Usher Partners with Rémy Martin for a Taste of Passion
Usher partners with Rémy Martin, the creator of cognac-fine champagne, and launches a new campaign entitled Usher x Rémy Martin 1738: A Taste of Passion. The collaboration includes a special limited-edition bottle and NFT inspired by A.I. integrated technology. The Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal bottle, Usher x 1738 A.I. Powered, has a modern bottle design and coincides with the launch of A Taste of Passion Experience. This multi-sensory, interactive experience will accompany Usher’s My Way residency in Las Vegas.
For “Usher x 1738 A.I. Powered,” the musician employs his musical lexicon to describe the taste of Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal. The use of Generative Adversarial Neural Networks and Contrastive Language-image Pretraining, artificial intelligence technologies, results in the portrayal of taste notes that translate Usher’s words into artwork, making the unseen visible.
“I’m an artist at my core, so transforming an abstract sensory experience like taste into something visual really spoke to my creative process,” comments Usher. “I leaned into the exemplary Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal that flowed through me and am so impressed by the visuals that came out of the A.I. process – they truly represent the medley of tasting notes captured in the flavor. It’s rewarding to see those words translate to real-world artwork that my fans can engage with while bringing taste front-and-center.”
Usher x Rémy Martin Limited-edition Bottle Artwork. Photo Credit: Rémy Martin
The Usher x Rémy Martin collaboration produced 50 limited-edition bottles. 25 Usher x 1738: A.I. Powered limited-edition bottles will be available on BlockBar.com, the first direct-to-consumer NFT marketplace for premium wines and spirits.
A still from Rémy Martin’s new advertising campaign starring Usher. Photo Credit: Rémy Martin
The exclusive collaboration drops at 10 AM EST Friday, July 29, 2022. Each NFT costs a suggested retail of $500 in ETH or credit card. First-time bottle-reservers get 10 minutes to check out at 10 AM.
Users who successfully check out get an NFT verifying ownership of the physical bottle, which BlockBar stores until redemption, beginning October 2022. Usher and his staff will get the remaining 25 bottles to honor My Way’s 25th anniversary.
Usher Rémy Martin Campaign Still 2022 Taste of Passion
Usher puts on a show for the new Rémy Martin campaign. Photo Credit: Rémy Martin
“For nearly 300 years, excellence has been at the core of Rémy Martin, and through this partnership we’ve reached an incredible milestone, where we see brilliance breakthrough at the intersection of art, fine cognac, and technology,” shares Amaury Vinclet, Global Executive Director of Rémy Martin.
Vinclet explains, “As a brand that has been a long-time collaborator with Usher and shares the same values, we are proud to have him launch the first limited-edition bottle design for Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal. This bottle is a first for the spirits industry in how the technology was used and gives spirits aficionados and Usher fans alike a rare collectible they’ll treasure forever.”
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Has a Lot of Opinions About Sanya Richards-Ross’ House
On the July 31 episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Sanya Richards-Ross was excited to have her castmates over to her house for the first time. Of course, the ladies were quick to weigh in on the home. (Press play on the clip above to get a full tour of Sanya’s pad.)
“Oh, this is such a pretty home,” Marlo Hampton said. However, Drew Sidora quipped in an interview, “I should have booked a flight, a helicopter, a train [to get there]. She is not in Atlanta.”
Among the group, Sanya sought out one person in particular for her opinion. “Kenya [Moore] loves home decor,” Sanya said in an interview. “So I would love for her to look around and kind of give me some ideas.”
Unsurprisingly, Kenya didn’t hold back her thoughts. “I love the neighborhood, [but] I mean, I had to pack a small lunch to get here,” she quipped when she arrived. While taking a look around, she noted, “I love the patterned rug. You have to get a real tree, though. No fake trees.”
After Sanya asked for Kenya’s opinion on her wall color, Kenya admitted, “I don’t like the gray,” and offered, “I think what you need is more, like, grandeur. Draperies here, get rid of the shutters.”
#MusicNews: Kelis Responds After Beyoncé Removes 'Milkshake' Sample From 'Renaissance'
Kelis is not shedding any tears after Beyoncé pulled her sample from Renaissance.
The “Milkshake” singer responded to a series of comments left by the BeyHive on her Instagram page in which she expressed her happiness over the removal of her 2003 hit, which was featured on “Energy.”
“You happy Beyoncé took that sample off?? Cry baby,” asked one fan to which Kelis responded, “Yes I am actually. lol nobody cried.”
Another fan wrote, “Tbh I would have just been happy to be on the album.” Kelis clapped back, “And that’s why you are you and Thank God I am me lol.”
When someone told the professional chef that she can “go back to BBQ sauce,” she laughed, “Oh absolutely lol #winning.”
A new version of “Energy” without the “Milkshake” interpolation was uploaded to Spotify and TIDAL just days after Kelis slammed Beyoncé for not informing her of the sample.
“My mind is blown too because the level of disrespect and utter ignorance of all 3 parties involved is astounding,” Kelis wrote while calling it an act of “theft.”
Bey’s “Energy” sample was credited to “Milkshake’s” producers, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are no longer credited. A fan pointed out that Kelis’ goal may have been accomplished by having Pharrell and Chad removed, meaning no one will get paid off the sample.
“Well it did make a difference. Pharrell’s credit is gone = no more coins from that song,” wrote one person, prompting Kelis to respond, “Perfect.”
Kelis has had a tumultuous relationship with The Neptunes. She previously accused Pharrell and Chad of stealing the profits and publishing from her first two albums, Kaleidoscope and Wanderland.
#HipHopNews: Rick Ross Upset After Being Denied Entry Into Buckingham Palace
Rick Ross has aired his grievances against London’s Buckingham Palace after the royal residence denied him entry.
“Alright so y’all saw me go to Buckingham Palace,” Rozay said on his Instagram Story after sharing a clip of him arriving outside the gates of the palace. “I pulled the homie to the side and told him you know, who I was, the Biggest Bawse. And for one of the first times in a long time that didn’t get me in. It didn’t get me through the gates.”
However, all was forgiven after the person Rozay spoke to directed him to a luxurious local food spot instead.
“I didn’t get to sit at the table,” Ross explained, “but what he did do was refer me to a spot and they said they’d be waiting on me and I can pick the lobster I wanted to eat so I forgave him.”
Rick Ross was in London linking up with some of the Black Bottle Boys, including DJ Jonezy and XO Man, and hosted an event to celebrate his Luc Belaire Global Brand Ambassadors.
“Want to thank all of our @officialbelaire GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADORS #BELAIREUK for an amazing event and growing closer to greatness!” Rozay wrote on Instagram. “Here’s a few images while in London with some hustlers & pls TAG everyone you recognize in the pics & Now’s the time to join the click.. follow everyone TAG’D.”
While Rozay didn’t gain VIP access to Buckingham Palace, it’s true the MMG mogul is quite used to “getting a seat at the table” as he put it. According to him, he’s always worked amicably with his business partners and recently said he’s never been brought to, or had to take, anyone to court.
“You gotta realize when you a young artist I’m sure after you become successful whatever you look back on you will consider it a bad contract,” Rick Ross said during an interview with the Beyond The Chair podcast.
He continued: “Have I ever been taken advantage of? No. Have I ever been robbed? No. Have I ever had to sue someone I was in business with musically? No.”
“It was just the way I moved I guess. Whoever I was in the contract with we always had an open phone conversation, so if there was anything that was a problem I presented it and just explain it to me. If it’s respectable I’m gonna respect it because I always felt like any contract I signed whatever couple years it was I could work myself out of this.”
NFL appeal opens the possibility for a longer suspension for Browns QB Deshaun Watson
The NFL is appealing a disciplinary officer's decision to suspend Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for six games for violating the league's personal conduct policy, giving Commissioner Roger Goodell or someone he designates authority to impose a stiffer penalty.
Former federal judge Sue L. Robinson issued her ruling Monday after Watson was accused by two dozen women in Texas of sexual misconduct during massage treatments while he played for the Houston Texans.
In her 16-page report, Robinson described Watson's behavior as "more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL."
Robinson's punishment — in her first case since being jointly appointed by the league and NFL Players Association — fell well short of the indefinite suspension of at least one year sought by the league.
So, the NFL on Wednesday exercised its right to appeal, per the collective bargaining agreement.
The players' union has until the end of business Friday to respond in writing. The union could challenge the appeal ruling in federal court, setting the stage for a prolonged fight.
This is the first time since the new collective bargaining agreement was signed in 2020 that the league and the NFLPA turned to a jointly appointed disciplinary officer to determine violations of the personal conduct policy. In the past, Goodell has served as judge and jury to impose penalties on players.
By appealing, the NFL is giving that power back to Goodell, who can chose another person to levy any punishment.
A league official told The Associated Press before Watson's three-day disciplinary hearing concluded in June that the NFL wanted to avoid an appeal.
But the league proceeded with one amid a backlash from some fans. Other factors include Watson's lack of remorse, which Robinson noted in her report.
The NFL argued for an unprecedented punishment and wanted to fine Watson at least $5 million, a person familiar with the discussions told the AP on condition of anonymity because the hearing was private.
Watson, who played four seasons with the Texans before sitting out last season and then being traded to Cleveland in March, recently settled 23 of 24 lawsuits filed by the women who alleged sexual harassment or assault during massage treatments in 2020 and 2021. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints brought by 10 of the women.
Robinson concluded that Watson violated three provisions of the personal conduct policy: sexual assault; conduct posing a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person; and conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL.
She declined to suspend Watson for a full year based on precedents and the league's current policy. But Robinson concluded a longer suspension could be justified if it was already outlined in the personal conduct policy.
"While it may be entirely appropriate to more severely discipline players for non-violent sexual conduct, I do not believe it is appropriate to do so without notice of the extraordinary change this position portends for the NFL and its players," Robinson wrote in her report.
Watson has continued to practice with the Browns while awaiting resolution to his case, which has raised questions about the league's handling of off-field player behavior, inconsistencies in its personal conduct policy and its overall support of women.
The Browns have been in a state of limbo as well, not knowing when or if Watson will be able to play this season.
Cleveland traded three first-round picks to Houston for the three-time Pro Bowl QB and signed him to a five-year, $230 million contract.
Watson will lose only $345,000 if the suspension is unchanged because his base salary this season is $1.035 million.
The Kid Mero Addresses ‘Desus & Mero’ Split: We’ve Wanted To Pursue Separate Interests For Over A Year
The Kid Mero, otherwise known as Joel Martinez, has addressed the end of Desus & Mero, declaring that the pair have wanted to pursue separate interests for over a year.
It comes after he split with his late-night partner Desus Nice, otherwise known as Daniel Baker, and ended their Showtime series.
There have been reports that the pair separated over issues relating to their manager Victor Lopez and his involvement with their Showtime series.
Mero says the move has been in the works for some time and they signed separate overall agreements to allow them to work on their own projects. He didn’t, however, specify who the overall deals were with.
Speaking on the SiriusXM Basic! podcast, co-hosted by former MTV exec Doug Herzog and Jen Chaney, he said, “Desus and I had discussed pursuing separate interests over a year prior to the show coming to an end and that conversation solidified us in signing overall agreements that recognized our intent to operate independent of one another.
He said it wouldn’t have been the same to force a partnership “that’s coming to a natural end”.
He admitted that it was a hard decision and the intent was to go their own ways in a “supportive” way.
“At the end of the day, when things are winding down you got to recognize that they are winding down and not supermax Patrick Ewing when he has two [knee pads] and his career is coming to a close,” he added.
Mero starred in Oz Rodriguez’s Netflix comedy film Vampires vs. the Bronx and appeared in ESPN’s Derek Jeter documentary The Captain, said that he planned to focus on writing. “I started writing so [I want to] dig a lot more into that, features, series, books, I want to get into all of that,” he said.
During the podcast, he talked up Lopez’s role in his career, which went from writing music reviews for Vice’s Noisey to working at Complex, starting a podcast with Desus, and appearing on MTV’s Guy Code before getting their own Viceland and Showtime shows.
He added that his family also supported him. “That’s why my feet are firmly planted on the ground, I surround myself with good people and I don’t get sucked in to that industry vortex, that’s hyper important if you want to have longevity in entertainment,” he added.
Chrissy Teigen is pregnant, announces baby with husband John Legend
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend are officially expecting! The news comes nearly two years since the pair lost their son, Jack, in September 2020. Teigen says she is “feeling hopeful and amazing.”
“The last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again. 1 billion shots later (in the leg lately, as u can see!) We have another on the way,” said the 36-year-old in an Instagram post accompanied by a photo of her growing baby bump. “Every appointment I’ve said to myself, ‘Ok if it’s healthy today I’ll announce’ but then I breathe a sigh of relief to hear a heartbeat and decide I’m just too nervous still. I don’t think I’ll ever walk out of an appointment with more excitement than nerves but so far, everything is perfect and beautiful and I’m feeling hopeful and amazing. Ok phew it’s been very hard keeping this in for so long!”
In February, the “Lip Sync Battle” co-host shared that she and her EGOT award-winning husband, John Legend, were attempting to conceive another baby.
“Here we go again,” she shared via an Instagram Story. I honestly don’t mind the shots, they make me feel like a doctor/chemist but the bloating is a bitch, so I humbly beg you to stop asking if I’m pregnant because while I know it’s said with excited, good intentions, it just kind of sucks to hear because I am the opposite of pregnant!”
After suffering a pregnancy loss due to partial placenta abruption, Teigen shared a message on social media with the hopes of encouraging others who may be going through a similar experience.
“I knew I needed to know of this moment forever, the same way I needed to remember us kissing at the end of the aisle, the same way I needed to remember our tears of joy after Luna and Miles,” she wrote in a caption. “And I absolutely knew I needed to share this story. I cannot express how little I care that you hate the photos. How little I care that it’s something you wouldn’t have done. … These photos are only for the people who need them.”
The Man who killed Nicki Minaj’s dad in hit-and-run gets 1 year in jail
On Feb. 12, 2021, Nicki Minaj’s dad Robert Maraj was struck by a car during a hit-and-run accident. At the time he was crossing a road in Mineola, New York. The 64-year-old father died from his injuries the following day. A week later, Nassau County Police arrested 70-year-old Charles Polevich in connection to the crime.
Minaj broke her silence a short time after with a touching message on her personal website. “I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life. I find myself wanting to call him all the time. More so now that he’s gone,” Minaj wrote. “May his soul rest in paradise. He was very loved & will be very missed.”
Today (Aug. 3), TMZ announced that Polevich has received one year in prison for his role in Maraj’s death. According to the outlet, the driver was facing seven years behind bars, however, Judge Howard Sturim ruled Polevich will serve no more than a year in prison. After Maraj’s death, officials charged Polevich for leaving the scene of an accident. He also received charges for tampering with evidence. Authorities say he hid his 1992 Volvo station wagon in a detached garage after the accident.
In March 2021, Minaj’s mother Carol Maraj filed a civil lawsuit against Polevich. The family hired attorneys Paul Napoli and Benjamin Crump and sought $150 million in the suit. “Paul Napoli and I have filed a $150 million lawsuit in the hit-and-run death of Robert Maraj, [Nicki Minaj’s] father,” Crump tweeted. “Charles Polevich was not only irresponsible [and] negligent in hitting Maraj, but was more concerned about running away and hiding than seeking help.”
Polevich’s lawyer Marc C. Gann responded to the civil suit, saying, “Mr. Polevich has expressed empathy and condolences to the Maraj family. While the civil suit is not unexpected, the criminal charges pending against Mr. Polevich have no bearing on the civil case. It has yet to be determined whether there was any negligence involved in the accident or the degrees of any negligence. I will add that the amount demanded is shocking, to say the least, and I don’t believe is in any way reasonable.”
The Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘Ironheart’ Casts ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Star Shea Coulée in Mystery Role
Ironheart has added a champion to its cast, with RuPaul's Drag Race winner Shea Coulée joining the series. Her role is currently under wraps, per Deadline. Dominique Thorne (Judas and the Black Messiah) leads the cast of Marvel's Disney+ series as Riri Williams/Ironheart, following her initial appearance as the character in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever later this year.
Coulée won the All Stars 5 season of the competition series, in addition to being a finalist on two other seasons. Her success has allowed her to explore other avenues in the fields of podcasts, fashion, and acting. She also has her own brand of beer (aptly named Shea Coul-Ale) and artisan soap, known as The $100,000 Bar. Coulée appeared as herself in the fashion special Savage X Fenty Show, which Rihanna produced.
In addition to Coulée and Thorne, the series also stars Anthony Ramos (In the Heights), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Manny Montana (Good Girls), and Harper Anthony. Like Coulée, all four of those actors also hold mystery roles in the project. The only known role aside from Thorne belongs to Lyric Ross (This Is Us), who will portray Williams' best friend. Chinaka Hodge (Snowpiercer) is the showrunner of the series, which was confirmed to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 5. Ironheart is tapped for a late 2023 release on Disney+.
Williams made her Marvel Comics debut in a cameo appearance in a May 2016 issue of Invincible Iron Man, prior to making her full-fledged debut in July 2016. She is a 15-year-old super genius who earns a scholarship to attend MIT. Eventually, she creates an Iron Man suit all on her own, which earns the respect and backing of Tony Stark himself. Writer Michael Brian Bendis and artist Mike Deodato created the character. It's expected that her MCU origins will be similar, with Williams seen alongside Black Panther's Shuri (Letitia Wright) in the Wakanda Forever trailer.
Ironheart was one of several projects further discussed two weeks ago at Marvel's Hall H presentation at Comic Con. The series was announced back in December 2020, alongside other Marvel projects like Armor Wars and Secret Invasion. Phase 5 will begin with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and will close out with Thunderbolts, which is Marvel's answer to DC's Suicide Squad. Aside from those two films, Phase 5 will contain other shows in Echo (starring Hawkeye's Alaqua Cox) and Agatha: Coven of Chaos, which will see the return of WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness.
Ironheart will premiere on Disney+ in late 2023. Her official debut will be in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which hits theaters on November 11.
Days of Our Lives Moving to Peacock, Will No Longer Air on NBC
Days of Our Lives will stream exclusively on Peacock beginning on Monday, Sept. 12, ending its 57-year run on NBC, TVLine has confirmed. New episodes will only be available to subscribers of Peacock Premium, which currently costs $4.99 per month.
“This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers,” Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, says in a statement. “With a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers.”
New episodes of Days currently air weekdays on NBC, with episodes from the previous two seasons available to stream on Peacock. Now, the streamer is becoming the soap’s exclusive home. Without Days, only three daytime soaps remain on broadcast television: ABC’s General Hospital, and CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless.
A new one-hour news program titled NBC News Daily will fill Days‘ vacant slot.
Wendy Williams isn’t married to an NYPD officer named Henry despite claim
The former daytime talk show host claimed to Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee that she secretly married a New York Police Department officer named Henry, but her rep says she spoke too soon.
“That’s inaccurate,” William Selby tells Page Six exclusively. “She is excited about a new relationship and probably got carried away in conversation.”
As for whether Williams’ mystery man is, in fact, a cop, Selby adds, “Wendy doesn’t wish to disclose details at the moment.”
On Tuesday night, Lee recalled his phone call with Williams, 58, who told him she was flying to Los Angeles later this week but also had some other bombshell news.
“She says, ‘I’m married.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ She’s like, ‘I got married,'” the podcast host recalled of their back-and-forth.
“I’m like, ‘You got married when?’ And she’s like, ‘I got married last week.'”
Williams appears to have a penchant for police officers, as a 2019 report claimed she was dating a former cop and criminal justice expert named Dr. Darrin Porcher; however, he later denied the relationship.
“It’s flattering to hear, but it’s not the case,” he told us. “I’m in a relationship. I just worked security for her for a couple of weeks after she filed for divorce [from Kevin Hunter].”
'Joker 2' Starring Joaquin Phoenix Gets Official Release Date
We now know when Joker 2 will be hitting theaters! On Wednesday (August 3), Warner Bros. announced the official release date for the upcoming sequel, titled Joker: Folie à deux, with Joaquin Phoenix reprising his role as Joker/Arthur Fleck.
Joker: Folie à deux will be released in theaters on October 4, 2024, exactly five years after the first film was released, according to Variety.
Back in June, it was revealed that the upcoming sequel will be a musical, and that Lady Gaga is in talks to join Joaquin in the movie playing Harley Quinn.
Joker was originally supposed to be a standalone film, but after making more than $1 billion globally in the box office and earning Joaquin an Oscar, a sequel was planned.
Todd Phillips, who directed the first Joker, is returning to direct the sequel.
Iman Shumpert Arrested for Marijuana Possession at Dallas Airport
Iman Shumpert has been arrested. The 32-year-old NBA player, and Dancing with the Stars champ, was arrested over the weekend for possession of marijuana at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in Texas.
On Saturday (July 30), police were called after a TSA screening allegedly found a “green leafy substance” in Iman‘s bag, according to Entertainment Tonight.
The substance weighed 6.12 ounces and registered positive for marijuana following a mobile test. Iman admitted that the marijuana belonged to him.
Iman was then placed under arrest for marijuana possession and taken to the jail at the airport. He could face a fine of $10,000 or two years of jail time if convicted of the “state jail felony” charges.
As of right now, Iman has not yet publicly addressed his arrest.
HBO Max Removes 6 Streaming-Exclusive Movies, Shelves LeBron James ‘House Party’ Remake
Warner Bros. Discovery has been quietly purging Warner Bros. titles from HBO Max over the last few weeks, Variety reports.
According to the outlet, the following six “Max Original” streaming-exclusive movies were removed from the streaming platform: Moonshot starring Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse, Superintelligence starring Melissa McCarthy, The Witches 2020 remake starring Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, the Chris Rock comedy An American Pickle starring Seth Rogen, Locked Down with Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and drama Charm City Kings. Not spotted among these names but also cut was LeBron James’ and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill-led House Party remake that was originally set to come out at the end of July.
It’s also being reported that several other television titles and movies are slated to be pulled from the streamer as well in the coming weeks.
A source close to the situation told Indiewire that the six Max Originals are just the beginning of a long list of other titles set to be removed from the platform because of the potential tax write-off the company could receive. Meanwhile, the Wrap reports that 70 percent of the HBO Max development team is expected to be laid off.
“All I know is they’re folding HBO Max into HBO. Sounds like they’re not doing HBO Max scripted shows anymore with HBO taking over, so less scripted shows overall,” a source told the outlet.
The news also follows Warner Bros. shocking decision to axe the $90 million Batgirl movie that was meant for the streamer.
Cordae and Naomi Osaka Reportedly Still Together Amid Rumors They Broke Up
Cordae and Naomi Osaka appear to still be together despite rumors circulating this week that the couple split up, according to TMZ.
A source close to the couple, who are both 24 years old, confirmed to the outlet that the two have not parted ways and have actually been spending more time together over the last few weeks. Osaka and Cordae began publicly dating in 2019 and the pair have since been supportive of each other’s jobs, with the rapper showing up to several tennis matches. Neither parties have addressed the unsubstantiated breakup rumors.
Cordae recently turned heads with a beard was spotted sporting at Lollapalooza last weekend.
In other news, the rapper teased that a track that’s tentatively tiled “Ego” is on the way. Check out a snippet of the song below. Cordae’s second studio album, From a Birds Eye View, dropped back in January and boasted features from Lil Wayne, Freddie Gibbs, Gunna, Stevie Wonder, Eminem, Roddy Ricch, H.E.R., and Lil Durk.
The Game Announces Momentary Social Media Hiatus For Mental Health
The Game has opened up about his struggle with mental health and revealed his plans to take a break from music and other ventures. On Monday (August 1), the rapper took to Instagram to share the news and express how he has been “backstabbed and betrayed” by his closest associates. In his post, he pleaded for his fans to “love on those who love you.”
“I’ve always prided myself on my transparency, in tow with sharing every part of my life & myself with my family, friends & my fans… the past two weeks have been a nightmare for me,” the Compton native wrote. “I have witnessed disloyalty on levels unimaginable by people I’ve trusted with my heart, money, career & livelihood. Not only have I been backstabbed & betrayed.. I’ve been left to pick up the pieces alone.”
The Doctor’s Advocate emcee also disclosed his physical ailments and detailed he’s been undergoing physical therapy for inflamed muscles and a bruised tailbone due to working out. The Game also stated he accidentally cut his finger “down to the bone” and had to get stitches for the accident.
He concluded his social media post by saying that regardless of his mental health and the betrayal he currently faces, he holds no grudges toward anyone involved.
“I’m in no way, shape, or form angry with anyone for choosing to act in the manner they have as of recent & send love & well wishes from this day forward as there is no hate, malice, or vengefulness in my heart.”
On the music front, The Game has been preparing to release his forthcoming album, Drillmatic: Heart Vs. Mind, which has seen several delays due to clearance samples and other unforeseen setbacks.
Drillmatic: Heart Vs. Mind is now set for August 12, with the rapper proclaiming the album as “greatness.”
Actor Joe Manganiello Learns His Grandfather Was A Mixed-Race Black Man And More Shocking Family Secrets On 'Finding Your Roots'
Actor Joe Manganiello learned a shocking revelation about his paternal grandfather during this season of PBS’s Finding Your Roots.
In the upcoming episode, the Magic Mike star uncovers some mysteries about his family that were so surprising, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. had to call Manganiello with the news so he wouldn’t find out first during taping.
Joe Manganiello learned that his paternal grandfather wasn't who everyone thought he was.
According to the AP, as discussed during PBS’s TCA tour panel, Manganiello learned that his paternal grandfather was a mixed-raced Black man.
“My grandfather was a Black man of mixed race,” said Manganiello. “That was fascinating.”
"You are zero percent genetically related to anyone named Manganiello in the world," host Henry Louis Gates Jr. told Manganiello.
Gates went on to uncover that the actor’s fifth great-grandfather was a slave who became free before slavery was abolished in Massachusetts, where Manganiello’s father was born outside of Boston.
Manganiello found out his distant relative joined the Continental Army and fought alongside other Blacks for the colonies against the British in units that were non-segregated.
“None of us would have guessed that if we’d had 10 years of guessing,” the actor said. “If Manganiello’s not my last name, what is?”
Manganiello also uncovered a mystery from his mother's side of the family.
In the episode, Manganiello also uncovers some information about his maternal great-grandmother.
Gates reveals to the actor that his great grandmother on his mother’s side was a survivor of the Armenian genocide during World War I, which killed her husband and seven children. Although she was shot, she played dead and escaped with her eighth child, who later drowned while they traversed the Euphrates River.
Growing up, Manganiello was told his great-grandmother was incarcerated and met a German officer stationed at the camp.
He said she became pregnant by the officer, who later returned to Germany without her. The actor’s aunt had a picture of the man, which was later lost.
“We had nothing to connect us being German other than this,” he said.
The show's DNA researchers found that the actor's mother and aunt were the children of the half-German baby.
“That was a really profound moment for me,” he said.
The new season of Finding Your Roots begins Jan. 3. Among those featured are Oscar winners Viola Davis and Julia Roberts, as well as Carol Burnett, political activist Angela Davis, and actor Danny Trejo.
‘Ferris Bueller’s Edie McClurg’s Conservator Says She’s a Possible Victim of Elder Abuse
“Ferris Bueller” star Edie McClurg, 77, suffers from dementia and now her legal team is fighting to get a man who has been living with her out of her home.
In documents filed on Tuesday as a request for a temporary restraining order, McClurg’s lawyers said a man named Michael Ramos claims to be McClurg’s “long time friend” and was able to “ingratiate himself into (her) life while she was battling dementia.”
McClurg’s team wrote that Ramos is unemployed and “was able to finagle his way into (McClurg’s) home even though he has never paid any rent or expenses.”
The complaint also claims Ramos tried to take McClurg, who is under a conservatorship, out of the state of California “in order to marry her when he knew she lacked capacity.”
A 2019 court order mandated Ramos not go through with the nuptials, but allowed him to keep living with McClurg, according to documents obtained by TODAY.
The complaint says the two have “never been romantically involved,” but that a caretaker for McClurg filed a criminal complaint against Ramos that accused him of assaulting her in McClurg’s home “on more than one occasion.”
Per the complaint, the caretaker also reported she is concerned Ramos “either has been or may be currently assaulting (McClurg) in a similar manner and that given her diagnosis of dementia, she may not even realize that it has been or is occurring.”
The complaint goes on to say that even if Ramos is not abusing McClurg, his presence is “causing severe emotional distress and mental suffering.”
Ramos’ lawyer denied that he was abusive to the caretaker or McClurg.
“These are false allegations brought about by Ms. McClurg’s conservator and her counsel who have made it their mission to overturn orders issued by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge allowing Ms. McClurg’s long-term companion/fiancé to continue to reside with her at her home,” Estelle & Kennedy, A Professional Law Corporation, told TODAY in a statement. “Despite the seriousness of the allegations, we are not aware of any criminal charges pending against this individual, nor do we expect there to be any.”
Last month, McClurg’s legal team filed a petition to remove Ramos from the property following the allegations of the caretaker. In his response to the petition, Ramos denied that he had been abusive to either woman.
“Angelique Cabral (McClurg’s conservator) wants me to be removed from the residence and uses mere lies and speculation that I have harmed or may harm Edie and that is a lie that I cannot live with and must defend,” Ramos said in his response, in part. “I did not harm Edie McClurg and I would not harm Edie McClurg.”
In 2017, according to court documents, McClurg’s doctors found that she was “no longer able to handle her own affairs given severe cognitive dysfunction, is not capable of living alone without supervision and assistance, and is especially vulnerable to undue influence given her poor judgment and evident dementia (likely due to Alzheimer’s disease).” She was then placed under a conservatorship in February 2019.
McClurg’s legal team declined to speak to TODAY.
Ramos is next slated to appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Aug. 25 for the restraining order case.
McClurg has a lengthy and varied resume in Hollywood. She appeared in famous films such as “Carrie” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and television classics like “The Hogan Family.” She was also a prolific voice actor, lending her voice to characters in many animated films like “Frozen,” “Cars” and “A Bug’s Life.”
Stacey Abrams Slams Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Over Music Midtown’s Cancelation
Earlier this week, it was reported that Atlanta’s Music Midtown Festival, which was scheduled for September 17-18 and headlined by Fall Out Boy, Future, Jack White, and My Chemical Romance, was canceled due to a conflict between organizers’ safety standards and Georgia’s Safe Carry Protection Act. Basically, because the state law allows citizens to carry firearms on public land and the festival’s venue, Piedmont Park, is a state park, organizers were not able to ban guns on festival grounds. Clearly, this was a pretty untenable situation, and rather than break the law, the organizers canceled the event.
This move was guaranteed to disappoint and anger plenty of Atlanta residents and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has seized the opportunity to reproach her incumbent opponent Brian Kemp for the results of his “shameful” policies. In a statement, she said:
Brian Kemp’s dangerous and extreme gun agenda endangers the lives of Georgians, and the cancellation of Music Midtown is proof that his reckless policies endanger Georgia’s economy as well. It’s shameful, but not surprising, that the governor cares more about protecting dangerous people carrying guns in public than saving jobs and businesses in Georgia. In dire economic times for so many Georgians, this cancellation will cost Georgia’s economy a proven $50 million. This means that small businesses and workers who rely on events like Music Midtown and their tremendous economic impact have now lost incomes that help put food on the table and a roof over their heads.
Mathew Knowles and Wife Gena Celebrate 9th Wedding Anniversary
*Beyonce’s father, Mathew Knowles, and his wife Gena, recently celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary.
The couple took a trip to Italy in June where they renewed their vows. Back in 2013, Billboard reported that Mathew wed former model Gena Charmaine Avery. The pair had been engaged for a year and a half prior to tying the knot in Houston, Texas.
“Happy 9th anniversary to my lovely wife! We are excited to be celebrating in beautiful Italy this week,” Mathew captioned a June 30th photo of him and his wife on Instagram. “No matter what happens throughout the day, I remain in a state of gratitude because I’m able to begin and end each day next to my best friend,” he wrote.
“I am a very lucky man. I love you, Gena,” he added. See the full post below.
Knowles and Beyonce’s mother, Tina, divorced in 2011 after 31 years of marriage. He served as the manager of Destiny’s Child and guided the solo music careers of his daughters Beyoncé and Solange. Bey dropped her father as her manager in 2011.
Most recently, Knowles celebrated Beyonce’s new album “Renaissance” after she praised him for being a strong influence and role model in her life.
“There is nothing as a parent that’s quite like seeing your children succeed and not only recognizing their own talents and hard work, but also being humble and grateful enough to thank those around them,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
“Let me tell you a little story. When Beyoncé and Solange were young, I used to tell them that I wouldn’t be impressed if they aimed low and succeeded, but that I’d be extremely proud of them both even if they missed but aimed high. We have to inspire people of all ages to see the potential in themselves and believe enough in who they are to aim HIGH,” Mathew continued.
He added, “I am so proud of not only Beyoncé’s achievements, but that she’s now inspiring millions around the world to go after theirs.”
Shaun King Responds to Criticism About Purchase of Show Dog Worth $40k
*Shaun King has responded to criticism that he used donor funds to purchase a thoroughbred show dog worth $40k.
As we reported previously, via the Washington Free Beacon, King’s Grassroots Law PAC “paid roughly $40,000 since December to the California-based Potrero Performance Dogs, according to campaign finance disclosures,” the outlet writes. The payments are labeled “contractor services.”
Shortly after giving the organization $30,650 in February, King became the owner of an award-winning mastiff bred by Potrero named Marz. In a now-deleted post on Facebook, King noted that he had welcomed a “new member of the King family” but he allegedly returned the dog because it had “too much energy,” according to a report Monday, per the New York Post.
King’s post said Marz would provide “alertness and protection” for his family, according to the Free Beacon.
Amid the criticism, King shared a lengthy post on Facebook explaining that he purchased the dog to protect his family after the New York Post published his home address, prompting violent white supremacists to turn up at the residence.
In the post, King wrote, in part:
We purchased Marz to help protect our family at home because literal white supremacists have been coming to our home, on our property. Some even tried to sneak up our backyard before being spotted. You have no idea the terror that this caused my family. All of this exploded after the @NYPost published our home online. They knew this would happen.
With death threats coming to me daily, and literal white supremacists that I caught and helped convict being let out of prison, Marz was purchased to roam our property and roam our home and even protect us on the road.
Our organization, @GrassrootsLaw, which covers all of my security costs, helped purchase Marz to protect me at home. Compared to what 24/7 human security costs, Marz was affordable. We made sure that the purchase was legal and compliant before making it.
But soon after purchasing Marz, we found that as great as he was, that he was not a perfect fit for our family. And with so many kids and guests in our home, we needed a perfect fit.
.So I traveled across the country and returned Marz to his owners, who’ve become my personal friends. This was months ago.
I don’t regret it even a little bit.
King has repeatedly faced scrutiny over his fundraising efforts and has denied allegations of fraud and mishandling donation funds. In 2019, he gave a “team of experts” an “unfettered look at his finances” and the $34.5 million he raised for the Black Lives Matter movement, according to Medium.
“In short, we find absolutely no evidence that Shaun has ever inappropriately accessed any funds that he has raised,” the Shaun King Financial Review Board wrote.
“We searched and we asked. Not one single family, charity, cause or campaign said Shaun was ever compensated, directly, or indirectly, for his online fundraising.”
Britney Spears Calls Out Catholic Church For Allegedly Refusing To Marry Her And Her Then-Fianće
Britney Spears is speaking out against the Catholic church because it allegedly refused to marry her and her then-fiancé because she isn’t a member.
When Spears and her husband Sam Asghari were setting themselves up to get hitched, they were looking for venues to hold their ceremony. One of their options was to say their vows in a Catholic church.
“This is where I originally wanted to get married during COVID !!!!” said Brit in a caption on Instagram. “I wanted to go every Sunday … it’s beautiful and they said it was temporarily shut down due to COVID !!!!”
She continued: “Then 2 years later when I wanted to get married there they said I had to be catholic and go through TEST !!!!” She then questioned her followers, asking: “Isn’t church supposed to be open to all ????”
Nevertheless, this past June, Brit and her man came together in holy matrimony in the backyard of her Thousand Oaks mansion.
Minnesota Woman Wins Guinness World Record for “Longest Fingernails on a Pair of Hands Ever” After Growing Them for 25 Years
A Minnesota woman named Diana Armstrong has won the Guinness World Record for the “longest fingernails on a pair of female hands” and the “longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever” after growing her nails for over 25 years.
The 63-year-old’s hands’ combined length of nails is 42 feet, 10.4 inches, with her left pinky nail being her shortest at 3 feet, 7 inches, and her right thumb being the longest of all her claws at 4 feet, 6.7 inches.
After her teenage daughter, Latisha, died of an asthma attack in her sleep, Armstrong stopped trimming her nails. Latisha regularly manicured her mother’s nails and, after her death, Armstrong made a vow not to.
Armstrong told her local outlet, “Anytime I thought about cutting them off, it gave me chills like I’m going through that grief all over again. I didn’t want to go through that again, so I just kept them. It’s like keeping her close to me.”
“When I started growing them, it wasn’t to be in the Guinness Book Of World Records,” she added. “Now, since I am, I tell people, you shouldn’t judge people because you don’t know what people have gone through.”
Armstrong’s long nails have made ordinary chores like picking up things off the floor and zipping up clothes quite challenging. Her remedy? She used her toes.
“If I have to pick up money off the floor, I can pick up bills,” she noted. “But if I drop change on the floor, that will just stay down there!”
Armstrong has also given up driving since it is difficult for her to control a car with her fingernails.
Another complicated process is getting a manicure. Every four to five years, she goes to the nail salon. About 15 to 20 nail polish bottles and a woodworking tool for filing are needed.
“I think she [Latisha] would be proud of me because she’s the last one who did my nails,” Armstrong revealed. “That’s who I think of when I grow my nails is my daughter.”
New Jersey Mother Convicted Of Murdering Her Toddler Allegedly Because He Was An ‘Obstacle’ To Her Cheating
A mother in New Jersey has been convicted in the murder of a toddler because they were getting in the way of her cheating.
Last Thursday, 44-year-old Heather Reynolds was found guilty of murdering her 17-month-old toddler, Axel. On May 10, 2018, Reynolds reportedly suffocated the baby boy by covering his mouth and nose with a cleaning wipe. She then ran from her home while screaming with Axel in her arms; she yelled out to neighbors for help, PEOPLE reports.
“The child was pronounced deceased a short time later,” a statement from the Gloucester Township Police reads. After a review of text messages from Reynold’s phone, authorities came to the belief that Reynolds murdered her son because he became a burden for her extramarital affair.
At the time of the murder, Reynolds was married to her husband, who worked out of town often.
“A review of the text messages between the defendant and her boyfriend from the previous night reveal that the defendant was becoming frustrated by the boyfriend’s apparent lack of interest,” said Assistant Prosecutor Gallagher back in court in 2019. In addition, witnesses said Reynolds at one point told them “that her toddler son … was an obstacle to her relationship with her boyfriend.” She was arrested on June 13, 2019.
On Thursday, Reynolds was found guilty of murder, possession of methamphetamine, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to prosecutors in Camden County. She’ll be sentenced in October for smothering Axel.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘NING NING NING NING NI NING NING NING’
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