theroot--2020-07-14--Is T.I.'s Rap Career On The Same Level as Jay Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne? A Discussion

On the heels of a social media back and forth between T.I .
and 50 Cent about who would win in a Verzuz battle—probably a more even matchup than either of them wants to admit ; neither has made much music worth listening to in the past decade—T.I .
went on Big Boy ’ s L.A.-based radio show and proclaimed , in a nutshell , that when speaking of his career , he belongs in the top tier of iconic rappers .
He named Jay-Z , Kanye and Lil Wayne , though really he said folks should ask them where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 ) he ’ s saying to ask the folks others would consider greats ; and 2 ) he ’ s also claiming that they ’ re greats so their opinions should matter because presumably , they ’ d put him on their same level .
It also helps that those are the three people on the song “ Swagga Like Us.
” Mayhaps that ’ s who T.I .
feels like were his peers in success at the time .
This begs the question , of course , that folks who argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s stellar as his career is , just where does T.I.
’ s career belong , and more importantly , does it belong in the top tier ?
I ’ m pretty sure that the knee-jerk reaction is to say , “ no , it doesn ’ t belong in the top tier.
” I am also inclined to say no .
But is that right ?
Let ’ s investigate .
In order to have this discussion , we have to set the parameters for what makes a top-tier career .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digs into this would take about 5,000 words and discussions about people like LL Cool J and Snoop and Queen Latifah and because you aren ’ t about to read all that I ’ m going to limit it to just the four rappers in question : are all three that he named top-tier ( yes ) ?
And if so , does T.I .
belong with them ( eh ... maybe ? )
.
So what keeps them at the top ?
What constitutes a great career ?
For one , longevity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sustained living and put out music that was consumed .
Also , resonance : does their music still hit the charts , as well as hearts and minds and not just your cousin ’ s Spotify playlist that he swears is full of that hot shit ?
While we pretend that charts and accolades don ’ t matter , they impact ( at least somewhat ) the ability to have a long career doing it on somebody else ’ s dime , which is where most people do it .
Third , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiries on your credit report—but if you have none , it ’ s hard to put you at the top ?
And lastly , how have they spun that music career into other shit that was also successful .
I think Jay and Kanye are indisputable here .
We don ’ t even really need to dig in .
Political leanings and idiosyncrasies aside , Kanye stays winning outside of music , and he ’ s won so many times at music it ’ s not even fair .
And Jay-Z is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is arguable , but probably not worth the argument if that makes sense .
He checks off every box musically ( shit , he even hit # 1 on the Billboard charts this year ) , moonlights on ESPN on occasion and still manages to piss everybody off with stupid statements and then follow them up with less stupid statements that he follows up with more stupid statements .
He is , basically , a pop culture personality .
So if Jay and Kanye are indisputable here , and Wayne is arguable but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does that put T.I.
?
Does he belong up there with the 2 and a possible ?
Let ’ s see .
Depending on who you ask , T.I .
either has three classic albums ( Urban Legend , Trap Muzik and King ) or one classic ( King ) and two regional classics ( Urban Legend , Trap Muzik ) that set the standard for Atlanta and rearranged the lead .
“ Be Easy ” still goes so hard in the paint .
Outside of those three albums , he has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and many with singles that make significant noise nationally .
Plus he had the song with Young Thug , “ About The Money , ” a few years ago that was banoodles .
Point is , T.I .
checks off many boxes musically .
He ’ s got longevity ( his first album dropped in 2001 ) , he ’ s got accolades aplenty ( including 3 Grammys , even though we don ’ t care about those , right ? )
, he ’ s a noted and respected wordsmith and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lucrative non-music career .
AKOO clothing is a bit of a wild card here , I have never seen anybody but T.I .
wear it , but I also never saw anybody wear Trukfit .
This isn ’ t my fault , I don ’ t live around white people .
But he ’ s got a family show on VH1 , which surprisingly hasn ’ t entirely overshadowed his music career .
He ’ s also taken a turn towards activism which is a plus .
On paper , T.I .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ top tier .
So why do I feel like he ’ s just not there ?
Well , probably because I don ’ t feel like T.I .
is such a part of the pop culture discussion that he ’ s outpaced his music .
At this point , while Jay and Kanye got famous because of their music , they have become almost more relevant and present as people than because of their music .
Conversations with them will always include discussions about music , but you can talk about a million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly a musician who uses his platform because he ’ s a famous rapper .
Be clear , I think T.I .
is an outstanding rapper .
He ’ s probably one of the better rappers to ever have done it ; that ’ s a hill I ’ m willing to die on .
He had the biggest song of 2006 and as an ATLien , is probably more in line with the vast majority of who the city is musically than most others .
Thing is , as I think through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Lil Wayne , though probably more of a pop-cultural figure ( in some sense , not necessarily in the positive way ) than T.I.
, is probably more on the same level with T.I .
then he is Jay and Kanye , who reside on different planets , basically .
So , no , T.I.—while still a stellar artist who has had a phenomenal , enviable career—is not really on the same level as Jay-Z or Kanye .
Arguably he ’ s on the same level as Lil Wayne , which now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jay and Kanye .
That ’ s still some fine company , placing him in the company of stars and legends ( along with any number of other artists not named here that might belong in the convo ) .

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

On the heels of a social media back and forth between T.I. and 50 Cent about who would win in a Verzuz battle—probably a more even matchup than either of them wants to admit; neither has made much music worth listening to in the past decade—T.I. went on Big Boy’s L.A.-based radio show and proclaimed, in a nutshell, that when speaking of his career, he belongs in the top tier of iconic rappers. He named Jay-Z, Kanye and Lil Wayne, though really he said folks should ask them where he belongs which served two purposes: 1) he’s saying to ask the folks others would consider greats; and 2) he’s also claiming that they’re greats so their opinions should matter because presumably, they’d put him on their same level. It also helps that those are the three people on the song “Swagga Like Us.” Mayhaps that’s who T.I. feels like were his peers in success at the time.
This begs the question, of course, that folks who argue about such things might ponder: a s stellar as his career is, just where does T.I.’s career belong, and more importantly, does it belong in the top tier? I’m pretty sure that the knee-jerk reaction is to say, “no, it doesn’t belong in the top tier.” I am also inclined to say no. But is that right? Let’s investigate.
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In order to have this discussion, we have to set the parameters for what makes a top-tier career. Also, because writing the piece that truly digs into this would take about 5,000 words and discussions about people like LL Cool J and Snoop and Queen Latifah and because you aren’t about to read all that I’m going to limit it to just the four rappers in question: are all three that he named top-tier (yes)? And if so, does T.I. belong with them (eh...maybe?).
So what keeps them at the top? What constitutes a great career? For one, longevity: who has been able to make a sustained living and put out music that was consumed. Also, resonance: does their music still hit the charts, as well as hearts and minds and not just your cousin’s Spotify playlist that he swears is full of that hot shit? While we pretend that charts and accolades don’t matter, they impact (at least somewhat) the ability to have a long career doing it on somebody else’s dime, which is where most people do it. Third, accolades: less important—like the number of inquiries on your credit report—but if you have none, it’s hard to put you at the top? And lastly, how have they spun that music career into other shit that was also successful.
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I think Jay and Kanye are indisputable here. We don’t even really need to dig in. Political leanings and idiosyncrasies aside, Kanye stays winning outside of music, and he’s won so many times at music it’s not even fair. And Jay-Z is the gold standard. I think Lil Wayne is arguable, but probably not worth the argument if that makes sense. He checks off every box musically (shit, he even hit #1 on the Billboard charts this year), moonlights on ESPN on occasion and still manages to piss everybody off with stupid statements and then follow them up with less stupid statements that he follows up with more stupid statements. He is, basically, a pop culture personality.
So if Jay and Kanye are indisputable here, and Wayne is arguable but not really worth the argument, where does that put T.I.? Does he belong up there with the 2 and a possible? Let’s see.
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Depending on who you ask, T.I. either has three classic albums (Urban Legend, Trap Muzik and King) or one classic (King) and two regional classics (Urban Legend, Trap Muzik) that set the standard for Atlanta and rearranged the lead. “Be Easy” still goes so hard in the paint. Outside of those three albums, he has a solid contingent of good-to-great albums that chart and many with singles that make significant noise nationally. Plus he had the song with Young Thug, “About The Money,” a few years ago that was banoodles. Point is, T.I. checks off many boxes musically. He’s got longevity (his first album dropped in 2001), he’s got accolades aplenty (including 3 Grammys, even though we don’t care about those, right?), he’s a noted and respected wordsmith and has managed to turn this music career into a lucrative non-music career. AKOO clothing is a bit of a wild card here, I have never seen anybody but T.I. wear it, but I also never saw anybody wear Trukfit. This isn’t my fault, I don’t live around white people. But he’s got a family show on VH1, which surprisingly hasn’t entirely overshadowed his music career. He’s also taken a turn towards activism which is a plus. On paper, T.I. seems like he might belong in that top tier.
So why do I feel like he’s just not there? Well, probably because I don’t feel like T.I. is such a part of the pop culture discussion that he’s outpaced his music. At this point, while Jay and Kanye got famous because of their music, they have become almost more relevant and present as people than because of their music. Conversations with them will always include discussions about music, but you can talk about a million other things. T.I. is still mostly a musician who uses his platform because he’s a famous rapper. Be clear, I think T.I. is an outstanding rapper. He’s probably one of the better rappers to ever have done it; that’s a hill I’m willing to die on. He had the biggest song of 2006 and as an ATLien, is probably more in line with the vast majority of who the city is musically than most others. Thing is, as I think through it, it seems more and more like Lil Wayne, though probably more of a pop-cultural figure (in some sense, not necessarily in the positive way) than T.I., is probably more on the same level with T.I. then he is Jay and Kanye, who reside on different planets, basically.
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So, no, T.I.—while still a stellar artist who has had a phenomenal, enviable career—is not really on the same level as Jay-Z or Kanye. Arguably he’s on the same level as Lil Wayne, which now I think is probably a tier below Jay and Kanye. That’s still some fine company, placing him in the company of stars and legends (along with any number of other artists not named here that might belong in the convo).


theroot--2020-07-14--Why Naya Rivera’s Glee journey is still important

Glee never had a shortage of characters , and when Naya Rivera made her first appearance in the pilot , she was basically a featured extra .
But even when she was simply dancing backup to Dianna Agron , there was something undeniably magnetic about her performance as brutally honest sophomore Santana Lopez .
And when the Fox musical series returned for the second half of its first season , suddenly Santana had a lot more to say and do .
Over the next five seasons , Santana found her voice even as she struggled with her sexuality .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Latinx kids , and Rivera established herself as a standout among the vocally talented cast .
( For just a sampling of Rivera ’ s impressive body of work , here ’ s a compilation a fan put together of snippets from 85 different songs she performed on Glee . )
Since the story of Rivera ’ s disappearance first broke on July 8—followed by the news that the 33-year-old ’ s body had been recovered from Southern California ’ s Lake Piru Monday morning—a reel of Rivera ’ s Glee highlights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with one clip feeling particularly poignant now : In a powerful season three moment , Rivera belts out part of Adele ’ s “ Someone Like You.
” “ Don ’ t forget me , I beg , ” Rivera pleads .
And there ’ s no way we could .
When reflecting on her Glee audition years later , Rivera said she ’ d been a fan of creator Ryan Murphy ’ s FX series Nip/Tuck , but she really “ didn ’ t know anything ” about the role she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to sing and dance .
As she told Out Magazine in 2015 , Rivera auditioned with dialogue meant for another character : “ Santana didn ’ t have any lines in the pilot , so I had to read Mercedes lines.
” And it indeed would be a few episodes before we got much more than Santana ’ s bitchy one-liners and backing vocals .
Rivera had been acting on camera since the age of 4 , when she appeared as Hillary Winston in the CBS Sitcom The Royal Family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Family Matters , Smart Guy , and The Bernie Mac Show , she wasn ’ t a household name , nor was she known for her singing .
Among the Cheerios , Heather Morris was the more notable name , given her time as one of Beyoncé ’ s back-up dancers .
It was assumed by many that Rivera was hired as a dancer not a singer , but any doubters were soon proven wrong .
We got a tease of Rivera ’ s potential during episode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” But our first real taste of her abilities as a soloist came in episode 18 , when Santana and Mercedes work out their rivalry over Puck ( Mark Salling ) by singing Brandy and Monica ’ s “ The Boy Is Mine.
” There ’ s no American Idol high-note moment in the performance ( that would come a few episodes later when she belts out the climatic solo during a performance of Lady Gaga ’ s “ Bad Romance ” ) , but Rivera more than held her own against vocal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rivera was more adept at acting while singing than most of her castmates .
Rivera ’ s integration into the main cast was solidified in the season one finale , where the glee club reprises their performance of Journey ’ s “ Don ’ t Stop Believin ’ .
” It was a bold move , to attempt to recreate the magic of the pilot ’ s final moments , but the 6-minute medley of Journey songs succeeds by infusing the performance with solos for the newer club members .
Santana is given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wine and cheap perfume , ” but Rivera found a way to turn that mid-verse line into a high-water mark of the season , cementing her—at least in my mind—as one of the series ’ best voices .
Over the 2010 hiatus between seasons one and two , Rivera was promoted to a series regular .
She did interviews praising Santana ’ s strength , but expressed a desire for her character to evolve beyond “ the mean girl.
” Apparently the show ’ s writers agreed , as they began pulling back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what had made her so hard-edged ; first using her character as a chance to talk about body image before fully embracing her romantic feelings for Morris ’ Brittany .
Kurt ( Chris Colfer ) struggled with his sexuality in season one , but it wasn ’ t until the introduction of Darren Criss ’ Blaine in season two ’ s sixth episode that he was given a serious love interest .
In Santana and Brittany , LGBTQ fans found a couple to root for , and Rivera played Santana ’ s conflicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brittany ’ s male suitors—with impressive nuance .
Santana ’ s coming out story comes to a head in season three ’ s sixth episode , “ Mash Off , ” when Finn ( Corey Monteith ) is overheard telling Santana she is too scared to come out .
Someone decides to use the information in an attack ad against Sue ( Jane Lynch ) , who is running for Congress ( because Glee is gon na Glee ) .
Devastated she ’ s been being outed before she could tell her parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the episode-ending mashup of Adele ’ s “ Rumor Has It ” and “ Someone Like You.
” Rivera ’ s vocals are strong , but the most impressive moments of the scene come in the silences , when she allows a peek into Santana ’ s vulnerability before letting her emotions fuel her impassioned performance .
In the next episode , “ I Kissed A Girl , ” Santana comes out to her grandmother : “ Abuelita , I love girls—the way I ’ m supposed to feel about boys.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the weight that was intended , Santana ’ s seasons-long internal struggle manifesting in one phrase as she opens up to her beloved abuela ( Jane The Virgin ’ s Ivonne Coll ) .
Glee could be ridiculously campy , even in moments intended to be serious , but its early seasons were never more heartbreaking than when Santana weeps following her grandmother ’ s rejection .
“ [ The fans ] should take credit for that , ” Rivera said in 2011 of Brittany and Santana becoming such a focal point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the writers would have taken that relationship so seriously if there hadn ’ t been such an outpouring for them to get together.
” But Rivera was a pivotal piece of that TV-relationship chemistry , crafting Santana as the grounding element opposite Morris ’ flighty Brittany .
The couple broke up in season four as Santana set up her life in New York City and Brittany went off to MIT , but their season-six wedding seemed almost inevitable given the fervent “ Brittana ” fanbase .
Brittany and Santana ’ s double wedding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couples performing Ruby & The Romantics ’ “ Our Day Will Come , ” the song ’ s title perfectly fitting what those two couples represented to so many young LGBTQ viewers .
Glee has been off the air for five years already .
Since the May 2015 finale , I hadn ’ t spent much time thinking about the series beyond going down a YouTube rabbit hole of performances every so often .
So it surprised me how much Rivera ’ s disappearance and now death hit me .
But in writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me how much I needed to see a character like Santana growing up .
I was long out of Glee ’ s target demo even before it premiered , but watching a queer person of color blossom as Santana did over six seasons was cathartic .
Just 10 years since its premiere , I ’ m happy to see the number of diverse queer characters has exploded—but I ’ ll always be grateful for Santana , and in turn , Rivera .
To paraphrase the show ’ s fast-talking narrator , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glee .

Patrick Gomez on TV Club, shared by Genetta M. Adams to The Root

Glee never had a shortage of characters, and when Naya Rivera made her first appearance in the pilot, she was basically a featured extra. But even when she was simply dancing backup to Dianna Agron, there was something undeniably magnetic about her performance as brutally honest sophomore Santana Lopez. And when the Fox musical series returned for the second half of its first season, suddenly Santana had a lot more to say and do. Over the next five seasons, Santana found her voice even as she struggled with her sexuality. She became a role model for young LGBTQ and Latinx kids, and Rivera established herself as a standout among the vocally talented cast. (For just a sampling of Rivera’s impressive body of work, here’s a compilation a fan put together of snippets from 85 different songs she performed on Glee.)
Since the story of Rivera’s disappearance first broke on July 8—followed by the news that the 33-year-old’s body had been recovered from Southern California’s Lake Piru Monday morning—a reel of Rivera’s Glee highlights has been running through my mind, with one clip feeling particularly poignant now: In a powerful season three moment, Rivera belts out part of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” “Don’t forget me, I beg,” Rivera pleads. And there’s no way we could.
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When reflecting on her Glee audition years later, Rivera said she’d been a fan of creator Ryan Murphy’s FX series Nip/Tuck, but she really “didn’t know anything” about the role she was reading for aside from the fact she would have to sing and dance. As she told Out Magazine in 2015, Rivera auditioned with dialogue meant for another character: “Santana didn’t have any lines in the pilot, so I had to read Mercedes lines.” And it indeed would be a few episodes before we got much more than Santana’s bitchy one-liners and backing vocals.
Rivera had been acting on camera since the age of 4, when she appeared as Hillary Winston in the CBS Sitcom The Royal Family. Though she’d had roles on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, Smart Guy, and The Bernie Mac Show, she wasn’t a household name, nor was she known for her singing. Among the Cheerios, Heather Morris was the more notable name, given her time as one of Beyoncé’s back-up dancers. It was assumed by many that Rivera was hired as a dancer not a singer, but any doubters were soon proven wrong. We got a tease of Rivera’s potential during episode 15’s “Like A Virgin.” But our first real taste of her abilities as a soloist came in episode 18, when Santana and Mercedes work out their rivalry over Puck (Mark Salling) by singing Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine.” There’s no American Idol high-note moment in the performance (that would come a few episodes later when she belts out the climatic solo during a performance of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”), but Rivera more than held her own against vocal powerhouse Riley—and it was instantly noticeable that Rivera was more adept at acting while singing than most of her castmates.
Advertisement
Rivera’s integration into the main cast was solidified in the season one finale, where the glee club reprises their performance of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It was a bold move, to attempt to recreate the magic of the pilot’s final moments, but the 6-minute medley of Journey songs succeeds by infusing the performance with solos for the newer club members. Santana is given the traditionally quiet lyric “smell of wine and cheap perfume,” but Rivera found a way to turn that mid-verse line into a high-water mark of the season, cementing her—at least in my mind—as one of the series’ best voices.
Over the 2010 hiatus between seasons one and two, Rivera was promoted to a series regular. She did interviews praising Santana’s strength, but expressed a desire for her character to evolve beyond “the mean girl.” Apparently the show’s writers agreed, as they began pulling back the layers of Santana to get at what had made her so hard-edged; first using her character as a chance to talk about body image before fully embracing her romantic feelings for Morris’ Brittany. Kurt (Chris Colfer) struggled with his sexuality in season one, but it wasn’t until the introduction of Darren Criss’ Blaine in season two’s sixth episode that he was given a serious love interest. In Santana and Brittany, LGBTQ fans found a couple to root for, and Rivera played Santana’s conflicted feelings about being queer—and her jealousy over Brittany’s male suitors—with impressive nuance.
Santana’s coming out story comes to a head in season three’s sixth episode, “Mash Off,” when Finn (Corey Monteith) is overheard telling Santana she is too scared to come out. Someone decides to use the information in an attack ad against Sue (Jane Lynch), who is running for Congress (because Glee is gonna Glee). Devastated she’s been being outed before she could tell her parents, Santana channels her anger and grief into the episode-ending mashup of Adele’s “Rumor Has It” and “Someone Like You.” Rivera’s vocals are strong, but the most impressive moments of the scene come in the silences, when she allows a peek into Santana’s vulnerability before letting her emotions fuel her impassioned performance.
Advertisement
In the next episode, “I Kissed A Girl,” Santana comes out to her grandmother: “Abuelita, I love girls—the way I’m supposed to feel about boys.” That “supposed to” falls with all the weight that was intended, Santana’s seasons-long internal struggle manifesting in one phrase as she opens up to her beloved abuela (Jane The Virgin’s Ivonne Coll). Glee could be ridiculously campy, even in moments intended to be serious, but its early seasons were never more heartbreaking than when Santana weeps following her grandmother ’s rejection.
“[The fans] should take credit for that,” Rivera said in 2011 of Brittany and Santana becoming such a focal point on Glee. “Who knows if the writers would have taken that relationship so seriously if there hadn’t been such an outpouring for them to get together.” But Rivera was a pivotal piece of that TV-relationship chemistry, crafting Santana as the grounding element opposite Morris’ flighty Brittany. The couple broke up in season four as Santana set up her life in New York City and Brittany went off to MIT, but their season-six wedding seemed almost inevitable given the fervent “Brittana” fanbase. Brittany and Santana’s double wedding with Kurt and Blaine ended with the couples performing Ruby & The Romantics’ “Our Day Will Come,” the song’s title perfectly fitting what those two couples represented to so many young LGBTQ viewers.
Advertisement
Glee has been off the air for five years already. Since the May 2015 finale, I hadn’t spent much time thinking about the series beyond going down a YouTube rabbit hole of performances every so often. So it surprised me how much Rivera’s disappearance and now death hit me. But in writing this piece, it became clear to me how much I needed to see a character like Santana growing up. I was long out of Glee’s target demo even before it premiered, but watching a queer person of color blossom as Santana did over six seasons was cathartic. Just 10 years since its premiere, I’m happy to see the number of diverse queer characters has exploded—but I’ll always be grateful for Santana, and in turn, Rivera. To paraphrase the show’s fast-talking narrator, that’s what I’ll miss from Glee.


theroot--2020-07-14--A (Still Growing) List of People I Suspect Are Made of Cake

16 .
This one woman I met in Nashville earlier this year

Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

The Upshaws Are Back & So Is Tracy Morgan On The Stand Up Mic: TV Picks Of The Week
Friday 1:34PM


theroot--2020-07-14--The NFL Really Thinks Mouth Shields Will Prevent Players From Catching COVID-19...While Playing a Fu

The NFL Really Thinks Mouth Shields Will Prevent Players From Catching COVID-19...While Playing a Full-Contact Sport

The NFL really doesn ’ t want its players to catch the coronavirus , but it also really wants to make billions of dollars from a full-contact sport in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic .
So in the half-hearted name of health and safety , the league is rolling out a new toy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on the field : a mouth shield .
The brainchild of doctors and engineers from the NFL and NFL Players Association , ESPN reports that the Oakley Mouth Shield attaches to the face guard and uses plastic sheets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aren ’ t required to wear the mouth shield yet , but the NFL ’ s team of medical experts are keeping their fingers crossed that it will soon become mandated .
“ That ’ s certainly what we ’ re going to encourage , ” Dr. Allen Sills , the NFL ’ s chief medical officer , told ESPN .
“ And we hope that we ’ re going to land on a product design that ’ s something that everyone would want to wear , because they ’ ll see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any detriment to performance.
” Ummmmm about that detriment to performance… Despite Sillis ’ assertions that players will be able to still perform at a high level , they don ’ t exactly seem keen on the idea of having their airflow restricted on the field .
“ My second year in the league I thought it ’ d be cool , I put a visor on my helmet , ” five-time All-Pro J.J. Watt told ProFootballTalk .
“ I was like , ‘ It looks so cool , I wan na put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on for about three periods of practice and I said , ‘ Take this sucker off—I ’ m gon na die out here.
’ [ ... ] So now you ’ re gon na put something around my mouth ?
You can keep that .
If that comes into play , I don ’ t think you ’ re gon na see me on the field.
” Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon said pretty much the same thing on Twitter .
“ Y ’ all might as well have a pump of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while y ’ all at it , ” he tweeted .
“ I won ’ t wear it.
” Sure , the mouth shield could reduce the likelihood of coronavirus transmission , but how ridiculous does that sound considering players will already be doing everything but social distancing while tackling each other for hours at a time ?
This line of thinking is exactly why players had a similar response to the NFL ’ s announcement that exchanging jerseys after games would be prohibited this upcoming season .
“ Players can go engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it safely , ” Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman tweeted .
“ However , it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game.
” This idea is a head-scratcher for sure , considering NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer has already called football “ probably the perfect milieu or petri dish in which to transmit the virus , ” but the NFL is moving forward with its plan to distribute mouth shields to all 32 teams within the next week anyway .

The NFL really doesn’t want its players to catch the coronavirus, but it also really wants to make billions of dollars from a full-contact sport in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic. So in the half-hearted name of health and safety, the league is rolling out a new toy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on the field: a mouth shield.
The brainchild of doctors and engineers from the NFL and NFL Players Association, ESPN reports that the Oakley Mouth Shield attaches to the face guard and uses plastic sheets to prevent the transmission of droplets. Players aren’t required to wear the mouth shield yet, but the NFL’s team of medical experts are keeping their fingers crossed that it will soon become mandated.
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“That’s certainly what we’re going to encourage,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, told ESPN. “And we hope that we’re going to land on a product design that’s something that everyone would want to wear, because they’ll see the value and want that additional protection without any detriment to performance.”
Ummmmm about that detriment to performance… Despite Sillis’ assertions that players will be able to still perform at a high level, they don’t exactly seem keen on the idea of having their airflow restricted on the field.
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“My second year in the league I thought it’d be cool, I put a visor on my helmet,” five-time All-Pro J.J. Watt told ProFootballTalk. “I was like, ‘It looks so cool, I wanna put a visor on.’ I had it on for about three periods of practice and I said, ‘Take this sucker off—I’m gonna die out here.’ [...] So now you’re gonna put something around my mouth? You can keep that. If that comes into play, I don’t think you’re gonna see me on the field.”
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon said pretty much the same thing on Twitter.
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“Y’all might as well have a pump of sanitizers coming out of our uniforms too while y’all at it,” he tweeted. “I won’t wear it.”
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Sure, the mouth shield could reduce the likelihood of coronavirus transmission, but how ridiculous does that sound considering players will already be doing everything but social distancing while tackling each other for hours at a time? This line of thinking is exactly why players had a similar response to the NFL’s announcement that exchanging jerseys after games would be prohibited this upcoming season.
“Players can go engage in a full contact game and do it safely,” Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman tweeted. “However, it is deemed unsafe for them to exchange jerseys after said game.”
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This idea is a head-scratcher for sure, considering NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer has already called football “probably the perfect milieu or petri dish in which to transmit the virus,” but the NFL is moving forward with its plan to distribute mouth shields to all 32 teams within the next week anyway.
Okay, then.


theroot--2020-07-14--Finally Run Out of Quarantine Tissue? Now Get a $70 Bidet and Stop Worrying About Wiping Your Ass

Between COVID , wars , and rumors of wars , civil unrest , and a tanking economy to top it all off , we have more than enough material to pad another meaty chapter into our history books .
But there is one story that will get swept under the rug— or , perhaps , tracked under your feet : We bought a hell of a lot of toilet paper .
( I told you , more than enough padding material ! )
I have neither the time nor care to check the financials , but I ’ m pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single biggest year in toilet paper history .
Have we all calmed the hell down by now ?
If you ’ re just about done working through your stash , you might consider buying a BioBidet , down to $ 70 at Woot in a one-day sale .
It ’ s simple : Sit , shit , spritz your ass .
You ’ ll still need to wipe , but you ’ ll use a lot less toilet paper and your anus will be much cleaner , and that ’ s what we @ @ @ @

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

BioBidet Slim Zero Non-Electric Bidet | $70 | Woot
Between COVID, wars, and rumors of wars, civil unrest, and a tanking economy to top it all off, we have more than enough material to pad another meaty chapter into our history books. But there is one story that will get swept under the rug— or, perhaps, tracked under your feet: We bought a hell of a lot of toilet paper. (I told you, more than enough padding material!)
I have neither the time nor care to check the financials, but I’m pretty sure 2020 takes the gold as the single biggest year in toilet paper history.
Have we all calmed the hell down by now? If you’re just about done working through your stash, you might consider buying a BioBidet, down to $70 at Woot in a one-day sale. It’s simple: Sit, shit, spritz your ass. You’ll still need to wipe, but you’ll use a lot less toilet paper and your anus will be much cleaner, and that’s what we call a win-win.


theroot--2020-07-14--The NBA Bubble Isn't Even a Week Old Yet and Players Are Already Violating Quarantine

While the rest of us are left to the mercy of selfish-ass friends and neighbors who seem hell-bent on catching the coronavirus , NBA players have fortified themselves inside of the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus for one common cause : not to catch that shit .
Yet despite the extraordinary lengths that the league has gone to to ensure the health and wellbeing of its multi-million dollar athletes , apparently these niggas are more than willing to fuck the entire NBA restart up over some Postmates .
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury , I ’ d like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who isn ’ t a household name but is the talk of NBA Twitter after breaching the NBA bubble to ... pick up some egg rolls—or whatever the hell it was he just had to have .
“ After the initial quarantine period , I briefly and accidentally crossed the NBA campus line to pick-up a food delivery , ” he tweeted .
“ I apologize for my actions and look forward to rejoining my teammates for our playoff push.
” As a result of his decision to jeopardize the safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and NBA personnel , Holmes will spend the next 10 days quarantined in his hotel room as part of the league ’ s re-entry protocols—which gives him plenty of time to come up with an explanation for why he did that shit prior to inevitably getting clowned for being a dumb ass .
As ESPN reports , if players leave the bubble for any unauthorized reason—even if every bathroom on the entire campus is occupied so they haul ass to the nearest Bath & Body Works because they really got ta go—the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hell .
Because not only will they be quarantined , but they ’ ll be subjected to “ enhanced coronavirus testing ” that includes having a long-ass swab shoved up their nose .
( As somebody who had to have this test done , trust me when I say I ’ d rather listen to Nick Cannon ’ s entire catalog than do that shit again . )
But Holmes isn ’ t the only one .
S ome guy named Bruno Caboclo , who I ’ ve never heard of before in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Houston Rockets , did the same thing .
“ These quarantines are the result of separate circumstances in which the players had interactions with members of the public outside the Disney entrance gate , and are in accordance with the health and safety protocols agreed to by the NBA and the Players Association , ” the league said in a statement , presumably after shaking their heads in disgust .
Other NBA players are a bit more sympathetic .
“ Guys make mistakes .
The Postmates—you learn , ” Portland Trail Blazers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think more mistakes made as we go on , but guys are learning what you can and can ’ t do .
This is new to everybody .
So it ’ s a learning lesson.
” I couldn ’ t agree more .
It is a learning lesson—a learning lesson with some extremely high stakes .
As collegiate sports and other professional leagues navigate this pandemic and face the very real threat of implosion , the NBA is one of the rare few that seems to have gone about it the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the outside world .
Whiteside ’ s compassion and understanding as players adapt to the new status quo is admirable , but the fact remains that had Holmes triggered a massive coronavirus outbreak over some damn Postmates , it would ’ ve derailed the entire NBA playoffs .
There are also long-term health problems related to the coronavirus that we know nothing about , which raises concerns about the future of NBA superstars like Nikola Jokić and Russell Westbrook and their ability to continue to play at a high level after contracting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects it has on lung capacity , unknown effects it has on cardiac health , ” one general manager told ESPN under the condition of anonymity .
“ What if a 24-year-old catches it in Orlando and , in 14 days , he quarantines and is fine , but then he has these everlasting heart problems ?
[ Or he ] gets winded so easily , or he becomes a little bit too susceptible to fatigue ?
[ ... ] These are all the unknowns.
” So for the time being , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holmes to skip the Uber Eats , partake in the executive chefs and fine dining already at their disposal and stay their asses on campus .
Sports will provide all of us with a much-needed reprieve from this terrible-ass year , but none of us can enjoy a damn thing if we don ’ t all do our part to remain safe .

While the rest of us are left to the mercy of selfish-ass friends and neighbors who seem hell-bent on catching the coronavirus, NBA players have fortified themselves inside of the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus for one common cause: not to catch that shit.
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Yet despite the extraordinary lengths that the league has gone to to ensure the health and wellbeing of its multi-million dollar assets athletes, apparently these niggas are more than willing to fuck the entire NBA restart up over some Postmates.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I’d like to introduce you to journeyman Richaun Holmes, who isn’t a household name but is the talk of NBA Twitter after breaching the NBA bubble to...pick up some egg rolls—or whatever the hell it was he just had to have.
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“After the initial quarantine period, I briefly and accidentally crossed the NBA campus line to pick-up a food delivery,” he tweeted. “I apologize for my actions and look forward to rejoining my teammates for our playoff push.”
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As a result of his decision to jeopardize the safety of hundreds of other players, Disney staffers and NBA personnel, Holmes will spend the next 10 days quarantined in his hotel room as part of the league’s re-entry protocols—which gives him plenty of time to come up with an explanation for why he did that shit prior to inevitably getting clowned for being a dumb ass.
As ESPN reports, if players leave the bubble for any unauthorized reason—even if every bathroom on the entire campus is occupied so they haul ass to the nearest Bath & Body Works because they really gotta go—the next 10 days of their lives will be hell. Because not only will they be quarantined, but they’ll be subjected to “enhanced coronavirus testing” that includes having a long-ass swab shoved up their nose. (As somebody who had to have this test done, trust me when I say I’d rather listen to Nick Cannon’s entire catalog than do that shit again.)
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But Holmes isn’t the only one. S ome guy named Bruno Caboclo, who I’ve never heard of before in my entire life but apparently plays for the Houston Rockets, did the same thing.
“He should’ve known,” a source told ESPN. “It was no secret.”
You think?!
“These quarantines are the result of separate circumstances in which the players had interactions with members of the public outside the Disney entrance gate, and are in accordance with the health and safety protocols agreed to by the NBA and the Players Association,” the league said in a statement, presumably after shaking their heads in disgust.
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Other NBA players are a bit more sympathetic.
“Guys make mistakes. The Postmates—you learn,” Portland Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside told ESPN. “I think more mistakes made as we go on, but guys are learning what you can and can’t do. This is new to everybody. So it’s a learning lesson.”
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I couldn’t agree more. It is a learning lesson—a learning lesson with some extremely high stakes. As collegiate sports and other professional leagues navigate this pandemic and face the very real threat of implosion, the NBA is one of the rare few that seems to have gone about it the right way: by isolating the entire league from the outside world.
Whiteside’s compassion and understanding as players adapt to the new status quo is admirable, but the fact remains that had Holmes triggered a massive coronavirus outbreak over some damn Postmates, it would’ve derailed the entire NBA playoffs. There are also long-term health problems related to the coronavirus that we know nothing about, which raises concerns about the future of NBA superstars like Nikola Jokić and Russell Westbrook and their ability to continue to play at a high level after contracting the virus.
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“There are unknown effects it has on lung capacity, unknown effects it has on cardiac health,” one general manager told ESPN under the condition of anonymity. “What if a 24-year-old catches it in Orlando and, in 14 days, he quarantines and is fine, but then he has these everlasting heart problems? [Or he] gets winded so easily, or he becomes a little bit too susceptible to fatigue? [...] These are all the unknowns.”
Indeed.
So for the time being, I’m gonna need players like Holmes to skip the Uber Eats, partake in the executive chefs and fine dining already at their disposal and stay their asses on campus. Sports will provide all of us with a much-needed reprieve from this terrible-ass year, but none of us can enjoy a damn thing if we don’t all do our part to remain safe.


theroot--2020-07-14--Tucker Carlson Continues to Have Trouble With Honesty and Then Says He’s Going on Vacation, Which Is

Tucker Carlson Continues to Have Trouble With Honesty and Then Says He’s Going on Vacation, Which Is Probably a Lie

Imagine being so racist and sexist that you find a job that literally allows you to be racist and sexist and that still isn ’ t enough .
So you use a fake name to be even more sexist and racist online .
Neff was the chief writer for Tucker Carlson Tonight but he was also “ CharlesXII , ” the online name he used to say even more vile shit online that he couldn ’ t say on the show .
The funny thing is , do you blame him ?
I mean please go back and look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of God ’ s favorites .
Well , Neff got found out on Friday and resigned .
The thing is , Fox News was fine with him being racist and sexist and combing his hair from the middle of his scalp to the front of his head ; he resigned for being too racist and sexist for Fox News which didn ’ t seem to like that .
Well , at least not publicly .
CNN did the lord ’ s work and found Neff ’ s racist message posts and outed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carlson announced that Neff was no longer with the show and that Carlson would be taking a long-planned vacation to do some trout fishing .
Tucker Carlson has a problem with the truth .
He could barely bring himself to speak about Neff being let go , and then he conveniently announces that he has a vacation on the books to go trout fishing , which sounds like bullshit because everyone knows that Fox News hosts go hunting !
“ First , what Blake wrote anonymously was wrong .
We don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection to this show .
It is wrong to attack people for qualities they can not control , ” Carlson said Monday night .
“ In this country , we judge people for what they do , not for how they were born .
We often say that , because we mean it .
We will continue to defend that principle , often alone among national news programs , because it is essential .
Nothing is more important.
” If Carlson and his perpetually 14-year-old ass face doesn ’ t get the hell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and go “ trout fishing ” or wherever he ’ s going during this time .
Plus , Fox News has a history of sending its news anchors on well-timed vacations during scandals .
From the New York Daily News : Carlson also had this to say about Neff ’ s critics : “ Blake fell short of that standard and he has paid a very heavy price for it .
But we should also point out , to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs , ” the Fox News host said , the Post reports .
“ We are all human .
When we pretend we are holy , we are lying .
When we pose as blameless in order to hurt other people , we are committing the gravest sin of all .
And we will be punished for it .
There ’ s no question.
” In the words of my fake aunt Gladys : “ Bitch , if you don ’ t get the hell out before I put down this shot glass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was quick to admonish those who criticized Neff ’ s fuck up , which included such hits as , “ Black doods staying inside playing Call of Duty is probably one of the biggest factors keeping crime down ” and “ Honestly given how tired black people always claim to be , maybe the real crisis is their lack of sleep.
” But Carlson didn ’ t get into specifics as to what Neff wrote because then , well , who are we kidding ?
His viewers wouldn ’ t give a shit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in addition to being a racist piece of bile , Neff also had a five-yearlong “ thread attacking a woman and posting personal information about her ‘ that has invited other users to mock her and invade her privacy.
’ ” Don ’ t get it twisted ; Neff will be working by the end of this week as he ’ ll probably get picked up by Carlson ’ s former news site the Daily Caller , where they appreciate Neff ’ s level of racist bullshit .

Imagine being so racist and sexist that you find a job that literally allows you to be racist and sexist and that still isn’t enough. So you use a fake name to be even more sexist and racist online.
That was Blake Neff.
This is Blake Neff:
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Neff was the chief writer for Tucker Carlson Tonight but he was also “CharlesXII,” the online name he used to say even more vile shit online that he couldn’t say on the show. The funny thing is, do you blame him? I mean please go back and look at his photo as he’s not one of God’s favorites.
Well, Neff got found out on Friday and resigned. The thing is, Fox News was fine with him being racist and sexist and combing his hair from the middle of his scalp to the front of his head; he resigned for being too racist and sexist for Fox News which didn’t seem to like that. Well, at least not publicly.
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CNN did the lord’s work and found Neff’s racist message posts and outed him.
On Monday night, Tucker Carlson announced that Neff was no longer with the show and that Carlson would be taking a long-planned vacation to do some trout fishing. Tucker Carlson has a problem with the truth. He could barely bring himself to speak about Neff being let go, and then he conveniently announces that he has a vacation on the books to go trout fishing, which sounds like bullshit because everyone knows that Fox News hosts go hunting!
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“First, what Blake wrote anonymously was wrong. We don’t endorse those words. They have no connection to this show. It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control,” Carlson said Monday night.
“In this country, we judge people for what they do, not for how they were born. We often say that, because we mean it. We will continue to defend that principle, often alone among national news programs, because it is essential. Nothing is more important.”
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Bwhwahahahahahaha.
If Carlson and his perpetually 14-year-old ass face doesn’t get the hell out of here with his racist ass and go “trout fishing” or wherever he’s going during this time.
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Plus, Fox News has a history of sending its news anchors on well-timed vacations during scandals.
From the New York Daily News:
Other Fox News hosts have coincidentally also found themselves with scheduled time off in the middle of scandals, including Carlson himself last year after he claimed that white supremacy was a hoax. Laura Ingraham took a recess from “The Ingraham Angle” in March 2018 after mocking Parkland survivor David Hogg, while Bill O’Reilly left for some “R&R” in April 2017 after news broke of his $13 million settlement with five women who accused him of sexual harassment. He never returned to the air.
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Carlson also had this to say about Neff’s critics: “Blake fell short of that standard and he has paid a very heavy price for it. But we should also point out, to the ghouls now beating their chests in triumph at the destruction of a young man, that self-righteousness also has its costs,” the Fox News host said, the Post reports. “We are all human. When we pretend we are holy, we are lying. When we pose as blameless in order to hurt other people, we are committing the gravest sin of all. And we will be punished for it. There’s no question.”
In the words of my fake aunt Gladys: “Bitch, if you don’t get the hell out before I put down this shot glass and whoop your ass.”
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Well Carlson was quick to admonish those who criticized Neff’s fuck up, which included such hits as, “Black doods staying inside playing Call of Duty is probably one of the biggest factors keeping crime down” and “Honestly given how tired black people always claim to be, maybe the real crisis is their lack of sleep.”
But Carlson didn’t get into specifics as to what Neff wrote because then, well, who are we kidding? His viewers wouldn’t give a shit. But CNN did point out that in addition to being a racist piece of bile, Neff also had a five-yearlong “thread attacking a woman and posting personal information about her ‘that has invited other users to mock her and invade her privacy.’”
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Don’t get it twisted; Neff will be working by the end of this week as he’ll probably get picked up by Carlson’s former news site the Daily Caller, where they appreciate Neff’s level of racist bullshit.


theroot--2020-07-14--Tory Lanez Arrested for Gun Possession Following Alleged Argument, Megan Thee Stallion Taken to Hosp

Tory Lanez Arrested for Gun Possession Following Alleged Argument, Megan Thee Stallion Taken to Hospital for Foot Injury

It looks like Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion weren ’ t exactly on lockdown this weekend , and things escalated quickly .
According to TMZ , cops arrived at the scene Sunday after an alleged argument occurred outside of a house party .
When they arrived , they found a gun inside Lanez ’ s car .
Megan and another woman were passengers in the vehicle .
We ’ ve learned police got a call of a disturbance outside a Hollywood Hills residence around 4:30 AM Sunday .
When officers arrived , we ’ re told witnesses reported people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fired shots in the air ... and the vehicle took off .
Our law enforcement sources say cops got a description of the SUV and located it shortly afterward , and found the rappers inside along with another woman .
We ’ re told Meg had a cut on her foot believed to be from broken glass on the floor of the vehicle , and when cops searched it ... they found a gun .
Our sources say Lanez was taken to jail and booked for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meg as a “ victim ” in relation to the incident and she was immediately taken to the hospital and treated for wounds to her foot .
In addition to the concealed weapon , police recovered four shell casings from the scene outside of the home .
Speaking of the company Meg keeps , the 25-year-old rapper was also spotted recently kickin ’ it with Kylie Jenner at a pool party this weekend .
Meg posted some footage from the party on her Instagram Live .
Because of the Kardashian-Jenners ’ suspicious reputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woods , who is Meg ’ s friend ) , this caused a bit of concern and alarm .
Other than hoping she keeps an eye on that damn family , we ’ re hoping Meg heals from her injury soon and is OK .

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

It looks like Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion weren’t exactly on lockdown this weekend, and things escalated quickly.
According to TMZ, cops arrived at the scene Sunday after an alleged argument occurred outside of a house party. When they arrived, they found a gun inside Lanez’s car. Megan and another woman were passengers in the vehicle.
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TMZ adds:
We’ve learned police got a call of a disturbance outside a Hollywood Hills residence around 4:30 AM Sunday. When officers arrived, we’re told witnesses reported people were arguing in an SUV before someone fired shots in the air ... and the vehicle took off. Our law enforcement sources say cops got a description of the SUV and located it shortly afterward, and found the rappers inside along with another woman. We’re told Meg had a cut on her foot believed to be from broken glass on the floor of the vehicle, and when cops searched it ... they found a gun. Our sources say Lanez was taken to jail and booked for carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle ... a felony.
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Police reportedly listed Meg as a “victim” in relation to the incident and she was immediately taken to the hospital and treated for wounds to her foot. In addition to the concealed weapon, police recovered four shell casings from the scene outside of the home.
Speaking of the company Meg keeps, the 25-year-old rapper was also spotted recently kickin’ it with Kylie Jenner at a pool party this weekend. Meg posted some footage from the party on her Instagram Live.
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Because of the Kardashian-Jenners’ suspicious reputation with Black folks (specifically, Jordyn Woods, who is Meg’s friend), this caused a bit of concern and alarm.
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Other than hoping she keeps an eye on that damn family, we’re hoping Meg heals from her injury soon and is OK.


theroot--2020-07-14--This Comfee Rice Cooker and Slow Cooker Is a Low $30

For today only , you can grab a Comfee rice cooker ( and slow cooker ) for a low $ @ @ @ @ @ can make stews , soups , and rice whenever you please .
You can cook @ @ @ @ @ hours and also keep the food you ’ ve cooked warm with 12 different cooking @ @ @ @ @ this before it ’ s gone !

Ignacia on Kinja Deals, shared by Ignacia to The Root

Comfee Rice Cooker | $30 | Amazon | Gold Box
For today only, you can grab a Comfee rice cooker (and slow cooker) for a low $30, which means you can make stews, soups, and rice whenever you please. You can cook things for up to 24 hours and also keep the food you’ve cooked warm with 12 different cooking programs. I would grab this before it’s gone!


theroot--2020-07-14--Big Beauty Tuesday: Do PHreckles Hit the Spot?

Fun fact : I am in love with a freckle fetishist .
I ’ m not sure either of us knew this until well into our relationship when he ’ d become well-accustomed to seeing the faint smattering of freckles across my nose and cheekbones that are on full display , sans makeup .
I ’ d often catch him staring at me intently for seemingly no reason at all ( romantic , but unnerving ) ; when asked , he ’ d always respond : “ I just love your freckles.
” Well , I love them too—though I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , as they ’ re easily diffused by even the lightest of my foundations .
And while I ’ ve been freckled since childhood , the emergence of adult freckles is often the result of sun damage—which an older and wiser me tries to avoid at all costs these days .
So , when Pseudo Labs reached out to The Glow Up to try their faux-freckle makeup , PHreckles ( $ 38 ) , I was intrigued—after all , it ’ s not faking it if you ’ re just enhancing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Right ?
( Actually , don ’ t answer that . )
PHreckles promises “ water-resistant faux freckles for all skin types , ” but when the mascara-like bottle and applicator pick arrived in a posh little vegan leather holster , I admittedly braced myself for drawn-on-looking results—not the type my guy would ever find appealing , as he tends to hate most things fake .
Still , I ’ m always down for some summer fun—especially this summer—and had to know if the product ’ s three shades would really translate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skin tones .
Enlisting the help of The Root ’ s intrepid video producer Felice Léon , we decided to find out : Is this the faux freckle magic SZA-dreams are made of ?
You can check out the results for yourself in this week ’ s Big Beauty Tuesday video—but spoiler alert : He loved them .

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

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Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude


theroot--2020-07-14--How to Be an Asshole on the Internet

How to Be an Asshole on the Internet

Seriously , I have paperwork and everything .
The great playwright Shakespeare ( or maybe it was my Uncle Rob ) once said “ Opinions are like assholes .
Everyone has one and they ’ re usually full of shit.
” Numerous sources have confirmed my asshole credentials with The Root , including readers who have labeled me a “ race-baiting asshole , ” a regular asshole as well as a “ fucking asshole.
” ( For the record , I think the politically correct term for “ fucking asshole ” is “ anal sex.
” ) Even when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Shakespeare ) that feces are stored in the rectum and only emerges from the asshole , my insistence on educating them about human anatomy only served as more proof of my assholiness .
One of the first conditions required for me to become licensed through the American Association of Assholes was signing up for a Twitter and a Facebook account .
( Triple-A hates our name but what can we say ?
We ’ re assholes . )
I ’ m not saying everyone on the internet is an asshole but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger percentage of opinionated mouth-breathers than any other place on Al B.
Sure ’ s internet .
So , to strengthen our movement , The Root teamed up with the AAA to bring you the 10 steps to becoming a certified internet asshole , or : ( Wait for it ... ) If one really wants to become an anal icon , one must choose a topic to defend .
Take noted emcee Chance the Rapper , who went on a Twitter rant Monday , wondering why people won ’ t vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself from the asshole movement to embrace the Movement for Black Lives , his initial tweet was a great display of holier-than-thou-ass .
As someone who has proven himself to be a passionate defender of his friends and his city , Chance wondered why anyone would vote for a person who makes beats and sneakers for president instead of someone with 40 years of legislative , executive and government experience .
Sure he had that brief moment where he supported policy that harmed Black people for his own personal gain but ... Did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that ?
The internet is no place for staying in your lane .
While I am a big fan of Sir Chancelot , I know you might be thinking : “ Why are you paying attention to a culturally appropriating hip-hop artists for their political expertise ?
( Yes , we have to call Chance out for stealing Mario and Luigi ’ s whole style of dress .
Maybe that ’ s what ’ s wrong with Chance .
Maybe he ’ s been knocking his head against cement blocks to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even though this nigga ’ s middle and last name is “ the rapper , ” he understands that social media doesn ’ t require that people actually know what the fuck they ’ re talking about before they voice their opinion .
Sure , America is in this mess partly because we elected a president with no knowledge or experience in governing .
Sure Trump is a huge narcissist who has displayed no self-control .
Sure Trump likes to brag about how dope he is and starts feuds with people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m sure Kanye would be totally different .
And before y ’ all jump all over Chance , you should know that he ’ s putting his money where his mouth is .
He might be supporting Kanye for president , but did you know “ Ima Keep It Real Alota U Niggas Is Racist ” is the name of the hip-hop album Chance is producing for Joe Biden ?
Most AAA members have never used lotion in their lives , which gives them an itch that can only be soothed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take Terry Crews for instance .
Instead of using Chapstick , he prefers to say dumb shit like this : While Crews ’ tweets may seem nonsensical to many who wonder why he would take the time to center whiteness in a conversation about black lives , the members of the AAA also firmly oppose Black supremacy ... Because it never existed .
If you , like Crews , manage to say something supremely stupid on the internet , the best way to abrogate the perception of your stupidity is to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretending that people are wrong for holding you accountable for shit you actually said .
Another tactic is to pretend you were talking about an entirely different thing .
After receiving an endorsement from top AAA prospect Terry Crews , Chance decided to amend his previous stance .
( Crews is not an official AAA member , but his continual willingness to brown-nose whiteness makes him a perfect candidate . )
Fortunately , Chance the Rapper and Campaign Surrogate is not an asshole ( Or unfortunately for the AAA—We could ’ ve used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
This thoughtful reversal proves that Chance has no future in politics .
If he was truly interested in presidential politics , Chance would have doubled down on his initial position by tweeting something presidential , like the president , who continues to insist that testing for coronavirus actually causes cases of coronavirus : Why would anyone post this ?
Well , that brings us to the fourth crack commandment : Again , one doesn ’ t have to be an asshole to have a social media presence .
Take John Legend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an actual talent , Legend is notorious for posting thoughtful , intelligent stuff like this : He ’ s is never gon na achieve his commercial asshole license posting bullshit like this .
This is why I could never be friends with John Legend .
I bet he stops his friends from getting in fights by apologizing to the dude who somehow snuck a gun into the club .
I bet John Legend does shit like warn you how many carbs are in a certain dish when he takes you out for dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He just seems like the type of thoughtful motherfucker who cares about people he ’ s never even met .
Who needs that ?
Why is John even on Twitter if he just wants to be a good person who makes peoples smile ?
He could be writing a song for Amber and Christian ’ s beach wedding instead of making people on the internet consider their actions .
Could social media even exist if the asshole community thought about what they posted before they blasted their dookey all over the world wide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a social media site for that .
Hey John , take that “ decent human being ” bullshit to LinkedIn .
Remember that urban legend where the Future Gangbangers of America would ride around flashing their high beams and kill any non-thug who flashed their headlights back ?
Well , the internet is like that .
If you want to become a member of AAA , you ’ re gon na have to “ jump someone in .
Even the most innocuous statement can incite outrage from a social media asshole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never make it in the AAA .
He ’ s too positive .
You must find something negative to say .
Remember when Diddy showed black women love and white women went crazy ?
That was our Karen subcommittee .
Most white members of AAA didn ’ t join the asshole movement , voluntarily .
Their hate for reason , Black people or civility , in general , got them drafted into our organization .
Lately , a lot of white people who hate masks have received free lifetime memberships .
Don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who won ’ t wear masks only lasts about six months .
Facts don ’ t matter on the internet .
A lot of people are internet scholars because they get their information from social media .
Take noted physician and medical advisor to the president , Chuck Woolery : Wait ... if he didn ’ t get his info from doctors , the CDC or news reports , where did he get it ?
He probably got it from Facebook .
Everyone on Facebook knows someone who ’ s cousin works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe they know someone who “ drops knowledge ” like this : Here is where Chance fucked up : Chance would never make it through his pledge period .
Social media is essentially a fight club where people go to battle over dumb shit .
The number one rule of Asshole Fight Club is to never admit that you are incorrect .
On the internet , R. Kelly might not be a predator and R. Kelly was incarcerated because he was going to purchase a television network .
If you are proven wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ have a right to your opinion ” or that you ’ re “ just asking questions.
” I don ’ t know who this guy is , but he ’ s banned from all AAA meetings .
No one is wrong on the internet .
Even assholes like me .

I am a certified asshole.
Seriously, I have paperwork and everything.
The great playwright Shakespeare (or maybe it was my Uncle Rob) once said “Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they’re usually full of shit.” Numerous sources have confirmed my asshole credentials with The Root, including readers who have labeled me a “race-baiting asshole,” a regular asshole as well as a “fucking asshole.” (For the record, I think the politically correct term for“fucking asshole” is “anal sex.”) Even when I correctly pointed out to my uncle (or Shakespeare) that feces are stored in the rectum and only emerges from the asshole, my insistence on educating them about human anatomy only served as more proof of my assholiness.
One of the first conditions required for me to become licensed through the American Association of Assholes was signing up for a Twitter and a Facebook account. (Triple-A hates our name but what can we say? We’re assholes.) I’m not saying everyone on the internet is an asshole but I would wager that social media has a larger percentage of opinionated mouth-breathers than any other place on Al B. Sure’s internet.
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So, to strengthen our movement, The Root teamed up with the AAA to bring you the 10 steps to becoming a certified internet asshole, or: (Wait for it...)
The 10 other crack commandments.
1. Pick a Hill
If one really wants to become an anal icon, one must choose a topic to defend. Take noted emcee Chance the Rapper, who went on a Twitter rant Monday, wondering why people won’t vote for Kanye West.
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While Chance ultimately distanced himself from the asshole movement to embrace the Movement for Black Lives, his initial tweet was a great display of holier-than-thou-ass. As someone who has proven himself to be a passionate defender of his friends and his city, Chance wondered why anyone would vote for a person who makes beats and sneakers for president instead of someone with 40 years of legislative, executive and government experience.
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Sure he had that brief moment where he supported policy that harmed Black people for his own personal gain but...
Hold up.
Did Kanye do that or did Joe Biden do that?
Exactly.
2. Swerve on ‘em
The internet is no place for staying in your lane.
While I am a big fan of Sir Chancelot, I know you might be thinking: “Why are you paying attention to a culturally appropriating hip-hop artists for their political expertise? (Yes, we have to call Chance out for stealing Mario and Luigi’s whole style of dress. Maybe that’s what’s wrong with Chance. Maybe he’s been knocking his head against cement blocks to see if gold coins will come out.).
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Even though this nigga’s middle and last name is “the rapper,” he understands that social media doesn’t require that people actually know what the fuck they’re talking about before they voice their opinion. Sure, America is in this mess partly because we elected a president with no knowledge or experience in governing. Sure Trump is a huge narcissist who has displayed no self-control. Sure Trump likes to brag about how dope he is and starts feuds with people who he once claimed was his friend.
I’m sure Kanye would be totally different.
And before y’all jump all over Chance, you should know that he’s putting his money where his mouth is. He might be supporting Kanye for president, but did you know “Ima Keep It Real Alota U Niggas Is Racist” is the name of the hip-hop album Chance is producing for Joe Biden?
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It’s mostly mumblerap.
3. Be ashy
Most AAA members have never used lotion in their lives, which gives them an itch that can only be soothed by spewing feces all over the internet. Take Terry Crews for instance. Instead of using Chapstick, he prefers to say dumb shit like this:
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While Crews’ tweets may seem nonsensical to many who wonder why he would take the time to center whiteness in a conversation about black lives, the members of the AAA also firmly oppose Black supremacy...
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Because it never existed.
4. Be moist
If you, like Crews, manage to say something supremely stupid on the internet, the best way to abrogate the perception of your stupidity is to try to slip out of the spotlight by pretending that people are wrong for holding you accountable for shit you actually said.
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Another tactic is to pretend you were talking about an entirely different thing.
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5. Die on That Hill
After receiving an endorsement from top AAA prospect Terry Crews, Chance decided to amend his previous stance. (Crews is not an official AAA member, but his continual willingness to brown-nose whiteness makes him a perfect candidate.)
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Fortunately, Chance the Rapper and Campaign Surrogate is not an asshole (Or unfortunately for the AAA—We could’ve used some of Chance’s dues money).
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This thoughtful reversal proves that Chance has no future in politics. If he was truly interested in presidential politics, Chance would have doubled down on his initial position by tweeting something presidential, like the president, who continues to insist that testing for coronavirus actually causes cases of coronavirus:
Why would anyone post this? Well, that brings us to the fourth crack commandment:
6. Don’t Think
Again, one doesn’t have to be an asshole to have a social media presence. Take John Legend, for instance. Because he has an actual talent, Legend is notorious for posting thoughtful, intelligent stuff like this:
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He’s is never gonna achieve his commercial asshole license posting bullshit like this.
This is why I could never be friends with John Legend. I bet he stops his friends from getting in fights by apologizing to the dude who somehow snuck a gun into the club. I bet John Legend does shit like warn you how many carbs are in a certain dish when he takes you out for dinner and then pays for the meal. He just seems like the type of thoughtful motherfucker who cares about people he’s never even met.
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Who needs that?
Why is John even on Twitter if he just wants to be a good person who makes peoples smile? He could be writing a song for Amber and Christian’s beach wedding instead of making people on the internet consider their actions. Could social media even exist if the asshole community thought about what they posted before they blasted their dookey all over the world wide web? I’m sure there’s a social media site for that.
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Hey John, take that “decent human being” bullshit to LinkedIn.
7. Be negative
Remember that urban legend where the Future Gangbangers of America would ride around flashing their high beams and kill any non-thug who flashed their headlights back?
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Well, the internet is like that.
If you want to become a member of AAA, you’re gonna have to “jump someone in. Even the most innocuous statement can incite outrage from a social media asshole.
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That’s why Chance could never make it in the AAA. He’s too positive. You must find something negative to say. Remember when Diddy showed black women love and white women went crazy?
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That was our Karen subcommittee.
8. Get drafted
Most white members of AAA didn’t join the asshole movement, voluntarily. Their hate for reason, Black people or civility, in general, got them drafted into our organization. Lately, a lot of white people who hate masks have received free lifetime memberships.
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Don’t worry, a lifetime membership for people who won’t wear masks only lasts about six months.
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9. Don’t worry about facts
Facts don’t matter on the internet. A lot of people are internet scholars because they get their information from social media. Take noted physician and medical advisor to the president, Chuck Woolery:
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Wait... if he didn’t get his info from doctors, the CDC or news reports, where did he get it?
He probably got it from Facebook. Everyone on Facebook knows someone who’s cousin works for the World Health Organization. Or maybe they know someone who “drops knowledge” like this:
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Seems legit.
10. Never say you’re wrong
Here is where Chance fucked up:
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Chance would never make it through his pledge period.
Social media is essentially a fight club where people go to battle over dumb shit. The number one rule of Asshole Fight Club is to never admit that you are incorrect.
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On the internet, R. Kelly might not be a predator and R. Kelly was incarcerated because he was going to purchase a television network. If you are proven wrong, you can simply insist that you “have a right to your opinion” or that you’re “just asking questions.”
This tweet put it perfectly:
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I don’t know who this guy is, but he’s banned from all AAA meetings. No one is wrong on the internet.
Even assholes like me.


theroot--2020-07-14--Video Prompts Investigation Into New Jersey Police Officer Seen Repeatedly Punching Restrained Black

Video Prompts Investigation Into New Jersey Police Officer Seen Repeatedly Punching Restrained Black Man

Another day , another investigation sparked by another viral video showing another cop beating on another Black man .
This time it happened in New Jersey around 3 a.m. on Sunday when an officer was recorded repeatedly punching a Black man in the face while other officers restrained him .
According to CBS Philly , the Cape May County Prosecutor ’ s Office is looking into what led up to the incident—which happened in the 3700 block of Pacific Avenue in Wildwood , N.J.—and whether or not any of the officers involved violated the police department ’ s use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t much information available as to the Black man ’ s identity or what exactly he did to prompt such an aggressive arrest , but the eyes don ’ t lie and what the video taken by a witness shows makes it hard to imagine that no use of force policy was violated .
The video shows a number of officers restraining the man on the ground while others appear to form a barrier around them .
In what looks like a fit of rage , one officer can be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the head and face at least four times while other officers hold him down .
Wildwood police told CBS Philly that the incident happened after a series of arrests but they wouldn ’ t comment any further .
An unidentified “ law enforcement source ” told NBC10 the officers were called to the scene because someone reported a man hitting a woman inside Romeo ’ s Pizza .
The source also said the man who was being restrained is 24-years-old and has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being held at the Cape May County Jail .
The video was taken by Joseph Kirk who was visiting Wildwood with a friend when they witnessed the altercation .
“ It was just totally unnecessary of them punching him like that .
It ’ s like five cops , one dude , ” Kirk told CBS Philly .
Kirk ’ s friend , Ryan Wells , told reporters that when he got there , he “ saw them grab him and throw him to the ground and they kept saying stop resisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started pounding his face honestly.
” Investigators are asking that anyone who has video or photos of the incident call the Cape May County Prosecutor ’ s Office , Professional Standards Unit at 609-465-1135 , according to NBC 10 .

Another day, another investigation sparked by another viral video showing another cop beating on another Black man. This time it happened in New Jersey around 3 a.m. on Sunday when an officer was recorded repeatedly punching a Black man in the face while other officers restrained him.
According to CBS Philly, the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office is looking into what led up to the incident—which happened in the 3700 block of Pacific Avenue in Wildwood, N.J.—and whether or not any of the officers involved violated the police department’s use of justifiable force policy.
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So far there isn’t much information available as to the Black man’s identity or what exactly he did to prompt such an aggressive arrest, but the eyes don’t lie and what the video taken by a witness shows makes it hard to imagine that no use of force policy was violated.
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The video shows a number of officers restraining the man on the ground while others appear to form a barrier around them. In what looks like a fit of rage, one officer can be seen using both fists to punch the man in the head and face at least four times while other officers hold him down.
Wildwood police told CBS Philly that the incident happened after a series of arrests but they wouldn’t comment any further. An unidentified “law enforcement source” told NBC10 the officers were called to the scene because someone reported a man hitting a woman inside Romeo’s Pizza. The source also said the man who was being restrained is 24-years-old and has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault on law enforcement, resisting arrest and riot, and is being held at the Cape May County Jail.
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The video was taken by Joseph Kirk who was visiting Wildwood with a friend when they witnessed the altercation.
“It was just totally unnecessary of them punching him like that. It’s like five cops, one dude,” Kirk told CBS Philly.
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Kirk’s friend, Ryan Wells, told reporters that when he got there, he “saw them grab him and throw him to the ground and they kept saying stop resisting, stuff like that. Then he started pounding his face honestly.”
Investigators are asking that anyone who has video or photos of the incident call the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, Professional Standards Unit at 609-465-1135, according to NBC 10.


theroot--2020-07-14--Four Charged With Murder in Death of Rapper Pop Smoke, Could Face Death Penalty

Four people have been charged with murder in the shooting death of burgeoning Brooklyn rapper , Pop Smoke ( born Bashar Jackson ) .
Last week , five suspects were arrested in connection with the case .
The 20-year-old was killed during a home invasion in Los Angeles in February .
Prosecutors say that the attackers got the musician ’ s address after he posted videos with it in view on packages on social media .
According to Buzzfeed News , two suspects—20-year-old Corey Walker and 18-year-old Keandre Rodgers—were charged by the Los Angeles County Police Department on Monday for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eligible for the death penalty if they are convicted .
Additionally , two unidentified teenage boys , ages 15 and 17 , were charged in juvenile court for one count of murder and robbery .
“ The house was reportedly a rental owned by John Mellencamp ’ s daughter , Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave , who stars on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , ” Buzzfeed News continues .
“ The Los Angeles Police Department reported at the time that a “ number of suspects in masks ” entered the residence and shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smoke ’ s posthumously released debut album Shoot for the Stars , Aim for the Moon debuted at No .
1 on the Billboard charts this week , with a total of 251,000 equivalent album units sold .
The project , released July 3 , features 50 Cent ( widely regarded as one of Pop Smoke ’ s biggest influences ) , Quavo , Roddy Ricch and more .
50 Cent served as an executive producer on Pop ’ s album , and in a recent interview with Billboard , he praised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York drill music , a style of trap that originated in the South Side of Chicago .
“ You can hear the drill music and aggression , ” 50 explains .
“ [ Pop ] wasn ’ t showing his abilities to do things different musically .
And then , he broke out of that after those first two tapes to create the music that he was creating at those times .
”

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

Four people have been charged with murder in the shooting death of burgeoning Brooklyn rapper, Pop Smoke (born Bashar Jackson). Last week, five suspects were arrested in connection with the case. The 20-year-old was killed during a home invasion in Los Angeles in February. Prosecutors say that the attackers got the musician’s address after he posted videos with it in view on packages on social media.
According to Buzzfeed News, two suspects—20-year-old Corey Walker and 18-year-old Keandre Rodgers—were charged by the Los Angeles County Police Department on Monday for murder during a robbery, a charge eligible for the death penalty if they are convicted. Additionally, two unidentified teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, were charged in juvenile court for one count of murder and robbery.
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“The house was reportedly a rental owned by John Mellencamp’s daughter, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, who stars on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Buzzfeed News continues. “The Los Angeles Police Department reported at the time that a “number of suspects in masks” entered the residence and shot [Pop Smoke].”
Pop Smoke’s posthumously released debut album Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts this week, with a total of 251,000 equivalent album units sold. The project, released July 3, features 50 Cent (widely regarded as one of Pop Smoke’s biggest influences), Quavo, Roddy Ricch and more.
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50 Cent served as an executive producer on Pop’s album, and in a recent interview with Billboard, he praised the late rapper for carrying the torch for New York drill music, a style of trap that originated in the South Side of Chicago.
“You can hear the drill music and aggression,” 50 explains. “[Pop] wasn’t showing his abilities to do things different musically. And then, he broke out of that after those first two tapes to create the music that he was creating at those times.”


theroot--2020-07-14--Viola Davis Opens Up About Police Brutality and Regretting The Help With Historic Vanity Fair Cover

Viola Davis radiates on the cover of Vanity Fair for its July/August 2020 edition .
The Oscar , Emmy and Tony-winning actress discusses police brutality protests , the fight for equal pay as a Black thespian and much more .
Dario Calmese shot the photos accompanying Davis ’ feature , and made history in doing so .
He is the first Black photographer to shoot a cover for Vanity Fair .
Davis , who turns 55 next month , has been vocal about the importance of equal pay for Black actors , famously ( and excellently ) stating during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ People say , ‘ You ’ re a Black Meryl Streep ... OK , then if there is no one like me , if you think I ’ m that , you pay me what I ’ m worth.
” She doubles down on that statement during her Vanity Fair interview , adding that addressing every issue of systemic racism in this country would take forever .
“ Should I say it ?
Should I not ?
What ’ s a good hashtag ?
” she says .
“ Is there going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where I just stop getting phone calls ?
Stop getting jobs ?
” She also points out Vanity Fair ’ s issues with inclusion , which the writer Sonia Saraiya agrees with .
( “ There ’ s a real absence of dark-skinned Black women .
When you couple that with what ’ s going on in our culture , and how they treat Black women , you have a double whammy .
You are putting us in a complete cloak of invisibility , ” Davis notes . )
Elsewhere in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the frontlines of the Black Lives Matter protests but acknowledges her apprehensions with COVID-19 .
As we know , the illness comes with a higher mortality rate for African Americans .
“ This WAS our civil rights movement , and we were sidelined because of health issues , ” she says of wanting to march with her close friend , Octavia Spencer .
“ We felt isolated from the movement.
” Nevertheless , they made sure to find a way to show their solidarity .
They held a neighborhood demonstration “ with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be mindful of their health ” in Studio City , Calif. Davis also explains some of her regrets about being in the film The Help , which was her introduction to many despite being in the acting game for years .
According to the actress , despite earning an Oscar nomination for her role of maid Aibileen , she wishes she hadn ’ t been in the film .
“ Not a lot of narratives are also invested in our humanity , ” Davis says .
“ They ’ re invested in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black , but…it ’ s catering to the white audience ...
There ’ s a part of me that feels like I betrayed myself , and my people , because I was in a movie that wasn ’ t ready to [ tell the whole truth ] .
” Read more of her outstanding feature here .

Viola Davis radiates on the cover of Vanity Fair for its July/August 2020 edition. The Oscar, Emmy and Tony-winning actress discusses police brutality protests, the fight for equal pay as a Black thespian and much more. Dario Calmese shot the photos accompanying Davis’ feature, and made history in doing so. He is the first Black photographer to shoot a cover for Vanity Fair.
Davis, who turns 55 next month, has been vocal about the importance of equal pay for Black actors, famously (and excellently) stating during a Women in the World event in 2018 “People say, ‘You’re a Black Meryl Streep...OK, then if there is no one like me, if you think I’m that, you pay me what I’m worth.” She doubles down on that statement during her Vanity Fair interview, adding that addressing every issue of systemic racism in this country would take forever.
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“Should I say it? Should I not? What’s a good hashtag?” she says. “Is there going to be some kind of silent backlash, where I just stop getting phone calls? Stop getting jobs?” She also points out Vanity Fair’s issues with inclusion, which the writer Sonia Saraiya agrees with. (“There’s a real absence of dark-skinned Black women. When you couple that with what’s going on in our culture, and how they treat Black women, you have a double whammy. You are putting us in a complete cloak of invisibility,” Davis notes.)
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Elsewhere in the conversation, Davis discusses wanting to be on the frontlines of the Black Lives Matter protests but acknowledges her apprehensions with COVID-19. As we know, the illness comes with a higher mortality rate for African Americans.
“This WAS our civil rights movement, and we were sidelined because of health issues,” she says of wanting to march with her close friend, Octavia Spencer. “We felt isolated from the movement.” Nevertheless, they made sure to find a way to show their solidarity. They held a neighborhood demonstration “with friends and family members who needed to be mindful of their health” in Studio City, Calif.
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Davis also explains some of her regrets about being in the film The Help, which was her introduction to many despite being in the acting game for years. According to the actress, despite earning an Oscar nomination for her role of maid Aibileen, she wishes she hadn’t been in the film.
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“Not a lot of narratives are also invested in our humanity,” Davis says. “They’re invested in the idea of what it means to be Black, but…it’s catering to the white audience...There’s a part of me that feels like I betrayed myself, and my people, because I was in a movie that wasn’t ready to [tell the whole truth].”
Read more of her outstanding feature here.


theroot--2020-07-14--Watch: Brave Soul Interrupts Dumbass Florida Governor Who Just Stands There Like an Idiot

On Monday , a man—who can ’ t possibly live in Florida—interrupted a press conference by Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( who looks exactly how you ’ d think a Florida governor would look ) to tell the inept governor that his handling of COVID-19 throughout his state has been a joke and that he ’ s willing to call in the fire department to help DeSantis get his head out of Trump ’ s ass .
“ Shame on you , ” Thomas Kennedy , the Florida director of United We Dream , a national immigrant advocacy group said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You are an embarrassment ... We ’ re getting record-breaking cases every day , and you are doing nothing.
” DeSantis was speaking at Jackson Memorial Hospital , and no one knows WTF he was talking about because no one listens to this dumbass man when he opens his pie hole .
Kennedy , however , stole the show .
The Times notes that Florida was disappointed to learn that it wasn ’ t in the top 5 states that aren ’ t dealing with COVID-19 breakouts and hotspots , so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tirelessly to receive any type of approval from the president , wanted the world to know that while the coronavirus was not under control , he was going to be reopening his state with very little restrictions .
On Sunday , Florida reported 15,300 new COVID-19 cases , which set the record for the most cases a single day anywhere in the U.S since the pandemic began .
On Monday , Florida ’ s Department of Health confirmed 12,624 new cases of COVID-19 , the second-highest single-day total .
Gimenez said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stabilize Miami-Dade ’ s coronavirus rates before enacting further closures .
“ We can not get swept away in fear , ” DeSantis said during the press conference .
Umm , what ?
This is a Trump line that many Republicans seem to say as if the fear isn ’ t justified .
A deadly virus is sweeping the country like a goddamn Godzilla movie and the governor of Florida is like , “ Y ’ all trippin.
’ ” The Times notes that Kennedy is a civil rights organizer who is based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t the South , it ’ s more like a butt-naked New York City ) .
“ In a video of Monday ’ s press conference that Kennedy posted to his Twitter account , a security representative approached Kennedy closely and told him he needed to leave .
Kennedy asked him not to break social distancing , ” the Times reports .
This is goddamn brilliant .
During these COVID-19 times , we have to find the glimmers of hope where we can and telling a security guard not to break social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we already know that the security forces would just make a 6.5-foot long nightstick to beat us with .
The Times notes that just last week , dumbass DeSantis “ hosted a press conference in close quarters in a facility where 18 COVID-positive patients were being treated .
Reporters weren ’ t informed this was the case.
” DeSantis didn ’ t respond to Kennedy because he couldn ’ t .
I mean , really , what is dumbass DeSantis going to say ?
He just continued talking about whatever the fuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one listens to him .
“ You should resign , Ron DeSantis , ” Kennedy said at the end of the video .
“ Resign.
” A truer word has never been spoken .

On Monday, a man—who can’t possibly live in Florida—interrupted a press conference by Gov. Ron DeSantis (who looks exactly how you’d think a Florida governor would look) to tell the inept governor that his handling of COVID-19 throughout his state has been a joke and that he’s willing to call in the fire department to help DeSantis get his head out of Trump’s ass.
“Shame on you,” Thomas Kennedy, the Florida director of United We Dream, a national immigrant advocacy group said, the Tampa Bay Times reports. “You are an embarrassment...We’re getting record-breaking cases every day, and you are doing nothing.”
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DeSantis was speaking at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and no one knows WTF he was talking about because no one listens to this dumbass man when he opens his pie hole. Kennedy, however, stole the show.
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The Times notes that Florida was disappointed to learn that it wasn’t in the top 5 states that aren’t dealing with COVID-19 breakouts and hotspots, so it got busy. DeSantis, who works tirelessly to receive any type of approval from the president, wanted the world to know that while the coronavirus was not under control, he was going to be reopening his state with very little restrictions.
From the Times:
On Sunday, Florida reported 15,300 new COVID-19 cases, which set the record for the most cases a single day anywhere in the U.S since the pandemic began. On Monday, Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 12,624 new cases of COVID-19, the second-highest single-day total. Gimenez said he was waiting to see if existing restaurant restrictions stabilize Miami-Dade’s coronavirus rates before enacting further closures.
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“We cannot get swept away in fear,” DeSantis said during the press conference.
Umm, what? This is a Trump line that many Republicans seem to say as if the fear isn’t justified. A deadly virus is sweeping the country like a goddamn Godzilla movie and the governor of Florida is like, “Y’all trippin.’”
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The Times notes that Kennedy is a civil rights organizer who is based in Miami (which really isn’t the South, it’s more like a butt-naked New York City).
“In a video of Monday’s press conference that Kennedy posted to his Twitter account, a security representative approached Kennedy closely and told him he needed to leave. Kennedy asked him not to break social distancing,” the Times reports.
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This is goddamn brilliant. During these COVID-19 times, we have to find the glimmers of hope where we can and telling a security guard not to break social distancing might actually encourage civil discourse. Sike, we already know that the security forces would just make a 6.5-foot long nightstick to beat us with.
The Times notes that just last week, dumbass DeSantis “hosted a press conference in close quarters in a facility where 18 COVID-positive patients were being treated. Reporters weren’t informed this was the case.”
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DeSantis didn’t respond to Kennedy because he couldn’t. I mean, really, what is dumbass DeSantis going to say? He just continued talking about whatever the fuck it was he was talking about because no one listens to him.
“You should resign, Ron DeSantis,” Kennedy said at the end of the video. “Resign.”
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A truer word has never been spoken.