“Fake news.” — Roc Nation shut down speculation that Jay-Z has a finished new album, saying no such project currently exists despite renewed fan buzz.

Learn Black History: Skip the shallow media loops and watch BFA Originals live on YouTube.

Good morning, BFA Fam! Houston activist Gerry Monroe turned a routine Harris County meeting into comedy gold when he politely checked the rules before unloading on an official. The real payoff? A masked officer nearby visibly fighting for his life not to laugh. The whole thing lasts 13 seconds and yes, you need to watch it.

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MAIN STORY

🔥 Black Families Keep Hearing “Accident” and “Suicide.” They’re Not Buying It.

⚡ THE SPARK

Tasia Fortune was 29, a mother of four, and was found hanging from a tree behind a vacant house in Jackson, Mississippi. Her death has not been ruled a suicide or homicide; an autopsy is pending. But her mother is adamant: she does not believe Tasia did this to herself.

And Tasia is not the only Black family asking whether an early explanation came too quickly. In several recent cases, relatives have challenged police assumptions and pushed investigations forward themselves.

🧠 THE LAYER BELOW

The unsettling pattern is not proof that every disputed death was murder. It is that some Black families no longer trust the first answer enough to stop asking questions.

Nolan Wells made that distrust impossible to ignore. The 18-year-old was found dead after a July Fourth trip to Mississippi’s Horn Island. Authorities initially said foul play was not suspected, while an independent autopsy later listed his cause of death as undetermined. His family kept pushing for outside scrutiny.
Daniel Erving’s case shows why “accident” may not end the questions. His autopsy concluded he accidentally drowned, yet two teens were charged with evidence tampering after authorities alleged evidence was discarded following his death. His family kept demanding accountability.
Tyler Smith’s family is asking similar questions. Police said the 18-year-old died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; his relatives publicly disputed that conclusion, saying he showed no signs of being suicidal.

For Black Americans, history makes institutional trust complicated. A hanging in Mississippi does not arrive as a neutral image. But skepticism and proof are not the same thing.

🎯 THE REAL QUESTION

What would law enforcement have to do differently for grieving Black families to trust the first investigation?

🔮 WHAT’S NEXT

Tasia Fortune’s family is still waiting for an autopsy and definitive answers. The responsible response is neither to declare her death a suicide nor to call it a lynching without evidence.

But the larger question survives whatever investigators find.

When families believe they must commission autopsies, hire attorneys, mobilize strangers online and fight for deeper investigation, the issue becomes bigger than one death. It becomes whether the institutions tasked with delivering answers still possess enough public trust for those answers to be believed.

Justice requires evidence. Trust requires earning.

CAST YOUR VOTE

40% of you voted “People stop paying attention” in last week’s poll: What could hurt the Nolan Wells case most?

“Nolan is one of too many . Lets get more attention for ALL of them until we have the power to stop the savages or get far away from them”
“More than paying less attention, if people stop applying steady pressure by dropping off from the conversation on social media, stepping away from the discussion, that may hurt the Nolan Wells case by subjecting it to a longer time for everyone involved to be brought to justice that played a role in taking the life of Nolan Wells. This is why the presence of independent media is crucial in our times, especially Black-owned media experienced in the laws governing the media, the First Amendment, and the injustice against Black citizens. Not to take away from other independent media sources, but they have the challenge of avoiding the risk of losing viewers and patronage if they comment anything close to seeking justice for the family of Nolan Wells. I base this assumption on the stories of non-Black cultures and whites who were disowned by family and friends for not participating in the known patterns of racism. Legacy media is constricted by protocol and guidelines that can only go so far when it comes to addressing the injustice in the case of Nolan Wells.”
“It’s Racism plain and simple. People try to brush it aside but, Mississippi is still Mississippi. Look at what happened in 1964 to James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner. That wasn’t that long ago, those people who killed those young men had children and the cycle continues. It’s very horrible that this continues unchecked. ”
“The more people question, the more information is gained, possibly leading to the correct answer to what happened to Nolan Wells.”

Got thoughts? Don’t just vote and disappear. After you answer the poll, drop your real opinion in the “Additional Feedback” box on the next screen. We’ll anonymously feature some of the best responses in the community so your voice can actually be part of the conversation.

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THE FLIP SIDE

😱 OnlyFans Model Gets 6 Years After Killing Black Boyfriend She Called the N-Word. Courtney Clenney pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter for fatally stabbing her boyfriend, Christian Obumseli, and will serve six years in prison, with roughly four already credited. The deal is likely to fuel another uncomfortable conversation about how unevenly America’s justice system can operate across race and gender. Clenney, who is white, was previously heard on recordings repeatedly calling Obumseli, who was Black, the N-word during their volatile relationship. She originally faced second-degree murder and potentially decades behind bars. Now she could be free in roughly two years, and her plea deal does not even prevent her from potentially profiting from the story through future books, films or media deals. (Court TV)

🤸🏾Fred Richard Makes History as Second Black Man to Win U.S. Gymnastics All-Around Title. Fred Richard is proving that bringing personality to men’s gymnastics does not mean sacrificing dominance. The 22-year-old became just the second Black gymnast to win the U.S. men’s all-around championship, cruising past the field with six polished routines. Richard has built a growing brand around making gymnastics feel younger, funnier and more accessible, but he says winning is what gives that mission credibility. He is even challenging the sport’s traditions, accepting scoring deductions for wearing his preferred uniform instead of standard stirrup pants. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics approaching, Richard is positioning himself to be both a champion and the new face of American men’s gymnastics. (Ottumwa Courier)

💉 Trump Signs Order to Space Out Childhood Vaccines Despite Medical Opposition. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday calling for major changes to how childhood vaccines are administered, including separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three individual shots and spacing immunizations across separate visits. Trump has also continued suggesting vaccines could be connected to autism, despite decades of research finding no causal link. Medical organizations warn delaying doses could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases between appointments. Even Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician, publicly criticized the move. States, however, still control vaccination requirements for students attending school. (AP News)

🌱 Invest Fest and Atlanta Mayor Make Peace After Public Feud Over City Support. Invest Fest’s future in Atlanta suddenly looks a lot less shaky. Just weeks after Earn Your Leisure founders Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings publicly questioned whether the city was doing enough to support the massive Black business festival, Mayor Andre Dickens joined them onstage and openly discussed 2027. The clash had raised a bigger question about whether cities truly value Black-led events that bring in tens of thousands of attendees, entrepreneurs and vendors. Now both sides are talking partnership instead of departure. For a festival built around Black ownership and economic power, Atlanta may have realized letting Invest Fest walk would be a costly mistake. (The Grio)

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Run Hide Fight: Infidels | Official Trailer

After major studios effectively shut Jonathan Majors out following his 2023 conviction, his comeback is taking an unexpected route. Majors now stars in The Daily Wire’s controversial action film Run Hide Fight: Infidels, arriving September 16. Once positioned as one of Hollywood’s biggest rising stars, Majors is rebuilding outside the mainstream system that once made him a centerpiece.

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Found Hanging. Ruled Suicide? 😳