Entertainment
Why Usher’s visit to the disgraced Russell Simmons was a betrayal – Andscape
One of my first big freelance assignments was an 800-word tribute to the music mogul and visionary I assumed I wanted to be after I grew up. The article was about his achievements before some award he would receive. It was about how I admired his ingenuity and greatness.
The article was about Russell Simmons.
Simmons, co-founding father of the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, has been around ever since accused of sexual assault and harassment by multiple women and was the subject of a documentary about these accusations. He also decided to spend the previous couple of years in Bali – with some speculation that he was living there to avoid the legal consequences he would face if he stayed in America.
Since taking day off, Simmons has openly surrounded himself with celebrity friends, despite the accusations leveled at him. a syndicated radio show had him as a guest, affectionately calling him Uncle Russ in 2020. Rappers Redman and The human method they featured it on their Verzuz in 2021 Actress Taraji P. Henson I took smiling photos with him in Bali last 12 months. A brand new, unexpected name was added to Simmons’ guest list: singer-songwriter Usher.
Every time the star poses in public with Simmons, it means greater than just supporting a friend. It’s public support. Usher should know that lending his fame to Simmons is greater than just hanging out with a friend, it’s a public declaration that he stands by a man whose trials will more than likely happen only in the court of public opinion. For Usher to do that at the height of his popularity and fame is beyond disappointing. This is betrayal.
This situation and our response to it’ll test our resolve to hold celebrities’ feet to the fire for his or her support of Simmons and others accused of abuse, and can remind us that no one, regardless of how much they’re loved, must be allowed to nothing to complain about the circumstances.
Usher Raymond IV has spent the previous couple of years having fun with the third or fourth highlight of his profession, establishing himself as one in all the R&B icons of his generation. Everything from his performance to his Las Vegas residency, all culminating in his Super Bowl halftime show in February, made Usher as popular as ever. I’m one in all those that rejoices in Usher’s renaissance, even writing about how his act of serenading women in Las Vegas caused insecure men and toxic masculinity to run amok. We have covered and celebrated Usher extensively on Andscape. Often, once you support someone or change into a superfan of them, it becomes easier to look away once they do something harmful. But celebrities’ biggest cheerleaders must be the first to call them out once they have clearly failed so many individuals who’ve supported them.
Usher’s visit to Simmons is undeniably embarrassing, and he at the very least deserves all the criticism he receives for such a decision. It was not nearly the visit, but about the public nature of the meeting, viz Simmons’ social media post celebrating this occasion.
“When I was at the lowest point of my life, I woke up and this man was sitting by my bed. I actually have known Usher since he was a child, but we truly bonded over our mutual love of self-discovery and our belief in yoga science as a direct path to realizing God consciousness inside ourselves… People, remember this… a friend is available in when others go… I’ll always remember the generosity of spirit I witnessed on this man. God bless you brother @usher 
I really like you!!!!”
I do know I should stop being surprised by such actions by celebrities and other people I do not know personally, but I’m still shocked and indignant by Usher’s decision. I feel the same way about comedian Katt Williams, who I also praised for the first few months of the 12 months for his honesty on the podcast and his comedic courage – even using him to contrast him with Dave Chappelle’s anti-transgender version of comedy. But Williams has since betrayed that good faith by turning on Joe Rogan’s podcast to discuss some silly conspiracy theories and his own brand of anti-transgender bias.
“20 years ago I knew transgender people were going to be fashionable,” Williams said as Rogan stared at him along with his mouth open. “…I noticed that was the earliest I had ever heard the word ‘transgender’ come from Baphomet, transgender. I knew that in Baphomet’s transgender ritual, to show allegiance to him, you had to kiss his ring.
The tirade was as senseless because it was dangerous: linking transgender individuals with Baphomet – seen primarily as satanic and occult figures – is as damaging as anything Chappelle has ever said. And it destroys the goodwill Williams has earned, especially recently.
The stars have discovered how to fight summonses for one of these crime. They consider it’s “cancel culture” and consider criticism an irrelevant tool for people who find themselves too sensitive to matter. But it’s just regular gas lighting. Williams and Usher specifically perpetuate the damage. In Usher’s case, he stands alongside a powerful man accused of harming several women. Williams says he’s using dangerous rhetoric about a community that already experiences disproportionate violence. And these two men do it at the height of their popularity, once they are most influential.
For those that consider these decisions don’t have any impact on us, they’re easy to ignore. Partying with celebrities should never obscure our love for the most vulnerable amongst us. We cannot love a celebrity an excessive amount of for our opinion about them to change. I had to change my views on Simmons, someone I admired enough to praise early in my profession. We have to be willing to change our feelings about these people after we receive latest information. This is what distinguishes us from blind fanatics.
Anything else is a failure on our part. Usher and Williams made their very own decisions. It is up to us to face the truth about these decisions and never ignore them.
Entertainment
“Big Ol” Women in San Antonio makes a laugh when Charles Barkley boomed for doubles on many years of beef
The general legend of the NBA, Charles Barkley, moved the pot again together with his ten -year -old feud from San Antonio, refusing to withdraw from his well -known comments concerning the city of town during his appearance on the March Madness Festival.
The 62-year-old Hall of Famer went out on the stage on Sunday, April 6, just a day after his Alma Mater, Auburn, lost his final 4 duel with Florida-who won the national championship with the victory of 65-63 over Houston on Monday evening-I didn’t waste time, which didn’t win his relationship with Texas.
Despite the mixed reception of Boos and laughter from the gang, Barkley remained unmoved when he continued a joke, which at the identical time entertained and offended the inhabitants of San Antonio for almost 20 years.
The basketball legend softened the initial negative response, praising San Antonio as a “great city” and expressing admiration for coach Spurs Gregg Popovich and the band, then immediately began his controversial remarks.
“Yes, you got some B – Ches,” said Barkle, adding one other chapter to what became one of essentially the most durable losers in the sports media.
Reaction to Tiktok was divided as a live audience.
Charles Barkley on the stage in San Antonioband
“San Antonio … .. yes, you have some big ole itching” pic.twitter.com/nsjebbcfx
– Charlie Reynolds (@crecynolds1563) April 7, 2025
Many residents appeared to be joking with Stride, and one commentator Tiktok writes: “You can call him all except a liar.”
Another compatriot from San Antonio agreed, commenting: “He is not wrong and I am a native. There are several huge b -ches here.”
Others admired his sticking, and one person noticed: “double?
However, not everyone found humor in Barkley’s multiple stabs.
Some commentators pushed themselves against sexist tons, and one person wrote: “They are such a stupid misogytic word” before they criticized those that laughed, adding: “half of their mothers look like those girls they talk about.”
Feud reaches almost 20 years, when Barkley first commented on “Big Ol” Women in San Antonio “, discussing Spurs in” Inside the NBA “.
Since then, he still refers back to the joke, comparing the “Lean Houston Women” with “Women-Ass women in San Antonio” in 2019, and in 2021 noting that ladies from San Antonio couldn’t fit in the door, According to to BROBBible.com.
His jokes went beyond personal performances when he once claimed that he would open a truck with food suggesting Women from San Antonio would buy all their food.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0GSBQNX0Ag
In March 2023, he even called the favored river in town “dirty, small stream.” Reported.
The response has been significant over the years.
Tim Duncan’s girlfriend famously answered the wearing of the shirt “Barkley don’t know”, a trend that attracted many local women.
Waste intensified in 2015, when Abby Lentz published A 4 -page article through a coalition of obesity condemning Barkley’s discriminatory comments.
In an article entitled “Basketball, Barkley and Fat Bashing” she said: “I felt like I came back to Junior High again.”
Until 2021, the pressure presses to such an extent that Warner Bros. Apparently, he asked Barkley to stop making these jokes in “Inside the Nba”. Barkley blamed “Cancel Culture” for the ban, telling journalists: “Nowadays you can’t even play without these Jackass, trying to cancel you and the like.”
He defended himself, saying: “I did not call anyone personally fat in San Antonio, I just joked.”
When the middle of Auburn Dylan Cardwell got here to San Antonio for the last 4, he jokingly commented that “he did not see any of the women he was talking about Charles Barkley.”
After arriving in San Antonio, coach Auburn Bruce Pearl told the players to depart the river and experience San Antonio and “enjoy what they made”
Auburn Center Dylan Cardwell quickly accepted Alamo City
pic.twitter.com/V9pegwnxxa
– Zack Hedrick (@zhedricktv) April 3, 2025
Despite the criticism, he known as for cancellation and formal requests to stop, Barkley’s return to San Antonio concerning the last 4 shows his reluctance to desert what has turn out to be his signature.
April 8 NBA on TNT common The Barkley clip participating in the “Pop The Balloon” viral dating game, in which singles attempt to catch a date with one completely happy competitor. However, in the event that they don’t like what they see or hear, they may sleep a balloon to justify the sport. Because Barkley participated in the sport in San Antonio, there isn’t a doubt that he is not going to be lucky with women.
Women had many explanation why they rejected the prospect to fall in love with Barkley, including the indisputable fact that he likes the “wolf” Churros and that he lacks muscles. “You don’t even have any rings,” one of the participants joked.
As one of the commentators aptly noted, at this point it seems that you would be able to’t stop Barkley.
The more the redemption he receives from women from San Antonio, the more determined it seems to consolidate his controversial joke – the testimony of his unanimous approach to the comedy, which still divides recipients in the style of humor and sensitivity in the era of an increasing number of defined by the standards of acceptable public discourse.
(Tagstotransate) Charles Barkley
Entertainment
Reebok continues to return to basketball with the signing of Dijonai Carrington – and Scape
Dijonai Carrington is the latest WNBA player who joined the Reebok basketball list.
The Dallas Wings guard has signed a protracted -term contract with the company based in Boston, which is able to establish it as a brand ambassador in the field of performance and lifestyle clothing, starting with the basketball sneakers engine.
The signing of Carrington is an element of a protracted -term effort for Reebok to restore to the basketball brand. The A engine, which Carrington wore during the inaugural inaugural season, is their first recent basketball sneakers from ZPump Rise.
“I am excited about continuing the family heritage and joining the Reebok basketball list,” said Carrington. Her father, former safety of NFL, Darren Carrington, also supported Reebok during his profession. “Reebok basketball has officially returned and I can’t wait to introduce energy outside in the new A. engine”
Carrington was appointed the most improved WNBA player in 2024, and also won the first ALL Defense Honors team. A profession from San Diego, on average, almost 13 points, 5 rebounds and a shadow below 2 thefts per match. Recently, it was exchanged with the Connecticut Sun to Wings under a 4 -person contract.
Carrington joins REEBOK WNBA basketball, including Angel Reese and Lexie Brown.
Entertainment
When hip -hop and classical collide: us to perform “Illmatic” live with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra – Essence
In what seems to be a cult combination of hip-hop and classical music, we can be joined by forces with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra because of this of its groundbreaking debut album. A breakthrough event takes place on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at 19:30 in Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.
The entitled concert guarantees to recuperate one of the famous albums of all time with sweeping orchestral arrangements carried out by Steven Reineke. The evening will happen iconic songs, akin to “Ny State of Mind”, “The World is Yours”, “Memory Lane (Sittin ‘in da Park)” and “It is not difficult to find”, each interpreted by wealthy textures of full symphony.
“Welcoming us with BSO will be an attraction of the year,” said Mark Hanson, president and general director of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. “This cooperation speaks to our involvement in breaking borders and creating a space in which all recipients feel associated with the power of orchestral music. It is an honor to revive this iconic album in a new way and shed light on the amazing scope and talent of our musicians.”
Celebrating thirtieth anniversary From the primary studio effort, this performance is a cultural milestone that mixes raw lyricism with great classical instrumentation-impressing the impression once in life for fans of each species.
Since the discharge in 1994, he built a long-lasting heritage from Queensbridge, winning 16 Grammy nominations and winning one of the best rap album in 2020. Its influence includes a long time, and its recent revival keeps him on the forefront of the species.
TicketsPrice between USD 75 and USD 299They are already available by BSO website or on Meyerhoff Box Office. Do not miss this historical celebration of music, poetry and a timeless story.
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