Graphic: Images: Arturo Holmes, Kevin Mazur, Paras Griffin, Johnny Nunez/WireImage, STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP, Mike Coppola
Christian Keye’s sent the world searching for a list of Black Billionaires when he claimed one of them sexually assaulted him. However, we had already put the list together, but only to inspire. Nowadays everyone has a side hustle. We’re all striving for that moment when our dream will catapult us into the next level. Just in case you need a little inspiration for that next big project you have brewing, here our the richest Black people in the world. Remember, most of them started out dreaming about that one big moment, so it’s totally possible we can get there too. — Stephanie Holland — Tatsha Robertson
When Cynthia Collazo Pacheco was a 5-year-old girl growing up in Puerto Rico, she begged for a perm. After being called names like “monkey” in school, she’d come to think of her natural Afro-textured hair as a problem. But even a perm didn’t fully resolve the hate.
“I would receive a lot of abuse from my classmates and comments about ‘smells like burnt hair,’ my hair, being called ‘dry,’” Collazo Pacheco told theGrio. “I hated my hair because I didn’t even know how it looked, but I knew that it wasn’t good, and there was a reason why my mother specifically had chosen to relax my hair.”
Cynthia is co-founder of Colectiva Resistencia Cimmarona (Maroon Resistance Collective), a group of Black activists partnering with 28 organizations in Puerto Rico, such as the magazine, Revista Étnica, and feminist health organization, Taller Salud, to obtain legal protections for Afro-descendants with natural hair.
Beyond anti-Black sentiments toward natural hair, there are often rules in the workplace and schools that ban Black and natural hairstyles like locs, cornrows, afros and more. The activists joined forces with a history-making Black female senator on the island, Ana Irma Lassen, to propose a law known as Senate Bill 1282. The legislation would specifically ban discrimination against natural hairstyles in the workplace and school, going beyond the generic anti-discrimination laws currently on the books. The campaign for the new law is known as “Mi Cabello es Mi Corona” (“My Hair is My Crown”).
Photo of Cynthia Collazo Pacheco as a child with permed hair. (Photo courtesy of Cynthia Collazo Pacheco) –
Analis Ruiz, one of the co-founders of Colectiva Resistencia Cimmarona, said being bullied for her hair in school, taking an anti-racism course, and seeing Black women get the CROWN Act passed in the continental U.S. inspired her to develop a solution.
“I thought, wow, it would be … really good for us to have legislation like this in the island, particularly because of what we were sharing in that space where other young people, Black people, and Afro-descendant people were talking about their experiences with their hair,” Ruiz told theGrio.
After more than three years of rallying to propose the law and submit it to Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, the law (known as “Ley Contra la Discriminación por Raza y Origen Étnico en la Adopción de Estilos Protectores” or “Law Against Discrimination by Race and Ethnic Origin in the Adoption of Protective Styles”) passed in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.
After an intense public hearing in January 2024 of powerful testimonies about hair discrimination, the bill passed in the Senate. However, it took writing a letter and an AFRO Hair Pride Demonstration outside of the Puerto Rican capitol in May to get fully approved. Nevertheless, it is still awaiting the signature of Governor Pedro Pierluisi. If he doesn’t sign by the end of the term, the bill will get tossed, and the activists will have to restart their legislative campaign.
The issue is painfully personal and urgent to the activists involved.
“When I was in the third grade, I studied in a private institution, and I did some corn rows, and they told me that I couldn’t be in the classroom, that I couldn’t be in the school because of my hairstyle,” Ruiz recalled. “I was so confused because I loved it, and I felt so beautiful. My parents … removed the braids, and I never used braids after that.”
Acclaimed Black Puerto Rican author and professor Mayra Febres Santos said the impact of hair discrimination on the archipelago is about more than hurt feelings.
“It hinders the access of Afro-Boricuas to schools, to education, to higher pay, to higher level jobs,” Febres Santos told theGrio.
Having seen her own children face discrimination for natural hairstyles, Febres Santos said the root of the problem is racism that is downplayed in a society where Latino “mixedness” or “mestizaje” is often used to deny anti-Blackness.
“In Puerto Rico and in many places in Latin America and the Caribbean, racism operates by the negation of racism,” Febres Santos explained, pointing out a common defense that there were “no lynchings” on the island.
“In Puerto Rico, there is no lynching, but we’re killing you softly by denying you to get out of poverty and marginalization,” she continued. “You trap the Afro-Boricua population in poverty, or you force them to migrate.”
Taking on an issue like natural hair discrimination can bring about a lot of backlash, and both Alanis and Cynthia received numerous angry online comments for speaking publicly about their experiences. Both women said there has also been resistance to Senate Bill 1282, specifically from the business community, because they want to retain their right to setting workplace rules and dress codes.
“We know that in Puerto Rico and in the United States, more than 50% of Black women are outside of the work field. This is not just because they’re Black women, it’s because Black women experience discrimination for being Black,” said Joniel Pacheco Muñoz, another activist working on the campaign.
Pacheco Muñoz believes in the power of natural hair and culturally Black hairstyles.
“Protective hairstyles will give you a step into dismantling the system of racism,” Muñoz told theGrio. “This allows people to start moving away from the oppression and marginalization so they can start educating themselves.”
For Collazo Pacheco of Colectiva Resistencia Cimmarona, after her early years of trying to conform to a eurocentric standard of hair beauty, found true liberation in going natural – a change she credits to Black American women for giving her inspiration.
Cynthia Collazo Pacheco with her locs. (Photo courtesy of Cynthia Collazo Pacheco) –
“Thanks to the internet and Black women on the internet specifically, women from the United States who were making content right around 2010 –their videos about product junkies and what to use, and the kinky curly [custard] and gel — I learned how to manage my own hair by myself, and I had my loose hair for about ten years,” Collazo Pacheco tells theGrio.
Febres Santos, the author and professor, hopes more people will reflect on this connection between Black women in Puerto Rico, who may be island-born or have immigrated, and Black women in the continental U.S.
“The story of that connection is not being told. But there is a very strong connection between the African-American communities and … African American feminisms, and feminisms, in Puerto Rico,” she maintained. “The Young Lords and the Black Panthers, the Black Lives Matter movement that is now global … and also the readings and the teachings of the Combahee River collective. We are a diasporic community.”
While activists await Governor Pierluisi’s decision on whether or not to sign Senate Bill 1282, Cynthia reflected on how wearing her newest hairstyle – locs – gave her an even deeper level of self-acceptance than she ever experienced before. She described it as “one of the most life-changing periods of my life.”
She added, “The process of allowing your hair to loc and just seeing where it goes – seeing the beauty form in you – it’s like seeing a tree grow.”
Natasha S. Alford is VP of Digital Content and a Senior Correspondent at theGrio. An award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and TV personality, Alford is the author of the book “American Negra: A Memoir” (Harper Collins). Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @natashasalford.
Country singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress kicked off the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby with a rendition of the national anthem that is receiving major criticism on social media. If you’re not familiar with Andress, you likely will be soon, as her performance is making waves across various media platforms.
Ingrid Andress, a four-time Grammy-nominated artist, is best known for her singles “More Hearts Than Mine,” which reached #30 on the Billboard Top 100, and “Wishful Drinking,” which peaked at #47. She has also co-written songs for artists like Charli XCX, Why Don’t We, Halestorm, Bebe Rexha, and Lauren Jenkins.
While Andress has enjoyed success with her singles, her albums have not made a significant impact on the charts. Critics often note that her music, though competent, lacks standout qualities in the crowded pop-country genre.
Andress’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Home Run Derby has been widely panned, with many calling it one of the worst performances in recent memory. The primary issues stemmed from her overuse of vocal fry and difficulty hitting the high notes. Her voice frequently broke throughout the performance, suggesting either vocal issues or a lack of range.
Despite these challenges, Andress attempted to hit the high notes with determination, often to her detriment. The most unfortunate moment came during the final stanza, “O’er the land of the free.” Realizing she couldn’t sustain the necessary high note, she awkwardly transitioned down the scale, resulting in a distinctly off-key finish.
Fortunately for Andress, her performance, while poor, has not reached the infamy of previous national anthem renditions by Fergie and Roseanne Barr. As of now, Andress has not released a statement regarding the backlash.
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After two years of investigating a murder spree that claimed the lives of 42 women, Kenyan law enforcement finally located and cuffed their “psychopathic serial killer” suspect.
Sabrina Greenlee on Her Family and Healing Journey
Sabrina Greenlee on Her Family and Healing Journey
Kenya’s National Police announced in a news conference the arrest of 33-year-old Collins Jumaisi Khalusha who they believe is behind the string of killings dating back to 2022. They became aware of the killings after discovering a series of remains of women ages 18 through 30 just last week. Police said they were found mutilated, stuffed in sacks and discarded near a dump in Kware. Authorities immediately believed they had a cult leader or serial killer on their hands.
At the same time of the investigation, authorities were on the search for a woman named Josephine Owino, whose remains were found among the others recovered by officials. Her sister said she’d gone missing June 26, per CBS News. Luckily, Owino’s phone led detectives to their prime suspect, according to Mohammed Amin, chief of Kenya’s national Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
Police said they were able to trace a money transaction from Owino to Khalusha’s phone, locating him at a club where he watched the European soccer championship Sunday. Police say he confessed to luring in the victims, killing them and disposing of their bodies – all 42 of them including his wife who he confessed to making his first kill.
Khalusha lived in a one room rented home just feet away from where the remains were found, police said in the conference. Authorities also displayed the items they recovered from his home including 10 cell phones, 24 SIM cards, eight ID cards ranging from men and women, a pair of rubber gloves and a machete.
It’s unclear what his charges are at the moment. However, the revelation of these grisly crimes sent shockwaves across Kenya where women feared being raped or killed.
“Those women might have been killed today, but which woman is next in line? It is so sad that someone who killed 42 people was still roaming out there. Women’s lives must count, and women’s lives must be protected,” said Kajiado lawmaker Leah Sankaire Sopiato at the conference.
Amid continued calls for peace and calm following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, leaders and experts have expressed concern for retaliatory actions, particularly among extremist groups and the safety of Black and brown communities leading up to and during Election Day.
“It’s been documented over the last couple of years that we’ve seen a rise in violence, around political violence in particular,” Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis told theGrio. “I’m certainly concerned for sure that folks have the opportunity to exercise their rights as Americans, whether it be at the ballot box or voicing their opinions.”
Davis, who said Saturday’s shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was “jarring” for the state, added, “We can’t let a few people change the way we are as Americans, the way we conduct our discourse, and the way we carry out our fundamental rights.”
But a white extremist expert, Rachel Carroll Rivas of Southern Poverty Law Center, told theGrio that conspiracies surrounding the shooting that killed one man and injured Trump and two others are already beginning to incite the far-right corners of the internet.
Rivas, the interim director of SPLC’s Intelligence Project, said in the days and hours after the attempted assassination of Trump, far-right figures and extremists spewed and amplified conspiracies about the shooting.
“We saw people like Charlie Kirk, Steve Bannon [and] Michael Flynn, all claim that they had prophesized that this was going to happen,” said Rivas, who shared that conspiracists began “prophesizing about who did it” and “leaning on existing bigotries” in doing so.
Rivas said those bigotries included claims that the shooter, now identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, may have been trans or Chinese (SPLC noted an AI-generated photo of the incident falsely displayed a Chinese balloon) and that a Secret Service agent didn’t shoot back right away at the shooter because the agent was Jewish.
“We also see that there were conspiracies that DEI in our government agencies and law enforcement … led to some failure in law enforcement,” Rivas noted.
Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images) –
The conspiracy theories can be found on less-moderated “alt-tech” social platforms like Telegram and on X, formerly known as Twitter, which Rivas noted is less moderated than in previous years.
She told theGrio “we can’t know for sure” the impact Saturday’s shooting could have on emboldening white supremacist and extremist groups.
Far-right groups played a key role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, as a result of conspiracy theories pushed by the then-president and his supporters about voter fraud.
While there is a concern of a second Jan. 6 incident if Trump loses in November among government officials, law enforcement, and anti-extremist groups, Rivas noted that the “infrastructure” of these movements has been whittled by the prosecutions of Jan. 6 insurrectionists – some of whom were armed.
Rivas said the Proud Boys, who Trump infamously told to “stand back and stand by” when asked to condemn them during a 2020 presidential debate with President Joe Biden, are “very much opportunistic at this moment,” but pointed out that they “haven’t mobilized” like they did in previous years.
“They haven’t sort of mobilized in the same ways. We don’t see the same kinds of things that happened in advance, like Charlottesville,” said Rivas, in reference to a mob of white men marching in Virginia that led to a deadly brawl. She added, “It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have our eyes open.”
Over two weekends this month in Tennessee, members of the white supremacist group, Patriot Front, marched on the streets of downtown Nashville wearing white cloths and sunglasses on their heads. The mob of white men carried Nazi flags and wore shirts that read: “Whites against replacement.”
As Election Day nears, elected officials have vowed to protect election systems, particularly as concerns grow about safety for voters and election workers as the Trump campaign vowed to deploy tens of thousands of volunteers to “monitor” voting poll stations in November.
A report from the Brennan Center for Justice found that a majority of election officials share concerns about physical safety and harassment. The Black mother-daughter duo, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, faced death threats after former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani pushed conspiracy theories about them rigging the 2020 election against Trump in Atlanta. In December, they were awarded $148 million in a lawsuit against Giuliani.
(Left to right) Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, leave after speaking with reporters outside federal court on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, in Washington. (Photo by Alex Brandon/AP, File) –
“We’ve got to, for sure, give localities the resources they need to make sure that polling places are safe,” said Markus Batchelor, national political director at People For the American Way. “These hallmarks of political violence, whether it was the current assassination attempt on President Trump, or whether it was Jan. 6, or whether it was two Black women in Georgia being intimidated because of their role – all of these have an impact.”
Protecting Black voters and election workers, which has been a major concern since 2020, is imperative, said Batchelor, who called on elected officials to do what is necessary so that they can “participate and make their voices heard without fear of intimidation or harm.”
Concerns about extremist groups being emboldened by the Trump assassination attempt aside, Batchelor told theGrio that People For the American Way, a progressive advocacy group founded by famed TV producer Norman Lear, hopes it will “spark” a moment for “both sides of these [political] divisions” to use their power to quell tensions.
“It’s going to be important that everybody … really just tries to bring the temperature down,” he urged.
Lt. Gov. Davis told theGrio that there are “underlying problems” in the U.S. that must also be addressed, like the “mental health crisis” and bad actors “having access to firearms.”
“Those are issues that we really need to address that are exacerbating these problems,” he added.
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar took to Instagram today to express her grief over the passing of her friend and fellow actress Shannen Doherty. Gellar and Doherty’s friendship spanned three decades, and the emotional post offered a glimpse into their deep bond.
“How do you possibly find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship?” Gellar wrote. “I keep reminding myself it only hurts this much because, there was so much love.”
Gellar went on to thank fans for their outpouring of support and acknowledged the impact Doherty had on many. She closed the post with a call to action, honoring Doherty’s love for animals:
“So let’s honor her,” Gellar said. “More than anything, Shan loves animals, especially dogs. In her memory let’s support our favorite animal charities. Whether that’s donating money, stopping by your local shelter and just offering cuddles and walks to animals housed there or even just tagging them in the comments so other people can learn about their work. I know that would make our girl happy (and illicit that deep throaty laugh we all loved).”
Gellar’s post was accompanied by a carousel of photos depicting moments throughout their friendship. The heartfelt tribute has resonated with fans, garnering an outpouring of condolences and support.
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Stacey Abrams speaks during the 2024 ESSENCE Festival Image: Arturo Holmes (Getty Images)
In 2023, Georgia Dem. Stacey Abrams told voters she would “likely run again” after losing the governor election twice to Gov. Brian Kemp. In a twist in events, eyes are on Abrams to see exactly how she’d feel about running alongside Harris. In 2020, Abrams made her case as Joe Biden’s would-be running mate, according to CNN. If picked, a Harris-Abrams ticket would be the first in history to represent two Black women.
Outside of making history, Abrams is a celebrity in her own right. The author and activist was solely responsible for exposing voter suppression in Georgia during the 2018 election and registering more than 800,000 voters, according to Politico. Americans see Abrams as the people’s champion, and if she decides to come back for a new election, Harris could be the perfect candidate to do so.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Former President Donald Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday, picking a onetime critic who became a loyal ally and is now the first millennial to join a major-party ticket at a time of deep concern about the advanced age of America’s political leaders.
“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network as the Republican National Convention got underway in Milwaukee.
The 39-year-old Vance rose to national fame with the 2016 publication of his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” He was elected to the Senate in 2022 and has become one of the staunchest champions of the former president’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, particularly on trade, foreign policy and immigration.
But he is largely untested in national politics and is joining the Trump ticket at an extraordinary moment. An attempted assassination of Trump at a rally Saturday has shaken the campaign, bringing new attention to the nation’s coarse political rhetoric and reinforcing the importance of those who are one heartbeat away from the presidency.
Vance himself faced criticism in the wake of the shooting for a post on X that suggested President Joe Biden was to blame for the violence.
“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance wrote. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Law enforcement has not yet specified a motivation for the shooting.
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Vance, Trump said, “will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond.” Several of those Midwestern states are expected to play a critical role in November’s election.
Trump and Vance spoke about 20 minutes before the Truth Social post and Trump formally offered him the job, according to a person familiar with the call who, like others, requested anonymity to share the private conversation.
Biden’s reelection campaign issued a statement calling out Vance for saying, had he been vice president, he would have allowed “multiple slates of electors” to challenge Biden’s victory over Trump four years ago. Trump repeatedly promoted falsehoods about election fraud before and after Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters loyal to the former president stormed the Capitol to try to stop the certification of his loss.
“Donald Trump picked J.D. Vance as his running mate because Vance will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people,” Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in the statement.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, the other contenders on Trump’s shortlist, had been informed earlier Monday afternoon that they were not his pick, according to people familiar with their conversations.
Conversations in the last 10 days between Rubio and Trump’s campaign had focused on concerns about the residency issue and how they would work around both men residing in the same state, according to a person familiar with the private talks who insisted on anonymity to discuss them.
The Trump campaign wanted to be 100% sure that there would not be a protracted legal battle over the issue, and Rubio was unwilling to uproot his family, the person said.
Trump had spent months testing the field, assessing how his contenders performed on television, at fundraisers and on rally stages. Several, including Burgum and Vance, joined him at his criminal hush money trial in New York. Others were there at the debate last month, where Biden’s disastrous performance upended his campaign, leading to widespread calls for him to step aside in favor or a younger candidate.
The pick is sure to energize Trump’s loyal base. Vance has become a fixture on the conservative media circuit and frequently spars with reporters on Capitol Hill, helping establish him as the kind of leader who could carry Trump’s mantle into the future, beginning with the next presidential election in 2028.
But the pick also means that two white men will now lead the Republican ticket at a time when Trump has sought to make inroads with Black and Latino voters.
This combo image shows Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, March 9, 2024 and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, Aug. 5, 2022. (AP Photo, File) –
In “Hillbilly Elegy,” Vance detailed life in Appalachian communities that drifted from a Democratic Party many residents found disconnected from their daily travails. While the book was a bestseller, it was also criticized for sometimes oversimplifying rural life and ignoring the role of racism in modern politics.
Vance Once Was a Harsh Trump Critic
The relationship between Vance and Trump has been symbiotic.
Vance’s fame grew in tandem with Trump’s unlikely rise from a reality television star to Republican presidential nominee and eventually president. During the early stages of Trump’s political career, Vance cast him as “a total fraud,” “a moral disaster” and “America’s Hitler.”
But like many Republicans who sought relevance in the Trump era, Vance eventually shifted his tone. He said he was proved wrong by Trump’s performance in office and evolved into one of his most steadfast defenders.
“I didn’t think he was going to be a good president,” Vance recently told Fox News Channel. “He was a great president. And it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets a second term.”
Vance was rewarded for his turnaround during his bid for an open Senate seat in 2022, during which he landed Trump’s coveted endorsement and rode it to victory in a crowded Republican primary and a general election hard fought by Democrats. He is close to Trump’s son Donald Jr.
“Listen, I’ve seen him on TV,” Donald Trump Jr. said of Vance, speaking to CNN from the convention floor. “I’ve seen him prosecute the case against the Democrats. No one’s more articulate than that. And I think his story, his background, really helps us in a lot of the places that you’re going to need from the Electoral College standpoint.”
Vance is now a Trump loyalist who has challenged the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against him and questions the results of the 2020 election.
He told ABC News in February that, if he had been vice president on Jan. 6, 2021, he would have told states where Trump disputed Biden wins “that we needed to have multiple slates of electors, and I think the U.S. Congress should have fought over it from there.”
“That is the legitimate way to deal with an election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020,” he said.
Many states adopted emergency measures four years ago to allow people to vote safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. But judges, election officials in both parties and Trump’s own attorney general have concluded there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Vance’s Book Vaulted Him to National Prominence
Vance’s book — subtitled “A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” — was embraced for its insights into Trump’s appeal in middle America, where manufacturing job losses and the opioid crisis had driven many families like his into poverty, abuse and addiction.
The tale of Vance’s hardscrabble childhood in Middletown, Ohio, where he was born, and his familial eastern Kentucky hills region also captivated Hollywood. Ron Howard made it into a 2020 movie starring Amy Adams as Vance’s mother and Glenn Close as his beloved “Mamaw.”
With his grandmother’s encouragement, Vance went on to serve in the Marine Corps, including in Iraq, and to graduate from Ohio State University and Yale Law School. From there, he joined a Silicon Valley investment firm before returning to Ohio to launch a nonprofit that he said would aim to develop opioid addiction treatments that might be “scaled nationally.”
Ultimately, Our Ohio Renewal failed at that mission and was shuttered. During the 2022 campaign, then-U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, his Democratic rival, charged that the charity was little more than a front for Vance’s political ambitions. Ryan pointed to reports that the organization made payments to a Vance political adviser and conducted public opinion polling, even as its actual efforts to address addiction largely floundered. Vance denied the characterization.
Kendrick Lamar’s fiery diss track “Not Like Us” has returned to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking his first record to achieve multiple No. 1 placements.
Released in May as part of his ongoing feud with Drake, the song saw a resurgence in streams and sales following Lamar’s Juneteenth concert “The Pop Out — Ken and Friends” and the release of the accompanying music video on July 4th.
“Not Like Us” initially garnered significant attention for its pointed lyrics aimed at Drake, including lines referencing allegations against the Toronto rapper. Drake responded with his own diss track, “THE HEART PART 6,” but it failed to achieve the same level of commercial success.
The resurgence of “Not Like Us” is attributed to a 20% increase in streams (reaching 53.8 million) and a 16% rise in sales (8,000 copies) during the tracking week of July 5th to 11th.
The song’s music video, featuring appearances from Punch, Ab-Soul, Tommy the Clown, YG, Roddy Ricch, and producer Mustard, is also believed to have contributed to its renewed popularity.
“I heard the song when everyone else heard it,” Mustard told Billboard. “When I was making it, I was thinking, ‘What would Dr. Dre do if Lil Jon was in the studio and they were collabing on a beat?’”
This marks Lamar’s fourth No. 1 hit on the Hot 100, following “Like That” (featuring Metro Boomin and Future) earlier this year, “HUMBLE.” in 2017, and his feature on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood (Remix)” in 2015.
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“Game of Thrones’’ Seven Kingdoms is no place for rational, reasonable, honorable people. Following the devastating conclusion of “House of the Dragon” Season 2 Episode 4,”The Red Dragon and the Gold,” where we lost Rhaenys in a fierce dragon battle versus that creep Aemond, we spent a big chunk of Episode 5, “Regent,” mourning her death alongside her family.
Georgia Nurses Thought It Was Smart To Mock Patients on TikTok
Georgia Nurses Thought It Was Smart To Mock Patients on TikTok
In case you missed the heartbreaking scene, Rhaenys and her dragon, Melys, light up Ser Criston Cole’s army, then take down Aegon and his dragon, Sunfyre. She literally roasted the boy king. Unfortunately, Aemond used all this as a distraction and came in with a sneak attack. He and his dragon, Vhagar, seize the opportunity to engage our two heroes in a bloody battle that ends in both Melys and Rhaenys’ deaths.
Princess Rhaenys was a badass dragonrider, supportive and loving wife to Corlys Velaryon, matriarch to Westeros’ most powerful Black family and “the Queen who never was,” as she had her opportunity at the throne thwarted by petty men. It was that misogyny that drove her to risk it all for Rhaenyra.
On Sunday night, as Corlys, Rhaenyra and her granddaughter, Baela, mourned her sacrifice, Black fans of the show also lamented losing “Auntie Rhaenys.”
One fan noted how tragic her death truly was, recounting the history of Vhagar’s claim, writing on X, “In case Rhaenys’ death had not hurt you enough, I come to remind you that Vhagar, before being Aemond’s dragon, WAS LAENA VELARYON’S. RHAENYS DIED AT THE HANDS OF HER DAUGHTER’S DRAGON.”
Another person highlighted how amidst the celebration of Rhaenys’ bravery and courage, there seemed to be a lack of sympathy for Corlys, posting, “That man LOVED his wife. And EVERYBODY knew. But not a single thought spared for him. Cold world, bro.”
It’s true. Corlys and Rhaenys had one of the few loving, healthy relationships in this universe. They genuinely loved one another and weren’t afraid to show it. He also wasn’t threatened by his wife’s strength. In fact, he was drawn to it.
Over on TikTok, one supporter had words for Aemond and Vhagar, saying, “Y’all gon’ pay for what you did to Auntie Rhaenys…y’all had her in a two versus one, y’all couldn’t come in a one v. one…Now I got to throw a funeral service for Auntie Rhaenys.”
Some fans even created homegoing services for our fallen queen.
Though we mourn Rhaenys, and know Rhaenyra’s cause will suffer without her leadership and council, it appears that Baela is certainly ready to step into her place. In the most-talked about scene from the episode, as Corlys got drunk and grieved his wife’s death, she let him know that Rhaenys wasn’t just his.
“Rhaenys was not only your wife,” Baela said. “Not a thing to be taken from you. She was a Targaryen princess. She was the queen who never was. And she flew to Rook’s Rest of her own will, in defense of her kin. She died as she would’ve wished to die, in honor, with dragonfire. The way my mother chose. And the way I myself wish to meet my end. I grieve my grandmother who loved me, but I will carry her on with me.”
If there’s one thing we learned from Rhaenys’ death, and fans’ reaction to it, it’s that this show desperately needs to spend more time with House Velaryon, because they are infinitely more interesting than Daemon’s hallucinations and Alicent just now figuring out these men ain’t trying to hear her.
“House of the Dragon” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO and is available to stream on Max.
