News

Lil Nas X, who was arrested last week after he wandered the streets of Los Angeles in his underwear, is speaking out after being charged with four felonies. As Variety reported, the charges include three counts of battery against a police officer, as well as one count of resisting an executive officer.

Lil Nas X was arraigned in court on Monday morning after he remained detained throughout the weekend. The rapper’s bail, which is now $75,000, was recommended for $300,000 initially.

The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, pleaded not guilty to attacking officers. His case is scheduled for pretrial on Sept. 15. The judge is also requiring him to attend four Narcotics Anonymous meetings per week, as authorities believe he was under the influence of drugs at the time.

On his Instagram Story on Tuesday Morning, Lil Nas X wrote, per Variety, “Your girl is going to be OK y’all. OK? She’s going to be alright, she’s going to be alright. “S**t. That was f*****g terrifying. That was terrifying! That was a terrifying last four days, but your girl is going to be alright.”

Prior to this, his father told TMZ on Monday, “He’s in good spirits, he’s all right. He’s very remorseful for what happened. But, it can happen to any family — he’s gonna get the help that he needs and just keep him in your prayers. Give him the same grace and mercy that God gives everyone.”

One of his attorneys, Drew Findling, also told The Hollywood Reporter, “He’s never been in trouble for a split second in his existence, we’re not going to let one little event change the trajectory of his amazing life. There’s no way to have a sense of what happened this immediately, but we’re going to look into it and do the right thing,” he continued, “Anybody that has kids, you hear about things like this all the time. Don’t forget, he’s 26 years old. It’s not unusual for something like this to happen, particularly when you have the pressure of being recognized internationally like him.”

Why was Lil Nas X arrested?

Los Angeles police told Variety that they found a nude, incoherent man around 5:50 a.m. and took him into custody. Although they didn’t identify Lil Nas X by name, police said the man was arrested for battery of an officer. According to the Associated Press, police said the 26-year-old charged at officers after he was found walking naked on Ventura Boulevard. He was also suspected of overdosing and taken to a hospital.

Per the Associated Press, the criminal complaint states that Lil Nas X “did unlawfully use force and violence and inflict an injury” on the three officers. TMZ also published footage over the weekend that showed Lil Nas X rapping Nicki Minaj’s “Monster” track while he was fully naked.

Per Variety, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement, “Attacking police officers is more than just a crime against those individuals but a direct threat to public safety. Anyone who assaults law enforcement will face serious consequences, no matter who they are or how famous they may be.”

Lil Nas X faces up to 10 years in prison

On the day before he was arrested, Lil Nas X went to Instagram to post snippets of several songs and some photos of his home from the inside. He also posted a photo of himself wearing the same cowboy boots he wore when he was arrested on Thursday.

According to the Associated Press, Lil Nas X is facing counts that could carry up to a 10-year sentence.

Cashless bail, the legal process that allows some people to be released from jail without posting bail, is now facing opposition from President Donald Trump. Trump signed an executive order on Monday to eliminate cashless bail, saying it’s allowing to be released too easily.

“Somebody kills somebody, they go and don’t worry about it,” Trump told reporters on Monday, according to The New York Times. “No cash. Come back in a couple of months. We’ll give you a trial. You never see the person again.”

What are pros of cashless bail staying in defense of the system?

Advocates of cashless bail say it’s unjust to require bail because the system gives an unfair advantage to people who can afford to pay. The proponents say people who committed less serious crimes should be released without having to post bail. Advocates say that people who are not considered to be threats to the community should be released before their trial regardless of whether they can post bail.

What states have allowed cashless bail?

New Jersey and Alaska became one of the first states to allow cashless bail in the late 2010s. New York also started allowing cashless bail in 2019 following the case of Kalief Browder, who died by suicide after spending three years in jail while waiting for his trial. Browder, who was jailed for three years on Rikers Island after being accused of stealing a backpack, killed himself at his parents’ home.

The Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit that compared data from cities that changed their bail laws compared others that didn’t, concluded that bail reform didn’t have a significant effect on crime rates. Per The New York Times, the study concluded that there is “no statistically significant relationship between bail reform and crime rates.”

Despite the data, Trump has ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to identify jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order.” Per The Times, Trump threatened to take away “federal funds, including grants and contracts, currently provided to cashless bail jurisdictions.”

Snoop Dogg is opening up about being “scared to go to the movies” because of LGBTQ+ representation in children’s films. According to Complex, the rapper recounted an incident with his grandson while they watched Pixar’s Lightyear that “threw [him] for a loop.”

Snoop said he was uncomfortable when his grandson asked about same-sex relationships

The Doggfather appeared on the It’s Giving podcast, where he talked about marriage, parenting and masculinity. Around 30 minutes into the episode, Snoop shared his experience watching Lightyear with his grandson, who had questions about how the movie’s protagonist, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), had a child with her wife.

“They’re like, ‘She had a baby — with another woman,’” he said. “Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, ‘Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman!’”

Snoop recalled how uncomfortable his grandson’s questions made him.

“‘Oh s**t, I didn’t come in for this s**t. I just came to watch the goddamn movie,’ Snoop remembered thinking.

But his grandson kept asking questions.

“‘They just said, she and she had a baby — they’re both women. How does she have a baby?’”

The rapper reflected that the experience “f**ked me up. I’m like, scared to go to the movies. Y’all throwing me in the middle of s**t that I don’t have an answer for.”

Snoop said the questions “threw me for a loop.”

“I’m like, ‘What part of the movie was this?” he continued.

Later, he expounded on his discomfort with LGBTQ+ representation in children’s movies.

“These are kids. We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer,” he said.

[embedded content]

Snoop’s comments have landed him in hot water on social media, with many calling for the removal of the rapper as the headline entertainer at the Australian Football League’s Grand Final on Sept. 27.

I think we’ve gathered that the AFL are hypocrites but it’s even worse when you realise they announced Snoop Dogg as the Grand Final performer AND Izak Rankine used a homophobic slur the same month of Pride Round, this is all so gross https://t.co/2LYwCvU2Co— CHANEL (@chanelferatu) August 19, 2025

It’s not the first time Snoop has caught heat for comments considered homophobic and transphobic. In 2014, folks called him out for using a homophobic slur, and the following year, he was criticized for calling Caitlyn Jenner a “science project.”

‘Lightyear’ received criticism for the kiss between two women while in development

In 2022, as Lightyear was in development, the film’s central same-sex relationship was a point of controversy. A kiss between Hawthorne and her wife was initially cut but put back into the film, a spinoff of Disney’s Toy Story, after Pixar employees claimed Walt Disney Company leadership was censoring “overtly gay affection” in its movies, Variety reported.

The film went on to be banned in the United Arab Emirates and other Muslim countries.

Lightyear star Chris Evans clapped back at the backlash, calling those against the kiss “idiots.”

“Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good,” he told Reuters. “There’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human.”

Mo’Nique continues to speak out about her issues with Tyler Perry whenever given the chance. However, in a recent interview, she addressed the years-long feud and revealed the one condition that would make her stop speaking on the situation for good.

The pair’s fallout began more than a decade ago when Perry called the Baltimore native difficult to work with after she refused to fly out for an appearance during a press run for the 2009 film Precious. Since then, Mo’Nique has spoken out publicly, stating that Perry’s remarks harmed her career and led to her being blacklisted in Hollywood, according to Vibe and Blavity.

In an interview on the Outlaws With TS Madison podcast, the comedian opened up about how she “handles the lies and the stories” people in the industry have said about her, to which TS Madison brought up in the conversation. Mo’Nique responded with her beef with Perry, stating, “he lied on me, and cost me 12 years of my career.” The Parkers actor shared with Madison what it would take for her to mend their ongoing rift.

“Until he fixes it, I will not stop because that’s how he monster is created. “We’re too afraid, we’re too scared, we’re too fearful that you’re going to take something from me; so I’m just not going to say anything,” Mo’Nique explained. The 57-year-old also stated that she would be an advocate for others and help those who may have been victims of Perry’s actions.

She continued, “As long as I can help it, I’m saying: ‘Tyler Perry you will not do this to another.’ As long as I can help it because you told a lie. And you feel like you have the God complex, so I ain’t gotta fix it. Either you’ll fix it in life or you’ll be dealt with in death… but I’m not going anywhere until you take accountability and fix it. Y’all messed with my livelihood, which messes with my family. So until they fit it, I’m not backing down.”

Will Mo’Nique and Perry ever make amends?

When Madison asked what resolving the situation would look like for her, Mo’Nique referred to her strained relationship with Lee Daniels and how he publicly apologized to her after publicly shaming her in past instances. She now demands the multi-hyphenate creator to do the same for her.

“Tyler Perry, you cost my family millions, and millions, and millions of dollars, Mo’Nique said. “And it is a beautiful thing when you tip somebody $3,000; it’s a beautiful thing when you give somebody $400,000 because their house burned down. Those are good deeds. However, you know what you did to a Black woman named Mo’Nique.”

She continued, “So all of that, the universe is watching and saying, ‘We see what you’re trying to do, but you can’t fool us.’ And I don’t believe I’m the only one. Of course not. You don’t do that to somebody and it be your first time. You don’t because you’re too comfortable in doing it. And when you get that God complex, the universe is watching everything. Fixing it means you apologize publicly, and you cost my family millions.”

Madison went over everything Mo’Nique shared and asked if she wanted a public apology and restitution, to which she responded, “Yes, and I say that unapologetically. You are on tape saying what you did to me was wrong.”

In March, Mo’Nique penned an open letter to Perry and shared it at musical legend Angie Stone’s funeral. She spoke out about the years-long mistreatment she received from Perry and how he backtracked on the apology he promised her in 2016 and did not pay her during the promotion for Precious, per Blavity.

Watch the full interview below:

[embedded content]

As tariffs continue reshaping trade, for many Black beauty professionals, the fight isn’t just about keeping their shelves stocked or chairs filled. It’s about sustaining community businesses that have long served as cultural cornerstones. The impact of tariffs on Black-owned beauty businesses has caused many of them to suffer. 

President Donald Trump wasted no time after beginning his second term to increase tariffs on U.S. imports, which caused retaliation from those who’ve had a long-standing trade relationship with America. In February, the administration implemented 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariffs on Chinese imports. Furthermore, a deal was made with Vietnam that imposes a 20% tariff on goods and a 40% “transshipping” tariff in July, as detailed by CNBC. The levy hikes have left various industries facing financial difficulties, making it hard to stay afloat. 

Black hair stylists struggle to balance costs and community needs

Black entrepreneurs in the beauty industry, especially in haircare, have been heavily affected by the tax increase on imports from China, which has risen twice just this year. Despite African Americans spending billions each year on beauty products, business owners continue to face a deficit because Asian distributors have dominated the space for decades, as the products they import are essential for beauticians and beauty supply owners to succeed, according to Word In Black.

Many Americans have been getting laid off, struggling to find employment, and have been forced to adapt their lifestyles due to economic changes. The Root reported that 300,000 Black women have been pushed out of their jobs so far this year. Hair stylists are seeing a decline in clientele due to the cost of hair maintenance, per Reuters.

“I understand that tariffs are designed to protect U.S. businesses, and that’s important,” Georgia cosmetologist Dajiah Blackshear‑Calloway told the outlet. “But when you start creating policies like this, and you’re not consulting with professionals in the beauty industry, especially Black professionals, it creates a gap.”

“We’re being impacted at every level,” Blackshear-Calloway said. “I’m either having to eat that cost or pass that expense along to my clients, which affects their budgets and their pockets as well.”

Beauty supply shops fight to remain open

Additionally, the Black-owned and operated extension shops and beauty supply stores have also struggled to keep their doors open. Kadidja Dosso, owner of Dosso Beauty and The Dosso Hair Salon in Philadelphia, told Reuters she’s dealing with slowed shipments and tighter customs checks.

“We have to provide more specifics of the products — exact materials, the product use — for it to clear customs,” she said. “Part of the issue was that the same language that we’ve been using for years wasn’t descriptive enough.”

Sina Golara, an assistant professor of supply chains and operations management at Georgia State University, said, “When you raise the cost like this, it’s a tax that you’re imposing on business, and in some cases, it could be borne by the foreign manufacturer, but in most cases it will also have quite substantial impacts on the domestic buyers and consumers.”

“I think that people are having a really hard time right now financially. And so, it makes it difficult for them,” Dosso added.

Lil Nas X was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday morning after locals spotted the rapper walking on the street disoriented and in his underwear. According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, the 26-year-old, whose legal name is Montero Lamar Hill, was taken into custody on suspicion of battery on a police officer and was hospitalized for a possible overdose.

Right now, The Hollywood Reporter says he will remain jailed through the weekend and will appear before a judge on Monday.

Video shows Lil Nas X on the street in his underwear acting erratically

According to TMZ, early Thursday morning, several people in the Studio City area called the police to report a man walking on the street in his underwear. Some even said the man was nude. Someone passing by took a video of the man who, in the clip, is wearing a pair of white underwear and cowboy boots. He mumbles something about a party and, later, puts an orange traffic cone on his head.

Officers arrived at the scene at around 6 a.m. Upon their arrival, authorities claim the man charged at them, ABC7 Eyewitness News reported. The man was arrested and taken to a hospital for a possible overdose. The man’s identity was confirmed by ABC Los Angeles affiliate KABC.

In a TikTok video, NBC News reported that he has since been released from the hospital and that he was arrested under California Penal Code section 69, which is “resisting or deterring an officer from performing their legal duties.”

Prior to his arrest, surveillance footage taken outside of the Short Stories Hotel on Wednesday shows the rapper walking around the nearby street and into the hotel’s courtyard area. The hotel confirmed to TMZ that he was there, but was not a registered guest at the hotel.

Lil Nas X opened up about having a ‘pretty difficult’ last few years

His arrest comes after the rapper has been candid about his personal issues in recent years. According to TMZ, a since-deleted video of him talking about his upcoming music and his recent struggles was later reposted to a fan account in February, sparking concern from fans.

In the clip, he explains that he does not want fans to think he is “flaky” and “all over the place,” and he opens up about having a “pretty difficult” few years. He then assures fans that he is working on his confidence and returning to what he does best: music.

Fans are expecting his highly anticipated second studio album, Dreamboy, to release later this year.

TikTok content creator Malik Taylor, best known for explaining pop culture moments and his “POV” style videos, has died. He was 28.

According to Complex, news of his death was confirmed by his business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, in a statement shared to Facebook on Thursday.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share our beloved Brother, Malik Taylor, has gone to ‘Audit Eternal,’” the announcement said. “To know him was to know he was a light to everyone—always bringing laughter, joy and a warm smile that brightened every room he entered.”

The organization added, “Though your time with us was far too short, you were a good and faithful Brother, and the ‘Great Auditor’ will reward you for your everlasting work.”

Read on for more about his passing and how he’s being mourned.

Taylor had just turned 28 and moved to Charlotte

Taylor’s cause of death has not been shared.

The content creator, who garnered more than 15,000 followers on Instagram and 252,000 on TikTok, attended Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and graduated in 2020. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., joining during his undergraduate time. Since then, he became a rising star on social media. He is also known for his YouTube channel, The Unpopular Party, where he would talk about pop culture and entertainment news.

According to People, the day before news of his death went public, Taylor shared a video opening up about his recent move to Charlotte.

“Everybody’s always saying, ‘Oh, why you moved to Charlotte, North Carolina?” Taylor says in the video as he walks through the street. “Because I heard the Queen City needed a king. The Queen City needed a king!”

Taylor also recently turned 28 and marked his birthday with a celebratory Instagram post.

“Survived the 27 club (Barely). Only right I celebrate my 28th likes it’s the party of the century,” he wrote in the caption. “Call me Malik Gatsby 😉 Cheers to the rest of my roaring 20s Old Sport 🥂.”

Fans have quickly filled the comments of his recent videos with their sadness and condolences.

“You reported the facts with journalistic integrity and that is rare these days. Your voice will live on forever. Thank you for interviewing me. RIP. 🤍 🕊️,” one fan wrote on his 28th birthday post.

“Im so sorryyyyyy☹️🕊️ this caption is even more haunting 💔,” another added.

One fan of Taylor’s wrote his “heart is shattered” and they “don’t want to believe this.”

“RIP Malik. You are loved. Forever in our hearts,” they wrote.

Fans have also taken to TikTok to remember Taylor:

Labor activist Chris Smalls said he was jailed for days and assaulted by Israel Defense Force soldiers during an attempt to distribute humanitarian aid to Palestine. Smalls was part of a group of 19 activists who boarded the Handala, a boat belonging to the grassroot organization Freedom Flotilla Coalition working to end the “Israeli blockade of Gaza,” Rolling Stone reported.

The Handala departed from Syracuse, Italy, on July 13, toward Gaza. The boat was seized by Israeli forces on July 24—and the group was detained and brought to Israeli’s port of Rafah. When they reached the shore, Smalls said he was attacked by IDF soldiers.

“They threw me to the ground, put their knee in my back, twisted my arm behind my back, and then three on each side [held me up] while one of them was pulling my hair and using my chains to choke me to the point where I couldn’t breathe,” he told Rolling Stone. “They dropped me on the ground once, and then they picked me back up.”

Chris Smalls was jailed for 5 days at Israel’s Givon Prison

Smalls was incarcerated in a jail with six other people. He said his cell was raided twice, that they stripped prisoners of their clothes on one occasion and lied to them about the time. On his last day, Smalls said he was left alone and deprived of water.

“I’ve never felt the amount of hatred and racism ever in my 37 years in America,” he said. “There’s no way anybody can convince me that Palestinians or people of color can live amongst Israeli people like that. It just resonates off ’em, the hatred. I seen how they were looking at me. It was not by a coincidence that I was one of the last to leave. They wanted to do more damage to me psychologically than anybody else.”

Smalls was released after five days; he said he was dropped off at the Jordan border before being put on a flight that included a 48-hour layover to New York.

Chris Smalls said he wants to file a lawsuit against Israeli authorities

The activist said he wants to sue Israeli authorities in the International Criminal Court for assaulting him and stealing his personal belongings.

“They stole my Apple headphones, and I have my evidence. I have it on my phone. The location is still there,” Small said. “They abused us, and they deserve to be held accountable.”

“I’m going to continue shedding light [on] the situation [in Palestine] and building some type of international network where we can connect all these struggles,” he added.

Chris Smalls co-founded the Amazon Labor Union in 2020

Smalls made international news for his work as a labor activist. He led a walkout at Amazon’s Staten Island facility, where he worked at the time, after finding out workers had been exposed to Covid-19 for two weeks without their knowledge. Smalls was fired and was publicly called “not smart or articulate” by Amazon’s general counsel David Zapolsky.

As a response, Smalls founded the labor activist organization The Congress of Essential Workers and staged a series of strikes and protests across the country, according to Rolling Stone. He eventually co-founded the Amazon Labor Union, which was ratified in 2022. That same year, Smalls was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people. He even met with former President Joe Biden at the White House. 

Yet, Smalls said he has lost support since publicly advocating for Palestine: “When you’re speaking truth to power, propaganda [tries to] censor what you’re talking about. And that’s what I felt with the Palestinian movement,” he said. “People don’t want to even hear about it. It’s insane to see. I’m like, there’s something more sinister to it. So I’m going to try to use my platform to amplify that.”

In his extensive campaign to whitewash history and attack “woke” content, President Donald Trump has indicated that he is now turning his attention to the Smithsonian museums. But as Trump kicks off a review of Smithsonian content, it appears that the museums may have begun preemptively removing content months earlier.

Trump puts Smithsonian museums under scrutiny

As Blavity previously reported, Trump has turned his attention to the Smithsonian in recent weeks, initiating a comprehensive review of the museums’ exhibits and content to make sure they align with the president’s view of American history. The New York Times indicated that the Smithsonian was given 120 days to alter exhibits that the administration finds objectionable in “tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.” But there are now indications that the Smithsonian may have started changing its content months ago. The Independent indicated that, after Trump issued a March executive order to “restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness,” the museum began reviewing and, in some cases, removing items and exhibits.

Removal of items from Smithsonian arouse suspicion of Trump influence

The report pointed to an NBC News story published in May; the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture had removed over 30 items, including Harriet Tubman’s hymn book, the autobiographical Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and a diary of the lawyer who helped free Solomon Northup, the enslaved man whose story was told in 12 Years a Slave, all of which had been on loan to the museum. At the time, the Smithsonian denied that outside pressure was responsible for the removals, stating on its website, “Claims that objects have been removed for reasons other than adherence to standard loan agreements or museum practices are false.” However, several people associated with the removed items questioned the official explanation. For example, Northup’s great-great-granddaughter, Liz Brazelton, noted that the diary she lent to the museum was returned early; word of the removal came weeks before Trump’s March executive order, raising Brazelton’s suspicion that the museum may have known it was under scrutiny at the time. Others reported similar abrupt removals of items they had donated, which the museum said were being rotated out of display.

Trump attacks Smithsonian for emphasizing that slavery was bad

These incidents suggest that Trump’s pressure campaign against the Smithsonian may have impacted the museums earlier than many people realize. Trump doubled down on his intentions toward the museums in a recent social media post. In the message initially posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump complained that “the Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of “WOKE.” He singled out the Smithsonian museums, “where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been.” After complaining about the museums highlighting that slavery was bad, Trump announced, “I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made.”

Trump’s prolonged campaign against the Smithsonian is thus part of a larger campaign to whitewash American history. Having targeted universities, as well as libraries and national parks, Trump seems to be increasing pressure on the nation’s top museums in order to rewrite American history.