Black Immigrant Daily News

A University of the West Indies Faculty of Law student has received the coveted Shen Yeng scholarship sponsored by rising hip-hop artist Shenseea.

In a post on Wednesday, Monifa Peterson shared that the scholarship comes at a point where she is trying to finish her law degree, having started six years ago. On Instagram, the vivacious 25-year-old spoke about struggling with tuition fees and being surprised after she was chosen for the award, which was announced this year by Shenseea.

“While I’m here fighting the fight of a lifetime to finish a Degree I started in 2016, I would just like to take the time out to express my gratitude to the one and Only @shenseea for giving me the Push of a Lifetime. I went from being Talked down on for having to use Student loans to finance my Education to Getting FULL TUITION FUNDING from @shenseea,” the young woman wrote.

She continued that she has been an avid supporter of Shenseea, who herself comes from humble beginnings and often shares her stories about how she rose from poverty to now living her dream.

“Quite like Shen at a point, I myself had my dreams feel like they were being crushed by circumstances beyond my control. I trusted God and worked until I was able to pay off what I owed my university. But that was only a PART of the mountain,” she said.

Monifa Peterson

“Then, after passing the hurdle of the balance right before another wave of stress @shenseea gave me the support I always wished I had but fought without,” she said.

Peterson says she hopes to use the support received from the ‘Alpha’ artist to help herself and also pay it forward when the time comes.

In the meantime, Romeich Entertainment CEO Romeich Major, who organized the scholarship on behalf of Shenseea, also complimented the artist for keeping her promise to support a student.

“When good do we affi show it just like she promise she will be helping to pay some one tuition and she did @shenseea big big move this!!! Life changer for a hard working lady @moni_divine all best hun big up team #shenyeng nuff good come out a we Jamaican artist them a nuff a them a do greatness a just media run with bad more than Good!!!” Major wrote on Instagram.

Shenseea hasn’t publicly reacted to the announcement as yet. The artist who was featured on Billboard’s Honda Stage this year has always been candid about her past struggles and how she appreciates education.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

A Jamaican judge has bemoaned the ongoing criminal case for Livingston Cain who was charged for allegedly offering bribe to a juror in Vybz Kartel’s high-profile murder case eight years ago.

The case came up for hearing on Tuesday, where parish Court Judge Maxine Ellis remarked that the case had been prolonged in the court.

It is alleged that the juror, Livingston Cain offered a monetary inducement to a fellow juror to give a vote in favor of freeing the incarcerated deejay. According to police, while the trial was taking place in 2014, Cain was eventually hit with a charge of perverting the course of justice in relation to his offer of $500,000 to a female juror for a not-guilty verdict in the trial.

At the time, dancehall artistes Vybz Kartel, his protégé Shawn Campbell, associates Kahiro Jones and Andre St John, were convicted for Clive “Lizard” Williams’s murder, which police say occured in 2011.

Judge Ellis, however, said the matter has been in court for too long and said she wanted to see the matter end in the new year.

“I would prefer finishing this matter in this calendar year so I don’t have to make another anniversary. I have now set the matter for summation. All things being equal, this matter is going to be completed on December 13,” Ellis said.

In the meantime, King’s Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson who formerly represented Vybz Kartel during his trial at first instance, also said that her client was innocent and pointed out that the Crown’s case was weak and should have been thrown out.

According to the senior attorney, the female juror who reported Cain reportedly had a recording of a conversation she claimed was evidence of him offering the bribe, but the recording was not clear.

The defense counsel added that the so-called evidence in the case hinged on what the woman was alleging, but the evidence was not enough outside of her interpreting it for the court.

“There was a conversation and she interprets it by saying, ‘So you want me to influence them fi leggo di man dem and den we talk? Mi nuh understand da piece deh’. All of this is coming from her. Based on the recording that was not clear, she went back to Mr Cain and renewed the conversation. She said ‘what is in it for me, Mr Cain? Weh you ago get $500,000 from and you always say you nuh have no money?’, all of what would amount to corroboration,” said King’s Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson as quoted by the Observer.

The attorney also brought up the issue of the juror’s phone, which according to the lawyer, is not available for a forensic audit to verify whether her claims are credible.

The matter will come up again for mention on December 13.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Jhené Aiko and Big Sean announced on Friday that Aiko recently gave birth, and they revealed their baby boy’s name.

In a post shared on Instagram, Aiko shared that she gave birth on November 8 to her second child and Big Sean’s first child, Noah Hasani. “After 24 hours of labor, a total lunar eclipse, and while it was pouring rain…he came,” she wrote with the emotional face emoji. “my baby Yoda, my Sani,” she added on her Instagram.

Jhené Aiko also shared several images, presumably before she gave birth. One photo showed her in a hospital bed with her eyes closed and legs crisscrossed as if meditating. In others, she also shared one of Big Sean taking a nap as he waited on their son’s arrival.

Big Sean also shared the same caption on his Instagram but a different set of photos, including one where his son’s tiny hand grasps his index finger. He also shared another photo of him holding the infant with his shirt off while the baby is swaddled in the hospital blanket, no doubt bonding in skin-to-skin contact.

Among those who congratulated the couple was producer Hitboy, rapper T.I, singer John Legend, 2Chainz, DJ Khaled, and many others.

The news about Jhené Aiko’s pregnancy first came in June when a woman claimed that she had seen a pregnant Aiko in the grocery store.

The “Chilombo” artist and her longtime partner only confirmed the pregnancy in late summer after they were spotted out for a stroll.

Last month, while performing at a joint event with his partner, Big Sean revealed that they were preparing to welcome a baby boy but did not share when the child was expected.

Hasani is Jhené Aiko’s second child, as she has a daughter Namiko Love Browner who is 13 years old. This is Big Sean’s first child, and he is ecstatic to be a father.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 18, 2022: Caribbean immigrant entrepreneur and Florida resident, Felicia J. Persaud, is now a quarter finalist in the 2022 FabOver40 competition.

The Guyana-born founder of ICN, which owns the brands, CaribPR Wire, News Americas, Hard Beat Communications and Invest Caribbean, is now in the run for the semi-finals of the contest which focuses on women over 40.

Voting for the semi-final round begins on Nov. 21st at 10 AM PST and the semi-finalists will be announced on Dec. 1st.

Vote to keep Felicia in the contest now at https://votefab40.com/2022/felicia-persaud and make her this year’s winner.

The top competitors from each Quarter-finals group will be divided into Semi-finals groups. Votes will be reset, and public voting will determine the top Semifinalist from each group who will then advance to the Finals. Finals begin December 9th and end December 15th. Votes will be reset, and public voting will determine which Finalist will be the winner of the 2022 Fab Over 40 Competition and the “Grand Prize Winner” on December 15, 2022.

Persaud says she is incredibly grateful for all those who have voted for her this far and look forward to their support now, which is critical to helping her stay in and win the contest for all of the Caribbean and Guyana.

Asked how she stays FabOver40, Persaud said she “works out, eats clean and is on a path of mindfulness and positivity. Her advice to her younger self? “Focus more on loving you and less on looking for love in all the wrong places.”

The winner of this year’s FabOver40 competition will receive a 2-page feature in NewBeauty Magazine, an unforgettable spa-cation in Scottsdale, Arizona, and $40,000.

Persaud says should she win, she will use some of the winnings to name a scholarship in honor of late friend and colleague, News Americas Now photographer Hayden Roger Celestin, who passed away after a stroke on Dec. 14, 2019.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The brother of R&B sensation B. Smyth confirmed on Thursday that the artist passed away after a brief period of illness. On Instagram, B. Smyth’s older brother Denzil shared the devastating news that the singer, who was just 28 years old, had died.

According to Denzil in a video shared on the artist’s official Instagram page, the artist had been battling a lung condition for a while now.

“I have some sad sad news. Today my brother earlier this morning he passed away with a fight he was having with a lung condition. It’s really tough for me to make a video like this,” his brother said.

In the caption, Denzil said that the rapper died after respiratory failure due to a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis,” he wrote.

The artist’s brother shared that it is a tough time for the artist’s family, especially as B. Smyth has been sick for the past few months. Despite that, Denzil shared that the artist was heartened by the support and love he received from fans before he passed.

“My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest released single #Twerkoholic part 2 while he was in the ICU, it really brought him a big smile to his face.”

He continued, “So on behalf of my brother and my family we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love & support throughout the years. We ask for privacy during these difficult times.”

Denzil also shared a tribute to his brother on his own Instagram post.

“Its been a tough journey an u fought hard bro, I kno your near cuz I can still feel ya presence I can still hear ya voice I can even pick up on ya scent… im jus at peace that you no longer have to suffer bro… this tragic situation has me completely torn me in two, but I kno god makes no mistakes, I kno your watching over ya son, me & ma now… I kno its not over cuz the spirit neva dies an we will meet again but til den…. I luv u alwayz an 4eva bro,” he wrote.

B. Smyth, whose real name is Brandon Smith, broke on the scene with his debut song “Leggo” featuring 2 Chainz in 2012.

He later released his debut EP, ‘The Florida Files’ a year later.

He recently released “Twerkoholic,” “Too Many Reasons,” and “Ride Good,” featuring LightskinKeisha, among others.

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