News

Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose may no longer be together, but when it comes to their son, Sebastian, they proved they’ll always be a united front. On Thursday, the rapper shared a sweet picture of him, Rose and their blended family attending the 10-year-old’s elementary school graduation. 

Nas is at the center of controversy after a European art exhibit used his likeness in a King Tut-inspired statue. The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, the Netherlands, recently opened up its Kemet: Egypt in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul and Funk exhibit, which explores the connection between “music by Black artists whose work refers to ancient Egypt and Nubia.”

Naturally, hip-hop music videos, album covers, photographs and contemporary artworks are displayed. One of the showcased pieces is a bust of the Egyptian Pharoh King Tutankhamun by artist Dave Cortes. The face of the statue is reminiscent of the album cover for Nas’s 1999 studio project,  I Am…, sparking backlash since its debut.

Egyptian antiquities expert Abd al-Rahim Rihan said the museum insulted “Egyptian civilization by portraying Tutankhamun as Black” and “cloning an Egyptian antiquity,” as reported by the Egyptian Independent.

Rihan went on to say that the artwork violated Article 39 of the Protection of Antiquities Law No. 117 of 1983 and its amendments. The law stipulates that “only the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt may produce modern models of antiquities, provided that it is stamped by it.”

All criminal charges against a Black ranching couple in Colorado arrested on felony stalking have been dropped. 

On May 11, the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office dismissed all charges against Courtney “CW” Mallery and his wife, Nicole. During their trial, their allegations of racial discrimination and law enforcement cover-ups gained national attention.

“We are pleased with this outcome and recognize the district attorney’s office for reaching this conclusion,” The couple’s attorneys, Tyrone Glover, Matthew Roche and Jeremy Loew, said in a joint statement. “While justice has been served today, the fight for individual, law enforcement and prosecutorial accountability are far from over.”

The couple owns Freedom Acres Ranch, a 640-acre ranch in rural Yoder, a predominantly white town 100 miles southeast of Denver. CPR News reported The EL Paso County police arrested the Mallerys on February 6. The documented charges were felony stalking, tampering with a utility meter and petty theft. 

The charges resulted from an ongoing feud with their neighbors, Teresa and Bonnie Clark. For two years, the couples argued over ownership of Truckton Road, a strip of land leading to both the Mallery and Clark properties. The couple says they own the road, even though it is the only way to access the Clarks’ property.

Pastor and gospel artist Deitrick Haddon is responding to the negative comments he received after a clip of himself and his wife, Dominique Mctyer, dancing together on his 50th birthday went viral.

In the clip, Mctyer is seen bending over and twerking on her husband. The “Love Him Like I Do” singer posted the video to his Instagram with a caption hyping up his wife: “This is how you turn 50. You gotta get a good twerk from your wife! Oh yeeeeeeah! This was her at the party so you can imagine my personal after party!! Every great man of God needs a wife that can pray and play!! Amen #cub50 #HappyBirthdayDeitrickHaddon.”

Ever since the video has been swirling around social media, people have expressed their opinions on what a “man of the cloth” should do, especially those within the Christian community.

The Atlanta Black Star was able to report some of the comments before Haddon turned them off. “What happened to moderation? What happened to modesty ? If this were Jesus,would he have done something like this? The bible says we should not judge but it also says we are the light and salt of the earth. This isn’t a good example sir and ma,this isn’t right.”

Beyoncé‘s fans are convinced she’s spying on them from a burner account after the multitalented singer followed up on a subtle performance alteration suggested in a viral tweet.

In case you missed it, on May 18, a fan tweeted she should move the performance for her song “Heated” from the main stage to the second stage. The second stage sits inside the Club Renaissance section of the audience and is a mosh-pit style with “standing only” VIP sections. “I really think Beyoncé should start performing heated here instead of here,” @YoncevVocals tweeted, including two photos of the Renaissance World Tour stage from the Stockholm, Sweden show.

Tweet Courtesy of @YonceVocals

As fans mourn the death of Tina Turner, some of the biggest celebrities in the world are also sending their condolences and paying tribute to the iconic singer. One of Turner’s closest friends and longtime collaborator, Mick Jagger, expressed his sorrow on Twitter.

“I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner,” Mick Jagger wrote, posting some of his favorite photos with Turner. “She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”

I’m so saddened by the passing of my wonderful friend Tina Turner.She was truly an enormously talented performer and singer. She was inspiring, warm, funny and generous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her. pic.twitter.com/TkG5VrdxXO— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) May 24, 2023

Bill Lee, the celebrated jazz musician and father of Spike Lee, died on May 24 at the age of 94. Spike confirmed the news, saying he passed away at his Brooklyn home.

Bill composed the iconic songs featured in Spike’s early films, including She’s Gotta Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990). However, the father-duo stopped working together in the early 1990s because they were unable to resolve disagreements involving money and other problems, The New York Times reported.

Spike posted a series of tributes to his father on Instagram, including one post showing an image of the vinyl album cover from Bill’s score for Do The Right Thing.

Hollywood icon Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson have been together for over 50 years. Although the details of a relationship that’s lasted as long as theirs could get a little hazy from time to time for anyone, Jackson admitted he doesn’t remember much because “he was on drugs” during his recent appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show.

After clearing up bogus Hollywood rumors about his 42-year marriage to Richardson, the actor shared their engagement story with Hudson and her live studio audience. “My story was I came home one day and she already had these invitations printed up and she gave me a stack and said, ‘Be here,’” he said. Only that’s not what really happened. The 74-year-old Oscar winner went on to share his wife’s version of the story.

Last Thanksgiving, Sarah Benibo decided it was the perfect time to tell her family that she and her husband were expecting another child. Her sister, Sophia Stephens, suggested she play a hilarious prank on her parents, Dorretta and Ron Stephens, to share the news. That prank, which Sophia filmed and Benibo later posted, went viral on social media, garnering more attention than Benibo ever thought her announcement would.