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Van Jones had more than a few words of criticism for Sen. JD Vance in the wake of his vice presidential debate with Gov. Tim Walz. During a CNN breakdown of the debate, Van Jones aimed for JD Vance’s performance in the debate and noted that the Ohio senator took several liberties in his answers.
The CBS News debate between. Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday (October 1) was a highly anticipated event although most analysts couldn’t agree if this would be a pivotal needle-moving moment for either campaign.
Van Jones opened up his analysis of Vance’s performance by noting that they both attended the same law school and how that training may have served Vance onstage versus Walz’s style of speech.
“I think what you saw tonight was the kitchen table versus the Ivy League,” Jones began in his comments. “I went to the same law school as JD Vance [Yale Law School] and that’s how they teach us to do it. The problem is, JD Vance changes personalities like some people change suits and his job tonight was to try and “sane- wash” the crazy.”
Jones was referring to the measured tone and approach Vance took in comparison to the reported ramblings and off-script speeches of Vance’s running mate, GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
On X, Jones clarified his position further.
From X:
JD Vance used every trick we learned at Yale Law School — trying to sane-wash Donald Trump (and memory hole all the bigoted, nutty stuff Vance himself has been saying).
Do not fall for it.
Vance lied about everything, all night long: he said he never supported a national abortion ban (he did), that American energy production is down (it’s up), and that we had a peaceful transfer of power in 2020 (as if January 6 never happened).
A man who will lie on national television this brazenly about facts that anyone can find with a simple google search — should never be anywhere close to the Oval Office.
Some observers believe that while Vance’s answers were delivered with polish, mild fact-checking would uncover holes in some of his policy positions. In contrast, it has been stated that Walz didn’t appear as confident in the moment as he has been on the campaign trail but the debate was gentlemanly as it possibly could be given the distance on politics between the rivals.
At minute 31:00 of the video below, you can view Van Jones’ commentary on the debate.
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Photo: Getty
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Ta-Nehisi Coates has attracted controversy and discussion given his decades as a reporter and writer who tackles themes as carefully as one can without pulling punches when necessary. In a recent appearance on CBS News’ morning program, Ta-Nehisi Coates engaged in what appeared to be an intense debate with co-host Tony Dokoupil regarding a segment in his book that touches on the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Ta-Nehisi Coates was on CBS Mornings to discuss his newest book, The Message, a trio of essays regarding the writer’s visits to Senegal, South Carolina, and the Israel-Gaza region and draws some significant parallels to the idea of what it means to belong.
Tony Dokoupil, who seemingly angled to dominate the segment with his questioning, went on the offensive by framing Coates’ book as something you would in the backpack of an anti-Israeli extremist. It should be noted that Dokoupil’s ex-wife and his two older children are living in Israel currently and he is currently married to Katy Tur, who is of Jewish descent.
Coates gamely took on the challenge of attempting to explain himself in the face of Dokoupil’s critiques of his work.
“You write a book that delegitimizes the pillars of Israel. It seems like an effort to topple the whole building of it,” Dokoupil said. “So I come back to the question, and it’s what I struggled with throughout this book, what is it that so particularly offends you about the existence of a Jewish state that is a Jewish safe place and not any of the other states out there?”
Coates answered, “There’s nothing that offends me about a Jewish state. I am offended by the idea of states built on ethnocracy, no matter where they are. I would not want a state where any group of people lay down their citizenship rights based on ethnicity. The country of Israel is a state in which half the population exist on one tier of citizenship and everybody else that’s ruled by Israelis exist on another tier, including Palestinian Israeli citizens. The only people that exist on that first tier are Israeli Jews. Why do we support that? Why is that okay? I’m the child of Jim Crow. I’m the child of people that were born into a country where that was exactly the case, of American apartheid.”
It didn’t appear that any stance Ta-Nehisi Coates took satisfied the curiosities Tony Dokoupil and co-hosts Gayle King and Nate Burleson remained oddly quiet during the segment. The moment has caused a stir online and probably deserves far more nuance than we have the space to examine here. That said, a larger discussion should arise from this considering both gentlemen had points to make but couldn’t be exhaustive in their explanations.
Keep scrolling to see reactions below.
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Photo: Getty
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Donald Trump might enjoy favorable support among his base but the race for the White House against his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, remains tightly contested. However, Donald Trump took things to a shocking level when he essentially endorsed police brutality to stamp out crime.
Donald Trump was in Pennsylvania on Sunday (September 29) and delivered a speech that should have been focused on his policies but devolved into him spouting debunked claims of crime rising under President Joe Biden’s administration and more talking points that he’s largely remained committed to. However, things took a dark turn when the former president suggested the police be allowed to use rough tactics to stop crime, especially in the world of retail theft.
“See, we have to let the police do their job,” Trump began. “And if they have to be extraordinarily rough…and you know the funny thing about all of that stuff. Look at the department stores. You see these guys walking out with an air conditioner and a refrigerator on their backs.”
The Trump faithful applauded on cue during this speech segment the business mogul continued to deliver his dangerous rhetoric.
“And the police aren’t allowed to do their job,” Trump continued. “They’re told if you do anything, you’re going to lose your pension, you’re going to lose your family, your house, your car. The police want to do it. The Border Patrol wants to do it. They’re not allowed to do it because the liberal left won’t let them do it.”
He continued to double down on the threat of police violence against theft, once again to the approving cheers of his supporters.
“One rough hour, and I mean real rough, the word will get out, and it will end immediately, end immediately. You know, it will end immediately,” Trump said.
On X, formerly Twitter, observers have likened Donald Trump’s support of concentrated and lawless police violence to the film franchise, The Purge, in which for 24 hours, crimes can be committed without consequences.
We’ve got reactions listed below.
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Photo: Getty
1. Regardless of what people are framing it as, it’s scary to imagine.
2. Worth a watch.
4. Some more talking points about what Trump may allegedly be angling for.
10. Instead of reducing it to name-calling, just keep educating. It’s all new information for some.
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Joe Budden was once affiliated with Sean “Diddy” Combs via their business dealings, but the retired rapper turned broadcaster says that is where it ended. During an episode of his eponymously named podcast, Joe Budden shut down chatter that he was seen onscreen in the so-called “freak off” footage.
During episode 760 of The Joe Budden Podcast, Budden and his co-hosts went into a deep dive regarding the allegations Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing. The conversation was first lighthearted and replete with some mild humor as is custom for the podcast but Budden shifted it a touch around the 20:00-minute mark when he explained that he wasn’t in any “freak off” footage and that his father called him to inquire further.
After debunking his involvement in any of the reported activities at the alleged sex-fueled parties, Budden spoke to the perception that the public-facing relationships had sparked among the casual observers around the 56:00-minute mark. In Budden’s view, he believes that his connection to Combs was strictly about business primarily as the “Pump It Up” star once hosted a talk show series on the REVOLT network.
The podcast episode took place when Budden recently returned from a vacation, which some fans found to be convenient timing on his part. Ice, another co-host, tried to move the conversation forward by stating that the cast had already dissected the matter and that the information wasn’t exactly new but they decided to give the matter some dedicated time all the same.
To his credit and despite their rumored connection, Joe Budden has been direct in his critique of Combs and has remained as objective as possible regarding his takes.
Check out the podcast episode in question below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Activision / Activision
Call Of Duty: Black Op 6 is almost here. So that means the beloved first-person shooter’s publisher Activision is launching a hefty advertising campaign, just in case you need a reminder.
The first spot in the live-action campaign features a familiar character—The Replacer, portrayed by actor Peter Stormare (Fargo, John Wick Chapter 2). First seen back in 2013 (damn, it has been that long?!), The Replacer helps players focus on their gaming while he handles their business. And in this case, that includes serving tacos, “saving” cats from trees, blessing his followers and holding down family dinner time, to comedic effect.
“The Return of the Replacer” is only the start of a series of launch commercials that will drop prior to the title’s release in late October. Plans are for a total of over 30 unique spots across media, intent on targeting various audiences. Gamers do lurk everywhere, after all. Expect some famous games to get “replaced.”
Watch “The Return of the Replacer” below (its broadcast debut was during Sunday Football on September 29th). Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 is out October 25.
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Ryan Clark made his career as a hard-hitting safety in the NFL before moving into the analyst and podcasting space. In the wake of the comments made by comedian Andrew Schulz towards ShxtsNGigs hosts James Duncan and Fuhad Dawodu regarding Black women, Ryan Clark issued a statement in their defense but some Black men online are calling him “soft” for his stance.
Duncan and Dawodu were guests in Schulz’s Flagrant podcast in July with Schulz bringing up the “Black girlfriend effect” trend from social media. In essence, the trend notes that when a white man has a Black woman as a romantic partner, his entire image changes for the better. However, Schulz used the mostly harmless trend to frame the instance as Black women pressuring their partners and using violence to get them in line. Schulz, which is par the course for the program, leaned into other topics including speaking about Nigerians, and other shots at Black women.
It should be noted that the ShxtsNGigs hosts did not offer any pushback or critique of Schulz’s jabs, which some online said were done under the guise of comedy and loose chatter. However, clips from the episode have since gone viral and the massive fanbase of Black women that Duncan and Dawodu enjoyed have largely defected. The pair issued an apology but many feel it is a case of too little too late.
Ryan Clark, via his The Pivot podcast with Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, spoke at length about what he experienced from his mother and later his wife as his reference to the value Black women have in his life. He also said that because so many Black men don’t respect Black women, some have allowed white people to get, in his words, “comfortable” in disrespecting them.
More from X:
I’m not sure what black woman experience @andrewschulz has had, but it hasn’t been the real “black girlfriend effect”. To insult black women and described them as complainers & abusive isn’t just untrue. It’s disrespectful. Even worse, James Duncan & Fuhad Dawodu allowing him to say it is more insulting.
Andrew Schultz spoke that way in front of two black men because they allowed him to. They made him comfortable enough to disrespect black women because they didn’t force him to respect them.
My experience is that black women are powerful, beautiful, strong, and supportive. They prioritize black family, community, & culture. They take steps back to push their men, and families forward. So, no Andrew the “black girlfriend effect” is nothing like what you described. I’m just upset that you don’t have enough solid black men around you to tell you differently!
With the clip of Clark’s response going wide on X, some men referred to him as soft for not being able to take a joke. Below is one such exchange.
“I hate how soft nggas are now man. Smh. All these sad ass think pieces over jokes. As one of the dirtiest players in NFL history, someone who played with reckless abandon, someone who intentionally tried to injure other humans for sport, I thought you’d be a little tougher bro,” wrote @MulhollandL0ver.
Clark wrote in response, “More than welcome to try me to see how tough good brother, but jokes are only funny if the subject believes so. Same as my joke about Tua last year. I thought it was funny, other players thought it was funny, my colleagues thought it was funny. He and his people didn’t.”
Keep scrolling to see comments from X regarding Ryan Clark’s comments.
I’m not sure what black woman experience @andrewschulz has had, but it hasn’t been the real “black girlfriend effect”. To insult black women and described them as complainers & abusive isn’t just untrue. It’s disrespectful. Even worse, James Duncan & Fuhad Dawodu allowing him to… pic.twitter.com/2gQQRPSCYd
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 19, 2024
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Photo: Getty
1. For a bit of context.
4. How the two compares is beyond comprehension.
5. Racist tropes aren’t funny.
7. Mans losing his mind right here.
8. Pretty much.
9. Perspective.
10. Their whole wave got smashed over some “jokes.”
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Beyond The Gates, a new soap opera announced by CBS will be the first show of its kind to focus on Black characters in an hour-long format. Veterans of the daytime soap opera scene, Tamara Tunie, Daphnee Duplaix, and Karla Mosley were all named as leads in the series which launches in 2025.
Beyond The Gates, formerly known as The Gates, was created by Michele Val Jean and is the first daytime television soap opera to center a Black cast. The first to do so was Generations in 1989, and Beyond The Gates is the first new daytime soap opera since Passions in 1999.
The show centers on the wealthy Dupree family, who live just outside of Washington, D.C. in the lavish suburbs of Fairmont Estates. Tamara Tunie, who acted previously on As The World Turns, stars as Anita Dupree, a former singer with roots in Chicago who serves as the matriarch of the family.
Daphnee Duplaix, an alum of One Life to Live, stars in the role of Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson and Anita Dupree’s daughter. While her marriage and image seem intact from the outside looking in, secrets are bursting at the seams according to the plot line.
Karla Mosley, who was a cast member of The Bold & The Beautiful, plays the role of Dani Dupree, Nicole’s sister and a former model who now works as a “momager” who stopped hitting the runway for her romantic partner.
More from the press release:
BEYOND THE GATES is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington D.C., and in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States. Here you’ll find a posh gated community with winding tree-lined streets and luxurious mansions to call home. At the center of this community are the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that is the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those that live outside these gates are watching closely. These are the places where our characters live, love, work and play. Those who have “made it” and those who haven’t are all trying to navigate life … and some with more grace than others.
The show is set to begin production in Atlanta this fall with a release date set to be announced for early 2025.
We’re revealing the first cast members of the new @CBS drama, “Beyond the Gates,” the first hour-long daytime soap on TV featuring a Black cast. https://t.co/pRFT6FXnnB pic.twitter.com/ixB79cicNV
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 19, 2024
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Photo: Emilio Madrid/Getty/Karla Mosley/CBS
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Lil Wayne saw his name crop up in the news this week after it was announced that Kendrick Lamar would be the featured performer for next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. With the likes of Jay Electronica, Birdman, Nicki Minaj, and more speaking on Lil Wayne’s behalf, Tunechi took to Instagram to express his emotions surrounding the news and the snub.
With Super Bowl LIX taking place in February 2025 in New Orleans, La., it was expected at least by some observers that Weezy F. Baby would be considered to rock in front of his hometown crowd for the big game. Kendrick Lamar announced his appearance in his unique way, which sparked a flurry of comments from supporters of Lil Wayne along with his detractors coming out of the woodwork to discredit his musical legacy.
Opening up in his video on Instagram, Wayne got straight to the point.
“First of all, I wanna say forgive me for the delay. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking. I’m say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all the love and support out there. Your words turned to arms and held me up when I tried to fall back.”
Wayne said of the assumed snub that, “It hurt a lot. I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown. For just automatically mentally putting myself in that position like someone told me that was my position.”
In what would’ve been a dream come true for Lil Wayne, it appears that being passed over for the Halftime Show in favor of Kendrick Lamar left a sting.
Check out the clip below.
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Photo: Bennett Raglin / Getty
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Eminem appeared to be putting the Slim Shady persona away for good but it appears that the Detroit rapper still has some use for the character. During an opening set at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Eminem took it back to his 2000 MTV VMAs performance and slapped on a blonde wig surrounded by several look-a-likes for a performance of his track “Houdini.”
Eminem first employed this performance strategy back in 2000 with a performance of “Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am” and repeated it for this year’s performance of “Houdini” from his latest studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
The Slim Shadys in the back were dressed similarly to Em, who wore a blonde wig, Black jeans, and a Black tee alongside another doppelganger dressed similarly to how he was in 2000.
Eminem was nominated at this year’s MTV VMAs under the categories of Video Of The Year, Artist Of The Year, Best Hip Hop, Best Direction (Director Rich Lee for “Houdini”), Best Visual Effects (Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post), Best Editing (Editing by David Checel), Song Of Summer (“Houdini), and VMAs Most Iconic Performance (for the 2000 MTV VMAs performance).
Check out the performance in the video below.
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Photo: Michael Loccisano / Getty
This past Labor Day Weekend, the rolling hills of Napa, Calif. were filled with fans in town to attend the Blue Note Jazz Festival’s Black Radio Experience festival, curated by Robert Glasper. The iOne Digital team was on the grounds to take in the Black Radio Experience, and we were moved by the display of music, art, wine, and culture.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival’s Black Radio Experience kicked off on the first day of Labor Day Weekend and was held at the Meritage Resort and Spa. The BRE team did an excellent job of transforming the sprawling resort into a welcoming performance space, complete with brand installations, a wine garden, food trucks, VIP experiences, and plenty of seating for fans to take in the performances.
On the first day (August 30), vibraphonist Joel Rosshas’ Joel Ross’ Good Vibes got the festival going at the Blue Note Stage, with producer Madlib and drummer Daru Jones taking to the Black Radio Stage. Madlib also brought out guests on his set such as his Loot Pack band member Wildchild, who some might know as the father of actor Miles Brown, vocalist Stacy Epps, and rapper Your Old Droog.
Source: Black Radio Experience / BRE
Source: Black Radio Experience Content Team
Terrace Martin rocked the Blue Note Stage, taking listeners through his wide musical journey while picking up a variety of instruments and also sharing humorous bits about himself throughout his performance. Common and Pete Rock, who are currently on tour in support of their new album, The Auditorium Vol. 1, put on a spirited performance of their classics along with tracks from the new project.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: @sandrajamphoto
At the resort’s Estate Cave, André 3000 held three separate performances titled “New Blue Sun Live” which featured him performing with a backing band and using several wind instruments much like he did on his latest album of the same name. Three Stacks’ held three shows daily across the span of the festival at the Estate Cave. Golden Globes winner and singer Andra Day was another early highlight with a passionate performance that had attendees on their feet.
Source: Todd Cooper
The first night concluded with the legendary Jill Scott and she proved once more why she is in demand as a performer, running through just about every song you’d want to hear, including the sultry “Crown Royal,” and the Go-Go-tinged “It’s Love” among other hits.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
On the second day (8/31), drummer Kendrick Scott set things off on the Blue Note Stage with an energetic set that displayed his mastery of the sticks. DJ Jazzy Jeff was slated to perform on the Black Radio Stage but DJ Premier of Gang Starr fame gamely filled the slot with a crowd-pleasing set full of grooving soul tracks and R&B from the 1970s and beyond.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Bassist Derrick Hodge rocked Blue Note Stage shortly after and pulled double duty on Saturday with a following set with the Color of Noize Orchestra. Around the same time, Tank and The Bangas were torching the Black Radio Stage and as we’ve seen before, Tarriona “Tank” Ball gave it her all on the stage with a mixture of poetry, rapping, and singing.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
As this festival was created from the mind of Robert Glasper, the talented musician made his rounds during several sets throughout the weekend and hosted his first full set with special guest, Marsha Ambrosius.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
John Legend closed things out on Saturday with all the style and professionalism one can imagine. At one point during his set, Legend explained to the crowd how he came to work with Kanye West, now known as Ye, and the origin of his stage name among other anecdotes. Based on our observation of the crowd, this was another standout moment of the festival.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
On the final day, we spent much of our day in interview mode so we regretfully missed several sets such as RC & The Gritz, Christian McBride, Cimafunk, and Eric Roberson. However, we did get to sit down with Erro and we’ll be sharing more from our chat in later posts. In between the busy interview schedule, we did get to see some of Ledisi’s set from the Pattern Beauty suite — more on that later — and we also got to catch the “New Blue Sun Live” experience in person.
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: Marc Fong / Still Harper
Source: BRE / Still Harper
The final sets of the night were Niles Rodgers and CHIC, and Glasper alongside Musiq Soulchild, capping a weekend full of music, wine, and several examples of Black elegance and excellence.
The iOne Digital team also attended some of the on-site experiences, such as the JAM Session with Robert Glasper & Chef Ken L. Polk from Chicago, with Glasper serving as his sous chef.
We also checked out the Ladies First Power Hour: Cocktails & Conversation with Kendra Anderson & Imane Hanine and had the pleasure of interviewing the pair after the experience. We also got to get some brunch in among the elevated vineyard grounds via the “For the Love of Jazz” Soul Brunch by Chef Jay Foster & DJ Mara Hruby, featuring John Legend’s LVE Wine.
Source: @sandrajamphoto
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing some of the content we captured from the grounds, including the aforementioned interviews. We interviewed Andra Day, Derrick Hodge, Frankie Zombie, and more so please stay tuned.
Once again, the iOne Digital team owes a great deal of gratitude to the Black Radio Experience team for the hospitality and assistance in allowing us to experience the festival as intended.
To learn more about the Blue Note Jazz, click here.
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Photo: iOne Digital/BRE