Isabella Strahan is lending her support to Louisiana State University football player Greg Brooks Jr. as they both fight brain tumors.
Strahan, the 19-year-old USC student and model, has been sharing her health journey on a YouTube series she started in October 2023 after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a large medulloblastoma in her cerebellum.
According to People, Tuesday’s installment shows young Strahan preparing for treatment at the Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center in Durham, North Carolina, with her famous father, Michael Strahan, and twin sister Sophia by her side.
Isabella Strahan sports a “Pray for Greg Brooks” sweatshirt while undergoing her second round of chemotherapy at the Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo: Screenshot/YouTube.com/Isabella Strahan)
“We’re at Duke now, and guess what we’re doing: We’re icing my feet and my hands,” she shared before her twin takes the camera and films.
“This is what the world wants to see!” Sophia jokes.
Strahan then records the moment she closes her eyes and clutches a stress ball as the nurse accesses the chemo port in her upper abdomen and inserts a needle. The gadget was surgically implanted and connected to a vein in her upper chest area for healthcare providers to draw blood and give treatments.
“It doesn’t hurt at all!” she says. “Everything feels nice.”
After getting hooked up and starting what turned out to be a successful second round of chemo, Strahan pointed out that she and her family were wearing “Pray for Greg Brooks” sweatshirts.
Strahan shared that Brooks’ grandmother connected them, and the two are now supporting each other through their respective chemotherapy journeys for the same rare diagnosis.
Describing Brooks as inspiring, she shared that they’re on the same treatment schedule — with both just finishing their second chemo cycles — and keep in touch daily.
“He’s the one I keep very close touch with, and I can’t wait to meet him in person one day,” said Strahan, People reported. “He’s the sweetest, and his family, they’ve helped me.”
“We’re making it through together,” she added. “Fight on. Please just pray for Greg because he’s so sweet.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott talks about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after a cargo ship collision.Screenshot: X/Twitter
In the aftermath of the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, Mayor Brandon M. Scott addressed the tragedy (he referred to it as “unthinkable”) and urged folks to pray for the impacted families. Instead of praising his leadership during this difficult time, one X/Twitter user made a post about Scott that went viral for its horrid racist undertones.
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“This is Baltimore’s DEI mayor commenting on the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge,” the user wrote alongside a clip of Scott speaking. “It’s going to get so, so much worse. Prepare accordingly.”
The post was immediately fact checked and even came with an advisory.
“Brandon Scott was elected as Mayor of Baltimore in 2020 with > 70% of the vote,” the advisory reads. “He did not come in to office through any DEI practices, appointments, etc.” This isn’t the first instance of a racist swapping out the N-word with “DEI”—but it certainly is one of the most brazen.
It’s no secret that racism fuels conservatives’ hatred of certain concepts such as “woke,” “critical race theory” and “diversity, equity and inclusion.” In their minds, there is no way that someone of color — specifically a Black person —could ever be qualified to hold any position of power.
Since the Supreme Court abolished affirmative action admissions policies in colleges and universities last year, the attack on racial equity — spearheaded by bigots like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — has infinitely sharpened.
Republican lawmakers have backed countless bills reversing DEI efforts in both educational and professional settings, insisting that it serves as reverse discrimination to white people.
Of course, Black people clocked the backlash to diversity practices way before the Supreme Court ruling. Currently, “DEI” is trending on X/Twitter as Black folks crack jokes about it being a dog-whistle for a much more derogatory slur.
In a seismic shift for anime enthusiasts worldwide, Crunchyroll is gearing up for the colossal launch of the much-anticipated “Kaiju No. 8.” Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 13th, at 7:00 am PDT, when the inaugural episode will thunder onto screens across more than 200 countries and territories simultaneously with its Japanese debut.
For those unable to catch the Kaiju-sized action live, fear not! Crunchyroll will release new episodes of “Kaiju No. 8” every Saturday at 8:30 am PDT, ensuring fans never miss a moment of the monstrous spectacle. Subscribers can set reminders by visiting the official “Kaiju No. 8” show page on Crunchyroll.
But wait, there’s more! Crunchyroll is ramping up the excitement by offering multiple language dubs, including English, Latin American Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Prepare for an international invasion as these dubs drop simultaneously with the Japanese broadcast, providing a truly global experience.
Behind the scenes, a talented lineup of English dub staff, including ADR director Shawn Gann, ensures an immersive viewing experience. The main English voice cast features Nazeeh Tarsha as Kafka Hibino / Kaiju No. 8, Katelyn Barr as Mina Ashiro, and Adam McArthur as Reno Ichikawa.
Adapted from Naoya Matsumoto’s original manga, “Kaiju No. 8” is brought to life by the animation prowess of Production I.G, with kaiju artwork and design supervised by Studio Khara. Directed by Shigeyuki Miya and Tomomi Kamiya, and with a screenplay by Ichiro Okouchi, the series promises to deliver jaw-dropping action and heart-pounding drama.
Japanese voice talent includes Masaya Fukunishi as Kafka Hibino / Kaiju No. 8, Asami Seto as Mina Ashiro, and Wataru Katoh as Reno Ichikawa, among others, ensuring a captivating performance for audiences across the globe.
In a nod to its international fanbase, Crunchyroll has been publishing the “Kaiju No. 8” manga in France and Germany since 2021 and 2022, respectively, where it has soared as a top seller.
Prepare for an epic clash between humanity and kaiju as “Kaiju No. 8” storms onto screens worldwide, promising to leave viewers on the edge of their seats with each adrenaline-fueled episode.
For more information, visit the official “Kaiju No. 8” website and follow the English Twitter account for the latest updates and exclusive content.
Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
It’s a little hard to tell because my own curated social media circles skew older and heavy on 90s hip-hop, but MF Doom — born Daniel Dumile —almost feels as relevant now as he did during his heyday in the 1990s and 2000s. I’m sure that statement isn’t fully accurate, but there are legions of podcast episodes about his impact and entire shows about his life (“Did I Ever Tell You The One About…MF Doom” hosted by M.C. Serch). Donald Glover’s hit FX show, “Atlanta,” dedicated an entire episode to MF Doom and his passing after his October 2020 death.
MF Doom, an MC who got his start in the early ’90s, almost feels timeless. His supremely unorthodox rhyme couplets and persona (he was known for wearing his signature metal face mask, of which I own a replica) fit as well in 2024 as they did back in 1999. While MF Doom was never a mainstream rapper, folks were aware of him, loved him and thus had quite a fanbase.
Similarly, Madlib (born Otis Jackson, Jr) is an “underground” rapper and producer who, since the 1990s, has been a favorite for all of us who were, and still are, hip-hop heads. When Kanye West dropped his album “The Life of Pablo” in 2016, the song “No More Parties in LA” featuring Kendrick Lamar and produced by Madlib, was an easy standout. That was largely because of the beat and that Kanye also seemed to know what we all did, Madlib is a monster behind the boards.
Madlib’s “Shades of Blue” album — a reworking of several songs from the Blue Note Records catalog — has long been one of my favorite albums. If you were to ask me what hip-hop album best represented me, it would be “Shades of Blue.” Madlib produced projects that are must-listens, and Madlib has what feels like a billion songs and projects with a wide range of artists, from J Dilla to Freddie Gibbs to Kendrick Lamar. That’s a lot of must-listens.
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The point of those introductions was to highlight the fact that MF Doom and Madlib have long been the kinds of artists whose works were anticipated. And I would bet a large reason for that is their 2004 collaborative album, “Madvillainy,” a 22-track project released on March 23, 2004, that hit the hip-hop streets like a bomb. To call the album highly anticipated would be an understatement; a leak of potential tracks from a few years earlier had the streets talking similar to how the streets were READY for a Jay Electronica record a decade later.
Be that as it may, the album lived up to the hype. Almost immediately, the conversations around it were “instant classic” and “album of the year.” I also remember talking with friends about not just the impact of the album, but how important it was going to be. To put that in perspective, Jay-Z had just released “The Black Album” in 2003, and the conversation once “Madvillainy” dropped was this: many of us wished Jay-Z would rap over the kind of beats Madlib provided for “Madvillainy.” The closest we got was Jay-Z’s 2017 album “4:44,” a response (it seems) to Beyoncé’s 2016 album “Lemonade.” The entirety of “4:44” was produced by No ID, and had more of an underground hip-hop feel than a more glossy, big budget chart-seeking album. And I remember thinking, finally, we got Jay’s version of “Madvillainy.”
“Madvillainy,” though, has landed itself on almost every list that purports to name the greatest albums (not just hip-hop) of all time, a pretty significant feat coming from two underground hip-hop artists at the time. The album could be released in 2024 and fit right in with a lot of the non-mainstream hip-hop releases. That isn’t a surprise to most of us who heard “Madvillainy” in 2004. What felt like possible hyperbole at the time feels obvious now. True genius is apparent – sometimes you just have to wait for everybody else to catch up. Obviously, in 2004 the album was heavily praised and rated very well. And it sounds as fresh (though also vintage) right now as it did to me when I first popped the compact disc into my car disc-changer.
“Madvillainy” has maintained its cult-like status. MF Doom and Madlib both have prolific careers, but “Madvillainy” is a feather in their respective caps. A rumored “Madvillainy 2” never materialized, but that’s okay. The duo gifted the music loving world with a project that seems to resonate now with music fans of all stripes. As of right now, every song on the project has millions of listens on Spotify, with “ALL CAPS,” having almost 150 MILLION streams. That might not sound amazing when compared to some of the more popular hip-hop acts, but is absolutely unbelievable considering the two artists who put this project together.
It feels good to be right about classic material, and “Madvillainy” is just that — an album that I’m sure I will listen to until I can’t hear anymore.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest), but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said: “Unknown” (Blackest).
Make sure you check out the Dear Culture podcast every Thursday on theGrio’s Black Podcast Network, where I’ll be hosting some of the Blackest conversations known to humankind. You might not leave the convo with an afro, but you’ll definitely be looking for your Afro Sheen! Listen to Dear Culture on TheGrio’s app; download it here.
Recent revelations in the case of the altercation between two 15-year-old girls at Hazelwood High School in Missouri have given new light on the incident, which drew national attention. Previously, camera evidence showed Kaylee Gain suffering a severe head injury after being slammed against concrete by another adolescent, resulting in a seizure. However, recent findings have changed the narrative around the incident.
According to The New York Post, Gain was not permitted to be on school grounds on the day of the incident owing to her suspension for engaging in a previous dispute the day before. This detail complicates the events preceding the altercation.
Greg Smith, the lawyer for the 15-year-old who injured Gain, has challenged the image of his client. Smith stressed that his client has no prior history of violence and is known for her accomplishments as a violinist and academic scholar. In a statement, Smith said, “She is what you’d expect from a 15-year-old girl.” The statement calls into question the events that led up to the altercation, as well as the dynamics between the two youths involved.
While the exact sequence of events leading up to the altercation is unknown, Gain’s parents started a GoFundMe campaign on her behalf, which has received a lot of attention and raised about $400,000. The monies will most likely help with her medical expenditures and any continued care she may require.
Gain’s current medical condition has been reported as stable, although there is no indication that she has regained consciousness. The uncertainty surrounding her recovery heightens the stress around the case.
Meanwhile, the parents of the teenager who is currently being held in connection with the event are lobbying for her release from juvenile detention. They expressed deep anxiety about the judicial processes, saying they are “scared to death” of the ramifications of their daughter’s case. Their plea reflects both sides’ worry and apprehension about the legal repercussions.
Russell Simmons attends City of Hope’s 2023 Spirit of Life Gala at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California, October 18, 2023.Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP (Getty Images)
Move over Diddy, yet another hip-hop mogul is about to join you in the news cycle for his alleged dastardly deeds and that mogul is none other than Russell Simmons.
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On Monday, it was revealed that he was finally served in Bali with papers related to a defamation lawsuit filed by famed and acclaimed writer, producer and activist Drew Dixon. As previously reported by The Root, in February, she filed the suit in New York’s state Supreme Court that alleged Simmons enacted a “concerted and malicious campaign to discredit her” previous allegations of sexual assault and rape at the hands of Simmons that were made public back in 2017. She specifically cited a myriad of comments he made in his interview with Graham Bensinger in Dec. 2023. She is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages for malicious conduct. Simmons has denied any and all wrongdoing.
Yet and still, his denial did not keep him from getting served at the Gdas Bali Health And Wellness Resort that he both founded and was currently staying. According to reports, the process server Daniel John Ayoub waited around in the restaurant area of the resort to see if Simmons would eventually make his way down there. After a while and a presumed no-show, Ayoub was getting ready to leave—until the music mogul walked in. After Simmons was seated with group of people, the process server proceeded to give him his papers.
“I said ‘Excuse me, Mr. Simmons, sorry to interrupt your meeting.’ I then handed Simmons the service documents in an envelope and said, ‘This is for you,’” Ayoub said, per All Hip-Hop. After Simmons questioned where the envelope was from, the process server informed him that he was being served from the state of New York. Simmons response?
‘Ah fuck, shit,’” per Ayoub.
This development comes just as the news about Diddy’s multiple home raids in connection to a possible federeal sex trafficking investigation continue to take the internet, fans, and the larger hip-hop community by storm.
Get ready to take it back to the ‘90s and the early 2000s!
SWV and Xscape announced they will co-headline a new tour, “Queens of R&B,” this summer with fellow R&B acts Mýa, 702, and Total joining them, according to People. The two iconic groups shared the news on Monday in an exclusive clip on Sherri Shepherd’s talk show, “Sherri.”
In the clip, producer Mona Scott-Young acts as a therapist to the members of Xscape (Kandi Burruss, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, and Tamika Scott) and the members of SWV (Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, Tamara “Taj” George, and Leanne “Lelee” Lyons).
“The most important thing in a relationship is communication,” Scott-Young says to the women. “Okay, you may not be saying much, but your presence here speaks volumes. It’s telling me that…you want to co-headline a 30-city tour across the country this summer.”
“Who said that?” Burruss responds, referencing her now-iconic “Real Housewives” appearance that has become a favored Internet meme.
The “Queens of R&B” tour, produced by Scott-Young’s Monami Entertainment and Live Nation, will begin in June in Concord, California. Other cities on the tour include New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta.
“I’m incredibly honored to be part of this HERstory-making moment in R&B music, and to announce this tour during Women’s History Month makes it much more impactful,” Scott-Young told People. “What started as a television series turned into something much greater and I’m proud to be producing this tour, alongside Live Nation, as Xscape and SWV, along with incredible talents 702, Total and Mýa, embark on this journey together.”
“These ladies have all given their all to R&B music, despite experiencing the ups and downs of life and career, and it is with great pride and excitement that we bring this highly anticipated concert experience to the fans.”
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SWV and Xscape initially planned to go on tour in 2023, documenting the process on Bravo’s “SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B.” The tour never came to fruition, however, as the two groups were conflicted on who would be headlining. That disagreement seems to be in the past with both groups co-headlining the Queens of R&B tour.
Tickets for the tour are available to purchase now with a Citi presale. Throughout the week, additional presales will run, concluding with the general sale on March 29 at 10 a.m. local time on Ticketmaster.
Streamer Faze Your Rage sparked a social media storm after disagreeing with former adult film star Mia Khalifa over statements she made regarding fellow streamer Kai Cenat’s romantic pursuit of Tyla during a recent stream.
The controversy began when Mia Khalifa criticized Kai Cenat’s approach, questioning the ethics of targeting a young audience. Khalifa tweeted, “like I get wanting to cultivate that young audience, but at what cost????? Stay awayyyy from these lil streamers.”
Faze Your Rage responded by sharing a graphic picture of Mia Khalifa performing lewd things with two actors from one of her previous adult films on Twitter. The tweet sought to draw attention to what Faze Your Rage saw as Khalifa’s hypocrisy in disparaging streamers while holding a past in the adult entertainment sector.
Despite the backlash and attention sparked by Faze Your Rage’s tweet, Mia Khalifa chose not to respond directly.
When we emphasize that Black women need to be protected, we’re referencing stories like this one.
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Last week, the body of a Virginia woman who was found dead in a trash truck was identified as 30-year-old Taty’ana Zakiyyah Cooks. Police were only able to discover her body because family members asked officers to do a welfare check on March 21 after her child had not been picked up from daycare.
According to Fox 5 DC, when they visited Cooks’ home all her belongings were still there, but she wasn’t home. They later discovered 28-year-old Brendon Devon White driving her vehicle in Newport News City, VA, and took him into custody.
To find more evidence of Cooks’ whereabouts they stopped and searched a trash collection truck near her home. Instead, what they found was the dead body of the 30-year-old Black mother.
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“They were concerned about evidence being in that truck. They immediately secured the truck and unfortunately, our victim was found deceased inside,” said Lieutenant Jonathan Perok with the Prince William County Police. “There is not a time limit to report a family member missing and just, if you are concerned over the welfare of a loved one, family member, co-worker friend, please reach out to police as soon as possible. The family did that in this case and we credit them for that. It’s an unfortunate outcome but they recognized a concern and reached out to police right away.”
On Saturday, White was arrested and charged with murder in connection to White’s death, according to the Prince William County Police Department.
“Additional evidence was discovered which indicated the accused was involved in the victim’s death,’’ police said in a statement
The Prince William County Police Department confirmed that White and Cooks were previously in a relationship together and still lived in the same home.
Naya Ellis, a 14-year-old freshman at John F. Kennedy High School in New Orleans has won the National STEM Challenge for her ingenious invention: a watch that detects indicators of strokes in adults. Naya’s innovations have been inspired by her love of science and desire to serve people in the medical industry since she was a child.
Naya’s path began with a personal experience: she vividly recalls caring for her mother during her struggle with breast cancer when she was just seven. Her early exposure to healthcare piqued her interest in science and inspired her to create solutions to real-world challenges. Inspired by programs like STEM NOLA, which provides hands-on STEM projects to K-12 kids, Naya jumped at the chance to join the organization’s STEM fellowship.
Despite signing up for the fellowship to keep herself busy, Naya discovered an unexpected avenue to creativity. Naya first planned to develop a watch to detect seizures while attending STEM Saturday, a free program that allows youngsters to express their ideas. However, after witnessing her grandmother have a stroke, she turned her focus to developing WingItt, a watch designed exclusively for stroke detection.WingItt detects nerve impulses and heartbeats to discover internal stroke symptoms early on. Naya’s commitment to affordability means that older folks can receive health-monitoring equipment that is otherwise out of reach. Her dedication to improving the prototype demonstrates her desire to have a concrete impact on stroke diagnosis.
Naya’s performance in the National STEM Challenge, which saw her chosen as one of 126 champions from over 2,500 entrants countrywide, demonstrates her resourcefulness and commitment to scientific discovery. The forthcoming festival in Washington, D.C., will allow Naya to present WingItt among other revolutionary ideas.
Reflecting on her career, Naya urges younger children to pursue STEM possibilities, noting the transformative experiences she had through programs like STEM NOLA. In the future, Naya hopes to work as an obstetrician-gynecologist, motivated by her desire to bring new life into the world and empower women via healthcare.
Naya Ellis’ tale shows STEM education’s revolutionary impact in developing young entrepreneurs and promoting positive social change. With her watch ready to revolutionize stroke detection, Naya’s story exemplifies the limitless possibilities that emerge when passion meets purpose in the realm of science and technology.
