Transcending her experience as a childhood star on Disney Channel, Zendaya is now a force in Hollywood. This can be credited partially to her forging her own path in fashion with the help of Law Roach and diversifying her roles, through HBO’s “Euphoria” — which landed her two Emmys for her role as Rue Bennett — and the big screen’s “Dune” and “Spider-Man” franchises, per Variety. Now, Zendaya is on to her next project, “Challengers,” directed by Luca Guadagnino, which was released on April 26, 2024. Unlike the aforementioned roles, the actress has the opportunity to move beyond portraying a teenager on screen and takes on Tashi Duncan, an adult character who plays tennis and winds up in a love triangle, according to People. “I’ve been playing 16-year-olds since I was 16,” Zendaya, 27, told Variety. “So it was nice to play a character that was not a child anymore. It was also interesting playing parts of my life that I haven’t experienced yet: I’ve not gotten married. I’ve not had a...

For over a decade, Stephen A. Smith has been recognized as one of the faces of ESPN. Before becoming a host on “First Take,” the veteran sports broadcaster hosted “The Stephen A. Smith Show” on ESPN Radio from 2005 to 2008, per ESPN Press Room. By 2011, Smith returned to host a weekday local show on ESPN Radio 98.7FM in New York, NY, and a local show on ESPN LA 710AM in Los Angeles, CA. In an interview with “Earn Your Leisure” podcast, Smith recounted being fired from ESPN in 2009. He explained that the reason for his departure was that his contract at the time did not align with what he believed he should earn. “I thought that I deserved more than they offered,” Smith shared on “Earn Your Leisure. “I was appalled at the offer they made me. I did not like it. I did not appreciate it. I felt disrespected. And I said ‘No.’” Smith admitted that his disapproval with the offer he received was based on the acclaim and accolades that were pouring in for him. However, he says when he...

Will.i.am is immersing himself further in the media landscape. According to a press release, he has joined Jarret Myer and Rich Antoniello in forming Uproxx Studios. It is described as a brand solutions studio led by influential leaders in media and music who will consider culture and push it forward. The new entity has been established following the acquisition of Uproxx, HipHopDX, Dime Magazine, and other major media assets from Warner Music Group (WMG), such as the exclusive license to represent its YouTube content. Looking ahead, Uproxx Studios and WMG will remain in collaboration to guarantee seamless execution for their partners. Antoniello, partner and executive chairman of Uproxx Studios as well as founder and ex-CEO of Complex Network, commented, “This is a game-changer. We’re merging the agility and freedom of an independent entity with the reach and resources of a major music label. This is the recipe for groundbreaking content and unparalleled brand experiences.” Uproxx...

Cash Money Records Founder Birdman experienced several losses by the age of 16, and he was determined to steer clear of any losses in the music business. Birdman, born Bryan Christopher Williams, started the label in 1991 alongside his brother Ronald “Slim” Williams, according to BET. They were able to gain traction and had the support of independent distributors such as Gonzales Music and SouthWest Distribution, XXL Magazine reports. Building popularity in the South, the label caught the attention of Universal Records and signed a deal with the company on May 10, 1997, per a Max Volume Media interview Birdman gave. He later discussed the deal during an interview on the “Wilde Ride!” podcast, revealing that he was looking to retain ownership of his music due to his upbringing. “I felt like I lost everything already. I lost my family,” he explained on the podcast. “Nothing can repay me for what I already lost. I lost my mama, my daddy, my brother, my sister… I lived a hell of a life...

Al Roker and his production company, Al Roker Entertainment, have been sued for allegedly not following through with a commitment to diversity. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bill Schultz filed a lawsuit against the “Today” host and CEO’s company as he claims that executives failed to commit to its DEI initiative, which would bring Black writers on board for PBS’s “Weather Hunters.” Al Roker Entertainment is the owner of the animated children’s show. As an executive producer for “Weather Hunters,” Schultz addressed the issue at hand, confronting the leaders about the failure to adhere to the diversity program, which is mandated by PBS. However, he says that their response was firing him. In addition, a Black producer was also reprimanded for speaking up. “I put nine years of my career into ‘ Weather Hunters ,’ a project I strongly believe in, with the goal of making a wonderfully crafted show for children to enjoy and learn from,” Schultz shared in a statement, according to...

Dawn Staley isn’t just a name in women’s basketball ; it’s a thunderclap. A three-time Olympic gold medalist as a player and current coach of the dominant South Carolina Gamecocks dynasty, Staley’s impact transcends wins and losses. But for the curious minds out there, a question arises: what is Dawn Staley’s net worth? Who Is Dawn Staley? (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) The story of Dawn Staley’s basketball career started as a University of Virginia college phenomenon. She broke records, setting a record for most steals in the NCAA and winning two National Player of the Year titles. Her greatest accomplishment was in the year 1991 when she won the NCAA Final Four as the Most Outstanding Player and guided her team to victory. Staley’s skills transferred to the professional arena with ease. Before moving on to play in the WNBA, she was a trailblazer in the early years of the American Basketball League (ABL). Although her abilities were evident, her influence was not limited....

In April 2023, Tyler Perry shared his interest in bidding to purchase a majority stake in BET Media Group from Paramount. As BET is the home of his shows such as “Sistas” and “House of Payne,” there was potential alignment. In addition, the media mogul hoped for the network to become Black-owned once again. However, the aspiration came to an end shortly after. By August 2023, Paramount announced that it had ended its initial plan to sell its majority stake in BET Media Group stating that “a sale wouldn’t result in any meaningful deleveraging of its balance sheet,” as previously shared by AFROTECH™. With the change in plans, Perry, along with other reported bidders including Byron Allen, did not gain ownership of BET. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Perry was reportedly among the offers that ranged from $2 billion to $3 billion, but the bidding process didn’t pan out as he had hoped. “I was disappointed about it for a number of reasons,” Perry shared at Bloomberg’s Equality Summit,...

Following the premiere of “Empire” on Fox, the show took off instantly. Starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, “Empire” broke TV records off the bat in its first season, which was released in 2015. At the time, the ratings for the musical drama series’ first five episodes increased consecutively — making it the first series to do so since 1991 — per The Washington Post. Running from 2015 to 2020, “Empire” was everywhere and its logo, which includes Howard, was too. However, the veteran actor says he didn’t officially sign off on it. During a sit-down interview on “Straight Talk with Daphne Phaneē,” Howard claimed that the logo Fox used is a still shot of him from his Oscar-nominated role in “Hustle and Flow.” “They took that [photo], flipped it, and put it on everything. Made a trademark of it, sold it around the world — didn’t ask my permission.” He continued, “That image is worth $100 million at least for how much money that they made from it.” In addition, Howard shared...

A TikTok rapper will be going against Sony Music Entertainment in court. According to Billboard, 20-year-old rapper Dantreal Clark-Rainbolt, more commonly known as Trefuego, had a viral hit on TikTok thanks to his release of “90mh.” The songs was featured in at least 155,000 videos on the platform. Additionally, it has been streamed a minimum of 100 million times on Spotify. The outlet also reported he has garnered significant earnings from the song’s popularity, with estimates reaching almost $700,000. However, it appears the rapper won’t be able to roll in the dough for much longer. He is now in troubled water for utilizing a copyright sample from Toshifumi Hinata’s 1986 song “Reflections,” according to Rolling Stone. “Trefuego brazenly sought to ride the coattails of Hinata’s creativity and popularity without regard to the United States copyright laws or the rights of plaintiffs,” Sony’s attorneys wrote per Billboard. “He used and copied plaintiffs’ work without so much as...

When debating legendary movie dance scenes, the comedy/romance “House Party,” directed and written by Reginald Hudlin, is most likely a part of the discussion. The dance scene from the ’90s classic features the Hip-Hop group Kid’ n Play, comprised of Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin , actress Tisha Campbell, and actress and choreographer A.J. Johnson. This scene focuses on an iconic dance-off that fans replicate to this day. While “House Party” has created a long-lasting impact for over three decades, it’s been revealed that the pay at the time for the cast’s contribution may not have been what one would expect. In an interview with sports journalist Jemele Hill on her YouTube channel “Jemelle Hill Is Unbothered,” Johnson, who choreographed for the “House Party” dance scene, claimed that she was paid $4,000 for her role as Sharane after filming for up to two months. “We all made four grand,” Johnson told Hill. Johnson also shared how she and Play, Christopher Martin, made...

Zendaya has been building her net worth since she was a child. However, being a child star comes with its fair share of challenges, like taking care of your family financially. In 2010, Zendaya starred in Disney Channel’s TV series “Shake It Up” as Rocky Blue. After three seasons, the breakout role led Zendaya to stay within the Disney Channel franchise in TV shows and films such as “K.C. Undercover,” “Frenemies,” and “Zapped.” Building her work resume early on resulted in Zendaya co-starring in the film “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” based on Marvel Comics, and landing the leading role in HBO nextwork’s teen drama series “Euphoria,” for which she won two Emmys and one Golden Globe for her portrayal of Rue Bennett. While Zendaya has risen in stardom since her Disney Channel days, she is now beginning to further reflect on how her time as a child star impacted her. During her May 2024 cover story interview with Vogue, the 27-year-old shared how having the most income in her household at a...

Terrence Howard is set on pushing forward with a legal battle regarding his Hollywood earnings. As previously shared by AFROTECH™, the Oscar-nominated actor filed a lawsuit against the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in December 2023. Howard claims that the agency prompted him to accept talent fees that were less than what he should’ve received. For starring in the hit TV series, “Empire,” he allegedly earned 30% to 50% less than what he should have earned per episode. “We expect our agents and our lawyers to look after us, and therefore we’re free to do all of the work that you guys enjoy so much,” Howard expressed during a press conference that year. “I trusted CAA to look after me, and they looked after themselves.” During the press conference, Howard noted that he wasn’t entirely certain that the lowball pay was due to a “racial issue.” However, now, he has come forward to not only further address the elephant in the room but also detail what he believes he’s owed. In an interview...

Fat Joe has gotten very candid about his view on record labels. During an Instagram Live, the New York rapper elaborated on why he previously told Forbes that he believes record labels are Ponzi schemes. He claimed he noticed a trend where music companies will find talented artists who come from less fortunate backgrounds and fund their music careers. However, Fat Joe emphasized that to him it’s a tactic for record labels to swindle musicians. In addition, he shared how he thought the majority of the time ownership is in the labels’ hands. “Though they make the profit of the records, they charge you whatever they spend on the video,” Fat Joe shared on Instagram Live. “It ain’t like we 50/50 partners.” He added, “You could bring a scientist who wins the Nobel Peace Prize to do the accounting on major labels’ math, and they always can’t figure it out. So it’s robbery, all the way through.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by THE HIP-HOP WOLF® (@thehiphopwolf) In short,...

Chris Tucker has revealed his compensation for one of his most notable roles. In 1995, the comedian-turned- actor starred in “Friday,” which was directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, according to IMBd. Tucker played the character Smokey and landed the role due to his humorous performances while touring with “Def Comedy Jam” in the ’90s. “One day we were sitting around watching Def Comedy Jam, and we saw Chris [Tucker] perform, and me and Cube couldn’t stop laughing,” DJ Pooh told Complex. “We thought, ‘This dude would be able to play the hell out of Smokey. Let’s see if we can get him to come in and read for him.’ And that’s what happened, and it was over like that.” Friday would go on to gross $28.2 million worldwide, according to IMBd. The budget to create “Friday” was $2.3 million, Ice Cube revealed on X, formerly known as Twitter. He also added that actors on the film were paid according to the scale of the budget. For Tucker this equated to a $10,000...

Beyoncé is embracing her roots once more in her most recent musical undertaking, “Cowboy Carter.” While her eighth studio album has clear Country influences, the Houston, TX, native is sending a message to the world that this is not a Country album — it’s a Beyoncé album. When you consider Country’s root, Black Texans should not be removed from the conversation, and her latest musical reminder, to some, is a “revival” of Country’s history. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) “It was at the Rodeo where she first saw diversity and camaraderie among people who love Country music and an Americana lifestyle, steeped in community, culinary offerings, grills, and Western gear,” a news release stated about the album launch . “And it was for everyone. Among the crowds were Black, Hispanic and Native American Cowboys, who made their valuable, authentic allowances to the culture. Their stories are synonymous with American history.” Released to the world on March 29,...