John Legend To Perform At Biden Inauguration Event
Just a day after it was revealed that Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez will perform at the inauguration of President-elect Biden on January 20, it was just shared that John Legend will also be hitting the stage!
Legend, as well as Bruce Springsteen, are the latest stars set to perform on the TV special, Celebrating America, to commemorate the inauguration of Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.
With the already announced Tom Hanks hosting, Celebrating America will also see Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington.
Celebrating America will begin airing Jan. 20 at 8:30 p.m. EST on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and PBS. The special will be produced by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss.
WATCH: Rapper YFN Lucci Appears in Court on Felony Murder Charge, Denied Bond
As we previously reported, rapper YFN Lucci turned himself in to Atlanta Police on Wednesday in connection with the murder of a man. The entertainer is currently being held at Fulton County Jail.
A judge denied bond on Thursday for the 29-year-old entertainer whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett. TMZ has released a video from his virtual court appearance where he can be seen wearing a mask.
The Atlanta rapper is accused of being the driver in the gang-related shooting that left one man dead and another wounded, authorities said. Lucci is facing charges including felony murder, aggravated assault, participation in criminal street gang activity, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, TMZ reports.
YFN Lucci’s attorney, Drew Findling, tells TMZ, “Our review of the initial evidence made available to us indicates there is no basis for any criminal charges against Rayshawn Bennett. We will continue our own independent investigation on his behalf.”
‘QAnon Shaman’ Capitol Rioter Asks Trump For Pardon After Storming U.S. Capitol
#Socialites, get into this! The attorney representing the so-called “QAnon Shaman” who stormed the US Capitol in a bizarre costume wants President Trump to pardon his client before he leaves office next week.
Attorney Al Watkins said his client Jacob Chansley, 33, was acting on Trump’s invitation when he and other Trump supporters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6, as Congress began formally counting the Electoral College votes to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s win.
Watkins said in a statement to the Kansas City Star, “The words and invitation of a president are supposed to mean something.” He added that his client “took seriously the countless messages of President Trump. Like tens of millions of other Americans, Chansley felt — for the first time in his life — as though his voice was being heard.”
As we previously reported, Chansley turned himself in on Saturday and now faces charges of disorderly conduct, violent entry and illegally being on restricted spaces within the Capitol grounds. Despite that, Watkins said his client handled himself in a “peaceful and compliant fashion” during the siege, which left five dead, including a police officer.
No word if Trump plans to pardon any of his supporters since he too has big problems of his own after being impeached for the second time.
According to CNN, President-elect Biden is expected to unveil a coronavirus relief plan this Thursday that includes the largest direct payment yet for American families, significant state and local funding — including for coronavirus vaccine distribution and other emergency spending measures — to help those struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
Brian Deese, Biden’s pick to lead the National Economic Council, said Wednesday at a conference that the package will include $2,000 stimulus checks, and address other relief measures like unemployment insurance, the news site notes. Biden is set to announce the details of his plan in Wilmington, Delaware, this evening.
As we previously reported, current Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell initially rejected a standalone bill on increasing the value of the checks from $600, but with Democrats about to take control of the chamber — and of Congress — following victories in two Georgia Senate runoff elections, Biden will likely have the votes to approve increased relief spending, CNN reports.
Sherrick’s Widow Speaks Out After Wendy Williams’ Alleges That She Was ‘Date Raped’ By The R&B Singer: ‘Why Now?’
While promoting her upcoming Lifetime biopic, “Wendy Williams: The Movie,” the talk show host held a panel and opened up for the first time about being sexually assaulted by late singer, Sherrick.
Williams told reporters that Sherrick “date raped” her years ago before they went to a party together, according to People. “He flipped the interview around to where he was interviewing me — I was just gaga over this man and he asked me to go to an opening party, an album release party, with him that night. And before the party, I was date-raped by him,” she told the crowd and later shared that she was also date-raped when she was in college, the outlet noted.
Sherrick’s widow, Lynne Conner Smith, is now breaking her silence on Wendy Williams’ sexual assault allegations against her late husband, telling Page Six that Williams should let Sherrick “rest in peace,” as the man she loves “is not here to defend himself.” She added: “Sherrick was a beautiful man, a genius with a voice like an angel. We have three amazing children. This is quite painful to not only us but his nieces and siblings.” Smith then went on to question the timing of Williams’ remarks:
“Why would Wendy not call the police if it were true?” she told us. “Why did she go out with him? We have questions, too!” She added that Williams “waited 25 to 30 years” to speak up when she “tells the truth as a career!” It’s hard to believe,” she said. “Why now?!”
Wendy William’s biopic is set to be released on Lifetime on Jan. 30.
New York Attorney General Sues NYPD For Excessive Force Against Black Lives Matter Protesters
On Thursday, New York state Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, NYPD, and the city’s police commissioner over the police who used excessive force against racial justice protesters in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last year.
The suit that was filed in Manhattan federal court, comes after a monthslong investigation into the NYPD’s actions during the Black Lives Matter protests over the killing of Floyd that found that officers allegedly used “indiscriminate, unjustified, and repeated use of batons, pepper spray, bicycles and a crowd control tactic known as ‘kettling’ against peaceful protestors,” the release said.
“There is no question that the NYPD engaged in a pattern of excessive, brutal, and unlawful force against peaceful protesters,” said James adding, “Over the past few months, the NYPD has repeatedly and blatantly violated the rights of New Yorkers, inflicting significant physical and psychological harm and leading to great distrust in law enforcement.”
The suit which names the NYPD, the City of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan blames them for failing to address a “longstanding pattern of abuse” by not properly training, supervising or disciplining officers to prevent and address misconduct, the release said, according to CNN.
In adding to James suit, she also wants to install an external monitor to oversee the department’s policing tactics.
Donald Trump better find a new hobby because another big social media platform has decided to ban him!
The latest big tech company that gave the President the boot is Snapchat. Last week, the company announced that it would just suspend him but now it will not allow him to have any access… ever again.
“In the interest of public safety, and based on his attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence, which are clear violations of our guidelines, we have made the decision to permanently terminate his account,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to POLITICO.
As we previously reported, a number of social media networks have ousted the president from their platforms after last week’s deadly attack on the Capitol by Trump’s supporters. Twitter and Facebook both put temporary suspensions on the president’s accounts shortly after, and Twitter permanently banned Trump on Friday.
911 Call That Led To The Felony Murder Warrant For YFN Lucci’s Arrest, Released
In an exclusive report, TMZ reveals the 911 call that led to the felony murder warrant for YFN Lucci’s arrest. As we previously reported, the rapper was wanted by Atlanta PD’s homicide unit for his alleged role in a man’s death. He has since turned himself into authorities and was booked into the Fulton County jail Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in an audio clip of the 911 call obtained by TMZ, an Atlanta woman details what she saw last month — a white SUV speeding by “with a man hanging out of the car.” She says she eventually saw the man get shoved out onto the street. The witness also told the operator the victim appeared to have suffered a gunshot wound to the head and begged them to get an ambulance to the location because she believed the man was “still trying to fight for his life.”
As the news site notes, the woman remained on the scene while waiting for the ambulance, standing near the victim — up until she saw him “taking his last breath.” The victim was rushed to Grady Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. He was later identified as 28-year-old James Adams, according to CBS46.
As of right now, it is still unclear what exactly Lucci’s alleged role was in this murder.
The inauguration committee unveiled on Twitter, early this Thursday, that the 34-year-old singer would perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” adding some celebrity power to the swearing-in event.
In addition to this, the ceremony also will include a musical performance by Jennifer Lopez. The superstar even confirmed the news on Twitter this morning, sharing an official Flyer with the caption: ❤️🤍💙 #Inauguration2021
A virtual parade and other live-streamed events are also planned. More performances and guests are expected to be announced in the days leading up to January 20th.
Hope Hicks has reportedly resigned from her position as President Trump’s aide as he became impeached for the second time. RELATED STORIES: GOP Lawmaker Derrick Evans Resigns After His Arrest For Role in Capitol Riots The senior advisor reportedly listed Tuesday as her last day in the White House, a day before the riots at the … Read more
Wendy Williams Shares Her Sexual Assault Story For First Time Ahead Of Lifetime Biopic
During a panel promoting her upcoming Lifetime biopic on Tuesday, Wendy Williams, 56, shared her sexual assault story for the first time.
While speaking about the film which will revisit some of the TV personality’s toughest times, including her struggles with substance abuse and her divorce, it will also cover Williams’ never-before-told story of date rape at the hands of late R&B singer Sherrick, an artist from the 1980s, according to PEOPLE Magazine.
During the panel Williams said she met Sherrick during an interview and explained that “he mesmerized me with his twinkling eyes,” she told reporters. “He flipped the interview around to where he was interviewing me — I was just gaga over this man and he asked me to go to an opening party, an album release party, with him that night. And before the party, I was date-raped by him,” she continued, sharing that she was also date-raped when she was in college, the outlet noted.
Williams went on to say, “ those types of things happen to girls all the time,” Williams added. “And they’ve been happening a lot, to a lot of our mothers, grandmothers, great-great-grandmothers, and their great-great-grandmothers, too.”
Earlier, Williams also talked about her relationship with her ex-husband Kevin Hunter. Despite their rocky past, the talk show host told PEOPLE that she has “no regrets.”
“The life that I’m living right now is my best life, and I have no guilt about saying that,” she said. “I don’t regret meeting Kevin, I don’t regret falling in love, I don’t regret staying with him for all 25 years, 21 of them married. I like who I am, so I have no regrets,” she added.
Wendy Williams: The Movie premiere is set to premiere on Lifetime on Jan. 30.
Trump Reportedly Told Pence He’d Go Down In History As A ‘P***y’ If He Didn’t Overturn Election
Welp, a discussion between Donald Trump and Mike Pence leaked and revealed the amount of pressure he put on the Vice President to overturn the election.
Two people familiar with the call told the New York Times that the President used one of his favorite phrases to try and convince Pence to help change the results of the 2020 US Election. He made the last-ditch attempt to push Pence into intervening on 6 January, shortly before he was to head to the Capitol: “you can either go down in history as a patriot, or you can go down in history as a p***y,” Trump reportedly said.
It was said that Mr. Pence did allegedly look into whether he had the power to intervene, however, his counsel explained that he did not. Trump later took a jab at him on Twitter saying,
“Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!” Trump wrote.
Now while Trump scolded Pence for not doing his bidding, it seems like the VP stood up for Trump in his final days. Since the Capitol riots, many have asked Mike Pence to pull the pin on Trump’s time as President. However, he has refused to do so.
Dr. Dre’s Estranged Wife Accused Him Of Holding A Gun To Her Head In Divorce Docs Filed Days Before He Suffered Brain Aneurysm
#Socialites, get into this: In an exclusive report by the Daily Mail reveals that Nicole Young, the estranged wife of Dr. Dre, filed explosive court documents in their divorce days before he suffered a brain aneurysm.
According to the news site, just days before hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital with a suspected brain aneurysm, his estranged wife Nicole filed divorce documents detailing years of violent and emotional abuse. She claimed in the court papers that the 55-year-old producer held a gun to her head, punched her in the face, and slammed her against a wall, lifting her off her feet by her neck.
“Andre held a gun to my head on two occasions, on January 8, 2000, and November 20, 2001,’ she claimed. “Andre has punched me in the head/face on two occasions, in 1999 and on January 8, 2000. Andre kicked down the door to a bedroom in which I was hiding from his rage in 2016,” she added. “Andre has verbally and emotionally decimated my personhood to the extent that I currently suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome,” the Daily Mail quotes. It was noted that Nicole, 50, who’s fighting in court for her share of Dre’s estimated $1 billion empire – made her shocking charges in response to her soon-to-be-ex husband’s declaration last week. As we previously reported, he denied her claims saying that “at no time did I abuse Nicole or threaten her physical safety,” during their 24-year marriage.
In her filing she goes on to argue that Dre should pay for all her expenses in the manner he did during the marriage. As we previously reported, Nicole officially filed for divorce from Dre on June 29, after 24 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The estranged couple shares two adult children, son Truice and daughter Truly.
Kardashians Drop $300k on 30 Rolex watches for KUWTK Crew After Filming Comes To An End
As “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” wrapped its final day of filming last week, Kim, Khloe, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kris Jenner gave their loyal crew members a special gift.
According to TMZ, the family splurged a whopping $300,000 on 30 watches for the crew members who’ve been behind the camera for 15 years, filming the footage that turned the Kardashians into multi-millionaires.
Apparently, the gifts went down very well, as there were said to be “tears” amid the excitement as the crew was presented with the sweet, memorable presents. While Kardashians and the production team thanked everyone with speeches and sent well-wishes after the show wrapped, crew members also looked back on some of their favorite memories working on ‘KUWTK’ and several of them reportedly said they would have stayed with the show for so many years because it was fun working with the fam.
Although there will no longer be “KUWTK,” the famous family are set to head over to Hulu after 20 seasons with their E! crew.
YouTube Is Suspending President Donald Trump’s Channel
After Trump failed to show leadership during the deadly Capitol riots, several social media companies kicked him off their platforms. Twitter permanently banned Trump’s personal account on Friday amid the violent Capitol Hill riots. Facebook and Instagram also blocked the President “indefinitely” from posting for at least two weeks. Now, Youtube is also giving him the boot… temporarily.
In a statement to The New York Post, YouTube explained that content from Trump’s channel was removed Tuesday for violating YouTube’s policies and over concerns it would incite violence. The tech giant then added it will also be disabling comments underneath videos on his channel.
“After careful review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to the Donald J. Trump channel and issued a strike for violating our policies for inciting violence,” a YouTube spokeswoman said in a statement to the outlet. “As a result, in accordance with our long-standing strikes system, the channel is now prevented from uploading new videos or livestreams for a minimum of seven days — which may be extended,” the statement continued. The company told The Post that it had issued one strike against Trump’s channel. A second strike would result in a two-week suspension and a third strike means the channel would be terminated.
Due to his poor handling during the riots that led to 5 deaths, the House will vote to impeach Trump for an historic second time today after Vice President Pence refused to invoke 25th Amendment.
Black Police Officer Praised After He Lured Rioters Away From The Senate chambers During Capitol Riot
While several cops were seen letting violent Trump supporters into the U.S. Capitol and even took pictures with someone of them, one cop was trying his best to protect the property and those inside.
A video posted on Twitter by HuffPost’s Igor Bobic shows the Black officer, identified as Eugene Goodman, being chased by white rioters as he heads to the second floor of the Senate side of the Capitol building. While it looked like he was trying to get away from them, he was actually diverting rioters from the Senate chamber, where lawmakers were taking cover.
The harrowing video went viral, with nearly 10 million views on Bobic’s post as of Monday. Goodman, who is an Army veteran who spent time in Iraq, is now being hailed as a hero for his quick thinking and brave move during such an intense and very crucial moment. Meanwhile, the leader of the mob who chased him, the man is seen in the video wearing a QAnon t-shirt, has been identified as Doug Jensen of Iowa. Jensen was arrested Friday night and he was booked into the Polk County Jail.
So far, two Capitol Police officers have been suspended for their actions during last week’s riots inside the U.S. Capitol building and several more are under investigation, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, according to Fox News.
Jacquees Opens Up About Ella Mai “Trip” Controversy: “When I Met [Her], She Was Already A Fan”
Jacquees went down memory lane while recently appearing on the Big Facts Podcast. During his interview, the singer looked back on the big controversy over his remake of Ella Mai’s hit song, “Trip.”
Although his cover was scrubbed from both SoundCloud and YouTube back in 2018, Jacquees still isn’t sure why things went so left after his his version went viral. During his sit-down, Jacquees also explained to the hosts that before there was any “beef” over the track, he and Ella Mai were actually friends and later revealed that she was also a fan.
“I don’t think nobody know that,” said the singer. “We was friends. When I met Ella Mai she was already a fan. I remember I went on tour with Chris Brown, I was onstage or whatever and my security was like, ‘Ella Mai backstage, she wanna meet you.’… I got backstage, she in the room and she’s like, ‘What’s up Jacquees, I’m a fan, I like your music, I’m from London or whatever,’” HotNewHipHop quotes.
He went on to say, “I just feel like a couple people made her think that I was doing something wrong. Of course, she just now steppin’ into the game. N*ggas been doing remixes and covers forever and they were tryin’ to say I was monetizing off of the record when I wasn’t.”
During the virtual ceremony which took place in New York City on Monday, Jan. 11, Chadwick was honored with the Actor Tribute, while his Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom co-star Viola Davis received the Actress Tribute Award. While accepting his award on his behalf at the 30th Annual IFP Gotham Awards, which is run by the Independent Filmmaker Project, Taylor Simone Ledward praised her late husband who passed away at the age of 43 in August following a battle with colon cancer.
“As an artist, an actor, and a person, Chad made a practice of telling the truth,” Ledward said. “He was the most honest person I ever met, because he didn’t just stop at speaking the truth, he actively searched for it – in himself, in those around him, and in the moment.” She added, “It became how he lived his life, day in and out. Imperfect and determined. In doing so, he was able to give himself over fully in every moment, to be totally present in his own life and in the lives of people he became. He was blessed to live many lives within his concentrated one,” E! News quotes. Taylor tearfully continued: “He harnessed the power of letting go and letting God’s love shine through… That’s what he was doing when he was acting. Not merely telling a story or reading lines off a page, but modeling for us a path of true fulfillment.”
Concluding her tribute, thanking god for “giving Chad these gifts, and instilling the strength to bear its weight.” She then added, “Chad, thank you. I love you. I am so proud of you. Keep shining your light on us.”
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The Gothams’ Best Actress award goes to Nicole Beharie for MISS JUNETEENTH
Retired Air Force lieutenant Arrested For Role In Capitol Riot After Ex-Wife Reported Him To The Feds
The feds are cracking down on a bunch of Trump supporters who participated in the deadly Capitol riots last week.
The latest person to be taken into custody is Larry Rendell Brock — a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves. He was identified as the man who was photographed wearing combat gear, including a green helmet, and carrying “white flex cuffs” while on the Senate floor. According to NBC 5 in Dallas, the 53-year-old surrendered to FBI agents on Sunday after he agreed to meet them at the police department in Grapevine, Texas.
His arrest affidavit alleges that several people actually turned in Brock after recognizing him in the news footage, but his ex-wife of 18 years was one of the people who reported him to the FBI. “I just know that when I saw this was happening, I was afraid he would be there,” Brock’s ex-wife allegedly told the FBI, according to the affidavit. “I think you already know he was there. It is such a good picture and I recognize his patch,” People Magazine quotes.
The affidavit says a second witness also reported Brock to the FBI the same day, telling the authorities: “It looks like him and he has pilot wings on his chest in this picture. He was an A-10 pilot. Worked at L3, and he still has contacts that work with L3 that knew he was flying to Washington DC,” TMZ quotes.
So what was his reason for participating? he says it’s because “The President asked for his supporters to be there to attend, and I felt like it was important.” Meanwhile, he’s also denying that he had intentions with the zip ties though, claiming he found them inside the Capitol and planned to return them to police.
Rioter Richard Barnett Who Lounged In Nancy Pelosi’s Office Says He Was ‘Pushed’ In
Richard Barnett — the rioters who stormed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s room during the siege of the US Capitol claimed on video that he was “pushed” inside her quarters.
A new video obtained by the New York post shows Barnett being interviewed right after the Capitol attack. He explained what made him partake in the illegal activity while speaking with YouTuber Brandon Buckingham.
“They started it! I came to peacefully protest! They Maced me,” Barnett tells the reporter. “I didn’t break in — I got pushed in,” Barnett adds as he holds an envelope with Pelosi’s letterhead. “I paid a quarter for this. I’m not a thief! It had my blood on it.” Barnett, who goes by the nickname Bigo, also said he left the speaker a note. “It’s on her desk right now and, Nancy, when you get back to work, you can read it,” he continues. “I’m gonna tell you what it says … it says, ‘Nancy, Bigo was here, you b—!’”
As we previously reported, the FBI last week arrested the Arkansas man Richard Barnett, who was photographed with his feet on a desk in Pelosi’s office. He confirmed his identity to multiple news outlets and said that he took a piece of mail from Pelosi’s office, in addition to leaving a profane note. As the Associated Press notes, he now faces three federal charges, including knowingly entering or remaining on restricted grounds without authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and theft of public property or records.
First Lady Melania Trump Releases A Statement — Mourns Lost Lives But Places No Responsibility For Capitol Riot This Monday, First Lady Melania Trump made her first comments about the violence at the Capitol when pro-Trump rioters stormed the building last week. RELATED: FBI To Investigate Capitol PD As Part Of An Inside Job In … Read more
Diddy’s Los Angeles Home Reportedly Hit By Burglars According to the Daily Mail citing TMZ, Diddy’s house in Los Angeles has reportedly been targeted by burglars. RELATED: Attempted Burglary At Dr. Dre’s Home While He Remains Hospitalized Following Brain Aneurysm Law enforcement told TMZ that an individual reportedly pried open a side door to the … Read more
UPDATE: Dr. Dre Still In ICU As Doctors Try To Figure Out What Caused Brain Aneurysm
According to the latest update by TMZ, Dr. Dre is still in intensive care, one week after he was rushed to the hospital after suffering a brain aneurysm.
Sources tell the news site that Dre is still in ICU at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. as doctors continue to do a battery of tests to get to the root of the problem. TMZ also reports that doctors want to keep him in ICU just in case he suffers another aneurysm.
It was said that the music legend is staying positive through it all and resting comfortably, and perhaps even more encouraging, sources say docs have cautiously informed his family that a “bad outcome” doesn’t appear to be on the horizon, TMZ reports.
As we previously reported, Dre suffered the aneurysm at his Pacific Palisades home Monday and was rushed by ambulance to Cedars. Since then, he has released a statement, ensuring fans that he will be ok:
