(AllHipHop News) Incarcerated rapper Kodak Black has officially filed suit against a U.S. Marshal involved in his arrest for allegedly leaking a photo to the press.
The rapper, real name Bill K. Kapri, recently threatened legal action against U.S. Marshals Service Chief Mark O’Loughlin for violating his privacy by reportedly having his arresting officer snap a picture of Kodak in handcuffs shortly before he was due to perform at Miami, Florida’s Rolling Loud music festival in May 2019.
The image subsequently made its way to a Miami reporter, who had it published in a local paper – all without Kodak’s permission.
Kodak’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, filed a formal complaint with authorities at the time, and while he waits for U.S. Marshals Service officials to investigate the claims, he has decided to take the issue to court on behalf of his client.
In the documents, Cohen argues O’Loughlin’s alleged actions caused Kodak embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, and loss of income.
He also quotes a Supreme Court judge on the rights of inmates, which reads in part: “Inmates in jails, prisons or mental institutions retain certain fundamental rights of privacy; they are not like animals in a zoo to be filmed and photographed at will by the public or media reporters.”
Kodak was arrested for falsifying information on federal forms to purchase firearms and faced up to 10 years behind bars before striking a plea deal with prosecutors to serve 46 months in prison, with the following three years on supervised release.
He is also currently serving an additional 12 months for a gun charge in New York, with the sentences running concurrently.
(AllHipHop News) John Legend, Common, and Lizzo are among the stars who have signed an open letter urging local governments to ‘defund’ police departments and give more to healthcare and education.
Jane Fonda, Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Brie Larson, Taraji P. Henson, and The Weeknd have also added their names to Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors’ letter addressing abundant funds for policing versus the lack of cash available for hospitals and medical centers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 deaths and the deaths caused by police terror are connected and consequential to each other,” the letter reads. “The United States does not have a national healthcare system. Instead, we have the largest military budget in the world, and some of the most well-funded and militarized police departments in the world, too.
“Policing and militarization overwhelmingly dominate the bulk of national and local budgets. In fact, police and military funding has increased every single year since 1973, and at the same time, funding for public health decreased every year, crystallized most recently when the Trump administration eliminated the U.S. Pandemic Response Team in 2018, citing ‘costs’.”
In the letter, Cullors reveals state and local government spending on police and corrections jumped from $60 billion to $194 billion between 1977 and 2017, insisting that money could be better spent: “It could go towards building healthy communities, to the health of our elders and children, to neighborhood infrastructure, to education, to childcare, to support a vibrant Black future. The possibilities are endless.”
(AllHipHop News) R&B star The Weeknd has called on his corporate “partners” in the music industry to join him in making significant donations to support Black Lives Matter causes.
The “Can’t Feel My Face” hitmaker has pledged a total of $500,000 to date to benefit various non-profit organizations as protests continue worldwide, demanding an end to police brutality and justice for African-American man George Floyd, who died at the hands of a white officer in Minnesota on 25 May.
On Tuesday, as members of the entertainment industry participated in the #BlackoutTuesday movement to draw urgent attention to the issue of racial inequality, The Weeknd encouraged music bigwigs to follow his lead and dig deep, too.
“To my fellow respected industry partners and execs- no one profits off of black music more than the labels and streaming services,” he wrote in the public Twitter plea, which was accompanied by the logos of Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music, Apple Music, and Spotify.
“I gave yesterday and I urge you to go big and public with yours this week. It would mean the world to me and the community if you can join us.”
Company chiefs have yet to formally respond to the call to action.
The Canadian singer, real name Abel Tesfaye, used his donations to support the National Bailout Collective, aiding those arrested during ongoing protests over Floyd’s death, the Black Lives Matter Global Network, and the Know Your Rights campaign, launched by American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick to combat police brutality.
(AllHipHop News) Big Sean has recounted the history of U.S. police clashes with the black community in an emotional video statement.
The singer and rapper took to social media to share his support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd and delved into his difficult experience as a black man in the U.S.
“I don’t feel equal and I don’t feel free,” he said in footage posted to his Twitter and Instagram feeds. “Of course let’s speak up and be heard, but things have to change.”
Sean, real name Sean Michael Leonard Anderson, added, “Clearly we got the whole world’s attention, obviously, and justice has to be served. Period. And if it’s not, I don’t think things are going to change or get better.”
He then detailed his experiences of the protests that have swept the nation in the wake of the tragedy, insisting he’ll always be very proud of his skin color.
“I don’t know if it’s to make us look like we wild beasts or don’t have control, but we clearly are not wild beasts,” he added. “We’re extraordinary, talented magical people that if you took us out of the equation, the world would be very, very bland.”
Big Sean also touched on discrimination throughout U.S. history, adding, “Our ancestors built this country for free, OK? So I’m just talking from the heart right now, but one of my biggest issues is that… this current government, and country, is built on a racist foundation.
“It’s impossible to get out of once you in there, you know…? Some of the first police forces ever was made during slavery, down South, in them Southern states. And their main focus was to capture, apprehend, beat, discipline slaves, rip them apart from their families, keep them apart and God knows whatever else.”
Michael “Killer Mike” Render captivated the country by delivering an impassioned speech to his fellow Atlanta citizens about the violent reactions to Caucasian Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin killing Floyd. Chauvin purposely pressed his knee into the prone African-American man’s neck for nearly 9 minutes. Three other officers were on the scene and did not attempt to stop the excessive force that led to Floyd’s death.
Killer Mike’s statement at Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ press conference last Friday quickly went viral. The Run The Jewels member followed that moment by making an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The CBS host asked Killer Mike what can white Americans do to support black people dealing with racism. Mike suggested donating to organizations working on causes connected to anti-racism, physically helping those organizations, and spending one hour watching YouTube videos of activist/educator Jane Elliott teaching about implicit racial bias.
Apparently, some viewers did take Killer Mike’s advice. Several Twitter users contacted the southern emcee to express appreciation for putting them onto Elliott and her exercises. Mike recognized their willingness to learn, telling one person that admitted to being raised to be racially biased, “No matter u can change that! Well wishes on your journey.”
(AllHipHop Features) A mysterious man in all black with an umbrella covering his head, a gas mask covering his face and tactical boots casually walks up to a Minneapolis AutoZone and begins to break all the windows in the establishment. People are leisurely walking back and forth when the man in black starts his brazen act of vandalism. One older, thin Black man, donned in a pink shirt holding a pizza box, goes over to him in an apparent attempt to stop the mysterious man from breaking the windows. He fails. The man in the pink shirt, the camera person taping it all and confused others follow the man that has just violently disrupted peaceful protests and jump-started nationwide riots.
More than that, the act has stolen a moment that is in honor of George Floyd, the man who lost his life under the knee of then-officer Derek Chauvin. It was at that moment that the anti-police brutality and anti-racism movement became wrought with anarchists, alt-right extremists and a dark, clandestine otherness that has yet to be revealed. The narrative shifted and the waters effectively muddied.
Exhibit A: Mysterious Man With Umbrella And Gas Mask Breaks Windows In Minneapolis AutoZone
Over the weekend morning, Bill de Blasio, Major of New York City, acknowledged these odd forces in an address to the city and admitted that other leaders have seen it happen in their jurisdictions too.
“It’s so obvious what happened here. Last night I was communicating with mayors all over the country. Everyone was experiencing the same reality. This violent, organized effort – many times from people not from the neighborhoods where it was occurring or not even from the same city. So we’ve got to get to the bottom of this immediately. I’ve asked Deputy Commissioner John Miller to put together the information, obviously understanding security realities.
To put together all the information is been out in the public domain and I start to gather, as quickly as possible, and provide transparently information about the locations from which these “protesters” have come. I’m not saying most are from outside New York City, but some were unquestionably. And the most important part is not the location of their origin but the plan that they put together and try to execute. Deputy Commissioner Miller will be able to show you the kind of weapons people brought, the kind of strategies that were employed, the level of organization. This is not accidental stuff. This is not informal stuff. You’ll see it’s a systematic pattern and I am a progressive and I have spent my life participating in protest. This is not the American progressive protest tradition. This is not the tradition of Dr. King. it’s dangerous. It is counterproductive. It puts the lives particularly of young men of color in danger if it creates deeper tension between police and community. “
The proclamation was bold, but imperfect and incomplete.
Exhibit B: A Pair Of Non-Black Women Spray Painting “BLM” On Stores And Black People Buck Back.
Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks, a celebrity makeup artist that has worked with Taraji P. Henson and Alicia Keys, experienced this first hand and recounted her outrage as another set of purported anarchists co-opted the protest of police brutality. Her account, however, is different from the one she re-posted on IG and these types of actions have been reported more times than can be included in this report.
“We protested yesterday and a group of #Anarchist were inciting for the protestors to break windows and attack cops. They were yelling at cops and creating hostility,” she stated on Instagram. “If you are not there for the cause of unifying humanity then DO NOT SHOW UP TO OUR PROTEST!!!,” Sheriff-Kendricks said on her public account. “We are all angry and enraged however inciting violence, destruction will never solve anything. We will be blamed for vandalizing, destroying our own communities. Sadly folks to me this to is white privilege. Why? As a white person you are creating a problem that Blacks will be blamed and judged for. It diminished the cause and reason we are protesting if you are destroying property and creating confusion. What don’t you get we are already negatively reported in the media so don’t add fuel to the fire. Be smart people don’t get swept up by anger and rage in these moments these white extreme groups, militia, undercover oops or whomever is acting out.”
There have been numerous theories on who is behind these rogue insurgents and all of them are plausible. However, some seem more mind-blowing than others.
Exhibit B: Bricks In A Random Place Where There’s No Need For Bricks
So many questions and very few answers. In some instances like the bricks by government buildings and the mystery man, some feel unseen forces want to arm angry protesters and nudge them to violence.
Right now, Philadelphia is a complete mess after a weekend of riots, looting and chaos, but it was not Philadelphians causing the worst of the calamity, sources say.
“They have bombs. They bombed a bar near where I live. They bombed cars in North Philly. Bombs,” one resident said under the guise of anonymity. “They (the cops) are shooting at the (purported) White Supremacists. They are not reporting that on the news. They are doing this in Black neighborhoods. There are no stores here or nothing. Just people. The police are blocking gas stations to avoid them from creating a bigger problem.”
The officials from the City of Brotherly Love also did something that they have never done before the last weekend of May 2020. They shut down Interstate 95, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and just about every thoroughfare, all the ramps into the city over the weekend. These closures included the SEPTA transit system that transports people back and forth to the suburbs. SEPTA is still docked at the time of this writing.
And still, that is only a superficial solution at best.
Exhibit C: Vice Reports Three White Male Looters/Vandals Assaulting People
A group of young white men beat up a non-white protester in Minneapolis, disturbing video obtained by VICE News shows. Warning: this video is graphic. https://t.co/PLrGsKfc4qpic.twitter.com/FGJb7Qqgrj
Bill de Blasio and other mayors must now contend with dangerous, organized potentially well-funded forces that have reportedly overpowered the police. Again, nothing is what it seems. U.S. President Donald Trump has proclaimed ANTIFA a terror group, but others proclaim them allies. There is video evidence suggesting that ANTIFA or some other entity else pays common angry folks to rebel and riot.
Then there are “Boogaloos,” another covert group that seemingly preys on African Americans, trying to entice them into violent confrontations with authority. A story by Vice says they seek “impending civil war or violent confrontation with law enforcement.” Their mantra is in deep conflict as much of the African American protest movement is rooted in non-violence, historically and currently. One African American man in DC repeatedly stopped numerous attempts to start fires from protesters outside of the city. Rapper-turned-activist Tip “T.I.” Harris posted the interaction.
“Along with the video, T.I. stated, ”There are people who’ve been selected by organizations with ulterior motives, planted in crowds of protesters to antagonize violence & chaos. People who aren’t for the struggle, who don’t live in the cities they’re destroying, & who could care less about the plight of OUR PEOPLE…”
Although it is not, it feels like this is the first time in a long time that white people have awakened to the plight of African Americans, others in the African Diaspora and people of color in general. George Floyd did not start the battle with police brutality and won’t likely end it. Even Colin Kaepernick, the blackballed professional football player, seems vindicated by the current events. It’s confounding and confusing.
Nobody quite figured it out. The man at the beginning of this story, the one who kickstarted the violent riots: what was the deal with him? Some determined that he is a police officer Jacob Pederson of the St. Paul Police Department, something the cops deny vehemently. He and the pizza man seemed to have a relationship…or not. There was something weird about the way the man held onto the pizza box and that bright pink shirt. Undercover cops have been known to color code clothing, paraphernalia or use objects to make themselves identifiable to other officers during protests and unrest. We’re supposed to believe them, the very people killing, terrorizing and brutalizing Black bodies?
Now, it seems, Black people have taken their attention from protesting police brutality to protecting police and property from brutality. Again, forcing oppressors to level up on all fronts. It is exhausting. The demand, at the moment, is simple: stop killing people.
The never-ending ask, in America, since we got here from Africa, has been “We want equality.” Racism is the pandemic without a vaccine. Racism is everywhere: The weekend warrior acting out his first rebel rodeo. The anarchist that comes into the city to destroy neighborhoods, only to go back to their safe, suburban haven. The media mischaracterization and assassination of real protestors by blaming them for the violence and damage perpetrated by the agent provocateur, so-called anarchist, and hidden hands, are the perpetrators of real crime. And don’t get me started on government programs like CointelPro.
Black people only want a fair shot at the dream that has been dangled before our eyes for centuries.
The story never ends…the drama never ends…the peace never ends. So I will end this here.
(AllHipHop News) Game’s music career continues to be targeted over a $7.1 million judgment against the rap star.
A judge just ordered BMI to hand over all of Game’s royalties to Priscilla Rainey or the organization runs the risk of being charged with contempt of court…and so does the rapper.
BMI is known as a Performing Rights Organization, which collects music publishing royalties from entities who use music for commercial purposes.
Most artists and producers rely on their quarterly payments from BMI as a valuable source of income.
But the organization is being ordered to turn over Game’s earnings to Priscilla Rainey, who has been attempting to enforce the massive judgment against the Compton rap star.
The legal issues for Game started in 2015, when Priscilla Rainey was a contestant on his reality show “She Got Game.”
Rainy accused Game of groping her during a taping, and although he was never charged with a crime, she filed a lawsuit against the rapper.
And, last month Rainey went after a restraining order against Cash “Wack 100” Jones, to prevent Game from transferring any more of his property and other valuable assets into his manager’s control.
Earlier this week, Judge Michael Wilner approved Rainey’s request to subpoena record label eOne, which released Game’s album Born 2 Rap.
Priscilla Rainey and her lawyers are after documents and information regarding monies, if any, owed by eOne to Game.
(AllHipHop News) In the latest case of a celebrity showing their true colors about which side of the current fight to end systemic racism they’re really on, Trina made it clear where she stands. The Florida rapper used her Trick N Trina radio show to slam people in Miami protesting the murder of George Floyd by white Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin.
“To stem the spread of the new coronavirus in Florida, [Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Giménez] imposed a county-wide curfew from 9 pm to 6 am and will be enforced until Giménez lifts the orders,” said Trina on the 99 Jamz radio program.
She continued, “They need to make the curfew at 6 pm to 6 am. That’s how I feel. Keep everybody off the streets, these animals off the streets that are running around in Miami-Dade County and acting like they have escaped from a zoo. Lock them up at 5 pm so the streets can be nice and clean.”
Trina went on to talk about her friend’s business supposedly being damaged by looters. However, in the clip circulating online, she did not differentiate between peaceful protestors and people committing crimes.
Her comments caused many negative reactions. Trina became the #1 trending topic on Twitter with a lot of users calling for the self-described “Baddest B*tch” to be canceled. The phrase “Damn Trina” was also trending.
Critics brought up the fact that, just seven months ago, many black people backed Trina when she claimed to have been a victim of discrimination by a white shopper at Walmart. The 45-year-old seemingly dismissing all the protesters in Miami that are calling for justice for George Floyd did not sit well with some supporters of the anti-racism, anti-police brutality demonstrations.
After facing significant backlash for her statement on the radio, Trina went on Twitter to double down on her opinions. She tweeted:
Don’t come on my page with y’all bullsh*t!!! Bcuz I got time today!!! Some of y’all are plain f*ckN ignorant and nothing nobody do will help period. I’m at work and I’m muthaf*ckn ready. The problem is with some of y’all y’all don’t wanna hear the truth. Well y’all can be mad! Y’all should put that anger and frustration into doing something better. Instead of talking sh*t about people. This isn’t about me. I’ve done and I’m doing my part so leave me tf alone. What are u doing. Yea. What are u doing. My point exactly.
(AllHipHop News) Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter took another step to show support for the movement sparked by the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Jay and Roc Nation’s Team ROC partnered with the families who lost children to police violence, activists, and attorneys to take out full-page ads in newspapers in dedication to the deceased African-American.
The ad quotes a speech made by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama in 1965. The last line reads, “We’re going to stand up amid anything they can muster up, letting the world know that we are determined to be free!”
After running in The New York Times, The Denver Post, The Chicago Tribune, The LA Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Austin American Statement, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday, Team Roc placed the ad in more papers on Wednesday.
Van Jones, Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Rye, Tamika Mallory, Michael Eric Dyson, Eboni K. Williams, attorney Ben Crump, attorney S. Lee Merritt, and other individuals also signed the ad. Organizations such as The Innocence Project, Terence Crutcher Foundation, and Sisters Of The Movement as well as the parents of Botham Jean, DJ Henry, and Antwon Rose II were listed as signatories as well.
(AllHipHop News) People have been asking “where are the protest songs from the Hip-Hop community?”
While the spoken word pieces and Instagram freestyles are epic and they have their place in the movement, where are the Public Enemy-NWA-like authority checkers that are challenging policing with a backdrop production worth banging out your truck?
That is now answered by California rapper, YG who recently released his version of the classic anti-establishment rap song, “FTP (F*ck the Police).”
The rapper dropped the song a week after the death of George Floyd and the country’s most disruptive weekend in decades, where cities were on fire with civil unrest as a result of police-involved violence.
He announced that he could not wait on the label to drop the song and that for safety reasons, he will not be asking his fans to gather on Hollywood and Vine to protest. Instead, he is planning with the Black Lives Matter movement to secure a safe and purposeful demonstration.
He said, “I’m not trying to get none of my people hurt or shot so I’mma cancel the date,” he said. “It’s f##### up but I’m gonna come back bigger and better. I’m partnering with Black Lives Matter and we gonna do this s### the right way. For the people, for the city, and for all the artists that wanna pop out and participate.”
(AllHipHop News) People around the world are tuned in to what is currently happening in the streets of the United States. Protests have broken out across the country following the filmed murder of unarmed African-American George Floyd at the hands of white police officer Derek Chauvin.
Many celebrities addressed the brutal killing in Minneapolis, the resulting uprising in multiple cities, and the systemic racism embedded in American culture. Last week, Cardi B posted a video expressing her understanding of the widespread anger over police brutality. She also called on people to vote in elections.
Doug Kolk, a reporter for Los Angeles’ KTLA channel, covered Cardi’s message about the protests. However, he edited her video to make it seem as if the “Bodak Yellow” rapper was promoting violence.
Cardi’s fans began sending her clips of the KTLA newscast. She responded to the segment by tweeting, “KTLA SUCK MY D*CK. [I’m] not promoting violence in promoting the PROTEST.”
The Grammy winner also posted, “@DougKolk why your no lip square head having ass ain’t put the part [where] I said to vote? You cottage cheese breath having b*tch. Why don’t you post how a conservative Christian trump supporter post my [address] and encourage people to loot my home (which by the way he goin to jail).”
KTLA SUCK MY DICK .Im not promoting violence in promoting the PROTEST . https://t.co/YDN6pCvL9C
@DougKolk why your no lip square head having ass ain’t put the part were I said to vote ? You cottage cheese breath having b####.Why don’t you post how a conservative Christian trump supporter post my adress and encourage people to loot my home(which by the way he goin to jail ) https://t.co/YDN6pCvL9C
With 12 million followers on Twitter, Cardi’s response gained a lot of attention on the platform. The first tweet amassed more than 6,500 retweets and 38,000 likes.
After facing backlash, Kolk offered a public mea culpa to the rap star on Twitter. He also apologized to her on the air and played the entirety of her Twitter video about the protests.
“I apologize to @iamcardib if I took her words out of context. I respect her for using her platform to connect with people during these difficult times and it was wrong of me to not let her full voice be heard. I will make sure that is corrected during my next segment,” tweeted Kolk.
I apologize to @iamcardib if I took her words out of context. I respect her for using her platform to connect with people during these difficult times and it was wrong of me to not let her full voice be heard. I will make sure that is corrected during my next segment
(AllHipHop News) Megan Thee Stallion is constantly showing love to her hometown Houston, both verbally and financially. This week, the “Say So” hitmaker is putting her money behind demonstrators in the city calling for justice in the George Floyd case.
“I love my people ✊ and I love my city!!! Any contribution helps! Swipe to see some sites where you can donate money to the bail funds of protestors!!! #blacklivesmatter,” wrote Meg on Instagram.
The IG caption was accompanied by a photo of a receipt to Restoring Justice. According to the image, Megan gave the organization $10,225.26. She also posted links to other nationwide websites that are helping arrested demonstrators.
Restoring Justice’s mission statement reads:
Our attorneys are committed to client-centered, passionate, proactive, comprehensive, and holistic representation of the marginalized in our community. We believe this standard of defense is necessary to ensure everyone’s rights are protected. Beyond that standard, we also hope to bring the love of community into our work and into the entire criminal justice system, as true justice means making our entire community whole again – the accused and victims – rather than tearing people down.
(AllHipHop News) Large sections of the entertainment business took part in #BlackOutTuesday as a statement of support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The effort was initiated by the music industry.
While record labels and streaming services were attempting to bring awareness to racism and discrimination, one white rapper is calling on those brands to do even more. Russ took to Twitter to offer a challenge to the music companies.
“Labels. Put some money up. Y’all eat off black lives everyday,” tweeted the Shake the Snow Globe album creator on June 1.
He returned to Twitter on Tuesday to add, “There’s so much money in the music industry. I just hope these labels actually do something, put some money up, donate etc. Reflecting is cool but I don’t think that’s enough from them. These labels profit off of black lives more than most. That’s all I’m sayin ♂️.”
Russ is also raising money for the #BlackLivesMatter movement by selling t-shirts. According to the Columbia recording artist, he has collected more than $257,000 for the fundraising campaign so far.
LINK IN BIO TO PURCHASE A SHIRT
ALL PROFITS ARE BEING DONATED TO BLACK LIVES MATTER
(AllHipHop News) Ciara has written an emotional letter to her young son, Future, to explain the protests that hit the streets of U.S. cities last week following the death of George Floyd.
The African-American was killed during a police arrest on 25 May (20) when a white Minneapolis cop kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes.
The incident has prompted several stars, including Beyonce and Ariana Grande, to take a firm stance against racism and police brutality.
As the protests became more and more violent over the weekend, Ciara took to Instagram on Sunday (31May20) to share words of encouragement for her six-year-old, who she shares with rapper ex Future.
“My sweet Baby Boy. I pray that when you get older A CHANGE will finally have come!! I’m going to keep my FAITH! I’m praying that the losses of our Black Kings and Queens won’t be in vain,” she posted alongside an image of herself and her son.
She ended the heartfelt post with a message of urgency, encouraging others to fight for change.
She added, “Enough is Enough! I’m praying for UNITY! I’m praying for the powers that be to unite and decide that it’s time for a change!”
The singer is currently expecting her second child with husband Russell Wilson. The pair also shares daughter Sienna, three.
(AllHipHop News) Lizzo has joined the stars speaking out about racism and police brutality as American cities are taken over by Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd.
The 32-year-old rapper has taken to Instagram Live to address the race issues while hoping the Floyd tragedy brings about major change across America.
“We want what we’ve always wanted from the beginning of being in this f##king country – the same rights that all these other people have. It’s not that difficult,” the “Truth Hurts” hitmaker raged.
“Black people are tired. We are so tired. I’m tired of putting myself in danger. It’s not danger from the protestors, it’s danger from the police who don’t value me. Danger of the white supremacist groups who are shooting at people, who are running people over with their cars.”
Lizzo reveals she chose to speak up because she always wondered why famous African-Americans fell silent during past high-profile race issues.
“I wasn’t in this position a year ago, (with) this profile. This many people didn’t know who I was a year ago. I remember every time these things happened, I would look to these famous people and say, ‘Where are your voices? Why aren’t you speaking up for us?’ I have to realize that responsibility as well. It would irresponsible of me to not reflect the times, irresponsible to not tell the truth.”
“I still love my blackness,” Lizzo added. “I still love your blackness. I still believe that everybody’s life matters. But until we start treating each life equally and respecting each life equally, we gotta say Black Lives Matter.”
Lizzo joins Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Dr. Dre, and Kevin Hart among the black stars speaking out against systematic racism following Floyd’s death. He was killed a week ago during an arrest when a Minneapolis cop kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes.
It’s officially B-Real’s birthday! Celebrating 50 years of life, the Los Angeles native is a legend in the rap game. From his early days leading the pact for famed rap group Cypress Hill to his own solo artistry to now one of the leaders in the marijuana industry, real name Louis Freese deserves all his flowers.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Cypress Hill’s formation, releasing their first mixtape in 1989 and their first album in 1991.
B-Real’s ability to spit over DJ Mugg’s beats carved an entire unique sound, paving the way for West Coast Hip-Hop to be recognized for generations to come.
Of course, the band has always been an advocate for cannabis, which allowed B-Real to thrive in the industry. To this day, he’s opened 6 locations with his Dr. Greenthumb dispensary and has his own media platform B-Real TV, home to his Smokebox series where he smokes with an artist and interviews them.
Most recently, B-Real teamed up with Berner to release their new project titled Los Meros, with all-star features from Ty Dolla $ign and Wiz Khalifa to Xzibit and Paul Wall. AllHipHop caught up with B-Real to discuss his Dr. Greenthumb dispensaries, favorite weed strains, his new project with Berner, and more!
AllHipHop: What were the key factors in getting the Dr. Greenthumb dispensaries off?
B-Real: First creating the brand, which we had a head start on through the music. Through creating the song “Dr. Greenthumb,” I created a bunch of events. Eventually, we started attaching the name to cannabis products. Flowers that my team and I were producing. The most important thing was getting the brand off the ground. Eventually when the time was right and the situation was fitting for us to take that and transition it into a retail store from a street brand.
There were bumps in the roads, things we had to deal with to get to where we’re at, but that’s anybody getting into this industry. A lot of people from the outside think it’s easy, but definitely not. It takes a lot to get into this industry. Even people who come with big financing find that out. If you don’t start with the brand and it be grassroots and organic (no pun intended), people don’t tend to trust that. You could be this new brand with all this money but if no one knows you — unless someone comes and says “it’s fire, it’s that s##t,” no one’s going to touch it. No matter how much money you put behind that brand. You look at what’s happening with Med Men right now…
AllHipHop: Are they going out of business?
B-Real: All the arrows point to that. That’s a brand that came out of nowhere because they had a lot of money, did a lot of marketing. A lot of consumers didn’t necessarily want to go there. They went other places because they didn’t necessarily trust that brand. No disrespect to them because I respect how they did it. If this brand had existed and people knew about it from way back, maybe they would’ve been more accepting of it. Again within the cannabis industry, people want to be able to trust the brand they’re buying from. “Hey man, you need to try this from these guys. These guys got the bomb right now.” Unless that word of mouth is happening for you — when you pay for all this marketing, that works because people who don’t know will get put onto you. They’ll come check it out but if they don’t like it, that’s a one-time buy. People have to say “hey, you need to go there to get your bags. That s##t’s poppin’.”
AllHipHop: It’s crazy because before weed was legal, I mostly went to Med Men because they accepted credit cards.
B-Real: Yeah, they had a few things set up that no one else had. They had a little bit of fire in there, but not that much.
AllHipHop: What is it about you that you’re able to stand out?
B-Real: We started the brand and backed the brand up with great products. When we’re able to open up the retail, we accepted every fire brand that exists out there. We didn’t say “you know what, we’re going to hog the look to ourselves.” We’re providing options of all the top-shelf brands. We’ve been to those High Times Cannabis Cups, going 10 years back. We’ve been in the cannabis industry as advocates and activists, even producers in cultivation and brand-building. People know us from that time.
We had that luxury of people getting to know us as we’re growing and them growing with us. Them seeing our progression and our brand evolving into where it’s at now and where it’s going, that’s the key for us. It started with music but what we took from the music, the “Dr. Greenthumb” song and turning it into a character or alter ego. I turned that into a brand and eventually the retail. Fans watching that progression and being a part of it. Being accessible at those cannabis events, showing up. Having the product there was key, showing and proving with the product we have.
AllHipHop: Top 5 strains of weed?
B-Real:
1. That Gary Payton from Cookies. Off the hook, love that s##t. Some of the craziest s##t that I’ve had in a long time. I know he got other fire strains, but that’s one of my favorites.
2. Blue Icee. I can’t remember the name of the crew that grows it but it’s called Blue Icee. Man that s##t’s gas! It’s a hybrid of some sort. I know they crossed it with something but it’s got a real gassy f##king appeal. The taste is off the chain.
3. Sherbinskis Gelato or Sunset Sherbert, ether one of those two. Probably a Sunset Sherbert, that s##t’s off the chain right there. One of my favorites, it’s got a very, very distinct taste to it. A lot of people may have gotten those genetics but when he popped that s##t off on the scene, it was amazing. Always been one of my favorites.
4. My man OG Rascal’s White Fire, that s##t’s some of my favorite. Whenever I get some, I hold onto that s##t for a while.
5. The fifth one is my people at Seed Junkies. It’s hard to choose a strain from them because they have so f##king many. One they created for us is the Insane Holland Space Cake, man that’s some of my favorite. Seed Junkies are some of my favorite breeders and cultivators, they got their s##t together.
AllHipHop: I love that you smoke a lot of different strains because a lot of people in the industry smoke only one strain.
B-Real: I used to be that way. Cookies opened up my world to the other s##t, because I was an OG Kush snob. If it wasn’t OG Kush, I wasn’t smoking it. I started hearing about the Cookies from Berner, I tried that s##t and it was f##king fire.
AllHipHop: Have you had any memorable bad trips?
B-Real: I’ve had some bad trips of all sorts. My first really f##ked up dab experience was one 4/20, we went to play up in Denver. The people from Weedmaps were up there, shout out to them. There was a crew of them, they had their own dab rigs and dab torches. They’re so ahead of the game before that became a thing, maybe 5 years back. Before dabs were really on the scene, but these dudes came with mad concentrates. Jars, everyone had their own different jar. Bees Wax with s##t on them, with wax and all that. Because I’m Dr. Greenthumb, they wanted to blaze me the f##k out.
I took one dab hit, then I took another and another. These were big hits for maybe my second time dabbing, because I smoke flower all day. Bong hits, whatever. But dabbing was sort of new to me at that point. After the third one, man I got so crushed. I had a show that night. I had to get it together. I pulled it together because I’m not going to let anything keep me down, but it hit me in such a way, it felt like it’s my first time smoking. It lasted a long time, I was trippin’.
AllHipHop: Did people know you were freaking out?
B-Real: I wasn’t really freaking out but I was pretty high as f##k. I didn’t know how on point I was going to be when it came time to do the show. I didn’t know how tight I was going to be because I felt like slow as f##k.
AllHipHop: Was this Cypress Hill days?
B-Real: Yeah.
AllHipHop: Can we expect a Cypress Hill movie?
B-Real: Estevan and I and the guys have talked about it for sure. We’re putting something together now. We’ve actually been trying to figure it out for a while. Now that we all have some time to put some of the ideas together and figure it out, we’ll definitely be getting on that. Hopefully, we’ll have it together by some time next year.
AllHipHop: What happened to the Serial Killers group?
B-Real: We were going to put out an album, then we paused out. I can’t remember for what reason but we’re actually working on something right now. We’re trying to put it out this summer if we can hit the deadline properly. I always looked forward to working with Demrick and Xzibit. Xzibit and I had a studio together. It’s always good working with them, we have a long history. They’re fun It’s almost like working with Berner. It’s a family vibe, 3 emcees. It’s easy. We get songs done like that [snaps fingers].
AllHipHop: In hindsight, thoughts on the beef w/ Ice Cube?
B-Real: It was what it was. I’m glad we’re able to squash it before it turned into something seriously f##ked up for a lot of people other than ourselves. He’s always one of my favorite emcees so when we squashed it, we’re able to work together on a couple songs. I felt good about that.
B-Real: Your new project Los Meros with Berner has some legendary features, from Ty Dolla $ign to Wiz to Everlast Xzibit to Paul Wall. How’d you decide who to put on the project?
Fortunately, all these folks are our friends. All this was done before all this stuff started happening, we hit them at the right time. We hit everybody at the right time. Everybody happened to be home, not touring or doing shows out of town. They’re all our friends so the fact that they had the time, they got on. I dig the song we did with Rick Ross because he’s always been one of my favorite rappers. I always look for an opportunity to work with my dude because our voices bounce well off of each other in contrast, then Berner’s voice in the middle of that. All the tones of our voices work together, our flow so it’s one of my favorites. Rocking with Everlast, Xzibit, Trick Trick, those are awesome. Ty Dolla $ign, one of my favorites. He delivered on 2 songs, that’s my guy right there.
AllHipHop: Were most songs done in the studio or sent?
B-Real: No, they were done in the studio. The only one that was sent was maybe Rick Ross’. He was still in Miami but everybody else, they were here in LA. They came to the studio, dropped by, knocked it down. We had tremendous smoke sessions.
(AllHipHop Rumors) The murder of Mr. George Floyd. continues to mystify the nation. A man has been killed and there are four police officers that are culpable – ALL OF THEM. One of those police officers has been arrested but the other three are still out and about free to roam in the world. Thing is, they are not because they are clearly scared of the rioting and the potential for violence that is out there. They may legit her KILLED!
All of this is extremely ironic considering those cops are the ones that were violent to Mr. George Floyd. Nevertheless, here is the rumor. The Asian police officer, Tou Thao, is reportedly missing in action. He is the one that was positioned directly in front of Officer Derek Chauvin and Mr. George Floyd as life left his body. Thao is the officer that provided an intimidating blockade from anyone – most notably the young lady that videotaped the mess – that may have even thought of intervening and preventing the senseless, illegal murder of George Floyd. The word is the Thao officer has left the United States and is now in an undisclosed location abroad. I don’t know anything about Thao, other than he is Asian and a cop that helped murder a man. Both Thao and Chauvin have numerous police brutality cases.
Now, the assertion that Thao has taken flight all speculation – all rumors and speculation. There is no proof of this at the time of this writing, but my sources are my sources. They are talking! It is not inconceivable that he has left the country considering he is not charged with anything. That would not be a crime right now. To my knowledge, there has not even been any sort of investigation that points towards the other three officers. Now we can say that they are not out of the woods yet because there is still the possibility that they may be charged in the murder of George Floyd like their friend in death, Derek Chauvin.
By the way, the internet is wrong on a lot of stuff. For example, Derek Chauvin’s wife, who is also Asian, is not the brother of Tou Thao, you racist bastards!!
(AllHipHop News) Spike Lee has made his own powerful statement about the death of George Floyd at the hands of police by releasing a short film comparing his treatment to a scene from his film “Do The Right Thing.”
Floyd passed away last Monday after being apprehended by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with Derek Chauvin, an officer who was filmed kneeling on his neck facing a third-degree murder charge and three other officers dismissed over the incident.
His death and U.S. authorities’ subsequent response has prompted protests and unrest across America, with Lee adding his own voice on Sunday by debuting a short film, “3 Brothers,” on a CNN special news report, hosted by Don Lemon.
The short opens with the words “Will History Stop Repeating Itself”, before cutting together footage of the arrests of Floyd and Eric Garner, whose death after being placed in a chokehold by a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer in 2014 also sparked protests. It also includes scenes from Spike’s 1989 movie “Do the Right Thing,” in which Radio Raheem, the character played by Bill Nunn, dies during a brawl after being choked by police officers.
Speaking to Don, the “BlacKkKlansman” director, who was wearing a T-shirt carrying the date 1619, generally thought to be the year the first indentured laborers arrived in the state of Virginia, said the U.S. was founded on the deaths of black people – and protesters, even those who have turned to rioting, are merely demanding justice.
“How can people not understand why people are acting the way they are?,” he warned. “This is not new, we saw with the riots in the 60s, the assassination of Dr (Martin Luther) King, every time something jumps off and we don’t get our justice, people are reacting they way they do to be heard … We are seeing this again and again and again…This is the thing: the killing of black bodies, that is what this country is built upon.”
(AllHipHop News) Nick Cannon “had to go to Minneapolis” to join the protests against the death of George Floyd, and shared his “anger and hurt” in a new essay.
Following the tragic death of African-American man Floyd at the hands of police officers, protests were staged over the weekend to demand an end to police brutality and racial prejudice across the country.
Explaining his decision to visit Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Floyd died, Nick wrote in an essay published by Variety: “I needed to be right there on 38th Street and Chicago where George Floyd’s life was tragically stolen from him
“I needed to see the people in that community – how much love they had for their community and their people and how much pain this has caused. We feel the pain go across the world – the anger and the hurt. Those visuals will never be removed from our minds.”
He continued: “We’re in the middle of a pandemic and instead of coming closer together and operating as one humanity, people go within and want to protect the focus on old mind-sets of classism and racism.
“This doesn’t have to exist anymore. People are searching for a new normal. I don’t want to go back to our old normal – clearly that was killing us on many levels. What we need is a new normal, a new paradigm.”
Urging people to “step up and say this system has been wrong for years”, the father of three went on to demand a total reform of policing, suggesting that the term “police officer” be replaced with “peace officer,” since people are supposed to feel protected and safe in the presence of cops.
“My kids are scared of police officers. In their minds, they’re the bad guys. This is clearly the problem,” he continued. “What happened to George Floyd has been going on for years and years… everything we see, we have to hold them accountable – including the so-called good cops standing by allowing this to happen.
“One bad cop isn’t acting alone. There are several other bad cops allowing that one to do what he is doing.”
(AllHipHop News) Drake and The Weeknd have donated $100,000 each to the National Bailout Collective to help families in need amid the Black Lives Matter protests currently taking place in America.
Following the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, hordes of protests were staged over the weekend in support of the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the country.
And in the wake of the protests, which also took place during the coronavirus pandemic, Mustafa the Poet called on his famous pals Drake and The Weekend to donate to the collective.
Sharing proof of his own $400 donation, Mustafa tagged the pair on his Instagram Stories, writing: “My Toronto Kings @champagnepapi @theweeknd. Swipe up & match my donation but add 3 zeros! Let’s help reunite black families.”
Drake then responded saying that he’d made a donation of $100,000, but that he had a call from his bank checking his identity before he was allowed to do so.
“They just called fraud on my card LOL,” he wrote. “I donated 100k. They were like nah.”
Mustafa also shared a snap on his social media of a receipt showing that The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, also donated $100,000 to the fund.
