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How Yasmine Cheyenne is fighting mental health stigma in the Black community
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“REVOLT Black News Weekly” aired on Friday (Dec. 16) to discuss outrage over Brittney Griner’s return to the U.S. following a prisoner swap, the ongoing trial for rapper Tory Lanez who has been accused of shooting peer Megan Thee Stallion, and the upcoming film I Wanna Dance with Somebody that is based on the life of Whitney Houston. REVOLT Special Correspondent Rochelle Ritchie led the episode titled, “Brittney Griner: After the Release and the Misinformation; Black Mental Health; Supporting HBCUs.”
She was joined by blogger Tea With Tia, filmmaker Tyler Perry, author Yasmine Cheyenne, and OASIS Investment developers Faheem Muhammad and Michael Amir. REVOLT Entertainment Correspondent Kennedy Rue McCullough also brought viewers the latest in celebrity news, during which she attended the premiere of I Wanna Dance with Somebody starring Naomi Ackie, Nafessa Williams and more.
Ritchie opened the show by discussing WNBA star Brittney Griner’s return to the U.S. after spending nearly 300 days in Russian custody for possessing cannabis oil while traveling through a Moscow airport back in February. Tea With Tia told REVOLT she believes social media played a major role in the 32-year-old athlete’s return. “Without social media even whipping it up, I don’t think it would have been as important for Biden to be pressured to initiate the release,” she shared.
However, despite calls for Griner’s return, some have opposed the U.S.’ decision to swap the Phoenix Mercury player for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Alexis Davis, a student at Georgia Tech told REVOLT, “I don’t agree with the fact that [they traded] her for a Russian arms dealer. I don’t think that was a fair trade… I feel like that could cause problems with the U.S.”
Later in the show, McCullough hosted her “Entertainment Remix” segment, where she interviewed Monica on the red carpet for the I Wanna Dance with Somebody premiere. As mentioned, the film depicts the life and legacy of Whitney Houston. Monica reminisced on her close relationship with the “I Will Always Love You” singer.
“By the age of 18, during one of the most difficult times of my life, that is who would pull up and stay with me for days at a time. [Whitney] prayed with me, talked with me, laughed with me,” she revealed. “Understanding the depths of how [Whitney] loved, who she loved, and why makes it easy for me to always come out and support whenever the family calls me. There’s absolutely nothing I wouldn’t do for them.”
Watch a quick clip from this week’s episode up top. Plus, be sure to catch the new installment of “REVOLT Black News Weekly” on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET via REVOLT’s app.