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RIP: NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo Dies from Brain Cancer at 58

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Former Atlanta Hawks star Dikembe Mutombo has died after a battle with aggressive brain cancer. The NBA confirmed his untimely death in a statement on Monday, Sept. 30.

The statement said the NBA legend was surrounded by his family when he passed.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

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Mutombo began playing basketball as a lanky boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States. He played college basketball at Georgetown University.

He was drafted 4th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 draft. The 7-ft-2 center played with six NBA teams and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. He retired in 2009.

Mutombo invested his money wisely. He opened a popular restaurant and a hair salon with his wife, Rose, in Midtown Atlanta in the 2000s.

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The Congolese-American superstar played 18 seasons with the NBA. He was nicknamed “Mount Mutombo” for his defensive prowess on the court. He was known for blocking shots then wagging his 8-inch finger at his opponents.

Mutombo also starred in numerous television commercials. He is considered one of the best shot-blockers and defensive players of all time.

His jersey was retired by both the Denver Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks. He also played for the 76ers, NY Knicks, NJ Nets, and Houston Rockets. Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 11, 2015.

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Mutombo met his wife, Rose, during a visit to Kinshasa in 1995. They lived in Atlanta and had three children together. They also adopted four children of Rose’s deceased brothers.

Mutombo’s 7-ft-2 son, Ryan Mutombo, was ranked the 16th-best high school center in the U.S. He has played two seasons for Georgetown.

Watch highlights from Dikembe Mutombo’s NBA career below.

Ariana Grande Takes Lie Detector Test to Prove She Didn’t Have Plastic Surgery

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Last year, pop singer Ariana Grande teared up while explaining why she stopped getting Botox, lip fillers in 2018.

In a “health update” to her fans on TikTok, the 31-year-old “Wicked” star revealed she’s “had a ton of lip filler over the years and Botox.”

Grande fought back tears as she explained how the lip fillers made her feel like she was “hiding.”

“I, over the years, used makeup as a disguise or as something to hide behind,” she said. “That can be so beautiful at times, and I still do have love for it and appreciation for it.”

She continued: “I’m in full support of all people who do these things. Whatever makes women, men, and non-gender conforming people feel beautiful should be allowed. Why do we care?”

Ariana recently responded to “YouTube people” who claimed she’s undergone plastic surgery on her face.

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Ariana sat down for an interview for the cover of Vanity Fair while promoting her new movie “Wicked” with co-star Cynthia Erivo.

During a lie detector test, administered by Vanity Fair, Ariana spoke truthfully about the plastic surgery speculation.

Ariana said she did not undergo a nose job, body enhancements, or something called a “fox-eye lift.”

When told that she was being truthful about plastic surgery rumors, Ariana said, “This is the best day of my life. Take that, you YouTube people!”

Ariana and Cynthia talked bonding while filming “Wicked.” Ariana plays Glinda the Good Witch in the movie inspired by The Wizard of Oz. Cynthia plays a green witch named Elphaba.

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“We needed real connection, and we needed to lead this with love—even in the moments that are supposed to be fraught with tension within the piece,” said Cynthia.

“I think we’ve done a really beautiful job of… oh my God, sorry,” Ariana says, while fighting back tears. “We both really took the time to get to know the other person and where we’ve been. What our little wounds are. What our little things are.”

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Rumor has it that Cynthia’s life partner, Lena Waith (right), visited the set often to check up on Cynthia.

Wicked opens in theaters worldwide in November.

Watch the video below.

Al B. Sure! Sends Cease & Desist to Amazon to Stop Sales of Kim Porter Book

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Former R&B singer Al B. Sure! sent a cease & desist letter to Amazon to block the sale of a memoir allegedly written by his ex, the late model Kim Porter.

According to Page Six, the book, titled Kim Porter’s Last Words, claims the “Nite and Day” singer slept with Porter and her other ex, Sean “Puffy” Combs.

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Porter is pictured with her late mom, Sarah L. Porter, and her son Quincy in 2004.

In his letter, Sure! said the book falsely portrays him having sexual relations with Combs, who is locked up in a federal detention center in Brooklyn, New York.

The book was self-published under the pseudonym “Jamal T. Millwood” on Amazon earlier this month — and has already hit the best-seller’s list on Amazon. The book was written by a man whose real name is Todd Christopher Guzze.

Guzze has claimed he’s not sure if the diary is real or not. He claims he received Porter’s writings on a flash drive from a close friend of hers.

Porter died from double pneumonia in 2018 at age 47.

Sure! sent a cease & desist to former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and current CEO Andy Jassy.

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Sure!’s attorney Robert J. Hantman said his client has been “defamed by false and malicious statements published” in the book.

The letter also states, “Should you fail to comply with these demands within ten days, we will have no alternative but to pursue all legal remedies available, including filing a lawsuit for defamation.”

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The letter further claims the book, “falsely portrays Mr. Brown as engaging in fabricated sexual conduct, particularly with Sean Combs and the mother of his son, Quincy.”

The letter adds: “By misrepresenting his personal life and fabricating serious, false accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior, these defamatory claims have caused significant damage to Mr. Brown’s reputation.”

Sure! tells Page Six, “The part with me, I have nothing to do with any activity of that nature. It’s the most disgusting, heinous lie I have ever heard of in my life.”

The letter is demanding that the author stop selling the book, and issue a public apology that, “must be clear, unequivocal, and widely circulated.”

More Details About Sean Combs Firebombing Kid Cudi’s Car

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Sean Combs is accused of firebombing a car belonging to rapper Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi) in 2012. Combs was arrested at a Manhattan hotel following a grand jury indictment on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges on Sept. 16.

In the indictment unsealed on Sept. 17 in New York, prosecutors listed “arson” as one of the criminal charges against Combs.

Rolling Stone has uncovered an LAPD arson report that gives more insight into the arson that was first described in Casandra “Cassie” Ventura’s sex assault lawsuit against Combs in November 2023.

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The newly unearthed document describes Kid Cudi as the owner of a Porsche that was set ablaze by an “incendiary device” on January 9, 2012 at a Los Angeles residence.

The residence was linked to Kid Cudi through the property’s address listed in public records.

The police report says the fire was reported at 10:53 a.m. with the damage estimated at $10,000. The cause of the fire was listed as “intentional.”

A fire department official confirms to Rolling Stone that the fire was called in by a woman at the home. The fire official who responded to the call said the luxury sports car was not engulfed in flames upon their arrival.

In her lawsuit, Ventura said she broke up with Combs and had a brief relationship with Kid Cudi in 2011. Combs found out about their relationship and allegedly told Ventura that he planned to blow up Cudi’s car in his driveway.

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In a statement to The New York Times in November, Cudi, 40, confirmed Ventura’s account, saying his car indeed exploded. “This is all true,” he said.

But Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, denied Combs had any involvement in the car explosion.

“There is no allegation that Mr. Combs was involved in these actions or directed anyone else to take them,” Agnifilo tells Rolling Stone in a statement. “It’s clear the government doesn’t know who set fire to the vehicle or how it relates to Mr Combs, who denies any involvement.”

But in the indictment, prosecutors allege that co-conspirators acting on behalf of Combs set fire to an unidentified person’s vehicle by “slicing open the car’s convertible top and dropping a Molotov cocktail inside”.

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Prosecutors said “multiple witnesses” would testify that Combs allegedly bragged “about his role in destroying Individual-1’s car.”

“Individual 1” is believed to be Kid Cudi, who is known for his love of the Porsche brand.

He vlogged about driving his 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S in a video posted on YouTube to promote his 2023 summer anthem “Porsche Topless,” the first single off his ninth solo album Insano (2024).

Combs, 54, pled not guilty to all charges. He was twice denied bond and is currently jailed at Brooklyn MDC. He faces 50 sex assault lawsuits filed in Houston recently.

In a new lawsuit, filed on Friday, Sept. 27, in New York, “Jane Doe” alleges she was impregnated by Combs during sexual assaults that occurred between 2020-2024.

Doe said former Miami Girls rapper Yung Miami (Caresha Brownlee) harassed her to abort Combs’s baby.

Doe claims she suffered a miscarriage due to anxiety caused by the harassment.

Lawsuit: Yung Miami accused of harassing a woman to abort Sean Combs’s baby

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Yung Miami is accused of harassing a woman to abort Sean Combs’ unborn baby. In a new lawsuit, filed on Friday, Sept. 27, in New York, Jane Doe alleges she was impregnated by Combs during sexual assaults that occurred between 2020-2024.

The news comes after a Houston lawyer claimed he is representing 50 people in new lawsuits alleging sexual assaults by Combs.

During an incident in April 2022, Doe claims she was “compelled to ingest an unknown substance,” which caused her to “black out.”

She was then allegedly forced to “have vaginal intercourse without her consent,” which resulted in a pregnancy.

Combs and his staff allegedly recorded their sexual encounters without her consent. The victim feared for her safety and experienced anxiety and depression.

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The lawsuit also names Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Yung Miami, a former City Girls rapper.

In court documents, obtained by USA Today, Yung Miami (Caresha Brownlee) allegedly “harassed” Jane Doe by “repeatedly calling her” and telling her “to have an abortion.”

“Shortly thereafter, Jane Doe took a pregnancy test, which was positive. Jane Doe informed defendant Combs of the positive test. Caresha Brownlee, defendant Combs’ associate, harassed Jane Doe by repeatedly calling her and telling Jane Doe to have an abortion. Jane Doe suffered a miscarriage and did not speak to defendant Combs or his team for approximately three months.”

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Yung Miami distanced herself from Combs after agents with Homeland Security raided his homes in Miami and Los Angeles. She was also named in a lawsuit filed by music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones earlier this year.

Jones accused the rapper of transporting “pink cocaine” for Combs across state lines. Yung Miami denied the allegations.

Combs was arrested in Manhattan on Sept. 16. In the 14-page indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution, kidnapping and arson. He has been denied bail and is being held on a Special Housing Unit at a Brooklyn federal detention center.

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A source close to Combs denied reports that he stopped eating because he feared being poisoned b prison staff. According to TMZ, Combs is eating 3 meals a day plus snacks.

Cardi B, Future, Jordyn Woods & More Attend Paris Fashion Week Events

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When did Jordyn Woods get this thick? The influencer arrived at the exclusive Messika High Jewelry show, held in Paris during Fashion Week.

Best Image / BACKGRID

Newly single mom Cardi B looked glamorous at the exclusive Messika High Jewelry show, held in Paris during Fashion Week.

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Rapper Future was spotted at the Messika High Jewelry Show in Paris. Rumor has it that Future expressed interest in single mother Cardi B after she cut ties with her estranged husband, Offset, for good.

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Victoria Beckham never disappoints when she steps outside. Victoria was seen leaving her hotel in Paris, looking effortlessly chic as she headed to Paris Fashion Week events.

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She wasn’t at Paris Fashion Week, but rapper Eve looked chic in double denim outside the Global offices in London, England. Eve accessorized her outfit with a pair of limited edition Adidas x Wales Bonner Samba pony hair leopard print sneakers. They sold out quickly last year. An authentic pair will set you back $400 on eBay.com. Beware, there are a lot of knockoffs on eBay.

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Stylish couple Helen Lasichanh Williams and Pharrell Williams attended the Loewe Fashion Show during Paris Fashion Week in France on Friday.

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Naomi Campbell promoted her book NAOMI In Fashion during Paris Fashion Week. The former supermodel was banned from running a charity after an investigation found she spent charitable funds on spa treatments and room service charges. The inquiry into Fashion for Relief identified “multiple instances of misconduct,” including use of charity money to pay for a five-star hotel stay for Campbell in the south of France.

12-Year-Old Business Owner Claims Wells Fargo Drained Her Bank Accounts

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A 12-year-old business owner claim Wells Fargo drained and closed bank accounts for her Beautiful Curly Me brand without warning.

Zoe Oli and her mother Evana Oli accused Wells Fargo of emptying business accounts linked to the company that sells dolls, puzzles and books.
 
READ ALSO: Business Booming for Black-Owned Bakery After Tesla Canceled $16K Order
 
Zoe, the CEO of the company, said she and her mother woke up to discover her business accounts were emptied and closed.

The bank claims it took action because Beautiful Curly Me did not have a “legitimate” business address on file. But Zoe denies the allegations.

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“This was not the case yesterday, so my mom called Wells Fargo, and we found out that our account had been closed because we did not have a legitimate business address when we did have our physical office address on there,” Zoe explained. “They closed our accounts, our balances were showing zero, and then said that they would give us our money in a check that would take two weeks to come. First of all, how would you take our money and not give it back for the next two weeks without any warning?”

Zoe called Wells Fargo actions “completely unacceptable”.

“We have things to do and we don’t have time for this,” said Zoe, who added that her mom always had a “great relationship” with Wells Fargo.

The bank even game Zoe and Evana a $5,000 grant for their business, according to Zoe.

“Today is just so crazy to me, because this is just unacceptable for a small business, for anybody to go ahead and take our money,” she added.

Zoe made history as the world’s youngest TEDx speaker in 2023. She launched Beautiful Curly Me at just 7 years old.

Zoe and Evana asked their followers to help them raise money to open an account at a different bank. She urged her followers to donate to her website.

“We can’t operate with $0. Here’s what happened and how you can help. Thanks for your support through this challenge,” Zoe wrote.

After their story went viral, Wells Fargo contacted Zoe and Evana to go into a local branch office and pick up their funds.

Update: “Thanks to the power of social media, our case was escalated by someone in our network to the Wells Fargo leadership team in Georgia. The Executives reached out and invited us into a local branch to pick up our funds. Our accounts remain closed and we are moving on.”

Young Dolph Murder Suspect Found Guilty, Sentenced to Life

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A Tennessee jury convicted Justin Johnson in the 2021 shooting death of rapper Young Dolph.

The jury, made up of 9 white women, 2 Black men, and one white man, found Johnson guilty on all counts of 1st-degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st-degree murder, and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

The jury deliberated for 4 hours before returning a guilty verdict. The trial, which began on Sept. 23, was moved to another county due to the extensive media coverage.

Johnson was immediately sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge. He will be sentenced on the other charges in November.

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Johnson (right) is one of 2 shooters who ambushed Dolph (left) outside a cookie store in Memphis on November 17, 2021.

Police recovered 300 shell casings at the scene. Dolph (Adolph Thornton Jr.), 36, was pronounced dead at the scene.

After the shooting, Justin, an aspiring rapper, took to Instagram and bragged about not snitching.

“These n***as taking criminal responsibility I’m taking street responsibility regardless I’m foreva the biggest. They can throw away the keys before I ever eat da cheese,” he said.

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The jury heard from a witness who said the shooting was the result of a feud between 2 rival record labels – one owned by Dolph and the other label founded by Memphis rapper Yo Gotti (pictured).

Cornelius Smith, the second gunman, testified that he was offered $100,000 by Yo Gotti’s brother, Big Jook (Anthony Mims) to carry out the hit on Dolph.

Smith testified that he planned to keep $40,000 and give $20,000 each to the 2 shooters. A third man, Hernandez Govan was also charged with murder. Govan was to receive $10,000 for his role in hiring the shooters.

But Smith claims he only received $800 from Big Jook. He said he initially received $500 after the shooting. Then someone connected with Big Jook gave Smith’s girlfriend $300.

Smith said he never received another dime from Big Jook for the hit on Dolph.

Prince Williams/WireImage

Big Jook (right) was fatally shot after attending a funeral in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. No arrests have been made in Big Jook’s murder.

Yo Gotti, 43, ramped up his own security after his brother’s murder.

On the witness stand, Smith implicated Yo Gotti in the hit on Young Dolph.

He said Gotti paid Smith’s attorney $50,000 to represent him. Smith said the money was wired from a bank account linked to Yo Gotti’s record label CMG (Cocaine Music Group).

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Dolph and Gotti’s feud was born when Dolph refused to sign with Gotti’s record label and launched his own record label. The two rappers released diss tracks about each other.

In a February 2017 diss track, titled “Play Wit Yo’ B****”, Dolph suggested he’d slept with Yo Gotti’s baby mama.

While on tour in Charlotte, North Carolina in February 2017, a vehicle Dolph was riding in was shot at 100 times. Dolph escaped injury. His near-death experience spawned the diss track “100 Shots.”

In May 2017, Gotti’s artist Blac Youngsta and two other men were arrested as suspects in the attempted murder on Dolph.

But charges against Blac Youngsta were eventually dropped.

Then in September 2017, Dolph was shot outside the Lowes Hollywood hotel in Los Angeles. Dolph was wounded in that shooting.

The LAPD denied reports that Yo Gotti — a guest at the same hotel — was a suspect in the shooting.

Teen Reacts After Receiving His First Paycheck From McDonald’s

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We all remember our first paycheck back in the day. A viral video is bringing back those memories.

A single mom shared video of her teenage son receiving his first paycheck from McDonald’s.

Mother and son exchanged small talk in her car as he tore open the envelope. Based on the teenager ‘s calculations, he expected to receive “about two hundred and something.”

His eyes lit up when he saw the amount printed on his paycheck.

“After tax what’s that?” he asked his mom. “That is after tax,” she responded.

“Heyyy, he got some money!” his mom said as they both celebrated.

“Oh shoot! That’s hard. All right bet, let’s take it to the bank then,” he said.

The undated video was viewed over 274,000 times on X.com. Most of the commenters remember the excitement they felt when they received their first paychecks.

One person said a first paycheck was a “rite of passage for all men.”

American boys traditionally give their mothers 10%-20% of their first paychecks to help out with household bills.

Chicago Sky Fans Blame Angel Reese for Getting Coach Teresa Weatherspoon Fired

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Angel Reese reacted to Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon’s firing in an emotional post on X (formerly Twitter). Weatherspoon was let go after the Sky failed to make it to the 2024 playoffs.

Chicago Sky fans blamed Reese’s selfish play for her coach’s ouster.

Weatherspoon, 58, was criticized during the season for allowing Reese to camp out in the paint while refusing to pass the ball to her teammates.

Weatherspoon was hired to coach the Sky in October 2023. She led the Sky to a 13-27 record.

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Reese, 22, confirmed Weatherspoon’s termination on her X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday. As usual, she made Weatherspoon’s job termination all about herself.

“I came to Chicago because of YOU,” Reese wrote. But in reality, Reese was drafted No. 7 by the Sky. She didn’t have a choice where she went.

In follow-up posts, Reese complained about the treatment she received from the media and Caitlin Clark’s fans.

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“For the past 2 years, the media has benefited from my pain & me being villainized [sic] to create a narrative. They allowed this,” Reese wrote. “This was beneficial to them. I sometimes share my experiences of things that have happened to me but I’ve also allowed this to happen to me for way too long…””

Then Reese whined some more about Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark’s rabid fanbase.

“Y’all know i’ve been going through this for the last 2 years but was told ‘save the tears’ & ‘stop playing victim’. Y’all a little late to the party and could have tried to put out this fire way before it started…”

Reese’s X.com followers dragged her by her baby hairs.