Google introduced a new badge that allows businesses to identify themselves as Black-owned through the company’s Maps and Search listings. The new feature, which was announced Thursday, comes as more consumers are searching for black businesses in recent months.
U.S.-based companies with a verified Business Profile on Google can now add a Black-owned business attribute to their profile, which will make it easier for customers to identify and support them. Those businesses will be marked with a black heart over an orange three-striped background (as seen below). To apply for the badge, black entrepreneurs must verify their company by mail, phone, or email.
“Over the past few months, we’ve seen a surge in online searches for Black-owned businesses. It’s been inspiring to witness so many people look for ways to invest in the Black community,” wrote Jewel Burks Solomon, the Head of Google for Startups, in a blog post. “With this attribute, our goal is to make Search and Maps more inclusive and help support Black-owned businesses when they need it most,” she added.
[Image: Google]
Google partnered with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) to help spread the word about the new badges. Together, Google and USBC will also provide Black business owners with training to maximize their online presence on Google through the use of Google My Business and Google Analytics.
According to The Verge, Yelp, a popular online service that provides crowd-sourced reviews and business listings, also reported an increase in Black-owned business searches on its site. It received more than 2.5 million searches for those businesses from May 25 to July 10.
Google also introduced badges for “Women-Led” businesses and LGBTQ-friendly businesses back in 2018.
Google Black-owned business badge [Image: Google]
In wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and calls to dismantle systemic racism, Google committed $12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities in June.
Earlier this year, the tech giant appointed Solomon as its first Head of Google For Startups to focus on empowering diverse startup founders with products, connections, and best practices. Prior to her appointment, the Howard University alum worked at Google as an entrepreneur-in-residence for diversity markets from 2014 to 2016 where she helped underserved business owners grow their businesses online using Google tools.
Thousands of people have signed a Change.org petition calling for rapper Tory Lanez to be deported back to Canada for his alleged involvement in the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion.
As of Friday afternoon, the petition has more than 18,000 signatures and asks for the Department Of Homeland Security to deport Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson. Although Lanez's involvement in the shooting has not been confirmed, the petition calls for his deportation for promoting "violence against women" and for "intentionally trying to harm Megan the Stallion."
It also demands that the rapper be banned from the United States forever.
According to TMZ, Peterson is facing a felony gun charge for a concealed weapon that was found in his vehicle.
Peterson was with the "Savage" rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete, and another woman when police were called to a home in Hollywood Hills around 4:30 a.m. TMZ reported that witnesses heard gunshots in the SUV and then saw the car drive off.
Officers were eventually filmed on video stopping the car and having all three occupants slowly exit the vehicle.
A source told Page Six that “Tory fired the shots from within the vehicle while Megan was outside trying to leave."
"This is a case of a man physically harming and abusing a woman,” the source said.
Pete later shared statements on social media saying she had been shot.
On Monday, Pete discussed the situation at length on Instagram Live, breaking down in tears as she described the trauma of being shot and dealing with the rumors around the situation, as Blavitypreviously reported.
"I was shot in both of my feet and I had to get surgery to get the bullets taken out. It was super scary and the worst experience of my life. It's not funny. There is nothing to joke about. It was nothing for y'all to start going and making fake stories about. I didn't put my hands on nobody. I didn't deserve to get shot," she said.
In addition to addressing the situation, she spoke about the distasteful jokes that people were making about the situation. Rapper 50 Cent has since come out and apologized for making light of the shooting.
Other stars have offered their support to Pete. Rihannasent the rapper Savage X Fenty gear as well as flowers. Lizzo also sent her a sweet gift and positive vibes.
In a new interview, Rihanna opens up about how nervous she felt before hitting the red carpet at the 2015 Met Gala
After delivering one of the most memorable looks at the 2015 Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, better known as the Met Gala, singer Rihanna reveals how nervous she was before strutting down that red carpet.
“Oh my God, I’m a clown, people are going to laugh at me, this is too much,” she remembers.
In a new interview with Access Hollywood to promote her newest beauty brand Fenty Skin, the multi-hyphenate talent says she was overwhelmed by the now-iconic moment.
“I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, ‘I’m doing too much,’ remembers the “Pour It Up” singer. She continues “Finally, I was like, ‘Whatever, let’s go. Let’s just go. Let’s just go,’ confessing she had her car circle around the event three times before she was ready to make an entrance.
The Bajan pop star shared with Vanity Fair how she researched before deciding on the gown for the annual fashion showcase.
“I can’t really walk in it without any help—but it’s so worth it. I love this dress so much!” she told the outlet. “It’s handmade by one Chinese woman and it took her two years to make. I found it online.”
Pei shared the care she put into creating the dress with Vanity Fair.
“The focus and the attention paid to this dress will make it remembered by the world—[what] I want is to make them remember. . . . It is my responsibility to let the world know China’s tradition and past, and to give the splendor of China a new expression. I hope that people do know China in this way.”
Rihanna also talked about falling in love with makeup, her future children, creating a legacy, and her music career.
Watch the interview below:
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Davis created ‘Focus’ while battling cancer for the second time
Chris “Big Dog” Davis is a Grammy-nominated producer and pianist who prefers to stay in the background. His debut album Focus, recorded while he battled lymphoma, is now a moment for him to enjoy life and the spotlight.
Davis was drawn to music early in life, playing the piano since the age of four while growing up in Waterbury, Connecticut. His skills were honed at Refuge Church of Christ where he played and his mother was the choir director. She ultimately saw his talent and provided him with a private teacher to help him evolve.
Davis studied classical composition at Yale University then entered the Marine Corps at age 20. After leaving the military, he worked as a bodyguard for R&B heavyweight Brian McKnight.
Davis got his big musical break while working with the superstar, playing alongside him on The Arsenio Hall Show, The Tonight Show, and The Rosie O’Donnell Show.
He’s since worked and toured with George Clinton, Will Downing, Syleena Johnson, Chanté Moore, and jazz singer Maysa. His Midas touch is now on display for his own solo effort which comes decades into his career.
The 11-track career milestone, released in June by Shanachie Records, also came while Davis was battling lymphoma for the second time. He was previously diagnosed in 2010 and began to experience symptoms such as weight loss at the end of last year while touring with saxophonist Gerald Albright.
He was admitted to Yale New Haven Hospital but remained determined to complete his album.
“I went in there in January. I didn’t come out until like February. I was in there for at least 30 days when they were diagnosing me and everything,” he shares.
“I was sitting down with my sister who was my caregiver, God bless her soul. She took care of me and I sat up here myself and I put the whole Focus record together.”
Davis describes this project as “gumbo” inspired, taking bits and pieces from multiple genres like gospel, R&B, and jazz. He played bass, keyboards and mixed it while still ailing.
“I’m here to tell people that you can win this. This is my second [bout] with stage four,” he says. “You have to stay focused.”
Contemporary jazz greats Dave Koz, Nick Colionne, Kim Waters, Rick Braun, and Albright are just some of the artists who offered their talents for this project. Davis’ determination to breathe life into the album even as his was jeopardized is a testament to his unshakable character.
Albright, who has known Davis for years, hails him as having the “X Factor” and being a “warrior” whom he is proud to call a friend and collaborator. Davis has been in his band for several years as his principal keyboardist and has co-produced some of his albums.
“Whatcha Gonna Do For Me” is one of the songs they worked on together for Focus.
“He’s very tenacious in whatever he wants to conquer,” Albright says. “I was one of the closest people to him during that season where he was going through cancer.
And we would talk either every other day or, you know, through email or a phone call, whatever it was., I was just kind of monitoring him and, and help try to support him in the best way I could,” the saxophonist recounts.
“He was always positive during that whole process. I didn’t feel any energy of depression. I mean, he was obviously concerned, but he knew that in order to live, he had to go through certain stages of medical healing and otherwise.”
(Credit: Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis)
Focus, in his view, is a labor of love.
“I’m just so elated in celebrating him now that he’s in total remission. And he’s back to the music 100%,” Albright says.
Maysa has known Davis since 2006 and praises him as a “beautiful spirit” and musical genius. The singer and songwriter is a co-writer on the title track.
“He a strong man because the prognosis was not so good and so he was planning just in case something happened,” she recalls.
She hopes that listeners are inspired to be “grateful” for what they do have.
“Staying focused on the good things in life..trying to change your perspective to not just focus on everything that’s wrong but the time you have to get your life in order; the time you needed so desperately when the world was at full speed ahead and you were waiting for some time to do it. This is the time to do it,” she declares.
There are many artists who view success as platinum records and #1 singles. The barometer for Davis is that his message is heard.
“The more I get to talk about it, the more people know about it, I think more people will like it,” he responds.
Focus can be streamed on Spotify and is available for purchase.
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Fat Boys - Brr Watch 'em (1986) The Fat Boys were an American hip hop trio from Brooklyn, New York City, that emerged in the early 1980s. The group was briefly known originally as the Disco 3, originally composed of Mark "Prince Markie Dee" Morales, Damon "Kool Rock-Ski" Wimbley and Darren "Buff Love" Robinson, who died of a heart attack during a bout with respiratory flu in 1995. The trio is widely known for using beatbox in their songs. The group opened doors for beatboxers like Biz Markie and Doug E. Fresh. The Fat Boys was one of the first rap groups to release full-length rap albums, along with Run-D.M.C., Whodini and Kurtis Blow. Beloved for their comedic, self-deprecating rhymes, the group released 7 studio albums, 4 of which went Gold by RIAA. The first two albums of the group were produced by the legendary Kurtis Blow, and they were successful due to the singles "Jail House Rap", "Can You Feel It?", "Fat Boys", "Stick 'Em", "Don't You Dog Me", "All You Can Eat", "The Fat Boys Are Back", "Pump It Up", and videos to them. - Wikipedia Shared for historical purposes. I do not own the rights. ##### Reelblack's mission is to educate, elevate, entertain, enlighten, and empower through Black film. If there is content shared on this platform that you feel infringes on your intellectual property, please email me at Reelblack@mail.com and info@reelblack.com with details and it will be promptly removed.
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