*By Conor White*
Kanye West has shocked people before, but his recent outbursts, including a bizarre TMZ interview in which he said slavery was a choice, have left even his closest friends wondering if he's O.K.
"A lot of it, yes, it is disturbing," said Kareem Burke, the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, adding: "I don't know what the intent is, which is crazy for me because I know his heart, and I know he has a great heart, so I'm hopeful things will change and Kanye will be the old Kanye."
Burke takes credit for giving West his start in music more than 15 years ago, when the rapper first signed to Roc-A-Fella. "I personally launched his career," Burke said in an interview with Cheddar at the Collision Conference in New Orleans.
He is now launching a media empire, including two movies which recently had their premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival: "O.G." and "It's A Hard Truth Ain't It". Jeffrey Wright won Best Actor at Tribeca for his performance in "O.G."
Both films deal with prison life in the United States, something Burke knows about. Before he was a media entrepreneur, he served five years for marijuana trafficking. Burke said he hopes the films help raise awareness of the problems with the country's prison system.
"Hopefully if these stories keep getting out, we're hoping that the dialogue starts, and hopefully change follows that," Burke said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/roc-a-fella-co-founder-misses-the-old-kanye).
Elon Musk said his cage fight against Mark Zuckerberg will stream on 'X,' the app formerly known as Twitter.
Restaurant Week in New York City continues through Aug. 20 and Cheddar News checked out some of the most delicious and inspirational dishes at Dagon Restaurant, a Mediterranean-style eatery known for its exquisite cuisine and led by Chef Ari Bokovza.
Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' movie has reached $1 billion in sales at the box office.
Dungeons & Dragons is updating its artists' guidelines and said illustrators will no longer work with artificial intelligence.
Luke G. Boyd, director of education and public programs of Historic Richmond Town, spoke with Cheddar News about Voorlezer's House in Staten Island, NY, the site of one of the oldest schoolhouses in the country. The historic building, which was built around the 1700s, and Boyd explained the history behind the schoolhouse.
After no big winner Friday night, the Mega Millions jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.55 billion.
Because no one matched all six numbers and won the estimated $1.35 billion jackpot, the top prize increased to $1.55 billion for the next drawing Tuesday night.
In just three weeks in theaters, “Barbie” is set to sail past $1 billion in global ticket sales, breaking a record for female directors that was previously held by Patty Jenkins, who helmed “Wonder Woman.”
Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an unlawful gathering in New York City, after the online streamer drew thousands of his followers, many of them teenagers, with promises of giving away electronics, including a new PlayStation.
The latest on the ongoing Hollywood writer's strike.
