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What We All Should Learn from the Vandalization of LeBron James’ Home

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It’s time to get deep.

As you may know, on Wednesday (May 31) it was reported that a racial slur was painted on a gate at the home of LeBron James. You know what word it was, the N-word. LeBron has addressed the situation giving his own statement.

“…No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough. We have a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal in America.”

The incident has gone viral, sparking a number of reactions from celebs and members of the African American community. This follows the appearance of a noose in the segregation exhibit of the Smithsonian African American Museum. A somber mood and dark cloud seemed to settle in for many of us this week.

Let’s start with the irony. When the incident was reported, they said that a racial slur was painted on the gates of James’ Brentwood mansion in Los Angeles. Brentwood, does that sound familiar? It should because it was the same exact neighborhood that O.J. Simpson resided prior to his arrest for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. If you’re like me and absorbed all things O.J over the years (“The People vs. O.J. Simpson”, “O.J Simpson: Made in America”) you know why this is not shocking. O.J. at one time referred to himself as “the Mayor of Brentwood”. That changed very quickly once he was arrested. You see, the vandals of LeBron’s home aren’t rednecks. They are likely neighbors or peers. People who want to remind him that he doesn’t belong there, as they have before. LeBron himself sighted that racism is always there, it’s just usually concealed. Those residents probably always felt that way about LeBron, but many racists have been emboldened since our new “president” took office. The uptick in hate crimes reveals what has always been there beneath the surface. Hatred isn’t isn’t new, it’s as American as apple pie.

 

I thought response LeBron’s response was honest and candid. He let the world know that even he wasn’t immune to the horrors of racism. However, I want to put it in the proper perspective. I’ve been Black all my life, but I have never been a n*gger. Nor do I know any. What is a n*gger? Whenever the word is said, people always look to Blacks. In my mind, since it is the worst thing you could call someone, it must be the worst thing you can be. So given that, the person who painted it wasn’t talking about LeBron. They were simply writing their own name.

We are not n*ggers, and we can no longer allow that word to paralyze us. Each time we react to it, we give away our power. When people use that word, that is literally their “trump” card. It is their best and typically only shot to attempt to hurt and offend you. If you don’t react, they don’t have a plan B. The devil doesn’t have any new tricks. 400 years and they can’t find a better word? In 400 years of oppression, we have risen from slaves to scientists, doctors, engineers, President. N*ggers and nooses? 400 years later they are still using their great-great-great-grandfathers version of racism. To all the racists I have this to say: When I see or hear that word n*gger and hear about nooses, I’m not angry or offended or hurt. I’m bored. Bored by the lack of creativity that racists have. If you’re the masters of the universe like you claim to be, then surely you can do better. And you’re going to have to because we are still here. In 400 years, we’ll still be here. You have LOST. No matter the obstacles, Blacks have survived. You can continue to oppress us, beat us, and kill some of us, but we aren’t going ANYWHERE. You may as well give up while you’re behind.

We are a strong, beautiful, resilient people. We thrive in chaos and adversity. We will not be intimidated or fearful. We must continue to face each day with grace and dignity. Because we are still here, 400 years later. Stay encouraged and amazing. There is nothing more Black than that.

 

What are your thoughts on LeBron’s home and the increase in hate crimes in America?

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Rolling Ray Undergoes Surgery After Wig Catches On Fire

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Social media star Rolling Ray underwent surgery Tuesday morning to treat serious burns on his body after his terrible wig accident last week. 

In a series of IG stories, he let his audience follow along as he prepped for surgery.

Last week Rolling Ray announced he was hospitalized after his wig caught on fire! During a January 13 Instagram Live session hosted straight from his hospital bedside, he showed his severely burnt and damaged face telling viewers his “whole skin, legs, arms, feet, and everything” were burned.

In a more recent Live, Ray explained the incident that led to his whole wig catching on fire: an unfortunate smoking accident. “It just, like, lit on fire when I tried to light the cigarette,” he recounted. “So I get to trying to snatch the wig off. B***h, the fire goes to my f*****g shirt, to my feet, to my legs, to my back. It’s a fire everywhere, it’s a fire in the whole room.” 

Of course the internet trolled him in a disgusting display of ableism and heartlessness. Comments like “Rolling Ray should have stopped, dropped, and rolled” and “karma’s a b***h” had social media conflicted in its feelings about his accident. His sensation comes from his harsh and, often, below-the-belt reads (just last month he told Yung Miami to “dig (sic) up” her dead baby father. However, the criticism didn’t stop him from responding on Twitter. 

Rolling Ray might be problematic as all get-out, but we do not tolerate ableism here. We wish him well as he heals.

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Fantasia Reveals Gender of Baby On the Way!

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On Tuesday singer-songwriter and “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino took to social media to reveal that she is having a baby girl, her first child with husband Kendall Taylor.

In a series of Instagram stories, Fantasia showed pink fireworks being shot off during a gender reveal party, to her and her hubby’s excitement! She continued by sharing what her daughter-to-be’s name will be: Keziah London Taylor.

The news comes after the couple revealed they had struggled to conceive since their 2015 marriage. During a November episode of her IG Live show “Taylor Talks,” she described continuously praying for a child with her husband. Fantasia, a deeply devout Christian, was obviously elated when she shared the news.

“God I Want To Thank You!” she said in an Instagram caption. “You Gave Us A Seed even when the Doctor said that one of my Tubes [was] Closed you said Different. @salute1st I Love You King and I can’t wait to see who He or She acts Like.”

We can see Fantasia and family are all super excited to be welcoming a baby girl into their lives. All congratulations to her.

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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Are Getting Divorced, Report Says

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In a story published Tuesday evening, Page Six is reporting that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are getting divorced, with the two already in settlement talks. The news comes after the couple spent the holiday season separately – Kanye at his ranch outside Cody, Wyoming, Kim and the kids with her famous family in southern California. 

A source close to Kardashian was quoted saying, “Kim got Kanye to go up there so they could live separate lives and quietly get things sorted out to separate and divorce. She’s done.” Kardashian, 40, and West, 43, are said to be splitting because of marital problems directly related to Kanye’s very public mental health struggles.

For several years the rapper’s various antics have caused fans to worry. After coming out as a Trump supporter, West then announced his own 2020 presidential bid under a new political party: the Birthday Party. At a campaign rally in South Carolina, he was seen rambling, debating individual audience members, and at times, crying. In various interviews, he has rambled on almost incoherently, and his tweetstorms are now infamous.

For her part, Kim has always supported her husband and has openly discussed the difficulties of their marriage. Back in June, she shared on social media, “Anyone who has [bipolar disorder] or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand… People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual (has) to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.”

It appears she has finally reached her limit in the union with the unnamed source saying, “She is serious about taking the bar exam and becoming a lawyer, she is serious about her prison reform campaign. Meanwhile Kanye is talking about running for president and saying other crazy s**t, and she’s just had enough of it.”

Separately, a source close to Kanye alleges the rapper is sick of his wife and her family, which might have some truth to it since he has tweeted some pretty nasty things about them in the past. “I been trying to get divorced since Kim met with Meek at the Warldolf [sic] for ‘prison reform,’” he said in a now-deleted July tweet. Recently, he hasn’t been featured on his wife’s Instagram and has largely remained out of the public eye.

With the news yet to be confirmed, the “divorce is imminent” reports are just rumors for now. We’ll be following the news as more information comes out.

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