We’ll get back to Amanda Seales story but here is some other Monday tea first. Via Pulse of Radio Prep:
Dame Dash has addressed claims that he slapped Harvey Weinstein. According to Complex, Cam’ron said on the Diplomats’ new track, “Once Upon a Time,” “No disrespecting the ladies word from my team/That’s the reason Dame smacked Harvey Weinstein/On the set of Paid in Full y’all gave him hell about it/Some foul s***t happened once Capo tell ’em ’bout it…”
When asked by TMZ if the slapping actually took place, Dame said, “I could say that somebody definitely got smacked on the set of Paid in Full. I’ve never really liked the way Harvey treated my culture. I didn’t like the way he talked to people. I ain’t like the way he was treating my film. I’ve owned clubs with him, and a lot of things that were being alleged, everyone knew what was going on.”
Here’s the video of his full response and how he’s changed today.
Ciara performs for ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration:
LL Cool J has become the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honor. According to Rap-Up, the rapper celebrated the induction during the State Department Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Saturday (December 2nd). LL reflected on the feat via Instagram and wrote:
“I believe that we are built to do anything we put our minds and proper actions to. You have all the tools inside you that are required for you to fulfill your GOD given purpose…This one is for those who came before me and those who followed me. We were sent to this planet to love and inspire one another. Manifest our dreams and make them a reality. I hope you’re inspired by me because I’m absolutely Inspired by you. Mic check 1212 Let’s ride!!”
LL was one of five honorees at the 40 Annual Kennedy Center Honors. Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan, Norman Lear and Carmen de Lavallade were honored as well.
Insecure actress, Amanda Seales, has spoken out about the sexual assault allegations made against Russell Simmons. Seales recalled an encounter with Simmons on Instagram where she had a business meeting with him and he asked her, “Umm, have we ever f**ked?” She replied, “No.” Simmons then responded, “Oh right, cuz I would have remembered that right?” Seales added, “You know how hard it was for me to say that? And he didn’t even assault me and I didn’t wanna say that. That’s how the game is f**** up. That’s how the game is f***** up.”
She captioned the post, “PSA: For anyone who says, ‘Why’d they wait so long?’ You wait because as a woman raised in a patriarchal, ‘Bros before h*es’, sexist, ‘but what were you wearing’ society you understand power dynamics and that even when there are witnesses to any level of sexual harassment/assault it will always be you who is questioned for incurring the offense. You wait because you know your vision is bigger than their indiscretion and refuse to let it derail you from your goals. You wait because you don’t even want to acknowledge the f**kery for longer than you have to when you know the odds are there will be no consequences, you’ll be dismissed, or worse defiled yet again and would rather get on with the positive things in your life. You wait because, especially when it’s a black man of prestige, you are conditioned to not speak defamatory truths for fear it will undermine their contributions to the community. Lastly, you wait, because you don’t even wanna believe it ya d*mn self. No matter how seemingly benign or intrusive, no one wants to endure this, particularly in professional settings. Yet, so many of us have so many of these stories and we come to operate like a clandestine anti-#creeplifes coalition of alerting others to, ‘watch out for so and so.’ Let that be no more. It is not okay. It is not the culture. It is not your fault. Expose them.”
No response from him yet.
TMZ drops dime that the judge has denied Meek Mill’s request for bail.
According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Judge Genece Brinkley says Meek is a “flight risk” and “a danger to the community.” In denying him bail, she also questioned the validity of his clean drug tests … suggesting he might have used something called “Fast Flush” to cleanse his system. Meek’s lawyer asked for bail pending an appeal on his 2 to 4 year prison sentence for a probation violation, tied to an2008 conviction on drugs and weapons charges. His lawyer says the judge continues her long pattern of unfair treatment” of Meek … and vows they will appeal.
(Photo credit: screen shot HBO Insecure)