The conflict between Russia and Ukraine dominated the news this week. According to the Associated Press, Russia attacked cities in Ukraine and bombarded military bases on Thursday. Ukraine officials also said they lost control of the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant while some residents were forced to flee their homes as violence escalated.
“Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself and won’t give up its freedom,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Twitter.
President Joe Biden followed up with new sanctions against Russia.
“It was always about naked aggression, about Putin’s desire for empire by any means necessary — by bullying Russia’s neighbors through coercion and corruption, by changing borders by force, and, ultimately, by choosing a war without a cause,” Biden said.
While the world focused on Ukraine, Kanye West continued to make his own moves. The rapper held a livestreamed listening party of his new album Donda 2 on Tuesday, making his fans wait for two hours before starting the show, The Daily Beast reports. The new tracks focused largely on his divorce from Kim Kardashian and his relationship with his children.
ye with the ‘donda 2’ views pic.twitter.com/bgqNTK2DdG
— Genius (@Genius) February 23, 2022
West even mentioned Kardashian’s Saturday Night Live opening monologue, during which she said, "I married the best rapper of all time … the richest Black man in America.”
“ I married with the best rapper of all time “ – Kim kardashian #DONDA2
#KanyeWest
pic.twitter.com/V2jgmS2nMX— ! Pedrin 🪐 (@Impedrin_) February 23, 2022
The performance also appeared to be having microphone issues.
KANYE THREW THE MIC SOMEONE GETTING FIRED 😯 #DONDA2
pic.twitter.com/i21gHtd1tc— Club Ambition (@ClubAmbition__) February 23, 2022
One of the audio engineers for the Donda 2 concert via Instagram‼️😳 pic.twitter.com/48cPaL3ZI0
— RapTV (@raptvcom) February 23, 2022
Kanye unmasking the Sound Engineer at the Donda 2 event 🤣#DONDA2
pic.twitter.com/AxsVtkEXVM— Kawhi Burner (@FunGuyBurner) February 23, 2022
How Kanye doing the sound guy pic.twitter.com/IAHfL8ujT1
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) February 23, 2022
LeBron James proudly shared news about his son, Bronny, who has now landed an underwear endorsement. Exhibiting an entrepreneurial spirit like his father's, the teen signed a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with PSD Underwear, which also works with star athletes such as Jimmy Butler, Ja Morant, Trae Young, Marshawn Lynch and Tyler Herro.
Yessir!!!! Who’s ready for the Bronny collection that’s coming with @PSDunderwear??!!! Well I know I am!! Need those ASAP son! Thank you in advance. Lol. Congrats Young 🤴🏾 #ThekidfromAKRON🤴🏾 pic.twitter.com/Qf9mi8tA69
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 24, 2022
Bronny James has signed an NIL deal with @PSDunderwear.
James will design a signature collection with the brand — which has deals with Jimmy Butler, Ja Morant, Trae Young, Marshawn Lynch, Tyler Herro + more. pic.twitter.com/xphoxVzCj3
— Boardroom (@boardroom) February 24, 2022
Drake appears to be planning to buy a Toronto restaurant that is going out of business. The rapper revealed his intentions when he commented on an Instagram post that broke news about the closure of Randy's Patties, a Jamaican restaurant.
“I’ll buy Randy’s right now,” the artist wrote.
Drake about to save Randy’s. BLESS HIM 😭 pic.twitter.com/iccmTyQ6gv
— Meredith’s Lawyer (@ARIESSZN1) February 24, 2022
Fans are now eagerly waiting to see if the artist will follow up on his word.
Abbott Elementary continues to enjoy success. According to Deadline, episode two of the ABC sitcom gained "9 million total viewers and a 2.93 rating in adults 18-49 after 35 days of viewing across linear and digital platforms," marking the highest numbers for the network since Modern Family's series finale in 2020.
Episode 2 of ‘Abbott Elementary’ had ABC’s highest ratings for a comedy since the series finale of ‘Modern Family.’ pic.twitter.com/4V9ROVy13u
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 24, 2022
The beloved program The Proud Family has returned to TV after a 17-year absence. Most of the cartoon’s familiar faces have also returned, according to TVLine. But the show has also lost Sticky, the character voiced by Orlando Brown.
“I’m really gonna miss you guys,” Sticky says in a letter addressed to Penny. “My dad got a job in Japan. He said I didn’t have to go. I could stay with my cousins if I wanted, but I’ve had enough of that crazy Dijo…”
As Penny stops reading before finishing Dijonay’s name, viewers see an image of Sticky speeding away in his car.
Steve Harvey discussed his fashion evolution when he sat down for an interview with Michael B. Jordan for Paper magazine. Harvey said his wife Marjorie forced him to drop the big suits he used to wear. The comedian recalled the day he came home and his wife said, “I'm tired of being married to a pimp.”
Harvey said he was confused at first, so Marjorie clarified that she was tired of the oversized suits.
"She said, 'Yeah I married you, but I was going to change you.' And she did, man. She got me to narrow my suits down because she said, 'Steve, you're going to go mainstream.' Next thing I know, the book comes out, I have a talk show, I’m a game show host," Harvey said. "I did one year as a game show host with them big suits, and she says, 'Steve, you can't walk out there like that, this is mainstream American now.'”
Jermaine Dupri was captured in a heartwarming image when he walked his friend, Da Brat, down the aisle at her wedding on Tuesday.
Jermaine Dupri walked Da Brat down the aisle 🥲 pic.twitter.com/PcTbq1RL0j
— Amanda Baller (@dawnyb) February 24, 2022
The "Funkdafied" rapper exchanged vows with her fiance Jesseca "Judy" Dupart, arriving at the ceremony in horse-drawn carriages and walking down the aisle to Luther Vandross' "Here and Now."
Da Brat and Dupri have worked together for years, collaborating on hits like the 1994 album Funkdafied, as Blavity previously reported.
Claws star Niecy Nash and singer Jessica Betts became the first same-sex couple to be featured on the cover of Essence magazine, as Blavity previously reported.
“Making H E R S T O R Y,” Nash wrote on Instagram. “Thank you @essence for choosing The Betts as your FIRST same sex couple to cover (your) magazine!”
“What I was and am still attracted to is Jessica’s soul. She was the most beautiful soul I had ever met in my life. Now that I’ve experienced it, I can’t imagine going through life without it,” Nash added.