Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader and Former Presidential Candidate, Dies at 84
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the influential civil rights leader who championed a โrainbow coalitionโ of marginalized Americans, died on Tuesday, aged 84, at his home in Chicago. Rising to national importance after the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he became the most prominent Black political figure in the years before Barack Obamaโs election. Jackson ran for president twice, paving the way for greater Black political participation. His legacy endures as a bridge between the civil rights era and modern Black political leadership. Public observances will be held in Chicago.
J. Cole Charts Another No. 1 Album with ‘The Fall-Off’
J. Cole earned his seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as The Fall-Off debuted atop the Feb. 21 chart with 280,000 equivalent album units, marking the biggest week for a hip-hop or R&B release in nearly a year. Following the albumโs success, J. Cole announced his upcoming worldwide The Fall-Off Tour in support of the project. Presale tickets for North America began Tuesday, with general sales kicking off Friday.
Boardroom Celebrates NBA All-Star Weekend with Annual Brunch
On Saturday, Boardroom co-founders Rich Kleiman and Kevin Durant, along with Boardroom strategic advisor Taylor Rooks, hosted their annual NBA All-Star Weekend Brunch at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. The brunch, which featured partners Bacardi, eBay, and Lexus as well as a DJ set by Chase B, brought together a high-powered mix of influential leaders across sports, music, entertainment, and business. VIP guests included Karlie Kloss, Michael Rubin, Serge Ibaka, Jayden Daniels, Davante Adams, Victoria Monรฉt, Big Sean, Ronnie Fieg, Lauren London, and more. The event was followed by an intimate dinner for friends and family hosted by Durant and Kleiman in partnership with Chase.
Warner Bros. Reiginites Paramount Discussions, Prefers Netflix Deal
Warner Bros. Discovery has agreed to reopen negotiations with Paramount Skydance after the studio sweetened its takeover bid, setting up renewed competition with Netflix, which remains the boardโs preferred buyer. Netflix has given Warner Bros. seven days to review Paramountโs revised proposal, which now includes an offer of at least $31 per share. Warner Bros. continues to recommend that shareholders approve its existing $72 billion deal to sell its studios and HBO Max streaming business to Netflix for $27.75 per share. Paramountโs higher, all-cash $77.9 billion bid, backed by Larry Ellison, would acquire the entire company, including cable networks like CNN and TNT, ahead of a scheduled shareholder vote on March 20.
GQ Finds Will Welch Successor to Lead Global Editorial Direction
Adam Baidawi has been named Global Editorial Director of GQ, succeeding Will Welch, who is departing to work with Pharrell Williams in Paris. Baidawi previously served as Deputy Global Editorial Director and Head of Editorial Content at British GQ, and became the youngest-ever Editor-in-Chief of a GQ edition when he ran GQ Middle East in 2018 at age 28. He will oversee GQโs global operations as well as Pitchfork, with his first print issue set for September 2026.ย
John Tesh Files Trademark for ‘NBA on NBC’ Theme ‘Roundball Rock’ย
On Sunday, John Tesh performed his iconic NBA on NBC theme โRoundball Rockโ live inside a sports venue for the first time ever ahead of the NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome. As nostalgia around the anthem grows, Tesh is looking to capitalize on its popularity by securing its intellectual property rights. Through his company FX Tesh, he filed a trademark application for โRoundball Rockโ covering merch such as apparel, collectibles, and music-related products. His spokesperson called the filing a preliminary step in exploring the songโs broader commercial potential.
Snap Experiments With Paid Subscriptions for Creators
The company behind Snapchat is testing a new โCreator Subscriptionsโ feature that allows select creators to earn recurring income directly from their most engaged fans. CNBC reports that Snap Inc. is rolling out the pilot as it seeks to diversify revenue beyond advertising. Creators will be able to set monthly prices between $4.99 and $19.99 and will receive about 60% of subscription revenue after platform fees. Snap will also provide performance data to help creators refine pricing as the feature expands beyond its initial test phase.
Colman Domingo to Be Honored With Presidentโs Award at NAACP Image Awards
Colman Domingo will receive the honorary Presidentโs Award at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, recognizing his special achievement and public service. He previously earned two Image Awards for his performances in Rustin and The Color Purple, and is nominated again this year for supporting actor and directing for the Netflix series The Four Seasons. The ceremony will take place Feb. 28 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and air live on BET and CBS. Viola Davis will also be honored with the Chairmanโs Award.
Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano Set For Netflix’s First Live MMA Broadcast
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey will return to MMA for the first time in nearly a decade to face fellow trailblazer Gina Carano on May 16 at Intuit Dome. The fight will headline the first professional MMA event promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, founded by Jake Paul, and will stream live globally on Netflix, marking the platformโs first live MMA broadcast. The bout will be contested at 145 pounds under the Unified Rules of MMA in a five-round fight inside a hexagon cage, with additional fights to be announced.
Tiger Woods Leaves Door Open for 2026 Masters Return
Golf GOAT Tiger Woods did not rule out playing in the 2026 Masters Tournament, coyly replying โnoโ when asked if he would exclude the possibility ahead of the Genesis Invitational, where he serves as host. The 15-time major champion said he is โtryingโ to return but acknowledged challenges following a lumbar disc replacement surgery in October 2025 after previously having a fused back. The procedure came while he was already rehabbing from a torn Achilles that sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. Woods has not competed since The Open Championship in 2024, a year in which he played just five events and missed multiple major cuts.
‘Wuthering Heights’ Tops ‘GOAT’ at Holiday Weekend Box Office
Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, topped the Valentineโs Day/Presidentโs Day weekend at the box office with a four-day domestic count of $37.5 million and $45.5 million overseas, giving it an $83 million global launch. Including Mondayโs international earnings, the worldwide total rises to $88.5 million, slightly above initial estimates. It held a comfortable lead over GOAT, which earned an estimated $35 million domestically and $15.6 million worldwide, marking the biggest start for an original animated studio release since Elemental (2023).
Image: Bettmannย /ย Contributor / Getty Images
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