It looks like another Baby Bennett is on the way! Taylor Bennett recently announced he's expecting the birth of a new baby boy — a first for the rapper and his partner, XXL reports.Back in January 2017, Taylor came out as bisexual, and received an outpouring of love from his fans, who saw the rapper revealing his personal truth as wholly inspirational. Bennett made the announcement before a performance on Good Morning America."It’s crazy and it also almost feels like a dream a lot of times because I always wanted to do this sh*t," Bennett told XXL backstage at GMA. "When I was a kid, yo, before I knew Good Morning America was called Good Morning America, and I just knew that’s the show that my grandparents and my parents watched everyday." He then dropped the bombshell, “I’m finna have a son, I’m doing GMA. All these things [are] really happening for me at this time in my life.”Taylor's new baby boy will get to play with his cousin Kesli Bennett, the daughter of the rapper's older brother, Chance The Rapper. Guess Baby Bennett will be calling Chance Uncle Chano? While Bennett made the news of his child official this week, he alluded to his new son while promoting his EP Be Yourself on Sway In The Morning back in July 2018."I'm excited, and you know the fact that I'ma have a little boy and Chance has a little girl, I'm excited for that too," Taylor told Sway. Now, check these out:Support Pours In As Taylor Bennett Comes Out As BisexualTaylor Bennett Speaks Out On His Decision To Come Out On Twitter: 'I Wanted To Say Who I Was'Taylor Bennett’s Cover For His New Album Is The Dopest Tribute To Pride Month Out...

Looking up at the massive walls that barred her ancestors from their family, freedom and any hope of returning, the black scholar takes in the dilapidated castle, the chains nailed into the ground that built to restrain her, and moves forward. In the Twi language of Ghana, the term Sankofa best characterizes this moment: To know where you are going, you have to know from where you’ve come.On August 7, 10 students from the City University of New York (CUNY) journeyed to Ghana to explore their cultural roots through the Birthright AFRICA program. Co-founded by Diallo Shabazz and former Goldman Sachs associate Walla Elsheikh, Birthright AFRICA is an intensive eight-week program that funds student travels through New York, D.C. and Ghana with a focus on African culture and innovation. For Elsheikh, Birthright AFRICA spawned from the realization that she grew up learning little about her African heritage, though part of her childhood was spent in Uganda, Sudan and Sweden.“There’s so much more to the story of who we are as a people, regarding the great civilizations, kingdoms and queendoms that our people developed: the science, the technology, the arts and culture we’ve contributed to the world,” Elsheikh told Blavity. “I wanted to learn this history and present-day legacy for myself and bring others along on this journey within the U.S. and select countries in Africa.”With Shabazz, Elsheikh began a partnership with CUNY that would sponsor students of African descent, including African American, Afro-Caribbean, Afro-LatinX and African youth, as well as other variations of those spread by the diaspora. “It is important to reach across the diaspora of youth and young adults of African descent to showcase how similar we are because we share an ancestral heritage,” Elsheikh said. “Often in the U.S., the one-sided narrative of Africa and African heritage being rooted in war, poverty and disease can make us feel ashamed and cause us to look at each other in a negative light. Birthright AFRICA is a space for unity and collective dialogue to continue as we celebrate our resilience and brilliance as African-descended people.”During the program, students visit The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the African Burial Ground in downtown Manhattan, the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and Howard University. Students are also immersed in conversations with black leaders and entrepreneurs to encourage innovation. In the program's final leg, scholars go abroad to visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial, W.E.B. DuBois Center and the Cape Coast Castle (also known as the slave castle) in Ghana.In reflection, the memory of walking through the Cape Coast Castle stayed with program founders and scholars alike. The castle is one of about 40 in Ghana which was built by Europeans traders. They would eventually surpass its purpose in the gold trade and take on the role of enslaving African men and women before they were forcibly transported across the Atlantic.  Elsheikh recalls watching the students walk through the “Door of No Return,” which was an African’s last footprint on their homeland before becoming slave cargo and re-entering through the “Door of Return,” where, as decedents of African people, the scholars could “feel the magnitude of themselves returning to the motherland and paying homage to the ancestors,” Elsheikh said. Students from the pilot program shared this emotion, recalling the transformative moment for themselves. “I’m walking through the same halls that my ancestors had to have walked through,” 2017 Birthright AFRICA Scholar Kasson Mangin-Colon said in a reflection video. “Learning about the history and seeing the chains in the ground, we were trying to hold in all that emotion, but when we got out of it, we just started to break down. We walked out of the point of no return and walked back in the point of return, so that means we’re returning to the homeland. The African men who were in the water were like ‘Akwaaba,’ welcome back to your land.”Another student reminisced about watching a documentary in the Asante Kingdom, noticing photos on the wall and pinpointing a portrait of a king with a familiar name. “His last name was Ware,” 2017 Birthright AFRICA Scholar Geno Ware said, referencing Ashanti Emperor-King Otumfou Nana Opoku Ware II. “That gave some value to my last name, and confidence and pride to carry that last name.”Elsheikh hopes Birthright AFRICA can expand its reach by partnering with other educational partners in the future, including universities, high schools and community-based organizations, to provide this experience to all young people between 13 and 30 years old. Supporters can donate to help Birthright AFRICA reach its goals.View a recap from last year’s Birthright AFRICA experience below:Liking this content? Check these out:These 11 African Tech Startups Are Making Major Strides In 20178 Green Entrepreneurs To Know In AfricaCalled the ‘BuzzFeed of Africa,’ OMG Digital Has Raised $1.1M In Seed...

Phones down, problematics. A New York state senator is introducing a legislative proposal which would outlaw calling the police on black people without rhyme or reason, reports Prospect Heights Patch. Sen. Jesse Hamilton was canvassing in one of his Brooklyn districts when a Trump supporter called the police on him. He'd been voicing political views that didn't correlate with those of hers, so she phoned 911. Hamilton is just one victim of an epidemic of contemptuous white folks subjecting black folks to a system notorious for devaluing black lives by calling police. "This pattern of calling the police on black people going about their business and participating in the life of our country has to stop," he told Patch. "Waiting for your friends at a Starbucks is not a 911 call," Hamilton said in reference to the May incident in which a Starbucks manager called police on two black men awaiting their friend. "It's a call of intimidation."Announced on Wednesday, August 15, the objective of Bill S9149 is to "further punish the falsely reporting of a crime if the motivation for reporting such crime is motivated by a perception or belief about their race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation," according to Hamilton's website. Liking this content? Now, check these out: White Folks Calling 911 On Black Folks Is Why We Must Have Serious Convos About GentrificationWhite Woman Calls Cops On Black Woman Waiting For Her Uber and Minding Her BusinessNo Matter How ‘Respectable’ Black Folks Are, We’re Still Going To End Up With A Starbucks...

Update: Staples has parted ways with a North Carolina store manager who accused a mother pregnant with twins of shoplifting. The office supplies store chain release a statement Monday, August 13 informing media the unnamed manager has been terminated, reports Yahoo News. “On Friday at our Pineville location a Staples’ manager mistakenly assumed a customer was shoplifting and reported this assumption to a police officer visiting the store,” the statement sent to WSOCTV read. "Staples has since conducted a full investigation into the matter, and determined that the manager in question did not follow correct protocol and also failed to adhere to our existing policy on how to interact with our customers."Previous story: A woman in Pineville, North Carolina, was flabbergasted for being accused of stuffing her shirt and stealing from a local Staples store. Sherell Bates left home Friday, August 10, to do some back-to-school shopping, reports WSOCTV. What she didn't know was that a mundane task would become an embarrassing moment. "Being pregnant is already high-risk, and having to deal with that, just additional stress that I don't need,” Bates said.She went to Staples, picked up a few items and prepared to check out when a Pineville police officer approached her while she was in line. He reportedly was alerted to Bates by a manager, who claimed the mother-to-be was a possible shoplifter. To prove her innocence to the officer, Bates lifted her shirt a bit and exposed her pregnant belly, containing her twins.Bates then spoke with the manager."When I confronted her about what happened, she admitted that, 'In the past, we've had a lot of people putting school supplies or merchandise in their clothes and hiding, so I asked the officer to reach out to you,’” Bates said.Staples has since apologized for the matter, but Bates will pursue legal action for the harassment she faced, according to the Palm Beach Post."Yesterday at our Pineville location, while a customer was shopping, a manager mistakenly thought they were possibly shoplifting and asked a police officer that happened to be in the store to talk with the customer," a statement from Staples read."After a quick conversation, the issue was resolved, the manager apologized to the customer and refunded their transaction due to the inconvenience. At Staples, we want all customers to feel welcome in our store, and work with our store associates to try and foster an inclusive culture. As an organization, we would like to apologize to the customer if that was not the case in this instance."Now, check these out: T-Mobile Employees Call Cops On Black Men Shopping For PhoneWhite Priest Tells Grieving Black Family To 'Get The Hell Out' During Funeral, Threatens To Call PoliceFraternity Claims Alabama Restaurant Cancelled Event Reservation After Realizing Group Was...

Remember that time a student slid into Michael B. Jordan's Twitter DMs and shooting that shot led to meeting with him? Well, it looks like MBJ is keeping that same energy when it comes to making the day of his fans.Audeva Agyeman's dream was to go to prom with Jordan. Dreams like that are longshots, so when prom time came and Agyeman found herself dateless, she decided to get creative and take the Black Panther star anyway!She spent hours creating a dapper cardboard cutout of the star to be her dream prom companion:After not being able to get a prom date from procrastinating and waiting til the last minute, i spent 3 hours making my sexy prom date. I got on @TheShadeRoomm but now i need to MEET my man @michaelb4jordan @TheEllenShow pls help. RT FOR #GetDeetoMBJ pic.twitter.com/9y7Kt4MwsJ— Mrs. Chance & B. Jordan (@uhdeevuh) April 17, 2018Multiple outlets picked up the story, and Jordan himself commented on The Shade Room's Instagram post about the prom night writing, “This is called commitment.”The folks behind Creed 2 decided that sort of commitment deserved a reward and reached out to the teen on Twitter, asking her to be a part of "a special project for superfans." Of course, Agyeman happily agreed, and she was scooped up for a ride to Sunset Studios in Aston, Pennsylvania.“They picked me up from my house and a two hour drive later, and I’m being interviewed," Agyeman told the Huffington Post. "Next thing I know I’m screaming because Michael B. Jordan was standing right behind me the whole time.” Michael B. Jordan surprising his fan (@uhdeevuh ) on the set of Creed 2 (2018) pic.twitter.com/xkqnbDgomH— michael doing things (@MBJActivity) August 16, 2018“I was so confused, and I told the people, ‘You guys tricked me!’ and they all laughed,” she added.As Jordan was on set and had a lot of work to do, the two didn't get to chat long, but Agyeman's main focus was soaking in the visuals. She also said it might have been for the best their chat was brief as she "barely comprehended [anything he was saying] because I was drawing blanks staring at him.”We get it, sis. We get it.Liking this content? Check these out: Love For Michael B. Jordan Continues To Sour After He Uses Milk And Cereal In Latest Attempt To Convince Fans He Loves Black WomenA Philly Student Snagged A Pic With Michael B. Jordan After Sliding In His DMs And Twitter Now Wants Them To Wed‘I Ain’t From Wakanda:’ Michael B. Jordan Hilariously Rejects Wakanda Salute From White...

Evan Kaufman's name is everywhere these days after a video of him competing in the final round of The $100,000 Pyramid alongside SNL alum Tim Meadows began making rounds online.In the clip, host Michael Strahan sets up the final round with, "Evan and Tim, for $50,000, here's your first subject ... go!" You know, no pressure. For those unfamiliar with the word association game, one-half of the two-person team is given a category. That person is given a list of clues meant to help their teammate guess the category.The category Kaufman needed Meadows to guess was "People Whose Last Name Is Obama." Without missing a beat, Kaufman gave his teammate his first clue, shouting, "Bin Laden!"choking on my own tongue. pic.twitter.com/9VtRysTXEL— bobby (@bobby) August 13, 2018Wait ...WAIT ...Not Barack, Michelle, Malia, Sasha ... not even Bo, the dog? The clip immediately went viral, and Kaufman gave us the tea on what was going through his mind during that epic fail of a moment. So. This is me below. Racist $100,000 Pyramid Guy. Let me tell you the story about perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my life. #KillMe (Thread 1/13) https://t.co/CcyxnxXsC9— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018I was on $100,000 Pyramid. I’m playing with Tim Meadows, one of my heroes from SNL. My son had been born two weeks prior. I am very tired but excited to win money for my family. We play up the whole tired Dad thing. (2/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018The producers of the show tell us beforehand, if we get to the final round, to study the questions VERY hard. “People misread them!” They say. They have no idea. (3/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018I lose my first round. I think, oh well… no Pyramid for me. Then Meadows and I go on a run in the second round. We’re having fun, he’s cracking jokes! This is great. (4/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018I make it to the final round. I remember what the producers said. I try and focus. READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. (5/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018The first square flips. I breathe. I read “People Whose Last Name is Obama.” I freeze. There’s only one. BARACK OBAMA. The man I would have voted for three times*! (*H/T Jordan Peele) (6/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018“Who else is a famous Obama?” My brain is racing. I need to list multiple people. I can’t just say Barack. What I should have said was, “Michelle, Sasha, Malia, Bo! The PORTUGUESE WATER DOG BO!” (7/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018In the midst of his nerves, Kaufman tries to list everything associated with Obama, including the time a most-wanted terrorist was killed under his administration. Of course, Osama bin Laden can be associated with the 44th president's tenure since Obama caught him, but given the Islamophobia and birtherism surrounding the former POTUS, it is no wonder Kaufman has become known as the "racist $100,000 Pyramid Guy."Here’s what my brain decided. Who is associated with Obama? Who did he kill? What sounds like Obama! (8/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018And so you have this perfectly viral clip. A clip that is insanely funny. It would be so funny if it wasn’t me. The editing is impeccable. The little breath I take? I’m working so hard to get it right. (9/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018"And so you have this perfectly viral clip. A clip that is insanely funny. It would be so funny if it wasn’t me," Kaufman wrote.But this just goes to show you that even a liberal Globalist Cuck like yours truly has some inherent racism lurking in my brain. What a disaster. (10/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018The clip hilariously cuts off as soon as Kaufman says "Bin Laden," but he revealed that after the embarrassing moment he corrected himself, and Meadows gets the correct answer. They still don't win the ultimate prize, but the internet wins with this clip. What you don’t see in this clip is me, shocked, correcting myself and saying Barack. Tim gets the answer. We get stumped on Margarita a few questions later. Turns out Margarita is Tim Meadow’s Grandmother’s name. (11/13)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018I leave with $8500... and the story of the worst pyramid guess of all-time. (13/13 Fin)— Evan Kaufman (@EvanKaufman) August 14, 2018Overall, Kaufman left with some prize money ... and an infamous television moment that will last forever.Liking this content? Check these out:Why is Michael Strahan's departure from 'Live' so controversial?Ahhh, Here It Goes: Kenan Thompson Will Make History As Longest-Running SNL Cast MemberHere’s How Drake Is Considering Turning One Of His Summer Bangers Into A Game...

My mom and dad were born in 1956 and 1954, respectively, and just like us millennials, black music has been the soundtrack of their lives. We have Beyoncé and Trey Songz; they had Tina Turner and Little Richard. But uniquely, my parents, being baby boomers, were given the (sometimes not so great) experience of growing up during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement and also, the origination of “Soul Music” - a big, bold new sound that emerged during this very significant time. Their music carried over into my life as a child and I’ve felt the effect of the heartfelt tunes on the artists that I love today.What makes “Soul Music”, soul music? I think the easiest answer is found in the name of the genre. Soul Music cuts through our bodies and resonates off our bones; we feel it deep within our gut. You know it when you hear it. A more historic or tangible answer would be that it is a combination of Gospel and Doo-Wop music, dating back to the early 1950s. A clear vision of the merge can be heard in the recordings made at the time by Etta James and Ray Charles. The moving sound that was created also fittingly aligned with the desegregation of the United States.The Classic Soul SingerThe singers that were at the beginning of the powerful genre were proud, daring and insanely talented. There is the aforementioned late Ray Charles, who is often thought of as popularizing Soul Music with hits like, “Georgia On My Mind” and “Hit The Road Jack”. The distinct gospel vocals and cool swinging Doo-Wop chords are blatant in his compositions. Then, there is Aretha Franklin, who is unarguably the “Queen of Soul”. A song of hers, in a string of many others, that earned her that title is “Ain’t No Way”, a tune that is such a blueprint of soul vocal stylings, that many of the R&B (and pop) girls of today continuously thieve those distinctive riffs and runs.Sorry. I had a moment. That is what Soul Music can do to you - freeze you, make you feel and possibly, even shed a tear (I’m not crying…).Other classic singers of the early days of the genre are Marvin Gaye, his gone-too-soon duet partner Tami Terrell (their song, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, is, and will always be, everything), Sam Cooke and James Brown.  The Modern Soul SingerAs time moved into the 1980s and '90s, the sound (and look) of Soul Music transitioned a bit. The music became slick with the advent and use of MIDI (basically, electronic music made with the use of keyboards and beat machines) and popular white soul singers (commonly referred to as “blue-eyed soul”) like Michael McDonald, started to make a come up. Disco, funk and even hip-hop began to overshadow Soul Music, but then, the mid 90’s welcomed an unexpected resurgence.Neo-Soul, something that most would consider a sub-genre of Soul Music, gave new life to the space. D’Angelo’s debut album Brown Sugar seemed to have set the fire for a slew of similar artists such as Jill Scott, Erykah Badu and Maxwell. The sound was sexy, but the coolness of the new soul didn't change the heart of it. I remember older cousins burning mix CDs full of the music when going out on dates. I discovered exactly why when I got older and made a few of my own …The 2000’s introduced a line of new Soul Music creators that infused fresh energy to the genre, while cleverly taking it back to its roots. Anthony Hamilton’s aching voice soared on his breakthrough record, “Charlene”, Musiq Soulchild had everyone and they mama attempting to blow “Love”, and Alicia Keys, with her song, “If I Ain’t Got You”, was a celebrated return of an artist sitting at a piano and pouring out their emotions.I grew into adulthood during this time, so I can go on and on about how Soul Music shaped and shifted back into prominence. Like my parents in the '60s and '70s, the sounds of the genre from the 2000s were the soundtrack to my life.*I can’t leave without giving a mention to Jazmine Sullivan, an incredible soul singer who is TERRIBLY underrated.The New Soul SingerThe soul singers of today are the most unique artists sitting in the music industry. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and they commit to writing honest, often autobiographical, musical stories. Another interesting thing that I find most of them have in common, is that they often sound like they, vocally, could fit perfectly in the early days alongside Aretha and Ray.Leon Bridges broke out to critical acclaim in 2015 with his debut album Coming Home, Andra Day dominated radio with her song “Rise Up”, BJ The Chicago Kid sliced through the noise in 2016, and my managing editor unknowingly pimped me onto Anderson Paak, who, after listening to his album, is by ALL means, the definition of Soul Music today (and should’ve won that damn Best New Artist Grammy. ROBBED!).And I would be dead wrong if I didn’t point out the “blue-eyed soul” of today. Do I even have to name those dominating artists? I think they are wildly talented and deserving of every bit of success, but there is nothing like a black artist delivering Soul Music. The pain, the joy, the sex and the struggle just seem more honest, relatable and effortless. It’s genetically in our blood. It’s not one relationship we went through, it’s our parents’, grandparents’ and great-grandparents stories we’ve connectedly lived too.Listen to Anderson and BJ tell it, seamlessly intertwining Soul Music with rap, taking the sound to new heights.What in the world will Soul Music be like in the next decade? As you can see, the genre has gone through so many changes (sometimes extreme) but has managed to thrive. And that is no surprise. Soul Music was built on hope, heart, and survival, and because those things are such an integral part of our lives every day, it’ll always be around…and deep within our hearts.Who are your favorite Soul Music singers and how has their music cut deep within your life? Let's talk about it...

The legendary musician, activist and undisputed Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, died on August 16, 2018.Online, everyone mourned the loss of one of the greatest voices the world has ever known.Her fellow musicians posted moving tributes:Salute to the Queen. The greatest vocalist I've ever known. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 #Aretha— John Legend (@johnlegend) August 16, 2018This morning my longest friend in this world went home to be with our Father. I will miss her so much but I know she’s at peace. #QueenOfSoul pic.twitter.com/UatS3U3YXe— Smokey Robinson (@smokey_robinson) August 16, 2018The moment I wake up, before I put on my make up, I say a little prayer for you— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) August 16, 2018Although Aretha was known as the #QueenofSoul, i called her Hip Hop because of the Incredible break that’s in this song. You had to be quick to percussively EXTEND the break — DJs you KNOW. Aretha, Rest In Peace. #RIP #RipArethaFranklin #HHPPT pic.twitter.com/HsWI0hFbFK— Grandmaster Flash (@DJFlash4eva) August 16, 2018RIP THE GOAT THE QUEEN... pic.twitter.com/fxnSTfFNKT— Diddy (@Diddy) August 16, 2018As did artists of all types:“Looking out on the morning rain I used to feel so uninspired And when I knew I had to face another day Lord, it made me feel so tired Before the day I met you Life was so unkind But you’re the key to My peace of mind.” Her voice/swagger was peerless. Thank you, #ArethaFranklin pic.twitter.com/5gp0OP10Jf— Ava DuVernay (@ava) August 16, 2018RESPECT!!! REST IN PEACE AND POWER OUR TRUE QUEEN ARETHA FRANKLIN. IT WAS AN HONOR TO HAVE MET YOU AND WORKED WITH YOU 😢😢💔💔🙏🏾 #QUEENOFSOUL #ROYALTY #BLACKEXCELLENCEATITSBEST #LEGEND 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/RBIzD0dxaI— Naomi Campbell (@NaomiCampbell) August 16, 2018Queen Aretha. Rest in Power. pic.twitter.com/xPUiz6P21A— Zendaya (@Zendaya) August 16, 2018Your music will live on forever. Rest in power, @ArethaFranklin. 🙏🏾 #QueenofSoul #Icon— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 16, 2018YALL DONT UNDERSTAND WE JUST LOST THE QUEEN!! I WILL MISS YOU ARETHA FRANKLIN SO MANY NIGHTS YOUR MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE!! REST IN PEACE!!— Leslie Jones 🦋 (@Lesdoggg) August 16, 2018Activists spoke out, saddened by the loss of a woman who consistently used her voice for the good of all:Just as they welcomed #ArethaFranklin to their hearts during their lifetime, both my father and mother have welcomed the #QueenOfSoul to their heavenly home. #RIPQueen pic.twitter.com/sYNZGYvcpR— Be A King (@BerniceKing) August 16, 2018Rest in power Aretha Franklin 😔— Mari Copeny (@LittleMissFlint) August 16, 2018Take 5 minutes out of your day to watch Aretha Franklin absolutely steal the show with her performance in The Blues Brothers. pic.twitter.com/RhIfc2KDZP— Shaun King (@shaunking) August 16, 2018NASA announced it has made sure Franklin will always exist in her proper place among the stars:We’re saddened by the loss of Aretha Franklin. Asteroid 249516 Aretha, found by our NEOWISE mission and named after the singer to commemorate the #QueenOfSoul, will keep orbiting beyond Mars. See more details: https://t.co/NlW4vkmKDq pic.twitter.com/yZ0E5ofSQT— NASA (@NASA) August 16, 2018Politicians set aside their debates to salute the queen, as well:One of the greatest voices of all time has been silenced. My dear friend Aretha Franklin has passed. Even though her music will live on forever, the sound, the voice, and the inspiration of the Queen of Soul can never be matched. Farewell, Aretha.— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) August 16, 2018The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018Aretha Franklin was an incredible gift to the world. Her magical music and spirit will stay with us always, as well as with generations to come.— Valerie Jarrett (@ValerieJarrett) August 16, 2018From listening to Mary Don't You Weep, to standing in the living room dancing to Rock Steady over and over again, to hearing from the Queen herself how lucky I was to be young, gifted and black — Aretha's songs were the soundtrack of my childhood. America has lost a legend. RIP— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 16, 2018Today, we lost the #QueenofSoul; heaven gained the voice of an angel. My prayers go out to her family and the millions of people who look up to her as an icon in music.— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) August 16, 2018Rest in power Aretha Franklin, your voice and spirit will elevate, inspire, nourish and nurture for all history to come. #QueenofSoul pic.twitter.com/OvQJpNQ07n— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 16, 2018And former President Barack Obama, famously moved to tears by Franklin, had a lot to say, writing Franklin helped "define the American experience" by using her voice to make us "feel our history, all of it and in every shade — our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect."Now, check these out:Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin Dies After Battle With Pancreatic CancerNina Simone And Sister Rosetta Tharpe To Be Inducted Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of FameAretha Franklin's Voice Once Moved Barack Obama To...

The tragic death of Aretha Franklin has inspired many tributes, from those toasting her greatest hits to others recalling her most diva moments. Each of these tributes has been shrouded in respect, except for a tribute broadcast on Fox News.Twitter user @Phil_Lewis_ noticed something fishy about Fox's graphic "honoring" the late Queen of Soul. After a moment's reflection, he found the problem: the Franklin tribute featured a photo of Patti LaBelle. LaBelle's picture is in the tribute's upper right hand corner above Franklin's birth and death years.Umm, is that Patti LaBelle in the corner? pic.twitter.com/PmUPpgc0zb— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 16, 2018I thought this had to be fake at first but it seems people saw it https://t.co/B2kbwN1qXT— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 16, 2018Ummmmmm ...The amount of disrespect around this mistake is immeasurable. In fact, it's unacceptable to fail both ladies in this matter.As always, Twitter had all the time today to get the outlet right together. Wait a damn minute… https://t.co/iL3W1PvmX7— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) August 16, 2018AND Aretha and Patti had bad blood! https://t.co/jcRFReE0Cu— DigitalBridget 💁🏿 (@BridgetMarie) August 16, 2018Oh, #foxnews --all black people look alike right? Jesus, mary and Joseph...that's..well not surprising. It is #FauxNews afterall. pic.twitter.com/fqH1yyuw5q— Kim Brixton (@kimbrixton) August 16, 2018pic.twitter.com/znEWGg6BnL— Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) August 16, 2018pic.twitter.com/PAPNDFo35b— Sarah Clapp (@SarahClapp) August 16, 2018This is a damn shame, but not at all surprising. pic.twitter.com/XuqaJQqqa9— Harper Miller (@authorharpmill) August 16, 2018We were ready for this deserved drag, too. Alexa, snatch Fox News' wig. Maybe next time Fox News will be a bit more conservative in its approach to tributes and lean more to the right side of things to keep from embarrassing themselves with obvious slip-ups such as this. Now, check these out:Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin Dies After Battle With Pancreatic CancerNina Simone And Sister Rosetta Tharpe To Be Inducted Into The Rock And Roll Hall Of FameAretha Franklin's Voice Once Moved Barack Obama To...

Nationally recognized blogger, speaker and brand strategist, Terri Lomax has always been passionate about encouraging others to show up in all areas of their life as the best version of themselves. From social media to branding, she has continued to impact women of color.As the founder of the blog, Mocha Girls Pit Stop Lomax has developed an online community for women of color to share their stories and uplift one another. With topics such as self-esteem, mental health, career and financial independence, Lomax has used her platform to help women overcome obstacles and continue to hustle to reach a new level of success. Lomax spoke with Blavity to share her thoughts on how she uses Mocha Girls Pit Stop to promote entrepreneurship and financial independence for her audience, brought to you by AARP-Disrupt Aging.Why is money management so important to our overall wellness, especially as an entrepreneur?I think that money management is so important, specifically for the black community, because I think being able to elevate the community as a whole can really happen once we have a strong economic base. I think that if we as black and brown people are building our own businesses and generating our own resources, we can then give back to our own community. Many of us know that the dominant society isn’t trying to educate our children and they’re not trying to give us the resources that we need, so money management is something really important in that regard.You’ve had much success in becoming an entrepreneur, what are some tips to becoming financially independent?I would say that I’m still on that journey, but I think that multiple streams of income are essential.  It’s important to have funnels set up in your business where you get paid from different sources every month or every week. The good thing about that is when you have those multiple streams of income, you don’t have to worry about one sole source and if that dries up, such as your day job, you still have other money coming in that can finance other assets of your life.I also think that mentorship is really key. I know for me, I didn’t grow up in a household where we talked about finances or saving money. We talked about getting money and spending it; that’s it. Having a mentor or someone who is where you want to be or a few steps ahead of you that can guide you and give you advice about money management is vital.How have you used your platform, Mocha Girls Pit Stop, to help individuals financially plan for the future?I would say that I’ve helped individuals who are following my blog and in my community by having interviews with some of the leading experts in the field. I had an interview with Tiffany, The Budgetnista. She’s absolutely amazing. She was able to give me and my community some tips on how to save money as well as how we can set up an automatic savings plan where money can be deposited into a savings account every month. So that’s one way, by having interviews and having experts come in to share their expertise.I would say also just having open and honest, transparent dialogue about finances. Many women in my community are black women or women of color and many of us have similar backgrounds where we were never raised to invest or to save money or to manage our finances. The only thing we learned was how to spend it or maybe pay tithes in church. Just having those open conversations where we are aware of our lack of knowledge and understanding, but talking about it in a safe space where no one is being judged is crucial, so we can go on to get the tips and tools needed to move forward.What are your views on building generational wealth? How can one start the process?I will say that I’m not an expert on building generational wealth, but it is something that I’m interested in. That’s something my husband and I are definitely planning to do for our family. I think that it's so essential because it allows us to set up future generations for success so when those generations come along, they don’t have to start from the bottom like we did. They can stand on our financial shoulders so to speak, and they can either pursue their passion, start businesses or make an impact on the world in a better way because they have the financial means.As far as things I’ve learned from folks and experts, I think having life insurance is super important because we’re all going to die one day. Funerals cost money and I think that making sure that your family is set for success and not in debt is really, really important.I also believe that sparking conversations about finances, money management and entrepreneurship with the young people in your life is essential to get the ball rolling when it comes to generational wealth. I read a transformative book in high school that my dad recommended for me, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, by Robert Kiyosaki, and I never forgot the valuable lessons regarding passive income and making money work for me.Based on my rough upbringing and unique family dynamic, I raised my younger siblings and ever since they were toddlers we talked about entrepreneurship and making your own money. Often times when my siblings came to me and asked me for money, I'd say to them, ‘Okay, how about this. Instead of asking for money, think of something of value you could provide me with and that way I can pay you for your service.’ They often came up with ideas like cleaning the house, offering massages or selling water on a hot day. I always wanted to teach them how to make money for themselves instead of just giving them money. That’s something that stuck with them and they still remember that to this day, so it's pretty cool.Why is it important for millennials to understand the importance of financial independence?I think that money isn’t the means to happiness.  As you can see, there are celebrities that go through their own struggles. Even though they have all this money, they’re not necessarily happy. I do believe that money allows us to do more in our community and it allows us to have a greater impact on the world. Once we have a solid financial foundation, it allows us to open up the possibilities for other ways of having an impact on a community or a family, or on the world in general.I believe that if millennials become financially independent, we can address many of the issues facing our country right now. People are hurting, the planet is hurting, and if we come together and invest in our communities, support reputable politicians and enforce the laws and systems that’ll allow us to flourish, we could make life a lot more fruitful for people that look like us.How can we disrupt aging and better plan for our financial futures?Because of the different struggles our ancestors faced, I was always in someone’s face that was older than me. I was always in the conversation with older people and just listening, you know, just getting the wisdom. I respect those that are older than us and have enjoyed conversations with them to gain their knowledge. Just asking about the stories of their lives and the experiences that they’ve had in order to connect the dots. If they tell us a story about their life and things that they struggle with, you can kind of figure out, ‘Okay, why did they struggle, especially when it comes to finances, and how can we avoid that same struggle.’  Getting their insight and getting those gems from the older generation can allow us to disrupt how we look at aging from a financial standpoint. We can take that value and impact they have and then pass that onto the generations that are coming behind us.I do motivational speaking and I have the chance to travel the country to speak to high school students and college students about overcoming the adversity, conflict resolution and things like that.  I have to take what I learned from the elders and sort of put a little twist to it and make it a little ‘swaggy’ and then give it to the young people I speak to pass that knowledge on.What are some ways you reach back and pass it on?I would say one way that I reach back and pass any of the knowledge I’ve learned is by my blog Mocha Girls Pit Stop. It started off as a therapeutic outlet for me. I connect with so many women and surprisingly enough when I did a survey I found out that a lot of women that follow my blog are older than me. I was blown away. I thought it was women around my age group. They follow my blog and are inspired by my content.I would say also by doing interviews as much as I can. I try to do interviews to broaden my horizons and connect with other folks. And lastly, speaking to the high school and college students when I do motivational speaking. Those are the three major ways I’m trying to reach back, to share that information and knowledge with others so they can use those tools and tips to further themselves on their financial journey.Connect with Lomax online at http://mochagirlspitstop.com/ or http://terrilomax.com/ -- and on Twitter and Instagram.Brought to you by AARP-Disrupt Aging #ReachBackPassItOn...

Another magical black woman covering a September magazine issue! This time, it's Serena Williams covering Time magazine.Williams has already opened up quite bravely about her traumatizing birthing experience and her reality as a black mother. Now, she's opening up a little bit more about a tragic part of her life involving the murder of her sister.   Williams discussed how she recently suffered a loss during the first round of San Jose, California's Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic and revealed the heartbreaking backstory to that defeat. Just 10 minutes before she was set to enter the court to play against Johanna Konta, she found out the man who was convicted of fatally shooting her sister, Yetunde Price, in 2003 had been released from prison. She said she stumbled across the news on Instagram.“I couldn’t shake it out of my mind,” Williams recounted. She laughed, which she sometimes does during uncomfortable moments. Price had three children, who were 11, nine and five at the time of their mother’s death. “It was hard because all I think about is her kids,” she said, “and what they meant to me. And how much I love them.”Price was a 31-year-old nurse and the owner of a hair salon, according to People. She was a half-sibling from a previous relationship between Williams' mother, Oracene Price, and Yusef Rasheed. She was murdered by Robert Edward Maxfield on September 14, 2003. Maxfield, 38, had been charged with murder; he pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter but accepted a lesser count. He was released from prison earlier this year after more than 10 years behind bars but was rearrested shortly after for violating his parole. Serena just revealed why she lost in the first round of her latest tournament – 10 minutes before she went out on court, she found out on IG that the man convicted of shooting her sister in 2003 had been released from prison.“I couldn’t shake it out of my mind.” (Time, 2018) pic.twitter.com/C3NJ8K3tqh— Call Me By My @ (@NotAgainBen) August 16, 2018“No matter what, my sister is not coming back for good behavior,” she continued. “It’s unfair that she’ll never have an opportunity to hug me. But also…the Bible talks about forgiveness.""I’m not there yet,” she added. “I would like to practice what I preach, and teach Olympia that, as well. I want to forgive. I have to get there. I’ll be there.”Now, check these out:As Serena Williams Heads to The Wimbledon Final, Here's 9 Reasons She Will Forever Be The G.O.A.T.Serena Williams Had No Time For This Reporter's Sexist Question After He Called Her 'Baby'She Did Not Come To Play: Serena Williams Explains Why She's The Greatest, And Will Continue To Dominate...

If you caught the season 3 premiere of “Insecure” on Sunday, you saw Issa Rae pick up a side hustle as a Lyft driver since her full-time gig hit sis with a sudden pay cut. But turns out the 33-year-old actually thought about securing a Lyft lifestyle. OK Magazine reports the Emmy award winner once rented a car in Malibu while writing an episode Insecure, and filled up the tank before returning it. Not wanting to return the car on a full tank, she strongly considered driving folks around as a Lyft employee.Unfortunately (but thankfully) her thought was never executed, and the comedienne decided to stick with writing one of the greatest shows to hit small screens nationwide, and serving major looks on your favorite magazine covers. We're glad you're sticking to your day job, sis.Liking this content? Check these out: Issa Rae Finally Gives The Full Story Behind That Rumor That She Shot Drake DownIssa Rae Destroys Kanye In Just 20 Words While Hosting Awards Show -- And His Wife Was In The Audience'Don't Be That Guy': Issa Rae Hilariously Gives Dating Advice For Men Feeling 'Insecure' About The Dating...