Play in the works to celebrate the life and legacy of Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes

Fans are getting to know more about the life of the members of popular R&B group TLC.

While member Chilli is starring in a new reality show along with her musical co-star, Lil’ Kim and Mya, Girls Cruise, a play on rapper on Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes is currently being shown at Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta. 

The play, called 2 the Left: A Tribute to the Life of Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes, stars actress Kerisse Hutchinson as the legendary artist in the one-woman show, according to WABE.

Read More: T-Boz connects with Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes on ‘Hollywood Medium’

The play was also written by Hutchinson and was directed by Tom W. Jones II, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

2 The Left… focuses on the life and spiritual journey of Lopes spanning from the 90s as a member of TLC to last days on earth before her death in Honduras back in 2002. 

The play, which took many years for Hutchinson to research before writing showcases “controversial moments” in her life such as the arson incident of her former boyfriend and   Atlanta Falcon’s player, Andre Rison’s house being burned down.

Read More: TLC plans new album 10 years after loss of ‘Left Eye’

“I feel like if Lisa was still here, she would love to show her life through theater, Hutchinson This play really allowed me to delve into who she was, not just being a member of TLC, but really as a person,” Hutchinson said according to WABE. “Through my ten years of research, I became more intrigued with her as an artist and as a woman, than just with her music.”

Hutchinson makes it clear that the play is not biopic. It instead focuses on her who she was as a person and her legacy, while also focusing on her spiritual journey.

“She was very layered,” Hutchinson told AJC. “I could probably research her forever and find new things. I think she would be proud of this play. I think it is continuing her legacy. I want people to have a better understanding of who Lisa was, not just externally, but internally and spiritually.”

Read More: The death of Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes 10 years later: She was our voice to the world

The play made its debut on stage on Aug. 1. It will be showing at the Synchronicity Theater for two weeks until Aug. 11.

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Credit Counselor Will Roundtree: How to Get Your Credit In Order

There are so many things that school didn’t teach us, credit being one of them. Ironically, it is one of the single most important lessons that you’ll need in order to survive in the world today.

In an interview with Black Enterprise, credit and financial counselor, Will Roundtree, shares why credit is so important; the difference between business and personal credit; and what you need to do in order to get your credit in order.

Black Enterprise: Why is credit so important?

Will Roundtree: Understanding the meaning of credit is the first hurdle to get over. Credit is simply a tool, in layman’s terms. Once that has been established, the principles on why it is so important can, then, be discussed. Credit is essential to our lives. We need it to purchase homes, automobiles, apply for apartments and many more day-to-day requirements that allow us to move around in every aspect of our lives. Credit is vital to the lifeline of our personal lives and our business lives. 

Will Roundtree

What is the difference between personal credit and business credit? 

The difference between personal and business credit is not far removed from each other. The major difference is that your personal credit is based on your Social Security number and your business credit is based on your EIN, which is your Employee Identification Number. Your personal credit is generated and curated by three major credit bureaus. They are Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. Each bureau has its own way of reporting information. 

Your personal credit is used for personal expenditures and has a direct impact on your daily life. If you pay your bills on time and apply a healthy knowledge to your credit responsibilities, you have an unhindered buying power. However, on the flip side of that, if you do not pay your bills on time, you will adversely affect your ability to purchase life’s necessities and therefore, have obstacles in your way when deciding to make major decisions for your life.

For business credit, there is a completely different scoring model and a completely different credit reporting agency. Business credit is used, solely, for the purpose of business creditworthiness. The bureaus for business credit are Experian Credit, Equifax Credit, Dun and Bradstreet, and SBFE, which stands for Small Business Financial Exchange. These agencies monitor the financial responsibilities you adhere to when doing business while using credit.  

 How do you help people with credit?

I assist my clients in various ways. My No. 1 way is through credit education. My main focus is to generate knowledge on the subject of credit, especially in the black and minority communities. One of the things I have learned over the course of my journey is that we are economically undereducated in relation to credit, and I teach that if you truly understand the power of credit, you can always leverage it to create wealth. Additionally, I teach the understanding of credit strategies. This aspect is useful when I let people know that credit can always be rebuilt, restored, and repaired. Because believe it or not, the biggest misconception about credit is that it cannot be fixed or that people have to live with the bruises that can happen sometimes when dealing with credit. I simply try to make sure that I cover all aspects of credit when I am out in the community and educate them on their options. 

What are three things that people should focus on to build up their credit?

Make your payments on time. Payment history makes up 35%of your credit score, and even one late payment can drop your score significantly. To ensure a strong score, make all payments on time.

Make sure your credit usage is below 30%. This strategy is at the top of my list. Credit usage makes up 30% of our score. Credit usage is the amount of credit you have used based on the amount of credit you have available. Anytime you have over 30% credit usage, your score will drop. I like to tell people that having high credit usage is not the end of the day. They just have to lower that particular factor. Lowering it below 30% is ideal in most situations.

If there is anything negative showing on your report, it can be disputed. One of the things people may not be aware of, per the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) is that they have the right to dispute anything that reports as negative, inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable.  For example, you have a debt for $513.23. When disputing that debt ethically and legally and the price cannot be proven down to the penny, that company reporting that account has to legally remove or delete it from your credit report. 

 

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Southern rap icon threatens drug dealers pushing dope with his record label’s logo

Six households set to be evicted because of Crip rap video shoot

Residents in a California apartment complex are set to be evicted from their households for allegedly shooting a rap video in May “with lyrics espousing gang violence.”

The management company, TerraCorp sent tenants of The Del Monte Manor apartment complex eviction notices in July that accused them of being tied to “criminal or wrongful activity” for participating in an unauthorized and un-permitted film project involving what appeared to be a music video on the premises,” the Monterey County Weekly reports. They are also accusing the tenants of being involved with the video by providing electricity for the production of the video and other help.

Read More: The Crips, now making business moves, file to trademark Nipsey Hussle’s slogan

The video the tenants appeared in was shot for a song called “We Crippin” that reportedly promotes gang violence. Although the video was quickly taken down after it was released on July 16, Seaside Police kept it in their records. 

The site reports that the video was shot in the complex just days after a man named Tremain Calloway was shot to death near the housing complex. Police have already arrested and charged two men with murder allegedly tied to the crime. Police say they also belong to the Crips gang.

Read More: A Tale of Two Homies: Civil Right attorney Lee Merritt remembers his own ties to the Crips and the legacy left by Nipsey Hussle

An advocate for the individuals involved, Princess Pope says the decision to evict the tenants is extreme. Two military veterans and individuals receiving Section 8 housing are among those who are must vacate their homes within 90 days, according to Pope.

The apartment complex is a low-income housing complex. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees low-income housing say they “cannot intervene in the situation.”

“Unless there are allegations of unlawful discrimination and a formal complaint has been filed, HUD has no authority to intervene in ongoing evictions, and as such, does not and cannot get involved, as evictions are legal actions to be adjudicated by a judge through the judicial system,” a HUD spokesperson stated in an email.

 

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The only African-American Republican in Congress will not run again

Texas Rep. Will Hurd, the only Black Republican in the House of Representatives, announced on that he will not be running for reelection for the upcoming year.

Read More: Former Texas judge jilts Republican Party, accusing Trump of ‘racist ideology’

“I have made the decision to not seek reelection for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas in order to pursue opportunities outside the halls of Congress to solve problems at the nexus between technology and national security,” he stated via Twitter.

I have made the decision to not seek reelection for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas in order to pursue opportunities outside the halls of Congress to solve problems at the nexus between technology and national security. https://t.co/GeZ4Hh264f

— Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) August 2, 2019

Hurd, who has been one of the few Republicans to publicly criticize President Donald Trump, said that he will continue to help the country in a different way and will remain in politics to “help make sure the Republican Party looks like America.”

Read More: Charles Barkley: Democrats and Republicans ‘suck’ at addressing needs of Black voters

Before winning a position in the House of Representatives, the Texas politicians served in the CIA in the Middle East and South Asia as an undercover officer, the Salon reports.

Hurd made this announcement soon after another GOP congressman from Texas, Rep. Mike Conaway made the decision to retire this week. Hurd is the sixth person in the GOP to retire within the past two weeks.

He has represented districts between San Antonio and El Paso in his role since 2014. He narrowly defeated Democrat Pete Gallego during his first run by 2,400 votes. 

Read More: Republicans run racist Colin Kaepernick ad with darkened skin for Trump 2020 campaign

He also won re-election against Gallego again in 2016 by 3,000 votes and defeated Iraq War veteran, Gina Ortiz Jones last year, winning his seat by less than 1,000 votes. 

“I will keep fighting to ensure the country I love excels during what will be a time of unprecedented technological change,” Hurd said in his statement on his site.  “I will keep fighting to make certain we successfully meet these generational challenges head on. I will keep fighting to remind people why I love America: that we are neither Republican nor Democrat nor Independent; We are better than the sum of our parts.”

 

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Jim Crow laws in Mississippi still exist to keep Blacks out of office

A lawsuit has been introduced in the state of Mississippi to overturn rules from the state’s 1890 constitution that prevent African-Americans from getting elected in office.

According to The Press Herald, the lawsuit is being championed by former attorney general Eric Holder, and would dismantle rules that require candidates to win over more than half of the popular vote, noting that more than half of Mississippi’s legislative districts are two-thirds white.

Read More: Nipsey Hussle Murder Trial: Why is O.J. prosecutor Chris Darden defending accused shooter Eric Holder?

Holder, who is the country’s first Black attorney general, is doing this in an effort to help Black officials (such as U.S. Army colonel and civil rights lawyer, Jennifer Riley Collins) hold statewide positions. Collins would have the chance to become the state’s first Black attorney general. Mississippi hasn’t elected a Black person in a statewide position in over 130 years.

Based on current rules, an African-American candidate needs 55 percent of the popular vote to win a statewide position to overcome the “constitutional hurdle,” the suit says. The suit would also help the issue with voting rights in the sate as well.  

“Our system was specifically designed to minimize the chances of an African-American being elected to statewide office in Mississippi,” says David Baria, Democratic House Minority Leader. 

Read More: Eric Holder and VP Mike Pence have Twitter war over ‘MAGA’ slogan

Holder filed the lawsuit against Republicans, Delbert Hosemann and Philip Gunn, the site reports. Hosemann is the secretary of state and Gunn is the speaker of the house. Both attorneys do not believe the claims are based off of “racial intent.” 

“Neither the Speaker nor the Secretary wish to defend the motivations behind a law allegedly enacted with racial animus,” the response to the lawsuit stated. “However, both the allegations in the complaint and the timing of its filing demonstrate that this lawsuit is not about race, and it is not about vindicating alleged wrongs to plaintiffs’ rights to vote — it’s about partisan politics.”

Read More: Black man in Mississippi accuses police of brutal beating wants $1 million in damages

Collins hopes the state will settle, since she would be one of the officials who would benefit from the decision. 

“I think Mississippi is ready to move forward,” Collins said in an interview “We just have to make sure that barriers that were intentionally put in place to exclude or marginalize one community over another are torn down.”

 

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Space Photos of the Week: A Trip for Thee to Galaxies Three

Plus: The Hubble, the ISS, and a red moon rising.

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Apple Contractors Will Stop Listening to Your Siri Recordings—For Now

Facial recognition hits minors, Facebook takes down Saudi accounts, and more security news this week.

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Netflix's 'Dark' Is Mind-Melting Sci-Fi at Its Very Best

The show may not be a cultural juggernaut like 'Stranger Things,' but the multigenerational saga is one of the most rewarding things on TV.

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Specialized Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO Review: An Electric Gravel Grinder

This high-performance electric bike is built to meet the demands of long trips across gravel roads and trails.

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This Startup Wants to Tame the Chaos of City Street Parking

Everyone vies for curb space: taxis, Ubers, delivery trucks, buses, bicycles, and residents. In Washington, DC, CurbFlow is testing spots reserved via app.

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19 Best Weekend Deals: Camping Gear, Games, Accessories

August is the start for end-of-summer sales on everything from camping stoves to affordable headphones.

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5G Is Here—and Still Vulnerable to Stingray Surveillance

5G was supposed to offer new protections against so-called stingray surveillance devices. New research shows it's anything but.

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Ebola outbreak: 'I'm not afraid of working with patients'

BBC Africa spoke to a Red Cross worker at a screening point in Uganda.

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Facebook Puts Its Stamp—and Name—on Instagram and WhatsApp

Facebook has long allowed Instagram and WhatsApp to operate independently. Now, it's "Instagram from Facebook."

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Sudan crisis: Military and opposition agree constitutional declaration

It will pave the way for a new period of transitional government in the turmoil-hit country.

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Could the menstrual cup eradicate period poverty in Kenya?

A donated cup could last a girl 10 years - so why is Ebby Weyime facing resistance?

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Cops Are Offering Ring Doorbell Cameras in Exchange for Info

Amazon-owned Ring has cozied up to law enforcement, and critics say it's using police departments to help market its surveillance cameras.

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Shipped back: Why British born kids were sent to Nigeria

Charlie and Titi want to ask their mothers why they were “shipped back” to Nigeria as children.

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My late friend, the mayor of Mogadishu

Abdirahman Omar Osman was murdered after returning to Somalia to help rebuild his home nation.

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