradition — was tough.
"Seeing him sit there on the soundstage and watching his momma cry while she’s hugging him," Beckham said, "I had to stop watching it, because I get emotional."
Beckham said he would have been in tears except for the fact that he knew he had to hold it together enough for one last performance.
"I had to stop watching it, because it was so pulling on me," he said.
Both men's families were instrumental to their time on the reality competition.
Beckham reiterated that he tried out for American Idol for his family, which he is more grateful for than ever, after they helped him through struggles with alcohol and drugs, which led to a nearly fatal car wreck, before the show.
"It wasn't my decision to do this. It was my family's. They believed in me enough to think that I could do this, let alone win it.You know, I think we're all caught off guard a little bit! My family, they thought I would do good. I don't think they thought I would come here and win the damn thing."
Here’s some news about Ricki Lake’s engagement ring from Ross Burningham!
It appears Ross Burningham spared no expense when it came to selecting fiancée Ricki Lake’s engagement ring.
On Monday, three months after she and Burningham announced their engagement, Lake showed off her dazzling ring on Instagram.
The piece, which had Lake grinning from ear to ear in the pic, could be worth six figures.
“Her diamond appears to be 4 carats and I’d estimate the value to be around $100,000, but possibly more depending on the quality of the stone,” Mike Fried, the CEO of The Diamond Pro, said Tuesday in a statement.
Lake’s ring also appears to feature either a “princess cut, Asscher cut or cushion cut,” per Fried, setting the stone apart from “the round- and emerald-cut diamonds we’ve been seeing so far from celebrities in 2021.“
Shannon Delany-Ron, the CMO of JamesAllen.com, also told Page Six Style on Tuesday that she believes Lake’s stunning rock is either an Asscher- or princess-cut stone, weighing in at around 3 carats and flanked by tapered baguettes.
“I’d estimate this to be roughly $50,000 to $75,000,” Delany-Ron said.
Kathryn Money, the SVP of Merchandising and Retail at Brilliant Earth, also estimated that Lake’s ring was in the “$50,000 to $80,000” ballpark.
Lake and Burningham, seen here in March, announced their engagement in February 2021.
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As for Lake, the 52-year-old star is looking forward to celebrating the next chapter with Burningham by her side.
“He is wonderful,” Lake said during a February appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.”
“Everyone in my life who has met him just gets it. We’re great together.”
Lake also revealed during her Q&A with Cohen, 52, that Burningham had proposed while she was in her birthday suit.
“I was naked in the Jacuzzi with my man on the first night that we’re in my new Malibu home,” she recalled. “So it was romantic. It was very spontaneous and I couldn’t be happier.”
Lake was previously married to Rob Sussman — with whom she shares sons Milo, 24, and Owen, 19 — from 1994 to 2004.
She was later married to Christian Evans from 2012 to 2015. Evans died by suicide in 2017 following a lifelong battle with bipolar disorder.
Gabrielle Union Sets the Record Straight About Kaavia’s $3,000 Designer Bag Following Backlash!
Gabrielle Union is clearing up some confusion regarding her daughter’s first designer purse.
Last week, Union uploaded another adorable video of her daughter, Kaavia James, on TikTok, this time showing her reaction to the 2-year-old opening up a gift. When she unboxed the item and found out it was a purse, a Valentino purse to be exact, she let out the cutest gasp and started walking around with it on her shoulder.
Gabrielle Union explains how her daughter received a Valentino purse. (Photo: @gabunion/Instagram)
While the video generated over 383,000 likes and 2,000 comments, there were a few watchers who had an issue with the video. One person, who kept their identity hidden, wrote, “too expensive for a toddler. They are not materialistic like parents.” Another anonymous critic said, “if she doesn’t know what it is or how 2 spell it then she shouldn’t have it.”
It seems Union saw some of the commotion going on in the comments and decided to address it on the red carpet at the 2021 Billboard Awards on Sunday, May 24. The “Bring It On” star explained to “Entertainment Tonight” that “Valentino was kind enough to send us mommy-and-daughter matching bags. So for everyone who thought I bought my child a $3,000-plus bag when she can’t poop in the potty on her own, um, no. But thank you to Valentino.”
But for the fans that watched and enjoyed the video, Union informed them that her daughter loves the purse so much that “she’s been literally sleeping with it.” After seeing her purse, Union asked her daughter if she was going to sleep with it and the toddler said “yea” and proceeded to lay on the floor and snuggle up to it.
Union, who was a presenter at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, also divulged to ET that her daughter approved of her beautiful look for the event. She wore an eye-catching white, low-cut Prada gown, while her hair was styled in an updo. According to the 48-year-old, Kaavia more than just approved of the look. She said, “She thought I looked very pretty. She was like, ‘white dress.’ And I was like, ‘good?’ And she was like, ‘You look pretty, Mommy.’ ”
Union added, “It felt so good just to get out of the house. You know, there were a couple tears from Kaav at the door. She’s like, ‘Have fun, Mom.
Ice Cube’s Close Producer Sir Jinx Sues Rapper for Unpaid Royalties!
Ice Cube has a legal battle on his hand with one of his closest collaborators.
TMZ reported on Monday that producer Sir Jinx has filed a lawsuit against Cube for unpaid royalties related to production work he’s done for the rapper. According to legal documents, Jinx claims to have produced up to 28 songs for Ice Cube that were released dating back to Cube’s 1990 debut album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. Yet, it wasn’t until 2019 that he realized he wasn’t getting the amount in royalties that he deserved.
Jinx claims that the lawsuit is his last option. He reportedly tried to reach out to Cube to rectify the situation, but Jinx claims that Cube refused to play ball. Now he’s asking a judge to award him damages that are more than $100,000 for his work on classic tracks like “No Vaseline,” “True to the Game,” “The Bomb,” “It’s a Man’s World,” “The Funeral,” and more.
Ice Cube—who famously left NWA due to mismanagement of funds—has not publicly responded to Jinx’s lawsuit. However, a source close to the rapper told TMZ that the lawsuit is unnecessary since Cube has loaned Jinx money multiple times over the years that the producer has not paid back.
Kanye West’s Yeezy Gap Line To Launch By End Of June!
Yeezy Gap is coming. A year after announcing the partnership, Kanye West’s first Gap collection may be finally arriving in stores next month.
According to a report from Business of Fashion, Gap’s Yeezy line is on track to launch by the end of June, with the hopes that it will revive the retailer’s sagging sales. More details surrounding the launch could be revealed on May 27 when Gap Inc. holds its Q1 2021 earnings call.
In June 2020, Kanye announced his longterm partnership with Gap, which will include men, women, and children’s clothing designed by West.
Kanye previously shared a sneak peek of what the colorful collection may include. One fitting from last July showed vibrant-colored hoodies, tie-dyed shorts, and neon tank tops.
The Gap partnership marks a “full circle” moment for Kanye, who worked at the clothing retailer as a teenager in Chicago. “We are excited to welcome Kanye back to the Gap family as a creative visionary, building on the aesthetic and success of his YEEZY brand and together defining a next-level retail partnership,” Mark Breitbard, Global Head of Gap Brand, said when the deal was announced.
Gap is betting big on Yeezy. Bloomberg reports that the 10-year partnership “could be worth as much as $970 million” and that the line is expected “to break $150 million in sales in its first full year in 2022.”
NBA explains decision to not penalize LeBron James for violating league's health and safety protocols!
Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James violated the NBA's health and safety protocols, but was not suspended for doing so ahead of his first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. James attended a promotional event earlier in the week for Lobos 1707, a tequila brand that he backs, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. This event took place before the Lakers played against the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament. The league and the Lakers were made aware of the situation, but James has not been suspended since the event didn't rise to a threat level of virus spread. The league explained as much in a press release Monday.
"To clarify any remaining misconception, LeBron James briefly attended an outdoor event last week where participants were required to be vaccinated or return a negative test result. Under these circumstances and in consultation with medical experts, it was determined that his attendance did not create risks related to the spread of COVID-19 and therefore no quarantine was necessary. Over the course of this season, there have been numerous similar violations of the league's Health and Safety Protocols, which were addressed with the player's team in a similar fashion.
Under current NBA rules, vaccinated players are permitted to engage in outside activities including their individual commercial arrangements, such as sponsor appearances or ad shoots."
Health and safety protocol violations this season can lead to absences as long as 14 days. Teammate Dennis Schroder, who recently confirmed that he has not been vaccinated, missed seven games due to those protocols.
The event in question took place outside and required proof of either vaccination or a recent negative test. James has not confirmed whether or not he has been vaccinated, and when asked in March, said "That's a conversation my family and I will have," before adding "I'll keep that to a private thing."
As McMenamin points out in his story, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Friday that the Lakers roster had not yet reached the 85 percent vaccination threshold necessary to earn extra freedoms within the protocols. The Lakers would need 15 of their 17 players vaccinated to get there, so at least one player aside from Schroder must not be vaccinated. The Lakers kicked off their first-round series against the Suns on Sunday, and James played in that game. This event will not impact his availability moving forward.
Dylann Roof Appealing Both His Conviction And Death Sentence!
The man sitting on federal death row for murdering nine Black South Carolina church members is appealing both his conviction and death sentence.
The Associated Press reports oral arguments in Dylann Roof’s case are scheduled for Tuesday in front of a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Virginia.
Roof became the first individual in the United States sentenced to death for a federal hate crime in 2017. He was arrested for opening fire during the closing prayer of a Bible study session at Charleston’s Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in 2015. Roof was 21-years-old at the time.
In the appellate brief, Roof’s attorneys argued that his case is remanded back to court for a “proper competency evaluation.”
“The federal trial that resulted in his death sentence departed so far from the standard required when the government seeks the ultimate price that it cannot be affirmed,” they wrote. Their argument centered around the fact that Roof represented himself as a result of his mental illness. They claim this prevented him from hiring effective counsel.
Before his trial and again before his sentencing, Judge Richard Gergel held competency hearings to determine if Roof could act as his own attorney. His appellate counsel claims that during sentencing, Roof successfully prevented jurors from hearing mitigating evidence about his mental health, “under the delusion he would be rescued from prison by white-nationalists — but only, bizarrely, if he kept his mental impairments out of the public record.”
Roof was sentenced to nine consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty in 2017 to state murder charges following his federal trial.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
DRAGON MAN
Meet Ron. Absentee Step-Father of Dragons.
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