R. Kelly—born Robert Sylvester Kelly—is days away from the start of his federal trial in Chicago on charges of producing child pornography and luring minors into sex acts. Nearly a month after his 30-year sentence, Kelly’s sisters, Cassandra, Theresa, and Lisa, believe his sentencing is rooted in racism and explained their theory on Good Morning Britain in a televised interview aired on Wednesday (July 27). “African-Americans have always been treated unfairly.

Jay Z rocked the sports world when he launched his Roc Nation Sports agency last April. Alongside its president, Juan Perez, Hov’s been writing checks these other rappers can’t cash. Case in point: baseball player and Roc Nation’s first signee, Robinson Cano, who landed a 10-year, $240 million contract this past December. When it came to making The Roc’s first pick, Perez says the athlete had to be A1. “The starting place for us had to be an elite player, cream of the crop.

YMCMB’s Shanell dishes on her new Throwback Thursday music series, upcoming album, and more. VIBE: We know you’ve been working on this new music series, the “Throwback Thursday” project, tell us about how this idea came about and what should we expect? It kinda just came about just listening to music that I used to really like and then vibing with some of my friends. Some of the songs that I’m gonna put out are songs that I wish I would have made.

What do you feel that this book will accomplish that the first Midnight didn’t? I don’t really look at it that way⎯like this one will accomplish something that the first one didn’t. I love Midnight a Gangster Love Story and in fact, at the time that I wrote midnight, it was my favorite of all three books that I had written so I don’t think that Midnight a Gangster Love Story failed to accomplish any thing.

Named after pioneering poet and activist Audre Lorde, Spelman College plans to establish a chair in queer studies, the first for a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), The Root reports. The position was supported by a $2 million donation from philanthropist Jon Stryker. In a statement issued to Forbes, Stryker states his donation helps to further students’ education on LGBTQ rights. “The more that people understand queer history and LGBTQ issues, the more likely they are to accept and support the LGBTQ community,” Stryker said.