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Longtime former New York Rep. Charles Rangel died Monday at the age of 94.

Representing Harlem for decades, Rangel was, for a lengthy period, one of the most prominent Black members of Congress, a powerful force within the Democratic Party, and a notable figure in New York City.

Everything to know about Charles Rangel’s life and career

According to The New York Times, Rangel was born and raised in Harlem, dropping out of high school and leaving the city when he enlisted in the Army in 1948. He fought in an all-Black unit in the Korean War, becoming wounded and receiving the Bronze Star for his service. He returned to New York, graduating from New York University and then St. John’s University Law School before serving a stint as an assistant U.S. attorney. In 1966, Rangel won the State Assembly seat formerly held by his longtime friend Percy Sutton. Rangel and Sutton, along with politician New York Secretary of State Basil Paterson and David Dinkins, New York City’s first Black mayor, eventually became known as the Gang of Four, a quartet of very influential Black New York politicians.

In 1970, Rangel unseated civil rights icon and longtime Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. to become the U.S. representative of what was then the 18th District of New York, centered on Harlem. Rangel continuously won reelection, serving in Congress from 1971 to 2017 and becoming the dean of the New York delegation. Rangel was the second-longest-serving Congressman in New York history, and Rangel’s was the ninth-longest uninterrupted tenure of any member of the House. Over the decades, Rangel endured political challengers and several rounds of redistricting. He also survived an ethics scandal over corporate-funded vacations, which resulted in him receiving a rare censure from Congress. Along the way, Rangel participated in momentous events, from the Watergate hearings to cofounding the Congressional Black Caucus, UPI reported. He became the first Black member and then chair of the influential Ways and Means Committee, a position he used to propel President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Rangel retired from Congress in 2017.

Praise from top Democratic officials

After the announcement of Rangel’s death, tributes poured in from numerous prominent Democrats across the country.

Former President Joe Biden called Rangel “a tireless advocate for his beloved community of Harlem and a champion for civil rights.”

Charlie Rangel was a tireless advocate for his beloved community of Harlem and a champion for civil rights. He dedicated his life to public service and made important progress for the people he served. Jill and I are keeping his family and all of those who knew and loved him in…— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 26, 2025

Former Vice President Kamala Harris praised Rangel as “a barrier breaker, war hero, and force for good for the people of Harlem.”

Charlie Rangel was a barrier breaker, war hero, and force for good for the people of Harlem. As a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, he always fought for our nation’s promise of freedom, opportunity, and justice — not just for some, but for all.Doug and I send…— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 27, 2025

Former President Bill Clinton called Rangel “a tireless champion of Harlem and its people, and of equality and opportunity everywhere.”

Charlie Rangel was a tireless champion of Harlem and its people, and of equality and opportunity everywhere. My full statement on his passing: pic.twitter.com/4V0TnrDqJ5— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) May 26, 2025

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Rangel “a proud veteran who loved serving his Harlem constituents.” She noted that Rangel “urged me to run for the Senate and later was an invaluable colleague.”

I’ll miss Charlie Rangel, a beloved icon and public servant of New York. He was a proud veteran who loved serving his Harlem constituents. He urged me to run for the Senate and later was an invaluable colleague. Rest in peace and power, my friend.— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) May 26, 2025

According to the Amsterdam News, the affectionately known Charlie Rangel is survived by his son, Steven Rangel, his daughter, Alicia Rangel Haughton and three grandsons, Howard R. Haughton, Joshua R. Haughton and Charles R. Haughton. He leaves behind a major impact on U.S. politics and an unmatched legacy in Harlem.

Anthony and Metcalf were track athletes from different schools. Blavity reported that the two got into an argument during a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, which ended in Metcalf’s death after Anthony allegedly stabbed him in the […]

During Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing sex trafficking trial, a former top aide for the disgraced hip-hop mogul testified on Tuesday that Combs kidnapped her at gunpoint as part of an attempt to kill rapper Kid Cudi, who dated Cassie Ventura briefly in December 2011.

Who is Capricorn Clark, and what did she say in her testimony in the Diddy trial?

Between 2004 and 2018, a woman named Capricorn Clark worked as a global brand director for Bad Boy Entertainment, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Per Clark’s testimony on Tuesday, Combs showed up at her home one morning and ordered her to get dressed while holding a gun because “we’re going to kill Cudi.” They rode together in a black Cadillac to Cudi’s Hollywood Hills home. Upon arriving, Clark said that Combs and his bodyguard broke into Cudi’s home.

Ex-assistant Capricorn Clark leaves after testifying in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial at Manhattan Federal Court on May 27, 2025 in New York City. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty on all counts, which include a racketeering charge alleging the hip-hop pioneer was the leader of a sex crime ring that included drug-fueled sex parties through the use of force, threats, and violence. | Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Clark called Ventura on a burner phone, telling her that Combs “got me with a gun and brought me to Cudi’s house to kill him.” According to Clark’s testimony, Cudi, who was with Ventura at the time of the phone call, could be heard in the background asking, “He’s in my house?” Clark pleaded with Ventura to stop Cudi, who was on his way to his home, because she was worried that “he’s going to get himself killed.”

Clark stated that Combs eventually returned to the car she was in, demanding to know who she was talking to on the phone. She added that when Combs heard Cudi’s car coming up the road, Combs and his bodyguard jumped in the car and chased after Cudi, testifying that they only stopped because they passed police cars that were heading toward Cudi’s home.

After the incident, Clark said that Combs instructed everyone who was present to convince Cudi that “it wasn’t me” or else “I’ll kill all you.”

Clark also testified to past threats from Combs

On her first day working with Combs, Clark testified that she was taken to Central Park after 9 p.m. She said Combs told her that he wasn’t aware that she had worked with other rappers before hiring her.

Clark also stated that she was once taken to an empty building in Manhattan, where she was held for five days after being accused of stealing jewelry from Combs. She said she was repeatedly given a lie detector test by a man who told her, “If you fail this test they’re going to throw you in the East River.”

Diddy’s lawyers seek to strike Kid Cudi’s testimony on car explosion

According to Cudi’s May 23 testimony, the fact that several Christmas gifts he had purchased were opened and his dog was locked in the bathroom made it apparent that Combs had entered his home.

Shortly after the holiday season, Cudi broke things off with Ventura since “the drama was just getting out of hand.” But in January 2012, Cudi’s dog sitter called him to let him know that his Porsche was on fire. A Molotov cocktail had been found near the vehicle.

Although Combs is believed to be responsible for Cudi’s car explosion, the allegations have never been confirmed. However, during his testimony, Cudi said that he believed Combs was lying when he said he didn’t know anything about the car explosion. Now, Diddy’s lawyers are fighting to have Cudi’s comments about the car explosion struck from the record.

In a May 26 filing, Diddy’s lawyers argued that “Mescudi’s opinion that Mr. Combs was ‘lying’ about his Porsche was erroneously admitted and should be stricken from the record” because it poses “significant dangers of unfair prejudice,” USA Today reported.

President Donald Trump is calling for an investigation into Kamala Harris‘ 2024 campaign and her celebrity endorsements — from Bruce Springsteen, who recently criticized Trump, to Oprah, Beyoncé and other entertainers.

Shortly after a fire destroyed the Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana, rumors have surfaced suggesting the haunted Annabelle doll may be connected to the incident. The fire occurred not long after the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) took the doll to New Orleans as part of a national tour—sparking speculation online that the timing isn’t a coincidence, USA Today reported.

What are people saying on the internet about the Annabelle doll?

Social media users are convinced strange events have unfolded since Annabelle’s arrival in New Orleans.

“Three days ago they moved Annabelle, one of the most haunted dolls from Monroe, Connecticut to New Orleans, Louisiana and now the largest sugarcane plantation in Louisiana burned down AND 11 inmates in a New Orleans Prison escape,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Others were just as alarmed to hear the doll had been removed from her usual location.

“That doll needs to go back to the Warren museum. They’re a bunch of idiots for moving that doll—complete morons. They’re just playing with fire,” an X account wrote.

Is the Annabelle doll really missing?

Amid speculation that the doll has gone missing, NESPR lead investigator Dan Rivera posted a video on TikTok to confirm that Annabelle is exactly where she’s supposed to be.

“I’m here at the museum right now, and I just wanna show you guys that Annabelle is in the Warrens’ Occult Museum,” Rivera said in the video, per The Independent. “Let’s go inside and let’s check.”

Rivera then showed the doll still locked in her signature wooden case.

“Annabelle is not missing; she’s not in Chicago,” he said.

He also confirmed that Annabelle will be traveling to Rock Island, Illinois, on Oct. 4 to appear at the 2025 Rock Island Roadhouse Esoteric Expo. NESPR later reiterated the same on Facebook, writing: “Annabelle has NOT been stolen. The doll is safely in place at the Warren Occult Museum.”

What is the history of the Annabelle doll?

The Annabelle legend began in 1970 when a student contacted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, claiming a doll she owned was “exhibiting malicious and frightening behavior.” The Warrens concluded that the doll was “demonically possessed” by a dead girl’s spirit. Since then, Annabelle has been housed at the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, becoming one of the most infamous haunted artifacts in pop culture.

Former Penn State football player Julian Fleming has been seriously injured following a fatal ATV accident that claimed the life of his 23-year-old girlfriend, Alyssa Boyd.

According to 247 Sports, the accident occurred on Friday when Fleming was driving a 2024 Yamaha ATV with Boyd riding as a passenger.

What happened in the deadly ATV crash involving Julian Fleming and Alyssa Boyd?

Police said the accident occurred in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, when a deer suddenly jumped onto the roadway and collided with the ATV. Boyd was pronounced dead at the scene. Fleming was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Authorities also found a dead deer at the crash site.

Fleming has since been released from the hospital, per 247 Sports. Police confirmed that neither Fleming nor Boyd were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.

Who is Julian Fleming?

Fleming was one of the top high school football recruits in the country when he graduated from Southern Columbia High School in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 2020. He began his college career at Ohio State, playing four seasons before transferring to Penn State to finish his eligibility.

“I wanted to be close to home, I wanted to be close to my people, and I want to win a Big Ten championship with another team,” Fleming said upon transferring, according to 247 Sports.

One of his most memorable moments at Penn State came during an overtime win at USC, where he delivered a pair of clutch fourth-down catches to help tie the game.

“I contribute whatever they ask of me,” Fleming said at PSU Pro Day. “At the end of the day, it’s a team sport, and the team always comes first. Then that takes priority. So whatever’s asked of me, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”

Gilbert Arenas recently appeared on Matt Barnes‘ All the Smoke podcast. During the interview, Arenas opened up about the life-threatening incident that landed his 18-year-old son, Alijah, in a medically induced coma.

Arenas shared that Alijah’s Tesla Cybertruck stopped working suddenly: “Long story short is the car malfunctioned on him,” he told Barnes before adding that the “steering wheel went limp,” causing Alijah to head straight toward a tree.

Gilbert Arenas gives more details of Alijah Arenas’ crash

Arenas added that Alijah “couldn’t break the window” since the windows are designed to be bulletproof — leaving him trapped in the car even after it caught on fire due to impact.

As Blavity previously reported, one bystander told ESPN that he heard banging on the window, even though the smoke prevented him from being able to see who was inside the car.

“That’s when I realized someone was inside,” the bystander said. “I tried to break the window, but it wouldn’t give. Then I saw one of the windows was cracked just enough and we used everything we had to bend it and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.”

Gilbert Arenas urged parents to prepare their teens for emergencies while driving Tesla’s Cybertruck

For other parents whose children also drive a Tesla Cybertruck to keep a hammer-like tool inside the car in case of an emergency.

“He said that he was trying to kick the window, and he couldn’t,” Arenas said.

After Alijah returned home from the hospital, Arenas stressed the importance of gratitude, especially after surviving a car accident of that magnitude.

“I said, ‘Listen, you’re a lucky one to see this,” he said, reflecting on the emotional moment with his son. “Most people don’t get to see the flowers and how everybody reacts when something happens. So, you get to witness what the world did when you was sleep, when you was in an induced coma.’”

Who is Alijah Arenas?

Arenas, who Arenas shares with ex Gloria Govan, committed to the University of Southern California after making a name for himself as one of the top basketball recruits in the country. Alijah, who attends Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles, is set to graduate in 2026.

Veteran journalist and filmmaker Sacha Jenkins, widely known for his impactful work in hip-hop culture, has died at age 54. Jenkins’ wife, Raquel Cepeda, told The Hollywood Reporter that he passed away from complications of multiple system atrophy.

Jenkins spent decades using storytelling to elevate hip-hop, whether through print, television, or film. His voice helped shape the culture’s mainstream presence while always staying rooted in its underground authenticity.

The publications and legacy Sacha Jenkins built

Jenkins is remembered as the founder of several influential publications. One of his earliest projects, Graphic Scenes & Xplicit Language, became one of the first magazines to highlight the art of graffiti. He also co-founded the hip-hop newspaper Beat Down with childhood friend Elliott Wilson. The two would later reunite to create Ego Trip, a magazine that bridged hip-hop and skateboarding culture.

Beyond founding his own outlets, Jenkins wrote for Spin and Rolling Stone and became well-known for his editorial work at Vibe, where he served as music editor.

What are some of Sacha Jenkins’ accomplishments as a filmmaker?

Jenkins directed several critically acclaimed documentaries, including Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James and Fresh Dressed. He also wrote All Up in the Biz, a tribute to hip-hop icon Biz Markie. His work on the docuseries Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men earned him an Emmy.

In Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues, another standout project, Jenkins spoke about the jazz legend with reverence.

“He’s a very special person — not a normal individual — who had a real foresight and real insight and was just the essence of creativity,” Jenkins told the Film Academy, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I play music. I do different things. And I’m inspired by seeing someone who can do it on such a high level. He was inspired by creativity. That was his fuel.”

In a 2023 interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Jenkins reflected on his Netflix docuseries Rapture, which explored hip-hop through the lens of its artists.

“I was a journalist writing about hip-hop for many years,” Jenkins said. “To see it firsthand and to have the kind of intimate access that we had, I knew that was something that hip-hop could use right now. I know that hip-hop is the most streamed, most popular form of music in the world, and it’s very easy for people to be into hip-hop just on the strength of the way it sounds, [and] the way it feels. But, I know as a native that there are so many things that get lost in translation, and I felt that a series like [Rapture] would give people a real window and therefore a deeper understanding of what hip-hop really means, [and] where it comes from.”

Activist leaders in Black communities nationwide have been urging shoppers to boycott major retailers, including Target, after the company began rolling back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives earlier this year in response to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump. One group has planned another specific protest that’s coming up soon.