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Why is Mookie Betts still missing from the culture? — Andlandscape

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On October 30, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts was still in a hazy mood as he sat down for a postgame interview with the FOX baseball crew following the Dodgers’ five-game World Series victory over the New York Yankees. First baseman and World Series MVP Freddie Freeman showed up with a four-hitter that included a wild outburst after the first game. Fierce right-hander Blake Treinen, whose profession seemed all but over after a series of diverse injuries, threw 42 pitches and struck out three batters over 2.1 innings of labor in the fifth, limiting the Yankees to simply one hit.

However, it was Betts who once more reminded fans why the Dodgers moved heaven and earth in 2020 to sign the disastrous Boston Red Sox franchise. In 16 postseason games in 2024, the famed five-tool outfielder hit .290 with 18 hits, 4 runs scored, 16 RBI and 14 runs scored. Betts’ profession stats are much more impressive. The 2018 American League MVP is an eight-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glove winner and 2018 batting champion. The only reason Betts is not the biggest star in the game is because his teammate, Shohei Ohtani, is a record-breaking hitter with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, a soon-to-be three-time National League MVP, who also won 38 games in profession as a pitcher.

On paper, Betts — who earned his nickname because his parents were huge fans of NBA guard Mookie Blaylock — must be as famous by name as other extraordinary figures in the current Black culture zeitgeist, like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, LeBron, Kendrick, Zendaya and Barack and Michelle.

When polarizing baseball great-turned-analyst Alex Rodriguez reminded him that he was the only energetic player with three World Series titles (one with the Red Sox in 2018 and two with the Dodgers in 2020 and 2024). , Betts downplayed the feat. Instead, he praised his teammates for his or her support during a stretch last season during which the 32-year-old struggled at the plate.

“I remember in San Diego I was just grinding, grinding, grinding,” he recalled. “Literally no one turned their back on me. They were all there, cheering me on in the cage as I hit shots, hit shots, and told me I was OK…all my teammates were there…I love every single one of those guys. I just love being a Dodger, I really do.”

Betts is armed with retro charm. In one other life, the MLB superstar might have been an eye-candy ’90s soap opera idol who would give fresh-faced Shemar Moore a run for his money. You might wonder why Betts – who married childhood sweetheart Brianna Hammonds and has a postcard-ready family that evokes comparisons of BLACK LOVE to LeBron and Savannah James or Rihanna and A$AP Rocky – is not celebrated more by us. And while his name has been name-checked in several rappers’ rhymes, akin to Benny the Butcher in “Line“, Kennedy House in “Trust” and DJ BlueBucksClan, A-Bliccy and Jeezy in “Mookie Bets”, some rappers they’re astonished that it continues to be unnoticed of the conversation.

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after Freddie Freeman #5 hit a two-run home run during the first inning of Game 4 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 29, 2024 in The Bronx, New York.

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

People outside of sports fandom would have a tough time picking Betts out of the lineup. However, he actually doesn’t shrink back from the highlight. In 2020, Betts moved to Hollywood where she executive produced the award-winning 2022 documentary about the most beloved Dodger of all of them, .

Despite the charismatic Betts’ contract with the Dodgers value $365 million, which in today’s staggering $700 million market, represents a bargain that his teammate Ohtani, away from the diamond, is comically aloof. A talented athlete who was a standout basketball player at Overton High School in Nashville, winner of the Class AAA All-City Player of the YearBetts is knowledgeable bowler who bowled an ideal match in 2017.

So what gives? Why hasn’t Betts grow to be a ubiquitous fixture in black celebrity circles? Blame MLB. In 2024, only 4 African Americans participated in the Fall Classic (not counting Afro-Latino players and one from the Bahamas). Things got even worse in 2022 when no Black players took the field in the World Series.

This season, when MLB celebrated Jackie Robinson Day in honor of the giant who broke baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947, the variety of black players on the league’s 30 rosters was just 6%. By comparison, 1991 boasted the highest percentage of black players in the MLB at 18%, led by such immortals as Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Andre Dawson, Ricky Henderson, Ozzie Smith, Lee Smith and Eddie Murray .

Back then, baseball was still considered cool, a lot in order that the aforementioned Bonds, Griffey and frozen two-sport star Deion Sanders routinely shared highlights on SportsCenter with Michael Jordan and Barry Sanders. That’s why Betts has made it his mission to draw more black fans and elite black talent to MLB.

“I think one of the most important things is that kids don’t see us there.” – he said during the 2023 meeting. In the profile, he was filmed wearing a T-shirt that read “We need more Black people in the stadium.”

“If you watch football and basketball, you can see us everywhere… everyone on the field, everyone in the commercials,” Betts continued. “I have to continue to do my part and stay involved so that kids can see someone they can be.”

Each 12 months, MLB’s development programs, akin to the DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational and Breakthrough Series, involve 1,200 to 1,500 children participating in the league’s diversity initiative. And the Andre Dawson Classic collegiate tournament showcases HBCU talent trying to break into the big leagues.

The query, nevertheless, is not whether Betts will eventually be engulfed by this nebulous and overused all-encompassing “culture.” Is that why it’s taking so long?

“I have three” Betts said to a packed crowd at Dodgers Stadium for World Series celebrations, holding his right hand up. “I’m trying to fill this hand, Los Angeles”

Keith “Murph” Murphy is a senior editor at VIBE magazine and a frequent contributor to Billboard, AOL and CBS Local magazines. The veteran journalist has appeared on CNN, FOX News and A&E Biography, and is the writer of the men’s lifestyle book “The XO Manifesto.”

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Melania slammed Donald Trump with third prenup change, fueling rumors of marital drama after she dodged his kiss and claim resurfaced

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For years, there was speculation concerning the authenticity of the love between President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump. The theories intensified after Melania was caught repeatedly hiding from her husband’s public displays of affection for years.

Some imagine their relationship is solely business-related, a view that gained popularity when the New York Post reported in September 2023 that its alleged insider claimed that Melania had renegotiated her prenuptial agreement with the forty fifth president for the third time. The move followed Trump’s confirmation of his intention to hunt a second term as president after announcing his re-election campaign on November 15, 2022.

When the couple married in 2005, the initial prenuptial agreement reportedly significantly favored Donald Trump. However, since then the contract has been renegotiated not less than 3 times, with the primary renegotiation going down in 2017 and one other in 2020, when she served as apparently delayed moving to the White House – not less than that is what the New York Post claims in its unconfirmed reports. It is unclear why the thrice-married Trump would conform to loosen up his protections as part of such an arrangement.

In 2023, an alleged insider told the Post’s Page Six gossip column: “Over the past yr, Melania and her team have been quietly negotiating a brand new deal following the suspension of her contract with Donald Trump. This is not less than the third time Melania has renegotiated the terms of her marriage contract.

WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a "Salute to America" ​​celebration that includes a flyover of military planes and a large fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON – JULY 4: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend an event on the South Lawn of the White House on July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump hosts a “Salute to America” ​​celebration that features a flyover of military planes and a big fireworks display. (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

It continued to be claimed that Melania can be increasingly concerned about Trump’s mounting legal problems. Last yr, he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with making secret payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. That same yr, Trump was also found liable in a civil suit for sexual abuse and defamation of author E. Jean Carroll. More than a yr ago, Trump was also charged in Atlanta with attempting to overturn the presidential vote within the 2020 elections in Georgia. Trump ultimately faced federal criminal charges related to his mishandling of classified documents after leaving office and the January 6 rebel.

With all this happening against Trump, Melania obviously desired to be certain she can be secure.

“This agreement was necessary due to ongoing legal disputes that (…) (Donald) has suffered,” the source said.

However, the insider also told Page Six that the postnuptial agreement doesn’t mean Melania plans to depart Trump.

They said the revised deal would also provide money for his or her 18-year-old son, Barron Trump.

“Melania is most concerned with maintaining and increasing the considerable trust she has in her son, Barron.”

Another source backed up this statement, saying, “I know she wanted this to provide her with more money, and also – from what I understand – there is at least a set amount that Barron is expected to get.”

Fans shared their thoughts on Melania renegotiating her prenup with The Daily Beast’s. side.

One person said: “Thanks to her we managed to save him. After filing for bankruptcy five times, he will be living on Melany’s benefits.”

The second wrote: “He must secure Barron’s future before the non-existent money disappears.”

A third commenter advised: “Honey, take the money and run.”

CNN is preparing for Trump’s second visit to the White House reported that his wife doesn’t plan to live in Washington full time. Sources told the news outlet that while Melania plans to attend essential events, she will spend loads of time living between New York City – as her son Barron attends NYU there – and Palm Beach, Florida, where many of her friends live.

Her reported impending absence from the White House has sparked whispers about whether Melania is serious about her responsibilities and priorities as first lady, but that is not all. It also sparked more speculation about whether she and Trump have a blissful marriage.

Even during Trump’s victory speech, a smiling Melania avoided being kissed by her husband as he sang her praises on stage. After thanking her and expressing his appreciation for her “best-selling book in the country,” Trump moves to hug and kiss his wife, then places her hand on her cheek as she turns her head barely.

Still, Melania assures doubters that every little thing is effective in her marriage to Trump. In September, she even tried to disclaim the rumors during an interview on “Fox & Friends.”

When asked what she liked about her husband, she replied: “His essence. His humor. His personality. His kindness,” he added later. “It’s very special. His positivity. His energy. It’s unbelievable. Yes, so we’ve got a fantastic relationship.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Jussie Smollett’s 2019 Self-Attack Conviction Overturned – Andscape

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the choice to fireside an actor Jussie Smollett conviction on charges of organizing a racist and anti-gay attack on himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lying to police.

The the state’s highest court ruled that the special prosecutor shouldn’t have been allowed to intervene after the Cook County state’s attorney initially dropped charges against Smollett in exchange for waiving $10,000 bail and performing community service. The ruling and appeal didn’t address Smollett’s continued claim of innocence.

Smollett, who’s black and gay, claims two men attacked him, hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and placed a noose around his neck, resulting in an enormous seek for suspects by Chicago police and sparking a world uproar. Smollett was starring in a television drama that was filmed in Chicago, and prosecutors alleged that he organized the attack because he was unhappy with the studio’s response to hate mail he received.

“We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and considered it unfair,” Justice Elizabeth Rochford wrote in a 5-0 decision. “Nevertheless, more unfair than the resolution of any single criminal case would be for this court to find that the state is not obliged to honor agreements on which people have relied to their detriment.”

Smollett’s attorneys argued that the case ended with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office dropped initially 16 counts of disorderly conduct. A grand jury reinstated the fees after a special prosecutor took over the case. The jury convicted Smollett of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021

Emails searching for comment were sent Thursday to Foxx’s office and Smollett’s attorney, who argued that Smollett was the victim of a racist and politicized justice system.

Testimony at trial showed that Smollett paid $3,500 to 2 men he knew to perform the attack. Prosecutors said he told them what insults to shout and shout that Smollett was in “MAGA country,” an apparent reference to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign slogan.

Smollett testified that “there was no fraud” and that he was the victim of a hate crime in his downtown Chicago neighborhood.

He was sentenced to 150 days in prison, six of which he had already served released pending further notice — 30 ​​months probation and ordered to pay roughly $130,000 in restitution.

The state appeals court’s ruling upheld Smollett’s conviction, declaring that nobody promised Smollett that he would not face a brand new charge after accepting the unique deal.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis and Justice Joy Cunningham didn’t take part in Thursday’s decision.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Lil Baby didn’t just rap about change – he went to Harvard to achieve it – Essence

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: Songwriter of the Year Award winner Lil Baby speaks on stage on the ASCAP R&S Music Celebration on the London Hotel on June 27, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for ASCAP)

Lil Baby will not be only considered one of the most important names in hip-hop – he can also be an aspiring entrepreneur who’s serious about taking his business knowledge to the subsequent level.

The GRAMMY Award-winning rapper recently participated in Harvard Business School’s “Launching New Ventures” program, a prestigious short course designed to help entrepreneurs grow their ventures through modern strategies. The program, which will not be a level-granting initiative, focuses on key entrepreneurial tools, including opportunity assessment, competitive evaluation and developing sustainable business models, – we read on this system’s website.

For Lil Baby, born Dominique Armani Jones, the move was greater than just earning bragging rights. Known for hits like and , the Atlanta native has all the time been open about his desire to construct a legacy beyond music. As head of his record label 4PF (Four Pockets Full), he is committed to creating opportunities for artists and running a business that will not be only profitable, but in addition influential. However, he realized that running a successful label required honing his skills, and Harvard was the right place for this.

Movie shared on X On Wednesday, we got to see Lil Baby participating within the show. The clip ended on a touching note as he was presented together with his certificate of completion, followed by a surprise ceremony organized by his family.

While critics were quick to indicate that he didn’t “graduate” from Harvard – despite misleading headlines – his decision to commit to this system is critical in itself. Shows like “Launching New Ventures” offer insights that may transform corporations and help entrepreneurs overcome challenges, and Lil Baby’s presence signals his commitment to constructing a legacy that goes far beyond music. For Lil Baby, the move is an element of a broader commitment to securing his position not only as a rapper, but in addition as a mogul. His commitment to self-improvement reflects the values ​​he promotes through his music: perseverance, resilience and development.

It’s also value noting that Lil Baby’s decision to attend Harvard sends a powerful message to his community, especially Black entrepreneurs. In a world where barriers to business education still exist, his decision to pursue higher education shows that it’s never too late – or too unconventional – to take what you are promoting seriously.

As Lil Baby grows, one thing is obvious: his diligence knows no limits. Whether he’s behind the microphone or within the classroom, he proves that the important thing to success is to continually strive for more.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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