Waymond Dean gave insight into his journey, the call on his life, and the core of true discipleship.

Watch my full conversation with Waymond below:

Overseer Waymond Dean is the founder of The Revival Center at Cincinnati, a place where the mission is "to help revive the total Man: The Spirit, mind, body, and soul".

You can listen to our entire conversation below:

I hope you enjoy and share my work with everyone you know! I truly appreciate the support.

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The Brief

• 23-year-old Caleb McCray, of Wylie, Texas, is now charged with felony criminal hazing and manslaughter in the death of a Baton Rouge college student.

  • Police say McCray and two other Omega Psi Phi Fraternity members punched 20-year-old Caleb Wilson several times in the chest while wearing boxing gloves before he had a seizure and died.

  • Police believe Wilson was killed during a hazing ritual.

  • Baton Rouge police say more arrests are coming.

What we know:

23-year-old Caleb McCray, of Wylie, is now charged with felony criminal hazing and manslaughter.

Investigators say McCray is only the first arrest connected to the death of a 20-year-old Southern University student after an off-campus fraternity hazing ritual.

"Detectives have interviewed over a dozen people and executed multiple search warrants to gather as much information as possible," said Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse during a Friday press conference.

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The backstory:

In the early morning hours of Feb. 26, junior engineering student and marching band member Caleb Wilson was dropped off at the emergency room by a group of men who at the time said he collapsed while playing basketball.

The group reportedly left before officers arrived at the hospital.

Detectives learned the basketball story was a lie. Instead, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by FOX 4, Wilson and eight other pledges arrived at a warehouse and changed into gray sweatpants.

Police say they stood in a line "and were each punched four times with boxing gloves by at least three individuals."

McCray’s attorney maintains his client's innocence and has told media outlets that he is still reviewing all of the evidence.

Southern University also announced its pausing membership intake for all campus organizations while multiple investigations are ongoing.

Watch The Weekly Brief in full from 3.9.25 below:

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Thursday night, LeBron James confronted ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith courtside during the Lakers-Knicks game. A video of the confrontation showed the Lakers star getting in Smith's face and warning him to "keep my son out this sh*t."

Well, in case LeBron was unaware, when you force your son into the big leagues you also invite the responsibility, the pressure and sometimes the criticism that comes with going pro. While some might say this is “protection” I believe it is pride.

You listen to my take from The Weekly Brief Preview episode 2 below:

Smith opened ESPN’s "First Take" on Friday discussing the exchange. Smith essentially said it was LeBron defending his son and Smith understands, he says, where he [Lebron] was coming from as a father.

"He walked right up to me, and he said what he had to say, and he feels like I was slighting his son,” Smith said. “Now let me tell you what I feel. What I would have said if we were in a different environment, cause I was not going to engage in a confrontation at that particular moment in that setting. But if he had had that conversation, I would have said to LeBron James I never would speak negatively about your son. I was talking about you."

LeBron is presumably referring to comments Smith made repeatedly last month when he "pleaded" with LeBron to stop pushing for his son Bronny to remain on the Lakers’ main roster. He’s more generous than I—I say got back to the G League and return when you can do better.

"I am pleading with LeBron James, as a father. Stop this. We all know Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad," Smith said before accusing James of exposing his son as not ready for the NBA. "He belongs in the G League [until he's ready to play in the NBA]," Smith added, citing Bronny averaging 0 points, 0 assists, and 0 rebounds in the NBA through his first 13 games.

VIEW THE FULL PODCAST HERE:

Let’s look at a brief history of the not so star player, Bronny.

Bronny averaged around 14 points per game at the high school level. For comparison, his father, LeBron James, averaged 31.6 points in his senior year of high school. Perhaps, that's why he [LeBron] was drafted right away into the NBA.

Kobe Bryant averaged 30.8 points in high school, Kyrie Irving 26.5 points per game, and Michael Jordan 25 points per game.

Beyond high school, Bronny played just one season at the University of Southern California (USC) where he had a cardiac incident.

There he averaged less than 5 points per game—in his lone season at USC at the Collegiate level, he averaged less than 5 points per game (let that sink in).

Averaging that 5 points per game was apparently all the NBA needed to see (perhaps the influence of his billionaire father also added to the pressure to draft him).

In 2024, Bronny signed a 4-year $7.9 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, he was the 55^th pick of the NBA draft.

On January 28, 2025, Bronny played alongside his father against the Philadelphia 76ers. He played for 15 minutes straight but did not score a single point.

Bronny continued performances like this is what led to Smith’s commentary.

When does protection become toxic?

My question to those members of the LeBron Cult: why can’t a sports commentator share their opinion? Where, in Smith’s case, is the uncaused criticism?

When viewing Smith’s full perspective, it is clear Smith (an adult) is criticizing LeBron (who is an adult in age, but acts like a child in temperament). By all accounts, Smith was calling out LeBron—not Bronny.

LeBron used his influence to force the Lakers to draft his son, telling the franchise before the draft, "You want [to keep] me? Draft Bronny." The hubris and arrogance is, as they say, “crazy work”.

While defending your son is admirable, and in fact, protection is the chief responsibility of a father, LeBron was unhinged—a billionaire bully, using his privilege and position to push his son into positions he would never be in if solely based on merit and Bronny’s current ability.

In reality, LeBron’s actions have a veneer of “protection” but are really a brew of toxic paternalism.

Fathers should not act like LeBron.

Fathers don’t push their children into places or spaces they aren’t ready for, and then bully and bat away criticism, advice, and lawful criticism. It’s childish on LeBron’s part.

LeBron's insistence that his son enter the NBA simply to "make history" could destroy the younger James. It's an exercise in pride, not the historic legacy LeBron has so forcefully pushed on the NBA.

One can only imagine the angst, anxiety and pressure the younger James is experiencing. We all know this is what LeBron James wanted, but is it what Bronny wanted? I think only time, as it always does, will tell.

That’s my take.

—Shakur

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In the early morning of July 8th, 2022 20 year-old Jimmie Jay Lee dressed only in his bathrobe, a gold bonnet, and house shoes left his student apartment in Oxford, Mississippi. Private messages would eventually lead investigators to his alleged killer Timothy Herrington Jr., a college grad from a longtime "church family".

You can watch JSU #20 below:

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The Weekly Brief will not just be the news you know, it’s the news you need to know! Shakur compiles the week's major stories into one place so you can know what’s happening around you—highlighting the top news stories, coverage and commentary of the week from around the U.S.

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Stories, views, or information shared are not the views or thoughts of Jay Shakur’s current employer.

I hope you enjoy and share my work with everyone you know! I truly appreciate the support.

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You can listen to our full conversation below.

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FAITH & GOD BY THE NUMBERS

The vast majority of U.S. adults believe in God, but the 81% who do so is down six percentage points from 2017 and is the lowest, according to Gallup. Between 1944 and 2011, more than 90% of Americans believed in God.

Gallup first asked this question in 1944, repeating it again in 1947 and twice each in the 1950s and 1960s. In those latter four surveys, a consistent 98% said they believed in God. When Gallup asked the question nearly five decades later, in 2011, 92% of Americans said they believed in God.

Stories, views, or information shared are not the views or thoughts of Jay Shakur’s current employer.

My day job is as a TV News Reporter, a position I love and will continue in.

But beyond that, I am expanding into podcasting, at least more aggressively this time. This is separate from any association to my linear, broadcast television career. I’ve been blessed enough to have a direct audience (outside of TV) that follows my work exclusively and I want to do more to connect with y’all!

Jay Shakur Uncensored, is my longform, unedited interview/talk podcast where I will continue to have conversations with those I find interesting. It’s way more than I can give you during my “nine-to-five”. When I started the podcast back in college at Howard University, I wanted it to be the home for unpopular truth, transparent, honest, and provocative conversations. I wanted to (and will continue to) explore views ignored by the mainstream. We’ll discuss life, society, culture, politics, spirituality, and faith, with the main goal of empowering you to—think freely and ultimately live fully. Jay Shakur Uncensored, for right now, because I still have a day job, will be released monthly.

BUT THERE IS MORE!

There’s so much going on in our world. A news cycle used to be weeks long. Now it’s down to a matter of hours and then the conversation moves on to the next thing. So much happens in a week, and there are so many voices across the internet with a lot to say. That’s why, in the next few months, I plan to launch “The Weekly Brief”, a news podcast moderated, at least until it gets its footing, by me—@iamjayshakur.

The Weekly Brief will not just be the news you know, it’s the news you need to know!

At the start (or end) depending on how you view the calendar, of every week, on Sundays typically, I will moderate The Weekly Brief. I will do my very best to compile the major stories of the week into one place so that you can know what’s going on around you—highlighting the top news stories and coverage of the week from around the U.S.

I want to focus on stories ignored or underreported. In addition to that, I want trusted sources and vetted voices to share their reports, interviews, and perspectives. The goal is to highlight those independent non-corporate journalists and commentators; those sensible views from all sides.

And if I find a topic or individual featured on The Weekly Brief needs more “airtime” I will “crossover” and bring it to Jay Shakur Uncensored.

The Weekly Brief (unless other circumstances arise) will be released weekly. And as mentioned, Jay Shakur Uncensored will be released monthly. Both will be available wherever you get your podcasts.

I hope you watch or listen and share my work with everyone you know! I truly appreciate the support.

Until next time, take a listen to my conversation with United Kingdom rapper Zuby:

In addition to making music, he is an author and entrepreneur. During our conversation, we discussed his music, worldview, and more. Zuby fights the "cultural cold war" through his commentary and art. In March 2019, Zuby garnered worldwide attention by posting a video in which he claimed to have broken the British women's deadlift record of 238 kg (525 lb).

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Following this tragedy 6 passengers of a medical jet and one person on the ground were killed after the plane crashed in a Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday evening, officials said.

These plane crashes over the last week are tragedies. They show us that life is short and sudden. It's an unchangeable truth that we don't have control over. But we can have control over how we respond.

You can view the full podcast episode here:

The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of an outside employer or its components. Appearance of, or reference to, any commercial products or services does not constitute the endorsement of an outside employer of those products or services. The appearance of external hyperlinks also does not constitute endorsement of the linked websites or the information, products, or services therein.

Warren County couple Sandra and Bennie Parker said the pardon was a welcome relief.