Current Events
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An outbreak of measles has hit the state of Texas, with fears that the numbers will rise among those who are unvaccinated.
According to reports, a county in Texas is seeing a rise in measles cases, with worries that there may be more cases to come given the rate of unvaccinated people in the area. At least 10 cases were reported in Gaines County, which is in west Texas on the state’s border with New Mexico. The closest major city, Lubbock, is 87 miles away. Eight of those cases are among school-aged children, a week after two cases were initially reported by Texas Health and Human Services. Measles had been considered eradicated by health agencies in 2000 after there was no continuous spreading of the virus for a year.
Concerns are growing due to seven of those ten cases resulting in hospitalization, but also because Gaines County has the lowest vaccination rates among children in the entire state. Per medical rules, a community can be protected against measles if 95% of the people are vaccinated. Currently, the rate among kindergarten students in Texas was 97% in the 2019-20 school year but declined to 94.3% for 2023-24. In Gaines County, only 46% of students were vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella. The disease can cause severe complications among children, with a death occurring one every thousand cases.
The low vaccination rates are being driven by conspiracies about the vaccines, which has compelled lawmakers to push more than 20 bills to weaken vaccine mandates, including one bill to amend the state’s constitution to make it a Texans’ right to refuse being vaccinated. Notably, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose anti-vaccine stance led to a deadly outbreak of measles in Samoa after a visit in 2019, is currently awaiting approval to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Medical officials are working heavily to get more measles vaccines to those not immunized. “We are going to see more kids infected. We will see more families taking time off from work. More kids in the hospital,” said Rekha Lakshmanan, the chief strategy officer for the Houston-based nonprofit The Immunization Partnership in an interview. The state’s Department of Health Services is continuing to work with South Plains Public Health District and Lubbock Public Health to investigate the outbreak.
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Across the nation, February is Black History Month. But in Detroit, it’s Dilla Month.
The celebrations for the acclaimed producer James “J Dilla” Yancey were louder than ever this year—just one year shy of the 20th anniversary of his passing.
February 7th was officially recognized as “J Dilla Day” in Detroit and a street sign was installed on the street where the icon grew up.
“Words cannot describe how grateful we are for this declaration,” said his youngest daughter, Ja’Mya Yancey, per Detroit’s Channel 955. “For years, he has been celebrated for the entire month of February all over the city, country and the world. My sister [Ty-Monae Whitlow] and I continue to try to uplift and honor his name and legacy, and this is such a monumental step to help us continue on the work he left behind.”
Dan Charnas, the author of the celebrated book Dilla Time, also came to celebrate the honor on Instagram.
“A great morning in Detroit. A lot of people worked very hard to get to this moment, the first real official recognition of the work and legacy of James Dewitt Yancey from the City of Detroit,” Charnas wrote.
“Much respect and admiration to his daughters [Ja’Mya Yancey] and [Ty-Monae Whitelow]. To [Joylette Hunter] who did the heavy lifting, and to [Detroit councilwoman Mary Sheffield] who shepherded this process. To the folks at the James Dewitt Yancey Estate, and to [Questlove], [Common], [Pete Rock], [Karriem Riggins] and [Jessica Care Moore]. If you nurtured or worked with Dilla, you helped to get this done, too.”
Additionally, Dilla’s mother Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey and the James Dewitt Yancey Estate hosted a Dilla Day concert on Feb. 8 and performers included Slum Village, Guilty Simpson and more. The proceeds from the event went to the victims of the Eaton wildfires.
James DeWitt Yancey better known as J. Dilla passed away on February 10, from a rare blood disorder called TTP a form of lupus.
He is one of several creatives who have been honored with street namings this year including his mentor, Amp Fiddler.
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Source: PA Wire – PA Images / Getty / Ledisi
As expected, the MAGA contingent was once again BIG MAD at the Black National Anthem being sung at the Super Bowl.
Will this be an annual thing, or will the Orange Menace, aka Donald Trump, sing one of his useless executive orders ordering all American sports leagues only to perform the National Anthem and sporting events?
Even though the NFL has gotten rid of the “end racism” signage in the back of endzones for the Super Bowl, they still kept the singing of “Lift Every Voice” ahead of kickoff, a move the league adopted in 2020 in the wake of protests following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police.
The song was adopted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and is commonly called the Black National Anthem.
Louisiana-born singer Ledisi performed the song in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX in front of Felon 47 Donald Trump, and the performance was magnificent.
Unfortunately, like last year, the MAGA cult was BIG MAD at the idea of the hymn being used as a separate anthem in a league that features predominantly Black players.
Right-wing commentators such as Charlie Kirk sounded off on the performance. “Only our actual national anthem should be performed at the Super Bowl,” Kirk wrote.
“Black National Anthem’ is a racist relic left over from the BLM era. Get rid of it,” the lame account End Wokeness said on X, formerly Twitter.
Another crappy account R T wrote, “Just muted the Black National Anthem. There’s one national anthem for this country and that ain’t it. We’re all Americans, not divided by Race, Creed, Sex or Religious Preference.”
Black Xitter Loved Ledisi’s Performance
Thankfully, Black Xitter loved seeing MAGA all butt-hurt about the performance of the hymn.
“Yes, the Black National Anthem does deserve to be a part of the Anthems we sing at the Super Bowl. Why? Because Black History is American History,” one post on X read.
Another post read, “Baby, #Ledisi sang the Black National Anthem from her soul and pit of her stomach! The ancestors are proud!”
They can honestly stay mad. The NFL better not let these people influence them into taking out the Black National Anthem.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Yes, yes it was
4. Oh they were big mad
5. It was Black as hell, and we loved it.
7. Never fails
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Source: Cetaphil / Cetaphil
Remember when you had to watch the Super Bowl just to see the actual Super Bowl commercials? Not anymore.
Being that brands are paying millions for their spots during the Big Game, many have said “later” for any anticipation and have been touting their commercials before players have even stepped on the field for practice.
The spots have plenty of range, too. For example, you have Meg Ryan and Billie Crystal reuniting to make magic based on a movie that dropped 35 years ago, and then you have Lil Wayne basically announcing his new album via a commercial for lotion. One throughline we do appreciate, when done well, is the use of Hip-Hop music (see Pfize with LL Cool J and Michelob Ultra with Rick Ross).
We’ll keep tabs on any commercials that actually debut during the Super Bowl and will add here accordingly. But for the right now, here are all the best Super Bowl 25 commercials. And some “meh,” too—for archival purposes.
1. Pfizer
Props for the usage of LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” F*ck cancer, infinitely.
2. Michelob ULTRA – The ULTRA Hustle
Rick Ross is getting a check, and Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara are basically scammers—watch out for Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser.
3. Bud Light – Big Men on Cul-de-Sac
Feauturing Shane Gillis, Post Malone, and Peyton Manning, we respect it due to the clutch use of Huey Lewis & The News music.
4. Google Pixel – Dream Job
Love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
5. Hellmann’s – When Harry Met Sally Reunion
The fact that Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reunited to push Hellmann’s mayonnaise in homage to When Harry Met Sally is textbook example of the jokes write themselves.
6. Häagen-Dazs – Not So Fast, Not So Furious
Apparently Häagen-Daz has a budget for Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel to parody The Fast & The Furious. What a time.
7. Cetaphil – We’re all a Lil Sensitive
You gotta give Lil Wayne props for being able to laugh at himself after the whole Why Kendrick and not met at the Super Bowl brouhaha. And he managed to sneak in a Carter VI announcement.
8. STōK Cold Brew Coffee | Hollywood Magic
Channing Tatum getting his dance on to C+C Music Factory for cold brew coffee, and to inspire soccer celebration, wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card.
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Adan Manzano, a Kansas City reporter with Telemundo, was found dead in his hotel room in New Orleans over the weekend. Police have arrested a suspect in the case, who had a history of drugging men and robbing them.
NBC Sports reports that Adan Manzano, 27, was in New Orleans on behalf of Telemundo in Kansas City to cover Super Bowl LIX. The outlet adds that Manzano was seen on surveillance video from the hotel camera feeds from Feb. 5 that showed him walking into his room early on the morning of his death with the suspect, with the video showing the suspect leaving Manzano’s room unaccompanied.
Area police announced the arrest of Danette Colbert, 48, and a resident of Sidell, La. Colbert was arrested for attempting to use Manzano’s credit cards at several stores, and a subsequent search of Colbert’s home turned up Manzano’s phone, other credit cards, and drugs.
Source: Kenner Police Department / Kenner Police Department
Colbert was listed by authorities as a “career criminal” and was involved in what they also framed as “fraud schemes” in recent times. In 2022, Colbert was twice arrested in separate matters on felony charges of grand larceny and administering a drug to aid in a felony crime. The pattern explained by the outlet was that Colbert would target and drug men and then steal their personal items. In both cases, the men did not want to go on record and testify against her. It isn’t known if those cases occurred in New Orleans proper.
Telemundo KC took to their Facebook page and wrote a moving tribute in honor of Manzano.
“[Adan] was an exceptional professional and a rising star whose dedication and talent reflected excellence in his work. We will deeply miss Adam, his passion for sports and the contributions he made to the local community,” a portion of the post read.
Adan Manzano was a widower and single father, raising a 2-year-old daughter.
—
Photo: Getty/Telemundo KC/Kenner Police
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Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty / Kai Cenat
Kai Cenat made the right choice. Protecting his integrity and his bag over streaming with Kanye West.
The world’s most popular Twitch streamer (debate your cousin), is not linking up with the most problematic person in the world not named Elon Musk or Donald Trump.
Kai Cenat announced to his Twitch followers that the once-planned stream with Kanye West, aka Ye, is no longer happening. Cenat revealed that he made his decision after seeing West’s latest round of bizarre and extremely antisemitic tweets.
“I’m gonna go ahead and address the elephant in the room,” Cenat told his fans. “I seen the tweets, bro. I don’t know what’s going on.” He revealed he was just as stunned as everyone else by Kanye West’s recent online behavior. “I don’t know, bro. It’s crazy.”
Cenat’s announcement comes after he excitedly revealed on January 29 that he was planning to take a trip to Japan and hopefully get West on his stream. The Twitch streamer also bumped into the rapper at the Grammys before the whole Bianca Censori naked on the red carpet stunt.
“He’s a very good, motherf*cking dude,” Cenat said on January 29. “I think he’ll be open to the stream. “If I had to say a percentage,” Kai Cenat said. “It’s at like probably 90%. We been talking almost every day.”
Welp.
You Know Kanye West Is Going To React
Kanye West has yet to respond to Cenat’s decision, but we fully expect him to. We won’t be surprised if he calls him an “industry plant” again or something worse.
Fans have been reacting to Cenat making the right decision not to associate himself with a Black Nazi sympathizer, some are calling him a sellout, while others understand he’s got a brand to protect.
https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888107257474511185
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
2. Ehhhhhh
3. Basically
5. Oh really?
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An Arab American group that supported President Donald Trump has changed its name in response to his threat to take over the Gaza Strip.
With President Donald Trump making the shocking proposal of moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip to make it the “Riviera of the Middle East” after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one prominent group of Arab American backers has opted to change their name from “Arab Americans For Trump” to “Arab Americans For Peace.” Bishara Bahbah, the group’s chairman, confirmed the decision on Wednesday (February 5) in talks with the Associated Press.
“The talk about what the president wants to do with Gaza, obviously we’re completely opposed to the idea of the transfer of Palestinians from anywhere in Historic Palestine,” Bahbah said. “And so we did not want to be behind the curve in terms of pushing for peace, because that has been our objective from the very beginning.” He stated that the name change had been discussed and was agreed upon on Tuesday (February 4), but they still had the old moniker before Trump’s press conference with Netanyahu.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based group was a significant factor in Trump winning the area in the 2024 presidential election. Home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the United States, they were critical of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s decision not to call for an arms embargo on Israel during that country’s war with the Hamas militia and critical of former President Biden’s support of Israel. Many either withheld their votes in alliance with the “Uncommitted” movement, decrying the genocide of Palestinians, or voted for third-party candidate Jill Stein.
Trump would double down on his statements in a Truth Social post on Thursday, proclaiming that “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel.” In a press release, Arab Americans For Peace wrote that they “appreciate the president’s offer to clean and rebuild Gaza” but “take issue with the president’s suggestion of taking over Gaza and removing its Palestinian inhabitants.” While progressive activists aren’t offering regrets over their choices, one leader spoke anonymously to Politico about the growing concern in the Arab American community about their choices, stating that they “think we screwed up but we’re not going to admit it.”
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Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty / 50 Cent
50 Cent demands absolute loyalty, and if he doesn’t get that, best believe he will air your a** out. Lil Meech, the star of BMF, found that out the hard way.
Things got rocky after 50 Cent called Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory a snitch by posting a photo of a rat on Instagram and posting in the caption, “I think I’m Big Meech,” for linking up with nemesis Rick Ross, Lil
Rick Ross performed at Flenory’s Welcome Back concert after being freed from prison after serving 16 years.
Big Meech did respond to Fif, sharing a photo of the two with an animate piece of cheese and a rat covering the rapper’s face.
Rozay also clapped back at the “Wanksta” crafter imitating his voice in a picture, saying, “N-gga took a picture with Rick Ross!” and then changing to his voice and adding, “You like a hoe, n-gga. Put your back against the wall and just slide down.”
Lil Meech Reached Out & Got Exposed
Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. reached out to the Queens rapper and executive producer on BMF to see what’s good, and his messages were then shared by the G-Unit general on Instagram in a now-deleted post.
“They just told me u unfollowed me on Instagram and now u managing Skilla Baby with Rocket when I brought him around you first when u didn’t have a clue who he was,” Lil Meech wrote. “Now u mad at me when I would take my shirt off my back for you.”
“I can’t believe this man. U act as if I’m your enemy. I’ve only showed you love and loyalty. [I’m] human I go thru my own shit but I never switched up on you,” he continued.
Summer Walker’s ex-boo also clarified the Rick Ross and Big Meech photo, claiming it happened because of money. Basically, Ross was looking out for his dad.
“Fuck Ross but he gave my dad some bread so he can afford to pay his bills until our next season starts,” Lil Meech said regarding the hit Starz drama series. “This internet shit is throwing me off man. U know me in real life.”
Keeping that petty energy we have come to know 50 Cent for, he replied, “What next season little [ninja emoji]? “This implied that he was going to fire Lil Meech and find another actor to play his father in the show.
Further mocking Flenory Jr. in another now-deleted post, Fif clowned the young actor, telling him he was going to end up on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, “I’ll give Mona Scott [Young, executive producer of the reality series] a call for him later today!”
Social Media Is Not Suprised By 50 Cent’s Behavior
As expected, there is no shock regarding 50 Cent’s behavior. This is the same man who just mocked Irv Gotti, who passed away after suffering a stroke.
50 Cent will never change.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. You just know The Game had to give his 2 cents
3. Damn, even 50 Cent’s son had something to say
4. Fair point
6. Also fair
8. Accurate
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., now has the rights to the name of the Proud Boys organization after a court order.
On Monday (Feb. 3), a federal judge ruled that the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church now owns the trademark rights of the Proud Boys white nationalist organization. Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier made the two-page ruling to fulfill a $2.8 million judgment against the Proud Boys by another judge to cover damages made to the historic Washington, D.C., church in December 2020 by members of the far-right group in what was deemed “a highly orchestrated attack” targeting Black churches after a rally by President Donald Trump.
The ruling states that in addition to the church owning the trademark, the Proud Boys now have to get consent from them to use it. Also, any proceeds from merchandise with the trademark, including hats and t-shirts that are sold by the organization, can be seized by the AME church at will. “The Church has a long history of standing up for justice and against all forms of hate,” the church’s leader, Rev. William H. Lamar IV, told CNN in an interview. “We are determined to hold the Proud Boys accountable and we will continue this fight.”
In a long statement on X, formerly Twitter, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio blasted the judgment by stating the church “must be subjected to a thorough audit, and its non-profit status revoked immediately” before adding, “This church has engaged in a campaign of harassment and falsehoods. We were subjected to unjust incarceration and mistreatment at the hands of our own government, leaving us no recourse. Their actions are a betrayal of justice, reminiscent of Judas’ treachery. I hold in contempt any motions, judgments, and orders issued against me.” Tarrio, who confessed to vandalizing the church in 2021, was recently freed by President Trump while serving a 22-year sentence for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He would later add another post on X, claiming: “The Proud Boys are now changing our name to the … ‘African Methodist Episcopal Boys.’”
Reverend Lamar was unfazed. “They need to know that it’s not OK to do this to Metropolitan, and it’s not OK to do this to anyone,” Lamar said to NBC Washington 4. “They must pay what the judge said, and now we own what is valuable to them, and we will collect.”
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Source: handout / Golden State Entertainment
The NBA All-Star Game is hitting The Bay and in celebration, the Golden State Warriors’ record label Golden State Entertainment is releasing a collection of songs from Bay Area artists including two legends. E-40 and Too $hort dropped a new single, “Had To,” from the upcoming For The Soil, led by Bay Area rapper and producer P-Lo, which comes out on Feb 12.
“‘Had To’ and ‘For the Soil’ represent a journey of passion, creativity, and connection,” said P-Lo in a statement. “It’s been an amazing experience collaborating with E-40 and Too $hort to create this track. Golden State Entertainment and the Warriors are leading the way in bridging music and sports, and I feel honored to have worked on this track with them. Bringing this vision to life with such legends and tying it to a team and culture I deeply admire has been unforgettable.”
Golden State Entertainment is the first record label owned by an NBA team. According to their website, GSE “produces compelling documentaries, drops cutting-edge music, and hosts events and experiences to tell the stories of those who shape and move culture around the globe.”
The label is headed by David Kelly, GSE’s Chief Business Officer and Former Executive Vice President of A&R for Def Jam Recordings and Executive Vice President for Capitol Music Group, No I.D.
Besides E-40 and Too $hort’s “Had To,” For the Soil also features Larry June, Kamaiyah, Saweetie, LaRussell, G-Eazy, thúy and YMTK on a track called “Players Holiday.”
“P-Lo, $hort, and I had to drop this one for The Bay,” said 40 Water in a statement. “‘Had To’ is that real player’s anthem, straight from the soil to the stars, so it’s only right we bring the energy!”
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game goes down February 16, 2025 and it will be the fourth time the Warriors will host the game and the first time since 2000. The game will be televised nationally by TNT for the 23rd and final consecutive year. It will return to NBC (which aired the game for 11 years prior to TNT taking over coverage) next season.