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Even the simplest act of random kindness can go a long way and mean more to its recipient than the good samaritan could ever know—especially if the act is done by a famous person whom the recipient greatly admires. And, apparently, that’s still the case when the recipient is also a famous person.

Recently, Chance The Rapper shared a feel-good experience on Twitter he had with legendary actor Martin Short, or as Chance called him, THE Martin Short!!”

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“So I just got on this plane with my daughter, and found out our seats weren’t next to each other. I really ain’t wanna inconvenience anyone by asking them to swap seats, but before I could say anything this kind older gentleman offered his seat to Kensli so we could sit together,” Chance tweeted Sunday along with a photo of Short playing Jack Frost in the 2006 Holiday film The Santa Clause 3: Escape Clause. “We both said thank you and as he stands up, I realize it’s THE Martin Short!! So cool and Kensli freaked out cause she’s obsessed with The Santa Clause 3. What an awesome person! SHOUTOUT TO JACK FROST”

Parents being separated from their children on flights is something that happens often these days, and switching seats in these instances can be tricky. A lot of people choose and pay for specific seats, usually for convenience reasons, and are not willing to switch with anyone, even if it means a parent and child, or siblings, or a kind couple can sit together. So, it might seem like nothing Short did was any kind of big deal, but, again, sometimes even the smallest act can mean a lot.
Chance also mentioned that Short likely didn’t also recognize him during the exchange. (I mean, he’s a 72-year-old white man, but let me find out he’s out here bumping “Acid Rap” in the Limo.)
“Definitely not, which made it way cooler,” he replied to someone who asked if Short knew “it was thee Chance thee Rapper.”

Anyway, the moral of the story is it doesn’t cost much to be kind, but it may be worth more to others than you think.

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Welp, it appears that there’s a new Rachel Dolezal in town and, well, her name is still Rachel, allegedly.
Meet Raquel Evita Saraswati, the chief equity, inclusion and culture officer for the American Friends Service Committee, which The Intercept described as “a prominent Quaker organization known for its progressive values and social justice advocacy in the U.S. and abroad.” Saraswati appeared to be perfect for the job since she’s a queer Muslim woman of Latina, South Asian and Arab descent. Except, according to her own mother, she is none of those things.

OK, so let’s back things up a bit.
Meet Rachel Elizabeth Seidel, who has been going by Saraswati since she converted to Islam and started telling folks she’s a melanated and marginalized Muslim maiden while taking a job that would likely have gone to an actual woman of color because it’s a position to oversee diversity and inclusion in the AFSC, and Saraswati isn’t even racially diverse within her own DNA—again, according to her mom.
From the Intercept:

But Saraswati, who was born Rachel Elizabeth Seidel, is not a person of color, according to her mother, Carol Perone.
“I call her Rachel,” Perone told The Intercept, when reached by telephone. “I don’t know why she’s doing what she’s doing.”
Saraswati, her mother added, is of British, German, and Italian descent — not Latina, South Asian, or Arab. “I’m as white as the driven snow and so is she,” added Perone, who also shared with The Intercept photos of Saraswati as a child. In the photos, which the mother asked not be published, Saraswati’s complexion is significantly lighter than the bronzed look in more recent photographs. Perone also shared with The Intercept her Ancestry.com profile and a photo of Saraswati’s biological father, who is deceased. Another relative who asked not to be identified confirmed that Saraswati is white.
Perone noted that her daughter converted to Islam in high school and that at some point she seemed to have felt the need to portray herself as having a different ethnic identity.
“I’m German and British, and her father was Calabrese Italian,” her mother added. “She’s chosen to live a lie, and I find that very, very sad.”
Oskar Pierre Castro, an AFCS human resources worker who was part of the team that recruited Saraswati, appeared to confirm that they wanted a woman of color for the job when he told The Intercept that she had presented herself as a “queer, Muslim, multiethnic woman.”

“It really touched all the points,” Castro said, adding that
Saraswati appeared to fit the diversity and inclusion role perfectly because “it seemed that there was an element of lived experience and understanding because of the lived experience, not just the academic and extra training that come with being in a position where you are an equity and inclusion practitioner.” Unfortunately, that lived experience doesn’t come from growing up as “white as the driven snow.”
“In my mind it was, ‘Great, a person of color, a queer person of color, who happens to be a Muslim, it’s a woman, all these things, and someone who seemed to get it,” Castro continued. “I definitely feel conned…I feel deceived.”
In a series of now-deleted tweets, Saraswati addressed the controversy with promises to explain herself at a later time, even though folks don’t really want to hear it, which she acknowledged.

“I assure people that as soon as I am capable, I will provide answers to the recent discussion and attack on me,” she wrote in one tweet. “I understand all the reactions you’re having. I am currently taking the time to get to where I can answer in a way that is most helpful and thorough.”
“I realize that some will be angered by my use of the word ‘attack’ and that for some, nothing I say will be enough,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet, likely because she realized that describing the act of calling a white woman a white woman as an “attack” is absurd.
Or maybe the problem is, like Dolezal, Saraswati isn’t ready to admit she’s a whole white woman treating non-whiteness like it’s a costume. At least, that’s what the statement by the AFSC appears to indicate.
“We are in receipt of the documentation alleging that our Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Officer, Raquel Saraswati, has been misrepresenting her identity,” AFSC spokesperson Layne Mullett wrote in the statement. “AFSC has given Raquel the opportunity to address the allegations against her, and Raquel stands by her identity. Raquel also assures us that she remains loyal to AFSC’s mission, which we firmly believe. AFSC does not require any employee to ‘prove’ their heritage as a condition of their employment, or in order to be valued as a member of our team.”

She stands by her identity and will be keeping her job, huh? Sounds about white, don’t it?

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Apparently, comedian, actor, and former Richard Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein is still pressed about Quaker Oats updating the historically racist Aunt Jemima brand and replacing it with a racially neutral and far less mammy-era-inspired brand, because conservative white people in America just really love their anti-Black nostalgia despite their insistence that America was not founded on racism.

Recently, Stein posted a video of himself reminiscing over the good old days when racist imagery on consumer products was no big deal (to white people) and no one (who was white) complained about it.

“Aunt Jemima yummy pancake syrup,” Stein said while holding a Pearl Mining Company bottle, which is Aunt Jemima’s new brand. “Now, this used to show a large African American woman chef. Because of the inherent racism of America’s corporate culture, they decided to make it a white person or maybe no person at all. But I prefer it when it was a Black person showing their incredible skill making pancakes.”
Stein appeared to mock the idea of “inherent racism” in America, while, you know, passionately expressing his love for a symbol derived from American racism. But the real question is—why is he still so salty about a decision made two years ago that he’s going out of his way to get himself dragged by the fine folks on Twitter like this?

At the end of the day, white people like Stein show off their privilege when they debate about whether or not racist imagery should be preserved they just love their various odes to Black subjugation, whether it’s a confederate monument or a racist syrup bottle. White people, including politicians, are still, in the 21st century,  using “Aunt Jemima” as a slur against Black women. But folks like Stein haven’t experienced that, so, for them, it’s as simple as a “woke agenda” run amok.
Even Black folks who didn’t necessarily have a problem with the Aunt Jemima brand should take issue with white people who believe their racist traditions should trump our lived experiences. Because that’s exactly how white supremacy works.
Or, whatever, maybe it’s just syrup.

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Welp, the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences might think the response to Will Smith slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars last year was “sub-par,” but it appears that Smith himself is finally ready to move on after apologizing to death for the incident, and now the Fresh Prince of Belair star got jokes.

Smith recently posted a reaction video alongside a Tik Toker who claimed one can make their life more “interesting and fun” by asking inanimate objects how they feel about you.

“It sounds insane, but it will change your life,” the TikTok creator said while Smith deliberately looks intrigued. “Did you know that you can pick any object, look at it, and ask it what it thinks of you?”

“So, for example, you can pick up a pen and ask it how it sees you or what it thinks of you, and you will get an answer in your mind from your intuition,” she continued.

Will, a man who, despite going ham on Rock for joking about his wife, is no stranger to comedy himself, can be seen looking off-camera and then retreiving the Oscar he won for Best Actor the night of the infamous slap, and he looked at his award as if to ask: “So, are we good now, or nah?”
Meanwhile, the fine folks on Twitter are beyond amused.

Then, of course, there were those who apparently believe Smith should spend the rest of his life traveling the walk of shame for slapping Chris. Those people were, well, less amused.

It’s been nearly a year since the slap heard around the world happened on the Oscars stage. A lot of people are over it. A lot of people were never mad at Will in the first place. Other people are going to side-eye Smith for the rest of his career.
And some of us are just glad to see Will Smith be his lighthearted self again.
So, what do y’all think? Is it too soon for Will to be joking about the slap? Will it ever be OK? Is it time everyone just got over it, or what?

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Source: TIDAL / TIDAL
Elliott Wilson is looking to push the culture further. He has launched a new show on TIDAL exploring a day in the life with rap talent.

As spotted on Hip Hop N More the esteemed journalist has another trick up his sleeve. This week he announced his new THORO show where he links with an MC and spends time with them throughout all of their travels; personally and professionally.

For the launch, the Rap Radar Podcast co-host met up with the East Atlanta, Georgia native in his hometown of Dekalb County. The duo visit his former home of the Paradise East Apartments to see where it all started for the “Hell Shell” rapper. They then head to a nearby Texaco station (where there is currently a mural of Nudy up) then join the rest of his team for lamb chops at a eatery called Cheetah Lounge.

Wilson expressed his enthusiasm regarding the experience in a Tweet. “Welcome to #Thoro I spent a day in the Eastside of Atlanta with @PDE_YOUNGNUDY He is charismatic and hilarious.” he wrote. You can view the preview to the first episode above and hear the full audio on TIDAL here.

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Justice, for some, is served. Eric Holder has been sentenced to 60 years to life behind bars for the murder of beloved rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle.

Holder had been found guilty of Neighborhood Nip’s slaying (first-degree murder) back in July. The details revealed in court about Holder’s actions during the killing were just heinous.
Reports TMZ:

Remember … Holder gunned down Nipsey in broad daylight back in 2019, and the brutal details were outlined at trial, with prosecutors telling the jury Holder kicked Nipsey in the head after riddling his body with bullets, claiming it was proof the attack was personal.
Deputy District Attorney John McKinney then told the jury Holder told Nipsey, “You’re through,” to which the rapper replied, “You got me.”
As we reported, Holder shot 2 other people while committing Nipsey’s murder … and he was also found guilty of 2 counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter, 2 counts of assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Holder has already been blessed with the proper fade by fellow inmates in jail. So, yeah…
Rest in powerful peace Nipsey Hussle.

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It seems like ever since actress Megan Fox and recording artist Machine Gun Kelly got engaged, folks all over the drama-net have floated around rumors that the couple has called it quits and are no longer together. Well, apparently, not only have those rumors been false, but Fox has recently resurrected her Instagram account just so she can shoot down fresh rumors about infidelity interrupting her and MGK’s romance.

“There has been no third party interference in this relationship of any kind,” the Till Death actress wrote. “That includes but is not limited to…actual humans, DMs, AI bots or succubus demons.”
“While I do hate to rob you of running random baseless news stories that would have been much more accurately written by ChatGPT, you need to let this story die and leave all of these innocent people alone now,” she continued.S, basically, the Think Like A Dog star is requesting that folks on the internet mind the business that pays them and stop predicting cloudy skies for the couple’s pretty picnic. (*in my best Andre 3000 voice* “but you can’t predict the weather!*)

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As previously reported, Fox appears to have recently scrubbed all traces of MGK from her social media accounts and also unfollowed the “Emo Girl” rapper on Instagram. So, naturally, people who pay attention to such things assumed the worst. And of course, it doesn’t help that the rumor mill surrounding their relationship went into overdrive after people began to suspect MGK was involved with his backup guitarist, Sophie Lloyd.

https://twitter.com/sarah_creates_/status/1626359114724147200

According to People, Loyd’s management team issued a statement also denying that she’s the other woman in Fox’s and MGK’s relationship.

“Sophie Lloyd is a professional, accomplished musician who has been needlessly dragged into the media based off of meritless accusations made by social media,” her team said. “Any suggestion that she has ever acted in an unprofessional manner or stepped out of her relationship are untrue. It’s disrespectful to her as a female artist and poor journalism and social commentary to be reporting anything else.”

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Last week, we reported that attorneys for Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome, and Dedrick Williams, three of the four men accused of robbing and murdering rap star XXXTentacion in 2018, suggested that Drake might have been largely responsible for the “Look at Me!” rapper’s killing.

The defendants’ attorneys floated the possibility that despite their clients being tied to the shooting through surveillance footage and cellphone spots, as well as the testimony of a fourth participant in the crime, Robert Allen, it was actually an obscure rap beef between Drake and XXXTentacion that ultimately resulted in the victim’s death. In fact, the attorneys named Drake, Joe Budden, The Migos and others as eyewitnesses to the crime, which they said was not committed by their clients.

This, of course, set Black Twitter into a frenzied debate about whether or not the “Hotline Bling” rapper was the killer this whole time.

But fans can rest assured that Drake will not be taking the rap for XXXtentacion’s murder, nor will he be required to appear at the trial at all. According to TMZ, Judge Michael A. Usan granted a motion by the Certified Loverboy to avoid taking part in a deposition he was previously ordered to appear for after attorney Mauricio Padilla, who represents Williams, requested his presence during the trial to answer questions.
Apparently, Usan agreed with Drake’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, who argued that Drake had no relevant information to offer about the case. TMZ noted that “Padilla could convince the judge there’s some other cause for Drake to be deposed, and get a new subpoena,” but that’s unlikely considering the fact that the trial has already started. (And there’s also the fact that a rap beef no one really paid attention to is hardly evidence that Champagne Papi was involved in a murder.)

Either way, the defense team maintains that their clients, who are all charged with first-degree murder, are the victims of lies told by Allen.

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Writer and director Kenya Barris reportedly ran into a little family drama during the premiere of his newest Netflix project, You People—ironically, a film about family drama.

A source told Page Six that after the film ended and while Kenya Barris was basking in the glory of his hit film while surrounded by his audience and photographers, a process server disguised as paparazzi hit the Black-ish creator with court documents filed by Barris’ sister, Colette Barris. And, well, that must have been em-Barris-ing. (Please don’t block me.)

From Page Six:
In court docs seen by Page Six, Colette has accused Kenya of “breach of contract.”

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Her court filing says that on Feb. 22, 2021, the siblings entered into a legal agreement, adding, “The parties in pertinent part agreed ‘not to communicate any disparaging remarks about each other or about any matters that led to this Agreement.’”
The papers go on to allege, “In or around June 2022, [Kenya] stated to a third party that (1) Plaintiff was a ’70-year-old no talent hack’ and (2) Plaintiff had not earned the ‘right to be a show creator’ but instead ‘ wanted to go to the front of the line.’”
However, the bad blood stretches back further, as they’ve reportedly been in at least one previous legal dispute.
Imagine having such an estranged relationship with your own sibling that you have to come to a legally-binding agreement not to talk bad about each other. Then you get sued for allegedly breaking that agreement.
Kind of makes you want to call up your sib just to say “I love you,” don’t it?
Well, let’s just hope the Barris family can work things out.
Anyway, the red carpet premiere was also attended by You People stars Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, Lauren London, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny, as well as guests Elliott Gould, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer and rapper Yung Miami.

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Maybe it’s time human beings learn to treat animals well—especially when they’re bigger and stronger, and are more than capable of killing us.
Unfortunately, a man in Russia has recently learned this lesson the hard and fatal way. Even more unfortunate is the fact that the animal he appeared to abuse suffered an equal fate—albeit one that was likely far less painful.

A disturbing video is currently circling the interwebs that shows a camel trampling a man to death at a children’s camp in Russia after the man had punched it.

From the New York Post:
“The animal did not appreciate such treatment,” local media reported regarding the deadly incident, which occurred last month at the Beryozka recreation centre in Omsk, Siberia, per East2West news.
The fiasco occurred after a watchman named Yury, 51, struck the dromedary while attempting to move it, causing it to become enraged and attack him, local media reported.
In the disturbing footage, the guard can be seen walking up to the double-humped Bactrian camel — which can weigh over 1,100 pounds — and yanking on its reins. However, the animal, named Vasya, refuses to budge, after which Yuri punches him in the face. He then tries to get the camel to move a second time, whereupon Vasya wheels around and grabs his assailant with his teeth, then flings him around like a ragdoll.
After getting mauled and trampled for a protracted period, the guard can be seen lying motionless in the now-blood-stained snow while the camel continues to prod at him.
The man sustained severe injuries to his head and body and he died after being rushed to a hospital. The Post noted that “prior to the attack, the animal had reportedly been described as peaceful and was often around children sans incident,” which indicates that, like many animals, he wouldn’t attack anyone who didn’t attack him first. (If “don’t start nothin’, won’t be nothin’” was an animal, basically.) But, sadly, that didn’t change the decision to put the camel down rather than risk another human being killed, which is often the case when people put themselves in a position of danger with an animal that was minding its own business.
Meanwhile, the Post reported that law enforcement is currently investigating the camp to determine if the camel was being held legally and properly.
So, yeah—maybe just leave these animals alone.