Team SOH
New York rapper Nas loves the Big Apple. God’s Son went to Instagram Thursday night to share a grip of epic concert moments hanging out alongside R&B icon Mary J. Blige, radio veteran Angie Martinez and his brother Jungle.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Mary J. Blige Puts Second New Jersey House Up for Sale
Mary J. Blige put her costly marriage drama in the rearview mirror with her tabloid-tracked 2018 divorce from former husband/manager Kendu Isaacs, whom she’s publicly called a “con-artist,” but the nine-time Grammy winning hip-hop legend and two-time Oscar nominee for the 2017 film “Mudbound” still has some multimillion dollar real estate matters to sort out, not to mention, allegedly, more than a million dollars in back taxes to pay. As was spotted by our celebrity property gossip pals at Realtor.com, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has hung a $2.25 million price tag on a contemporary residence in Cresskill, N.J., after she put a larger, more opulent mansion in Saddle River, N.J. up for sale at $6.8 million, nearly half the $12.3 million she paid in 2008.
The recipient of a BET Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year, and currently crisscrossing the country with Nas on the Royalty Tour, the “No More Drama” singer isn’t seeking much profit on the property she scooped up 18 years ago for $1.95 million. Listed with Sharon Kurtz of Prominent Properties Sotheby’s Int’l Realty, the cedar and stone clad contemporary sits at the head of a black-topped circular drive on just over an acre of private grounds with six bedrooms and 8 full and 2 half bathrooms in more than 7,000 sq. ft. over three floors.
There are no photographs of the inside of the residence included with online listings and the few images of the exterior suggest it could use a wee bit of TLC. Ringed by giant arborvitae trees, a massive deck off the main floor living spaces could benefit from a bit of a gussy up and the free-form swimming pool looks empty but for an algae-green puddle of water. A few of the more appealing amenities pointed out in marketing materials include three fireplaces, a gym, a security system, guest quarters and a master suite with two bathrooms.
Although priced to turn a small profit, at least two prominent previous residents of leafy and affluent Cresskill have sold homes over the last few years at notable losses. Late Fox News honcho Roger Ailesbought a fairly unassuming, four-bedroom ranch-style home in 2000 for $1.85 million that was sold in 2017 for just shy of $1.55 million. And, earlier this year, Tracy Morgan unloaded his former Cresskill spread for $1.2 million, a staggering $1 million under the $2.2 million he paid for the place in 2011.
Air Jordan 12 "Game Royal" Rivals The "Flu Game" In New In-Hand Photos
These are set to come out at the end of September.
While it may not be the most popular model in the Jordan library, there is no denying the influence of the Air Jordan 12 thanks to the "Flu Game" colorway. It's a shoe that marks one of the most spectacular performances of Michael Jordan's career and people have been been fiending the shoe ever since. There have been a few rereleases of the shoe over the years and every single time it comes out, fans get extremely excited about the chance to cop. Well, Jordan Brand is coming through this year with a new variation on the "Flu Game" model, this time swapping out red for blue.
This version of the shoe is being called "Game Royal" and thanks to @zsneakerheadz, we have a side by side look at how this colorway stacks up to the "Flu Game." Overall, it's a solid homage to one of the more interesting Air Jordan models out there and will surely look great on-feet once these are dropped to the general public. If you're a big fan of the color blue and love AJ12s, then you shouldn't hesitate to scoop these up.
The rumored release date for this shoe is Saturday, September 28th with a price of $190 USD. Stay tuned for updates as we will be sure to bring them to you.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
23 Year Old Black Chef Releases Seasoning Line Called ‘Chef Gone Mad’
Writer: Jana Graber
Chef Derek Robinson Jr. is no stranger to culinary arts, long before he earned his title, he grew up watching his mother, Karen Robinson-a professionally trained chef-cooking in their New Orleans East kitchen.My mom was a trained chef, so I grew up watching her put a spin on traditional New Orleans dishes, like her seafood etoufee, she seasoned it with her own blend of seasonings. My mom didn’t use Season All or Tony’s, her food was authentic and you could taste it.”
Back then, it seemed like Derek was destined to follow in his mothers footsteps, but he had other plans in mind. After graduating high school, Derek attended Nunez Community College where he initially majored in general studies.
“I didn’t decide I wanted to be a chef until after my first semester of college, I was going for general studies, but the same chef my mom graduated under spoke to me, which inspired me to major in the arts, I switched from general studies to culinary arts”.
From that day on, Derek has made huge strides in the culinary industry, but he’s not your ordinary up and coming chef. Early on, Derek decided that climbing the culinary career ladder just wasn’t for him. Derek embarked on the entrepreneurial journey soon after graduating with his culinary arts degree, and hasn’t looked back since.
Derek is the sole owner of Chef Gone Mad LLC, where he’s carved out a niche for himself. Derek has branded himself as a private chef, catering to people who want a luxury dining experience in the privacy of their own homes.
“When I cook for people I try to wow them with every bite, I want my people to taste every single flavor in every single bite.”
But you don’t have to hire Derek’s private chef services to get the unique blend of flavors he offers with his culinary skills. Derek has cultivated his own line of seasoning blends that encompasses the intense flavor profiles he puts into every dish he hand prepares.
In August 2015, Derek introduced a line of specialty seasonings that compliment his impeccable cooking style. Chef Gone Mad seasoning blends includes a salt free seasoning for chicken and fish, a salt free smoked garlic and herb seasoning perfect for vegetable dishes, and a Cajun Nola seasoning.
“My seasoning blends don’t just enhance the flavor of your food but it adds the essence of New Orleans to every bite.”
“I did my own line of seasonings because I wanted to start something where I could make money when I’m finished cooking, this is basically my retirement for myself. This is a product that will sell forever”.
Derek has mastered the art of the hustle in his industry at 23 years old, and looks up to chefs who’ve come before him and done the same.
“I look up to Chef Fito, he’s in DC, I like the way he grinds, he has the best chefs on his team, and they’re all young. I’m motivated by people that are motivated, seeing the motivation within their team makes me want to go harder and create a team like that. They hustle.“
Chef Derek has been inspired, but he has also been an inspiration to young chefs looking to advance their careers, his advice for those who come after him is simple.
“Go hard, take something from every chef you run across, good or bad, and don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. Keep going hard, make people believe it, that’s what I’ve done. “
And for Chef Derek, this is only the beginning.
Chef Gone Mad Seasonings are available for sale at www.bookmadchef.net
Canon announces 32-megapixel 90D DSLR and mirrorless M6 Mark II
The same new sensor in very different bodies
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Canon has announced two new enthusiast-grade cameras that are similar in capability but very different in form. Whether you’d get along better with the EOS 90D or the EOS M6 Mark II will entirely depend on your feelings about the never-ending DSLR-versus-mirrorless debate.B
Bothcameras have a new 32.5-megapixel APS-C image sensor, a DIGIC 8 image processor, an electronic shutter capable of speeds up to 1/16000, uncropped 4K/30 video recording, dual-pixel autofocus in live view with 5,481 selectable points, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and USB-C. But the 90D looks like every other mid-range Canon DSLR, while the M6 Mark II’s compact form is essentially unchanged from the original M6 from 2017.
There are a few differences in performance. The M6 Mark II is capable of shooting 14 frames per second with AF and AE tracking, for example, while the 90D goes up to 10 fps. That’s an increase from 7 fps on 2016’s 80D, however, and a lot of sports photographers would prefer the traditional DSLR-style optical viewfinder and 45-cross-type-point AF system over the extra frames.
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Otherwise, the biggest difference is price. Both cameras will be available next month, but the 90D will cost $1,199 body-only versus $849.99 for the M6 Mark II. There are lens kits available for each, and while most 90D buyers will probably have a bunch of Canon lenses already, the M6 Mark II bundles are particularly worth looking at: $1,099 gets you the 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 zoom lens along with the useful EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder accessory, while the $1,349 kit swaps out that lens for an 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3.
Canon is also announcing two L-class lenses today for its new EOS R full-frame mirrorless system. The RF 15-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM is a fast ultrawide-to-wide zoom, while the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM is a standard zoom with a classic speed and focal length. Both lenses will ship next month for $2,299, and Canon pledges to complete its pro zoom “trinity” with a 70-200mm f/2.8 by the end of the year.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Former Racine drug dealer earns doctorate from Howard University
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the 1990s, Anton House was a teenager selling drugs in Racine. This spring, House, 39, earned his doctorate in United States history from Howard University, a historically black university in Washington.
House hopes that his journey can serve as an example for young black boys and girls from Racine, and in the nation’s capital, where he works as a mentor, tutor and homework coordinator at the South East Tennis and Learning Center.
“I was able to utilize my mind to take me someplace, and that’s what I try to impress on a lot of the boys and girls who come from, not only from Racine, but some of the lower socioeconomic communities that I work in,” House said. “Your mind can take you as far as you fill it.”
He tells the young people he knows to fill their minds with information through studying and reading.
At 13, House started selling drugs and began carrying a gun. He was sent to a juvenile detention center at 15 and dropped out of Case High School at 16. House went to prison for the first time at age 18, and was there again in 2001.
While in prison, House read “The Destruction of Black Civilization” by Chancellor Williams; after that he decided to fill his own mind with information. He obtained his high school equivalency diploma while in prison. The Journal Times first told House’s story just after he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in history.
From there, House moved to Washington and obtained a master’s degree from Howard. He earned his doctorate this spring with a dissertation titled “Toward a Black Economy: William Washington Browne and His Vision of Black Self Reliance, 1881- 1897.”
The right choices
House believes that sometimes kids, much like himself a few decades ago, end up on the wrong path simply because they’re doing the same things that everyone around them is doing.
Meanwhile, they don’t have someone with whom they can identify to redirect them and help them make the right choices.
“Unfortunately, when I was growing up we had so many people that were doing the wrong thing and the mind state was, ‘lock these kids up,’ not ‘how do we help these kids?’ ” House said. “They don’t need jail; they need something to challenge them mentally because that’s learned behavior.”
House believes that inherent and systemic racism are rampant in Racine and thinks the media plays a part in that.
When people learn that he’s from Wisconsin, they talk about cheese and cows. He alerts them that Wisconsin has the highest incarceration rate for black males in the nation.
Ed Schmitt, associate professor of history at Parkside, has kept in touch with House via Facebook and email since House was his student. House called Parkside a place of “diversity and inclusion.”
Schmitt said that knowing House’s background, he’s amazed at his former student’s accomplishments, but on the other hand he’s not surprised given how motivated House was when he was a student at Parkside.
“You could tell that he felt like what we were learning in history classes, especially in my African-American history class, that it really mattered in the present,” Schmitt said. “And he just was really passionate about kind of learning all that he could.”
And it seems that House still feels that way.
“In finding my family’s history, I found my place in the world,” House said.
House’s paternal ancestors came to Virginia in 1790 as slaves and were part of the largest mass migration in the history of the nation, the Trail of Sorrow, when Africans and African American slaves were forced to walk from the Upper South to the Deep South. Their owner settled in Louisiana, and then his ancestors were sent to Mississippi.
His grandfather was born in Mississippi in 1921 and moved to Wisconsin in 1951 to take advantage of the industrial labor jobs in southeast Wisconsin. But most of those jobs were gone by the time House was old enough to look for work.
Future plans
House is far more than just an academic.
He worked for the campaign of Marion Christopher Barry (son of the former mayor) when he ran for Washington City Council in 2015 and also was part of a committee that was instrumental in the passage of legislation in Maryland in 2018 that added felony offenses involving theft, drug trafficking and burglary to the list of convictions eligible for expungement.
After House was released from prison, he had a difficult time finding a job due to felonies on his record.
“It’s like, if America’s the home of second chances, how are we stigmatizing a felony on a lot of these young men who mainly only did what they saw?” House asked.
Going forward, House is looking for a tenure track position at a university and plans to continue working for social justice. House is married and has two sons. Although he doesn’t get back to Racine as much as he’d like, House considers everyone here his family.
“The whole Racine is my family, from the north side to the south side, mid-town, Sixth Street, they’re all my family members,” House said.
He advises young black boys and girls in the community to attend a historically black college or university to gain a better understanding of culture, history, race and identity.
“They don’t need jail. They need something to challenge them mentally because that’s learned behavior.” Anton House, doctor of U.S. history
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