Amanda Seales is setting the record straight—she’s not jealous of Issa Rae, period. During a recent livestream, the actress pushed back hard on claims that she envies her former *Insecure* costar’s career, marriage, and Hollywood connections. Let’s talk about it.
“Baby, if that is what she desires, bless her,” Seales said when addressing a comment suggesting Rae has the life she wants. She made it clear that Amanda Seales has been building her own path in entertainment since 1994—long before *Insecure* ever hit HBO. Her success is measured on her own terms, not anyone else’s.
Seales expressed that people often try to diminish your accomplishments by comparing them to someone else’s journey. That’s the real issue she’s addressing here. It’s about protecting your own narrative and your own peace, which feels like a form of cultural meditation in today’s social media age.
But here’s what’s important: Seales had nothing but respect for what Rae accomplished. “I have nothing but respect for the ability to get something from your mind onto the page and onto the screen,” she remarked. “That is a huge feat in itself.” That’s real recognize real, and it shows maturity and grace.
Seales, who played Tiffany DuBois on the hit show, has publicly discussed her complicated experiences with the series before. This time, she’s also pushing back on claims that her career is struggling. “I am an icon,” she declared, emphasizing that she’s stepped away from chasing traditional Hollywood success.
“I don’t have a career,” Seales said. “I have freedom.” And that’s the ultimate statement of Black excellence right there—choosing your own path and defining success on your own terms.
NBA YoungBoy‘s mom just went scorched earth after her son said in a recent interview he likely won’t speak to her again, ripping his skills as a father.
The rapper appeared on “Open Thoughts” Tuesday and opened up about his mom being a source of his past anger. He suggested they wouldn’t speak again moving forward, though he made clear he still loves her from a distance.
His mom, Sherhonda Gaulden, fired back on Instagram with a statement of her own, claiming he’s an absent father who doesn’t maintain relationships with his own children.
She also claimed to have been present at the “Open Thoughts” interview before backtracking when she realized she was confusing it with a different appearance.
Gaulden also posted a warning on her Instagram Story, telling her son to keep her name out of his public comments.
Their relationship hasn’t always been this distant. She defended NBA YoungBoy years ago during his conflict with Kodak Black, when Kodak accused him of snitching on Iyanna “Yaya” Mayweather (Floyd Mayweather’s daughter and YoungBoy’s then-girlfriend) after Yaya was arrested in 2020 for allegedly stabbing one of YoungBoy’s baby mamas.
For now, it appears both are keeping their distance. Despite the public friction, YoungBoy maintains he still holds love for his mother, even if they’re not speaking.
Ruth Jurgensen is redefining what sports philanthropy looks like from the inside. As executive director of the NBA Foundation and one of the few Black women leading at this level in sports, she oversees the league’s push to build economic opportunity, career readiness, and genuine front-office access for young adults across the country who’ve been locked out of these spaces.
The NBA Foundation itself is a relatively recent player. Launched in 2020 with a 10-year, $300 million commitment from the NBA Board of Governors, it’s already moved past the traditional celebrity charity playbook. Under Jurgensen’s direction, the foundation has shifted from writing checks to building something more durable: sustained community investment across all 30 NBA markets, paired with real career pathways for the next generation of Black leaders.
In a conversation with The Root, Jurgensen spoke about what drew her to the role. “Working with the NBA Foundation is the perfect blend of my interests and expertise, and it’s a learning opportunity,” she said. “Establishing a vision centered on giving rather than just fundraising, and supporting nonprofit leaders in every team market, is awesome. What the NBA is doing to create greater economic opportunity is so empowering, impactful, and meaningful.”
Two programs anchor the foundation’s work. The NBA All-Star Pitch Competition happens during All-Star Weekend, giving early-stage entrepreneurs capital, mentorship, and real exposure. The live pitch event puts local founders in front of venture capitalists, NBA executives, and established business leaders. The other is the HBCU Fellowship Program, which targets the business and administrative infrastructure of professional sports. By placing students from historically Black colleges and universities directly into league and team offices, it’s dismantling barriers to entry that have kept the front office predominantly white for decades.
CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 18: A detail shot of the NBA Cares t-shirts during NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service-Food Bank on Friday, February 18, 2022 at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images)
The fellowship numbers tell the story. “We had over 10,000 applications for 71 spots,” Jurgensen explained. “The top students from HBCUs come to the league office or teams for a 10-week paid fellowship. For some, it’s their first time in New York, standing on Fifth Avenue surrounded by NBA history. It’s mind-blowing for these young people to see the results of their hard work.”
The retention and placement rates matter even more. “Nearly 30% of our alumni work at the league or a team, and over 40% work in sports overall,” she added. “It doesn’t just change a young person’s career trajectory—it gives them real opportunity. This year was the first summer that the NBPA, the Players Association, all had fellows.”
Before landing at the NBA, Jurgensen was CEO of Prep for Prep, a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on developing young leaders of color and expanding educational access. She made a deliberate pivot toward sports, applying for the NBA Foundation job and making a bold move: she told almost nobody, not even her family, until the position was locked down.
“I’ve spent so much time in education, and I just want to focus on sports. When this job listing came through, I just locked in,” she said. “I didn’t even tell anybody I had applied. By the time anybody heard about it, including my own family, husband, and son, I had the job. They were like, ‘What?’ I was so locked in. I couldn’t waste a moment of energy on explaining.”
When asked what she sees as her particular strength in executive sports leadership, Jurgensen didn’t hesitate: Capacity.
“I can do a lot of things,” she said. “What Black woman do you know that can’t? I have the capacity to do many things at once and care about the people in front of me while thinking about the people who aren’t, sending them energy and support.”
She’s part of a “Sister CEO” group—Black women navigating executive roles in sports and beyond. “I think of the Black women who’ve mentored me,” she noted. “My Sister CEO group includes someone like Kim Davis, who’s the top woman in the NHL, and whatever room she’s in, she’s running it. I’m always learning from her.”
For Ruth Jurgensen, the internships and grants are scaffolding for something bigger: building a nationwide ecosystem of partners, corporate allies, and sports front offices committed to actual career advancement, not just optics.
“We have full support of league leadership, and as the NBA’s first 501(c)(3) foundation, the mission we were charged with at our 2020 founding continues today,” she said. “Creating greater economic opportunity is essential, and it fits naturally with the NBA, which is one of the most philanthropic communities you can imagine.”
That commitment starts early. When rookies enter the league, they hear directly from the foundation, the NBPA Foundation, and the Social Justice Coalition. “They understand the platform they now hold as NBA players,” Jurgensen explained. “They approach it with so much optimism and vision. That’s the community they’re coming into. It’s about giving back, because we have this fortune of being focused on the business of basketball. It’s just the authentic way of the NBA.”
Cleo Sol is gracing the August cover of Gentlewoman, and we’re counting down the thirteen days until she blesses us with her fifth studio album. The British-Jamaican artist has built an impeccable reputation for crafting soulful, introspective music that resonates deeply with her listeners, and there’s absolutely zero reason to believe this project will break that streak.
It’s been three years since Cleo Sol delivered Heaven and Gold, and the anticipation has been real. Her ability to weave vulnerability with sonic sophistication means we’re not just getting new music—we’re getting a mirror to reflect our own experiences back to us. This is the kind of moment that reminds us why supporting Black artists who refuse to compromise their artistry matters so much.
Diddy is countersuing a man who previously filed a civil suit for sexual assault against him, alleging the man stole video footage from him and sold it to Netflix behind his back.
The incarcerated star is firing back at Rodney Jones, claiming the videographer and producer used his position of trust to steal computer drives containing footage owned by Diddy, which were intended for use in a documentary about his life.
According to the counterclaim, Rodney copied the footage and sold it to Netflix and 50 Cent to use in a competing documentary about Diddy.
Diddy claims Rodney was one of many videographers who accompanied him and his family to St. Barts in December 2022. According to the filing, Rodney immediately worked to get close to him, even sleeping on a couch in the mogul’s yacht to be in closer proximity.
The counterclaim alleges that Rodney accessed another videographer’s workspace and took the videos, then concealed his actions to avoid drawing suspicion.
Diddy says Rodney later sold those videos to Netflix, which used them in the documentary produced with 50 Cent called “Sean Combs: The Reckoning.” The counterclaim also claims Rodney defamed him by repeating allegations from his lawsuit in the Netflix project.
Diddy’s legal team further argues that Rodney’s sexual assault lawsuit was only filed as an attempt to shake him down for additional money for so-called “producer services” after already receiving payment.
Back in 2024, Rodney sued Diddy for sexual assault, claiming he would grope his genitals and touch his anus. Jones also alleged Diddy would parade around naked in front of him.
Rodney also leveled similar accusations against Diddy’s son Justin Combs, plus Cuba Gooding Jr. and Stevie J. All three men issued vehement denials.
We’ve reached out to Rodney for comment. No response yet.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards is ready to turn the page. She’s open to making peace with Dorit Kemsley if the show returns for another season. After years of hurt feelings and public blowups, Kyle wants a real reset between the longtime friends.
“If I’m coming back, let’s just say that part first. You know that I would repair things with Dorit,” Kyle, 57, told Us Weekly. She’s been reflecting on what matters most. “I would like to be able to put that behind us and start over,” she said, noting there are still some things she wants to address from the previous season. You can find more insights on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills coverage across the web.
The two haven’t been in regular contact lately, though Kyle made an effort to reach out when Dorit, 50, released her memoir, Unburdened, in June. It was a thoughtful gesture—the kind of move that shows there’s still care underneath the tension.
“Other than that, no, I haven’t heard from her or anything,” Kyle continued. Sometimes distance speaks volumes, but Kyle insists her feelings haven’t changed entirely.
Despite their estrangement, Kyle said she still cares deeply about Dorit and her family, especially as Dorit navigates her divorce from PK Kemsley. Life throws curveballs, and these moments require real support systems.
“It’s sad to me because, you know, I did care about her, and I do care about her and her family,” Kyle said with genuine emotion. “I just feel like we’re both going through so much and that we would have been much better off leaning on each other.”
It’s been just over a year since Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the beloved “Cosby Show” actor, died in a drowning accident while on a family vacation in Costa Rica. Since then, the situation for his widow Tenisha and their nine-year-old daughter has only grown more complicated. A close friend is now stepping in to help navigate the financial fallout.
Warner passed away from accidental asphyxia by submersion in July 2025. In the months following his death, details about his family’s circumstances remained largely private until last year, when Tenisha filed a lawsuit against Warner’s mother seeking $1.2 million—including a $1 million life insurance policy—tied to a premarital agreement, according to reporting from Good Morning America. Now a new Malcolm-Jamal Warner GoFundMe created by Tenisha’s longtime friend Destiny Rael has revealed just how strained her financial situation has become.
In the fundraiser’s description, Rael painted a picture of a woman managing multiple crises simultaneously: grief, a protracted legal battle, and unexpected home damage. On top of everything else, flooding has damaged the house Tenisha and Warner built together, requiring significant repairs. The combination of these pressures prompted Rael to organize the fundraiser.
“I have watched Tenisha spend this year grieving the love of her life while honoring the promise they made to each other, to homeschool their nine-year-old daughter,” Rael wrote. “Every single day she shows up for her child as though her own world had not fallen apart, and still makes sure breakfast is on the table.”
Rael described arriving at Tenisha’s home after the flooding to find belongings packed into boxes. “She is rebuilding not only her life without him, but the very home they created together,” she added.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MAY 06: Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner arrives at the 3rd Annual “Hollywood Hero” Awards Gala honoring Magic Johnson held at The Beverly Hills Hotel on May 6, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
What complicates matters further is that Warner, despite wanting to secure his family’s future, never completed the legal paperwork. Rael explained that he had worked with his attorneys to update his estate plan for Tenisha and their daughter, but passed away before signing the documents. Now Tenisha is managing his estate and its associated costs alone.
Rael was careful to frame the fundraiser as support rather than a call to take sides in what has become a family dispute. “The funds will help ease the financial strain, cover the expenses she is now facing, and provide security for Tenisha and her daughter as they work toward resolving Malcolm’s affairs,” she wrote. “I am not asking anyone to take sides in a family matter that was never meant to be public. I am asking you to stand with a grieving wife and mother, and her young daughter, so they don’t lose what Malcolm always intended to provide for them.”
After six years of waiting, Jhene Aiko finally delivered the news fans have been craving. The R&B virtuoso posted a simple but powerful message on her Instagram story: “brb with an album.” It’s not much—no release date, no title, no tracklist—but for those of us who’ve been subsisting on features and loosies since Chilombo dropped in 2020, it’s everything. Jhene Aiko has been quietly blessing the culture through collaborations and standalone moments, but nothing compares to a full body of work that belongs entirely to her vision.
The six-year gap between albums speaks to how Jhene moves—intentional, unhurried, and completely on her own terms. She’s never been the type to chase trends or release music on anyone’s timeline but hers, which is exactly why her fans remain so devoted. In a landscape obsessed with constant content, her silence has been its own statement. Now that she’s signaling a return, the anticipation feels earned and genuine. For those of us who’ve grown up with her music, who’ve found solace in her ethereal vocals and introspective lyrics, this confirmation is a gift. We’re ready to receive whatever Jhene has been creating in that space between worlds. The wait continues, but at least now we know it’s almost over.
Don Toliver‘s concert in Houston took an unexpected turn Tuesday night when a man attempted to bring a gun into the Toyota Center. Police were called after security flagged the individual at a metal detector, forcing the rapper to cut his set short.
Toliver was nearing the end of his set when he suddenly exited the stage. An arena announcer initially assured the crowd the show wasn’t over and asked fans to remain in their seats. Minutes later, the lights came up and attendees were instructed to leave the venue.
According to the Houston Police Department, a 30-year-old man entered the arena and triggered an alert when passing through security with a handgun. A guard immediately contacted law enforcement, who took the suspect into custody. He was transported to Harris County Jail.
The show ended about 10 minutes earlier than planned, though Don Toliver had already performed most of his material. Organizers made the call to wrap things up as a precaution for the artist, audience, and staff safety.
Toliver has another show scheduled for Thursday, which is expected to proceed without incident.
If you haven’t discovered Osé yet, now’s the time. The Nigerian-born, Toronto-raised singer just dropped her debut EP “Feels Like Home,” and it’s a masterclass in what happens when you blend heritage with innovation. Led by the standout track “Gently,” this project marks a strong introduction to one of the most promising new voices in the Afro-Soul wave right now.
Across seven tracks, Osé weaves Afrobeats, R&B, and soul into a sound that feels entirely her own. There’s an intentionality here that speaks to listeners searching for authenticity in a crowded landscape. The EP explores belonging, love, and finding home in what’s always been familiar—themes that resonate deeply for diaspora communities navigating identity and connection.
What makes “Feels Like Home” special is how it refuses to box itself in. Osé moves fluidly between genres while keeping her voice centered, creating a project that feels both timeless and urgently now. For those of us hungry for Afro-Soul artists who aren’t afraid to experiment while honoring their roots, this is exactly what we’ve been waiting for.
