Takeoff’s Mother Sues the Establishment Here He Was Murdered
The mother of Takeoff is suing the establishment where he was murdered. Last November, the rap superstar was shot during an event at Houston’s 810 Billiards and Bowling. Takeoff’s mother is alleging that there wasn’t proper personnel in place to prevent the shooting from occurring.
The lawsuit states, “Despite these facts, defendants provided no screening mechanisms, no after-hour controls or security measures, and no enforcement of rules or industry standards to deter crime against their invitees, to include [Takeoff]. In fact, social media posting in advance of the party made it clear that not only basic security measures needed to be followed, but advance planning and consideration should have been taken into account, which defendants were negligent in failing to do.”
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Black Voters
In a surprising result, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Black voters in Alabama. In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the defense of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the case of a congressional redistricting case that was adopted after the 2020 census. This decision sets the tone for how other states can handle illegal gerrymandering initiatives.
Black Trailblazing Filmmaker Jessie Maple Passes Away
Jessie Maple, a barrier breaking filmmaker, passed away at the age of 86. Maple was a major figure in influencing Black women’s access to cinematography. Shifting away from a career in journalism, Maple entered the entertainment industry after attending Ossie Davis’ Third World Cinema at the National Education Television Training School. Maple was the first Black woman to join the International Photographers of Motion Picture & Television Union and the Film Editor’s Union and the Cinematographer’s Union in the 1970s. Her career as a camerawoman allowed her the opportunity to work on pivotal films. A 1976 story in EBONY highlighted her work.
