All of the media frenzy surrounding V. Stiviano, the mistress of Donald Sterling who rose to fame after exposing the Clippers owner’s racist rant, may now be affecting her personal safety. Two white men allegedly attacked the woman in Manhattan Sunday night, according to her attorney.

Mac Nehoray, Stiviano’s lawyer, says she was reportedly punched by the men, who also yelled at her using the N-word and other racial epithets, after she left a restaurant near the Gansevoort Hotel in the Meatpacking District at 7 p.m. “The two men who attacked her punched her on the right side of her face several times,” said Nehoray.

According to a bouncer at the hotel, Stiviano was caught in the middle of a brawl in which “fists were thrown.” It’s unclear what role Stiviano had in the fight.

RadarOnline, which first delivered the info, said Stiviano saw a doctor but did not file a police report.

Although Stiviano, who is Mexican and Black American, brought Sterling’s racism to a larger audience outside the NBA and was the victim of an alleged bias attack, she’s not as racially tolerant as some would assume. Back in 2011, she auditioned for a reality TV series in development about mistresses and went on a rant about Black people being wasteful with money. Check it out below.

Rapper Charles Hamilton was recently stopped in his native Harlem and spoke with SaNeter.TV about his beliefs and certain aspects of the music industry. What followed were tangental ramblings about everything from rappers giving AIDS to babies to worshiping Sonic the Hedgehog.

The 26 year old is signed with Interscope Records, but has yet to release an album. He was featured on one of the coveted freshmen XXL covers in 2009 and garnered quite a buzz for himself, but has since faded from popularity. The “Brooklyn Girl” rapper spoke for nearly 30 minutes and the things he said ranged from perplexing to disturbing and everything in between. If you don’t want to take the time out to watch the entire video, we have a few highlights:

On Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine:

“Jimmy Iovine is the closest thing we have to God on this earth.”

“If I sold my soul to anybody, it would be Jimmy Iovine, and it wouldn’t be for anything gay.”

On Drake:

“A day one is somebody who started from the bottom. Drake is an alien.”

On homosexuality in rap:

“It’s called African child pornography … A few reputable artists … they have been infected with AIDS and they take … the myth is you take an African baby boy and you sodomize them and you pass your AIDS onto them and you take their innocence and they keep on walking. So the fresher the rapper, the dirtier the art … Except Drake!”

Other quotable gems:

“There’s an article saying [Kanye West] summoned a 14^th century philosopher for Yeezus. I mean … as long as you acknowledge the power of magic. If Kanye West acknowledges the power of magic, I’ll ease up on him”

“I also find the blackest Black man in existence to be Bobby Caldwell, the man who wrote ‘What You Won’t Do For Love.’” (Note: Bobby Caldwell is white.)

“People can laugh all they want … I bow before Sonic the Hedgehog. Of course there’s silver. Of course there’s Allah, Buddah, Hinduism, Judaism, and all that. But the fact is, in modern science you have the Big Bang Theory, and that Big Bang Theory is from a man named Albert Einstein, whose initials are A. E. And the overall term of it is ‘aliens exist’.”

Many people will read this and laugh at Hamilton’s craziness. It’s tempting, because what he says is so outlandish. However, there’s a deeper underlying issue here about mental health, especially as it concerns the Black community who, by and large, condemn that path.

This video led me to question what kind of mental health support is available for young artists entering hip-hop. Hamilton was barely out of his teens when things started to blow up for him. So many artists see music as their way out and a means of release, but there is no one to guide them through the journey. Hence we have stories like that of Chris Brown, whose downward spiral has been swift and ugly. One of the telling things Hamilton said in the beginning of the interview was, “Know who you are before you get in this game. And if you — Know who you are and what you’re willing to sacrifice before you get in this game.”

Hamilton claims that “nothing has changed” in terms of who he is. However, what kind of mental toll has maintaining his public identity had on him? He said, “I’m not Mr. Sunshine. Jimmy Iovine wanted me to be a happier version of myself. Where we disagreed creatively is, I’m lying to my listener if I give them positive messages, cause I don’t see anything positive. Like, I’m not.” When you’re asked to be something you’re not and you feel the need to defend your truth, I can only imagine that you have to lose bits of your sanity in trying to fight for your identity, while still trying to become famous, especially when you’re as young as Hamilton was, and in some ways, still is.

Now, this could all be a means to get a buzz for some new work he’s released, but my gut tells me no. Judging by the sometimes faraway look in his eyes and the overall body language, I would say that this is someone who has been worn down by a system more concerned with his product than his well-being.

Shona Carter-Brooks was dressed in the picturesque storybook gown of her dreams for her special day last weekend. To complete the picture, sat her 1-month-old daughter on the train of the dress and walk down the aisle to marry her husband, Johnathan Brooks at Elam Baptist Church in Ripley, TN.

Not long after the footage went viral, a flurry of commenters voiced their disgust in the act, which some outlets dubbed, “Another Wedding WTF,” writing:

“That poor child born to 2 supreme idiots.”

“Lol, if she wanted to include the baby, why not just carry the child and hold her during the ceremony?”

“They’re doing too much,” said another.

So far, there have been no reports of injury to the couple’s young daughter.
Carter-Brooks is standing firm in her actions, writing the following message via Facebook on Friday:

“FB family & friends we are outstanding! See we not weary in well doing, for in due season this too shall pass!
We rejoicing for we’re too driven to be drowned, victorious to be defeated, and content for God is able! We love you all for your support, love, and encouraging words.”

No doubt the child will have many well-documented memories of her parents’ wedding in years to come!

Photo via Facebook

Paying attention in Spanish class might have earned you more than being able to get around that one time you went to Mexico. According to a new study from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, people who are bilingual are more likely to be mentally alert in old age.

Based on tests of 853 English speakers in the U.K., the new findings suggest that those who are conversant in a second language helped to slow the decline of thinking skills as they aged.

The study examined the standardized intelligence tests of a group who were first examined at 11-years old and re-administered the exams at the age of 73. The study participants had been tested throughout their lives on various physical and mental functions including reasoning, memory, fitness and eyesight.

Researchers found that those who spoke two or more languages displayed significantly better thinking skills than what was predicted for them based on their child IQ tests. Results showed that there was even a marked cognitive improvement in those who learned another language in adulthood. Languages are said to be more difficult to learn and retain when not learned at an early age.

“These findings are of considerable practical relevance. Millions of people around the world acquire their second language in later life,” said study researcher Thomas Bak, from the Center for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology. “Our study shows that bilingualism, even when acquired in adulthood, may provide a small benefit to the aging brain.”

So if you don’t know any other languages yet, there’s still time! Take a class, get that Rosetta Stone, or start talking to your neighbor down the hall who knows a different language. It could make a difference in your mental fitness later.

In a historic city council vote on Monday, Seattle, Washington will raise the minimum wage to $15. Going into effect April 1, 2015, Seattle currently has the nation’s highest minimum wage at $9.32, well above the federal minimum of $7.25.

City officials estimate that about a quarter of workers earn less than $15 an hour. At that rate, full time work translates to about $31,000 a year.

Businesses employing more than 500 workers would be required to pay the increase by 2017, or 2018 if health care is offered. Smaller businesses would have five to seven years to implement the change. Included in the ordinance is a lower training wage for teenagers, a rate unspecified, for the first 90 days on the job.

Trade groups representing corporate franchises plan to sue to overturn the unanimous vote, citing the increase will put small business owners at a disadvantage. The higher wage would increase personnel cost for budding entrepreneurs.

Critics of the new ordinance believe businesses will be forced to lay off workers due to increasing costs. The use of technology in fast food restaurants are already prevalent and growing, such as pay kiosks and self checkout lines at grocery stores. The pay between skilled and unskilled employees will no longer differ either, causing concern for education and trade requirements and certifications.

Meanwhile, other states have passed or are considering proposals to adopt a $10.10 minimum wage. Most recently, Michigan raised its minimum wage to $9.25.

Photo credit: Seattle.gov

At the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled new features for the iPhone, iPad and Mac computer systems.

Some of the most noteworthy new features for the iPhone include:

- Interactive notifications, where a user can respond to messages without leaving another app.

- The option to leave a group chat or mute the conversation with a new “Do Not Disturb” option

- A “quick type” feature offering predictive typing suggestions. For example, if you start typing, “Do you want to go to,” the phone will suggest “dinner” or “movie” as the next word. Currently, the suggestions are limited to spelling corrections.

- A “digital wallet” feature that will allow payment processing from your iPhone.

- A “HomeKit” where a user can control their garage doors, thermostats and other home systems.

- Fingerprint security system available on the iPhone 5s would now be available for outside parties and apps.

- “AirDrop”, where the iPhone and Mac can share files directly with each other.

- Built- in health management tool to help track vital signs, sleeping habits and diet.

- A double tap feature to list frequent contacts.

- “Handoff” feature, where a user can start an email on the iPhone, but finish it on the Mac.

Additional features for the Mac include:

- The storing and syncing of files of any type, not just those compatible with iCloud, similar to the file sharing host, Dropbox. iCloud storage will also be expanded.

-  Ability to search the computer and Internet for files and data at once.

- Share songs, movies and books to other users directly to other Apple devices.

- More privacy controls for Mac’s Safari Internet browser.

The free updates will be available this fall. Are you excited for the new features?

Photo credit: Getty

Yesterday, while Twitter-surfing, I saw something that I assumed was a hilarious Photoshop effort. It was a picture of Donald Sterling sitting in the front pew of LA’s Praises of Zion Missionary Baptist Church looking comfortably smug, while the Black church people around him were pleased as punch to have him in their presence. Insert confusion. Why would he be welcomed through the doors of such an important institution in the Black community, knowing all that he has done, recently and historically? But then I saw the news report, and befuddlement quickly escalated to absolute disgust.

After watching the clip, I quickly returned to Twitter to catch the discussion about Sterling’s actions, and my disgust quickly changed into disappointment. Just like the young lady in the video, many people stated that Sterling deserved forgiveness, that it’s a Christians job to turn the other cheek, and some people even invoked John 8:7 (he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone). Although I’m not an overly religious person myself, I do understand the principles of Christianity. But the ridiculousness of the Black people in that church exemplifies why our community will NEVER truly get the respect we want and deserve.

Forgiveness should be extended to someone who is truly sorry for what they have done. Donald Sterling says he is sorry for making comments that enraged our community, his players, his staff and basketball fans everywhere, yet he has NOT paid the $2.5 million fine levied against him by the NBA, and he just launched a $1 billion lawsuit against the league. Those are not the actions of a man who is truly sorry for causing Black folks pain – those are the actions of a litigious man attempting to circumvent punishment.

In 2009 – before Donald Sterling made the offensive comments which revealed all of his deep-seeded hate – the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP gave him a civil rights award for donating money to minority charities. Why? Because Sterling had just faced two major lawsuits alleging that he was practicing housing discrimination against Black and brown people in the apartments he owned. Also in 2009, Sterling was facing a major PR crisis because former L.A. Clippers General Manager, Elgin Baylor, filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Sterling. Except for the Baylor suit – which was ultimately dismissed – Sterling settled these cases out of court, which requires NO admission of guilt or statement of apology. So why would a man who has enacted racist policies against Blacks all of a sudden start donating money to charities to get awards from the NAACP? Because he realized that we’ll sell our souls for sums that are nothing more than a speeding ticket to him.

When it comes to our values, Black folks are cheap. The NAACP got hand outs from Sterling and that was enough to celebrate him as if he’s some kind of hero. Now, it is the church who is acting as his discounted Public Relations firm, spreading “the good word” about his changed heart to other ignorant Black folks. I don’t know how much he put in their collection plate, but I can bet you it wasn’t just the sum of the contents in his pockets.

If you believe that being a Christian means that you should hold no hate in your heart for men like Donald Sterling, that’s fine, but that does not mean you are called on to be a willing participant in his insincere affinity for Black folks.

Photo credit: WSH

LAB

Lincoln Anthony Blades blogs daily on his site ThisIsYourConscience.com, he’s an author of the book “You’re Not A Victim, You’re A Volunteer” and a weekly contributor for UPTOWN Magazine. He can be reached via Twitter @lincolnablades and on Facebook at This Is Your Conscience.

Automakers reported a surge in U.S. sales in May, the best in seven years. And automaker Nissan set a sales record for the month.

General Motors Co., Chrysler Group, and the Toyota Motor Corp exceeded analysts’ expectations, as did Ford Motor Co. Despite a lengthy, snowy winter that hindered new car sales in January and February, the U.S. auto industry forecast the third straight month of strong auto sales.

GM had its best monthly auto sales since August 2008, despite having recalled almost 13.8 million vehicles in the U.S. Chrysler sales increased 17 percent in May, as Toyota increased 12.6 percent. The Ford Fusion and Escape had the best monthly sales ever. Even electric car sales gained momentum, although overall sales remain small.

[Image: Shutterstock]

To pay for these vehicles, buyers are borrowing more than ever. The average amount financed for a new vehicle loan grew to $27,612, over 66 months. The average monthly payment is $474, according to an Experian Automotive report.

[Image: FotograFFF/Shutterstock]

After being sentenced to a life ban from the NBA and a forced sale of his LA Clippers team, Donald Sterling is in trouble again. Maiko Maya King, Sterling’s former aide, is suing the embattled 80 year old for sexual harassment, who ultimately fired her for protesting.

In a Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit filed on Monday, June 2, King claims Sterling made sexual demands, and withheld wages upon refusal. In the lawsuit, King also accuses Sterling of spewing racist comments about her former husband, who is black, and their children.

According to the lawsuit, Sterling expressed his disdain for Blacks saying, “Black people do not take care of their children. All they do is sit at home and smoke dope.”

An attorney representing Sterling, Bobby Samini, denies the allegations. “Anyone objectively reviewing Ms. King’s claims will have no doubt that they are without merit,” he tells the LA Times.

But who exactly is Maiko Maya King? For starters, she and Sterling allegedly were lovers between 2005-2011, which coincides with some of the time he was involved with V. Stiviano. She is being represented by power attorney Gloria Allred, who is known for women’s rights and discrimination work.

It appears that Sterling has a ‘type’ when it comes to mistresses – King is racially ambiguous but definitely falls into the category of non-white.  Her early childhood was spent in Japan. She’s on Twitter under the name Maiko Maya.

She is artistically inclined.  She’s both a poet and painter and owns Harvelle’s jazz club in Long Beach. Maiko Maya also serves as the CEO of Circle of Charities LLC.

And Donald Sterling thought going to church this past Sunday would be sufficient atonement for his sins.

Photo credit: Twitter/Maiko Maya

“One time [Beyoncé] jumped off of a ledge and came running over cause she thought me and [Jay Z] had issues. And I’m like, ‘What the f-ck? Did she really just jump and run up on me like that?’

We was at the Cosmopolitan [hotel]. She jumped out and was like this, ‘What?! That Bonnie and Clyde forreal! You try this or what, boy?! I’m here!’ She bugged out at me. I looked and Jay starts laughing. He’s like, ‘Yo, you know what it is.’ I said, ‘Oh sh-t! What the f-ck y’all got going on, man?’ Bey jumped down off of that joint like, ‘What?! Wassup?!’ Matter of fact, Floyd [Mayweather] was there. We were in the Cosmopolitan in Vegas and I was bringing him to say wassup to Jay because Jay don’t really like him.”

– If you, like many others, thought Beyoncé was a punk after watching the elevator video of her just standing emotionless while her sister Solange went H.A.M. on her husband Jay Z, 50 Cent is proving you wrong. In an interview with “The Breakfast Club” this week, 50 Cent recounts when Beyoncé ran up on him, proving she doesn’t just sing about that life, but is about that life.

Rihanna’s nipples made headlines this morning after making an appearance on the 2014 CFDA Awards red carpet Monday night.  Her Adam Selman gown bejeweled with 230,000 Swarovski crystals created the illusion of a nude silhouette.  But the gown’s intricate workmanship was totally upstaged by the twins.

It’s not like this is the first time we’ve seen a bit of nip. But just over the last three days alone, nipple baring has been at an all time high. Beyonce, Nicki Minaj are getting in on the trend.  And of course there’s no ignoring Meagan Good, Kylie Jenner, Stacey Dash and all the ones that have nipple flaunted without fear.  It’s looking like nipples are the new black so to get you used to the notion, here is what you can expect more of this summer.

In keeping with the nipple-baring theme, Beyonce shared her idea of morning glory Tuesday AM.

Three’s a trend? Fannie Schiavonni’s sheer crop top would have revealed all but Nicki Minaj must not have wanted to get kicked off of IG or banned from Hot 97′s Summer Jam stage this past weekend because she covered them up with silver star pasties.

Rushing to LAX last month, Kim Kardashian experienced what happens when an unlined black blouse meets a camera flash: pretty much a full reveal.

Kendall Jenner walks the Fall 2014 Marc Jacobs show at NYFW.

At 2013′s I Heart Radio Awards, Miley Cyrus went the black pastie route underneath a white fishnet dress.

Meagan Good’s goods were the talk of the red carpet at the BET Awards last year.

Stacey Dash – pre-Fox News of course – wears a canary yellow Anthony L. Williams mini during an episode of Single Ladies in 2011.

Photo credits: Getty; Beyonce/Tumblr; Nicki Minaj/Instagram; INF; Style.com; iheart.com; BET Awards; VH1.

Police have arrested one of the men responsible for the attack on V. Stiviano, the woman at the forefront of the Donald Sterling scandal.

Dominick Diorio, 40, was taken into custody from his Long Island, NY home and charged with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment among other charges for punching Stiviano outside the Gansevoort Hotel in New York on Sunday. Diorio confessed to Police that he took part in the assault against Stiviano that left her face bruised and swollen, as seen in pictures released to the media by her attorney Mac Nehoray.

The attack started Sunday when one of the men in the group attempted to take a picture of Stiviano as she was leaving the restaurant but Stiviano knocked the phone from his hand. The men and a female companion followed Stiviano around the corner and attacked her as she attempted to get into a cab. One of the men spat at her while another punched her in the face and called her a “F* nigger b*”. Her attorneys Nehoray and Alaleh Kamran say that the same man punched Stiviano in the face and yelled ‘I am going to slaughter you’.

New York Police Department Detective Brian Sessa told Reuters that the investigation is ongoing. The other assailants in the group have not been taken into custody for questioning.

Donald Sterling’s ex-girlfriend V. Stiviano has been in the media lately after conversations of Sterling asking her not to bring minorities to Clippers games or associate with Magic Johnson were leaked to TMZ.com. Sterling has sued the NBA for $1 billion for damages and to reverse their decisions to ban him for life and force him to sell his ownership of the Clippers. Recently, Sterling’s ex-wife Shelly Sterling agreed to sell her stake in the team for $2 billion to former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.

Earlier this week, Maiko Maya King another ex-girlfriend of Sterling slapped him with a lawsuit alleging that he demanded sexual favors while she was providing caretaking services. Attorney Bobby Samini, who is representing Donald Sterling, called the accusations “completely baseless.”

Last night many celebrities with big wallets came together in support of Gucci’s Chime for Change Event. The charity event, hosted by Gucci creative director, Frida Giannini took place last night in New York City at the Gucci Fifth Avenue location.

Everyone was draped in Gucci, including Beyonce, who was stunningly simple  in  an all white jumpsuit, light makeup, and loose curls. She was accompanied by her younger sister, Solange, who wore white pants and a flowing bright orange top and spent a portion of the night holding down the DJ booth.

Chime for Change is a global initiative that aims to bring education, health, and justice to all women around the world. Beyonce – who is also one of the org’s cofounders – pledged a hefty $500,000 to the charity last night in support of its efforts. Other celebs in attendance were Blake Lively, James Franco, and Hill Harper.

Credit: Instagram/Chime For Change; Beyonce

Whether it’s on-screen or on the red carpet, actress Thandie Newton simply has that je ne sais qoui. On her Hollywood agenda for the year is Starz airing the film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s novel Half of a Yellow Sun, which also stars Anika Noni Rose and Chiwetel Ejiofor. And Newton will reprise her role of FBI agent Grace on the second season of Direct TV’s “Rouge.” There has also been anticipation for the development of a Jimi Hendrix biopic called Jimi, which will be produced by Newton’s husband Ol Parker and will star her and Anthony Mackie in the title role.

The mother, wife, and humanitarian is also the co-founder of a beauty website, along with makeup artist Kay Montano, called ThandieKay, which conveys the message of diversity in beauty.

Newton handles everything on her plate with sophistication and poise, and her style reflects that. This summer, let this week’s Star Style, Thandie Newton, show you how to incorporate chic sophistication into your wardrobe or attitude.

Uber is the preferred ride of choice for many people these days. It’s cheap, fast, and convenient. Plus, passengers feel important as their “personal driver” pulls up and takes them to their destination with ease. Well, you may want to think twice after reading this.

A 26-year-old woman in West Hollywood used the trusted Uber service, but never made it home after a night of bar-hopping in Los Angeles. Her driver was “off-duty” and drove her to his destination of choice, a motel 17 miles outside of Los Angeles. The driver, Frederick Dencer, picked up the woman outside of popular nightclub, Greystone Manor, but he did not use the detailed app that provides drivers with drop-off addresses. LAPD officials say the victim was too intoxicated to tell the driver her home address and he took advantage of that by taking her to a motel. The next morning, the victim fled to a nearby 7-Eleven to make a 6 a.m. phone call to police. Dencer has since been arrested for kidnapping for the purpose of sexual assault and the investigation is ongoing.

While this trendy  car service seems to be trustworthy, its drivers may have other motives. Be sure to use the official app so that pick-up and drop-off locations are well-documented. Also, make sure your driver is “on-duty.” Uber has not released a statement.

Video released by the Taliban shows the controversial swap of American detainee Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl being released in exchange for Taliban detainees. The video shows armed Taliban men looking on with a rocket propelled grenade launcher while American forces arrive in a chopper to make the swap.

Two Taliban men lead five year detainee Sgt. Bergdahl to the Black Hawk chopper where he is handed over to the United States. The exchange is made quickly and the chopper containing Bergdahl is seen flying away without incident.

The 17-minute video warns United States officials not to come back to Afghanistan and is being investigated by the Pentagon. Spokesman for the Pentagon Rear Adm. John Kirby said they have every reason to believe the footage is real.

An United State defense official said Bergdahl has been taken to a U.S. Army medical center in Germany, where he will remain until medical officials release him from medical treatment. After that, he will be transported to a San Antonio military base, the official said.

President Obama came under fire for agreeing to swap Sgt. Bergdahl in exchange for the release of five prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Government officials noted that the Obama administration failed to notify Congress of the deal 30 days in advance, as required by law.

Bergdahl’s health raised concerns after the Taliban released videos to the United States for verification that the soldier was still alive. In the video, the soldier appeared much smaller than in previous photos, leading officials to worry about his health and safety.

Obama defended his position saying, “The United States has always had a pretty sacred rule — and that is, we don’t leave our men or women in uniform behind.” At least six soldiers are said to have been killed in the search for the missing soldier before the switch.

Justin Bieber has done a fair share of apologizing in the past and it looks like the list of those he offends continues to get longer. As if the Bieber camp doesn’t already have enough cleaning up to do, the young pop star is now under fire for using racial slurs again. British tabloid The Sun is reporting a video that shows Bieber allegedly singing about killing a n****r and joining the scorned organization, the Ku Klux Klan. Now, it is one thing to make a racist “joke” (not that a joke is excusable), but to sing about murder and joining an organization that is notoriously known for its hatred, mass lynchings, and injustice towards people of color is taking it way, way too far.

Bieber apologized Sunday for another video that surfaced showing him making a racist joke, where he also used the derogatory n-word. In a Twitter statement, he says that the video was a mistake that had gone public. He writes, “I didn’t understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt,” but surely, even as a Canadian, he knows the power, violence, and hate associated with the KKK. Right? What will the apology be this time?

Since the recent apology, many fans have supported him and some even rushed to his defense. Bieber has some of the most loyal fans, ever, but will Beliebers continue to stand by him now that the true man-child is surfacing and his scandals seem to be on the rise?

One thing is for sure, though. Bieber really has a problem of using the n-word, and understanding the painful past in America of the racial group whose culture he’s made money appropriating.

TVOne announced that the cast of “R&B Divas: LA,” minus familiar faces Kelly Price and Dawn Robinson of EnVogue fame, are back for season three on July 16. The spin-off of “R&B Divas: Atlanta” promises to bring another dose of music and drama, according to the newly released press release and trailer.

Cast members Chanté Moore, Lil’ Mo, Claudette Ortiz, and Michel’le will be joined by two new divas Chrisette Michelle and Leela James. According to the trailer, everything seems to be going well during a concert for the Puerto Rico tourism board, until Lil’ Mo interjects that she should have pushed a cast member off the stage. And that’s just the beginning …

The network press release said the 10-episode season will revolve around a series of personal issues, such as divorce and struggles with suicide, while the women fight to rise and stay on the R&B charts. In another segment of the season three trailer, some of the divas go hiking, but end up getting into an argument before James yells, “You always wanna call Dr. Phil or Iyanla.”

While I’ll admit the series seems to focus less on the music and more on the drama, it’s great to see some of the industry’s talented female R&B singers from the ’80s and ’90s back on stage and singing their faces off — when they’re not fighting.

Catch the sneak peek below ahead of the July 16th premiere.

Employees at an industrial Memphis, Tennessee cotton gin filed a formal discrimination complaint against their former supervisor after he was caught on tape making racist remarks and creating a segregated environment in the workplace. The two African-American employees of Atkinson Cotton Warehouse, Untonia Harris and Marrio Mangrum, are speaking out after cell phone audio recorded at their workplace revealed their supervisor acted more like a cotton plantation overseer than a leader.

Harris and Mangum allege that they were called “monkeys,” denied use of the microwave because they were not white, and subjected to months of demeaning comments reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. Harris used his cellphone to record the supervisor’s comments to support his federal discrimination complaint. Harris and Mangrum said these types of comments were common during their workday and went on for months. Harris said he was tired of the comments and decided to record the audio as proof of the discrimination they faced on a day to day basis.

In an audio clip the supervisor, who has not been identified, is heard telling Harris that he could not use a water fountain. Harris then asks, “What they do when they catch me drinking your water?” The supervisor goes on to say, “That’s when we hang you.”

[Main image: Shutterstock]

In another clip, the supervisor defends his decisions by linking his actions to the past. “Back then, nobody thought anything about it,” he said. “Now everybody is made to where to think it’s bad.”

The two employees have filed a complaint with The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and it is being investigated. Attorneys familiar with the case told ABC News that most likely the Atkinson Cotton Warehouse will have to settle the case with the employees.

The management company that runs the warehouse, Federal Compress, said in a statement it has “zero tolerance” for discrimination and that the supervisor was no longer employed with the company.

Listen to the audio in the video below.

By Nikita Frenney

A cell phone rings. Peter Thomas answers immediately, as if he has been anticipating this call all day.

“2.1 million at 8pm, and a combined 3.4 million for both 8 and 10pm,” he says into his iPhone. “That’s good shit.”

On the other end is a producer for the wildly popular reality television show where Thomas has become a bit of a dichotomy. Real Housewives of Atlanta fans either love him or flat out love to hate on him. This phone conversation is all about the ratings for the hour long Husbands Revealed show that aired two days previously on Bravo – a special that was born out of Thomas’ cache of creative ideas.

“I told you it could work. Now you see our voices matter. People wanted to hear what we thought and what we had to say,” he says into the phone, but also to the people gathered near him.

It’s early afternoon in Atlanta, and Thomas has two meetings scheduled simultaneously at barOne, his popular tapas lounge: one for this interview; the other with the team of realtors, financiers, accountants and lawyers he has assembled in his efforts to purchase the building that currently houses barOne. Before either of the scheduled meetings can begin, in comes this phone call that takes him slightly off task.

Even as he juggles the day’s chaotic schedule and shuffles between meetings, fans of RHOA and tourists stream through the parking lot of barOne hoping to catch a glimpse of Thomas, his wife, Cynthia Bailey, or any of their fellow cast members who just might happen to be in the building.

Thomas is still on his phone call when a mother and son walk in the door. The son is on summer break from college and is looking for a job. Thomas puts his call on hold, asks the young job hopeful a few questions and tells him to come back an hour later to meet with the barOne manager. In less than 5 minutes, Thomas decides he’s going to hire the young man if his manager agrees.

“I like this kid. He’s in college. He was mannerable. He came in with his mom,” he says. “If he works out, great. If he doesn’t, at least I gave him a chance.”

After about 30 minutes, his call ends with the RHOA producer. It’s time to start the business meeting regarding the purchase of the building. Yet the building’s owners, nor their representatives have arrived. Thomas makes a call, the person on the other end says the owners’ representative is en route.

“See, this is that bullshit. They’re not coming,” Thomas says. “They don’t want me to have this building. They want to play games. In the end though, barOne will survive whether it’s in this space or another.”

For more than 9 months, Thomas and the owners of the building have been in a battle over the space. Thomas claims he has been paying rent on time since signing the lease, and that the building’s owners have not been paying the mortgage. Thomas has made an offer to purchase the building, which is nearing foreclosure, but the owners have not been cooperative. And as he suspected, they never show up for today’s meeting.

But Thomas can’t allow this setback to stop his hustle.

“When Cynthia and I joined the show, viewers all watched me lose Uptown. People acted like I lost it because I am somehow a bad businessman. Uptown (Lounge) closed due to the recession. I wasn’t immune from that shit. No one was,” Thomas says. “Banks closed. Department stores went under. Real institutions, like General Motors, were about to shut their doors. But remember, they got bailout money. Who bailed the black businessman out? Nobody. Bailout money went to white CEOs.”

But with the support of his wife, Thomas conceptualized, designed and built barOne lounge, and has plans to build more. He admits that RHOA has not only helped the brand grow, but has made the husbands on the show as recognizable as their wives.

“This last season of the show, the husbands were very vocal and very visible, and there is no doubt we helped to contribute to the enormous success of this season ok?” he says. “We were as important to the show as our wives this season.”

Thomas, who regularly tweets and engages the shows fans during every episode, gained nearly 60,000 new Twitter followers during this sixth season of RHOA, evidence that he is quickly becoming the favorite husband.

“What sense does it make for me to be on the show and simply be quiet?” he says. “It makes no sense for any of the men to just sit back and not open our mouths. If the women on the show don’t want me to say shit, they shouldn’t have the conversations in my presence.”

He continues, “Yes, this show is called the Real Housewives of Atlanta. But they can’t be wives and their reality wouldn’t be real without their husbands.”

It was the husbands’ popularity that prompted Thomas to lobby for an appearance by the men of RHOA on Watch What Happens: Live (WWHL), the nightly talk show series hosted by Bravo producer and former head of development Andy Cohen. WWHL is the only live show in late night television, and features an array of guests that include everyone from Bravo personalities to the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga. During a trip to New York with Bailey, who was appearing on WWHL, Thomas approached Cohen about his idea.

“I asked Andy why is it that he comes on five times a week and he never has the husbands on? We have a lot to say and we contribute greatly to the show,” Thomas said.  “Andy said he thought it was a good idea and four weeks later he booked us.”

It was the first time husbands from any of the Housewives shows appeared on WWHL without their wives, and the ratings were quite impressive. About 1.9 million people tuned in to hear what Thomas, Nene Leakes’ husband Gregg, Phaedra Parks’ husband Apollo Nida, and Todd Tucker, Kandi Burruss’ new husband had to say.  The success of this appearance led to the full one-hour Husbands Revealed special.

It’s rare that American television viewers are treated to a primetime special featuring married African-American men having intelligent conversation about something other than sports, a feat Thomas is quite proud of.

“When does something like this ever happen? Never.” Thomas says. “So if people want to call me a bitch for creating this opportunity and giving America the chance to see four black men talking about our marriages, how to make them work and supporting each other through our own shit, then they really don’t get the big picture.”

And the “big picture” for Thomas includes using the enormous platform of RHOA to make even bigger moves. For Thomas, opening up his life to 4 million viewers has not been easy, but he is determined to make sure it’s not in vain.

Thomas continues, “Being black men on reality TV isn’t an easy task to manage. But I feel like our responsibility as black men on this show is to project a more positive image for young black men. We aren’t perfect, but for the most part we certainly are not being as foolish as some of the other black men on reality TV.”

His intention is not to knock anyone else’s hustle, but Thomas says some of the images being portrayed on other reality shows do nothing positive to tear down the pervasively negative stereotypes of the African-American community.

“We are not Love and Hip Hop, ok? We are not on that bullshit,” he says. “Good for them. I’m really cool with some of those guys. But I take my responsibility much more seriously and it’s not to project that foolishness that they have going on.”

For the most part, RHOA does tend to feature a relatively positive display of black marriages. And the husbands’ popularity is on the rise with the men being as recognizable as the women on the show. Thomas is bombarded daily with requests for pictures and pleas for him to follow the accounts of fans on Twitter and Instagram.

On a recent one-day business trip to the Bahamas, Thomas took more than 200 pictures with fans from all over the world. The same thing happened in Thomas’ native home of Jamaica earlier this year.

“It’s evident that the show goes beyond the borders of the US,” he says. “People come to barOne from Europe, from Africa to check us out. I’ve been told ‘Oh my God I watch this show in Istanbul. We love you in London.’”

Yet, Thomas can’t help but wonder why the major endorsement deals and advertising campaigns for the RHOA cast aren’t rolling in.

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta is the number one show on Bravo, not just in the Housewives franchise. I need people to understand what that means,” Thomas says emphatically. “No other show on the network does our numbers. Not one. This ensemble cast of black people is number one on a very popular network, but not one of our wives’ faces are on a billboard advertising the show.”

Thomas says he was in Los Angeles recently and saw billboards for reality shows that don’t generate the high ratings of RHOA.

“Why doesn’t our show get the same exposure,” he says. “I asked that question to a Bravo executive and I was told it’s because they don’t need to advertise for us. We get the numbers anyway. But imagine if they did. And let’s not get it twisted, if this all black cast was doing as poorly in the ratings as some of the other shows on the network, we’d be fired and the show would be cancelled.”

While Thomas is excited about how well the show is doing, and the opportunities that exist because of it, he wants everyone to know he and his wife were making successful business moves before reality TV, together and independently of each other.

“Peter Thomas was Peter Thomas before the Real Housewives of Atlanta,” he says rather matter of fact. “Reality TV didn’t make Cynthia Bailey or Peter Thomas like some of the other people on our show. We were doing big shit before this.”

It’s pretty common knowledge that Bailey has been a model for more than 25 years. The Essence magazine covers, and editorials in Vogue, Elle, Glamour and Vanity Fair; the Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s spreads made her famous the world over. Many may not have known her name. But the face? People knew the face.

Thomas didn’t have the same instant recognition, and the biggest misconception about him is that his wife made him recognizable and relevant. According to Peter, nothing could be further from the truth. “I’ve been in the game for years,” Thomas says. “I am certainly not new to the entertainment industry and people in the industry knew me well before my wife became a Real Housewife.”

Thomas’ history in the entertainment industry isn’t well documented in writing. You can’t simply Google him and find out much more than his involvement on the reality show. But there is definitely an oral history that is fascinating and spans more than 30 years of making some major moves behind the scenes at Def Jam and The Source Awards.

It was Thomas, who in 1996, founded the How Can I Be Down? (HCIBD) entertainment conference, which remains the largest urban conference of its kind to date. HCIBD was created to provide industry insiders and those interested in pursuing entertainment careers a venue to network, connect and create business opportunities in the urban entertainment and lifestyle industry. At its height, HCIBD registered nearly 10,000 participants, and attracted the likes of Def Jam founder Russell Simmons, then-Uptown Records Executive Andre Harrell, and up-and-coming music mogul Sean “Puffy” Combs, as well as other hip hop impresarios and high power players.

“I created How Can I Be Down simply to change the hip hop game, ok?” Thomas says. It’s obvious now that this conference was his baby. He’s become much more animated and hyped as he reminisces. “My goal was to teach these kids, many of whom were lyrical geniuses, that they needed to own their material.”

He continues, “You can’t be truly passionate about something if you don’t own it. I was determined to get them to understand that the lyrics coming out of their mouths are coming from their souls. I needed them to own that, own their work and never sell the publishing to anyone. Most of the people in this business don’t know a damn thing about publishing. Michael Jackson owns the Beatles publishing. That was a smart move. His estate will never go broke because of it.”

Thomas served as a consulting executive for Def Jam and managed the label’s efforts in Europe for a few years. In 2000, Thomas was the executive producer of The Source Hip Hop Awards. Currently, he serves as Vice President of Entertainment for Uptown Ventures Group. But creating lifestyle entertainment venues is his first love.

In 1985, he opened his first lounge Club Manhattan, in Miami, followed by several other successful venues. Some credit Thomas with bringing African-Americans to South Beach and making it a destination spot for this demographic. His ultimate goal now is to build 25 barOne Tapas Lounges across the country, building off the success of the first barOne in Atlanta.

“My community needs an upscale place to have a drink, to socialize and to have intelligent conversation centered around quality lifestyle entertainment,” Thomas said. “There’s nothing like that out here for us.”

Thomas plans to open his upscale sports bar, SportsOne, in Charlotte, North Carolina before the end of summer. He partnered with former NFL quarterback Kordell Stewart, the ex-husband of fellow RHOA cast member Porsha Williams, on this venture.

In the meantime, Thomas remains on the grind and is looking forward to expanding his brand to not only include growing the barOne franchise and possibly doing a spin-off that follows the barOne expansion, but also by launching his Peter’s Brew coffee venture.

“Coffee is the number two commodity is the world behind oil and there are not many people of color in the business who are roasting their own beans and packaging their own coffee products,” Thomas said. “It’s a lucrative business and one that can make a lot of money. We’ve done a very small soft launch online and sales of the Jamaican Rum flavored coffee have been steady. A much larger launch is coming and people are going to be quite impressed with the brand.”

Peter Thomas has always had an acute ability to recognize a good opportunity and to spin that into something successful. He’s nobody’s bitch. He’s a businessman with plans to take the Peter Thomas brand to the next level. He says there is a lot more to come.

“Ninety-nine percent of the people who have been on a reality show have absolutely nothing once the show is over or their no longer on it,” Thomas says. “Peter Thomas and Cynthia Bailey are doing exactly what we were doing before this reality show and will be doing the same thing after, only bigger because we have bigger numbers and bigger ambitions.”