Nigerian singer Tems has set the stage for the release of her upcoming single, “Love Me Jeje,” paying tribute to Seyi Sodimu’s 1997 hit. Known as Mr. Jeje, Seyi Sodimu gained fame with his chart-topping single, which became a sensation in Nigeria during the late ’90s and early 2000s.
Tems’ rendition of “Love Me Jeje” is scheduled for an official release on April 26. The announcement comes on the heels of her mesmerizing performance of the song at Coachella, where the track’s catchy chorus won over the audience.
Seyi Sodimu expressed his pride in Tems’ rendition in a heartwarming response. “This made my day. The beautiful thing about music is that it transcends generations and connects us through time. Shoutout to Tems and her team, and congrats on a wonderful Coachella performance,” he shared.
Sodimu’s original version featured the talented Shaffy Bello, and with her fresh take on the classic, Tems aims to achieve a similar level of success.”Love Me Jeje” marks Tems’ first single release since announcing her debut album, “Born in the World,” set to launch in May.
Last year, her singles “Me & U” and “Not an Angel” soared to No. 3 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, setting high expectations for her upcoming album.
(Left to right) Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Jessica L. Funches, Moira Griffin, Dahéli Hall and Trevite Willis were selected to participate in The Blackhouse Foundation and STARZ new producers’ fellowship. (Photo: Screenshot/Deadline/The Blackhouse Foundation)
Five Black female content creators have been selected to participate in a new producers’ fellowship program, a collaboration between The Blackhouse Foundation and STARZ’s #TakeTheLead initiative. The fellowship will offer participants educational workshops, personal and professional mentorship, coaching and industry meetings with key stakeholders to support the mid-career producer community.
STARZ #TakeTheLead focuses on shedding light on narratives about women and other underrepresented audiences, while also impacting them. Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Jessica L. Funches, Moira Griffin, Dahéli Hall and Trevite Willis were chosen as the first cohort of fellows in the program.
“We are excited to partner with The Blackhouse Foundation to help cultivate new talent and drive an increase in Black female producers, which is essential to our business as a network focused on women and underrepresented audiences,” STARZ executive Kathryn Busby, said in a statement.
Selections were made from The Blackhouse Foundation alumni pipeline, which will welcome the creators during a three-day intensive this weekend in Los Angeles. “We’re thrilled to have found a partner inSTARZ that allows us to reimagine the year-long programs we’ve done in the past and streamline the experience with a smaller cohort,” Blackhouse Foundation executive director Jenean Glover said.
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“The goal of the three-day intensive is to deliver personalized feedback and noteworthy direction, combined with the expertise of our facilitator Darrien Gipson, to prepare these candidates to enter an episodic room as non-writing or writing producers in the near future,” Glover said.
The fellowship will also provide a new mentor/alumni engagement process to support each participant’s current and future projects.
In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and did an interview with Trent Wills the 2023-2024 Student Government Association president.
The position of SGA president is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes in being elected by their peers to lead. Wills, who is majoring in Agriculture Business, is from Kankakee.
We interviewed Trent Wills, and talked to him about his position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2023-2024.
Read the full interview below.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far?
That students are not just individuals who walk the campus seeking to obtain a degree but remember they are customers, recruiters, and our future leaders!
What made you decide to attend the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff for undergrad?
The family atmosphere that the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff embodies.
How has the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff molded you into the person you are today?
They do an excellent job in enhancing the skills that you already have and develop skills that you didn’t know you had. In return, you are placed in a room sitting with key stakeholders on the state level and national level.
What specific initiatives have you headed up this year (or are planning) and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?
It is our hope that we are approved for our “ Start Day One Initiative” and academic calendar project.
Start Day One – This project eliminates the hassle for students to find extra money to purchase books at the beginning of the year due to all materials being made available for them on the first day of school.
Academic Calendar- Begin school first week in August leave in November for Thanksgiving and don’t return to campus until January. Reducing the amount of times student are asked to go home.
How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?
Our biggest goal has been trying to put mental health issues right in the palm of our students hands. So finding different outlets to spread awareness of mental health and ensure that our resources are truly accessible.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership is the ability to provide resources, a support system, and even being an advocate for others.
Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture?
It keeps the viewers informed of the positive light shed on our perspective institutions.
What do you plan on doing after graduation?
Join the Clinton Schhool of Public Service.
We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Trent Wills for his work as the SGA president of the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
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Rep. Barbara Lee On What She Admires About AOC & ‘The Squad’ & Other Progressives In Power
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against the massive chain in Baltimore. The company is based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, but operates 600 locations across six different states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and North Carolina.
The interesting part about the case is that the EEOC is alleging Sheetz discriminated against minority applicants. According to the government, Sheetz used a practice of screening all job applicants for criminal convictions. “The EEOC charges that Sheetz’s hiring practices disproportionately screened out Black, Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial applicants,” they wrote.
The EEOC isn’t accusing the company of being motivated by race in their hiring practices. However, they argue that the application of this hiring standard violates the disparate impact discrimination provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
According to the Associated Press, the EEOC found that Black job applicants were screened out at a rate of 14.5%. While white applicants were screened out at a rate of 8%.
“Federal law mandates that employment practices causing a disparate impact because of race or other protected classifications must be shown by the employer to be necessary to ensure the safe and efficient performance of the particular jobs at issue,” explained EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence, in a statement. “Even when such necessity is proven, the practice remains unlawful if there is an alternative practice available that is comparably effective in achieving the employer’s goals but causes less discriminatory effect.”
According to the Associated Press, the commission alerted Sheetz in 2022 that they were violating civil rights law, but were unable to reach a settlement.
For their part, Sheetz told the Associated Press that they do “not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
“Diversity and inclusion are essential parts of who we are. We take these allegations seriously. We have attempted to work with the EEOC for nearly eight years to find common ground and resolve this dispute,” company spokesperson Nick Ruffner said in a statement to the outlet.
After a little over a year of marriage, Las Vegas Aces basketball star Kelsey Plum and NFL tight end Darren Waller have decided to part ways. According to online records, a joint petition for a “summary decree of divorce” was filed in Clark County District Court on Tuesday, indicating mutual agreement on the separation terms.
Plum took to social media to confirm the split, expressing her devastation and hinting at a challenging journey. “I’m devastated. I walked through fire for that man, but now I see it’s time to go,” Plum wrote in her statement. However, she did not disclose the reasons behind the divorce, stating, “One day I’ll share my story, today is not that day.”
The couple tied the knot in March of the previous year and have no children together, as per court records. Waller, known for his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2020, was traded to the New York Giants just days after their wedding. Despite the relocation, his charitable foundation has continued its involvement in the Las Vegas community.
Kelsey Plum, the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, has been a pivotal player for the Aces since the franchise relocated to Las Vegas. A two-time WNBA All-Star, she has contributed to the team’s success, winning two titles with the Aces and securing a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics as part of the U.S. 3×3 women’s basketball team.
While the reasons for their split remain undisclosed, both athletes are expected to continue pursuing their respective careers with the same dedication and passion they’ve shown on the court and field.
Black celebrities are increasingly weighing in on the 2024 presidential race, and most of it is causing a stir in political circles.
From urban radio personality Charlamagne Tha God to sports journalist Stephen A. Smith, wealthy and powerful Black influencers have been invited on several news programs to share their thoughts on the Nov. 5 election and what it means for Black voters.
On his YouTube show on Friday, Smith defended remarks he made during a Thursday Fox News interview, where he told host Sean Hannity that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump “was telling the truth” when he said Black people “find him relatable” because of his criminal trial underway in New York City.
Though he claimed his comments were taken “out of context,” Smith was met with ridicule online, including from the NAACP, which called his remarks “Blasphemous” on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Political strategist Reecie Colbert also called out Smith on her Sirius XM show, “The Reecie Colbert Show” on Saturday. Colbert told theGrio of Smith’s remarks, “To compare accountability that Trump is facing with the history of persecution and injustices that Black people have been subjected to is extraordinarily ignorant.”
She added, “It’s actually offensive and it dangerously propagates stereotypes that Black people have some sort of criminality that we have an affinity toward.”
Charlamagne, who boasts millions of radio listeners and his very own podcast network with iHeartRadio, has also caused outrage for remarks he’s made about President Biden, whom he endorsed in the 2020 election.
“I think President [Joe] Biden, historically, has been a – lack of a better word – a sh***y elected official,” the outspoken media personality told CNN in January. Though he has also referred to Trump as “the end of democracy as we know it,” Charlamagne received plenty of public criticism from political scientists and strategists who feel he, and others like Smith, aren’t qualified to authoritatively speak on politics and policy.
U.S. President Joe Biden walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 2024, en route to Joint Base Andrews. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is about folks who are speaking with authority on something that they don’t really have the credentials … that’s what’s frustrating,” said Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist who worked on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. “It feels low stakes for someone like Stephen A. Smith or a Charlamagne to just go and offer a very naive political opinion that misses so much.”
As some Black celebrities are taking to the airwaves to wax poetic on the 2024 election and the records of Trump and Biden, Colbert said she doesn’t subscribe to the thinking that “all celebrities should shut up,” but clarified, “If you don’t have your facts right, then you should probably exercise some restraint in what you choose to speak on.”
Colbert said non-political experts are “intentionally being platformed because they will parrot perceptions that may or may not be accurate.” She added that celebrities are “just as susceptible to disinformation [and] to right-wing talking points as the average everyday person.”
In fact, she argued, wealthy and famous celebrities stand to gain from the “disinformation network” that has “infiltrated Black spaces.”
Colbert continued, “There’s a huge profit motive in trafficking in these right-wing talking points, and right-wing narratives and perpetuating it. You’re still getting paid. You’re still getting the clicks. You’re still getting reposted.”
After days of online scorn for his comments on Trump and Black people’s supposed affinity toward the former president, Smith took to his show yet again on Monday to apologize for his remarks on Fox News. He said his statements were “misconstrued” but would “own it anyway.” However, Smith referred to several polls about Trump’s increasing support from Black voters, though he failed to mention that Black voters still overwhelmingly prefer Biden.
Payne told theGrio that the threat of a Trump presidency is more “real” for what he described as “rank-and-file Black voters,” or everyday voters who aren’t rich and famous.
“Generally speaking, if you’re a very well-heeled African-American voter [or] person, you’re not worried about Donald Trump sending the cops after you or … doing things that would undercut your rights because your money, your status, your fame is … your distinguishing characteristic,” he explained. “I’m not saying that you don’t feel like you don’t identify with your Blackness but I am saying that you kind of feel like the Trump thing is not as existential to you.”
Payne said celebs who are “unreliable narrators in the public space” present a challenge for Biden and Democrats because they have “outsized influence.” Therefore, their voices will more quickly “reach a lot more people” than an “influencer in Milwaukee talking about small businesses.” He added, “That’s just the math that we’re dealing with.”
Singer John Legend also recently weighed in on the election, telling MSNBC on Sunday that Trump is a racist “to his core.”
“When we protested the killing of George Floyd, he was advocating for the military to shoot us in the streets,” Legend said. “He has made it clear throughout his life that he believes Black people are inferior. Like, he believes that … in his bones.”
(Left to right) Former U.S. President Donald Trump and musician John Legend. (Photo credits: Curtis Means – pool, ASSOCIATED PRESS, JC Olivera/FilmMagic)
Cameron Trimble, who served as director of digital engagement for the Biden-Harris White House and worked on the 2020 campaign, told theGrio, like it or not, “celebrities and media personalities are now similar to traditional news and broadcast.”
“Everything any of them says has a potential to be amplified by traditional news media and across social media, and it can help create narratives true or false,” said Trimble, who is currently CEO of Hip-Politics, a platform geared toward mobilizing the political power of hip-hop culture.
Trimble warned that Black and young audiences are “tuning out” traditional advertising and messaging, adding, “They’re taking these nuanced conversations and determining the facts from there, coupled with the headlines they keep seeing.”
He urged the White House, the Biden-Harris reelection campaign, and Democrats more broadly to “directly engage” with influential voices, including those like Smith or Charlamagne who may be seen as “antagonists.”
He said, “It does not need to be necessarily the president or the vice president, but it could also be top-ranking officials to be able to publicly dispute some of the assertions [they] make.”
Trimble noted that Donald Trump Jr., the son of former president Trump, recently did a sit-down interview with internet personality and podcaster DJ Akademiks, who he described as not “super into politics.”
“But Republicans engaged him,” he said. “If those types of things go unchecked … people are getting one side of information without the other.”
The former Biden operative said he would like to see the Biden-Harris camp think outside the box and engage entertainment figures who are seemingly open to having political discourse. One of those entertainers is the rapper Plies.
“He’s been one of the most vocal supporters of administrative policies on his extremely far-reaching social media handles that have continued to cause conversation online,” said Trimble. “Being able to engage him privately and publicly could showcase to so many more people who don’t feel seen through the John Legends and the people with shirts and ties or people who went to HBCUs.”
Morehouse College made the official announcement today that President Joe Biden will deliver the 2024 commencement speech on May 19th.
In an email sent to Watch The Yard from the White House, the President of Morehouse College, David Thomas, was quoted stating the following:
“I am honored to announce that the 46th President of the United States of America, Joseph R. Biden, will be the commencement speaker for our 140th Commencement ceremony. The invitation to President Biden was extended last September, and we are deeply honored that he has accepted, which marks the third time the White House has formally visited Morehouse within the last two years – a testament to the significance of our institution and our collective commitment to excellence and progress.
We eagerly anticipate welcoming President Biden back to The House next month. His presence serves as a reminder of our institution’s enduring legacy and impact, as well as our continued commitment to excellence, progress, and positive change.“
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, a graduate of Morehouse also opened up about the speech.
“Morehouse is a proud Georgia institution, an incubator for success for young Black men, and a model for colleges nationwide,” he stated. “As a proud alum, I could not be more thrilled and honored to see President Biden return to our great state to deliver this year’s commencement address. Since entering the U.S. Senate, I have worked with President Biden to address the high costs of higher education by providing meaningful student debt relief, and so far, his Administration has canceled debt for over 4 million Americans–helping close the racial wealth gap and giving borrowers drowning in debt a pathway toward prosperity. I know the President will have a timely, poignant, forward-looking message for the Men of Morehouse.
“As students at Morehouse College, we are often at the forefront of social and political matters because of the institution’s history. We have an extensive history of hosting public figures of national and international rank on our campus,” Perrin said. “We are a community of scholars who are familiar with and understand the complexities associated with engaging many of our socio-political guests. President Biden’s visit is yet another opportunity for our community to engage in his presentation and remain open to his reflections while maintaining a critical investigation of goodwill.”
Henry Goodgame, vice president of external relations & alumni engagement at Morehouse and a class of 1984 graduate had the following to say:
“I am profoundly thrilled and honored to have my alma mater, Morehouse College, selected from a multitude of institutions to have the 46th President of the United States of America serve as our Commencement Speaker this year. At a time when our nation urgently needs a message of hope and inspiration from our ethical leaders, we have invited the leader of the free world as our speaker to take on the issues and speak to our community. He joins the list of outstanding leaders like the 44th President, Barack Obama, and renowned business mogul Robert Smith to talk about the issues that matter to the next generation of Morehouse Men. Our students and alumni are honored to welcome him to the ranks of a Morehouse man who will take on the issues of the day even when a position may not be popular but is rooted in truth, as Martin Luther King Jr. had to do.”
Amy Robach and TJ Holmes run during the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon on November 06, 2022 in New York City.Photo: Bryan Bedder/New York Road Runners (Getty Images)
Rep. Barbara Lee On What She Admires About AOC & ‘The Squad’ & Other Progressives In Power
The couple alluded to doing as much in the latest episode of their “Amy & T.J.” podcast that aired on Sunday. While they haven’t come to a 100 percent decision and didn’t give definitive date, the two of them assured listeners that they’ve “absolutely agreed to commit to one another”—in whatever form that eventually takes for them.
“We’re still deciding about what that level of commitment is—whether it’s legal or not—but mentally, emotionally, we’ve absolutely agreed to commit to one another,” Robach said. “We haven’t figured [out] the marriage thing out yet.”
Holmes added, “We haven’t decided whether or not we are going to officially get married.”
Their hesitancy to go down that road at this point could be due to a myriad of reasons—chief among them being the fact that they’re both still somewhat fresh out of their respective marriages. Holmes and his ex-wife Marilee Fiebig finalized their divorce in Oct. 2023 while Robach and her ex Andrew Shue cut ties earlier that same year in March. (In what was arguably one the messiest plot twists of 2023, it was later revealed that Fiebig and Shue were an item as well amid all the drama.)
Yet and still, with all the scrutiny they faced since the news of their entanglement went public—one can imagine why they’re taking their time making that decision. Per the podcast, the Holmes and Robach aren’t even living together despite the couple saying that they’re “never apart.” Maybe that’ll change as they get closer to deciding whether or not they’ll walk down the aisle.
What we do know is that neither of them are fully convinced that marriage in and of itself is the next right move for them. Describing it as a “false security blanket,” Robach later said: “I’m just admitting it, and I’m not saying it makes any sense. There’s something about where I feel if I can say ‘that’s my husband and I’m his wife,’ it feels more official and it feels more real even though that’s necessarily not the case because we lived enough life to know that’s not.”
Whatever they decided, I hope they do it rather quickly so we can all exit out this group chat that is their lives and relationship for good. This saga has run its course.
In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and did an interview with Cairo Harris the 2023-2024 Student Government Association president.
The position of SGA president is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes in being elected by their peers to lead. Harris, who is majoring in Criminal Justice, is from Baltimore, Maryland.
We interviewed Cairo Harris, and talked to her about her position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2023-2024.
Read the full interview below.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far?
As SGA President the most important thing I have learned is purpose and passion. By no means has this been easy. Advocating for not only my peers and friends but for myself has been fulfilling, but the driving force was learning how important the purpose of why I was elected to be that advocate for my campus community. Being President is a selfless responsibility and called for me to utilize my passion for change to shed a light on what our university family needed and wanted. This called for me to learn that I would been in spaces where I would need to speak up about the things maybe someone else would be unable to speak about. This allowed for me to hear the many stories of Hawks from around the world and how the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was a place that gave many people an opportunity to experience something beyond what society already decided was their outcome.
What made you decide to attend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for undergrad?
I chose to attend the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, home of the Hawks, because of its breathtaking nature which is unfamiliar to me as a Baltimore native. In my experience I do consider myself well traveled, being that my family is from Kingston Jamaica and Nassau Bahamas but the beauty of the Eastern Shore was a feeling I could not say no to for my 4 years. Just down the road in Talbot county and Cambridge Maryland prolific leaders like Harriet Tubman and Fredrick Douglas trailblazers of our world proved to me that the Eastern Shore was a place for leaders, a place for change, and a place to be unapologetically proud to be Black. UMES was a no brainer!
How has the University of Maryland Eastern Shore molded you into the person you are today?
“No Justice, No peace!” was a chant I shouted at the small meak age of 5. I marched along protesters at the Jena 6 protest in Washington DC in the early 2000’s. As a 5 year old kindergartener, I already knew I had a passion for leadership. I insisted that my mother take me to visit Obama when he came to speak in Baltimore when I was 5 as well. As a 14 year old I initiated a complaint on my own and won a settlement against a company that mistreated Black youth. It was always in me, but as time has glided by I found myself here in a space where my leadership was able to be motivated, guided, and it was able to grow. UMES molded my confidence in my voice. UMES allowed for me to be me, creative and different, while also giving me the tools to be that and impact more than I could imagine. I started off a as freshman Caribbean American girl from Baltimore, and I am exiting this spring a degreed leader. All thanks to the hope that UMES has given me and everyone else who walks through these doors.
What specific initiatives have you headed up this year (or are planning) and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?
One the main goals for SGA this school year was to reengage students with campus resources on and off campus. This includes providing and setting students up with financial aid plans and internship opportunities. One initiative we planned is to host a resource fair that allowed for coordination with campus departments like Counseling Services and Title IX and more. We also plan to collaborate with Financial Aid on campus to initiate a month to educate students about financial aid, scholarships and how to complete the FASFA. Within our administration, the Dreamstille Administration, new places on campus like Tropical Smoothie and Milk and Honey Restaurant opened on our campus. Another important movement we hoped to accomplish was to get the pool opened. The pool had been closed for over 4 years. Our pool will now be open this spring.
How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?
The Dreamstille Administration SGA has made efforts to educate students about mental health by inviting Counseling Services to come to our town-hall especially in the wake of events that took place at Maryland HBCUs this past homecoming. We also recognized not every student on our campus enjoys parties or extroverted activities. With that we have hosted events like paint nights, open mics, and pop up shops to allow our students a place to express themselves in every capacity. We also plan to have a dedicated Mental Health Day which will give students a moment to interact with each other, support each other, and learn about many ways to decompress. We hope to have dogs and kittens there to pet and educate on how animals aid in mental health. We also will have a sound bath room dedicated to education through the healing power of music and sound frequencies.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership to me is about being selfless and outspoken. To me you need to understand the students and what they want but also knowing the small things that need to be tweaked and speaking up for it with a strong voice.
We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2023/2024?
To represent online, schools need to offer students an opportunity to lead in online spaces. Currently our administration in collaboration with Admissions joined efforts by reigniting the UMES Street Team. The UMES Street Team is an organization that is dedicated to showcasing student life from the lens of students via social media. This team effort from our school highlights what the UMES experience looks like. @umesstreet
Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture?
Watch The Yard is very important for Black students in college because it is a space that specifically highlights student life and all the achievements of the Black community. Without spaces like this especially living in a digital age, we wouldn’t have many spaces as Black college students to showcase our excellence.
What do you plan on doing after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to attend graduate school to study international relations to enhance my skills (especially including my background studying Chinese for nearly 10 years and traveling to three of the seven continents) and helping my community and engaging globally. I expect to graduate with my masters in two years, and then travel the world, helping the youth first in Baltimore and then places like the Caribbean and in Africa.
We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Cairo Harris for her work as the SGA president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
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On this episode of HBCU First LOOK Film: “Let’s Talk!,” we are tuning in to the Inaugural HBCU First LOOK Film Festival at Howard University. The home of the Bison affectionately known as “the Mecca,” the HBCU First LOOK Film Festival provides enriching workshops with groundbreaking insight into the entertainment and film industry. In this session, “Waiting to Exhale: A Cinematic Journey Through Documentary Filmmaking,” we are taken on an amazing journey with documentary and film producer Lisa Durden on what it takes to be a long-form producer. This is HBCU First LOOK Film: “Let’s Talk!” Documentary Filmmaking, from the HBCU First LOOK Film Festival.
For more videos and original episodes by theGrio click here.
