Fashion

Joe Biden’s Cabinet Picks Send a Clear Message: The Adults Are Back in Charge

The initial cabinet appointments by president-elect Joe Biden show a commitment to both experience and diversity….

Homeland Security is another department that saw almost unprecedented turmoil under President Trump, with five different directors under his watch, only two of whom were Senate-confirmed. (Earlier this year, the General Accounting Office found that Chad Wolf, the latest acting secretary of DHS, was not legally qualified to hold his job.)

As The Washington Post noted earlier this year, “The White House has run the department as an instrument of policy and politics, appointing openly partisan figures to its top leadership ranks, where they serve in acting roles without the slightest pretense of a formal nomination.” Tom Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor who served as the department’s first secretary under President George W. Bush, told the Post, “The president has perverted the mission of DHS.”

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who is also Cuban American, called Mayorkas a “smart and natural pick” to lead the DHS. “He has the subject matter experience to take on the enormous job of cleaning up after the disastrous and inhuman immigration policies that have torn lives and families apart under the Trump administration,” Menendez said in a statement.

Biden’s pick to be ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, could not be more different than the woman she will replace if confirmed, Kelly Craft. Craft, a longtime Republican with close ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell but with no diplomatic experience, had a brief and somewhat bumpy run as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Canada before being named as the replacement for Nikki Haley in 2019. (Trump’s original choice to replace Haley was said to be Heather Nauert, a former Fox News anchor.)

In contrast, Thomas-Greenfield is a three-decade veteran of the State Department who served as ambassador to Liberia, director general of the foreign service, and top diplomat for Africa before leaving the State Department during the early months of the Trump administration. Although Thomas-Greenfield, 68, will not be the first Black woman to be the country’s ambassador to the U.N. (Susan Rice holds that distinction) nor the first African American in that position (Andrew Young held the job during President Jimmy Carter’s administration), she is a pioneer nonetheless.

When she joined the State Department 35 years ago, she was one of the very few Black women to do so and one who came from a less-than-privileged background. In his formal announcement on Tuesday, president-elect Biden called her a “ground-breaking diplomat … who never forgot where she came from, segregated Louisiana” and noted that she was the first in her family to go to college. (Thomas-Greenfield is a graduate of LSU, attending that college in the 1970s, as part of the first wave of African American students accepted by that previously all-white school. Among her fellow students was David Duke.) In a TEDx talk last year, Thomas-Greenfield described her upbringing in the “Deep South … in a segregated town in which the KKK regularly would come on weekends and burn a cross in somebody’s yard.”

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Artist Spotlight

Adin Ross Blindsided by Kanye West’s Controversial Gift, A Swastika Shirt With His Name

Adin Ross is a well known streamer in the hip-hop community, famous for showcasing some of the biggest artists in the genre. He has hosted viral interviews and has helped amplify the work of music giants like Drake, earning a reputation as a connector between artists and their fans. However, things took a shocking turn with Kanye West, and the relationship may be irreparable. In the past, Ross has expressed his admiration for West and even tried to collaborate with him on his stream. Recently, West made a bizarre attempt to reach out to Ross by gifting him a custom t-shirt with a Swastika and Ross’s name. This left Ross, who is Jewish, feeling horrified and betrayed.

The awkward moment unfolded during a FaceTime call that Ross recorded and shared with his followers. What started as a friendly chat quickly turned shocking when West unveiled the offensive t-shirt. Ross was visibly stunned, exclaiming, “What the f*ck?!” as he processed what he had just seen. He paused the video and turned to his audience to express his disbelief. “He has a shirt with a Swastika with my name on it,” he said, clearly disappointed and in shock. His viewers reacted with outrage and support for Ross, flooding the chat with their messages.

Throughout the call, Ross tried to keep his cool and handled the situation carefully. He later explained that some fans might have expected him to confront West more aggressively, but he felt the entire situation was just too absurd. “I know y’all are gonna say I didn’t stand up to him,” he noted, emphasizing that his calm reaction didn’t mean he supported West’s actions. This incident is just another episode in Kanye West’s ongoing controversies, but for Adin Ross, it feels like a personal betrayal.

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Artist Spotlight

Jim Jones Goes Savage On Ma$e’s Weight By Saying “He Looks Really Rough”

Jim Jones, the Harlem rapper known for speaking his mind, has recently taken shots at fellow rapper Ma$e in an interview with XXL magazine. Jones didn’t hold back when discussing Ma$e’s appearance, specifically targeting his weight. “Ma$e needs to go on a diet,” Jones said straightforwardly. “He needs to get his life together. He should see a doctor for a check up because he looks really rough.”

Jones was just getting started and didn’t shy away from making more harsh comments. “His body looks out of shape,” he added. “He looks big around the neck and his waist is a mess. I’m body shaming him because he needs to get it together and hit the treadmill, do some push ups, do something! Especially if he’s going to mess with me.” The two rappers have a complicated history with some past disagreements in the Harlem music scene. While Ma$e has mostly been quiet about the recent drama, Jones seems unbothered and is willing to take things personal. As of now, Ma$e has not responded to Jones’ strong remarks.