P. Diddy’s indictment isn’t just an indictment of Sean Combs. It’s an indictment of an era, an ethos, a set of permission slips that permit the denigration and even beating of Black women.

The fall of men like Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein has shown that uber wealthy, powerful men don’t fall alone. They often bring other uber wealthy, powerful men down with them, men for whom women were baubles to be passed back and forth, demeaned and, ultimately, discarded.

It remains to be seen what other bad boys will come in for a cultural battering in the wake of Diddy’s indictment.

The downfall of Epstein and Weinstein ushered in the Me Too Movement. Women called out repulsive and criminal behavior. More importantly, they set limits for what they would and would not do and what they would and would not tolerate in their workplaces

The wave of that new empowerment often didn’t dampen the shores of rap, though. Black women were still bitches and hos, baby mamas or worse.

Maybe, just maybe, Diddy’s downfall will change that. Maybe there will be a Me Too Movement for Black women. A Not Me Movement or a Not Me Too Movement.

Whatever it’s called, this can be a moment, a turning point.

Perhaps the next Cassie gets the benefit of the doubt and not dragged on social media when she says she suffered horrific abuse at the hands of a man many Black people saw as a symbol of wealth and cool. Perhaps fewer will doubt whether Megan Thee Stallion actually suffered harm when she was shot.

Beyond a shift in respect for the words of Black women, perhaps there can be more empowerment, too.

Would Black women remain bitches and hos in every other rap song if the president of the music label was a Black woman? Would music videos move off the long, long since tired imagery of jiggling, half-naked Black women happy to be draped over a coolly indifferent rapper if the video director was a Black woman?

There’s a sister on the Supreme Court. Another serves as vice president and is running for the presidency. Which one is a bitch? Which one is a ho?

On one level – and in the absence of any examination of the allegations against Diddy – it’s understandable that there would be an initial well of support for a rich Black man accused of criminal wrongdoing.

Black distrust of the criminal justice system is high. We don’t have an endless supply of Black billionaires or even near billionaires. We cling to those we know of as avatars of what we can be, the power we could command if we had a few commas on our bank statement.

But wealth doesn’t equate to worth. Diddy’s indictment can drive that point home, and it can usher in a new era, one where overt misogyny and violence against women simply isn’t tolerated – even if the woman is Black. Especially if the woman is Black.

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Netflix unveiled the first official teaser for Woman of the Hour, its highly anticipated thriller starring and directed by Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air). The film, marking Kendrick’s feature directorial debut, is set to premiere on the streaming platform on October 18.

Written by Ian McDonald, Woman of the Hour had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, where it garnered significant critical praise. The film is based on the true story of aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw, played by Kendrick, who in 1970s Los Angeles appears as a contestant on the popular game show The Dating Game. Unbeknownst to her, one of her fellow contestants is Rodney Alcala, portrayed by Daniel Zovatto, a serial killer in the midst of a nationwide murder spree.

Alcala, a California native, was later found guilty of at least eight murders across the U.S., and his crimes stretched over several years, adding a chilling true-crime layer to the film.

The cast of Woman of the Hour also includes Tony Hale (Veep), Nicolette Robinson (One Night in Miami…), Pete Holmes (Crashing), Autumn Best (4400), Kathryn Gallagher (You), and Kelley Jakle (the Pitch Perfect franchise).

Produced by Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, J.D. Lifshitz, and Raphael Margules, the film’s extensive list of executive producers includes Stuart Ford, Zach Garrett, Miguel A. Palos, Jr., Kendrick herself, McDonald, and others. Co-producers include Lorelle Lynch, Chris Abernathy, and Tracy Rosenblum.

Woman of the Hour is the latest in a series of notable films to hit Netflix in recent months, following projects like Jeremy Saulnier’s action-packed Rebel Ridge and the Joey King-led Uglies. Upcoming films on the streamer’s slate include Azazel Jacobs’ drama His Three Daughters, which arrives on September 20, and Sydney Freeland’s sports drama Rez Ball, premiering on September 27, after its own successful Toronto Film Festival debut.

You can watch the teaser for Woman of the Hour below.

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Simone Biles continues to prove that she is more than just a gymnast. With a portfolio of achievements extending beyond gymnastics, Biles is continuing her partnership with women-led athleisure brand Athleta. 

“I’m beyond excited for my limited-edition collection with Athleta,” Biles said, according to Good Housekeeping. “It has something for everyone — all in a gorgeous navy color with a subtle shine which gives a little something special.”

Unlike her previous collections, the latest capsule includes pieces for both women and girls. Finding what Biles believes to be the right balance between activewear and everyday style, the collection includes five womenswear pieces, two girl styles, and a belt bag ranging between $28 and $199. 

“The fact that this is multi-generation is super exciting for me,” Biles added, per Refinery29. “My last two collections with the brand were for Athleta Girl and I really wanted to create something that my friends and family could wear as well. The pieces are beautiful, timeless and it offers such variety.”  

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In 2021, Biles ended her partnership with Nike to sign a new deal with Athleta. Stating her appreciation of the brand’s commitment to diversity, the gymnast applauded the company for showcasing “women and girls of all ages, sizes, abilities, races, and backgrounds.” 

“As I take my next step in my career, it was super important for me to align myself with a partner who supports me, not just as a gymnast or an athlete, but for the individual that I am and the change I want to create,” she said as previously reported by theGrio. 

During the new collection’s photoshoot, Biles echoed these sentiments in a behind-the-scenes interview with Vogue.  

“Athleta is for women, by women. They know exactly what to do to kind of make it go from the gym to work, work to the gym, back and forth,” she said. “I honestly partnered with them because they support me and [all of my] endeavors… they were like, well, what do you want outside of the gym?”

Shop the Athleta x Simone Biles capsule now at Athleta.com. 

Diddy’s alleged ‘freak offs’ served a greater purpose, according to the details of his newly released indictment. The Bad Boy mogul would allegedly use the sex and drug-fueled events to enforce control.

The New York Times reported that Diddy would not only watch these “freak offs” while masturbating, but he would also allegedly recorded them and “used the sensitive, embarrassing and incriminating recordings that he made during Freak Offs as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims,” according to the indictment.

The ‘freak offs’ were “elaborate and produced sex performances that COMBS arranged” and directed, the indictment added. “In arranging these Freak Offs, COMBS, with the assistance of members and associates of the Combs Enterprise, transported, and caused to be transported, commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally.”

The indictment alleged that the Freak Offs regularly happened sometimes lasted for days at a time, involving sex workers, and a “variety of controlled substances” were given to those involved to keep the alleged victims “obedient and compliant.”

Without the alleged victims knowing, Diddy reportedly kept videos he filmed of participants engaging in sex. And because the Freak Offs would last days at a time, Diddy’s staff allegedly gave those participating IV fluids to recover from “the physical exertion and drug use.”

Notable Black celebs have sense took to social media to share their own takes on Diddy’s charges.

“Here I am keeping good company with @DrewBarrymoreTV and I don’t have 1,000 bottles of lube at the house,” wrote 50 cent on X/Twitter on Tuesday. The rapper referenced a detail about alleged “freak off” supplies that were found during a raid of Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami.

But internet personality Andrea Junker seemed to write what everyone has been thinking about the allegations that keep coming out about powerful men.

“Everyone knew about Sean “Diddy” Combs. Everyone knew about R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and Jeffrey Epstein. Everyone knew about Donald Trump. I’m so tired of people protecting rich perverts, keeping their dark secrets for decades. So damn tired,” she wrote on X.

Vice President Kamala Harris took questions during an exclusive, wide-ranging interview hosted by NABJ and WHYY on Tuesday in Philadelphia, which included a question from theGrio’s Gerren Keith Gaynor about the role of Black male voters in the upcoming election.

“Black men are like any other voting group; you’ve got to earn their vote,” Harris told the panel, which was co-moderated by Gaynor, along with Poltico’s Eugene Daniels and NPR WHYY’s Tonya Mosley. “So I’m working to earn the vote. Not assuming I’m going to have it because I am Black.”

While the majority of Black voters polled say they intend to choose Harris — 77% according to the Pew Research Center — many headlines have repeated narratives that more Black men say they are supporting former President Donald Trump this election cycle.

Harris also discussed her plans to expand the amount of money entrepreneurs can deduct when they launch a startup business from $5,000 to $50,000, saying the the $5,000 deduction wasn’t nearly enough to help people get their businesses off the ground.

“Part of my approach is understanding the obstacles that traditionally and currently exist to allow anyone, including Black men, to be able to achieve economic wealth, and I’m going to tell you I don’t think it is sufficient to only talk about economic policy around reducing unemployment,” Harris continued.

During the interview Harris also addressed questions about the affordability of child care and improving the cost of housing.

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She also answered questions about the conflict in Gaza, emphasizing that a hostage deal must be reached, as she was pressed on questions about the U.S. role in supplying arms to Israel by Daniels, and was asked by Mosley whether the U.S. has levers to support Palestinians in their right to self-determination.

“I have been actively involved in, for example, meeting not only with Israeli officials but with Arab officials to talk about how we can construct a day-after scenario where we participate in ensuring those exact goals that I outlined, including … that there be no reoccupation of Gaza,” Harris told Moseley.

Harris also spoke about the false and racist rumors spread by former President Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, calling the situation a “crying shame” and saying that those in important positions have a responsibility to understand the power of their words.

“When you have that kind of microphone in front of you, you really ought to understand at a very deep level how much your words have meaning,” Harris said. “There is a profound responsibility that comes with that, that is an extension of … this concept of the public trust. You have been invested with trust to be responsible in the way you use your words much less how you conduct yourself, especially when you have been and then seek to be again president of the United States of America.”

In contrast to what was an extremely combative and tense interview with Donald Trump at NABJ in July, Harris closed the interview by thanking NABJ and the interviewers for making the conversation happen.

You can watch the full conversation here.

In March, Nicki Minaj and her husband were ordered by the courts to pay security guard Thomas Weidenmuller after he sued her and Petty, alleging Petty physically assaulted him. Now, he claims he’s still waiting on the money.

By making this claim, Weidenmuller is attempting to enforce a prior judgment stemming from a lawsuit initially filed in 2019.

According to court documents obtained by People magazine, Weidenmuller, who was allegedly assaulted by Petty backstage during Minaj’s Frankfurt, Germany, concert in 2019, filed a memo of costs after judgment and a writ of execution against Minaj on Sept. 6 and Petty on Sept. 13 for $526,110.74.

When Minaj and Petty failed to respond to a lawsuit claiming Petty broke the security guard’s jaw during the 2019 incident, a judge granted a default judgment in the case, according to reporting by Rolling Stone magazine. According to the publication, after Minaj’s concert in Frankfurt, Weidenmuller allegedly came to the defense of another member of the security team when he and Minaj engaged in a verbal altercation. This escalated to Minaj allegedly throwing a shoe at him before Petty struck him.

Minaj’s legal team did not immediately respond to People’s request for comment.

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Weidenmuller initially requested $21,000 to cover medical expenses and another $700,000 to cover ongoing injuries and his emotional pain and suffering. In the end, the judge narrowed the figures down to a combined total of $503,318. That figure was ultimately awarded to Weidenmuller under a default judgment because Minaj and Petty failed to respond. 

With this latest filing, Weidenmuller is attempting to enforce the previous judgment through a writ of execution issued by the court. This move grants the ability to force a judgment of possession obtained by the plaintiff from the court. This could involve law enforcement seizing and selling the defendant’s non-exempt property to cover the balance.

Minaj and Petty married in 2019 and welcomed a son, nicknamed Papa Bear, in 2020. The two have been embroiled in controversy since their union stemming from Petty’s legal troubles. 

Petty made headlines in 2022 for failing to register as a sex offender stemming from a prior conviction for attempted rape in 1995. He made headlines again in 2023 when he was placed on house arrest for 120 days for “making threatening remarks toward a specific individual while in the company of someone with a criminal record” for threats against Offset.  

The Biden administration announced an additional $1.3 billion in federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on Tuesday, increasing total federal support to over $17 billion from fiscal years 2021 to 2024. This marks the highest level of federal investment in HBCUs to date.

According to a White House statement, the funding aims to support the institutions’ “demonstrated track record of delivering excellence,” especially in promoting economic mobility for low- and middle-income students. HBCUs, which represent only 3% of U.S. colleges and universities, have produced significant numbers of Black professionals, including 40% of Black engineers and 70% of Black doctors and dentists.

The administration emphasized that HBCUs “generate $16.5 billion annually in economic impact” and play a crucial role in research and development, particularly in STEM fields. The new funding includes $188 million in competitive grants for R&D and $1.1 billion to support students through need-based grants like Pell Grants.

This announcement builds on previous efforts, including the CHIPS and Science Act, which requires federal agencies to support HBCUs’ R&D capacity. The White House reiterated its commitment to advancing “educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity” through these investments.

Following the arrest of Sean “Diddy” Combs Monday, federal prosecutors argued in a letter to the court that the allegations of sex trafficking and sexual violence makes him a threat to public safety.

In a 16-page letter to the U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Southern District of New York, federal prosecutors argued the allegations, most of which are echoed in the indictment, prove Combs to be “too dangerous” to be granted bond ahead of his legal proceedings.

The 14-page indictment released Tuesday charged Combs with federal counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage prostitutes.

The charges comes months after a series of scathing lawsuits came against Combs filed by ex-girlfriend and singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, record producer Lil Rod and, most recently, Danity Kane member Dawn Richard, court documents show.

Across the suits are repeated allegations of physical abuse, soliciting minors and sex workers, distributing drugs and various methods of sexual violence. The trafficking allegations resulted in a raid of the rapper’s mansions where federal officials discovered three AR-15s, more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant; and hundreds of home surveillance cameras in each of his properties, officials said in a Tuesday press conference.

Read more from the letter:

The Government respectfully submits this letter in anticipation of the defendant’s appearance before this Court later today and in support of the Government’s request for the defendant’s detention pending trial. As set forth below, there is no condition, or combination of conditions, that will reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant as required and the safety of others and the community, not to mention the integrity of the proceedings. As reflected by the gravity of the charges in the Indictment, the defendant is dangerous and poses an ongoing threat to the safety of the community. If released, he remains a serious risk of flight, despite the conditions offered by his counsel. Most glaringly, the defendant also poses a significant risk of obstructing justice.

Indeed, and as set forth below, during the course of the charged conduct, the defendant has attempted to bribe security staff and threatened and interfered with witnesses to his criminal conduct. He has already tried to obstruct the Government’s investigation of this case, repeatedly contacting victims and witnesses and feeding them false narratives of events, as described in detail below. There are simply no conditions that would ensure that the defendant’s efforts to obstruct and tamper with witnesses will stop. The defendant therefore cannot overcome the statutory presumption in favor of detention, and the Court should order him detained.

The prosecutors cited the allegations of Combs hosting “Freak Off” sex parties where he was alleged to coerce participation from sex workers and other participants. Also cited was the discovery of the firearms and allegations of physical abuse against previous romantic partners.

The defense proposed home detention for Combs with electronic monitoring as well as a $50 million bond. However, prosecutors argued this was “insufficient” because the proposed provisions did not account for his access to electronics, financial information and other resources that would help him “evade prosecution.”

Prosecutors said his bail should be denied. The court has yet to respond.