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
Taraji P. Henson played in the upcoming thriller Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry Studios is preparing for the next release of the film – and that is one other thriller. This summer, Taraji P. Henson, Teyana Taylor, Sherri Shepherd and others are to look in the upcoming thriller of Perry “Straw”.
According to Netflix“Słomiana” concerns the “Lonely Mother, whose world spreads in chaos, when her day goes from evil to worse to catastrophic, when she tries to take care of her sick daughter. Pushed to the edge through the world, which seems indifferent to her existence, is forced to face impossible elections in a society that does not offer her safety net.” Taping her character Janyah as a single mother was something she could confer with from experience.
“Janiyah is a woman who doesn’t have much in life, but she has a lot of love for her child,” said Henson Entertainment every week. “I’m a lonely mother, so I understood her journey and her struggles. She is a lonely mother who tries to utilize the cards which have been given in her life best.
Noticing how the film “shows how easy it is that people in a difficult situation can be disregarded or deprived of civil rights by a system that is to protect them,” added Henson:
“If likelihood is high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high it’s possible it’s possible likelihood is high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high you almost actually can possibly possibly possibly be a fighting single mother, you likely can in no way times pay for this extraordinary lunch, and kids who cannot afford this extraordinary lunch, get a separate lunch. And you already know what is happening then? Children begin to hassle your child. As parents, they feel the pain of our youngsters deeper than them, so it meant for her.
The film, which based on Henson is crammed with “crazy twists”, which could surprise the viewers, was reportedly shot inside 4 days, while the actress worked on one other project.
“Thinking that we shot in four days when I was still working on” Night Fight Night “,” Henson explained. “But that is what I like in Słrier Perry; he’s fast, and I’ll even be fast. He knew he had a limited time with me. He used it accurately … The topic is a bit dark, so I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once glad that I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once living only in the world of this character for 4 days, because this energy is transferred, and just somewhat little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little bit of a follow you. I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once glad when it happens, and I’m very different from one other character.
“Straw” takes place at Netflix on June 6.

(Tagstotranslate) Entertainment
Entertainment
2025 San Francisco Art Fair Extated Creativity, Equity and Community Connection – Essence
Photo loan: Drew Bird, Courtesy of Art Market Productions
From April 17-20, thirteenth edition San Francisco Art Fair He brought an electrical pulse to the Fort Fort Fort Pavilion, attracting over 22,000 participants from throughout California and more. Of the 88 galleries and 45 participating partners, this 12 months’s event celebrated the creative spirit of Bay Area through dynamic exhibitions, programming, including and deepened involvement in constructing community.
Organized by Art Market Productions, Branch A21, began with a live VIP preview, through which over 4,500 guests participated. Collectors, curators, artists and similar ones gathered to take up a job which is able to define the weekend. Local favorites, paying homage to PT.2 Gallery, Jessica Silverman and Micki Meng, offered outstanding presentations, while exhibitors for the primary time, including Anthony Meier and Madsen, spoke daring statements with programming, which they raised regional talents. Sales reports showed significant activity throughout the least levels-from $ 500 local images $ 45,000, Rojas, sold by Jessica Silverman Gallery-Inventory, each healthy collector’s commitment and adaptation to trends emphasized contained contained contained throughout the Art Basel X UBS Art 2025 report.
In addition to selling the heartbeat of this 12 months’s fair, there was programming. Panels, performances and projects of public art emphasize how art intersects with justice, identity and local traditions. One of probably essentially probably probably essentially probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably the most powerful moments got here throughout the Saturday panel “Art and Impact in the East Bay”, through which the artist and cultural strategist Favianna Rodriguez emphasized the urgency of practice based on the goal.
“I really believe in the power of art,” said Rodriguez. “If we are thinking about artists in the whole story – Nina Simone, Frida Kahlo, James Baldwin – helped change the way we think. At the moment it is important that the artists wonder what really depends. Regardless of whether it is an environment or reproductive rights of women, or takes care of LGBTQ or your health care, we need artists to show us what is possible.”
This forward -looking way of considering lasted to the Sunday panel on the Nexus SF/Bay Area Black Art Week, a rapidly developing platform organized by African diaspora museum To emphasize the work of black artists in San Francisco and Oakland. Together with the second edition on the horizon, Nexus is gaining momentum each as a vacation and a call to act – with a purpose to deepen the visibility of black visionaries.

Moderated by Abram Jackson, the panel contained powerful voices, including the last word word word word director of Monetty White, Lava Thomas artists and George McCalman and galleryist Jonathan Carver Moore. Together, they unpacked the double need for representation and infrastructure, citing Nexus as a bridge – not only between artists, but between the past and the long term. Together with the 20 th anniversary of the Museum on the horizon and the upcoming exhibition, Energia around Nexus seemed expansive and confirming.
“This year at the Art Fair in San Francisco it was important for us at Art Market Productions to create real spaces to combine – especially for the black creative community, which is such an important part of the Bay Area artistic scene,” said Kelly Freeman, director of Art Fair. “Thanks to Nexus and Black Brunch Club, we were able to combine artists, collectors and supporters in a way that seemed personal, significant and solemn. These meetings that remind us of why cooperation is important in art – and why it is so important to strengthen the voices that shape the future of the bay.”
The Black Brunch Club, which took place contained contained contained throughout the showroom of the Fair Collector, closed SFAF 2025, nevertheless it was a smaller act than it was a vacation. This served as a reminder that black creativity won’t be only aesthetics – it’s a pedigree, life line and a lens for the long term.
Other outstanding sessions throughout the fair included printing workshops of the Museum of Craft and Design Museum, satirical lecture by Marc Horowitz on the absurdist history of art and a movable panel on motherhood and artistic practice with the participation of Silverman and the artists of the C. Tut and Libby Black. On Friday, a well -displayed conversation on “investing in black art for home” referred to how collecting is possibly each an act of protection and personal transformation. A non-public party took place the the equivalent evening Jay collection, autographWhere did the guests like music together with wine Gifts. The meeting was organized to extend awareness for further triennale, a brand latest platform introducing contained contained contained throughout the spring of 2027, which is able to have time visual art in northern California.
Throughout the weekend, public projects paying homage to Creativity Non -Profit San Francisco studied interactive entry points for beginners and experienced collectors. Meanwhile, organizations paying homage to Berkeley Art Museum and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts emphasized institutional cooperation and interregional story.
“This year’s fair has confirmed what we always know – that Bay Area has a resistant and deeply engaged art community,” said Freeman in a press release. “The enthusiasm in the pavilion was electric – from the quality of the works presented in significant conversations taking place at stands and programming. We are proud to provide a platform that raises this creative ecosystem and invites important voices in folds.”
Entertainment
Ayesha Curry under the fire for admitting “the lack of athletes” before she married Stepha, when fans say that she humiliates the NBA star
The revelation of Ayesh Curry about her teenage dating rule bored the debate about whether the public statements of the culinary entrepreneur sometimes obscure the achievements of her husband of the NBA Super Gwiades.
Referred in an interview with the Christian broadcast network, wherein she turned to the strict policy of “without athletes” before meeting Stephen Curry as a teen, she caused mixed reactions of fans who wonder if such sincere disclosures unintentionally undermine the refined public pendant of the war warrior.

During the conversation from March 2025, with the host Efrem Graham Ayesh, she considered the irony of her former attitude, recognizing how her younger I made broad generalings about sports personality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paaxjwfdpoq
“And it’s so funny!” She said: “When you are a teenager, you don’t necessarily think about what you are saying and you tend to generalize, and as (you) a change, you put different people into different boxes.”
Adding: “And so embarrassing at the bottom that this is capital letters, such as” without athletes! They are so smug! “And what kind of generalization is that? “
A 36-year-old mother of a four-person one explained how Stephen’s meeting questioned her prejudices. Looking back, she principally knew him all her life – for the first time she met the future NBA champion when she was over 20 years – and described their meeting as a divine intervention.
“And so I feel that that is the way it’s God, don’t judge the book by the cover, because I met my husband – well, I met my husband (when) I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once 14 years old, but I went on a date with my husband at the age of 19 or (he was) my friend, and he was a exact opposite of this.
CBN YouTube viewers expressed Mixed reactions to interview.
“Could the embarrassing Steph stop? How to close,” commented one of the viewers, blowing her up for saying things that, he believed, he casts dirt on her husband’s image.
Another support offered: “I am glad that he now has its own marriage and relationship!” Referring to the thought that she just just won’t be comfortable in her relationship.
But many comments applauded her, recognized her strong faith, and likewise celebrated their family.
The third person noticed: “The man thinks about curry, he was not in the drama on the pitch and outside and has a beautiful family.”
Another added: “Everyone is incredibly beautiful, they just shine with a good spirit. Basketball Obama …”
This just just won’t be the first time Ayesha met with criticism of her public comments.
Earlier she caused controversy, discussing her feelings that she didn’t pay the attention of men compared with how her husband is bombarded with women’s admiration.
During the previous interview, she expressed uncertainty about women thrown in Stephen, while she felt invisible to other men, comments that were later criticized for being inappropriate for a married woman.
Twitter cut off the first 20 seconds of the conversation with the red table of Ayesha Curry
. pic.twitter.com/eauuovfv86
-Britt-man
(@tjseanb) December 21, 2021
Despite the periodic slack, Currys maintained a sturdy public presence when their family increased in front of the eyes of the fans.
Their oldest daughter, currently 12-year-old Riley, for the first time captured her heart as a premature toddler who interrupted the press conferences of the NBA finals of her father 2015. Recently noticed on the game Warriors, which stands almost as high as her mother with an area of 5 feet-8, transformation of Riley from Sassa 3-year-old, who quoted Big Sean lyrics in the composed teenager, caused fans to surprise during a fraction of Time.
The curry family now covers Ryana, 9, Canon, 6 and Baby Caius, who ends 1 this month. During her journey Ayesh built her own empire as the creator of the cookbook, television personality and entrepreneur, while Stephen continues his dominance in basketball at the age of 37.
Explaining their family’s approach to public life, Ayesha emphasized the authenticity.
“I think we are trying to keep it really. And we try to be nice people,” said CBN. “People look at our family, but I think it is important that everyone knows that no one is perfect, and we are just trying to live at the moment.”
While critics can perceive Ayesh’s apparitions as embarrassing against Stephen, the 4 -time NBA champion seems distrustful.
His recent birthday tribute to his wife showed his unwavering devotion: “Where are we starting to describe what you mean, our family, all who have been blessed enough to meet you. You light a room,” he wrote.
Indeed, despite the sporadic storms in social media and perceived excessive objects, Currys carried out almost 13 years of marriage with no much scandal, maintaining their status of one of the most admired pairs of basketball.
(Tagstransate) ayesha curry