It’s Monday, so you already know we got you covered with some new music that’s sure to keep you jamming through the week.

It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the release of Back to Black by Amy Winehouse. Although her second, and what would tragically end up being her last, the album is widely considered to be her breakout on a global scale after selling 20 million copies worldwide, nearly sweeping at the 2008 GRAMMYs and establishing the Brit-soul queen as one of the most unique and promising voices in music at the time. The unfortunate circumstances of her death only five years later would put an end to the potential, but Amy’s music continues to live on.

The 20th anniversary release of Back to Black is highlighted by four unreleased demos, a handful of rare B-sides, bonus tracks, demos and live recordings taken from her Back To Black Tour show from Paradiso, Amsterdam on February 8th 2007.

RELATED: New Music Mondays: Jhené Aiko Sings Her Pain Away On Westside Whimsy

John Legend put his trust in Pharrell Williams to produce the entirety of his new album, Muse. The fact a collaboration on this scale hasn’t already happened between these two is surprising in itself, but to actually hear their signature sounds intertwined is pleasing beyond expectations. John’s jazz-centric nature doesn’t sound off in the least bit next to the bouncy beats that Pharrell has become accustomed to delivering. Together, they create something that’s elevating for both parties involved.

The album as a whole is an enjoyable listen, but standout tracks worth spinning back include “Daylight,” “Get Back” and “Bodies On The Floor” featuring Clipse.

Yung Miami channeled the past few years of high and lows into her debut album, Watch Dis, and the vulnerability paid off quite well in the end. Aggressive cuts like the previously heard “F You” and “2008,” signature hit “Spend Dat,” Chanel-inspired “TMTC” with Quavo and G Herbo, plus the “Dade County” posse cut alongside local legends Rick Ross, Trick Daddy and Trina each add to the energy Yung Miami curates on her first solo effort.

However, it will be the deeply personal “Dear JT” that gets the people talking the most. As the title suggests, the song is an eulogy of sorts to her days alongside former City Girls member, JT, who she parted ways with following a highly-publicized feud on social media back in 2024. The lyrics speak for itself.

Also bumping through our speakers is a throwback-inspired collab from YG & Ty Dolla $ign, a collaborative album by Cordae & Anderson .Paak, new age Brit-soul baddie Mahalia with a breakdown on heartbreak, the debut album by Laila! — you might know her dad as Mos Def or Yasiin Bey — new single by Westside Gunn, Toosii with a sequel to his fan-favorite project and a new New York anthem from Erick the Architect with help from Harlem’s Fergie Baby and Wu-Tang Clan legend Ghostface Killah.

Scroll along as we put together a mix of new albums and singles in this week’s “New Music Mondays” roundup:

ALBUM: Amy Winehouse — (20th Anniversary Edition)

Sybil Wilkes delivered the day’s essential headlines on Monday, Oct. 26, in her “What We Need to Know” segment. The stories ranged from the final stretch of the midterm elections to a violent end to a homecoming celebration, a nationwide health recall, and a tribute to one of the most powerful voices in Black history.

Offset is spreading the love, one Walmart bouquet at a time. The Atlanta rapper stopped by a Walmart on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and surprised unsuspecting women and employees with flowers and uplifting messages. Apparently, somebody decided it was time to give the ladies their flowers — literally.

Soundtracked by “Every Night,” his recent collaboration with Don Toliver, Offset handed out bouquets to women throughout the store, catching many of them off guard with the unexpected gesture, Billboard reports.

“All beautiful queens deserve to be celebrated every day & night,” Offset captioned the Instagram video.

Naturally, the internet had thoughts. Some fans seemed charmed by the rapper’s new flower-powered energy, while others weren’t exactly ready to hand him a Good Samaritan trophy.

“Offset rebranding into a gentle ladies man….. okkkkkk,” one commenter wrote.

“Definitely not impressed,” another added.

One fan joked that Offset was coming for everybody’s grandmother, writing, “Offset finna snatch our grandmas!”

But members of Cardi B’s Bardi Gang had a more pressing question: Where are Cardi’s flowers?

“Go give your baby mama flowers too she’s a woman,” one fan commented.

And honestly, the question makes sense given Offset’s history of going all out with floral arrangements for his estranged wife. During their relationship, he frequently showered Cardi with elaborate displays for birthdays, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

In 2018, he even spent a reported $15,000 on flowers spelling out “Take me back, Cardi” during her Rolling Loud performance, interrupting her set to make the grand romantic gesture. Subtlety has never exactly been his love language.

After seven years together, Cardi filed for divorce for a second time in July 2024. The former couple shares three children, and their divorce settlement has yet to be finalized.

Meanwhile, Offset has music on his mind. The rapper is preparing to release his upcoming album, GMFU, which was originally scheduled to arrive Oct. 23. However, it remains unclear whether that release date is still on track. Billboard reached out to his representatives for confirmation.

His latest solo album, Kiari, arrived in August 2025 and peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200.

For now, Offset is handing out flowers to strangers, and the internet is wondering whether the woman who once received $15,000 worth of them will ever get another bouquet.

Jordyn Woods is living her best life, and her wife era looks fabulous on her! The model and entrepreneur recently posted photos from a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, and while the action happened on the court, Woods, of course, served a winning look from the sidelines.

The newlywed arrived in a chic, caramel-colored suede ensemble that exuded effortless luxury. The look featured a relaxed zip-front bomber jacket, a coordinating ankle-length midi skirt, and a statement gold chain belt cinching her waist. She completed the monochromatic moment with strappy gold heels, a sleek high ponytail, soft glam makeup, and enough diamonds to make anyone do a double take.

Woods took to Instagram to share a carousel of photos from the evening, including a close-up of her hand, where a massive Knicks championship ring sat next to her dazzling diamond wedding ring. The oversized, diamond-encrusted Knicks ring practically covered her fingers, while her stunning emerald-cut wedding ring added another layer of sparkle.

Jordyn Woods Rocks Diamonds and New Clutch Courtside

And because one statement piece is never enough, Woods also showcased her signature lucky ostrich-embossed clutch from her fashion line, WOODS by Jordyn, in a new metallic gold color that we’re obsessed with. The oversized clutch stylishly complemented her fall-colored outfit, adding texture, shine, and a little extra drama to her courtside ensemble.

In her carousel, Woods also shared photos from a display featuring her Courtside collection, reminding us she’s not just sitting pretty courtside. She’s also building her brand…all while looking fabulous.

Before the game kicked off, the entrepreneur hosted a special Get Ready With Me (GRWM) experience inside the Verizon Club at Madison Square Garden, where select Verizon customers enjoyed a little fashion and beauty treatment of their own. Guests got styled and took home goodies from WOODS by Jordyn.

We love seeing Woods stepping into her boss wife era and seeing her create fashionable experiences that let others get in on the glam. And with basketball season officially underway, we’re looking forward to more of Woods and her signature courtside swag.

From her effortlessly chic ensembles to her statement accessories, she’s already setting the mood for another fashionable season.

Let’s go, Jordyn!

The first four episodes of Power & Influence just dropped on TikTok, but the drama is already on ten. Are you watching yet?

SPOILER ALERT

We’re here to recap episodes 1-4 and dissect the scandal scene by scene. If you thought your own work drama was messy, this new microseries will gag you further. There’s never a dull moment at Metropolitan, an Atlanta agency under threat when a shocking AI-generated deepfake surfaces, one that could bring down the firm while the entire city watches it crash and burn.

We meet Zuri Reynolds in the first episode. The ambitious young AI specialist is nervous about meeting Metropolitan CEO Nia Whitmore and pitching her creative strategy to the team. Her fears are justified: Nia swiftly rejects Zuri’s idea, convinced that artificial intelligence has no place at the agency. Just then, everyone’s phones start going off. A video has gone viral of the two women appearing a lot closer than anyone thought. Nia and Zuri fiercely deny that it’s really them in the video.

In episode two, Metropolitan scrambles to contain the chaos set off by the shocking video, which has left the whole office questioning what’s real. Zuri explains to Nia that it’s an AI-generated deepfake created to look like them. Who’s behind the video, and what do they want? As the new girl in the office, all eyes are on Zuri and her mysterious past.

Things heat up in episode three, when Nia and Ray, the creative director, meet privately in her office as they try to figure out who might be plotting to damage Nia’s reputation. In Atlanta, it could be anyone. They close Nia’s office door behind them, hiding the true nature of their relationship.

The plot thickens in episode four when private photos of Zuri appear online under the handle @Ballerina_Bae. The office is once again gripped by the latest scandal sparked by the risqué photos of the new girl. Zuri is just as stunned as the rest of the team, but Nia wonders if she’s secretly plotting the downfall of Metropolitan, and her along with it.

The Drama Is Heating Up: Watch Power & Influence

Catch up on new episodes of Power & Influence: bossip.com/microseries

Follow BOSSIP on TikTok for all the latest twists and join the conversation.

New episodes drop October 26.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s oldest child is too young to earn a Baddies chain anytime soon, but she paid the cost to become the boss and hand it out herself. The 13-year-old took to Tiktok with an unserious Spooky SZN slay. In the clip, she first appeared in her signature electric blue bundles while lip-synching to Nicki Minaj’s namedrop on Lil Uzi Vert’s “Endless Fashion”:

“Even if my name was Natalie Nunn, these bitches still couldn’t chin-check me,” the song said as North zoomed in on her chin, and then zoomed out on herself with a sleek black bob, Baddies CEO ice, and prosthetic chin. While North was wilding with Thee Chin that launched a thousand reality stars, she didn’t miss detail down to the makeup. Who wore it best?

North made sure to tag her muse in the video, which instantly went viral. The comments are convinced this level of trick or treat trolling is proof she really is just like her daddy, from the creativity to the audacity.

“Now that is Kanye’s daughter fr lol she’s hilarious”

“Using the chin for the transition is sending me so bad”

“ oh you played and ateee at the same time”

“SHE TAGGED HER? CRAZY”

“If this ain’t the most Kanye shii I done seen”

North took it even further, dancing to Natalie’s song and Baddies: USA theme, “Doin What I Want.” She had every mannerism down to a science!

The head Baddie in charge reposted the video on Instagram, giving credit and maybe even a chain to the mini me menace. “I GOTTA GET @northwest her baddie chain now! SHE GETS A BADDIE CHAIN HAPPY HALLOWEEN MONTH !!” she wrote.

However, Natalie wasn’t done. She decided to get in on the fun and beat North at her own game.

Check out Natalie Nunn’s North West costume clapback after the flip!

If you’re a Black woman over 35, you already know the question is coming. It shows up at the family cookout, during the holidays and, somehow, in the middle of brunch, whether you have a partner or not: “So when are you having kids?”

Or some version of the question.

I’ve heard it more times than I can count. I’m not married, I’m over 35, and I’m building a life I love. So, when Jordyn Woods got asked the same question on national TV this week, I felt it in my soul.

Yes, we’re in two totally different places in our lives.

She’s a newlywed, married to New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, under 30, and she’s running her own fashion brand. But it’s interesting how questions around kids – having them, wanting them, or why wait for them – frequently come up.

During an Oct. 23 appearance on “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle,” Jordyn sat down with Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones. She gushed about saying “I do” in Malibu in August, keeping the ceremony “short and sweet,” and about the lucky orange bag Knicks fans still credit for the team’s championship run. She also talked about her new bridal collection, including shoes and other white items we all may need in our closets, bride or not.

But her conversation about kids hit home for me.

Jordyn Woods Answered The Question I Get Asked All The Time: What About Kids

Sheinelle asked the question so many newlyweds hear, though she admitted she hated asking it. Basically, does Jordyn even want kids?

I get why it comes up. While newlyweds are still in the honeymoon phase, people start asking about the next step. First comes love, then marriage, then a baby in a baby carriage. Right?

Jordyn handled it with grace.

She said she gets the question often but isn’t actively trying to get pregnant. She also pointed out something I’ve thought about for years: we spend so much of our lives trying not to get pregnant, only to learn that when we finally want to, there’s no guarantee when it will happen.

“In a perfect world, we will have family and kids. We love children,” Jordyn told the hosts. “It’s just I’m really focused on my career and hopefully the Knicks winning again that I don’t want to be pregnant for that.”

Sis, same. Swap the Knicks for my own wins, and that’s my life right now. Her words resonated with me, and I know they resonate with so many other women who are newly married or, like me, over 35 and just trying to live their best lives. As Jordyn eloquently put it, she and Karl want kids. The right timing just matters.

Black Women Are Rewriting The Motherhood Timeline

I’m far from alone. Women of our generation are having kids later, and some of our favorite stars have shown us how to do it on our own terms. Tamron Hall welcomed her son at 48. Naomi Campbell and Janet Jackson both became moms at 50.

The numbers back it up too. CDC data released this week shows the U.S. general fertility rate hit a record low in 2025, with 53.2 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. A century ago, the rate was double, and today the average woman has fewer than two babies.

And here’s the real tea. Birth rates fell for women up to age 29 but rose for women ages 30 to 44. Many of us aren’t skipping motherhood. We’re choosing timing that works for us, and for our partners.

The reasons are as personal as they are real. Experts point to women waiting for financial, educational or career security, as well as marriage, before giving birth. Demographers note that today’s financial realities make the 18-year commitment of raising a child feel heavier, and a new survey found more than 7 in 10 Gen Z adults say it’s a bad time to have kids.

Like Jordyn, many of us are in our entrepreneurial era, building wealth and a legacy for ourselves and our future families. Some of us may not want kids at all.

For all of us, health is a factor. Fibroids – which can impact fertility – hit Black women especially hard. More than 80% of Black women will have fibroids by age 50, according to the National Institutes of Health, and Black women are diagnosed three times as often as white women.

Whether And When We Have Kids Is Nobody’s Business

Whatever the reason a woman doesn’t have a child, it’s no one else’s business.

If you want kids early in life, that’s your decision, and it’s beautiful. If you want them later, don’t plan to have them at all or get a surprise blessing, because that happens too, that’s your choice as well.

Every one of those paths deserves respect.

That’s why I agree with Jordyn. If the Knicks win, I want to celebrate, kids or no kids. And no, I’m not a Knicks fan, but the sentiment still stands. If I want to party, take a trip or book a flight to Jamaica, I can do that.

Jay-Z isn’t done proving why he’s hip hop’s reigning Godfather. The rap mogul kicked off the first of his two sold-out Jay-Z 30 shows at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, bringing out Blue Ivy, John Legend, DJ Khaled and others to perform for a crowd which included Rihanna and Destiny’s Child.

After shutting down his hometown of NYC with four, celebrity-packed and record-breaking shows, Hov took the party across the pond where he treated his Parisian and UK fans (and the American ones willing to make the trip) to a night of hit after hit to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and the 20th anniversary of Blueprint. Now, he’s out to prove that he can rock a show on the opposite coast and it looks like he’s off to a good start.

It was a family affair, as usual, with Jay and Bey’s eldest daughter Blue Ivy coming out to play the piano for her superstar father’s performances of “Dead Presidents” and “The Story of OJ.” Though her mother didn’t join Jay onstage, she was seen rocking in the crowd, alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Come on, destiny’s children!!

Though his Yankee Stadium shows were packed with surprises, Jay took it easy on night one in Los Angeles. He was joined by John Legend and DJ Khaled for “God Did” and brought out legendary rapper Scarface for his rendition of “This Can’t Be Life” as well as the aforementioned’s track “Mind Playing Tricks on Me.”

Jay is soaking it all in as he continues to show why he’s been able to sustain success for the last three decades. He recently announced that he’ll be the headlining performer for next year’s Super Bowl, a plan many felt was always in the work when he decided to partner with the NFL through his entertainment company, Roc Nation. And, currently, his eight-part career retrospective docuseries Jay In ∞ is available to watch on HBO Max. One thing’s for sure, Jay isn’t leaving his legacy up to the changing winds of the internet, he’s making it clear that he earned the crown.

Hit the flip for more JAŸ-Z30 photos!

Texas Southern University students brought HBCU homecoming energy straight to the ballot box on Friday, Oct. 23, as Houston rapper Monaleo and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico joined a campus march to the polls ahead of the November midterm elections.

The gathering at TSU brought students and political figures together during Texas’ early voting period. Talarico, a Democratic state representative, is challenging Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Nov. 3 election.

Monaleo And James Talarico Join Texas Southern’s March To The Polls

According to an Oct. 23 post on X by Christian D. Menefee, Texas Southern students marched together to vote as Talarico and Monaleo visited campus.

Menefee shares footage of students walking together and photographs featuring the Senate candidate and Houston rapper.

“Proud to welcome @themonaleo and @jamestalarico to Texas Southern University!” Menefee wrote on X. “Amazing to see so many students marching together to the voting booth to make their voices heard at the ballot box.”

Dr. Letitia Plummer, a candidate for Harris County judge, also documents the gathering on X, sharing photographs alongside students.

“The energy at Texas Southern University was powerful!” Plummer wrote. “Proud to stand alongside James Talarico and a community ready to fight for a better Texas. Now, let’s take that same energy to the polls. Harris County, early voting is underway!”

Monaleo Encourages Her Followers To Vote Blue

Monaleo also shared photographs alongside Talarico at the campus of Texas Southern in a collaborative Instagram post with the Senate candidate, bringing her signature personality to the political gathering.

“everythang blueeeeeee! political pimpcess outside w @jamestalarico,” the rapper captioned the post, accompanied by blue and pink heart emojis.

”Putting blue all the way DINE the ballot! GO VOTE!” she wrote.

The photographs showed Monaleo posing with Talarico and attendees, extending the campus voting initiative to her social media audience.

Talarico Takes Aim At Elon Musk’s Political Spending

The TSU appearance comes as Talarico intensifies his criticism of billionaire Elon Musk’s financial involvement in the Senate race.

According to The Guardian, Talarico accuses Musk of attempting to influence the election during an Oct. 23 rally at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Elon Musk is trying to buy the Senate seat,” Talarico said.

The Guardian states that federal filings show Musk contributing $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which transferred the same amount to Texas PAC, a Republican super PAC supporting Paxton.

Talarico also accuses Musk of seeking influence over Texas land, water and tax dollars.

“He is trying to buy Texas. But on November 3rd, we are going to deliver a crystal clear message to the world’s first trillionaire: Texas is not for sale.”

Texas Southern Continues Its Tradition Of Political Engagement

Texas Southern University is a hotbed for bringing political conversation to their students. Just three weeks earlier, former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke visited TSU for a voter registration initiative alongside Powered by People volunteers.

In an Oct. 1 Facebook post featuring photographs with students, O’Rourke wrote, “Thank you Texas Southern students and Powered by People volunteers for making the last Thursday of voter registration count!”

For Wilson Chaney, a member of TSU’s Class of 2022, seeing students participate in the democratic process was a source of pride during homecoming season. 

“As an alumni, I’m just so proud to see students take initiative and somebody like Monaleo to come in and help bring them to the polls. That’s a huge deal,” Chaney said. “Even if it’s a celebrity influence or just their intuition, the students got to go out to the polls and I’m glad they’re doing just that.”

In the Guardian, an Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey released Oct. 22 found Talarico leading Paxton 48% to 46%.

With early voting underway since Oct. 19, TSU’s latest march brings civic engagement into homecoming festivities, demonstrating how students and community figures are participating in Texas’ closely watched election. 

The Mecca, Howard University, continued its famed homecoming tradition with another star-studded spectacle bustling with BIG BISON ENERGY, movie star fashions and (arguably) the finest (and flyest) alumni you’ll ever see on an HBCU campus.

Founded in 1867, the private research university serves over 14,000 students with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service while producing more on-campus Black Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the U.S.

For the third year in a row, the prestigious institution was recognized by Forbes as the #1 HBCU in the nation, according to its 2026 America’s Top HBCUs rankings.

The annual list showcases 500 colleges “that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt.”

With a legacy steeped in excellence, it’s no surprise that billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $80 million to the university, marking one of the largest single donations in the school’s 158-year history.

“This historic investment will not only help maintain our current momentum, but will help support essential student aid, advance infrastructure improvements, and build a reserve fund to further sustain operational continuity, student success, academic excellence, and research innovation,” said Howard interim President and President Emeritus Wayne A.I. Frederick about the monumental gift in a statement.

Notable HU alumni include Kamala Harris, Chadwick Boseman, Thurgood Marshall, Phylicia Rashad, Taraji P. Henson, Debbie Allen, Kahlana Barfield Brown, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins, Lance Gross, and many more, with Lady London thriving as one of HU’s buzziest graduates.

The “Pop Ya S***” rapper stunned at her 10-Year Anniversary Brunch (powered by D’USSÉ and Brown Sugar Babe) that brought together friends and notable guests, including A Different World star Cornell Young IV, in celebration of community, achievement and cultural influence.

Have you ever experienced Howard’s homecoming? If so, how was your experience? If not, will you be on the yard next year?? Tell us down below and enjoy our gallery of Howard hotties who turned heads at Homecoming on the flip.

Drake’s birthday celebration was nothing short of extravagant, and the rapper pulled out all the stops to mark the big 4-0. The Toronto superstar rang in his 40th with more than 400 guests, a surprise performance from the Backstreet Boys and a game show where partygoers could win up to $1 million.

According to TMZ, Drake hosted friends and family at the exclusive Casa Cipriani in New York City on Friday, October 23rd, hours before officially turning 40 on October 24. Sources told the outlet he “spared no expense,” treating guests to luxury giveaways that included designer handbags from Chanel and Hermès. The game show portion of the night reportedly gave lucky attendees a shot at cash prizes ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to a staggering $1 million. Page Six reported that Drake arrived dressed for the occasion in a tuxedo with a shimmering jacket.

The biggest musical moment of the night came courtesy of the Backstreet Boys. The iconic boy band, made up of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson, performed for the crowd before Drake joined them onstage for their 1999 hit “I Want It That Way,” according to Billboard.

The pairing isn’t random. In July 2022, the Backstreet Boys brought Drake onstage during their DNA World Tour stop at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage and introduced him as their “sixth member” before performing the same song. Drake told the crowd that night that “I Want It That Way” was the theme song to his bar mitzvah. Subsequently, a girl he liked asked him to dance.

“That was the first time I ever felt acknowledged, and the first time I ever felt like I had a shot at being cool,” he said at the time, calling the track “one of the greatest songs of all time.” He even worked parts of his own “Hold On, We’re Going Home” into the performance. Four years later, the song became the soundtrack to another milestone.

Drake’s Birthday Brings Out Air Drake

Amid all the spectacle, Drake took a moment to get reflective. “Tonight isn’t about a tour, an album release, or a bunch of videos we shot,” he told the room, per Billboard. “It’s about being alive, staying alive.”

The New York bash capped several days of festivities that began back home in Toronto. Earlier in the week, Drake gathered with friends at the CN Tower, where he was surprised with a collage of photos and memories, and Popcaan was reportedly among those in attendance. He then traveled to New York with his mother and members of his entourage aboard Air Drake, his customized Boeing 767, and was spotted dining at SoHo restaurant Mamo on Thursday night. The plane, which Drake showed off on Instagram in 2025, reportedly features a king-size bed, mirrored walls, a main lounge with faux-fur seats and a gambling table, plus a movie screening area and additional bedrooms.

The celebration also arrived alongside a major career milestone. On Friday, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded Drake 30 new certifications, making him the first artist to surpass 350 million RIAA-certified units. Views, “In My Feelings” and “Marvin’s Room” were all newly certified Diamond, while “God’s Plan” reached 2x Diamond status. His latest album, Iceman, also went platinum just five months after its May release. With 18 Diamond plaques, Drake extended his record for the most of any artist.

Flashy moments are nothing new for him. In August, he showed off a one-of-a-kind, diamond-encrusted Rolex Daytona on Instagram that Page Six estimates could be worth as much as $5 million, with “Freeze the World,” a lyric from his Iceman song “Make Them Know,” engraved on the back. He called the piece “the most important thing I have ever had the pleasure of owning” and said it was made to celebrate “the record-breaking milestones of 2026.”

Drake’s fall fashion has taken over our timelines. Described as everything from “pumpkin spice papi” to “autumnal auntie,” the rapper’s newest fit, worn to ring in his 40th birthday, has people talking.

In case you missed it, paparazzi caught Drake leaving a spot in New York City ahead of his Oct. 24 birthday, presumably celebrating early. The “Iceman” rapper wore an all-black look, pairing a black crew-neck knit with straight-leg leather pants and black boots. He topped it off with a chestnut-brown fringe shawl from Hermès piece. The accessory is literally the definition of rich auntie.

From his saunter alone, Drake was clearly comfortable, cozy and dressed for a night out on his terms.

Pumpkin Spice Papi? Drake’s 40th Birthday Fit Is Our Fall Outerwear Inspo

Not surprisingly, the internet had a field day. Over on Fashion Bomb Daily’s Instagram, one commenter joked, “All this picture is missing is him holding a pumpkin spice latte,” while another had a very different price point in mind: “Ok Auntie splurged at @kohls with this one!” Little did they know, that shawl is vintage Hermès. A third commenter saw a rock star vision, writing, “He thought he was Lenny in this one.”

Whether you love this style, have questions about it, or it’s not your thing, the fact that everyone is talking about it signifies a lewk. The real fashion girls know that putting it on doesn’t mean everybody will love your fit. Trendsetters often rock what others won’t, pushing traditional norms around gender, fabric choice, taste level, appropriateness, and the like.

And we’d be lying if we said Drake’s viral fit isn’t a great reminder that we can keep it warm and casual heading into the fall and winter months. Drake as our fashion muse wasn’t on our bingo card this year, but here we are. True fashion lovers find inspiration everywhere.

Inspired by Drake’s birthday fit, scroll to see five ways to elevate your fall and winter looks with statement outerwear.

The Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum saga just got a bit weirder.

The relationship between former Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum appears to be fractured beyond all repair.

After the Sixers’ 127-116 win over the Bucks to move to 3-0 on Saturday night, Brown told reporters there is “no beef” between him and Tatum, but added there “might be a little lamb chops and some gravy.”

“He should stay ready at all times,” Brown continued, after his best performance of the young season, in which he scored a season-high 27 points.

We have no idea what that means, but we assume there’s tension, and we can expect fireworks when the Sixers and Celtics meet.

Browns comments come after he sparked conversations on social media after leaving the cap emoji under a video of Tatum explaining he was shocked to learn that Brown was sent “down the street” and was “just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world”  after the shocking trade that sent Brown to the Sixers, breaking up the duo that won an NBA Championship in 2024.

Jayson Tatum Downplayed The Situation

Reporters asked Tatum about Brown’s cap comment, and he downplayed it, adding that what’s going on between the former teammates is “ain’t no f***ing Shaq and Kobe” situation.

“There’s no beef. It’s not about that. It should be more praise,” Tatum said on Friday night, following the Celtics win over the Knicks. “I understand drama gets clicks and views, but I’m not really into that. I’m not blaming everybody for how they feel. Everybody is entitled to their own feelings, and we all go through different things in our lives.”

Despite Tatum’s comments, there have always been hints that something is going on between the former teammates, and this offseason seemingly confirmed it. Ahead of a Sixers preseason matchup against the Celtics in Boston two weeks ago, the two players worked out on opposite sides of the court and didn’t acknowledge each other.

On Saturday, like Tatum, Brown said there is no beef, but added there is a little lamb chops and gravy, noting that Tatum has a great PR team, without explaining why he left the cap emoji under the video featuring Tatum.

“We both got so much stuff in front of us,” Brown said. “So, at the end of the day … he gotta do what he’s got to do for his team. I gotta do what I do for my team.”

​”Jayson’s a great guy. Like I said, great family, hell of a basketball player, hell of a PR team. There’s no beef, but it’ll be a little lamb chop.”

Welp.

Guess we’ll circle November 10 on our calendars, because that’s when the Sixers play the Celtics, so maybe we will get an answer to Brown’s “he should stay ready at all times” comment.

Until then, you can see what social media had to say in the comments below.

Former President Barack Obama was in rare form during two rallies in Michigan and Ohio, clowning Donald Trump and his tacky White House renovations.

At a rally in Detroit, Michigan, Obama put on his closer hat and stumped for Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and other Michigan Democrats, and he didn’t disappoint.

Obama took the gloves off and slammed Trump, pointing out that the current occupant of the White House couldn’t care less about the American people and only cares about enriching himself and his vanity projects.

The former president focused on Trump’s affinity for gold, while calling out his other “renovations” to the White House, painting a picture of a president more concerned with home improvement than with the needs of the American people.

“He seems very focused on home renovations. He should be on HGTV,” Obama joked while touching on Trump’s $900 million worth of White House “improvements.” “What’s with the gold? … He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.”

Barack Obama Slammed Pete Hegseth

Our former president also had time for Trump’s cabinet too, specifically his DEI hire, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

“You got the defense secretary who is like a laser focused on important matters like the jawline and testosterone levels of our troops, and livestreaming executions because that’s how he thinks you cultivate that manly warrior spirit. How much time do you think this man spends in front of the mirror every day?” Obama said of Hegseth’s weird obsessions.

Trump, who was also out rallying for Republican candidates, caught wind of Obama’s zingers at him and let off a long, nonsensical tirade on his crappy platform, Truth Social, using the same tired and racist attacks to call out his rival and Abdul-Sayed.

Anyway, the internet absolutely loved seeing and hearing Barack Obama clowing Trump.

Gotta love Obama.

See more reactions to BO dragging Trump and his cronies below.

Every once in a while, the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court gives us a rare showing of integrity and decency by ruling against President Donald Trump and his bid to win the right-wing’s culture war, since he doesn’t seem to be able to win any actual wars.

On Wednesday, the court prevented the Trump administration from immediately denying certain gender-transition medical treatments for transgender inmates at federal prisons, according to the New York Times, which noted that in this unsigned, unexplained order, the only two justices who dissented were the two who will always vote on the side of Trump and MAGA, no matter what: justices Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas.

From the Times:

Under President Trump, the Bureau of Prisons adopted new policies that would prohibit inmates from receiving the care. Three transgender people in federal custody initially challenged the new rules. All three had previously been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by prison medical officials and had been prescribed treatments.

The ruling means that, for now, as many as 1,000 federal prisoners who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria will continue to receive gender transition treatments that the Trump administration has attempted to restrict.

The lawsuit argued that the administration’s change in policy violated Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The policy has been blocked since June 2025, and the court’s ruling means that block remains in place while litigation about the issue proceeds.

But here’s the real question: why not just leave people alone?

Look, Trump is a bigot. He has shown time and time again that he will turn any conversation into a rant about “Transgender for everyone” and trans women in sports, and he continues to tell this absurd lie about parents dropping their kids off at school and picking them up to find they’ve had sex changes.

His administration also tried to ban trans people from serving in the U.S. military; his DOJ tried to ban trans people from owning guns, based on the ridiculous notion that they’re prone to committing the kind of mass shootings that are overwhelmingly committed by cisgender white men, and the administration has tried to deny minors from receiving gender-related care.

All of this really amounts to one thing: bigots can’t mind their own business.

Of course, it’s one thing when the bigot is just some random guy who works at Jiffy Lube; it’s another thing entirely when the bigot holds the highest office in the nation and has the power to enact his bigotry on a systemic level.

“The attempted denial of medically necessary health care, including gender-affirming health care, to people in prison is a violation of their fundamental constitutional rights,” Li Nowlin-Sohl, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, told the Times.

Hopefully, the courts continue to agree.

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If I had a penny for every time the term “culture war” was used to describe racism or homophobia in the WNBA in 2026, I’d have accumulated enough money to retire early and comfortably. 

Over the past two seasons, sports talk shows, media outlets, political commentators, and social media feeds have frequently applied this phrase to the WNBA. The term has appeared often in headlines when Black or queer WNBA players have faced targeted online harassment, and has surfaced when discussions turn to trans athletes in the WNBA or when players have called out racism or homophobia in the league.

Using the term “culture war” in the WNBA obscures overt bigotry, legitimizes targeted harassment of Black women under the guise of public debate, and belittles vulnerable and marginalized athletes. When abuse is consistently rebranded as an ongoing debate about differing opinions, the real-world safety of Black athletes in their workplace hangs in the balance, leaving them defenseless and unprotected.  

Player safety is further degraded when political opportunists deliberately manipulate security resources to stage bad-faith public spectacles. This week, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom orchestrated a lose-lose bait-and-switch ahead of Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Before the game, he contacted authorities over personal safety concerns, but after they accommodated him with a private luxury suite and extra security, he refused the upgrade at the gate, claiming he was being banned for standing up for women. His engineered spectacle and public grievance campaign provided outside voices the perfect pretext to frame the incident as another chapter in a manufactured “culture war.”

The phrase “culture war” has long been used to disguise targeted political attacks as battles over societal values. The term dates back to the German Kulturkampf of the nineteenth century, when Chancellor Otto von Bismarck sought to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church and strip it of its power over schools, marriages, and local communities. 

In order to isolate his political opponents and rally his voter base, Bismarck framed this crackdown as a defense of national unity. By labeling a targeted campaign to eliminate political competition a clash of cultures, he successfully hid a raw consolidation of power behind the cover of patriotism. 

Over time, the use of “culture war” has been one of the most effective linguistic laundering tools in modern American politics. Sociologist James Davison Hunter popularized the term in 1991 to describe deep ideological splits in America over abortion, gay rights, and secularism. 

Whenever the term has popped up, it has transformed what ordinarily would have been conversations about the stripping of fundamental human rights and systemic discrimination into disagreements about perspectives and opinions. The term itself suggests an underlying symmetry around a disagreement and assumes both sides are equally valid and acceptable. 

This assumption places a person’s right to exist on an equivalent level as another person’s prejudice, reducing a hostile campaign to a difference of opinion.

Historically, right-wing movements have deployed this vocabulary to justify oppression and normalize subjugation. In the mid-to-late twentieth century, opposition to civil rights and school integration was frequently framed around preserving local culture. Segregationists weaponized slogans like “states’ rights” and “neighborhood schools” to block Black children from entering white classrooms and to defend Jim Crow policies. Today, this rhetoric appears in legislative pushes to ban gender-affirming care and restrict classroom discussions of Black and LGBTQ+ history. 

This all comes at a time when the nation feels the acute pressures of a Trump administration that has been labeled as fascist and has been swift in seeking punishment and retribution towards anyone who doesn’t fall in line with its xenophobic beliefs. We see this playing out in federal directives targeting immigration enforcement, the defunding of diversity programs, and the public targeting of those daring to dissent. 

In 2026, the WNBA became a focal point of this national strategy largely because of its mainstream growth. A surge in multi-million-dollar deals brought record viewership to the league, transforming a historically safe space for marginalized athletes into a hyper-visible battleground. 

As millions of new viewers tuned in, right-wing political figures and conservative networks have turned debates over physical play and player demographics into a proxy war intent on silencing a league that traditionally has been proud of being majority Black, queer, and progressive. 

This deliberate effort has introduced conservative standards into a league while attacking progressive values as dangerous. The conservative right has gone so far as to inject discussions around trans athletes in women’s sports into the conversation, even as the league doesn’t have a single trans athlete on any of its rosters.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham emerged as a willing proxy in this campaign, leveraging her platform to echo right-wing talking points about trans athletes. This coordinated campaign ran parallel to political interventions from Capitol Hill. 

Over the summer, lawmakers sent two separate letters to the league demanding accountability for physical play against Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. By weaponizing standard on-court fouls to demonize her Black opponents as overly aggressive, these politicians used the league’s visibility to force partisan policy agendas against diversity, equity, and inclusion into the WNBA. 

The right-wing media world has used sports talk shows and social media to push a narrative that positions white, heterosexual players as innocent victims who need saving from their Black and queer teammates. 

Perpetrators of racial harassment claim they are defending traditional values or meritocracy rather than being held to account for blatant bigotry. This approach forces marginalized players onto the defensive, requiring them to repeatedly justify their right to exist, speak their minds, and play with the level of intensity that has defined the sport for generations. 

The main mission of journalism is to provide much-needed context, explain current events, and to arm audiences with what they need to know to make informed decisions. So many of my peers in journalism and sports commentary have fallen short of that this year. Their use of the term “culture war” actively hides the racism, homophobia, and transphobia that have overshadowed the stellar basketball play on the hardwood.  

Basketball culture was born and has evolved on playgrounds across the country. In urban sanctuaries like Rucker Park in Harlem or the Cage in Greenwich Village, the game has developed independently of corporate conformity. The playground served as an engine of Black American expression, streetball aesthetics, and hip-hop culture. 

It thrived and took on a life of its own because it was a democratic space whose ticket to entry required little more than a ball and a hoop. The basketball court has served as a vital community haven where style, improvisation, individual flair, and colorful trash-talk have been essential forms of self-assertion, swag, and mutual respect. 

The WNBA, founded in 1997, has had an organic evolution. In its early years, the league faced corporate pressure to market its players through a traditional lens of hyper-femininity, forcing masculine-presenting players to don skirts and dresses. In recent years, that pressure has given way to an embrace of a variety of gender presentations and authentic personal style.

Today, the pre-game tunnel in the WNBA has become a premier cultural runway. Masculine-presenting players proudly wear tailored suits and ties, while feminine-presenting players showcase high-fashion looks. Both feminine- and masculine-presenting players often look like they could have easily been plucked off of a runway in Paris or Milan. 

This cultural expression and range have translated into commercial power. Major brands have noticed, leading to signature sneaker deals and player exclusives for WNBA athletes, proof that identity continues to fuel basketball culture. 

Long before the mainstream media labeled racism in the league as a culture war, WNBA players were at the forefront of civil rights campaigns. In the 2020 Covid pandemic bubble, players dedicated their season to social justice, wearing warm-up shirts for Black Lives Matter and shirts bearing the name of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman killed by police in Kentucky. 

When Atlanta Dream co-owner and then-Senator Kelly Loeffler publicly attacked the players’ activism, players refused to back down. They campaigned for her political opponent, Dr. Raphael Warnock, donning warm-up shirts with his name, and ultimately forcing a sale of the franchise. 

The corporate and political forces that watch sports have a history of capitalizing on this energy while attempting to strip or dull its radicalism. Nike built a multi-billion-dollar empire by commodifying this counter-culture, packaging urban grit and social justice into sneakers and high-production commercials. Corporate America loves the aesthetic of rebellion as long as it can be controlled, monetized, and digested by a mainstream audience. 

When WNBA players stood up for social justice, critics accused them of being radical, anti-American, and suggested they leave their activism off the court, ignoring that these were issues the majority of Black players were facing outside of basketball. Commentators and media avoided the term “culture war” label then. The same precision must apply now. 

Journalism exists to reflect reality and provide context. Euphemisms only protect the powerful. Blatant attempts to subjugate Black and queer women in the league require direct exposure, rather than the socially palatable veneer a phrase like “culture war” provides. 

As the WNBA continues to grow, securing its legacy means stripping away the polite language of bigotry. The league must be brave enough to blatantly call out racism and homophobia and be uncompromising in its defense of the rights and humanity of all its players.

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On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced the federal government will compensate whistleblowers who report people defrauding the U.S. government and taxpayers. 

Now, a Trump supporter is going to look at this move and say, “There goes my president; he’s going to get those fraudsters out of this country!” But those of us who know things and are capable of pattern recognition will see this for exactly what it is: the president is soliciting fraud claims because he just can’t seem to find much of the fraud he claims is rampant and widespread on his own.

“If you turn somebody in and you, let’s say, report, and you find $1 billion, we are giving a commission to that person of 1%. It’s a lot of money,” Trump said in the Oval Office.

As usual, Trump is taking a snake oil salesman approach to explaining his program, leaving out all of the if, ands and buts, while promising to make it rain on people’s bank accounts.

From CBS News:

Through the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, Mr. Trump said whistleblowers, who can be ordinary citizens, will be eligible to receive 1% of the amount of fraud they report, even if the reported fraud is $100 billion. America.gov/fraud, however, says successful whistleblowers will be paid up to $30,000, dependent upon the report resulting in criminal charges. Asked by CBS News for clarification, Mr. Trump said there is no limit to whistleblower compensation, and criminal charges aren’t necessary. 

So, predictably, Trump says one thing while his website says something else. Of course, according to the president, it doesn’t matter who said what, because he’s the only one deciding who gets paid.

“I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” he said. “In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving and I’ll determine — and I will be very generous, believe me.”

“You’ll get your money immediately, but I’ll make the determination,” he continued. “So if two people are fighting over it, maybe they’ll split it or maybe whatever, but I’ll make that determination.”

This man is about to livestream fraud-whistleblower cage matches and treat the so-called compensation as prize money; I just know it.

Now, to be fair, Trump may have been telling the truth when he says criminal charges aren’t required for a whistleblower to get paid. The problem is that the evidence he might be telling the truth in that instance also shows the whole fraud-finding compensation program is a fraud in itself: the first person to benefit from the program is Nick Shirley.

For those unfamiliar with Shirley—who was presented with a $10,000 check for his efforts in, well, pretending to find fraud—I’ve written about him, his big, fat MAGA grift, and all the reasons he’s a stupid person’s idea of a journalist.

From our previous report:

Remember when President Donald Trump and his administration of fellow xenophobic bigots capitalized on the massive fraud scandal in Minnesota, taking their cues from right-wing YouTuber Nick Shirley, who brought national MAGA attention to the scandal by filming himself trying to infiltrate Somali-run daycare centers in the state last year? Remember how Trump got his supporters all riled up by using the scandal, which involved dozens of Somali migrants, as an excuse to escalate his immigration crackdown in Minnesota, withhold federal funding from the state, and disparage the entire Somali ethnicity numerous times, including during his State of the Union address, where he generalized them as “Somali pirates,” who are “plundering America” with zero citation?

Well, the whole thing was much ado about MAGA nonsense for at least two reasons. First, Trump and Shirley were fooling racist idiots into believing the Minnesota fraud scandal was a recent thing in 2025, when, actually, it had already been thoroughly investigated since 2021, resulting in the convictions of more than 60 suspects by 2022. Secondly, while most of the people convicted were Somali, the person named by the government as the mastermind behind the fraud scheme was Aimee Bock, a white woman and U.S. citizen. Well, on Thursday (May 21), roughly a year after the Feeding Our Future founder was convicted of wire fraud and bribery, Bock was sentenced to 500 months—or just over 41 years—in prison and ordered to pay $243 million to the federal government.

Shirley has traveled the country running the same grift: he harasses workers, immigrants and community businesses, conjuring conspiracy theories that only really expose the fact that he doesn’t understand how anything works. None of his “journalism” and so-called fraud exposure has even come anywhere near the vicinity of resulting in criminal charges for anyone, because his reporting is never fact-based or evidence-based; it’s always heavily reliant on absurd speculation in lieu of facts or evidence.

But this has been Trump’s MO for as long as he’s been in office. Whether we’re talking about elections, federal employees or welfare benefits, Trump and his administration have made a habit of claiming there’s widespread fraud, putting together departments and task forces to find said fraud, and then continuing to lie about the non-existent fraud after said task forces are unable to find anything.

For example, Trump put Elon Musk and a bunch of barely-out-of-school dude-bros with no experience in fraud or government in charge of finding fraud in the government, but DOGE got dismantled after it became clear that it was a useless department that had to massively inflate its numbers to cover up the fact that it was finding next to nothing, and firing people the government needed to run based on those inflated numbers.

And, again, if the fraud was so rampant, he wouldn’t need to solicit civilians to find it. Of course, this is the same administration that had its Equal Employment Opportunity Commission put out a video advertisement, soliciting white men to come forward with their reverse-racism claims in order to back the erroneous MAGA fiction that white men are the ones who are truly victims of systemic racism.

And, of course, if we really want to keep everything a buck, if Trump was really interested in finding fraud, he should check his own pardon list as well as his own profiteering presidency.

“If the president is truly interested in rooting out wrongdoing, Whistleblower Aid invites him to start by examining the violations perpetrated by his own administration, including senior officials,” Naomi Seligman, president of nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, told CBS. “We would happily work with him on this vital accountability effort to help save our democracy.”

However, as far as Seligman is concerned, Trump “is more interested in hunting down whistleblowers” than enriching them in exchange for fraud claims that may or may not result in criminal prosecutions.

Either way, this whole whistleblowing-for-cash program is clearly just more political theater aimed at legitimizing propaganda by pinning an official government policy to it.

We can be snarky and ask this president, “Is the fraud in the room with us?” but, truthfully, if he’s in the room, then it’s there, staring right at us, lying through its teeth.

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The Senatobia, Mississippi, police officer who shot and killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley may not face any legal charges connected to the killing of a Black infant, but now that video footage of the shooting has been revealed, he is no longer on the police force, and, unfortunately, that’s about as close to any semblance of justice that will come of this case — which, of course, isn’t justice at all.

Attorneys for Kohen’s family told Action News 5 they’ve been informed that now-former Senatobia Officer Hunter Foster — the only officer out of the five to swarm the car Kohen was riding in who stepped directly in front of the car with his gun drawn — resigned from his position sometime after body-cam footage was released by the Mississippi Department of Pubic Safety, showing him running out of the store with the other officers after a Walmart employee told him accused shoplifters were getting away.

As News 5 noted,  Foster’s gun was aimed at the car with Wiley inside it within 13 seconds of the encounter. The video makes it clear that his first instinct wasn’t to move out of the way of a moving vehicle, but to jump in its way and fire a gun into it, even as Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, lifted him up to show there was a baby in the car, according to her own account of what happened on June 14.

As previously reported, Wiley and another Black woman, Latoya Ferrell, were accused of stealing a pack of diapers from that Walmart, but they weren’t charged with shoplifting, nor were they charged with any crime related to weaponizing a vehicle against law enforcement, an allegation Wiley has vehemently denied.

Unfortunately, it’s far from unusual for a cop to resign or be fired from one department over police violence or misconduct, only to be employed by a different police department, so there’s no guarantee that Foster won’t be patrolling streets full of Black people with the same itchy trigger finger he used to kill a 1-year-old Black child, but, for now, a dangerous cop is off the streets, and hopefully, he’ll never have a badge again.

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In the disastrous comic book chaos that is the Trump administration and all the assorted characters hovering around the flaming dump of garbage at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a new report claims Jared Kushner was given billions of dollars by Middle Eastern leaders to influence U.S. foreign policy. Because apparently being the president’s son-in-law wasn’t enough of a superpower.

Kushner, who served as a senior White House adviser during Donald Trump’s first term, is now pushing back against allegations involving hacked iPhones, international spies and enough alleged foreign money to make a billionaire blush.

An upcoming book by journalist Matthew Cole, Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed’s Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East, alleges Kushner had access to more than $2 billion in undisclosed foreign bank accounts intended to buy influence within the U.S. government.

An excerpt published in Vanity Fair on Thursday, which CBS News said it could not independently verify, details claims stemming from Kushner’s work on Middle Eastern diplomacy. According to the excerpt, Dutch intelligence agents discovered in 2017 that Russian operatives had hacked Kushner’s iPhone. The Dutch allegedly gained access to the device after recruiting a Russian spy and began recording images of Kushner’s screen as he used it.

And what did they allegedly see? Kushner logging into a United Arab Emirates account that had received hundreds of millions of dollars from a bank in Azerbaijan.

The book further alleges that leaders in Saudi Arabia and the UAE deposited at least $2 billion into accounts connected to Kushner, including one with Israel’s central bank. The accounts’ owners and managers were allegedly disguised as government entities or charities, while the money was intended to finance “off-the-books diplomatic objectives,” including efforts to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly contributed roughly $1 billion to at least one account, with a source familiar with the money claiming it was allocated for Kushner’s personal benefit.

Kushner, unsurprisingly, is not having it.

“The allegations made by this author are completely insane and never happened,” he wrote on X. His attorney called the claims “false and defamatory,” arguing that the author provided no verifiable evidence, including bank statements, wire transfers, account numbers or transaction dates. The legal team threatened action but did not specify whom it intended to pursue.

The White House also dismissed the report. Communications director Steven Cheung called the Vanity Fair article “bull***” and described the book as fiction fabricated by a “failed spy thriller writer.”

So, to recap: allegations of billions in secret foreign money, international espionage and possible influence-buying involving the president’s own family. The administration says it’s fiction.

In Trumpworld, apparently, even a potential geopolitical thriller plot comes with a family discount.

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In what can only be called one of the greatest trolls in American history, a man named Dan Sullivan entered Alaska’s Senate race knowing he shared the name of Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. The confusion is brilliant.

The only problem is that the Trump administration has preemptively filed a lawsuit to block certification of Alaska’s Senate election if Sen. Dan Sullivan loses, because apparently the Senate balance of power is so precarious that a man with the wrong Dan Sullivan on his ballot might accidentally turn the whole thing blue.

The Justice Department lawsuit argues that including Daniel J. Sullivan on the ballot could confuse voters and undermine the election’s legitimacy. It asks a court to block certification if that confusion affects the outcome, potentially delaying the results of a race that could help determine which party controls the Senate, CNN reports.

Democrats need to gain four seats in November to take control, and Alaska is among the Republican-held states they hope to flip. Democratic candidate Mary Peltola is challenging the incumbent in a race with little reliable polling, making every vote potentially significant.

President Donald Trump has already made his feelings known. In a Truth Social post, he called the second Sullivan’s candidacy a “SCAM” and threatened legal action to remove him from the ballot. At a rally in Wasilla earlier this month, Trump called the situation “cheating,” alleging that someone had recruited a candidate with the same name to confuse voters.

Daniel J. Sullivan is a registered Republican, but Alaska election officials list him without a party affiliation. The incumbent is identified as “Registered Republican” and “incumbent.” In the primary, the senator received 68,726 votes, compared with 4,107 for his similarly named challenger.

The Justice Department’s legal argument, however, may be a harder sell than Trump’s social media tantrum.

Derek Muller, an election law professor at Notre Dame Law School, described the lawsuit’s theory as “strange and unusual.” He said he had never seen the federal voter registration law’s introductory language used this way, arguing that the administration was trying to stretch it into broad authority over state election operations.

“They’re just plucking from the preface and saying this gives them a free-wheeling right to enjoin operations in a state,” Muller said. “I just don’t think a court is going to buy that.”

And here’s where things get particularly ridiculous: Alaska uses ranked-choice voting. Voters can rank candidates in order of preference, and if nobody wins a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots are redistributed according to voters’ next choices.

In other words, someone who wants the incumbent to win can rank both Sullivans. The system lets voters distinguish between the two candidates even if they initially confuse their names.

The state Supreme Court already ruled in June that Daniel J. Sullivan should remain on the ballot after election officials initially removed him. Officials also took steps to distinguish the candidates by including their middle initials and identifying the incumbent.

Ben Ginsberg, a Republican election lawyer and former Republican National Committee counsel, questioned why the Justice Department was pursuing the case.

“I think they must have a client who is demanding it,” Ginsberg said. “There is not a rational legal reason to do it.”

U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, has been assigned the lawsuit. Alaska officials expect ranked-choice tabulation to begin Nov. 18.

So, to recap: A man named Dan Sullivan is running for office, another Dan Sullivan is worried about losing, and the Trump administration wants a federal court to intervene before the votes are even counted.

Democracy, apparently, is perfectly acceptable until somebody named Dan shows up and makes the wrong Republican nervous.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a response, opposing an effort to bar her from acting as special prosecutor in the Cornell University rape investigation over what defendants’ lawyers described as public comments that “made it clear that she has formed an opinion about the case.”

As we previously reported, attorneys for Gillio Lopes, one of the Chi Pi fraternity members who make up the Cornell 7 — the name the public has given the seven students accused of gang-raping a former student at the university in 2024 —  filed an Article 78 petition in Albany County Supreme Court, arguing that James should be removed from the case because she has “unequivocally demonstrated a bias and presumption of guilt against the defendants named in the Civil Case.”

According to NBC News, James said in a Thursday court filing that the petition to remove her as special prosecutor relies on claims that “are not justiciable.”

“Petitioner asks this Court to impermissibly void a discretionary action by the Governor,” James wrote, arguing that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed her and only Hochul could remove her.

We reported earlier this month that James’ office launched a review into Cornell University’s response to allegations made by the alleged victim, identified only as Jane Doe, which, according to NBC, her office did at the behest of the governor, who expressed concerns about how university police and the local district attorney’s office handled said allegations.

It’s worth noting that no one in the Cornell 7 has been charged with a criminal offense as of yet, but Lopes’ attorneys’ concern over James’ alleged bias stems largely from a social media post from late September, in which James wrote, “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.”

According to CBS News, state prosecutors rejected the argument that the post should disqualify James from carrying out a “full, reasoned, and independent investigation.”

Meanwhile, attorneys for another former fraternity member accused of taking part in the alleged rape, Winston Lee, also filed a motion seeking to disqualify James from any future grand jury proceedings related to the case.

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The Senatobia, Mississippi, police officer who shot and killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley may not face any legal charges connected to the killing of a Black infant, but now that video footage of the shooting has been revealed, he is no longer on the police force, and, unfortunately, that’s about as close to any semblance of justice that will come of this case — which, of course, isn’t justice at all.

Attorneys for Kohen’s family told Action News 5 they’ve been informed that now-former Senatobia Officer Hunter Foster — the only officer out of the five to swarm the car Kohen was riding in who stepped directly in front of the car with his gun drawn — resigned from his position sometime after body-cam footage was released by the Mississippi Department of Pubic Safety, showing him running out of the store with the other officers after a Walmart employee told him accused shoplifters were getting away.

As News 5 noted, Foster’s gun was aimed at the car with Wiley inside it within 13 seconds of the encounter. The video makes it clear that his first instinct wasn’t to move out of the way of a moving vehicle, but to jump in its way and fire a gun into it, even as Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, lifted him up to show there was a baby in the car, according to her own account of what happened on June 14.

As previously reported, Wiley and another Black woman, Latoya Ferrell, were accused of stealing a pack of diapers from that Walmart, but they weren’t charged with shoplifting, nor were they charged with any crime related to weaponizing a vehicle against law enforcement, an allegation Wiley has vehemently denied.

Unfortunately, it’s far from unusual for a cop to resign or be fired from one department over police violence or misconduct, only to be employed by a different police department, so there’s no guarantee that Foster won’t be patrolling streets full of Black people with the same itchy trigger finger he used to kill a 1-year-old Black child, but, for now, a dangerous cop is off the streets, and hopefully, he’ll never have a badge again.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it has indicted Virginia State Sen. L. Louise Lucas on several charges related to an alleged marijuana trafficking operation. 

NBC News reports that the 82-year-old Lucas and several other co-defendants have been indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy, marijuana distribution, money laundering, bribery-related offenses, drug-related firearms offenses, and fraud. Lucas turned herself in to authorities on Thursday and was released on the condition that she didn’t speak about the case with her co-defendants. 

Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to Norfolk on Thursday to announce the charges during a news conference. 

“The Department of Justice intends to prove that Sen. Lucas violated the trust of the people of Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia, and of her state Senate colleagues,” Blanche said. “Her first duty should have been looking out for her constituents before herself.” FBI Director Kash Patel estimates the alleged scheme was worth about $4.5 million over five years.

According to WAVY, the DOJ alleged that Lucas headed what they call the “Lucas Enterprise.” Lucas has served in the state Senate since 1990 and has been president pro tempore since 2020. The DOJ has accused Lucas of using her position to protect the enterprise’s interests. 

From WAVY:

One part of the indictment centers on a business deal in August 2022. Prosecutors allege Lucas “paid $750,000 for a 100% stake in a business that was the shell holding company for a co-conspirator’s expected Virginia recreational marijuana license. Lucas allegedly failed to report the interest obtained in this entity on her required Statement of Economic Interests forms.”

The indictment also alleges Lucas then met with a co-conspirator at her office in the Capitol complex “to receive a partial repayment and spoke with other officials, including legislators, about the co-conspirator’s qualification for a recreational marijuana license depending on her receipt of a bribery payment from the co-conspirator.”

Lucas also worked with Carlton Upton Jr., 54, of Chesapeake, through VA Freedom Life, a business connected to The CBD Shoppe and The Cannabis Outlet. Prosecutors allege Upton, “allegedly made materially false attestations on an application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for Virginia Freedom Life, which was funded in the amount of $11,800.”

Lucas released a statement on Friday denying the charges. 

“Today, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the full weight of the federal government have been wielded against an 82-year-old great-grandmother,” Lucas wrote. “I grew up under Jim Crow. I’ve seen what happens when people in power try to silence those who stand up to them. I spent my life fighting back and I’m not stopping now.”

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger posted about the case on social media, stopping short of supporting Lucas but criticizing the DOJ for filing the charges so close to an election. “In our American system of justice, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that is true for Senator L. Louise Lucas. She and her family deserve the opportunity to present their defense and speak to the allegations presented,” Spanberger wrote. 

“The timing of this indictment undermines the U.S. Department of Justice’s previously longstanding policy of not taking legal actions — to include indictments or significant investigative steps — close to an election and sadly, this timing further erodes the trust the American people deserve to have in the Department of Justice.”

Blanche dismissed concerns about the timing, telling reporters the precedent is “not even a rule; it’s a practice.”

Lucas is not up for reelection during the midterms, but as Spanberger notes, it’s unusual for the federal government to announce such a high-profile case ahead of an upcoming election. Lucas was a staunch supporter of Virginia’s redistricting effort earlier this year, so this can’t help but feel like another attempt by the Trump administration to wage lawfare against their political opponents. 

That being said, the investigation into Lucas started before Trump took office, so it can’t entirely be written off as yet another toothless lawsuit filed by the Trump administration. 

SEE ALSO:

Who Is L. Louise Lucas? The Virginia Lawmaker Now At The Center Of An FBI Probe

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The room was small, but the energy was big. At an intimate “lunch and learn” hosted by Darlene of The Nightly Spirit, Kirk Franklin sat down before a live audience for a conversation filled with laughter, honesty, and plenty of faith.

Three Decades of Ministry Through Music

Franklin’s first album was released in July 1993, and his journey in gospel music now spans more than 30 years. His story started even earlier. Darlene remembered seeing a teenage Kirk hustling at the Gospel Music Workshop of America while the legendary James Cleveland was still alive.

Those early lessons laid the foundation for a career that has reached churches, homes, and car stereos across generations.

Making Peace With Who He Is

Success has also brought scrutiny. Franklin said critics have questioned his motives, sincerity, and style throughout his career. Some claimed he was “not church enough” or “not godly enough.”

At 56, he no longer works to win over his critics.

“Whatever you think of me, whatever your view is, good, bad, or ugly, I am what I am,” Franklin said.

He also credited his spiritual mentor, Pastor Tony Evans, with a lesson that changed him at 28: “It’s hard to know God’s love as a father when you never had one.” That truth helped him understand grace in a deeper, more personal way.

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Rooted in Black Gospel

Franklin was clear about his commitment to the sound that shaped him. While many churches move toward other styles of worship, he remains devoted to traditional Black gospel, complete with choirs and Hammond organs.

“Nobody has the beauty and the magic and the color of creativity like people of color,” he said. “We are one of one.”

He calls his style “Negro gospel.” “I got a little gravy on my God,” he explained, “because our struggles and our life experiences are different.”

His message never changes. “When you listen to my music, no matter how ratchet the track is, I say Jesus,” Franklin said. “You always know who I’m talking about.”

The New Album: I Am What I Am

His latest project, I Am What I Am, is the first double album of his career. It features 14 tracks split into two sides.

Seven songs were recorded live in church with a choir, a band, and a live audience. These tracks bring back the classic sound of his early years. The other seven are studio songs that showcase what he calls “the other Kirk,” while staying centered on Jesus.

Franklin left the audience with a reminder many believers need to hear.

“I’m not perfect, and life is not perfect, and that is okay,” he said. “God does not love me any less.”

After 30 years, Kirk Franklin is still lifting the name of Jesus. He is still celebrating the culture that raised him. And he is still inviting the community to sing along.

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Kirk Franklin walked into the “Posted on the Corner” studio with three decades of gospel history behind him and a new project to share. In a lively conversation with hosts Incognito and DJ Misses, the gospel icon moved easily between punchlines and preaching. It was a clear reminder of why he remains one of the most influential voices in Black music.

A Double Album, Two Sides of Worship

Franklin came to talk about I Am What I Am, his first-ever double album. The project is split into two experiences. One side holds seven tracks recorded live in church, carrying the Sunday-morning energy longtime fans know well. The other side offers seven studio tracks with guest features, including GloRilla on “Glow” and Tobe Nwigwe.

Still “The Jesus Guy”

Working with secular artists has never meant compromise, Franklin said. He called himself “the Jesus guy,” past, present, and future, and said he does not change who he is to fit anyone’s sound. He looked back on his youth, when he rapped as “Kid Fresh” and lived a wild life outside the church. Even then, gospel was the only music he ever wanted to make.

DJ Misses asked what he had finally stopped apologizing for. His answer centered on embracing imperfection and serving a God who meets people as they are. “Let me love you where you are to where I’m taking you,” he said.

Hard Truths on Forgiveness

The mood turned serious when Franklin spoke about forgiveness. “Forgiveness is free, but trust is earned,” he said. Forgiveness is a commandment, he explained, but forgetting runs on its own timeline. The person who caused the hurt cannot rush that process, especially if they are not doing the work.

He summed up his outlook plainly: “Jesus didn’t die for religion. He died so we got relationship with him.”

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The laughs came often. Franklin and the hosts traded stories about old-school church rules with no biblical basis, like no baseball caps in the pulpit and shutting off the TV and lights whenever it thundered. Anyone raised in the Black church likely recognized every one. Franklin also joked that he and gospel legend Shirley Caesar used to date, then told the crew to “clip that.” He admitted his younger self should have let the S-curl go much sooner.

When Incognito asked which secular artist he would love to executive produce, Franklin named Jazmine Sullivan and Beyoncé.

Flowers While He Can Smell Them

Near the end, Incognito and DJ Misses gave Franklin his flowers. They thanked him for his transparency, for music that has saved lives, and for openly sharing his platform and his family’s struggles.

It was a fitting close to a conversation built on honesty. With I Am What I Am, Franklin is offering his community the same thing he offered on the Corner: faith, laughter, and the freedom to show up exactly as you are.

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DJ Misses sits down with two stars of the new TikTok micro-series Power and Influence. Jay Jones plays Chris Whitmore, and Donnie Carrington plays Dominic Wells. The is out now on Bossip of TikTok, and both actors arrived ready to talk.

Big Moments, Small Window

With episodes averaging about 90 seconds, there’s no time to warm up. Carrington described his approach plainly: “You got to be raw, you got to be real, you got to be unapologetic. You got to know your instrument.”

Jones agreed and said the key is connecting with the character right away. “Characters call to you,” he said. “When you can make that connection to the character, it becomes very organic. So you don’t really need a whole lot of runway to take off.”

Jones described the show’s setting as an all-Black public relations firm with “energy similar to Boomerang.” Chris and his wife founded the company. They bring in AI agents to stay competitive, and that’s when the ambition and backstabbing start. Chris is “very manipulative,” Jones admitted, but “at the heart of it all, he’s a family man.”

Dominic is Chris’s protégé, and he’s hungry. “He’s an opportunist,” Carrington explained. “If this move is going to get me further, I probably need to navigate that. It’s a game. It’s chess.” He also had a warning for viewers: “When I pop on the screen, you’re probably gonna have to rewind it.”

A Modern Moral Tale

Jones compared the series to “a Shakespearean play.” “The whole point of art is to challenge the viewer,” he said. “It’s not just entertainment. It’s about healing, exploration, human development.” Carrington added that the story carries a real lesson about mentors, mentees, and trust: “You can’t trust everybody.”

The AI Conversation

Since the show deals with AI, DJ Misses asked the actors where they stand. Carrington called it a useful tool for workflow. He drew the line at using people’s likenesses, especially artists who have passed: “They still have a family.”

Jones compared AI to early electricity. It can “burn your house completely down” or “illuminate every corner of your dark house.” He added, “It’s all how you use it.”

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Things weren’t always serious on set. A castmate from Baltimore had everyone cracking up with her accent, and Jones says viewers will know exactly who he means. As for theme music, Jones chose James Brown for Chris: “I paid the cost to be the boss.”

Follow Donnie Carrington at @donnycarri and Jay Jones on Instagram at @misterjayjones. Then catch Power and Influence on TikTok. Expect drama in the first 30 seconds.

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As we’ve come to understand year after year, day after day, death is an inevitable part of life—a universal truth that spares no one. Yet, despite its certainty, the weight of loss never becomes easier to bear, nor does the act of processing its impact. For those within Black culture, where community and shared experiences often serve as pillars of strength, the pain of losing someone resonates deeply, cutting through the collective spirit like a sharp blade.

Reporting on such losses carries its own emotional toll, as it means confronting the fragility of life while also grappling with the systemic inequities that often exacerbate these tragedies. Whether it’s the passing of a beloved figure or the untimely loss of a community member, the grief is compounded by the cultural significance of their contributions and the void they leave behind. Each story of loss becomes a reminder of the resilience required to navigate a world that often feels unrelenting, and yet, it also underscores the importance of honoring those who have left an indelible mark on the lives they touched.

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**Updated – 11:00 am on October 22nd 2026**

Lawrence McCutcheon 

Former Los Angeles Rams running back Lawrence McCutcheon, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who later spent decades in the team’s front office, died Friday, Oct. 23, at 76. His family said he died with loved ones at his bedside following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Known as “Clutch,” McCutcheon played eight seasons with the Rams from 1972 through 1979 and became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher before that record was surpassed. He also played for Denver, Seattle and Buffalo, finishing his NFL career with 6,578 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns.

After retiring following the 1981 season, McCutcheon continued building his legacy through 32 years in the Rams’ front office, serving as a scout and director of player personnel. The team remembered him as someone whose impact “spanned generations.” His family requested donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research in lieu of flowers.

MadameNoire was on the scene as Courvoisier brought the house-party vibes to Lower Manhattan for “Pass The Courvoisier,” its first global campaign in nearly 20 years. Held Oct. 21, the intimate gathering transformed Fosun Plaza into an open-air living room, complete with good music, cocktails, candid conversations and a reunion we didn’t know we needed: former 106 & Park hosts Terrence J and Rocsi Diaz back on the couch together.

Grammy-nominated rapper and singer Coi Leray also popped out as a surprise guest, joining Hot 97’s Kazeem “Kaz” Famuyide and local creators Lellies Santiago and Oliver Luke for an unforgettable evening.

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Coi LeRay talks balancing motherhood and how she keeps connected to friends, fans and family.

Amid the festivities, Leray pulled up a seat with MadameNoire Managing Editor Danica Daniel for a candid conversation about connection, motherhood and finding her footing as a first-time mom while balancing the demands of a thriving music career. In 2025, the 29-year-old star welcomed her first child, a beautiful baby girl named Miyoco, marking a new chapter in her life that has shifted her perspective in more ways than one.

For Leray, building genuine connections is more important than ever, and she’s all about taking things offline and getting face-to-face with people.

“I love connecting with other people. I love kind people. I love people that are just so welcoming. It helps me,” the “Players” hitmaker told Daniel. “I don’t know, I feel comfortable in every way. And I just think that I like connecting in person more than social media as well. So I think going out more and connecting with people on a one-on-one level versus like a DM or something, I’m into that.”

The holidays are supposed to be about love, laughter, good food and making memories. But let’s be honest: sometimes, the most stressful part of Thanksgiving and Christmas isn’t figuring out who’s bringing the mac and cheese, it’s the dread of figuring out how to survive being around everybody.

Between family drama, unsolicited opinions about your love life, pressure to host a picture-perfect dinner and the expectation to show up everywhere, the holiday season can quickly turn from festive to exhausting. Add in the pressure to spend money, cook for a crowd and keep everybody happy, and suddenly, your holiday cheer is hanging by a thread.

That’s why learning how to set boundaries during the holidays is so important. Protecting your peace doesn’t mean you don’t love your family. It means understanding that your time, energy and emotional well-being matter, too. And no, you don’t have to sacrifice your sanity just to keep everybody else comfortable.

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What Are Boundaries, Anyway?

Boundaries are limits we establish with ourselves and others to protect our needs, values and well-being. They help us recognize what we’re comfortable with, what we’re willing to do and when it’s time to say, “That’s enough for me!”

According to psychologist Sharon Martin, writing for Psychology Today in 2021, failing to establish boundaries can leave us pouring into everyone else while neglecting ourselves.

“Without boundaries, we run the risk of spending all our time, energy, and money making other people happy without considering our own needs (for things like rest, fun, connection, and quiet); we end up resentful, exhausted, unfulfilled, and overwhelmed,” explained Martin.

And honestly, who wants to spend the holidays feeling like an unpaid event planner, personal therapist and short-order cook all rolled into one?

Learning how to set boundaries during the holidays allows you to enjoy the season without taking on every responsibility, attending every gathering or answering every question your relatives throw your way. You can love your family and still need a break. Both things can be true.

1. Figure Out What Actually Stresses You Out

Before you start setting limits, take a moment to identify what makes the holidays difficult for you. Is it the auntie who always asks when you’re getting married? The cousin who comments on your weight? The pressure to drink alcohol when you’d rather not? Or perhaps it’s the expectation that you’ll host dinner, cook six dishes and clean up while everyone else relaxes on the couch.

Whatever the issue may be, recognizing your triggers can help you decide which boundaries you need, notes Recovery Centers of America.

For example, if conversations about your finances, relationships or plans for children make you uncomfortable, you can decide ahead of time that those topics are off-limits. If hosting leaves you overwhelmed, you can establish a more manageable plan before the invitations go out.

The key to understanding how to set boundaries during the holidays is knowing that your limits don’t have to look like anyone else’s. Your sibling might enjoy spending the entire holiday weekend with relatives, while you might prefer a few hours and a peaceful evening at home. Neither choice is wrong.

Your holiday experience doesn’t have to be a performance for other people. It should leave room for you to feel comfortable, too.

By 1988, Stevie Wonder was already the music legend we recognize him as today. He was fresh off releasing his 21st studio album, which garnered two number one singles on the R&B chart, and in just a year’s time would go on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Surprisingly enough, it also appears he was reportedly engaged during that year to a woman named Carmen Efferson. Even though things apparently didn’t work out, Wonder has allowed the woman to live in a Los Angeles home that he’s been fronting the bill on for the past four decades. Now, the pioneering R&B king is issuing a lawsuit to evict Efferson after he says the free ride has gone on entirely too long.

Umm, you think?!

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As reported by TMZ, legal documents confirm that Efferson has been living in the house since July 1988 under a verbal agreement that essentially waived her monthly rent to $0. It appears there was no issue with the arrangement until this past summer when Stevie’s team attempted to access the home in order to conduct an insurance inspection. Efferson replied by refusing to let anyone enter the property.

More on this story below, via TMZ:

“His lawyers say the lack of access jeopardized the property’s insurance coverage, prompting them to send Carmen a notice in July terminating her right to stay there.

Stevie’s team says she was supposed to be out by August 27 … but she’s still there, leading the singer to file the eviction lawsuit.

Things got pretty heated between Carmen and Stevie’s legal team … in one email included in the court docs, Carmen accused an attorney of having a ‘racist cold-blooded ‘white male privilege” tone and demanded he stop contacting her, dropping a few F-bombs along the way.”

Stevie’s attorney David Huff debunked her claim by clarifying that the lawyer she spoke to was neither white nor male, in addition to giving the woman warning beforehand that her refusal to let him conduct the inspection had the potential of resulting in an eviction. As fans may already be aware of, Stevie himself has been married to Tomeeka Bracy ​since 2017 following his 2015 divorce from Kai Millard after 14 years and 1972 divorce from Syreeta Wright after two years.

Where Carmen Efferson factors into the mix has yet to be determined, but it’s fair to assume that he’s since changed his tune from “Isn’t She Lovely” to more along the lines of “isn’t she leaving?”