TiaCorine opens with lines that mix flexing and flirtation before Flo Milli turns up the heat with her trademark confidence and clever bars.
In the spirit of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s signature Hip-Hop/Electro-Funk style, one of our absolute favourite artists, TiaCorine, teamed up with fellow rapper Flo Milli for a fun, uptempo banger called ‘Lotion’. If you haven’t heard the seventeen-track album ‘Corinian’ yet, it is the sort of genre-bending, fearless Hip-Hop album that feels like a kaleidoscope—one minute you’re cruising through Pop-Rap swagger, the next you’re swept into nostalgic eighties-inspired grit. Anchoring that eclectic energy is ‘Lotion’, a standout collaboration with Flo Milli that’s equal parts cheeky, confident, and damn catchy.
Released as part of ‘Corinian’ in October, ‘Lotion’ pairs TiaCorine’s distinctive lyrical flair with Flo Milli’s rapid-fire delivery over a beat that nods to old-school Hip-Hop whilst staying thoroughly modern. The groove leans into retro synthesisers, rubbery bass, and punchy rhythm—a backdrop that lets TiaCorine and Flo Milli bounce off each other with effortless chemistry and cheeky bravado.
Lyrically, ‘Lotion’ doesn’t shy away from its playful, unfiltered personality. TiaCorine opens with lines that mix flexing and flirtation before Flo Milli’s verse turns up the heat with her trademark confidence and clever bars. The result is a track that’s as self-assured as it is fun, an anthem for anyone who loves their rap with a little attitude and a whole lot of personality.
The official visual, directed by Dell Nie, amplifies that vibe—from a pink moonlit intro to a chaotic bedroom scene that devolves into a house party where both artists rule the room. ‘Lotion’ isn’t just a song; it’s a statement: TiaCorine and Flo Milli are here to play by their own rules, and they have a blast doing it.
Erica Banks, rapper and reality television star known offscreen as Erica Breaux, has once again found herself facing serious legal trouble. According to recent reports, she and her girlfriend, identified as Amani Dirton, were arrested during a traffic stop by Brookhaven, Georgia, police on December 8. Officers pulled over the vehicle after noticing it was displaying a tinted license tag cover—and quickly discovered the car was reported stolen out of Atlanta.
During the stop, officers found ecstasy (MDMA) pills in Banks’ purse, along with packaged marijuana in the vehicle. Authorities charged Banks with felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to distribute (ecstasy) as well as intent to distribute marijuana. Dirton was also arrested, facing possible drug and vehicle theft related charges.
Both were booked into DeKalb County Jail and reportedly posted bond the next day. However, this is far from Banks’ first run-in with the law. Earlier this year, she was arrested at Atlanta’s airport after TSA officers discovered a stolen handgun in her Louis Vuitton bag. That incident resulted in charges related to receiving stolen property.
DeKalb County Jail
Known best for her role on ‘Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta’ and her breakout single ‘Buss It’, Banks has built a growing music and social-media presence. But with this latest arrest, she now faces potentially serious legal consequences. If convicted, the possession-with-intent charges carry significant penalties.
As of now, neither Banks nor Dirton has publicly commented on the arrest. For followers of ‘Love & Hip Hop’ and Banks’ music career, the upcoming weeks could be pivotal.
As co-chairs, Beyoncé, Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour will play key roles in shaping the evening.
Met Gala is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated editions in recent years—thanks to a high-profile roster of co-chairs announced today.
At the helm of fashion’s biggest night will be Beyoncé, actress Nicole Kidman, and tennis legend Venus Williams, who join longtime staple Anna Wintour. The 2026 gala marks Beyoncé’s return to the event after a decade; Her last appearance was in 2016, when she made waves with a striking Givenchy Haute Couture look.
The gala will celebrate the launch of the Spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, titled ‘Costume Art’. Curated by Andrew Bolton, the exhibition—and the gala itself—will explore the connection between fashion and the human body, including themes such as the naked body, the pregnant body, and the aging body.
As co-chairs, Beyoncé, Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour will play key roles in shaping the evening: From interior design and guest list to the overall tone and style. Their appointment sends a powerful message about how fashion, celebrity, and art intersect—and sets the stage for an unforgettable night that promises to be more than just a red carpet, but a statement on style, identity, and the body as living art.
On their twentieth birthday, Cocona shared with fans through social media that they identify as non-binary.
Cocona, a member of the global HipHop/R&B-inspired group XG, celebrated their twentieth birthday on December 6 by sharing a deeply personal and courageous message on social media. In the heartfelt post, Cocona revealed that they identify as AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) Transmasculine Non-Binary and shared that they underwent top surgery earlier this year.
Reflecting on their journey, Cocona wrote that embracing their identity—“even a tiny step forward, just 0.1”—opened a new door that brought emotional growth, courage, and a renewed sense of authenticity.
“Now, I can finally feel that what’s inside me isn’t something to be ashamed of”, they expressed.
Cocona extended heartfelt thanks to those who supported them through the process, including fellow XG members, executive producer Jakops (Simon), and their parents. Their message concluded with a wish that their story might “light a spark in someone’s heart” and reach anyone who needs love and encouragement.
Shortly after the announcement, Jakops (Simon), CEO of XGALX and executive producer of XG, shared a message of unwavering support alongside a group photo taken during the members’ seijin-shiki (‘Coming of Age’ celebration).
Courtesy
He praised Cocona’s courage and emphasised his commitment to ensuring that each XG member is respected “not just as an ‘active artist’, but as a human being.”
He described the members’ sincerity, growth, and inner strength as the “core” of XG and XGALX.
Cocona’s message marks a significant moment not only in their personal journey but also in XG’s ongoing narrative of compassion, individuality, and empowerment. As XG prepares for the release of their first full album, ‘The Core’, in January 2026 and their upcoming world tour, the group enters this new chapter united—artistically and personally—by authenticity and support.
From communication to world events to the music’s emotional pull, St Panther shares how their new genre-blurring EP channels something bigger than themselves.
Stepping into a conversation with St Panther feels a lot like stepping into their new EP, ‘Strange World’—warm, intuitive, and instantly familiar, as if you’ve been invited into a space you didn’t realise you’d been missing. Before the formal questions even begin, our exchange is full of laughter, gratitude, and the kind of mutual recognition that can only occur between two people who truly see each other’s work. It’s from that place of openness that St Panther begins to unravel the spirit behind ‘Strange World’, a project that blurs genre, honours lineage, and channels something bigger than the artist themself. What follows is a conversation about creativity, communication, community, and the quiet power of music that feels destined—music that feels, as they put it, like it “needs to exist right now”.
Richardine: So, I had a chance to listen to your fantastic album.
St Panther: Thank you so much.
Richardine: Oh, my God. Well, EP, but it feels like an album to me.
St Panther: Yeah, it’s the sequence.
Richardine: Exactly, like, it’s… Okay, because you know there’s other music out there, and people don’t quite give me the same feel that you give me. So, I’m just like, yeah, I’m going to ask questions about that feel.
St Panther: Absolutely.
Richardine: Okay, let me just open this up.
St Panther: I’m ready.
Richardine: Okay, cool, cool, cool. Come on, where ya at?
St Panther: I gotta say thank you also, kind of, for all of the support before we even got this rolling. When I was fully back here, balls out independent.
Richardine: (Laughs) Absolutely!
St Panther: And I really, really saw that and appreciated that.
Richardine: Yes, yes, of course.
St Panther: And my immigrant parents, too. They were like, “What, you’re in that little archive?” They were tripping.
Richardine: For real?!
St Panther: They were so happy. Like, they were so proud of that moment, so I had to just thank you. That was really nice.
Richardine: Absolutely! I’m like, “Come on now, we’ll be gone one day, but the people need to see (that we were here—that we lived).
St Panther: Yeah, we’re building it slowing, you know?
Richardine: Absolutely. Oh, my gosh. That warms my heart. Say hello to your parents for me.
St Panther: I will. I’m gonna tell my mom. She’s gonna be so happy.
Richardine: Okay, okay. Well, how would you describe the feelings that come over you when you’re creating music?
St Panther: Oh, my gosh. Just I really get lost in process. So that can mean anything from what I’m feeling that day. I feel like I just get excited to get down and start working. So the music starts happening.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: And that’s the most motivating thing. Like, I just get inspiration off of the music, so I just feel inspired. Really.
Richardine: Okay. And when you’re in that mode, do you think you’re at your best, like, as far as conveying a message to others in those moments?
St Panther: Yeah, I try to show up to the thing clear-minded and, you know, having an intention when I’m sitting down to create something,
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: So that’s kind of the way I try to aim to show up.
Richardine: Okay, cool. And would you say in your daily life, you’re a great communicator?
St Panther: Yes, I think so. I might overcommunicate too, which is kind of a characteristic of my music. I’m kind of starting to notice.
Richardine: (Laughter) Okay, cool. I asked that because I find that some artists, like, they’re better communicators when it’s in song.
St Panther: Yeah.
Richardine: And then, like, when it comes to like personal life, they get kind of like jammed up, or they’re not as confident.
St Panther: I will say yes, you brought up a good point for like the more intimate things that are hard to talk to someone about…
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: I think a lot of musicians go to their songs. And that’s what I do too.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panher: You know?
Richardine: Okay. Okay. How would you say your friends or a spouse would describe your communication style?
St Panther: Oh, my God. Well, right now, I’m spouseless out here, y’all.
Richardine: (Laughter)
St Panther: My friends are my spouses. All 500 of my spouses would say that my communication style is very open.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: It’s inclusive, allows for a lot of perspectives to live. I’m a Libra, so I’m very diplomatic and the way that I communicate and consider others.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: That’s really the tea.
Richardine: Okay. Okay. Very nice. See, and even the way you answered those questions, I didn’t have to, like, sift, or like, nudge you on.
St Panther: Thank you.
Richardine: And would you say that your communications style has changed because of the apps, or are you more of a person that would like, go out and go link someone? Or do you call them on the phone?
St Panther: I feel like I’m not on, you mean, like, just apps, like, dating apps or, like, social media, period?
Richardine: Well, just like social, like, what, what do you prefer? Like, are you more of the person that will, like, pick up the phone and call…
St Panther: Yeah.
Richardine: Or do you find yourself doing more of like the Instagram, like texting?
St Panther: I think I’m on FaceTime alot more often now. My kind of communication has kind of changed in that sense that you get, you kind of just love to get on a call with someone.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: Don’t do the texting as often these days.
Richardine: Okay. Very nice. And which group of people would you say you call the most?
St Panther: Oh my God. We have this like group chat in my phone called the “Tranny Mob” and it’s literally like, all my trans friends in like one group chat.
Richardine: (Laughter)
St Panther: And like, we’ll talk very often. Like, we just give each other life updates, dating updates, what’s going on. Well, we work together musically as well.
Richardine: Fire.
St Panther: So, one of the artists is named Wish. And we’re always in communication for their music as well. So, I mean, like, purely that, we’re active.
Richardine: Okay. See, that was definitely one of my questions, too. So I wanted to know, like, how did you meet your band?
St Panther: My band is a new band, so I kind of have known all these guys in a different way, different moments of life. Nico, my current drummer, he is someone that I met back in my hometown. Kind of like in Santa Ana in the DIY Indie scene.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: And he was part of this, like, really cool Jazz trio, and arguably, not to shade anybody, but at the time, I was thinking, there’s really only going to be a few artists making it out of this, what we have right here.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: And I heard him playing and was like, he’s definitely going to be one of them. And then soon after, he went on to back up Steve Lacey as a drummer.
Richardine: Wow!
St Panther: He’s amazing. And has just, he’s been out here grinding on the scene as a Jazz musician. So he’s my current drummer. I met him. 2014-ish in passing. We never even really talked but were friends back then.
Richardine: Wow.
St Panther: I kept seeing around the scene recently. So I was like, this is a strange reconnection. So I just kind of hit him up and was like, dude, we should, like, finally get together and jam and it went well.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: And then my current guitarist is an amazing artist that I’ve also known for some years, Jasper Bones is what he goes by. He’s an incredible songwriter, producer, makes his own music, but I’ve always kind of just, we supported each other in the scene the last, I would say, like five plus years of knowing each other’s music.
Richardine: Nice.
St Panther: And he’s really great. And then Chap says another member of my band. He’s a guitar player, bass player. He’s my current bass player, but he is just an incredible artist as well.
Richardine: Nice.
St Panther: He has his own music. He’s from Long Beach. So, I met him kind of as a group of these like R&B cats that are, they play together with like the Free Nationals.
Richardine: Oh!
St Panther: Some of this band is like backing up Cuco.
Richardine: Nice.
St Panther: So these cats all have their own scene, kind of in Long Beach. Like they have this lockout with like the Brain Story guys, like all these different bands are kind of just recording in this place.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: So, I met them. You know, they were fans of my music and tapped in, and we all became really for friends too, because we make the sick stuff.
Richardine: Fantastic, fantastic!
St Panther: Yeah.
Richardine: Yes. Speaking of which, like, if someone is listening to your music and maybe they’re, they’re more so—maybe they’re not music industry people or don’t necessarily know how to, like, I guess, describe it as far as genre goes. Like, how would you describe your music?
St Panther: Oh, my God. I think I’m figuring it out. It’s a genre-expansive kind of because it exists on playlists on the editorial playlist, like borderless, like POLLEN. The projects that we can’t exactly put a genre name on, but I will say it started in an Alternative place. I was like an indie band person, mostly and then kind of moved into soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, that kind of conjumbled into like Electronic and Funk elements and House elements. So I really would say it’s like an Alt R&B mixed with Indie Pop situation, you know?
Richardine: Okay. Okay. I think that’s fair.
St Panther: Yeah.
Richardine: Diving into your new project, there’s this feeling that I get when I listen to your music, especially when playing ‘Strange World’, ‘The Deal’, and ‘Whoever Said Silence is Peace’. Like, I don’t know that I have the words to, like, fully describe it yet, because I’ve been thinking about it and I’m just like, how am I going to tell St Panther, like, what I’m feeling when I’m listening to it, but it feels like…
St Panther: I’m really curious to know. This is an interesting group of songs.
Richardine: Yes, it just it feels like familiar, like home like, but it feels right. It feels like it’s supposed to exist, like, and I was supposed to discover it, and it was supposed to happen when it happened. I don’t know if there is a word specifically that encompasses that, but like it feels familiar. Like, it feels right. There’s nothing wrong about it.
St Panther: Thank you so much.
Richardine: Yeah, the other artist that I would say I kind of have that similar thought or like connection to is like Syd from The Internet. And it’s, I think it’s like big, like a band, like full sounds. It’s just really beautiful. So kudos to you.
St Panther: Thank you so much. It’s funny that you were like that energy because I’ve always felt, since I was little, not sure why I was given this gift. I’m on a journey. A lot of different people are looking into it from the outside. Like, it doesn’t seem like this person wants stardom or to be the biggest person in the room. I have felt similar, and I’m letting that journey lead me through the music, really. So it feels similar that I, with this same group of songs like I’m working on right now, some spirit is living in it that is telling me it needs to exist right now.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: I’m just a vehicle for it.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: And it might be a vehicle for people that look like me. I’m not sure exactly what it’s going to exist as.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: But just like a necessary perspective. So I appreciate that a lot.
Richardine: Absolutely. That is exactly what it feels like. So you nailed that, for sure.
St Panther: Yes.
Richardine: Oh my goodness. When I listened to the EP, I was reminded of Erykah Badu, D’Angelo, and your compositions are incredible. Like, would you say that those artists are artists that you kind of feel like you have a similar spirit to when it comes to music and like creating?
St Panther: Yeah, and I think really the world, like, the way I hear Erykah Badu talking about the world and how she sees things for this current time. I really identify with a lot of the things she says and how she treats music as such a sacred gift. D’Angelo did too.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: I think all of us kind of have that coming thread. I was reading a lot of the Sly Stone biography. When I was making some of this music, and similarly, I think I go to voices like Stevie Wonder, people that really are plugged into a world channel, you know?
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: I think I’m there, too, since I was a little kid.
Richardine: Nice. Jeez. So, wait, so how long have you been making music?
St Panther: I think I wrote my first song. I want to say it was like 2004. My mom told me when I got home from school, it was like, I remember seeing the tsunami that happened in Indonesia on the news.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: And my mom was really feeling it and talking about it with my dad. And I, for some reason, internalised kind of just this really deep feeling of sadness that I’m sure their community was feeling, which is the loss of life and structures and culture, and it was I just immediately wrote a song making like a metaphor for water and how water is life, but also death for these people.
Richardine: Wow.
St Panther: And yeah, that was like the first woman I think I had a moment of, “Oh, that’s what writing music is.”
Richardine: Wow.
St Panther: Yeah. So I was probably like 10, but I started playing instruments at like four.
Richardine: Wow. You are music.
St Panther: I saw my dad play a lot of piano growing up, too. He’s a pianist.
Richardine: Oh, nice. Okay.
St Panther: I just had that at home, yeah.
Richardine: Okay. Maybe, maybe that’s what it is, because, like, that’s what I’m saying. Like, it feels like… I don’t know. Like, it’s supposed to be there. Like, you are it, if that makes any sense.
St Panther: I’ve lived and breathed music since I was little. I mean, my dad did too, and it wasn’t like for a career. He’s a painter, but I’ve just always lived in like the ether of art between my family, you know?
Richardine: Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. And so, how did the title for your last track, ‘Whoever Said Silence is Peace’, come about?
St Panther: That song was originally about a relationship that had just ended. And there was a very deep silence between us that was, I think, impactful for both of us on both sides.
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: And it was interesting. I’ve written a lot of songs that start that way about a particular experience, and then it gains different contexts, and then, you know, we had October 7th happen, and all these different genocides around us are now unfolding. I really reconextualise the song as like, there was this deep silence too in our communities at some point when all of this was unfolding, I think even still now.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: There’s a lot of people still trying to prompt each other to talk about these things. So that, for me, became more of the message of the song than anything. Silence, period.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: It just silence can be so loud.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: You know, so many different situations in life. So I think I’m speaking to—we have a ghosting culture that has just arrived with new technology too. I think the ability to put things down is good. And then, also can sometimes come at a price. So I wanted to shed some light, I think, on silence as a concept, you know?
Richardine: Yeah. Very nice. Very nice. Very nice. Thank you for that full answer.
St Panther: Yes, of course. Of course.
Richardine: I appreciate that. And speaking of what’s going on in the world now, like, how are you feeling about it? like. How is it making you feel, and how do you feel about it?
St Panther: Feel because I’ve always been someone that has been aware of other countries, other cultures. My parents really taught me to be so grateful of where I geographically am at.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: So I do have a pit in my heart. I think I have had a pit in my heart for the last two years, just seeing so much media of so much suffering globally.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: From Sudan to Congo to here, I think there’s just so many places one can tune in.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: And just, you know, feel so much pain, and for me, it really came through seeing what was unfolding in Palestine and having now relationships with people there.
Richardine: Yeah.
St Panther: So I do feel moments of, you know, just existential dread, but then moments like yesterday, where we have a positive outlook for New York. I don’t know if you know what happened in New York.
Richardine: Yes, I voted for him! I’m going to say it.
St Panther: That’s beautiful. See, it’s these small glimpses of the future we’re all hoping for and trying to build. I think it goes beyond politicians. I think it’s really our communities, and it’s serious and small, as if you want to change the world, change yourself and how you show up in the world.
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: So I do feel hopeful. I see a lot of people really stepping up to that, which is there’s going to always be a mix, you know?
Richardine: Yes, yes, yes. It’s heavy stuff. It’s heavy.
St Panther: Yeah.
Richardine: How do you know when a project is completed?
St Panther: I think it has its own legs and its own soul, like it doesn’t need any more of you, you know?
Richardine: Okay.
St Panther: Or any more of anyone. I think it just tells you in that moment when you hear it’s done. You know?
Richardine: Okay. Yeah, you’re different. You are so different. (Laughs)
St Panther: Because I feel like once it becomes everyone else’s. I think that’s the moment, you know?
Richardine: Nice, because some people are like, “Oh, my manager had to tell me to stop.” You’re different. You’re definitely different.
St Panther: Thank you.
Richardine: You are.
St Panther: Music that exists for other people, music like this, it’s theirs from the moment it’s made, but I think too, that’s just the only way to know is when you start playing it for other people’s sure, and then they say, you know, they already have it complete in their mind. They’re like, what else could happen? You know?
Richardine: Yes.
St Panther: Okay.
Richardine: And my last one for you, um, I don’t feel like you’re somebody who would say, um, you know, I want my listeners to take this specific thing from a project that I make, but if there is, yeah, if there is anything that you would like to highlight and you wouldn’t want people to miss, what would that be?
St Panther: That’s a good question. I feel like I wouldn’t want people to miss maybe the feelings it starts stirring in them. Some of the first messages I get when I put a project out is, “It feels familiar. It feels like some feeling that I’ve felt before many years ago”, and I’m like, “I think that feeling is called empathy.” So don’t you worry about making sense of it. I’m glad you’re feeling it, and that is, you know, that’s all I could ask for. So, you know, when you get those feelings, and they arrive, embrace them. That’s all I want to say.
Richardine: Nice. Very nice. Thank you so much.
St Panther: Thank you.
Richardine: Thank you, thank you. Yes, I’m going to write this up, get this together quickly. And congratulations. Yes, congratulations, congratulations, congratulations. You were everything.
St Panther: Congratulations to you, too. Thank you.
It’s been an interesting few weeks to say the least. We planned to publish our Asake review article, and the unimaginable happened to our website. Our hosting company, WordPress, had to recover over ten thousand articles for us. Then, we had several hiccups with our emails, and now, we seem to be back in gear. We wanted to say thank you to all of our readers who continue to check for our written work after launching the dot com in the early 2000s. We started this digital platform out of sheer love for the arts, our talented friends, who we thought were going to be something for the world to witness, and document it in our own way. We’ve faced challenges as other independent publications have in the past, but we’re going to be around for as long as God allows because we believe there will always be a need for real people to unbiasedly cover topics/subjects that affect our world and our daily lives.
We’re grateful to have existed and lend our voices to the culture and to have supported various cultures when it mattered most. Here’s to continuing to cover what we feel deeply about for another two decades by God’s grace.
The ever-energetic rapper Cardi B has officially welcomed her fourth child—a baby boy—with NFL star Stefon Diggs, according to a recent report from TMZ.
Arrival & Announcement
Sources say the baby boy arrived last week, and Diggs was by Cardi’s side during the birth. Cardi took to social media to share the joyous news, posting a heartfelt message:
“My life has always been a combination of different chapters and different seasons. My last chapter was the beginning of a new season. A new baby into my world, and one more reason to be the best version of me…” In her own words, she described this as a fresh start—a new chapter worth embracing.
Family Update
This latest addition broadens Cardi’s already bustling household: she shares three children with her ex-partner Offset—daughters Kulture Kiari Cephus and Blossom, and son Wave Set Cephus. Stefon Diggs already has a daughter, Nova, from a previous relationship.
The Bigger Picture
Cardi’s announcement comes amid other milestones: she recently released new music and teased a fresh album, signalling that both her personal and professional lives are entering vibrant new phases.
For fans and the media alike, the arrival marks not just another little “Bardi Gang” member, but a turning point: Evolving relationships, expanding family, and creative reinvention all in one.
It’ll be interesting to see how this new chapter unfolds for both Cardi and Stefon—from family dynamics to public appearances.
Final Thoughts
Congratulations are in order for the couple as they embark on this new adventure with their baby boy. With Cardi’s signature gusto and Diggs’ athletic pedigree, this little one is certainly stepping into a dynamic world. Wishing them lots of love, joy, and calm nights (yes, we can dream).
In what may be the most delightful update to the city’s street-corner scene in years, the New York City Council is moving to grant legal status to the ubiquitous “bodega cats” that patrol countless neighbourhood shops across the Big Apple. The bill, introduced by Keith Powers (East Side/Midtown Manhattan), would not only officially legalise these feline employees, but also launch a free vaccination, spay/neuter and health-care programme for bodega-resident cats.
The push comes from advocates who say these cats are more than just cute mascots—they serve a practical role by keeping rodents at bay in small food stores. “Bodega cats embody the New York spirit: Friendly, welcoming, and anti-rat”, Powers remarked, adding that it’s time these four-legged guardians were removed from legal limbo.
The bill, formally known as Intro. 1471, would require city-funded vaccination and spay/neuter services for cats registered under the programme.
Support from the public has been strong. An advocacy group, Bodega Cats of New York, led a petition gathering more than 13,000 signatures pushing for legal recognition and veterinary-care access. Shop-owners themselves, many of whom have shared space with resident cats for years, might now find the animals legitimised rather than tolerated.
There’s also a wider benefit beyond charm: By spaying and neutering these cats, the bill aims to curb stray and feral-cat populations that often surround bodegas and burden rescue services. As Rimada of the advocacy group put it: “If we don’t address that piece, we’re just going to add to the overpopulation pressures rescue workers have struggled with for decades.”
If passed, this move would formalise a small but beloved part of New York City life—giving the silent shop-floor cats their long-awaited moment in the spotlight. Stay tuned for whether the measure clears the next hurdles.
TV personality Coco Austin is standing by her decision to breast-feed her daughter, Chanel, until the age of six. On the latest episode of the podcast Dumb Blonde hosted by Bunnie XO, Austin explained that whilst Chanel was solidly eating by about one-year-old, she allowed the extended nursing more as a “bonding experience” rather than a nutritional necessity.
“It wasn’t like I was feeding her because she needed a meal,” Austin said. “She was able to eat by a year… full, like, solids.”
She added that she let her daughter decide when to stop: “She’s not gonna be 16 on my boob… And that happened around 6… which was still [an] extremely long amount of time apparently. But in Europe, they’re doing till 7. Like, it’s nothing to them. I mean, Americans think that’s weird.”
Austin shared that the extended breast-feeding was mostly for comfort when Chanel wanted her around: “It was more of like a comfort thing with her… she wanted me to be there.”
She also noted that she received plenty of support for her choice, yet that many people reacted strongly. She remarked, “I got so many people that loved it… I was the only one speaking about it. And I’m like, why is this so hard? Like, people have been doing this for thousands of years.”
In possibly-unintended light-hearted comment, Austin revealed that her daughter remains “obsessed with boobs”—“not a big thing”, she said, adding that they share a relaxed, affectionate moment now, before Chanel hits the teenage years.
Whilst the topic of extended breastfeeding often sparks intense cultural debate—particularly in the United States, where six-year-nursing would be considered highly unusual—Austin frames her decision as a personal mother-child choice rooted in attachment, rather than judgment of others’ practices. Whether one agrees or not, she is firmly owning the narrative.
