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	<title>Blacktwitter &#8211; Blacktwitter</title>
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	<link>https://blacktwitter.com</link>
	<description>The Latest News in Black Culture</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:46:53 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<title>Blacktwitter &#8211; Blacktwitter</title>
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		<title>Dating While Melanated: Top 3 Black Dating Apps for Singles</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/dating-while-melanated-top-3-black-dating-apps-for-singles/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:46:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/dating-while-melanated-top-3-black-dating-apps-for-singles/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Dating is tough for everybody, but if you’re a Black professional who has explored the avenue of online dating, then more than likely, you&#8217;ve felt the pangs of frustration while looking for love online. This is partially due to the lack of quality brown-skinned men and women on traditional dating sites. Finding a potential mate [...]]]></description>
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<p>Dating is tough for everybody, but if you’re a Black professional who has explored the avenue of online dating, then more than likely, you&#8217;ve felt the pangs of frustration while looking for love online. This is partially due to the lack of quality brown-skinned men and women on traditional dating sites.</p>
<p>Finding a potential mate can be hard when most online users don’t look like you. So, to help you all out a bit, EBONY has pulled together a list of dating app alternatives so we can all find love this year.</p>
<p>BLK: As a leading dating and social lifestyle app for the Black community, BLK always looks for new ways to bring Black singles together. Studying the trends of 2024 to predict how people will date this year, BLK has created platforms for Gen Zers crew&#8217;sing for new besties, brunch buddies and festival squads; homie hobbying to share their pastimes, collabor-dating to make TikToks, build photo dumps or design joint playlists, and more. </p>
<p>RBL: Real Black Love (RBL) is the platform for those seeking a real relationship and want someone else to do the work. It&#8217;s evolved into a one-on-one matchmaking website where you can sign up to be introduced to other eligible singles. According to its founder, Joseph Dixon, the goal is to provide a service for highly eligible Black men to connect with beautiful and brilliant Black women. You can also visit the RBL dating app for more opportunities to meet someone special.</p>
<p>BlackGentry: Just from the name, this sounds like a classy app. BlackGentry&#8217;s motto is to match ambitious and intentional singles. A membership committee reviews profiles before a user&#8217;s acceptance to ensure quality, and users can initially chat with matches for free. </p>
<p class="gmail-has-text-align-center gmail-has-white-color gmail-has-text-color gmail-has-fontsecondary-font-family gmail-has-superbfont-large-font-size">Elizabeth Aguirre is a technology professional with over eight years of experience in the software industry. She is on an e-woman mission to empower small business owners through the use of technology. When she&#8217;s not being a cool mom to her daughter Esther, she enjoys tweeting and meditation.</p>
</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.ebony.com/technology-dating-apps/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Faith and labor unite for justice, building on a centuries-old alliance</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/faith-and-labor-unite-for-justice-building-on-a-centuries-old-alliance/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:46:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/faith-and-labor-unite-for-justice-building-on-a-centuries-old-alliance/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[By Rev. Dorothy S. BoulwareWord in Black When the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stood with Memphis sanitation workers in 1968, he wasn’t just fighting for fair wages — he was embodying a centuries-old alliance between the faith community and labor. From the secret meetings of enslaved people plotting liberation to the pulpit speeches of [...]]]></description>
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<p>By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware<br />Word in Black</p>
<p>When the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stood with Memphis sanitation workers in 1968, he wasn’t just fighting for fair wages — he was embodying a centuries-old alliance between the faith community and labor.</p>
<p>From the secret meetings of enslaved people plotting liberation to the pulpit speeches of modern-day labor leaders, the bond between faith and labor has long been a cornerstone of the fight for justice. This partnership, a bedrock of the civil rights movement, continues as leaders like the Rev. William J. Barber II and unions like the AFL-CIO carry the torch, advocating for living wages, voting rights, and economic equity.</p>
<p>		<img fetchpriority="high" data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="780" height="775" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/AP630703059.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-290562"  />Leaders of the nation’s largest national Black organizations meet in New York’s Roosevelt Hotel on July 2, 1963 to discuss plans for the March on Washington. Shown here, John Lewis (left), chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee; Whitney Young, national director of the Urban League; A. Philip Randolph, president of the Negro American Labor Council; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; James Farmer, director of the Congress of Racial Equality and Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. (AP Photo/Harry Harris)</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-longstanding-alliance">A longstanding alliance</h2>
<p>It would be difficult to separate the church from laborers and their rights and the civil rights movement because of their built-in impetus to fight for each other’s issues. Black laborers have traditionally been stalwart members — and even church leaders —  so the connection is vital and ongoing.</p>
<p>The earliest Black labor meetings to plan uprisings happened while enslaved people confused their masters into believing it was just those Africans having worship as usual. They plotted escape from the unfair but cruelly legal labor practices they endured, with their songs and prayers masking conversations about freedom.</p>
<p>Later, many of the early gatherings to organize for better working conditions and pay were held in Black churches.</p>
<p>Trade unionist A. Phillip Randolph, with the help of activists Anna Arnold Hedgeman and Bayard Rustin, organized the 1963 March on Washington, which most people forget was about jobs and justice. Faith organizations, houses of worship, community groups, as well as numerous labor unions showed up in the nation’s capital for the historic march and sounded the alarm for fair treatment and more, better-paying jobs.</p>
<p>The lead song of the Civil Rights Movement soundtrack, “We Shall Overcome,” was adapted from the hymn “I’ll Overcome Some Day,” written in 1901 by Rev. Charles Albert Tindley of Philadelphia, who, ultimately, became a bishop in the United Methodist Church.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dr-king-s-legacy">Dr. King’s legacy</h2>
<p>Dr. King’s April 4, 1968 speech was his last because he refused to desert the sanitation workers of Memphis, although he knew his life was in mortal danger if he appeared.</p>
<p>“If we’re serious about the legacy of Dr. King and the legacy of justice, we can’t simply remember ‘I have a dream’ without remembering what he said about living wages and lifting up poor and low-wealth people,” Rev. William J. Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, told <a href="https://religionnews.com/2024/01/19/william-barber-on-bidens-record-on-poverty-and-recruiting-low-wage-voters/">Religion News</a> last year.</p>
<p>Barber’s work exemplifies this legacy. Over the past two years, his coalition enlisted the hands and feet of laborers of all kinds to knock on doors and register voters — workers who hadn’t traditionally voted because campaigning politicians never bothered to speak to issues like poverty and wage inequality.  </p>
<p>“We had some 400 organizations join with us in 2022 when we had the first mass poor people and low-wage workers March on Washington, as well as major denominations and religious groups. We’re calling on all of them to reach the people in their immediate circles,” Barber said.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-labor-in-the-pulpit-nbsp">Labor in the pulpit </h2>
<p>And the partnership between labor and faith communities continues. The AFL-CIO’s program, The “Labor in the Pulpit, on the Bimah and in the Minbar” program, sends labor leaders to houses of worship on Labor Day weekend to “speak about the values of equity, racial and economic justice, and the solidarity that labor shares with the faith community,” <a href="https://aflcio.org/labor-pulpit-bimah-and-minbar">according to its website</a>, which also contains an <a href="https://aflcio.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/2025%20LaborinPulpitOrganizingGuide.pdf">organizing guide</a> and <a href="https://aflcio.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/2025%20LiPToolkit.pdf">toolkit</a> for potential hosts. The bimah and the minbar are — for the synagogue and the mosque, respectively — the equivalents of the pulpit of a church.</p>
<p>Speakers “make a five-minute presentation about the values labor shares with the faith community, the issues impacting working people and the importance of the faith community and labor working together to achieve a more just and equitable society for all,” according to the toolkit.</p>
<p>During these services, the speakers also bring to mind the hard work of past leaders who fought diligently for things like an eight-hour work day, overtime pay, pensions, family and medical leave, and even the minimum wage, for which the fight continues.</p>
<p>As economic inequality grows and voting rights come under threat, this alliance between faith and labor leaders offers a model of collective action. Whether in the pulpit, on the picket line, or at the ballot box, the shared struggle for justice is as urgent as ever.</p>
<p>This article was originally published by Word in Black. </p>
<p>
<a href="https://afro.com/faith-labor-alliance-civil-rights/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>6 Most In-Demand Career Paths You Can Pursue With a Computer Science Degree. – ThyBlackMan.com</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/6-most-in-demand-career-paths-you-can-pursue-with-a-computer-science-degree-thyblackman-com/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:41:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/6-most-in-demand-career-paths-you-can-pursue-with-a-computer-science-degree-thyblackman-com/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Like Like Love Haha Wow Sad Angry (ThyBlackMan.com) If you dream of owning tech creations, can’t stop exploring the newest tech releases, or are always thinking of developing the best versions of the tech products you already use, a career in computer science might intrigue you.  The global market is already experiencing a surge in [...]]]></description>
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<p>(ThyBlackMan.com) If you dream of owning tech creations, can’t stop exploring the newest tech releases, or are always thinking of developing the best versions of the tech products you already use, a career in computer science might intrigue you. </p>
<p>The global market is already experiencing a surge in demand for computer professionals, with the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> forecasting a 15% growth in the job outlook by 2031. So, let’s explore the most in-demand career paths you can pursue with a computer science degree.</p>
</p>
<h2>Software Developer </h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.edmonds.edu/programs-and-degrees/bachelor-degrees/bachelor-of-science/computer-science/">computer science bachelor degree</a> can empower you to be a competent software developer. The job can suit you well if you find satisfaction in solving problems, writing code, and breathing life into digital applications and programmes. </p>
<p>As a software developer, you are tasked with designing computer applications to meet client or employer needs. You also help improve the current software, eliminate errors, and ensure it seamlessly integrates with new hardware.</p>
<h2>Information Security Analyst </h2>
<p>With the rise in data breaches and other cybersecurity crimes, concerns over data security have hit an all-time high. Working as an information security analyst enables you to develop and implement effective data security plans for companies. </p>
<p>These experts focus on ensuring that the company’s computing systems are well-secured with firewalls and other security measures to safeguard information systems. Your work also involves conducting tests to identify areas of weaknesses, making necessary security improvement recommendations, and training employees on security. </p>
<h2>Web Developer </h2>
<p>Working as a web developer involves building and designing websites to align with employer needs. Areas of focus include website capacity, performance, and speed. You can choose to work as a competent front-end developer, focusing on how a website looks, or take the back-end developer route, emphasizing a site’s function. You can also opt for both. </p>
<p>Some necessary skills to excel in this career path include knowledge of Javascript, HTML/CSS, and other programming languages. Graphic design skills and a collaborative mindset can also help you stand out. </p>
<h2>Business Intelligence Analyst </h2>
<p>This job requires you to combine skills from computer science and business administration. As a business intelligence analyst, your duties may involve curating and analyzing company data to highlight insightful patterns, trends, or tendencies. Then, draft a detailed report explaining your findings.</p>
<p>You also have to research and find new tools and strategies for collecting data more efficiently and accurately. The role requires close collaboration with other departments, such as the Human Resources and IT departments.</p>
<h2>Computer Hardware Engineer</h2>
<p>Your role as a computer hardware engineer may involve researching, developing, designing, and building computer components and systems, such as circuit boards, memory devices, and chips. A robust spirit of collaboration and solid analytical and technical skills can enable you to excel in this role, especially when developing projects and collaborating with software developers.</p>
<h2>UI and UX Designer</h2>
<p>The job of a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2024/10/03/why-uxui-could-be-crucial-to-the-success-of-your-app-project/">user interface and user experience</a> designer is similar to that of a web designer. However, a UI and UX designer directs more energy on the end-user to ensure they can easily sift through the site rather than paying more attention to the web’s overall design. </p>
<p>This role will require you to collaborate with web designers to conduct usability testing, boost overall user experience, and maximize functionality. UI and UX designers also handle apps and software programs.</p>
<p>A computer science degree sets you up for endless possibilities. However, you have to invest in quality learning to ensure you get all the necessary skills. In addition, assess your strengths and weaknesses to identify the most suitable career path. </p>
<p>Staff Writer; Jerry Harris</p>
<p><a href="https://thyblackman.com/2025/02/10/6-most-in-demand-career-paths-you-can-pursue-with-a-computer-science-degree/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Jalen Hurts&#8217; journey to Super Bowl MVP: A Houston story</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/jalen-hurts-journey-to-super-bowl-mvp-a-houston-story/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:44:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/jalen-hurts-journey-to-super-bowl-mvp-a-houston-story/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It’s with immense joy that we celebrate Jalen Hurts’ remarkable achievement in leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Hurts’ journey from Channelview High School to Super Bowl MVP is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the strong foundation laid by his family and [...]]]></description>
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<p>It’s with immense joy that we celebrate Jalen Hurts’ remarkable achievement in leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Hurts’ journey from Channelview High School to Super Bowl MVP is a testament to his unwavering dedication and the strong foundation laid by his family and our community.</p>
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jalen hurts lost in the confetti <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f389.png" alt="🎉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f525.png" alt="🔥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> </p>
<p>This photo is TOUGH <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f976.png" alt="🥶" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> </p>
<p><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f4f8.png" alt="📸" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP <a href="https://t.co/jsCRwF3zxg">pic.twitter.com/jsCRwF3zxg</a></p>
<p>— ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1888804233522053122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a> 			</p>
<p>Don’t miss out! Get top Black headlines in Houston/Texas/America in your inbox Monday-Saturday.</p>
<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>
<p>Born in Houston and raised in Channelview, Hurts was coached by his father, Averion Hurts Sr., at Channelview High School, where he showcased his dual-threat capabilities as a quarterback. His mother, Pamela Hurts, served as a school counselor, instilling in him the values of education and perseverance. This solid upbringing propelled him to collegiate success at both the University of Alabama and the University of Oklahoma, before making his mark in the NFL.</p>
<p>In Super Bowl LIX, Hurts delivered an outstanding performance, completing 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards and an additional touchdown. His leadership and poise were instrumental in securing the Eagles’ victory and earned him the well-deserved MVP honors.</p>
<p>Hurts’ success resonates deeply within the Houston community, especially among young Black athletes who see in him a reflection of their own aspirations. His journey underscores the importance of community support, familial guidance, and personal determination. As we celebrate his accomplishments, we also recognize the collective effort of those who have supported him along the way.</p>
<p lang="da" dir="ltr">JALEN HURTS HAS HIS SUPER BOWL TROPHY <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f3c6.png" alt="🏆" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> </p>
<p><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f4f8.png" alt="📸" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP <a href="https://t.co/vKzhguVK1J">pic.twitter.com/vKzhguVK1J</a></p>
<p>— ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1888796506121027626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2025</a> </p>
<p>Jalen Hurts’ story is not just one of personal triumph but also a source of pride for Houston’s Black community. His achievements inspire us all to pursue excellence, remain resilient in the face of challenges, and uphold the values that define our community.</p>
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		<title>The subversive genius of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance — Andscape</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/the-subversive-genius-of-kendrick-lamars-super-bowl-halftime-performance-andscape/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:43:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/the-subversive-genius-of-kendrick-lamars-super-bowl-halftime-performance-andscape/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kendrick Lamar’s last 12 months have been so full of the phrase “all time” that it started to sound like the hyperbole you’d find in braggadocious rap lyrics. Winner of the greatest rap feud of all time. Most dominant rap beef victory of all time. Greatest rap diss record of all time (twice!). Best year [...]]]></description>
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<p data-paragraph="main" class="has-drop-cap">Kendrick Lamar’s last 12 months have been so full of the phrase “all time” that it started to sound like the hyperbole you’d find in braggadocious rap lyrics. Winner of the greatest rap feud of all time. Most dominant rap beef victory of all time. Greatest rap diss record of all time (twice!). Best year any rapper has had of all time. And finally when he got booked to perform at the halftime show for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Lamar became the star of the most anticipated and probably most-viewed solo rap performance of all time. </p>
<p data-paragraph="main">The pressure was palpable. Lamar was tasked with setting the standard for rap at the Super Bowl while also kicking down doors for more solo acts to follow in his wake. He was also under pressure to execute the global death knell to his most public adversary, Drake — but not too nasty of a way as to not deter from his historic performance. Add in the last-minute pressure to do something as a form of protest while Donald Trump was in attendance, and we have Lamar at the center of a moment that feels like it may last forever.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">From Frenchmen Street to St. Charles, the rumblings about what Lamar’s performance would bring ranged from comparisons to Prince’s halftime show in 2007 to speculation that he would do something even more dastardly to Drake than he’s done so far. It seemed like an impossible bar to leapfrog. But over the course of 15 minutes, Kendrick Lamar gave us what we needed. He was defiant, proud, vindictive, playful and celebratory. He was pro-Black and subversive, trolling and joyful, and through all the expectations and fighting and nastiness, he was ultimately victorious. Lamar was aspirational, inviting us along with him.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">In short, Lamar was all the things that make him him; and make us us.</p>
<h5 class="single-recirc-hed">The Grammys became an unlikely place for Black joyRead now</h5>
<p data-paragraph="main">America is always a main character in Lamar’s music. Whether it’s the state of the hood as a result of a uniquely Black existence in this country as outlined in his debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city; the White House in the background of his 2015 follow-up To Pimp A Butterfly album cover; or the rallying cry against the scourge of colonialism on his biggest song yet, “Not Like Us,” Lamar is always pushing up against what it means to be Black and American. Which is why the very first thing we saw in his halftime performance was actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam narrating the showcase as well as a voice in Lamar’s head, telling him to play it safe and humble himself for America.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">When Lamar opened the show with his homies hopping out of his Buick GNX, a metaphor for his neighborhood and homies invading Americana, he’s admonished by Uncle Sam to humble himself. And when Lamar and his dancers formed a human American flag on the field during his smash hit “Humble,” it was clear there was going to be a larger statement about the country when it needs a mirror the most. The question then became how far Lamar would go.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">During his performance, Lamar wanted to deliver a message and a series of messages aimed directly at Black folks who are yearning for a place to rest our hearts. It’s what he has done so brilliantly in the midst of his feud with Drake. Part of Lamar’s attack on his Canadian nemesis has been positioning Drake as an extension of an establishment whose goal is to tear down Black folks. Yes, Drake is a colonizer according to Lamar, but it’s not just about that. It’s about getting rid of all colonizers. So when Lamar dropped his most powerful easter egg of the performance — Serena Williams — it was a wink to a particularly Black audience.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" width="6000" height="4000" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GettyImages-2198618464.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-341941"  />Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. </p>
<p class="photo-credit credits">Gregory Shamus/Getty Images</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Williams has been the target of Drake and America at multiple times in her career. She’s been unfairly targeted for daring to be great, or, in Drake’s case, disinterested in a relationship. During the performance of “Not Like Us,” Williams danced on the field — a middle finger to Drake and timely reminder that Lamar defended her, and the culture, on the song. But if you recall, back in the 2012 Olympics, Williams celebrated her Gold medal <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RClsZ3fTfRs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by c-walking on the court</a>. The move, an homage to her Compton roots and something Black folks had been doing for ages, became <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1286839-serena-williams-crip-walk-controversy-as-crazy-as-olympians-dance-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">another opening for attack</a> as far too many people accused her of being “ghetto” and too cocky for daring to shout out her hometown and rejoice in victory. </p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Lamar gave Williams space to reclaim that dance as he was rapping about the ills of folks who don’t belong in the same universe as Black excellence trying to tell us what to do.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">It’s that rebellion that fueled Lamar’s performance. A few weeks before the halftime show, Drake <a href="https://www.justjared.com/2025/02/09/drake-slams-kendrick-lamar-umg-again-before-super-bowl-halftime-show-will-not-like-us-be-performed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued several legal actions</a> that seemingly attempted to stop Lamar from performing “Not Like Us.” Again, this pitted Drake as something other than part of hip-hop culture because he was trying to silence a fellow artist and stop our collective joy. So when Lamar told us that he knows people don’t want him to perform the song during the show or they’ll sue, Uncle Sam warned the Compton MC not to fly too close to the sun with his pride. It was a conflation of Drake and America that is ironic given Drake’s Canadian heritage, but also a strategic move aided by Drake’s actions.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Lamar’s refusal to be silenced is another signal to us. Just take the gigantic, Joker-like, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/phillewis.bsky.social/post/3lhrzhdmp2c2b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already-viral smile</a> across Lamar’s face when he said Drake’s name while he performed “Not Like Us.” Look at the way he allowed the audience to say “pedophile” and sing along with tens of thousands of people in a packed Superdome who yelled out “a minor” — one of the more deafening moments of the entire game, let alone performance. Lamar was poking fun at anyone daring to stop his momentum, and encouraging us to do the same.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" width="6000" height="4000" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GettyImages-2198058916.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-341942"  />SZA, Kendrick Lamar perform at Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.</p>
<p class="photo-credit credits">Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">GNX, the album Lamar dropped as a surprise in November, was created for this moment. The songs are massive and were clearly made for a stadium. And they worked. “Squabble Up” and “Peekaboo” fit nicely next to established juggernauts like “DNA” and “All The Stars” (SZA sounded pitch perfect for the two songs she also performed, which can’t be ignored and can’t be lost on Roc Nation decision-makers looking for future talent for the show). But the most surprising song featured during the Super Bowl was “Man at the Garden,” whose refrain “I deserve it all” is another prideful and empowering chant for Black folks. Finally, the exuberance of “TV Off” felt appropriate to end Lamar’s set. And with “Game Over” spelled out in lights in the stands at the end of his performance, it seems Lamar is ready to move on from the most lopsided battle in rap history.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Lamar won and demanded that we find victories in our own battles.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">After the no-pun-intended euphoria of the performance had worn off, I found myself wondering why Lamar left off “Alright” — the song that had become a protest anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement and whose lyrics “we hate po-po, wanna kill us dead in the streets for sho’” he previously censored when he performed during halftime a couple of years ago. Why not give us that moment, too? I hope it was a creative decision and nothing more. </p>
<p data-paragraph="main">But therein lies the uphill battle of protest music at the Super Bowl. Lamar performed between the end zones where the slogan “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/the-end-of-end-racism-in-the-end-zone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End Racism</a>” used to be. A few days before the Super Bowl, the NFL made the decision to remove the slogan, coinciding with a nationwide rebuke of DEI, where Black folks’ accomplishments are questioned as much as ever before. To perform at a halftime show for an organization like the NFL implies a tacit complicity in that type of empire, even in the face of raised Black fists at the 20-yard line. And for a certain sector of the audience, nothing Lamar says or does will erase that complicity. He can’t be all things to all people and we aren’t supposed to ask celebrities to wear freedom on their sleeves at every turn. But Lamar invites that expectation and anticipation with his catalog, and when he opens up shows with one of the world’s biggest rappers dressed as the personification of America.</p>
<h5 class="single-recirc-hed"><img decoding="async" class="single-recirc-image" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GettyImages-2198618909-e1739158353704.jpg"/>Jalen Hurts’ Super Bowl LIX victory a study in resilience, perseveranceRead now</h5>
<p data-paragraph="main">How our expectations bump up against his actual execution is a societal litmus test. But I can honestly say that I think Lamar is always trying. To see him is to see an artist at his peak trying to give us his best and empower us as much as he humanly can, even though he’s imperfect. In a new era of rap where our once-beloved luminaries are becoming increasingly toothless and disappointing, a guy who is trying to make his biggest moment about us is more than enough to earn respect and feel proud.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">I first saw Kendrick Lamar live at a small bar on 6th street at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, a decade and a half ago. A couple of hundred fans packed the room and almost caved in the floor when he performed cuts from his Overly Dedicated mixtape. There was something then. An earnestness. A desire to be the best and bring his homies and fans along for the ride.</p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Now, Lamar’s done all the things rappers say they’ll one day be able to accomplish in their most self-aggrandizing bars. He’s reached GOAT-level status. And he could have made the halftime show a victory lap for himself — he would have deserved it. </p>
<p data-paragraph="main">Instead, Kendrick Lamar poured into us. It’s that kind of beautiful work that doesn’t go forgotten. That’s how you take the most-scrutinized 15 minutes of live raps an MC has ever had to face and turn it into immortality.</p>
<p>David Dennis Jr. is a senior writer at Andscape, and the author of the award-winning book &#8220;The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.&#8221; David is a graduate of Davidson College.</p>
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<a href="https://andscape.com/features/genius-of-kendrick-lamars-super-bowl-halftime-performance/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>LiAngelo Ball Posts New GF After Nikki Mudarris&#8217; Cheating Claims</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/liangelo-ball-posts-new-gf-after-nikki-mudarris-cheating-claims/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 12:33:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/liangelo-ball-posts-new-gf-after-nikki-mudarris-cheating-claims/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Nikki Mudarris blasted baby daddy LiAngelo Ball for “cheating,” and he joined new girlfriend Rashida Nicole in trolling Miss Nikki Baby by making the relationship Instagram official. If that wasn’t messy enough, Rashida accused Nikki of trying to step out first with Floyd Mayweather. Now, why is he in it? Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty [...]]]></description>
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<p>Nikki Mudarris blasted baby daddy <a href="https://cassiuslife.com/playlist/liangelo-ball-preview-music-song-g3-woah-n3on-reactions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LiAngelo Ball</a> for “cheating,” and he joined new girlfriend Rashida Nicole in trolling Miss Nikki Baby by making the relationship Instagram official. If that wasn’t messy enough, Rashida accused Nikki of trying to step out first with Floyd Mayweather. Now, why is he in it?</p>
<p id="caption-attachment-2774122" class="wp-caption-text">Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty</p>
<p>The Love &amp; Hip-Hop alum took to social media with abandonment allegations, claiming the baller “decided to walk out” on their family. Nikki spoke out in a post after she said several people approached her with rumors of infidelity.</p>
<p>“I want to clear this up and speak my truth. I am just as surprised as you are. We spent 3 1/2 years together and last week he decided to walk out on his kids and I,” she wrote on Saturday.</p>
<p>The former couple shares 1-year-old son LaVelo and welcomed a daughter LaNiyah less than two months ago in December. She claims Gelo confessed he “got someone else pregnant and is creating a new life with her,” while Nikki struggled with postpartum.</p>
<p>“We were just happy and planning family photos – I am beyond blind-[sided]by this whole thing. The ultimate betrayal is not even the word,” she continued.</p>
<p>After noting that her now-ex announced the pregnancy via text, Nikki said she’s “not addressing no side b***h.” Yet she still took aim at the other woman. Nikki, who is 8 years older than Ball, must seen comments about their cougar connection because she added that his new woman is older than her.</p>
<p>Gelo’s allegedly pregnant mistress entered the chat to drag Nikki with claims that she’s “racist” and tried to leave Gelo first for Floyd Mayweather. Yikes!</p>
<p style="text-align: center">Check out Rashida Nicole’s clapback about the LiAngelo Ball &amp; Miss Nikki Baby after the flip!</p>
<p>
<a href="https://bossip.com/2774052/liangelo-ball-lhh-miss-nikki-baby-nikki-mudarris-rashida-nicole/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Complexions Contemporary Ballet shines in Chicago</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/complexions-contemporary-ballet-shines-in-chicago/</link>
		
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		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:42:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/complexions-contemporary-ballet-shines-in-chicago/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[On February 7, 2025, at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Complexions Contemporary Ballet took center stage and captivated everyone in attendance with its unique brand of dance. Dwight Rhoden, principal choreographer, blends his Alvin Ailey–informed ballet into something fresh and new. His company delivered a performance that was real and infused with boldness. The moment [...]]]></description>
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<p>On February 7, 2025, at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Complexions Contemporary Ballet took center stage and captivated everyone in attendance with its unique brand of dance. Dwight Rhoden, principal choreographer, blends his Alvin Ailey–informed ballet into something fresh and new. His company delivered a performance that was real and infused with boldness.</p>
<p>The moment the dancers took the stage, it was clear that something different was happening. They had an edge, and it was graceful. They are clearly trained; however, they are not boxed in by tradition. This is not a traditional ballet by any stretch; it’s a convergence of technique, passion, and unfiltered expression. You could feel the urgency in their bodies. It was an unfiltered expression, as if each dancer wanted to convey that they were fighting for their freedom, fighting to be seen, and fighting to be loved. It’s living, it’s breathing defiance in motion.</p>
<p><br style="clear: both; display: block; float: none;"/><br />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-1566743" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/ForCryingOutLoud2024-11-960x640.png" alt="Complexions Contemporary Ballet shines in Chicago" width="960" height="640"  />ForCryingOutLoud (Photo courtesy Auditorium Theatre)</p>
<p>“Ava Maria” stood out to me as one of the most daring and spiritual pieces during the first half of the show. There was a blend of long-lasting, difficult moves with a soft, gracious, and powerful undercurrent that kept the audience locked in.</p>
<p>In the second half, the company embraced the sounds of U2, showcasing pieces inspired by the band’s music. There is something about the music of U2 that is timeless and urgent—an energy that spoke directly to the company’s spirit. “With or Without You” was especially emotional, its soaring chorus magnifying the dancers’ movement, lifting spirits to new heights.The company conveyed the intention of each of the other U2 songs with every leap. Their movements spoke of love and collective actions.</p>
<p>Complexions Contemporary Ballet is a force of nature, and if you have the <a href="https://www.auditoriumtheatre.org/events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opportunity</a> to see it, please go. It is vibrant, energetic, and moving. It’s also a reminder of the transformative power of dance.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://rollingout.com/2025/02/09/complexions-contemporary-ballet-shines-in-chicago/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Colorado&#8217;s Black Health Directory Fills A Vital Need</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/colorados-black-health-directory-fills-a-vital-need/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:38:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/colorados-black-health-directory-fills-a-vital-need/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman February 9, 2025 The Black Health Resource Directory boasts a guide filled with culturally aware providers in Colorado. Colorado’s health care community is doing its part to better aid Black residents. The latest Colorado Black Health Resource Directory connects Black patients with culturally aware and specialized medical providers. The directory came into [...]]]></description>
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<p>												by <b> Nahlah Abdur-Rahman </b></p>
<p class="article-date">February 9, 2025</p>
<p class="sub-text">The Black Health Resource Directory boasts a guide filled with culturally aware providers in Colorado.</p>
<hr class="regular-line"/>
<p>Colorado’s health care community is doing its part to better aid Black residents. The latest Colorado Black Health Resource Directory connects Black patients with culturally aware and specialized medical providers. </p>
<p>The directory came into fruition through a collaboration between the Colorado Black Health Collaborative and Connect for Health Colorado.Within the 108-page guide, Black people seeking health care support can find information about doctors and specialists throughout the state. </p>
<p>No matters one’s predicament or age, they can source medical providers that are aware of their identities and how it can impact their needs. The comprehensive directory is now in its fifth edition, also proving its necessity across the years. </p>
<p>“It’s all encompassing,” <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/colorado/news/colorado-black-resource-directory-connects-patients-specialized-health-resources/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expressed</a> Dr. Terri Richardson, co-founder of CBHR, to CBS News. “We go cradle to grave, that’s what we say.”</p>
<p>The idea sparked in 2010 after Black residents in the state requested medical providers that considered systemic factors in their approach to treatment and consult. For Richardson, that launched an initiative to amplify these providers that offered a “holistic” way of treating patients. </p>
<p>“People said, ‘You know what we could use? A holistic view of health.’ A guide,” explained Richardson. “We wanted to cover the Black diaspora not just African Americans. Folks from all over.” </p>
<p>The directory is<a href="https://blackhealthresources.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> free for all </a>while expanding into the vast fields of medicine. From chiropractors to maternal health and dance instruction, the resource allows Black residents to feel seen while gaining the treatment they specifically need.</p>
<p>Colorado also hosts a relatively small Black population, accounting for only 4.18% of its total residents. Despite this, the need for Black Coloradoans to find providers that understand their plight remains at an all-time high. </p>
<p>“Sometimes, we feel like we get lost here in Colorado being only a small percentage of the population, yet our health disparities are at the top or the bottom as we always say,” she added. “It’s very important to have someone with that lived experience. You don’t have to explain to me what it means to be Black in America. I already know.”</p>
<p>However, the directory’s continuation remains a feat, especially amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown on DEI programs. Although these concerns are still prevalent, the directory’s founders are committed to getting this medical information to the Black community.</p>
<p>RELATED CONTENT: RFK Jr.’s Absurd And Racist Comments Resurface Amid Confirmation Hearing</p>
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<a href="https://www.blackenterprise.com/colorado-black-health-resource-directory/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Kanye West Mocks Cassie&#8217;s Assault In Diddy Defending Rant</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/kanye-west-mocks-cassies-assault-in-diddy-defending-rant/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 06:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life & Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/kanye-west-mocks-cassies-assault-in-diddy-defending-rant/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kanye West‘s unhinged hatred is still going as he mocks Cassie’s assault and defends Sean “Diddy” Combs. His most recent rant on X, formerly Twitter, might be the worst of them all as the self-proclaimed “Nazi” mocks domestic violence and uses blatant antisemitic comments. Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty On Saturday, Feb. 8th, West posted [...]]]></description>
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<p>Kanye West‘s unhinged hatred is still going as he mocks Cassie’s assault and defends Sean “Diddy” Combs. His most recent rant on X, formerly Twitter, might be the worst of them all as the self-proclaimed “Nazi” mocks domestic violence and uses blatant antisemitic comments.</p>
<p id="caption-attachment-2774067" class="wp-caption-text">Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty</p>
<p>On Saturday, Feb. 8th, West posted a plethora of tweets in which he displayed all of his hatred. He began with antisemitism<a href="https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888336448673481193" target="_blank" rel="noopener">, posting the disgusting photo</a> of Elon Musk using the Nazi salute. He continued by discussing his dislike for his children’s school, then asked which schools are better, “German or Jewish.”</p>
<p>He took a break from his antisemitism and moved on to domestic violence. He expressed he felt “they” were just trying to make an example out of Diddy.</p>
<p>“WHEN I SEE THE PUFF CASSIE VIDEO REPOSTED IT DOESNT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE OUT OF HIM LIKE THE GRAMMIES DID TO DRAKE,” <a href="https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888384530853314640" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he wrote</a>.</p>
<p>Before continuing with his pro-domestic violence stance, <a href="https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888411316584583501" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he was sure to tell his followers</a> that he would never sell a shirt with a swastika on it — because someone could be harmed for wearing it.</p>
<p>He then posted a photo of Diddy, who is currently in jail awaiting trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The photo featured a still image taken from the surveillance footage that showed the disgraced music mogul physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. <a href="https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888426752227303931" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In the caption</a>, West wrote, “You have to truly be in love to get to the point of risking everything.”</p>
<p>In the <a href="https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1888441295204724813" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next tweet</a>, he announced that he would sell “Love Hoodies” through his Yeezy brand. A closer look made it apparent that the hoodie was identical to the hoodie Cassie wore in the surveillance footage.</p>
<h3>Kanye West’s Tweets Reveal Possible Dynamic Behind His Marriage to Biance Censori</h3>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2774068" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-2774068" src="https://blacktwitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/1739120982381.jpg" alt="67th Annual GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals" width="1024" height="683"  /></p>
<p id="caption-attachment-2774068" class="wp-caption-text">Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty</p>
<p>At the 67th Grammy Awards, Kanye West came under fire for his wife’s outfit of choice. As previously reported, while West was fully dressed, Bianca Censori revealed a sheer dress that exposed her entire body, including her genitals. The “All of the Lights” rapper decided to defend Censori during his bigoted rant. He posted several photos of his wife in the “outfit,” complimenting her.</p>
<p>However, the tweets that came before have people concerned for Censori’s health and safety. In now-deleted tweets, West says that he understands how Diddy got to the point of abusing Cassie.</p>
<p>“When I [sic]man truly loves a woman he may express it in rage I empathize with both sides,” he tweeted.</p>
<p>“Hey question if someone were to beat up their girlfriend in public, would that be considered domestic violence, or is that outdoor violence, or is it just public indecency?” West said in a now-deleted tweet.</p>
<p>West’s tweets also displayed his homophobia. He tweeted the F-slur several times and even retweeted <a href="https://x.com/Cobratate/status/1888260441811329271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Tate’s tweet</a>, stating that having daughters doesn’t mean you have to “start acting like a [F-slur].”</p>
<p>Kim Kardashian‘s ex-husband’s rant did not end there. He continued his antisemitic and anti-black tweets, saying any Black person offended by a swastika is a “programmed slave.” Though the rapper has come under fire for bigotry before, he has seemingly reached a new low.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://bossip.com/2774037/kanye-west-diddy-mocks-cassie-assault-rant/">Source link </a></p>
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		<title>Prosecution Rests in A$AP Rocky Gun Assault Trial – Los Angeles Sentinel</title>
		<link>https://blacktwitter.com/prosecution-rests-in-aap-rocky-gun-assault-trial-los-angeles-sentinel/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Blacktwitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 06:30:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blacktwitter.com/prosecution-rests-in-aap-rocky-gun-assault-trial-los-angeles-sentinel/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A$AP Rocky (Courtesy of Rappers Wiki, Fandom) Prosecutors today concluded their presentation of evidence in the trial of rapper and fashion mogul A$AP Rocky, who is charged with firing a gun at a former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021. The final prosecution witnesses Thursday were two members of the Los Angeles Police Department: [...]]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A$AP Rocky (Courtesy of Rappers Wiki, Fandom)</p>
<p>Prosecutors today concluded their presentation of evidence in the trial of rapper and fashion mogul A$AP Rocky, who is charged with firing a gun at a former friend on a Hollywood street in 2021. The final prosecution witnesses Thursday were two members of the Los Angeles Police Department: the lead detective in the case and a criminalist.</p>
<p>LAPD Detective Frank Flores told jurors that surveillance video of the scene of the altercation does not conclusively prove a shooting took place. However, he said the sound of gunshots and the actions of the men in video coverage suggests that a shooting did occur at the location on the evening of Nov. 6, 2021.</p>
<p>Rocky, whose legal name is Rakim Mayers, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. If convicted as charged, he would face up to eight years in prison, prosecutors said. The charges stem from an incident in which Rocky allegedly fired a gun at his former friend and fellow A$AP Mob member, A$AP Relli, whose real name is Terell Ephron. Relli alleges he suffered scraped knuckles in the<br />altercation.</p>
<p>Rocky denies shooting the gun at Relli and contends the firearm is a starter pistol he carried for safety reasons. Rocky’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, maintains the weapon was a prop from a music video that was incapable of firing real ammunition. “The gun does not now exist,” Tacopina said.</p>
<p>The defense is set to begin calling witnesses Friday. Their witness list is expected to include two other members of Rocky and Relli’s A$AP Mob crew who were at the scene, A$AP Twelvyy and A$AP Illz. Trial observers noted that Thursday afternoon, pop star Rihanna, Rocky’s longtime partner and the mother of the couple’s two children, appeared in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom to show support for her boyfriend. She previously showed up for the trial for three days last week.</p>
<p>Relli, the key witness in the prosecution case, testified for several days on the stand, frequently lashing out at Tacopina and showing anger at defense questioning. Relli says that after the alleged shooting, he left the scene, but returned about an hour later, after police had unsuccessfully searched the area for evidence of shots fired, to find two shell casings on the street.</p>
<p>Flores testified Tuesday that he did not see Relli on surveillance video showing the Hollywood street at the time the accuser says he found the shell casings from the gun allegedly used to shoot at him. “No fingerprints were found on the casings Relli provided to law enforcement two days after the incident,” the detective said.</p>
<p>Prosecutors have been attempting to persuade the jury that Rocky used street justice and a gun to settle a beef with Relli. The trial began Jan. 24 after Rocky rejected a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one of two felony charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and serve six months behind bars.</p>
<p>In his opening statement, Tacopina accused Relli of being driven by “jealousy, lies and greed,” and alleged that he invented parts of his story of being attacked to bolster an attempt to siphon cash from Rocky. Rocky was arrested in April 2022 upon returning to Los Angeles from a trip with Rihanna to her native Barbados. Relli filed a lawsuit for assault,<br />battery and emotional distress against Rocky four months later.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, it was announced Tuesday that Rocky was named a co-chair for the 2025 Met Gala on May 5 at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This year’s exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” focuses on menswear, with LeBron James tapped as the gala’s honorary chair member.</p>
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<a href="https://lasentinel.net/prosecution-rests-in-aap-rocky-gun-assault-trial.html">Source link </a></p>
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