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Grambling State Communications Major Plans to Make Mark

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Graduating in 2017, Nycorta Diaz Mabry Jr. went on to Davenport University on a full-ride football scholarship. While he had offers from some Division 1 schools, he selected the Division 2 college because he felt it was best for the financial needs of his family. He believes he could have had more and better offers if he just had more exposure — an issue he deals with to this day.

Published

3 years ago

July 22, 2022

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Emily Dietzmann | Texas Metro News

When Nycorta Diaz Mabry Jr. came into the world, his name was already predetermined, along with certain expectations.

According to his grandfather and father, Nycorta means “strong Black King,” and Nycorta Jr. said both men have been great role models to help chart his path in life.

Mabry is one of Texas Metro News’ newest interns and he is ready to make a difference.

“I have a lot that I can offer the world, but I haven’t had the opportunity to show them that yet.”

Even in a ZOOM call, Mabry exudes a go-getter attitude and an amiable personality. He is one of those people who knows how to lead but also to care for the people he loves.

A native of Flint, MI, and graduate of Flushing High School, Mabry played a variety of sports and excelled in all of them, but his favorite and the one he was best at was football. He even played for select teams outside of school, garnering many awards.

Graduating in 2017, Mabry went on to Davenport University on a full-ride football scholarship. While he had offers from some Division 1 schools, he selected the Division 2 college because he felt it was best for the financial needs of his family. He believes he could have had more and better offers if he just had more exposure — an issue he deals with to this day.

Mabry played football through his sophomore year with Davenport University, but then he tore his ACL. He said that injury was truly “the pivot point of his life.”

Everything in him had been geared toward football. It was “his way out.” Now he was out of the game, he did some soul searching.

After a long internal battle, he decided his next goal was to attend Grambling State University. He even started reaching out to students saying he would be there the next semester. Sure enough, he was accepted and traveled south to Grambling, LA.

Now, a Mass Communications major and Marketing minor, he has decided the biggest brand he wants to build is himself. In preparation for his many big moments in the foreseeable future, he began branding himself under his full name, as he believes it carries a lot of responsibility and power.

In addition to writing stories, covering events and learning all areas of the industry, Mabry will also be hosting a weekly podcast in June, utilizing his marketing skills to promote the I Messenger Media Brand that includes Texas Metro News, I Messenger, Garland Journal and other IMM Digital platforms.

Inspired by the likes of Joe Budding and rap mogul Diddy, Mabry plans to use his opportunity at Texas Metro News to build his repertoire, make connections to other powerful leaders of the Dallas/Fort Worth communities and take what he has learned and make a change. He is also focused on changing the world.

“Being an influencer means having the ability to change the world,” Mabry said, as he describes the beginning of this new journey. “It’s a big responsibility.”

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

https://youtube.com/watch?v=0xUKM6U2Lpc&autoplay=0&cc_lang_pref=en&cc_load_policy=0&color=0&controls=1&fs=1&h1=en&loop=0&rel=0

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”