Getty Kyrie Irving is one step closer to getting out of Brooklyn -- the Nets have granted the NBA superstar's wish and allowed him to seek a trade after spending just 3 seasons with the team, according to local outlets. The NY Daily News reports Irving -- who signed with the Nets as a free agent in 2019 -- was given the green light to find teams willing to trade for the superstar guard. Irving -- who turned 30 this past March -- has until June 29 to pick up his $36.9 million player option ... and is reportedly seeking a long-term deal, which the Nets apparently don't want to make happen. Getty The Nets' apprehension in signing Irving to a long-term deal reportedly has nothing to do with his on-court productivity ... rather, it's Kyrie's reliability and dependability that the team can't trust. In his 3 years in Brooklyn, Irving has played in 103 regular-season games for the Nets ... and over the course of that span, Irving missed 123 … [Read more...] about Kyrie Irving Reportedly Gets Permission To Seek Trade From Nets
Black mold health concerns
Yola on Sister Rosetta Tharpe: ‘We Have To Give Black America Their Flowers’
It wasn’t until 2018 that Sister Rosetta Tharpe was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , acting as a much-needed if inadequate corrective of sorts to the lack of recognition the industry has given Black women. But we still have a long way to go. Yola — who recently played the queer gospel legend in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis — sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss Tharpe’s legacy. “We have to give Black America their flowers for being the home of another foundational genre of American and contemporary music,” Yola says. “We take Sister Rosetta Tharpe out of history, there’s a gaping chasm that is left.” With thumping rhythms and heavy distortion, the singer-guitarist invented her own style of playing that influenced B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Little Richard, and Elvis himself — and yet, Tharpe remains overlooked. “The idea of Black women having a somehow equal level of gratitude for those gifts … we’re not even close,” Yola says. “And cross genre, we see that replicated.” … [Read more...] about Yola on Sister Rosetta Tharpe: ‘We Have To Give Black America Their Flowers’
Marlin Briscoe, First Black Starting QB In AFL, Dead At 76
Getty Marlin "The Magician" Briscoe -- the first black quarterback to start in the American Football League -- has passed away. He was 76. Briscoe's daughter, Angela Marriott , confirmed the tragic news on Monday ... saying Marlin was hospitalized over poor circulation in his legs prior to dying of pneumonia at a Norwalk, California hospital. Briscoe kicked off his career as a star quarterback for Omaha University in the 1960s. He led the team to three conference titles and set 22 school records including passing yards (4,935) and touchdowns (52). Getty The Omaha native was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 14th round of the 1968 AFL draft ... and the team tried to convert him into a cornerback. But, after Denver's starter got hurt and the backup showed inconsistencies at the beginning of the 1968 season, the Broncos put Briscoe at QB1 ... making him the first black quarterback to start in the AFL. Briscoe thrived in the … [Read more...] about Marlin Briscoe, First Black Starting QB In AFL, Dead At 76
Vic Mensa Pleads Guilty in Shrooms Case, Gets Probation
TMZ.com Vic Mensa 's pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance, but he won't do any time behind bars after striking a deal with prosecutors ... TMZ has learned. Kendra Glover , a rep for the Loudoun County Commonwealth's Attorney, tells TMZ ... Mensa pled guilty to one count of possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. We're told as part of the plea deal he got 12 months in jail, but that was suspended -- meaning instead of serving it behind bars, he'll have a year of unsupervised probation. Vic will also have to take a substance abuse assessment, perform 25 hours of community service, and pay a $1k fine. BTW, he'll get 50 percent off that fine if he successfully completes the other probation terms. As we've reported, Vic was arrested back in January at Dulles International airport for going through customs with a stash of shrooms. Vic tells TMZ ... "In this case, I have … [Read more...] about Vic Mensa Pleads Guilty in Shrooms Case, Gets Probation
Brandy Takes Jack Harlow’s ‘First Class’ to New Heights With Surprise BET Awards Performance
Brandy is a woman of her word. The singer took the BET Awards stage on Sunday night for the debut live performance of her effortless “First Class” freestyle alongside Jack Harlow – a full circle clean-up after she promised last month to “murk this dude in rap at 43 on his own beats and then sing his ass to sleep.” The Kentucky rapper made his debut performance at the awards ceremony with the live debut of the Lil Wayne-assisted “Poison” from his sophomore record Come Home the Kids Miss You before Brandy took the stage to out-rap the both of them and polish it off with some vocal gymnastic harmonies on the Fergie-sampling “First Class” hook. “This black excellence at its finest/ Don’t call me, “Brandy,” no more, call me, “Your highness”/ Built up, filling my brother Ray J glasses/ This is passion/ You woke up a beast, now it’s madness/ Singer slash rapper, rapper slash actress,” she rapped with fervor. Backstage at the ceremony, Brandy told ET Online : “I’m so … [Read more...] about Brandy Takes Jack Harlow’s ‘First Class’ to New Heights With Surprise BET Awards Performance
The Many Cancellations of Elvis Presley
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably well aware that Baz Luhrmann ’s flashy Elvis biopic was released this week. It’s been hard to ignore the film’s major marketing push over the past month: a long standing ovation at Cannes, TikTok-creator sponsored content, a Doja Cat soundtrack cut, and the campaign to make Carrie Diaries star Austin Butler into a Brad Pitt-style heartthrob. In the thick of the promotion, the marketing push has led to re-fascination with Elvis Presley himself. Public interest had notably waned in the past couple decades. In a Rolling Stone piece two years ago, the King’s estate had been cooking up many ideas on how to rebuild slipping revenue streams and spark public interest in the star once more. Much like Bohemian Rhapsody had done for energizing Gen Z Queen/Freddie Mercury stans, they were probably banking on Elvis doing the same for another historical rock figure. This week’s episode of Don’t Let This Flop points out … [Read more...] about The Many Cancellations of Elvis Presley
Kanye West Makes A Surprise Appearance At 2022 BET Awards, To Honor Diddy
BET Kanye West popped up for a rare appearance ... this time at the 2022 BET Awards ... to pay tribute to his favorite artist -- Diddy . Kanye made a surprise appearance Sunday night, at L.A.'s Microsoft Theater ... dressed head to toe in black. BET Ye took the stage to honor Sean "Diddy" Combs, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kanye gave a lengthy speech ... calling Diddy his favorite artist and talking about the impact he's had on his own life. Kanye said, "I go to him for advice to this day. He inspires so many of my choices, so many of my life choices. My wife choices". He also let folks know he's taking a hiatus and wanted to "declare myself dead" .... but says, he wanted to make sure he was there for Diddy. Of course, Kanye has mainly been off the grid, since April ... after pulling out of Coachella . BET Moments after the intro from Kanye and Babyface , Diddy took the stage. He dedicated the moment to his … [Read more...] about Kanye West Makes A Surprise Appearance At 2022 BET Awards, To Honor Diddy
Travis Scott Plans First Major Post-Astroworld Concert
Travis Scott is slated to perform his first individual ticketed concert since last November’s deadly Astroworld tragedy. Scott will be playing at London’s 02 Arena on August 6th. While Scott has already performed publicly since the disaster — he played a late-night set in Miami in May and played private events for a pre-Oscars party and a Coachella afterparty — the show marks the first of his own ticketed concerts. Scott’s been trickling back into live shows this year on the festival circuit with headlining dates at Primavera Sound in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Santiago, Chile and São Paulo, Brazil coming up this fall. Earlier this month, Scott was announced as a headliner for Day n’ Vegas, his first U.S. festival since Astroworld. Scott also performed at the Billboard Music Awards in May. Scott, alongside Astroworld’s promoters Live Nation and Scoremore among several other defendants, is currently facing hundreds of lawsuits and up to hundreds of millions of dollars in … [Read more...] about Travis Scott Plans First Major Post-Astroworld Concert
Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes & More To Star In Period Thriller ‘The Critic’
EXCLUSIVE : Ian McKellen ( The Good Liar ), Gemma Arterton ( Summerland ) and Mark Strong ( 1917 ) will lead the cast of The Critic , a period thriller based on Anthony Quinn’s classic novel Curtain Call . Oscar nominee Lesley Manville ( Phantom Thread ), BAFTA nominee Romola Garai ( Suffragette ), Ben Barnes ( Westworld ) and Alfred Enoch ( Foundation ) will also star. In the film set in 1934 London, McKellen plays Jimmy Erskine, the most feared drama critic in town—with Arterton as Nina Land, the actress determined to win his favor. When Jimmy finds himself in the crosshairs of his newspaper’s new owner, David Brooke (Strong), Nina becomes entangled in a dangerous web of blackmail, deceit and murder. Anand Tucker ( Hilary and Jackie ) is directing from a script by Oscar nominee Patrick Marber ( Notes on a Scandal ), with production underway in and around London. The film is being fully financed and produced by London-based BKStudios, … [Read more...] about Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes & More To Star In Period Thriller ‘The Critic’
Saladin Ahmed, Shaka King & Travon Free Team On Webcomic ‘Drac: Son of Dante’ For Tapas, Endeavor Content
EXCLUSIVE : Saladin Ahmed ( Miles Morales: Spider-Man ) has partnered with filmmakers Shaka King ( Judas and the Black Messiah ) and Travon Free ( Two Distant Strangers ) to create Drac: Son of Dante —a new, 15-part webcomic series for Tapas Media and Endeavor Content , which is now free to read exclusively via the former company’s website and mobile app. The series’ first two episodes have already launched, with more to come weekly on Fridays. Drac is said to introduce a new and contemporary mythology around the origins of the iconic goth villain Dracula that will resonate with multicultural and youth audiences alike. The narrative follows Dante, an eerie, flute-playing immortal who finds himself drawn to the human condition against the natural order and better judgment of his species. Dante follows this obsession no matter how much trouble it gets him into — but a conflict for the ages erupts when his monstrous son Drac chooses a human bride. … [Read more...] about Saladin Ahmed, Shaka King & Travon Free Team On Webcomic ‘Drac: Son of Dante’ For Tapas, Endeavor Content