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Actress Garcelle Beauvais released a video in response to the defamation of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, by Republicans and others.
The recent false claims about Haitian Immigrants eating dogs and cats perpetuated by Republican politicians including former President Donald Trump have put that community at high risk. Veteran actress Garcelle Beauvais, who is of Haitian descent, took to social media to make a plea for the attacks to stop. She released a video on her Instagram account Monday, Sept. 16, writing in the caption: “I have been holding this in for a week, hoping, praying it would go away, but it hasn’t!!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I speak my mind! This madness has got to stop.”
“Staying silent in the face of racism and hate is something that I refuse to do,” The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star began. “This past week, the lies that have been spewed about the Haitian community — about my community — have been disgusting, deeply hurtful, and dangerous. Now, this is not about politics. It’s about humanity. We must condemn this kind of hatred, this kind of racism, for anyone,” Beauvais continued. “And I will not sit by and let people talk about my community in any way they want for their own gain.”
She ended the video by imploring her followers to vote, reiterating the message in Haitian Creole. “The power we have is the power to vote, to register and vote and stop this madness, this chaos. I am not going to sit by. It’s just not okay to treat people like this. We’re supposed to be uplifting each other, from our leaders to our neighbors. This has got to stop, and we have to do something about it.”
Beauvais has always been proud of her heritage. The actress, who was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti, made her debut in the classic film Coming To America in 1988. Since then, she has built a strong career with prime roles in The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, in addition to being a sought-after fashion model and the author of a 2022 memoir, Love Me As I Am: My Journey from Haiti to Hollywood to Happiness. “I love my country and I’ve always been proud to say I’m Haitian,” she said in an earlier interview with the Grio. Even when there were negative connotations back in the day, I never shied away from saying where I’m from and being proud of it.”
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Nicki Minaj has left her fans in suspense and others speculating if she and her husband are divorcing after she made cryptic social media posts.Fans of rap superstar Nicki Minaj are concerned as two social media posts that she recently made seem to hint at a split between her and her husband Kenneth Petty. The speculation started as she simply wrote “Yes Single…” in a post on X, formerly Twitter on Monday (June 10). It led fans to openly wonder if she was referring to that potential split or new music being released.
The uneasy feeling was compounded by a video that Nicki Minaj shared to her Instagram Stories a few hours later. She spoke sleepily in a soft voice about the struggles of motherhood, drawing from her own experience in giving birth to her son with Petty, nicknamed “Papa Bear” in September 2020. “And then one day, they’re yelling ‘push’ and you’re in pain,” she said while dressed in a white robe with a large pink satin bonnet on her head. “Then one day, comes out a beautiful baby boy. Thank God for your glory. Congratulations to every mama out there, you’re doing a great job. In case no one’s told you that, you’re doing a great job.”
It’s been a tough road for the Pink Friday 2 artist in the last few months. She recently was arrested in Amsterdam in May for marijuana possession. The incident led her to have to cancel the Pink Friday 2 World Tour date in that city, and the 41-year-old stated that she was disrespected in the wake of the arrest. Her most recent tour date was on Tuesday (June 11)I in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Minaj also spoke about the tension that arose between her and Petty after the birth of their son in a Vogue interview in December 2023. “I’m not going to lie, things got testy between us,” Minaj said. “Because of our history, I think we knew we’d get past it. But there’s no such thing as confidence in parenthood.” She’d go on to add, “I kind of wish that someone had told me — although I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to understand it — that there’s a level of anxiety, and you think it’s going to go away, but in fact it gets scarier.”
Take a look at some of the reactions to Nicki Minaj’s social media posts below.
1. Stats of Minaj
2. Fabio The Barb
3. YSLONIKA
4. Head Hillton
5. icymauh
6. _Hybreed_
7. ONK4PRESIDENT
8. Barbzwinagain
Merlin, the digital licensing partner for the independent music sector, announced that it renewed its licenses with Meta on Wednesday (June 12). That means the music of Merlin members — releases from labels like Domino, Secretly, Ninja Tune, Warp Records and many more — can continue to be discovered on Facebook and Instagram.
“This renewal is about more than simply licensing music – it’s about the strength of building long term relationships, seeking innovative ways to deliver music to fans and those discovering our artists for the first time, and the value of the dynamic nature of independent music,” Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin, said in a statement. “Merlin, on behalf of its members and their artists, is leading the way to build an ethical, sustainable, and indie-centric world.”
“Meta is thrilled to renew our partnership with Merlin, one of the leading champions of independent music,” added Tamara Hrivnak, vice president of music & content business development at Meta. “Our continued collaboration will foster further innovation in music discovery and creative expression. We’re excited for what the future holds.”
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Merlin’s global membership accounts for around 15% of the recorded music market, and Merlin negotiates deals not only with Meta but with Apple, Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and more than 40 other platforms.
“In an industry that has always been in flux, Merlin is the steady hand,” Sirota explained earlier this year. “Merlin doesn’t have investors looking for an exit. There is no parent company with different motives. We are a mission-driven organization that operates like a not-for-profit and is funded entirely by our members.”
As short-form video platforms have become increasingly important for driving music discovery, artists are eager to make their songs available through platforms like Reels. And Reels took on even more importance earlier this year when Universal Music Group’s licensing negotiations with TikTok fell apart.
Historically, no short-form video platform has been able to match TikTok when it comes to causing a previously unknown song to erupt into the public consciousness overnight. When the wider music industry realized it might have to live without TikTok as a marketing tool at some point, many marketers redoubled their efforts to reach an audience through Reels and YouTube Shorts.
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Drake’s fashion choice while watching his son Adonis’ soccer game has gone viral, with many social media users seizing the chance to crack jokes.As the summer gets underway, superstar rapper Drake has kept it fairly low-key since his battle with Kendrick Lamar dominated the cultural conversation for the past few weeks. But the Certified Lover Boy rapper popped up on Sunday (June 9) with a new post on Instagram which saw him sporting a summer outfit fit for lawn picnics, consisting of a cream t-shirt with a white sweater tied around his shoulders and wide-leg brown trousers with a brown belt. Drake finished off the look with a pristine pair of sunglasses. The caption to the post read, “Goats don’t worry about one-trick ponies.”
The reactions in the comments of the post lauded the Canadian artist’s look. Ice Spice simply replied, “Ate” while recent collaborator Sexyy Red wrote “Fyrrrre”, completing her comment with two heart-eyed emojis. The photos captured Drake as he was on the sidelines at his son Adonis’ soccer match – one photo shows the child from the back during play, wearing a blue long-sleeved jersey kit with the number 25 on the back as Drake looks on.
Other social media users weren’t as approving of the summer style from Drake. In posts on X, formerly Twitter, users clowned the Her Loss rapper for both the apparel choice and his perceived post being a jab towards Kendrick Lamar in light of the latter’s “Not Like Us” diss track taking a major hold on the public. “Drake the type of rapper that hands out orange wedges at his son’s soccer game,” someone wrote, while another user commented that Drake’s style reminded them of the famed actress Katherine Hepburn’s classic film outfits. One stylist among others interviewed by The Cut claimed it was too much. “It’s like a lot of a look and too on the nose with styling; it’s styled like cosplay. It’s too much of a concept and looks forced,” the unnamed source said. When asked if it was an ode to “quiet luxury”, they responded, “he’s quietly doing the most.”
We’ve selected some of the more witty observations for you to take a look at below.
1. Wynter Mitchell
2. Certified Jared
3. Derek Guy
4. Mister Geezy
5. Eric Harvey
6. Kellen Voss
8. Whitley
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We’re back with another Baes & Baddies post where we feature models, entertainers, and social media stars who love to show off their dazzling looks and curves. We’d like to introduce the readers to Kaye AKA @melovingme___, who runs her own boutique full of body-hugging fits and styles made for summer vacations and beyond.
We don’t know much about Kaye AKA @melovingme___ but what we can say is for the last few years on Instagram, she’s amassed quite a following which makes perfect sense given her steady flood of photos of her in alluring fashion and styles. With the body of a runway model with a face to match, Kaye should certainly have followers in the millions.
As any smart business person knows, the hardest part of selling your product typically tends to be marketing. Well, in Kaye’s case, she’s certainly got the frame to show off her Goodeez Boutique fashion line. The styles included are swimwear, dresses, jumpsuits, full sets, and more. We should also mention that the clothes are at a very fair price point too.
For now, we invite the readers to check out our latest Baes & Baddies feature, Kaye AKA @melovingme___.
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Photo: Source: @melovingme___ / Instagram
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In the wake of Israel’s recent airstrikes in southern Gaza, the phrase “All Eyes On Rafah” has taken over social media, with mixed support and criticism from users.Over the past week, the phrase “All Eyes On Rafah” has dominated social media trending topics. It was spurred on by the news of Israel’s military committing airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border, where millions of Palestinians already displaced by Israel’s ongoing conflict with the Hamas militant organization have fled.
An AI-generated image of dozens of tents side by side in a serene desert landscape with structures in the center spelling out the phrase has been circulated more than 40 million times on Instagram alone. Numerous celebrities including comedian Hasan Minhaj have also shared the image through their social media accounts.
The origins of the phrase lie in the comments made by Richard “Rik” Peeperkorn, the head of the World Health Organization’s offices in Gaza and the West Bank region at a news conference as the Israeli Defense Forces began to ramp up its strikes in southern Gaza. Pro-Palestinian groups and activists began to use “All Eyes On Rafah” in their messaging in addition to humanitarian groups such as Oxfam. The AI image might’ve gained such traction because it isn’t “massively dangerous or controversial”, according to social media consultant Matt Navarra in an interview with Sky News.
The current wave comes after a deadly strike on Sunday (May 26) hit an encampment of displaced Palestinians, setting tents on fire and killing 45 people, according to medics on the ground. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “tragic incident” as world leaders including the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blasted the action in a post on X, formerly Twitter saying, “This horror must stop.”
The “All Eyes On Rafah” image has drawn criticism from some online, who feel that more accurate and graphic images of the violence and suffering of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians should be shown to the public. Others have felt that sharing the AI-generated image is engaging in “slacktivism”, conspicuously showing support for a cause but not actually taking real steps to help.
But others see it as useful to draw more attention to the cries of the Palestinian people.
We’ve collected notable responses from users on social media to provide a clearer picture of the issue below.
1. Shayan Saridarzadeh
2. Myxaslytherin
3. Georgia Kumari Bradburn
4. sulkycatz
5. Jason Okundaye
6. Majid Jordan
7. Sam Missingham
8. International Rescue Committee
Kate Hudson is still supportive of Matt Bellamy. The Muse frontman’s wife, model Elle Evans, took to Instagram on Monday (May 20) to announce the May 12 birth of the couple’s second child, a son named George Julien-Wade Bellamy. The duo also share three-year-old daughter, Lovella. Evans ended her announcement by sharing gratitude for “my […]
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Diddy is seemingly letting the world know he is keeping his head up regardless of all the scandals involving his name. He recently posted a video alluding to him enduring all his legal troubles.
As reported by Digital Music News, the embattled music mogul has kept a very low profile ever since he was accused of multiple acts of sexual misconduct and more. On Saturday, May 4, he posted a video that opens up with a camera shot moving down a white hallway as audio of Bishop TD Jakes saying “not hysterical, not frantic, not anxious, not fretful…but steady in the storm” plays. It then transitions into footage of Diddy hugging an unidentified individual and joining a prayer circle with his family. The closing scene shows The Love Album: Off the Grid rapper at the beach while it is raining hard, with his arms raised to the sky; it appears he is embracing the moment regardless of the harsh winds.
Though he doesn’t speak in the video, it is safe to assume the inclement weather is symbolic of all the legal issues he has been facing. On April 26, Diddy’s legal team filed a motion requesting that a sexual assault claim be dismissed because it was “brought under statutes that did not exist at the time the alleged misconduct occurred.” The victim, Joi Dickerson-Neal, claims Diddy drugged her and filmed their romantic encounter then later showed it to one of his friends. In essence, her claim was filed nearly 30 years after she says the incident occurred, and the New York State Revenge Porn Law was not passed until 2019.
You can watch Diddy’s Instagram post below.
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It is clear celebrity does not shield you from bullying. Jelly Roll’s wife has confirmed he has quit Instagram due to fat-shaming.
As reported on TMZ, the popular country music talent has been noticeably absent from social media over the last couple of weeks. While high profile musicians are known to take breaks online, his better half has revealed his lack of posts has been intentional. Bunnie XO explained why Jelly Roll has taken a step back from social apps on her Dumb Blonde podcast. “My husband got off the internet because he is so tired of being bullied about his f***ing weight. And that makes me want to cry, because he is the sweetest angel baby,” she said. “My husband doesn’t show it to you guys, but I’m gonna have a very vulnerable moment here—it hurts him.”
She went on to point to the hypocrisy that comes along with fame and fortune. “The internet can say whatever the f*** they want about you, and they say, ‘Well, you’re a celebrity, you’re supposed to be able to handle it.’ No the f*** we’re not. … Enough is enough,” she explained. Bunnie also urged the public to be more sensitive to everyone’s feelings. “Don’t bully people, because you never know where they are mentally,” she added. “There are a lot of people who are not as strong as me, that are on the internet, and they don’t deserve to f***ing be bullied.”
In 2023, Jelly Roll won the New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards. Earlier this year, he took home three awards at the CMT Music Awards. Prior to singing country music he was a rapper and released multiple projects under the same moniker. The couple wed back in 2016. You can see Bunnie XO discuss things below.
Taylor Swift just released her new album The Tortured Poets Department — but from the looks of a mysterious new countdown hidden on her Instagram profile, the fun is far from over.
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As soon as the pop star’s 16-track project dropped at midnight on Friday (April 19), Swift made her very first post on Threads, Instagram’s text-only counterpart which launched last year. At the same time, a mysterious two-hour countdown went live on her Instagram page, potentially ticking down to a new announcement or surprise coming at 2 a.m. ET.
The new countdown is sure to pique the interests of Swifties, who have noticed that the musician has seemingly been teasing the number 2 for weeks. Her Tortured Poets Spotify library installation in Los Angeles featured a peace-sign statuette, and Swift herself flashed two fingers on camera at the 2024 Grammys when she first announced her new record. The clocks at the library pop-up and in her cryptic “Fortnight” music video announcement from earlier this week have all been set to 2 o’clock, and the star tweeted Wednesday, “✌️days til THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.”
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✌️days til THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 17, 2024
Only time will tell what 2 a.m brings — but in the meantime, Instagram and Threads have several other new features for Swifties to enjoy. Fans can now change their direct messaging backgrounds to visuals inspired by the Tortured Poets album artwork; plus, Threads users who share the singer’s first post will receive a custom “TTPD” badge on their profile, distinguishing them as bona fide Swifties.
In the week leading up to Tortured Poets release day, Instagram launched its original secret countdown, which was only visible when fans pulled down on Swift’s profile to “refresh.” The countdown also prompted viewers to follow the 14-time Grammy winner on Threads.
As this was going on, conversations on Threads tagged #TTPD, #The Tortured Poets Department, #Tortured Poets, #TSTTPD, #Swifties or #Taylor Swift prompted a special shimmer effect to appear, while celebratory hearts appeared onscreen for those who “liked” a post stamped with any of the same tags.
Complete with 16 tracks, four bonus songs spread out across various deluxe versions and collaborations with Post Malone and Florence + The Machine, The Tortured Poets Department was one of the most anticipated releases of 2024. Swift took a break from her global Eras Tour to prepare for the album’s release but will resume the trek in May.
“It kind of reminded me of why songwriting is something that actually gets me through my life,” she said of the project at a February Eras show. “I’ve never had an album where I needed songwriting more than I needed it on Tortured Poets.”