Everything Jesse Williams — star of “Grey’s Anatomy” — says here about the Michael Dunn trial is spot on. Dunn was convicted of attempted murder (but not first-degree murder) for firing on four black teenagers who wouldn’t turn down their “rap crap” outside a Jacksonville, Fla., convenience store in 2012, killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis.
My four favorite parts of Williams interview: 1) When he explains how people are tired of the criminalization of black people in America — it’s a white problem, an American problem, a societal problem, NOT a black problem. 2) The “What the fu…” look on his face when she says, “We’re on our way to justice — we have an African-American president…” 3) The fact that we have to explain why it’s racial is a huge problem. 4) Would this have happened if Davis had been blasting Bon Jovi?
The internet is buzzing over reports that Janet Jackson wants out of her marriage to Arab billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana.
But Miss Jackson’s plan isn’t to just walk away, so the reports say. Nope, she wants compensation.
“Janet Jackson’s marriage to super-wealthy Arab businessman Wissam Al Mana has collapsed, and a source says bitter divorce battle over his billion dollar fortune could be about to explode … She confided to a few close friends and (her mother) Katherine that she’s preparing to leave him. And she’s begun calling friends at all hours crying and saying how miserable she is … Janet is getting set to challenge the prenup and demand a flat lump sum payout from his fortune,” according to one tabloid.
If the reports are true, it will be the end of her third marriage. Before Wissam Al Mana (39), who Janet (47) wed in 2012, she was previously married to Réne Elizondo from 1991-2000 and James DeBarge from 1984-1985.
For the record, Rumor Fix says it reached out toJackson’s rep for a response.
One thing that’s not a rumor is Janet’s listing of her NYC apartment for $35,000 a month!
The man responsible for the death of Usher’s stepson Kile Glover was found guilty in a Georgia courtroom today.
According to reports, Jeffrey Hubbard was convicted on five counts of homicide by vessel, reckless operation and unlawful operation of a personal watercraft.
You may recall the tragic accident. Hubbard was riding a jet ski when he hit the 11-year-old, who was being towed on an inner tube, at Lake Lanier in 2012. He also left another teen severely injured. His attorneys argued that crash was an accident and not linked to recklessness.
Glover, the biological son of Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Raymond, was vacationing with his father Ryan Glover at the time of the accident. He suffered from serious head injuries and a little more than two weeks after the crash he was removed from life support. He was laid to rest on July 27, 2012 amongst family, friends and many members of Atlanta’s music community.
Tameka recently started a foundation to honor her son’s memory.
The entertainer, also a native of Florida recently spoke to Huffington Post about the murder of Jordan Davis, his killer Michael Dunn and the verdict that ignored the life that was lost.
“I’m not going to stay away from Florida, so I’m not going to blame the state of Florida, but to a degree, I don’t know what’s going on in the head of some of the people in Florida. The people in the decision making process.”
Some of the people in the jury, maybe. It’s issues like that that [make] me sad as a man, fearful to a degree as a black man, that there are people who will use the, ‘Oh no, I was defending myself,’ the Stand Your Ground laws.”
“I was thinking about this myself, because I thought what if I’m in a position where I feel like I’m being threatened?” Brady went on. “I have my daughter, and I’m out with her a lot … I’m out with her mom sometimes, I’m out with my friends. I may want to defend myself, and what do you do when you’re in that position?
“You don’t know what you will do. So I can’t judge the guy, because I wasn’t there. But I will say with some of the forensic evidence that was presented, it’s a shame on all accounts, and it makes me sad that we lost another brother to this needless violence.”
Now this one here is a shame. Clean cut R&B artist Brian McKnight, known especially for his 1997 hit “Anytime” and another hut in 1999 “Back At One,” apparently hasn’t paid taxes in a decade, and he is blaming his accountant.
McKnight has filed a lawsuit against Vernon Brown and Company, claiming Brown ruined his life by not paying ANY of Brian’s taxes for close to a decade … resulting not only in more than a million bucks in back taxes, but more than $500K in penalties and interest.
Here’s how bad McKnight says it got … In the lawsuit he claims Brown knew he screwed up and secretly contacted Congressman Henry Waxman and gave him a phony sob story that got Waxman to contact the IRS and get McKnight back on an installment plan.
McKnight says Brown was so bad he screwed up the installment plan and the taxes were never paid.
McKnight says his credit is now crap, his house has a lien, his music royalties have been frozen and his life is in shambles. Not only that, McKnight says his driver’s license has been suspended for failing to pay back taxes, and because his son shares the same name HIS license was suspended as well.
And here’s an honor no one wants … McKnight says he landed on California’s Top 500 Delinquent Taxpayers.
Something he can put on his mantle … next to his Soul Train Music Award.
Fallen also showed the ‘evolution of mom dancing‘ with the First Lady, Michelle Obama. In his first show hosting The Tonight Show in New York, Fallon and Smith bust the move.
In honor of next month’s 25th anniversary of their debut album “3 Feet High and Rising,” De La Soul is making their entire catalog available for free download for 25 hours on the group’s website, reports Rolling Stone.
The download bonanza will begin today, February 14th at 11 a.m. EST and end Saturday at noon.
The move was driven in part by copyright law, which, because of the group’s use of samples, prevented sale of some their albums on iTunes.
“It’s about allowing our fans who have been looking and trying to get a hold of our music to have access to it,” De La Soul member Posdnuos told Rolling Stone. “It’s been too long where our fans haven’t had access to everything. This is our way of showing them how much we love them.”
“It’s been a trying journey. We’ve been blessed to be in the Library of Congress, but we can’t even have our music on iTunes,” he added. “We’ve been working very hard to get that solved.”
A fatal collision occurred in Greenwich Village early yesterday morning when a truck plowed into a city bus. The bus’ operator, William Pena, was thrown from the vehicle. He later died beneath the wheels of the bus. The driver of the truck was 22-year-old Domonic Whilby of Georgia, reports The New York Daily News.
Just hours before the pre dawn collision, Whilby was celebrating at a birthday bash at club 1 Oak for supermodel Shanina Shaik with his famous uncle, Tyson Beckford. Sources say that after a night of hard partying Whilby was escorted from the club around 3:30 am and was thrown out of Dream Downtown Hotel after he passed out on the second floor. Onlookers say that he became irritated when he was unable to locate the limousine that was scheduled to pick him up. The super at two W. 16th St. apartment buildings, Victor Vega, says that he witnessed Whilby randomly pound on multiple apartment doors.
“He was sweating like a mad dog,” said Vega. “He had to be high on drugs. He started kicking and banging the doors.”
Shortly after, Vega says Whilby jumped into a running 10 Rabbits Granola truck and sped away after the truck’s driver got out to make an early morning delivery. One witness tells NYDN that Whilby blew though a red light just moments before the fatal crash.
“It’s just the wrong place at the wrong time, I guess,” said the victim’s cousin, Edwin Espinal. “That’s what happened to William — an honest, working guy and he paid the consequences. Unbelievable.”
“William was a great person,” added Pena’s brother, Alex Pena. “I can’t say no more about him, great person … He was a great guy every way you can put it.”
Four others were injured in the accident, including a person on a scooter, who was dragged 50 ft.
“He didn’t even brake,” said Eddie Abdelmoty. “My tires blew up … He went right through the red light at the end of the block.”
Police say Whilby suffered minor neck injuries. Once apprehended by officers, he was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was likely tested for drugs and alcohol. He is facing 10 charges, some of which include manslaughter, two counts of grand larceny, three counts of criminal assault, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.
Pena leaves behind a wife and 14-year-old daughter. Beckford’s manager has declined to comment on the tragedy.
Sam Rubin won’t be picking a fight with Nick Fury anytime soon. The seasoned entertainment reporter for KTLA caused actor Samuel L. Jackson to fly into a rage on Monday, Feb. 10 when he confused him with Matrix star Laurence Fishburne.
“Working for Marvel, the Super Bowl commercial, did you get a lot of reaction to that Super Bowl commercial?” Rubin asked Jackson.
“What Super Bowl commercial?” Jackson replied.
After a moment of awkward silence, Rubin realized his mistake before Jackson erupted, “See, you’re as crazy as the people on Twitter. I’m not Laurence Fishburne! We don’t all look alike! We may be all black and famous, but we don’t look alike.”
Fishburne appeared in a buzzed-about Kia ad where he reprised his iconic role as Morpheus from The Matrix. And Jackson was immediately upset by the mix up.
Samuel L. Jackson (left) became enraged when a reporter confused him with Matrix actor Laurence Fishburne.
Credit: John Lamparski/WireImage; Charles Norfleet/Getty Images
“You’re the entertainment reporter?! And you don’t know the difference between me and Laurence Fishburne? There must be a very short line for your job,” he continued as Rubin attempted to turn the conversation back to Jackson’s RoboCop remake. “I’m the ‘What’s in your wallet’ black guy. And I’ve actually never done a McDonalds or a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial. I know that’s surprising.”
Rubin tried to laugh off what he called the “well-deserved spanking,” but later acknowledged, “That is a tape now that I believe is going to have a life all of its own.”
The longtime reporter issued an official apology via KTLA, but it’s unclear as to whether Rubin is actually owning up to his faux pas.
“I indicated to Samuel that I’d seen him during the Super Bowl, and he thought that I had confused him with the commercial Laurence Fishburne had done for a car company,” Rubin said. “Of course a Captain America ad had also run during the Super Bowl, but I immediately felt so dumb, I didn’t bring that up — and he gave me the shellacking that was well deserved.”
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