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Rayful Edmond, a notorious drug kingpin whose operation terrorized the Washington, D.C. streets at the height of the so-called “Crack Era” is reportedly dead according to unconfirmed accounts. Rayful Edmond was released from prison this past summer after serving well over three decades behind bars and was transferred to a reentry facility in Tennessee.
On X, formerly Twitter, social media accounts are claiming that the brother of Edmond confirmed that his sibling has died although we have yet to see an official report. Edmond, 59, ran a lucrative drug operation that not only ravaged the Nation’s Capital, but also ignited turf wars, and bloody shootouts, and placed the wider region under siege.
We’ve reached out to sources looking for a confirmation but nothing has yet to materialize. We also reached out to the Residential Reentry Management (RRM) office in Nashville where Edmond was reportedly sent to after his prison release to no avail.
As we gather more information, we’ll be back to update this post.
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ABC News has sparked the ire of many on social media after reports went wide that the network settled a $15 million lawsuit brought by President-elect Donald Trump. The money from the settlement will go toward a charity that will use the funds to build Donald Trump’s presidential library.
As reported by the Associated Press over the weekend, ABC News will pay $15 million as a “charitable contribution” that will be deposited into the care of a non-profit organization that will help build the library for the incoming president.
Trump brought a lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos after the veteran anchor said on-air that Trump was found civilly liable for raping E. Jean Carroll, with a jury awarding the writer $88 million in damages stemming from a pair of lawsuits filed by Carroll, who accused Trump of the assault in the 1990s. The verdicts of those matters are under appeal.
As part of the settlement, ABC News shared an editor’s note apologizing for Stephanopoulos offering his take on the legal matter in a report delivered on the This Week program. ABC will also pay $1 million to the law firm of Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito to cover legal fees.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said.
As the news of the settlement went wide, many were moved to outrage that the network decided to settle instead of locking into a legal fight. Some believe this is the network pledging fealty to Trump and his incoming leadership team while others have used more colorful language to describe the outcome.
On X, formerly Twitter, ABC News has found itself hammered with criticism. We have those reactions below.
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Remy Ma is embroiled in a rather public beef with Claressa Shields and exposed her reportedly estranged husband Papoose for having an affair with the world champion boxing legend. Remy Ma shared messages between her and Papoose on social media that revealed the affair, but Claressa Shields says the rapper is crashing out.
Remy Ma, 44, took to Instagram early Thursday (Dec. 12) and shared a post that Papoose was on the phone with Shields while falling asleep and that the boxer hung up when she heard her voice.
“[P]apoose dum ass fell asleep on the phone with @claressashields. Laying in my house he refuses to leave. This b*tch supposed to be a world champion boxer and [her] scary ass hung up soon as she heard my voice. Nowwww I’m telling everything ohhhh and babygirl u not the only one,” Remy wrote in the caption sharing a text exchange.
She added in another caption, “Papoose u f*ckin Dummy! Hey Ms Shields, he took your advice but not before I screenshot yall convo. Oh, he was getting me arrested, the woman that NEVER f*cked off on him in 17 years! While plotting with ONE OF his chicks to try to destroy me. The same woman that could’ve BEEN used my platform to expose you. I got all your pics and messages from the chicks while I was away and he was “holding me down” #FVCKYAMOVIEMA. Sidebar: he bout to say he wrote me rhymes IMAGINE THAT, and if anything sexual leaks about me it was him cuz he threatened that too.”
Shields took to Twitter and shared a few sharp words with Remy but she didn’t duck the smoke.
“Misery loves company baby…. Smh. I’m just so happy over here,” Shields posted on X Thursday morning. She added, “I can’t believe a 45 year old woman is crashing out like this. [Clown emoji] behavior” as a direct shot to Remy.
Remy responded to the X reply with, “Im not 45 YET! But you are 29 and I’ll just say this…you not aging like wine. AGAIN tho I’m not your enemy, tell ya boyfriend buy you some flowers & gifts. & he didn’t answer any of his phones cuz he was with his Cali girl this week.”
Shields hit back with, “You making fake text is crazy! ‘’m not a bitch you can bully. Yo’’re bitter and mad. You making yourself look stupid, just stop it.”
At the root of all this are long-swirling rumors that Remy Ma moved on from Papoose with battle rapper Eazy The Block Captain but it has never been officially confirmed despite the intensity of the rumors. Pap has issued a statement calling his estranged wife a “narcissist” and that he’s requested a divorce several times.
On X, the back-and-forth between Remy Ma and Claressa Shields has fans of all involved reacting. We’ve got them listed below.
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1. This is probably the plan.
4. When there is mess, someone will find it.
9. Okay, let’s not do this.
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Jaleel White found his footing as an actor in the early 1990s by way of his breakout role as Steve Urkel on the hit sitcom series, Family Matters. At a recent talk, Jaleel White shared his thoughts on why Family Matters isn’t mentioned as one of the top Black television series of its time, prompting fans on X to deliver what they felt were doses of reality.
Jaleel White, 48, is currently on a promotional tour for his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, and was at the Wilmington Public Library in Delaware recently to discuss the work and his time on television. During the chat, White shared that he believes Family Matters doesn’t get the same attention as other Black shows of his time for reasons he feels were connected to the fact it focused on a middle-class Black family.
“Being a part of the TGIF brand sometimes makes you feel like you don’t completely belong in the pantheon of Blackness,” White said earlier in the chat regarding Family Matters and its place in Black culture. Blackness has been treated as a very monolithic experience in entertainment. If it’s not a hood story, it’s not a Black story. And you know, sometimes I feel left out of that.”
TGIF was first established as a programming block on the ABC network in 1989 meant to bring attention to several family-friendly television shows, typically sitcoms, that can be viewed by all on Friday evenings. During its height, TGIF was home to some of network television’s top-rated shows of which Family Matters was a part.
White continued in the chat to add while Family Matters isn’t viewed as the Blackest show among the other greats, it is viewed well as a family show.
“If there’s ever a poll, and they say what are your favorite black shows, Martin is in there, Living Single. I already know we [Family Matters] coming in last,” White added. “But if there’s ever a poll and it’s just your favorite family shows, suddenly Martin is not in there [and] we rank really high. So it’s kind of interesting in how we look at ourselves, to be quite honest, as Black folks.”
White’s quip about the perceived Blackness or lack thereof caught the ears and eyes of those who saw or heard the chat, and were especially bothered by the “hood” jab despite Living Single and Martin focusing on middle-class Black characters as well.
On X, formerly Twitter, Jaleel White had his name dragged through the virtual dirt. Just for reporting purposes, we’ll share some of those reactions.
Hop to the 7:30-minute mark on the video below to hear White’s quip in question.
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Doechii is shining brightly in the limelight, living up to the promise many of her longtime fans knew existed before inking a deal with the Top Dawg Entertainment collective. After tearing down NPR’s Tiny Desk stage in what some say is the best performance delivered on the set, Doechii is delivering anything but “Harriet Tubman Music.”
Doechii, 26, hit the Tiny Desk stage with an all-Black, all-woman backing band who provided powerful sonics to match the Tampa, Fla. star’s charismatic and animated performance. The rapper and singer, born Jaylah Hickmon, first appeared on our radar with her 2020 mixtape, Oh the Places You’ll Go. It was clear then that the “Swamp Princess” was poised for stardom. TDE, as is the label’s custom, has brought the multi-talented Doechii along carefully after signing her in 2021, and it culminated in her acclaimed mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, an explosive mix of Hip-Hop, pop, and R&B music but even that simplifies her artistry.
The Tiny Desk set opened with “BOOM BAP” from Alligator Bites Never Heal, one of many standout tracks from the mixtape. Doechii and the band then launched into a six-song set comprised of songs from the aforementioned mixtape, including a rousing high-energy rendition of “NISSAN ALTIMA” before toning it down and allowing her band and background singers to carry the moment over.
In an emotional closing moment, Doechii took it back to 2020 with “Black Girl Memoir,” neatly wrapping up her set but doing so with a manner of pride about not only her status as a Black woman but specifically as a dark-skinned Black woman from the South.
Despite a nearly universal amount of praise for the performance, a viewer of the performance by the name of @Mzthangggg took to X and dropped off what many felt was a tasteless insult regarding another acclaimed performance. Doechii was the musical guest for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, rocking the studio set with “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “BOILED PEANUTS” via a theatrical production that was just as stirring as the Tiny Desk set.
Of the latter performance, @Mzthangggg wrote, “Making those Harriet Tubman music is the cheat code to getting respected in rap,” which led to an epic dragging and charges of colorism.
By now, social media and much of the world realize that Doechii makes great music coupled with stellar performance values and the culture is rallying around her. We’ve got reactions from X listed below.
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Jay-Z was named in a refiled civil lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs on Sunday (Dec. 8) with the complaint accusing the rapper and mogul of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The complaint was originally filed against Diddy back in October of this year and was readjusted to include Jay-Z’s name in the most recent filing.
In an exclusive report from NBC News, the complaint, filmed by an unnamed accuser, claims that Jay-Z, real name Shawn Corey Carter, was involved in the rape of the girl known as Jane Doe in the complaint. The outlet, which has details about the lawsuit, shared the contents within.
Jane Doe accused Combs and Carter of assaulting her at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party event. The lawsuit was filed by Tony Buzbee of Texas in the Southern District of New York. The outlet adds that Carter’s attorney, Alex Spiro, and other media representatives have yet to comment on the claim. In addition, reps for Combs also decided against offering comments. It is the first lawsuit filed by Buzbee to include a celebrity of Jay-Z’s magnitude.
The outlet laid out the details of the lawsuit and we must warn that what is explained might be triggering for some so proceed with caution.
Jane Doe claims that in 2000 at the age of 13, she was raped at a house party in New York after the MTV VMAs. Doe says that a friend dropped her off at the VMAs, which was held at the Radio City Music Hall venue. Doe says she asked several limo drivers on the premises for access to the award show or parties.
One driver heeded her call and said that he worked for Combs and that she “fit” the profile of what “Diddy was looking for” and was invited to the after-party. The driver then allegedly picked up Doe and took her to a home in New York and was ordered to sign a nondisclosure agreement to gain entry to the party.
Doe says she was given a drink that made her drowsy and went into a room to rest. She then claims that Combs and Carter came into the room, stating that Carter removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. Combs allegedly came into the room and also assaulted the girl as Jay-Z and an unnamed woman celebrity watched.
The Roc Nation account on X has posted a response from Carter stating that Buzbee’s lawsuit filing is nothing more than a shakedown. Read below.
pic.twitter.com/jl8sgOllCM
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) December 9, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jane Doe is seeking unspecified damages.
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Donald Trump appeared on Meet The Press Sunday morning (Dec. 8), marking his first televised interview since becoming the president-elect in November after a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris. Sitting down with Meet The Press moderator Kristen Welker, Donald Trump was measured at times but also slippery on some of his positions as observers on the X social media platform pointed out contradictions and flat-out lies in his statements where he received little pushback.
President-elect Donald Trump, 78, spoke in a conversational tone as he sat across from Kristen Welker, displaying a muted version of expressing himself in comparison to some of his fiery and off-the-rails campaign speeches. With the presidential victory in hand and emboldened by officially winning the Republican Party majority of both the House and Senate, Trump toned down the rhetoric but also said that he would carry out unpopular policies despite growing murmurs of discontent among his base and those far outside of it.
Trump spoke to Welker’s inquiry about his plans for the first 100 days in the White House, a longstanding marker of the president making his intentions known and setting a tone for the government as his leadership continues to come into view over the next four years.
After a rambling answer that covered everything from tackling crime in major cities and extending the so-called “Trump tax cuts,” Trump defended his nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth despite the mounting allegations against him. Trump’s answer was a masterclass of avoiding the actual question by using filler words and highlighting how much Fox News supported Hegseth, once more ignoring the fact that some of the allegations against his nominee originated within the network.
Early in the chat, Welker lobbed a question regarding tariffs, which some felt was one of several softballs tossed at Trump. Instead of getting Trump to explain how he’ll attack inflation and lower prices, since it was a key campaign point and why many voters pulled the lever for him, he elected not to offer a guarantee on one of his top promises.
“I can’t guarantee anything. I can’t guarantee tomorrow. But I can say that if you look at my — just pre-Covid, we had the greatest economy in the history of our country. And I had a lot of tariffs on a lot of different countries, but in particular China,” Trump said before meandering and calling the tariffs “beautiful,” but Welker did remind Trump that those “beautiful” tariffs cost Americans billions.
In other portions of the conversation, Trump still refused to concede the 2020 election results despite overwhelming evidence that the presidency was not stolen from him. He also doubled down on false claims that he improved the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which he continues to refer to as “Obamacare,” a law that took cues from Sen. Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts and the state’s health care reform law.
Trump continues to claim he “saved Obamacare” despite his many attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and insert a law of his own, even though it could harm those who voted for Trump in the long run. Trump also stuck to his incorrect statement that 13,099 murders in the past three years were allegedly committed by illegal immigrants. Welker attempted to get Trump to understand the number includes four decades of data but Trump insisted this exaggerated number came under President Joe Biden’s tenure.
On X, formerly Twitter, Donald Trump’s Meet The Press interview found its way onto the timeline with many pointing out how it missed several marks. Check out the replies below.
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JD Vance, the newly-minted Vice President-elect, has proven his loyalty to incoming President-elect Donald Trump after the running mates faced a spirited campaign from Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz. Now basking in the glow of their win, JD Vance shared an odd Thanksgiving photo that has some bringing up the “weird” angle once more.
Vice President-elect JD Vance shared the image of a repurposed Norman Rockwell’s 1943 Thanksgiving painting “Freedom From Want” which features President-elect Donald Trump’s face over the husband in the drawing, while Vance takes the place of the wife. Instead of holding a dish of food, Vance’s wife figure is holding a map of the United States depicting the states and districts won by the Trump-Vance team.
The move was especially baffling for some considering the pushing of American family values that Trump and company promote often, and even if it were a joke, some observers online believe it landed on deaf ears. Many of the comments on X, which is where Vance shared the photo, found it cringeworthy and even said it validated the weird claims.
Vance himself hasn’t explained why he shared the photo but the point he was attempting to make was clear. However, using the painting as a victory lap is leaving a sour taste in the mouths of some.
Below, we’ve got reactions from X, formerly Twitter, to JD Vance sharing the Thanksgiving photo.
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Hunter Biden, the second eldest child of President Joe Biden, was pardoned by his father over the weekend in a move taken as an affront to the legal process by right-leaning observers. Earlier this year, Hunter Biden pled guilty in connection to a federal tax matter with President Biden issuing the pardon after previously stating he would not do so.
Hunter Biden, 54, was the target of false allegations concerning claims that Biden — when he was vice president — took a bribe to suggest that Ukraine fire prosecutor general Viktor Shokin to halt an investigation into Ukrainian gas company Burisma and to protect his son from charges since he worked on the company’s board.
Facing federal tax and gun charges, Biden admitted to lying on a federal form to obtain a firearm in 2018 as a drug user and was found guilty on three felony charges over the summer. The conviction made Bident the first child of a sitting United States president to be convicted in a criminal trial. Biden, who had his license to practice law suspended due to the conviction, was due to be sentenced on December 12 which no longer will happen after getting pardoned on Sunday (December 1).
Biden was a favorite target of Donald Trump and MAGA extremists during the 2020 presidential election cycle, harping heavily on the Ukraine matter despite little evidence supporting the claim. However, conservative pundits continued to seize on Biden’s legal issues and many are seemingly enraged that President Biden issued the pardon. President Biden stated the reason for the pardon was to counter the political motivations of his critics.
On X, formerly Twitter, MAGA Nation is attempting to turn the pardon of Hunter Biden around on President Joe Biden despite him leaving the office in January. We’ve gathered some responses and shared them in the list below.
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With the Thanksgiving holiday dominating many of the happenings this week, we imagine some want options outside of food, football, and family time, great as those things are. For cannabis fans, this time is also “Danksgiving” and we’ve got a nice gift guide that can help with your shopping needs as we head into the gift-giving seasons.
Cannabis figures prominently in my life more than ever, and I’m learning more about its uses beyond feeling good. These days, my approach to cannabis is about its vast therapeutic benefits and not necessarily rolling up and getting baked. Again, while the flower fans out there can and should enjoy that delivery method for their cannabis, there are other ways to experience the plant product.
Of the brands listed below, I’ve tried out a significant portion and I will be clear on the brands or products I don’t know about. Naturally, some products are not widely available along the East Coast where I reside but I do travel quite a bit and always make it a point to check out legal dispensaries in other states.
In doing these gift guide roundups, I’ve found brands that I’d mention with high praise even if they weren’t connected to the gig. Seriously, folks, these brands are leading a brand new charge in the cannabis space.
Check out our Danksgiving cannabis gift guide below and be sure to check some of the brands for Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales.
If we missed your brand or want to be considered in the future, please email D.L. Chandler at dchandler@bhmdigital.com.
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1. 22Red
Source:22Red
22Red is a brand that draws its influence from music and streetwear while infusing it all with cannabis culture. Under the guidance of musician Shavo Odadjian, 22Red specializes in flower, prerolls, all-in-ones, and concentrates.
Learn more here.
2. Blazy Susan
Source:Blazy Susan
Blazy Susan is a familiar name in these roundups and for very good reason. If you’re into flower or prefer the dabbing experience, the brand has more than enough products to choose from. The spinning rolling tray is one of our favorite items among their selections
Learn more here.
3. BRĒZ
Source:BRĒZ
As cannabis brands recognize not everyone is a smoker, dabber, or into edibles, infused drinks are a rising category. BRĒZ is adding to the segment with its micro-dosed cannabis and mushroom drinks. There is also a cannabis-free option using a mood-boosting mushroom blend.
Learn more here.
4. CAKE
Source:CAKE
CAKE, founded by DJ and producer, Chloe Kaleiokalani, is emerging on the scene as a major player via its 1.25 Designer Distillate, the first vape cart of that size and a top-seller in California. The brand also has apparel and 510 batteries that are stylish as they are functional.
Learn more here.
5. Dr. Dabber
Source:Dr. Dabber
The wide world of cannabis extends far beyond rolling papers, vape cartridges, and edibles. Dr. Dabber occupies the e-rig space with several devices made for those who like to dab with high-end options created with the connoisseur in mind.
Learn more here.
6. Hometown Hero
Source:Hometown Hero
I featured Hometown Hero in our last roundup and I’ve had the honor of trying out their live rosin Delta-9 gummies and other treats. One, the doses are manageable and true to strain. Two, they offer so many products and I’ve good reason to believe the quality extends throughout the brand’s entire production line.
7. Housing Works Cannabis Co
Source:Housing Works Cannabis Co
Housing Works Cannabis Co. was established to bolster the fundraising efforts of Housing Works, founded by Charles King and Keith Cylar. Housing Works has been around since 1990, supporting unhoused individuals across New York. All proceeds from Housing Works Cannabis Co. go toward supporting others in need so it’s a win-win. Check out their products if you’re in NYC.
Learn more here.
8. G Pen
Source:G Pen
G Pen makes some of my favorite products in the G Pen Dash and they’ve got a handheld concentrates pen as well. With collaborations with Mike Tyson, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, the Cookies brand, and The Grateful Dead, music-loving cannabis fans will find their next daily tool.
Learn more here.
9. Jeeter
Source:jeeter
Jeeter is a brand I’m not terribly familiar with, but I’m interested in the brand as they bill themselves as the top-selling preroll brand in the world. They’ve got some good sales going on and are available in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and Michigan.
Learn more here.
10. Kushy Punch
Source:Kushy Punch
Kushy Punch is deeply entrenched in the edibles space with gummies that range from full spectrum infusions to even sugar-free options. The brand also has CBD products and an emerging lineup for all-in-one and vape cartridges. Available in California, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada.
11. Neno’s Naturals
Source:Neno’s Naturals
Founded by Narmin “Neno” Jarrous, Neno’s Natural focuses on CBD products, including tinctures, gummies, topical applications, and more. They even have topical adhesive patches.
Learn more here.
12. Planet Of The Vapes
Source:POTV
As a fairly new member of the Vape Gang, vaporizer technology remains fascinating to me, especially for dry herb use. Planet Of The Vapes carries a fantastic amount of products and we’re strongly going to suggest the Lobo that the company has in its inventory.
13. Puffco
Source:Puffco
Puffco is hard to explain to the layperson but for those who are deep in these dabbing streets, they know that the brand’s Peak Pro is one of the best devices of its kind. If you want to take the dab experience on the go, check out their Pivot product. Quite frankly, everything they do is fantastic so dive into their sale over the weekend.
Learn more here.
14. RISE
Source:Rise
RISE is one of the largest cannabis dispensaries in the nation, with locations across 14 states. Just in time for the holidays, the company is releasing its RISE Dispensary Cannabis Advent Calendar on December 5 with 12 handy prerolls. But they’re also one of the better dispensaries I’ve visited so I recommend a visit to anyone curious.
Learn more here.
15. Sauce Essentials
Source:Sauce Essentials
Sauce Essentials is brand new to me but what I’m digging is the fact you can verify your products on the brand’s website to make sure you’re not ingesting some bunk. Available in eight states currently with plans to expand, Sauce Essentials has vape carts with classic cannabis strains like Pineapple Express or White Widow.
Learn more here.
16. STIIIZY
Source:STIIIZY
STIIIZY is a brand I’m not always able to indulge in as I live far away from where it’s readily available, but I can vouch for the quality of its offerings. The company offers an updated battery made especially for STIIIZY’s proprietary pod system and has a sitewide sale going on now.
17. Stündenglass
Source:Stündenglass
Old heads, the gravity bong lives on, thanks to Stündenglass. This is definitely for the experienced cannabis enthusiast and the device will spark lovely conversations and sessions for sure.
18. Treadwell Farms
Source:Treadwell Farms
Treadwell Farms, based in Florida, produces CBD gummies, topicals, and tinctures, along with CBG and CBD flower prerolls, and even has CBD products for our furry friends.
Learn more here.
19. Trulieve
Source:Trulieve
Trulieve is another nationwide dispensary highlighting brands such as the excellent Modern Flower and more. Based in eight states so far, the brand’s new all-in-one Co2lors vape pens recently dropped and are packed with flavors such as pecan pie and blueberry cobbler.
20. Vessel
Source:Vessel
I could actually recommend nearly any device that Vessel produces but I’m now learning about the brand’s Element device. I haven’t tried this one yet as this is a brand-new take on the water pipe concept designed for dry herb/flower. Hot damn isn’t it beautiful?
Learn more here.
21. Wana
Source:Wana
Wana produces edibles and infused drinks, although I’ve only had the former in my travels. What I enjoy about the brand is that there isn’t just one kind of gummy. The offerings differ in potency and effect.