New York native, Niatia Jessica Kirkland, best known as Lil Mama, was poppin’ in the late 200os when she first came on the hip-hop scene as a seventeen-year-old in 2007. Her passion and excitement for her city and the hip-hop culture saw her blow up with success, but it would also be this same excited energy that would lead to the stall of her career in 2009, just two years into her career. This is a look into how one action caused Lil Mama to be shunned by the entertainment industry.

A Young Go Getter

Lil Mama had been passionate about music from a young age. At just 13, she bumped into DJ Enuff, the DJ for New York’s radio station HOT 97, according to Reuters. During this meeting, Lil Mama attempted to convince DJ Enuff to play her music on the show, but was told to return when she was older. She returned at age 16, played her debut single “Lip Gloss” for Enuff, and became an instant sensation. In 2007, The Guardian called the song “stupid-fresh,” and in 2025, Rolling Stone Australia called the song one of the best one-hit wonders of the 2000s.

Debut Album And Mother’s Death

After her hit debut landed her a contract with Jive Records, Lil Mama started working on her debut album. All seemed to be going well for Lil Mama; she had collaborated with Avril Lavigne for the remix of her song “Girlfriend” and had managed to get a feature from T-Pain on her debut album.

However, things seemed to slow down when her debut album didn’t make it past 25 on the Billboard charts. Along with this underwhelming debut, Lil Mama was also having to deal with the tragic passing of her mother from breast cancer. In a 2020 interview with Essence, Lil Mama reflected on how her mother’s death affected her:

“I definitely deal with it every day… It’s a blessing to have had her in my life as long as I did. It’s really tough to become a teenager without your mom, let alone a woman. It’s not easy.”

Things Start To Pick Back Up

In 2008, Lil Mama slowly regained her footing in the entertainment industry by landing a role as a judge on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew,” alongside JC Chanez and Shane Sparks. This solidified Lil Mama’s presence on TV and increased her audience reach. Lil Mama was back on track to being the latest sensation in hip-hop.

VMA Disaster

As previously stated, Lil Mama was very passionate about her city, New York, and hip-hop culture. It would be this passion that would lead to her sudden downfall. During the messy 2009 VMAs—the same VMAs where Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech— Lil Mama did some interrupting of her own.

As Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed their hit song, “Empire State of Mind,” Lil Mama got onto the stage to show love for her city by vibing in the background of their performance, even after Beyoncé tried to stop her, and then posed with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys at the end of their set. It would be this moment that left a stain on her career.

The Aftermath

In an interview with British TV host Tim Kash, the next day, Lil Mama did her best to explain why she got on the stage:

“I got emotional, I actually got emotional, and I felt like ‘Yeah, New York, Jay’ and I started to feel like I started to feel him and I started to feel myself. And I just felt the energy, and I got up and started walking towards the stage, and I got up there and I was just like rooting him on as a champion… If [in] any way Jay-Z or Alicia Keys felt offended, I wanna apologise to both of you. I actually would love to have a one-on-one ’cause I actually felt like I was being felt… on stage in that moment I felt like it was a bond…”

Jay-Z was, unsurprisingly, not happy about the fact that Lil Mama jumped on stage during his and Alicia Keys’ performance. Speaking with radio host Angie Martinez, Jay-Z stated that he would “never have the nerve to do that… to interrupt that moment for us, I don’t think it was the right thing to do… I was a little angry, to be honest, but what am I going to do? Fight Lil Mama?” Alicia Keys didn’t address the stage crash.

Crickets For Lil Mama

What possessed her to pose with them like this? 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/lPKRnWYkSl

— Side Hustle King 👨🏽‍💻💰 (@profitwithant) September 13, 2023

It was that unfortunate VMAs moment that seemed to get Lil Mama shunned by the entertainment industry. Though Lil Mama kept her role as a judge on “America’s Best Dance Crew” until 2012, and played the role of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in the VH1 movie “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story,” people would not stop associating her with that doomed VMAs performance.

Lil Mama’s moment on the VMAs stage became a meme and a hot topic as people wondered what “possessed” her to get on the stage. It didn’t help that neither Jay-Z nor Alicia Keys spoke out for Lil Mama.

How The Backlash Affected Lil Mama

On March 13, 2024, Lil Mama spoke out on the “Jay Hill Podcast” about how the backlash from that VMAs performance affected her:

“I was hurt. I was depressed. I was like ‘What’s going on?’ You got everybody telling you ‘you’re doing bad.’ And people point at you like ‘what did you do?’ She then states that her faith in God was able to help her get through that.

“My mother taught me about the love of God and the direction of God and the spirit when I was a very young girl, probably like three or four… My foundation in that space and my family, like having a family that’s not trying to make me right or wrong, is a blessing, ’cause they’re finding the balance and truth.”

Lil Mama also became very inconsistent with her music releases, having lost the drive after the ridicule she felt from the entertainment industry.

Alicia Keys Speaks Out

Finally, in 2021, Alicia Keys spoke out about the incident. Keys spoke with Complex News and said that she remembers nothing about the moment. She went on to explain that she and Jay-Z stood at opposite ends of the stage, and she was “oblivious to the idea that next to him was another person,” according to E! News.

However, Keys decided to take an understanding approach, saying that “this is what my music does to people. What can we say?”

Jay-Z Shows Grace

During a talk on Twitter Spaces with Music Exec, Rob Markman, Jay-Z spoke for the last time about that VMAs night and publicly forgave Lil Mama for crashing the stage:

“That’s our sister. Man, we love her… She’s a New Yorker… She got excited. Things happen. Of course, we love her… yes, she’s forgiven.”

After learning that both Jay-Z and Alicia Keys had forgiven her, Lil Mama responded with a since-deleted Instagram post thanking both artists for being understanding, according to Complex.

Where’s Lil Mama Now?

Lil Mama remains active on her Instagram, where she teases new music and continues to flaunt her colorful fashion taste. Though Lil Mama may have been shunned by the entertainment industry for a mistake she made when she was 19, she hasn’t let the moment dim her light entirely.

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The Bravo family hustle is alive and well, even if the paychecks have slowed to a trickle. While former Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak may not be raking in “Don’t Be Tardy” cash these days, her daughters are proving that loyalty runs deeper than dollars.

On a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, 23-year-old Ariana Biermann didn’t flinch when the conversation turned from cheeky gossip to cold, hard money. Ariana admitted during the interview that her mother has been relying on her for financial help.

“She asks for money sometimes,” Ariana confessed, coolly. “But she pays me back when she can.”

Keeping Up With the Zolciaks On Their Daughters’ Dimes

Ariana and her big sister, Brielle Biermann, grew up on the neon glare of reality TV, champagne poured, wigs bristling, Gucci as the supreme ruler. But now that Kim’s long, drawn-out divorce from ex-NFL player Kroy Biermann is playing out like a nightmare of a Bravo reunion, the family budget is more than reality show fodder. They’re real-life worries.

Ariana didn’t pull any punches. Not only has she stepped forward to help Kim, but Brielle, also in her twenties, is dipping into her own funds to get their mom through this messy chapter. And by messy, we mean bankruptcy filings, million-dollar foreclosure auctions, and allegations of gambling debts.

When probed by Andy whether the gossip of Kim’s gambling was true, Ariana demurely declined to go that route. It was a line she drew firmly, but not before she gave a glimpse of the larger perspective.

“She’s my best friend, and always will be,” Ariana said, standing by her mother with a blend of grace and grit.

Robbing Peter to Pay Mom?

Ariana casually revealed that Kim wasn’t the only one who was dipping into hers and Brielle’s childhood savings.

That’s right. Childhood savings.

Apparently, the infamous “Wig” wasn’t just styling hair, but also allegedly reallocating funds meant for her daughters’ futures. Ariana didn’t go into detail about how much money was taken or when, but the revelation painted a picture of a woman doing whatever it takes to maintain the image, even if it meant borrowing from her kids.

Still, there’s no bitterness. Ariana gave off the vibe of someone who’s learned to detach emotion from finances.

“I can always make more money,” she shrugged, in a tone that said been there, Venmo’d that.

A Legacy of Loyalty or Enabling?

There’s no denying Kim Zolciak built a brand off family, glam, and over-the-top living. But now that the Bravo cameras have stopped rolling and the money train’s slowed down, it’s her daughters, those same girls who grew up with red Solo cups at Housewives parties, who are keeping the family afloat.

Some fans might call it admirable. Others might call it enabling. But Ariana doesn’t seem pressed either way.

She’s chosen to protect her peace, hold her family close, and work her way out of any financial black holes left behind. Whether she’s supporting her mom out of obligation, loyalty, or love, it’s clear Ariana’s stepping into womanhood with her own sense of agency.

In a world where Bravo breakups often come with broken bank accounts, Ariana Biermann’s message is simple, poignant, and extremely Gen Z:

“Family over funds. Always.”

Related

Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw my father cry.

It was quick. Just a flash. A single tear ran down his cheek before he turned his back and pretended nothing happened. I was a kid, but even then I knew. Whatever pain he was carrying, he didn’t feel safe enough to show it. Not to me. Not to the world. Maybe not even to himself.

That moment never left me. And as I grew older, I understood exactly why he hid it. Black men are taught early that vulnerability is dangerous. That makes us look weak, soft, exposed. We’re conditioned to believe that silence is strength, that real men keep it moving, that asking for help is something other people do.

But that silence, that armor we wear is suffocating us.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month, and on this last day of the month, I can’t think of a more urgent time to say this out loud. Black men are in a mental health crisis, and we cannot afford to suffer in silence any longer.

According to the American Psychological Association, Black adults are 20 percent more likely to experience serious psychological distress than white adults, yet less likely to receive treatment. A report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health found that suicide rates among Black men have been rising steadily over the past decade, with Black youth seeing one of the most alarming increases. A 2021 Rutgers University study revealed that Black men are less likely than any other demographic to seek therapy, even when showing signs of clinical depression.

This is not a coincidence. It’s the result of generations of systemic oppression, racial trauma, economic instability, and cultural stigma. It’s the result of a society that too often dehumanizes us, over-polices us, under-employs us, and yet still expects us to bear it all with a straight face.

I’ve worn that mask too. I’ve smiled when I was breaking. I’ve poured into others while my own cup was empty. I’ve tried to be strong until I realized that strength without support is a slow death. It took me years and a whole lot of pain to understand that healing starts with honesty. It starts with giving ourselves permission to feel. To talk. To rest. To ask for help.

For Black men, survival has been the default. But we deserve more than survival. We deserve joy. We deserve softness. We deserve to heal.

This Men’s Mental Health Month, I’m calling on every brother to let go of the lie that you have to carry it all. Check in on your quiet friends. Go to therapy even if it feels uncomfortable. Talk to your son about how he’s feeling and tell him how you’re feeling too. Create spaces where vulnerability isn’t mocked but modeled. Where crying isn’t ridiculed but respected.

Healing is not a solo act. We need each other.

Let’s build a new legacy. One where strength and softness coexist. Where manhood includes mental wellness. Where we don’t wait until it’s too late to say I need help.

My father didn’t have the tools or the language to heal out loud. But maybe we do. And maybe we owe it to him, and to ourselves, to use them.

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Jonathan Conyers is the author of the acclaimed memoir I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here. He is also a respiratory therapist, writer, and producer, as well as the owner and investor of several successful business ventures. Through his storytelling and work, Conyers continues to amplify underrepresented voices and create impact across industries.

It seems like everyday since President Donald Trump took office, breaking news headlines continue to flood the media. And in the midst of the downpour of current events, one day, you just might miss something that’ll have a major impact on your everyday life.

From attacks on Black history to Trump’s attempt to alter the U.S. Constitution, there’s no telling what will come next, and as the president continues his self-proclaimed mandate to reshape the country– and history– it’s important Americans everywhere stay vigilant. Here’s 15 “fine print” moves by the Trump administration that you might’ve missed in the last six months.

Quietly Rewriting History

In efforts to purge all diversity in the government, the Trump administration faced backlash after Civil Rights icon and former Brooklyn Dodgers’ player Jackie Robinson’s military service was erased from the Department of Defense database, according to ESPN. The Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee airmen and the Marines at Iwo Jima were also among the president’s erasure of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Although the move was ultimately reversed, this shady attempt to rewrite history drew bipartisan criticism.

Birthright Citizenship

Generations after the 14th Amendment was added to the historic legislation, the Trump administration now argues birthright citizenship is not Constitutional. By definition, a person born on U.S. soil is automatically a U.S. citizen. Folks like former Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and even Bruce Lee have their citizenship under this Amendment. As part of his January storm of executive orders, Trump attacked the 14th Amendment, and months later, he is still fighting to get it removed. On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to lift temporary blocks against Trump’s order– meaning the president is just one step closer to his wish being granted, according to NPR.

Cuts to Medicaid

Trump spent most of his campaign and early second term promising not to cut Medicaid, but surprise, surprise… that was not the full truth. In his Big, Beautiful Bill Act– the 1,000-page spending bill drawing criticism from Democrats and Republicans– drastic cuts to Medicaid are promised. As of June 30, the bill sits in the House of Representatives, waiting for approval. If it passes, the more than 71 million Americans will be impacted. Of those, about 20 percent are Black Americans, according to Medicaid Awareness.

Hiring WWE CEO to Take Down DOE

President Trump vowed to dismantle the Department of Education, and he started his agenda by slyly appointing Linda McMahon to run the show. McMahon has a brief background in education. In fact, she was nominated to serve on the Connecticut State Board of Education in 2009, according to ABC News. But unfortunately, that’s where her expertise stops. Before she was picked by Trump, McMahon founded WWE with her husband Vincent. As one of the most questionable picks in Trump’s cabinet, McMahon has made it her mission to fulfill the president’s agenda, no matter the cost. The DOE provides financial assistance to states and school districts, most notably in Title I grants for low-income schools and special education funding. Without it, Black and brown students, who are typically the most vulnerable — will likely have limited protections and assistance as they progress in the American educational system.

Suspending $19 Million HBCU Scholarship

Remember in February when Trump’s national spending freeze left billions of dollars in allocated funds suspended in the air? Well, while most folks were worried about food stamps, Medicaid and FEMA funding, our HBCUs were dealing with the harsh consequences of the blitz. The federal government suspended a scholarship program giving $19 million to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), according to AL.com. The 1890 Scholarship Program allowed lower income students to chase their educations goals at their dream HBCUs. Shortly after, a judge ordered the Trump administration to restore the program.

Defying Judge Orders

Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has faced legal backlash from federal judges who claim his actions are illegal or unconstitutional. In several cases– like when a judge ordered him to turn around a plane full of alleged Venezuelan gang members– Trump took a sneaky route either claiming his hands were tied or just flat out ignoring the ruling. In the case of the ICE plane, the administration claimed since the flights were over international waters, the judges order did not apply, according to ABC News.

Suspending the Jobs Corps

As we previously reported, the Department of Labor announced all Job Corps centers will pause operations by Monday (June 30). The program provides free education and vocational training to Americans within the ages of 16 and 24. The Root spoke with Illinois attorney Henderson Banks, who claimed Trump’s dismantling of the program was illegal. “What the Trump administration and the Department of Labor is doing is not what legislation stated or enacted for the program or certain job sites to be dismantled,” Banks said. “There’s an administrative process that was not followed, which gives those contractors who received and depended on funding a claim against the Trump administration and the Department of Labor to sue the government.” A judge has since issued an order allowing for Job Corps operations to continue.

Sneaky Tax Cuts

The biggest right-wing appeal of the Big, Beautiful Bill is its promised tax cuts for the wealthy. As the wealth gap in the country continues to widen, Trump’s tax cuts prove to be another handout for the richest Americans—most of whom are white, according to data from the Pew Research Center. On the other hand, Trump’s cuts will likely increase the racial divide in the country. A 2024 study conducted by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found corporate tax cuts disproportionately benefit white households because white people disproportionately own corporate stocks and bonds, unlike Black households.

$1 Billion Cuts to Mental Health Programs in Schools

As a part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, $1 billion was allocated to increase the amount of mental health professionals in schools, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump’s administration cut it completely citing concerns about a DEI focus among providers, according to Education Week. To be expected, the decision was immediately met with criticism from mental health advocates and education professionals, who argued without these programs, students will likely suffer the consequences. In 2023, around 53 percent of Black students said they experienced some sort of depression, according to AP News.

A Pause on USDA Inspections of Meat

In a post-COVID world and during the height of the bird flu, which saw historic prices of eggs, Trump and DOGE’s reorganizing of the government also led to questionable moves in the FDA. The organization is reportedly still in a shift of most routine food safety inspections to state and local authorities, according to CBS News. In an attempt to cut down on government spending, many critics argued the quality and safety of food standards would have a grave impact on Americans nationwide. The FDA stated inspections will continue during the reorganization, but already DOGE layoffs and inconsistencies from the administration pose a threat.

‘Restriction on Enforcement’

On page 544 of the 1,082-page bill, a hidden provision called the “Restriction on Enforcement” has the potential to officially upend the checks and balances system. Under SEC. 70302, more restrictions against U.S. judges who push back on Trump’s orders are on the table. The administration has been sued, blocked and threatened with contempt in court by judges fearing Trump’s orders are unconstitutional. If the bill passes in the House, then this small section would likely benefit Trump’s deportation agenda and his anti-DEI push.

Rolling Back on Climate Change Legislation

On his very first day in office, Trump rescinded several Biden-era initiatives aimed at addressing growing climate change concerns pushing for clean energy, making its development more difficult and expensive. And as the racial gap widens, Black communities will continue to be devastated by harsh weather conditions. Black Americans are at greater risk of experiencing natural disasters because of concentrated populations in extreme weather environments, like in Black cities like St. Louis and Houston, according to McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility.

Executive Order to Cancel ‘Sesame Street’

Despite the president’s continuous claims of media bias and “fake news” in the nation, he is still fighting to put an end to— wait for it– “Sesame Street.” In May, he signed an executive order to get rid of government funding for PBS and NPR. “It’s the latest move by Trump and his administration to utilize federal powers to control or hamstring institutions whose actions or viewpoints he disagrees with,” PBS said in response. Instead of setting his target on media machines with clear bias, Trump insisted PBS and NPR posed dangerous threats and were poisoning the youth. In response, both organizations have sued the administration.

Trump’s Attacks South African President

Hoping to recreate that White House moment with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump’s public meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa turned into calculated attempt to corner him. Trump came ready with a PowerPoint presentation, a stack of documents, a horrific video and several false claims of a white genocide going on in the African nation. Although Ramaphosa chose to go high, denying Trump’s lies and trying to focus the Oval Office discussion on trade and a technological partnership, the U.S. president persisted. The meeting came one week after Trump welcomed 60 Afrikaners— white South Africans– to the country with refugee status. Critics of the move argued it was a slap in the face to Black and brown migrants who Trump has demonized over the past decade.

AI Regulation in Big, Beautiful Bill Act

In a world where artificial intelligence is growing rapidly and unexpectedly, the Trump administration is offering scary regulations– or lack there of– to AI. In the Republican-led spending bill, one provision aims to ban state regulation of AI, and even Republicans are upset about it. Ga. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene came out saying she opposes the provision because it violates states’ rights. This was of course after she voted to pass the bill to the House, admitting she didn’t read that part. But if the very people elected to read and review proposed legislation have confessed to being unaware of the very small, fine print, then Americans should probably be paying even closer attention to what’s at stake.

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Country-rock artist Gavin Adcock is lighting up the internet after a bold onstage takedown of Beyoncé’s genre-defying 2024 album Cowboy Carter, questioning her place on the country charts and reigniting the genre-purity debate that has shadowed country music’s evolution for decades.

While performing at a recent show on his Need To Know Tour, the Georgia-born singer-songwriter took a sharp detour from his setlist to share some unfiltered thoughts with the crowd about the current state of the country music charts and he made it crystal clear that he’s not on board with Beyoncé being part of the conversation.

“There’s only three people in front of me on the Apple Music country charts,” Adcock declared, pausing for effect. “And one of ‘em is Beyoncé. You can tell her we’re coming for her fkin’ a.”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

“That sht ain’t country music, and it ain’t never been country music, and it ain’t never gonna be country music,” he continued, before launching into the next song of his set. “We’re ’bout to play y’all some Southern fking rock. Y’all hit that s**t, boys.”

His remarks came just as his forthcoming album, Own Worst Enemy, climbed to No. 4 on the Apple Music Country Albums chart, trailing only Morgan Wallen’s I’m The Problem, Parker McCollum’s self-titled LP, and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, which has sparked both acclaim and controversy since its release.

The Grammy-Winning Elephant in the Room

Adcock’s comments reignited an already volatile discussion surrounding Cowboy Carter, a genre-blending juggernaut that stunned critics and fans alike when it took home Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

The win marked a historic milestone, as Beyoncé became the first Black woman to ever win Best Country Album, a feat many hailed as overdue representation in a genre long criticized for its lack of diversity.

Yet, the project has divided the country music community. While songs like “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” earned widespread praise, others have questioned whether Beyoncé’s Nashville aspirations ring authentic, especially given her pop and R&B roots.

Adcock made it clear that he isn’t against Beyoncé as an artist his issue is with the classification.

“When I was a little kid, my mama was blasting some Beyoncé in the car,” he said in a social media video posted days after the show. “I’ve heard a ton of Beyoncé songs and I actually remember her Super Bowl halftime show being pretty kick a** back in the day.”

But he drew a sharp line between admiration and genre respect.

“I really don’t believe that her album should be labeled as country music. It doesn’t sound country. It doesn’t feel country. And I just don’t think that people that have dedicated their whole lives to this genre and this lifestyle should have to compete or watch that album just stay at the top just because she’s Beyoncé.”

Adcock’s Gritty Rise with “Own Worst Enemy”

Gavin Adcock’s rise has been anything but subtle. A former Georgia Southern football player turned hard-touring artist, Adcock is carving out a place for himself in modern country with a gritty, rock-injected style that has captured the ears of fans who prefer their Southern anthems raw, loud, and unapologetically masculine.

His upcoming album Own Worst Enemy, set for release August 15, has already stirred excitement with early singles like “Last One To Know”, a Southern confessional that threads heartbreak, hangovers, and self-destruction through a swampy soundscape.

“Wild-a* women, hard-a** living / Did it to myself, near over and over / Guess me and my buddy Jim put on a hell of a show / They woke me up this morning, I was the last one to know.”*

The track, co-written with Erik Dylan, Jack Rauton, and Luke Laird, delivers what Adcock does best: gritty vocals, Southern twang, and a backwoods reverence for telling the brutal truth.

The project spans 24 tracks, with songs like “Loose Strings,” “Need To,” “Never Call Again,” “Unlucky Strikes,” “On One,” and “Almost Gone” (featuring Vincent Mason) already teasing a sonically diverse yet thematically cohesive record. The full track list is expected to be announced in late July.

A Battle of Values or a Battle of Sounds?

Adcock’s rant has earned him both support and backlash. On one side are traditionalists who believe country music is being diluted by genre tourism. On the other, listeners and critics who argue that Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter not only embraces country roots but expands its possibilities.

For Adcock, the issue isn’t Beyoncé’s race, legacy, or talent but rather what happens to the genre’s soul when “country” becomes a marketing label rather than a lived experience.

“It’s not about who she is,” Adcock emphasized in his video. “It’s about what the music is. And it just ain’t country.”

On the Road and On the Rise

While the debate rages online, Gavin Adcock is staying busy on the road, headlining small-town festivals, fairgrounds, and dive-bar venues with his Need To Know Tour. He’s also slated for select opening slots on Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem Tour, placing him even closer to the heart of mainstream country.

With Own Worst Enemy just weeks away, Adcock is doubling down on his brand: unfiltered, Southern, and unapologetic.

Whether his statements endear him further to the country faithful or estrange him from an increasingly genre-fluid industry remains to be seen.

Gavin Adcock has no plans to bite his tongue or back down from Beyoncé.

Related

A man who started a wildfire and then fatally shot two firefighters and wounded another in northern Idaho was a 20-year-old transient who attacked the first responders after they asked him to move his vehicle, a sheriff said Monday.

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris offered new details about the Sunday confrontation at Canfield Mountain, just north of Coeur d’Alene, a popular recreation area. He said Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle, had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only a handful of minor contacts with area police.

“We have not been able to find a manifesto,” the sheriff said, adding a motive was still unknown.

Norris said families of the victims are “in shock — absolutely. They’re in shock and they’re still processing it.”

2 veteran firefighters are killed and a third is in critical condition

Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, who had been with the county fire department for 17 years, was killed, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way said during a news conference Monday. Harwood was married and had two children, and he also was a veteran of the Army National Guard.

Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, was also killed after working with the department for 28 years.

Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Fire Engineer David Tysdal, 47, sustained gunshot wounds and was in critical condition. Authorities said he had two successful surgeries.

After the shooting, local law enforcement agencies have offered to go on every call that the fire department goes on, according to Way.

“I don’t know that we’re ever going to be able to guarantee people’s peace of mind, at least for a while after an incident like this,” he said. “But we are taking every measure we can to ensure safety of our responders.”

Roley had set a fire using flint, and the firefighters who rushed to the scene instead found themselves under fire. They took cover behind fire trucks.

“There was an interaction with the firefighters,” Norris said. “It has something to do with his vehicle being parked where it was.”

Roley had ties to California and Arizona before moving to Idaho

Roley later killed himself, the sheriff said.

He had ties to California and Arizona and was living in Idaho “for the better part of 2024,” Norris said. “But as far as when he got here, why he was here, why he chose this place — I don’t know.”

Two helicopters converged on the area Sunday, armed with snipers ready to take out the suspect if needed, while the FBI used his cellphone data to track him and the sheriff ordered residents to shelter in place. They eventually found Roley dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him.

Roley lived with T.J. Franks Jr. for about six months in Sandpoint, Idaho, while working for a tree service, Franks said on Monday. Franks had cameras in his apartment that caught Roley throwing gang signs at them one day, which worried Franks to the point that he called police.

“I didn’t know what to really think about it,” Franks said. “I just called the cops and had them talk to him.”

The landlord also called Franks one morning because neighbors reported that Roley’s vehicle had been left running for about 12 hours. Franks said Roley was asleep in his room and said he forgot about the vehicle.

Franks said Roley “started acting a little weird” and at one point shaved his long hair off completely.

“We just kind of noticed him starting to decline or kind of go downhill,” he said.

A swift outpouring of support

Outpouring of support for the victims was swift in Coeur d’Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington.

Hours after the shooting, people gathered along Interstate 90 holding American flags to pay their respects as the two fallen firefighters’ bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office in Spokane, Washington, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Coeur d’Alene.

Gov. Brad Little ordered U.S. and Idaho state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the firefighters until the day after their memorial service.

“All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before,” he said in a statement. “This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.”

Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff’s office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. The Idaho Department of Lands said it had burned about 26 acres (10.5 hectares).

Way described the fire on Monday as “reasonably contained,” saying that respondents had “stopped significant forward progress.”

Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding.

When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn’t seeing aircraft: “Because they’re concerned about being shot at,” he said.

___

Associated Press journalists Hallie Golden in Seattle, Ed White in Detroit and Martha Bellisle in Seattle contributed to this report.

8

Bill Belichick may have traded Super Bowl playbooks for collegiate coaching strategies at the University of North Carolina, but off the field, the 73-year-old football legend is reportedly facing a whole new game: fatherhood.

According to an exclusive from RadarOnline.com, Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, is actively lobbying for a baby, and she’s not being subtle about it.

“She’s young, she wants a baby, and she’s made it very clear that the clock’s ticking,” a source close to the couple told Radar. “Bill’s not shutting it down, but let’s be honest, this isn’t exactly his two-minute drill.”

The jaw-dropping 49-year age gap between the coach and his former cheerleader-turned-girlfriend has already stirred controversy. Now insiders say the idea of Belichick cradling a newborn has triggered a full-blown meltdown among his inner circle.

Inner Circle in Crisis

Friends and longtime associates of the former New England Patriots coach are reportedly “stunned” at the prospect of him becoming a father again. At an age when most are babysitting grandkids, not raising infants, many assumed Belichick had closed the chapter on diapers and midnight feedings.

“His friends are stunned. They thought Bill was finally going to enjoy retirement, not chasing toddlers and changing diapers,” the source said.

The insider described the situation as spiraling out of control.

“This feels like a fast-moving train no one can stop. And Bill might be too deep in the playbook to notice what’s coming.”

Belichick, who already has children from previous relationships, has remained silent on the issue of future fatherhood. But with Hudson allegedly applying pressure, the private coach may soon be facing very public decisions.

The Viral CBS Interview That Lit the Match

The couple’s relationship first exploded into public view earlier this year following an awkward and highly publicized segment on CBS Sunday Morning in April.

During an interview with anchor Tony Dokoupil, Hudson visibly bristled when asked how the two first met. “We’re not talking about this,” she snapped, cutting off the question. The tense moment quickly went viral, fueling speculation and online criticism.

The backlash was intense, but Belichick allegedly stood up for Hudson in private and public. While some fans were shocked at his affair with someone nearly half a century his junior, others leapt to the defense of the coach’s right to happiness after he split up with longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday in 2023.

But the media frenzy hasn’t cleared yet. Now, with infant rumors circulating, Belichick’s private life may be outshining even his shocking new role as head coach of the UNC Tar Heels.

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You don’t have to be a Beyoncé fan to know that her “Cowboy Carter” show is one of the hottest tickets around. But if you are a fan and you can get your hands on one of those tickets, it’s likely that almost nothing would stop you from being in the building. Now, three friends who experienced an unthinkable tragedy on their way to one of Queen Bey’s Paris shows have sparked a viral TikTok debate about whether or not the show should go on if someone you were supposed to go with passed away en route.

We should start by saying, we haven’t been able to confirm whether or not the whole thing actually happened. We just can’t tell yet if this is a hoax, but that hasn’t stopped thousands of people from getting in on the conversation, which is the point of us looking into it.

Here’s the low down. It all started with a post shared by TikTok user @notvictor, in which he explained that it had been a lifelong dream to see a Beyoncé concert with his friend, who flew to Paris to attend one of the “Cowboy Carter” shows. While getting ready for the show, the group of three friends filmed a pregame TikTok with the intention of filming part two when they got to the show. But one member of their group, who allegedly had some preexisting heart issues, started having chest pains on the way to the show and sadly didn’t make it. The two surviving friends didn’t just go on to the show, they finished and posted their TikTok.

Check out their TikTok transition post for yourself here:

@vitornotvictor

he would’ve liked that we went anyway 🥹 #beyonce #deadfriendforever #fyp #cowboycarter #rip

♬ original sound – notvictor

Although the two surviving friends look like they have no regrets for going to see Queen Bey, the internet had plenty of thoughts, including whether or not the whole thing was all made up. Here are just a few of the highlights:

I Would Go Too

Some, like TikTok user Kalen Allen are willing to give the friends who went on to the show some grace. He said he would want his friends to have fun seeing Beyoncé, even if he wasn’t physically able to be with them.

“If you are a friend of mine and you are going to see Beyoncé, and I die, I give you full permission, ’cause I understand. I would go too,” he said

His post received nearly 40,000 likes and included lots of comments from people who agree that the show should go on for the surviving friends. One commenter hoped their friends would make sure Beyoncé paid tribute to their passing during her show.

“Ima tell my friends to go and ask Beyoncé to shout my name during II Hands II Heaven because that is where I will be watching the concert,” they wrote.

@thekalenallen

Did you hear about the controversy surrounding the two friends who went to see Beyoncé, even though their third friend—who was supposed to go with them—died that same day? What would y’all do? #beyonce #cowboycarter #cowboycartertour

♬ original sound – Kalen Allen

Where is the Love?

TikTok user MercurialLuvr had a different take. Although she understands Beyoncé tickets aren’t easy to come by, she can’t see a side of the argument in which it’s ok to leave a friend’s dead body alone – especially when he’s far away from his family.

“All I can think about is just the fact that this is a friend that flew out to come and be with you guys. It’s not like it happened where he lives, where he has family,” she said in a post. “He literally was alone out there with you guys, and you left his corpse with strangers.”

Her commenters agreed, arguing that the friends who went on to the show without making sure their friend’s family was notified, aren’t friends at all.

“I pray in God’s name these types of friends will never find me,” wrote someone in the comments.

@mercurialluvr

I really wanna understand the mindset of it all

♬ Classic classical gymnopedie solo piano(1034554) – Lyrebirds music

You Finished The Transition?

TikTok user @valbulosity didn’t have a problem with the friends going to the concert, but she did have some very strong feelings about the surviving members of the group finishing the TikTok transition post they started when their friend was still alive. She argued that the two should have gone to show and honored their friend’s memory privately.

“It’s not the fact that your friend passed away and you still went to the Beyoncé concert,” she said in a post. “It’s the fact that you finished the transition. It’s the fact that the first clip was you, your friend and your other friend getting ready to go to Beyoncé, and then [in] the second clip, you’re at the Beyoncé concert saying that your friend passed away. You didn’t have to do that. That was a bit much.”

“Also not him saying they sold the extra ticket and used the money to buy merch at the concert,” wrote another disgusted commenter.

@valbulosity

It was a bit much! #beyonce #cowboycartertour #cowboycarter

♬ original sound – V A L B U L O S I T Y™

Even though the new film, “Heads of State,” stars Idris Elba and John Cena as rival world leaders caught in a crisis, Elba hopes audiences can escape.

Ahead of the action film’s release on July 2 on Amazon Prime, the 52-year-old actor sat down with theGrio to discuss the movie as it arrives at a time when many around the world may be questioning the powers that be. 

“I think entertainment is always needed during times of high stress,” he said. 

For anyone who can’t help but draw comparisons between Cena’s version of a U.S. President and Elba’s version of a British Prime Minister and the catastrophe they find themselves in to current events, he reminds us that an action-comedy film is just that. 

“I think we do have to remind ourselves that, you know, a film about heads of state doesn’t mean that we’re making commentary about leadership or any of that,” he continued. “But I will say, we do need to have moments of levity in life where something like this can take our minds off the newsreels every day. I think that’s an important equilibrium to have. It’s a balance we need that otherwise you can go, you know, fall into despair, quite frankly, just reading about what’s going on in our world right now.”

Instead, the actor hopes his latest film, which also stars Priyanka Chopra, “just reminds people that there is life, there is humanity. This story has a really interesting, fun ending, and I hope people can go along for the entertainment of it.” 

Directed by Ilya Naishuller, “Heads of State” is an action-packed, high-stakes comedy that chronicles what happens after the President of the United States (Cena) and the Prime Minister of the UK (Elba) are attacked while aboard Air Force One en route to a NATO conference. Seemingly, as the only survivors of the plane attack, the two quickly find themselves traversing through Europe in search of safety, having to avoid several who wish to do them harm along the way. The role marks Elba’s first formal foray into comedy.

“Stepping into the comedy was a lot of fun, especially with someone like John Cena, who’s a real comic natural,” Elba explained. “He would just encourage me to just, you know, be silly and more and more.”

According to Elba, working with Cena was among the things that drew him to the role. Elba recalled enjoying working with Cena on 2021’s “The Suicide Squad,” directed by James Gunn.

“Man, I’ve been a fan of John Cena. I think he’s a great actor. He’s also a great wrestler, and he’s a really cool guy, so I really wanted to work with him. And that was the draw, to get back and work with John,” he said.

As the film lands just weeks after the U.S. President literally traveled to a NATO conference, Elba ultimately hopes viewers can get away from their newsfeeds when they sit down with the movie.

“I want the fans to go out, have a good time, just escape,” he said. “Put the phone down for a couple of hours and just enjoy yourselves. Get, you know, thrown into the spectacle of this movie. This movie has really big scale, really big stunt sequences, lots of fun characters, and just, you know, just try and enjoy yourself.” 

5

Drake’s legal team clashed with Universal Music Group in federal court this afternoon and left no doubt that they’re coming for blood.

Fresh off a court appearance in Manhattan, Drake’s camp dropped a scathing post-hearing statement accusing UMG, the world’s most powerful record label, of operating in shadows and silencing artists behind closed doors.

“UMG is desperate to see this case not move forward,” a spokesperson for Drake said. “Because the company can’t hide its misconduct in a courtroom the way it does in the boardroom. Soon, in addition to facing concerned regulators and investors, the leadership of music’s most powerful label will have to answer for the damage it has caused to every artist that has been silenced, exploited, endangered or discarded.”

UMG has yet to respond to Drake’s latest remarks. But the courtroom drama today proved this is no longer just a diss war between rap titans. It’s an all-out legal and reputational war.

THE CORE OF THE CASE: “CERTIFIED PEDOPHILES” LYRIC AND SUPER BOWL DRAMA

The legal beef centers on the now-infamous “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles” line from Kendrick Lamar’s nuclear diss track “Not Like Us.” Drake’s amended defamation suit, filed in April, claims Universal Music Group defamed him by platforming and promoting Lamar’s lyrics which he says were built on dangerous and false insinuations.

And though the lyric was edited out of Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance, Drake’s team argued in court that the implication still lingers both in public perception and legal responsibility.

INSIDE THE COURTROOM: JUDGE QUESTIONS FAN INTERPRETATION

According to Inner City Press, the lyric became a flashpoint in today’s proceedings. Drake’s lawyers explained the line was a “play on words” referencing his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy, but the judge wasn’t entirely convinced.

“Would an ordinary fan reasonably know that?” the judge asked skeptically.

Drake’s lawyers pushed back, insisting the lyric rides on a wave of damaging rumors already in circulation about Drake’s relationships with younger women. Rumors they say UMG helped amplify.

UMG CLAPS BACK: “DRAKE STARTED IT”

Universal is aggressively seeking to get Drake’s amended lawsuit dismissed. They’re painting his legal strategy as a bitter reaction to getting outperformed lyrically and commercially by Kendrick Lamar.

In their motion to dismiss, obtained by Variety, UMG emphasized that Lamar did not perform the controversial lyric during the Super Bowl and therefore Drake’s complaint falls apart.

“As Drake concedes, Lamar’s Super Bowl performance did not include the lyric that Drake or his associates are ‘certified pedophiles’… The focus of Drake’s new claims that ‘the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever’ did not hear Lamar call Drake or his crew pedophiles betrays this case for what it is. Drake’s attack on the commercial and creative success of the rap artist who defeated him rather than the content of Lamar’s lyrics.”

UMG’s legal team also mocked Drake’s double standard, saying his lawyers conveniently forgot the many times Drake has used equally provocative taunts in his own music.

“Apparently, Drake’s lawyers believe that when Drake willingly participates in a performative rap-battle of music and poetry, he can be ‘defamed’ even though he engages in the exact same form of creative expression.”

THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN RAP

Drake’s team is clearly trying to shift the narrative from lyrical rivalry to corporate exploitation and industry accountability. The statement’s references to “regulators” and “investors” suggest that Drake is teeing up a broader campaign possibly to rattle UMG’s financial and legal foundation.

And while UMG frames this case as petty posturing from a bruised ego, the court will now need to decide where the line between diss track and defamation truly lies.

The stakes are enormous. This isn’t just about Drake’s reputation. It’s about whether rap lyrics, when promoted by corporate giants, can be grounds for a defamation lawsuit. If the case moves forward, it could set a precedent that echoes across music, free speech, and entertainment law.

Stay tuned.

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