Here’s all the news you need to know:
Joe Jackson is spending his final days in a hospital with terminal cancer. According to reports, the 89-year-old patriarch planned to return to his home in Vegas but that may not be possible. Sources say that several members of the Jackson family, including Katherine and his children. Joe Jackson’s Twitter account recently broke the silence regarding his illness, saying, “I have seen more sunsets than I have left to see. The sun rises when the time comes and whether you like it or not the sun sets when the time comes.” (TMZ)
Lee Daniels is facing a $5 million lawsuit from Damon Dash over an unpaid debt and unmade Richard Pryor biopic. Dash confronted Daniels for $2 million during a Diana Ross show at the Hollywood Bowl last week and issued another lawsuit on Tuesday (June 26). In a video posted to Dash’s Instagram, Daniels can be heard admitting “I was wrong.” (Twitter)
The Grammys is expanding the number of nominations from five to eight in the record, song, and album of the year and best new artist categories, says Recording Academy president Neil Portnow. “This creates more opportunities for a wider-range of recognition in these important categories and gives more flexibility to our voters when having to make the often challenging decisions about representing excellence and the best in music for the year,” he says. The changes, which were ratified at a Trustees’ meeting in May, will take effect immediately. (Billboard)
A JetBlue flight heading from JFK airport in New York to Los Angeles was suspected of being involved in a hijacking on Tuesday (June 26). Police stormed the plane to investigate after a radio glitch impacted “the crew’s ability to communicate and a false alarm was sent to JFK tower.” Passengers reported that guns were aimed at them and many were traumatized by the incident. (People)
A 15-year-old Black boy and his group of friends were verbally and physically attacked by a racist white woman at a neighborhood pool. In a video of the assault, Stephanie Sebby-Strempel can be seen yelling, using racial slurs and threatening to call the police. Deputies showed up to her house later to charge and arrest her. She faces one count of third-degree assault and two counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer. (The Root)
Rashida Jones and Donald Glover have teamed up for a PSA in support of the Time’s Up movement. Narrated by Glover, the vid is an animation that defines sexual harassment, lists the do’s and don’ts of workplace behavior in a simple way, and captures the feelings of those that “suffer day to day with these nuances and microaggressions, which we may not have the language to defend ourselves against.” (Buzzfeed)
Amber Rose has launched a line of luxury vape pens with Kandypens. The designed the rose gold-colored pen which includes a champagne-hued leather case with gold trim, an upgraded mouthpiece and more. (VIBE)