1 person injured after package detonates at Northeastern University, school says
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Kid Cudi drops trailer for his Netflix 'Entergalactic' TV show
Kid Cudi’s new album and TV show, both titled Entergalactic, will be available on September 30. On Monday, he dropped the trailer for the adult animated Netflix special.
“Entergalactic is everything I’ve always wanted to do, create a long-form visual companion to an album. It all started with the music which helped bring this storyline and these characters to life,” the two-time Grammy winner said in a statement. “Entergalactic is unlike anything I’ve ever done, certainly my most ambitious project to date; I can’t wait for you to finally experience it.”
The album can now be presaved on Cudi’s website.
Entergalactic is the 38-year-old MC’s 10th studio album, following Man on the Moon III: The Chosen in 2020.
Cudi serves as executive producer of the TV show with Black-ish creator Kenya Barris. He also provides one of the voices, along with Ty Dolla $ign and Teyana Taylor.
The “Day ‘n’ Nite” rapper performed on his To The Moon world tour Monday night in New York City, and the North American leg ends Saturday in Cleveland, Cudi’s hometown.
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Ludacris celebrates his birthday by dropping trailer for 'Karma’s World' animated series
Ludacris celebrated his 45th birthday Sunday, and on Monday, he had a present for his fans.
“Y’all been supporting me, so let me give y’all a gift,” the Fast & Furious star said in an Instagram video. His gift was dropping the trailer for the new season of his Karma’s World animated series, named after his 21-year-old daughter. Season 4 of the coming-of-age story of aspiring rapper Karma Grant premieres September 22 on Netflix.
The new season comes with a new collection of Karma’s World dolls from Mattel.
Ludacris says this is a very special birthday due to the success of his new film, End of the Road, co-starring Queen Latifah, which debuted Friday.
“Let me tell you why I’ve had the best birthday: because End of the Road on Netflix is #1,” he proudly declared. “Still #1 three days in a row.”
The “Stand Up” rapper ended his clip vowing to continue partying for his birthday.
“Virgo nation. We’re gonna keep celebrating the whole month of September!”
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Fat Joe hosting new TV show executive produced by Diddy
Two hip-hop legends are collaborating, as Fat Joe will host a new TV show for Starz executive produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs.
SpringHill’s studio division, founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, will also produce the pilot.
“We’re about to create the biggest and most culturally relevant series on television,” Joe said in a statement. “With Puff, LeBron, the incredible team at Starz and myself teaming up, you have a dream team that is guaranteed to produce TV gold.”
“Hosting a show has always been a dream of mine and I’m thankful for everyone who helped make it a reality,” the five-time Grammy nominee continued. “I promise you that we’re going to push the envelope, deliver compelling interviews and provide pure entertainment.”
“I’m excited to partner with Starz and bring these cultural giants together to create the No. 1 show on television,” Diddy added. “Fat Joe is a very authentic and respected voice in the culture that deserves a platform to bring these important conversations to a global audience on a major network.”
Joe served as a guest host for The Wendy Williams Show and will host the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards, airing October 4.
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Taraji P. Henson celebrates birthday dancing onstage with Usher in Las Vegas
Taraji P. Henson made her 52nd birthday unforgettable with a sexy dance with Usher during his Las Vegas residency.
The Hidden Figures star saved her best moves for the eight-time Grammy winner as he serenaded her with Bobby Brown’s “Rock Wit’cha” Saturday night at Dolby Live at Park MGM.
“To@tarajiphenson and all the birthday girls that celebrated with me last night….” the 43-year-old entertainer captioned the video on Instagram. “Do yo dance it’s yo birthday….”
Henson shared a series of videos from the show, commenting, “Soooooo about last night!!! Thank you @Usher #wehadatimelastnight #birthdaybehavior #virgoseason.”
Taraji also posted a video from their dance and thanked Usher for the “amazing birthday turn up.”
The “My Boo” singer is continuing his residency through July 2023.
On Monday, Usher announced he is releasing a special 25th anniversary edition of his 1997 seven-times Platinum My Way album.
The special edition features the original album, plus three “reimagined” versions of the album’s three monster hits: “My Way,” “Nice & Slow” and “You Make Me Wanna.” The new version will be released on September 16 and is now available to presave.
Also on September 16, a mini-documentary about the album will premiere on Usher’s YouTube channel.
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Viola Davis says new film 'The Woman King' is her “magnum opus”
Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis says her new movie, The Woman King, brings Black women to the forefront and is one of the most important works of her career.
The film has a 100% critics rating on the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its wide release Friday.
“First of all, it is a movie that’s led by women, and it’s a movie that’s led by Black women and it’s a movie that’s led by dark-skinned Black women,” Davis said on Good Morning America Tuesday. “There is no white savior and it’s women who are warriors, tapping into not only their physical strength, but also…they’re humanized — and so, when have you seen that ever?”
Davis plays the character of Nanisca in the dramatic epic about the Agojie, an all-women warrior army in the historical African kingdom of Dahomey.
“They were women who were recruited from the age of 8 and 14 in Dahomey, West Africa, which is now Benin, and they were women who were not considered beautiful so they weren’t marriage material. They were unruly. No one can control them. And so they were sort of sold into the kingdom as Agojie,” Davis explained. “They could not have children. They could not get married and they could not have sex. They have to train all day into the night…”
“But what’s interesting is as restrictive as that is, they took great pride in what they did. Because…[i]t made them matter because it gave them a purpose,” Davis continued.
Davis said, “…this is my magnum opus, this is my gift to the 6-year-old Viola — who was always called ‘Black and ugly’ — that 6-year-old girl that was always running from the bullies.”
“This has me sort of reaching back to her and saying, ‘Look, you matter and you surviving and you being tough, you keep being tough,'” Davis said.
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Drake receives 14 BET Hip Hop Awards nominations
Drake leads the 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards nominations, which were announced Tuesday.
The Champagne Papi is up for 14 awards, including Hip Hop Artist of the Year, Hustler of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, Best Live Performer and Hip Hop Album of the Year for Certified Lover Boy.
Kanye West received 10 nods, followed by Kendrick Lamar who has nine nominations. Future is up for eight awards, while Cardi B, J. Cole and Baby Keem are tied tie with six nods each.
Fat Joe will host this year’s show. “This will be the BIGGEST award show in history,” he previously said in a statement. “It’s truly an honor to host and produce the BET Hip Hop Awards, and I can’t thank Connie [Orlando] and the entire BET family enough for this opportunity. We’re going to celebrate music, culture, and entertainment, honor the biggest and brightest stars in the world and make this an unforgettable night full of laughs and surprises.”
The 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards will be taped at Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Centre on Friday, September 30 and will premiere Tuesday, October 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on BET.
Here’s the complete list of 2022 BET Hip Hop Award nominees:
Best Hip Hop Video
A$AP Rocky, “D.M.B.”
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar “Family Ties”
City Girls feat. Usher, “Good Love”
Cardi B, Kanye West & Lil Durk, “Hot Sh**”
BIA & J. Cole, “London”
Future feat. Drake & Tems, “Wait for You”
Drake feat. Future & Young Thug, “Way 2 Sexy”
Best collaboration
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar, “Family Ties”
City Girls feat. Usher, “Good Love”
Cardi B, Kanye West & Lil Durk, “Hot Sh**”
Drake feat. 21 Savage, “Jimmy Cooks”
Benny The Butcher & J. Cole, “Johnny P’s Caddy”
Future feat. Drake & Tems, “Wait for You”
Drake feat. Future & Young Thug, “Way 2 Sexy”
Best Duo or Group
42 Dugg & EST Gee
Big Sean & Hit-Boy
Birdman & Youngboy Never Broke Again
Blxst & Bino Rideaux
DaBaby & Youngboy Never Broke Again
EARTHGANG
Styles P & Havoc
Best live performer
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Drake
J. Cole
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
Tyler, the Creator
Lyricist of the Year
Baby Keem
Benny The Butcher
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Jay-Z
Kendrick Lamar
Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Burna Boy
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Director X
Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free
Teyana Taylor
Song of the Year
Latto, “Big Energy”
Hitkidd & Glorilla “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”
Jack Harlow, “First Class”
Cardi B, Kanye West & Lil Durk, “Hot Sh**”
Kodak Black, “Super Gremlin”
Future feat. Drake & Tems, “Wait for You”
Drake feat. Future & Young Thug, “Way 2 Sexy”
Hip Hop Album of the Year
Latto, 777
Drake, Certified Lover Boy
Kanye West, Donda
Future, I Never Liked You
Pusha T, It’s Almost Dry
Nas, King’s Disease II
Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Drake
Future
Kanye West
Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion
Producer of the Year
ATL Jacob
Baby Keem
Hit-Boy
Hitmaka
Kanye West
Metro Boomin
Pharrell Williams
Best Breakthrough Hip Hop Artist
Baby Keem
Blxst
Doechii
Fivio Foreign
Glorilla
Nardo Wick
Saucy Santana
DJ of the Year
D-Nice
DJ Cassidy
DJ Drama
DJ Kay Slay
DJ Premier
Kaytranada
Mustard
Nyla Symone
L.A. Leakers: DJ sourMILK & Justin Credible
Best Hip Hop Platform
Big Boy’s Neighborhood
Breakfast Club
Caresha Please
Complex
Drink Champs
HipHopDX
Million Dollaz Worth of Game
NPR Tiny Desk
Verzuz
Hustler of the Year
50 Cent
Cardi B
DJ Khaled
Drake
Jay-Z
Kanye West
Megan Thee Stallion
Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse
Drake, “Churchill Downs” (Jack Harlow feat. Drake) J.
J.Cole, “Poke It Out” (Wale feat. J. Cole)
J. Cole, “London” (BIA & J. Cole)
Lil Baby, “Girls Want Girls” (Drake feat. Lil Baby)
Kanye West, “City of Gods” (Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys)
Drake, “Wait for You” (Future feat. Drake & Tems)
Jadakiss, “Black Illuminati” (Freddie Gibbs feat. Jadakiss)
Impact Track
Lizzo, “About Damn Time”
Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys, “City of Gods”
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar, “Family Ties”
Nas feat. Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Nobody”
Latto, “P***y”
Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Part 5”
Doja Cat, “Woman”
Best International Flow
Benjamin Epps (France)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Blxckie (South Africa)
Central Cee (UK)
Haviah Mighty (Canada)
Knucks (UK)
Le Juiice (France)
Nadia Nakai (Zimbabwe)
Tasha & Tracie (Brazil)
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Seattle school district reaches 'tentative agreement' with union amid teachers strike
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Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver suspended one year for racist, sexist comments
(NEW YORK) — Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver has been suspended one year by the NBA for sexist and racist language after the league launched an investigation following a bombshell report from ESPN last year.
Sarver was also fined $10 million, the maximum allowed by the league, which will be donated to organizations addressing race- and gender-based discrimination in the workplace.
The league handed down its suspension on Thursday after the Nov. 21, 2021, article triggered an investigation that included 320 interviews with current and former Phoenix employees, according to the NBA.
Sarver had owned the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury since purchasing the team in 2004 from previous owner Jerry Colangelo.
The report details at least fives times Sarver used the N-word “when recounting the statements of others.” The ESPN article detailed a conversation between Sarver, who is white, and then-coach Earl Watson, who is Black, in 2016 which he repeatedly used the N-word while questioning why Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who is Black, could use the term when Sarver could not.
Sarver also allegedly allegedly “engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees,” according to the report.
Sarver also yelled and cursed at employees, the report found.
The independent report was conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. In addition to the hundreds of interviews, the investigation also looked at more than 80,000 documents, including emails, text messages and video, the NBA said. Sarver cooperated throughout the investigation, according to the league.
Still, the NBA said, “The investigation made no finding that Mr. Sarver’s workplace misconduct was motivated by racial or gender-based animus.”
The league said in addition to Sarver’s misconduct, other employees within the organization committed similar transgressions and the human resources function was “historically ineffective and not a trusted source for employees who subjected to improper workplace conduct.”
Sarver, 60, will not be allowed to have any involvement with either team for the course of a year. Sarver made his fortune in banking and real estate.
When the story emerged during last year’s NBA season, Suns star Devin Booker told reporters, “I wasn’t aware of the situation and in my seven years I’ve been here. I haven’t noticed that, but that doesn’t make me insensitive to the subject.”
“[The NBA will] do their due diligence, bringing out facts instead of he said, she said,” Booker said at the time of the just-launched investigation. “I’m sure the NBA has it in good hands and will do the proper research to find out the truth.”
ABC News’ Bonnie McLean contributed to this report.
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After passionate acceptance speech, Sheryl Lee Ralph continued to inspire backstage at the Emmys
When Sheryl Lee Ralph accepted the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a comedy series at the 2022 Emmys Monday night, the Abbott Elementary star brought the audience to their feet with her powerful acceptance speech.
The 65-year-old actress held up her trophy and belted out the opening lyrics to “Endangered Species” by Grammy-winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves. Backstage, Ralph was asked about what led her to that moment, and her answer, quoting the lyrics she sang, was equally inspirational.
“You know what? I’ve been singing that song for years because I think of myself as an artist, as a woman, especially as a woman of color, I’m an endangered species,” Ralph expressed. “But I don’t sing any victim song. I’m a woman. I’m an artist. And I know where my voice belongs.”
She added, “…there’s so many young actors, artists, even kids that think they know what they’re going to do in life. Find your voice and put it where it belongs.”
The Tony-nominated Emmy winner, who has been a veteran of the showbiz game for decades, was also asked what it meant for her to snag the trophy for the ABC sitcom at 65.
Ralph expressed, “The fact that I am here recognized after all this time as being one of the best of the best in my industry with a group of women, they are all the best. And to top it off, this particular year, tons of great TV — and for my little freshman show to break through to be seen the way it is?”
“Oh, my God. I’ve got the Golden Ticket. Yes, I do. Where’s my chocolate? I’m ready!” she enthused.
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