Hey everyone, welcome! In today’s video, I’ve got a couple of topics I want to delve into, starting with Bea Simone. Now, if you’re not familiar, Bea Simone wears many hats—she’s a comedian, a social media influencer, and a member of the “Wild ‘N Out” cast on MTV. She’s also made waves as an entrepreneur and an author. However, Bea Simone has recently faced some criticism on social media. Just a few weeks back, she stirred controversy by expressing her preference not to date someone with a nine-to-five job. She stated, “He can’t have a nine-to-five… What he so? You want him to be a… you want CEO status? Yes, okay, you can’t. He can’t. He can’t. He can’t clock in and clock…” Personally, I understand her desire for a partner who shares her entrepreneurial spirit. However, her remarks rubbed some the wrong way, as they felt it demeaned those with traditional jobs. Many pointed out that there’s dignity and a good living to be made from a nine-to-five. Yet, I believe Bea Simone simply has a preference for a partner who can relate to her lifestyle. While some interpreted her stance as elitist, I see it as a matter of compatibility. However, recent actions of hers have drawn some criticism.
As an entrepreneur, Bea Simone found herself embroiled in a plagiarism controversy surrounding her latest book, “Baby Girl Manifests the Life You Want,” which has soared in sales despite the negative attention. Accusations surfaced that Simone had lifted content verbatim from various sources, including bloggers like Al from “Boss Girl Bloggers,” who expressed outrage at seeing their work reproduced without permission. Another company, “The Happiness Planner,” also raised concerns about identical passages appearing in Simone’s book, echoing their own principles down to the font. Additionally, blogger Janine Ripper and “The Vision Planner” found their content replicated in Simone’s work, leading to frustrations about their creative efforts being exploited.
Janine, having poured a decade of dedication into her blog, lamented the unauthorized use of her work. Similarly, “The Vision Planner” took to Twitter to address the issue, revealing that a design firm hired by Simone was responsible for the plagiarism. They clarified that after discussions with Simone’s manager, misunderstandings were resolved, attributing the issue to the actions of the design agency rather than Simone herself.
However, Bea Simone and her team are bearing the brunt of the blame, despite it being evident that she had minimal involvement in her book. She maintains that she penned a few chapters and diary entries in her own words. Whether she truly authored them or enlisted someone else remains unclear, but it’s apparent she wasn’t fully engaged in the book’s creation. This irony is notable considering her self-professed entrepreneurial status; typically, entrepreneurs are deeply involved in their projects. While they may seek assistance or hire personnel, they still maintain oversight to ensure alignment with their brand. Although Bea Simone isn’t entirely culpable, she faces the majority of the criticism because her name is tied to the project, thereby affecting her brand reputation. She must confront the consequences, despite not being solely at fault. Bea Simone has addressed the plagiarism allegations with the following statement:
You all recognize me. I’ve always been open, authentic, and truthful throughout my career, and this moment is no exception. I want to address the accusations surrounding my book in a brief video, but due to legal constraints, I can only say so much. Nevertheless, staying silent doesn’t sit right with me, so here I am. My intention was to create a book empowering young women to shift their mindset and manifest, as that’s been pivotal to my own success. That’s my truth, what I know, and what I wanted to impart. I’ve never authored a book before, so as an influencer, a creative, an entrepreneur, my team and I outsourced. We trusted a team to bring my vision to life, but unfortunately, much was done without my knowledge. I’m here to rectify it. I’ve reached out to everyone involved to resolve this issue. Though my team and those I hired may have faltered, I take full responsibility as the leader, the CEO, the coach. It’s my brand, and I’m committed to fixing it. I won’t evade this; I’ll confront it directly. Every day, I’m learning and evolving in my business endeavors. This is a lesson. The books are off the shelves until clarity is achieved. No gray areas. Thank you for sticking by me, for your support. Despite not knowing, I bear the responsibility because I’m the face, the brand, the coach. I’m dedicated to righting this wrong. I appreciate your unwavering support during this challenging time. I’ve shed tears, vented, and now it’s time to mend. Thank you, thank you, thank you for standing with me.
Bea Simone recently addressed the plagiarism issue, hinting at potential legal action to come. Moving forward, let’s delve into another topic concerning R&B singer Marcus Houston. At 38, he’s engaged to a 19-year-old woman named My Jana, sparking interest due to some revelations about her past. Sources from Lipstick Alley and Media Takeout suggest that My Jana was a teenage runaway, with claims of her being reported missing in 2016 at the age of 15. Allegedly, she had been adopted in California in 2012, but ran away from her home in Oregon to reunite with her birth mother. It’s speculated that she came into contact with Marcus Houston and Chris Stokes, the latter known for managing boy bands like Immature and B2K before transitioning to movie production. However, disturbing allegations have swirled around Stokes and Houston for years, with accusations of child abuse from former members of B2K and others. Despite these claims, there has been no formal investigation. Now, scrutiny is turning to Houston’s relationship with My Jana, raising questions about their timeline and how they met.
As previously mentioned, there were reports alleging that My Anna went missing in 2016 and somehow ended up in the company of Chris Stokes and Marcus Houston. However, it’s conceivable that My Anna may have known them prior to her alleged disappearance. Notably, My Anna is credited in Chris Stokes’ film “Will to Love,” released in 2015, where she served as an art director, indicating a connection dating back to her mid-teens. I managed to capture a screenshot of her credit on the film’s page, although it appears her name has since been removed, possibly due to exposure on Lipstick Alley. Furthermore, she was also credited in another movie, “Always and Forever,” released in 2018, when she would have been around 17 or 18 years old. This suggests a longstanding acquaintance with Chris Stokes, raising questions about their relationship, perhaps familial.
Upon allegedly leaving her adopted parents, My Anna reportedly reached out to Chris Stokes, whom she refers to as her father on social media. It’s plausible that My Jana, too, came into contact with Marcus Houston through Chris Stokes’ connections. My Anna claimed to have met Marcus at a Jehovah’s Witness convention, indicating a shared religious affiliation. While she mentioned meeting Marcus at the convention, the exact commencement of their relationship remains ambiguous. They only made their relationship public when My Anna turned 18. My Anna’s birth date, October 7, 2000, was confirmed by her mother on Facebook, while Marcus Houston was born on August 4, 1981. Therefore, when they officially went public, Marcus Houston was 37, and My Anna had just reached the age of 18.
Interestingly, before My Anna turned 18, Marcus Houston referred to her as one of his sisters. Additionally, My Anna was observed liking pictures on Marcus Houston’s backup page as early as August 2017.
It’s possible that she was simply scrolling through his old photos and liking them. However, if she was liking them around the time he posted them, she would have been approximately 16 years old. I’m not implying that Marcus Houston was involved with her when she was underage, as we can’t confirm that. However, they were acquainted before she turned 18, and they went public once she reached that age. The timing of events is certainly questionable. From an outsider’s perspective, it might suggest they had a relationship before she turned 18, but without concrete evidence, we can’t be certain. The entire narrative strikes me as peculiar. It’s strange that she was a runaway teenager yet had connections with Chris Stokes during her youth. Moreover, she somehow became associated with Marcus Houston while still a teenager—she’s only 19 now, and they’re engaged. The entire saga appears very unusual, particularly considering her age and the controversies surrounding Chris Stokes and Marcus. I can’t help but feel unsettled by the whole situation. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on it.
On a different note, I’d like to extend my condolences to the rapper Young Miami. She revealed that the father of her son, Jai Wiggins, has passed away. Reportedly, he was shot and remained in critical condition for a week before succumbing to his injuries. Young Miami expressed her sorrow on Instagram, describing him as a devoted father to their child. She also shared her disbelief and sadness over his untimely death. It’s heart-wrenching to see such a loss, especially for their son Jai. JT from the City Girls also paid tribute to him, highlighting his strength and support for his family over the years.