Last year, our son Trayvon Martin was stalked, chased down and killed by George Zimmerman, and Zimmerman received no punishment whatsoever. That’s in large part because Florida is one of at least 21 states with some form of ‘Stand Your Ground’ law which enables people like George Zimmerman to claim self-defense.
‘Stand Your Ground’ was never meant to give aggressors the opportunity to get away with murder, but that is what happened when our son Trayvon was killed. After Trayvon’s death, law enforcement used the law as an excuse to refuse to arrest George Zimmerman. Even worse, the jury in the case was instructed to think of what Zimmerman did as self-defense, even though Zimmerman ignored instructions from the police and instigated conflict with our son, who was just trying to get home to his father.
We are shocked and heartbroken by the jury’s decision to allow our son’s killer to go free. Despite our despair, we must honor Trayvon’s legacy by doing all that we can to protect other young people from being targeted, pursued, and senselessly murdered.
We are not the only ones calling for ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws to be reviewed. President Obama spoke out on the need for review, and prominent Republicans like Senator John McCain have joined him. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s not ‘black’ or ‘white’ issue, it’s a wrong and right issue.
This is a matter of making sure that no other family will ever have to go through what we have been through. No parents should ever have to know what it feels like to watch your child’s killer walk free.
Our hearts broke on the night of February 26, 2012 when George Zimmerman killed our son — and we were stunned and devastated when the police refused to arrest Zimmerman. We petitioned for Zimmerman’s arrest on Change.org, and after more than 2 million people joined our call, Zimmerman was charged with our son’s murder. We felt so much closer to justice for Trayvon, and so grateful for the support of those who signed our petition.
But on July 13, 2013, our hearts broke again when the jury set Zimmerman free. Our hearts broke because it is so hard to accept that we can’t protect Trayvon anymore. But we can fight to make sure that this never happens again.
We want to say thank you to all of you who have stood up for our son. Because of all your efforts, Trayvon’s life is celebrated all over the world. Please continue to stand with us as we fight to ensure that his legacy is to leave behind a safer and more peaceful world for all our sons and daughters.
This is crazy as a mug and I wasn’t going to write about it, but the streets are hitting me up to mention it. Bossip broke this one, as far as this exclusive interview with G-Star. Here we go….she details the whole thing. And it sounds very true.
According to G-Star, Foxy was pressed to get her hair done for Summer Jam (where she never performed)
Here is the story direct from the Gen as told to BOSSIP:
SHE LOVED HER HAIR. She danced in the mirror and twirled around in circles like a child. She kept giving me hugs and telling me she would be taking me on tour when she drops her album. She told me this was the best weave she ever had and couldn’t believe how flat the braids were. She said I was an Angel with an amazing gift and that I had a wonderful spirit. She loved the fact that I was an out lesbian and said I will always stand out because of how open I am.
So after 30 minutes of the nonsense and twirling she went to the bathroom. I sent a text because to her she took her hearing aid out. I asked her how did she want to settle her bill.
She came out the bath room and started acting all erratic. And said that she couldn’t pay right there on the spot because she had to meet Jay Z at the Barclays Center. (I told her) “Every one told me you weren’t going to pay me”. She said “No I’m not doing anything. Just send the invoice to my management”. I said to her who is your management? -Why didn’t your management make your appointment then? You walked in the salon like regular customer. She said just Google the info for them and send the invoice. I said no. YOU need to pay me. She said gstar you’re a nice girl and I don’t want to embarrass us. Just send an invoice. I said no I want my money now Foxy. She grabbed her friend and started walking out the store. I followed her. I kept saying PAY me for my services.
I let her go because I didn’t want to cause a scene on the street.
I further contacted her to get payment as you can see from the photos I kept getting the run around.
This past Thursday I went to the corner store by the salon and saw her in there (St. Marks and Flatbush in Brooklyn, NY) I confronted her. And then I recorded the confrontation.
I then went back to the salon and finally filed a police report with the 78th pct. The report is for theft of services.
Take a look at the texts between Gen and Fox that led to the angry confrontation!
So Foxy is biting using Nicki Minaj’s hairstylist too?
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry! -illseed.
Justin Timberlake (and the Tennessee Kids) shakes off the controversy and releases the video for “Take Back The Night”, the first single from his second installment in the 20/20 Experience.
For this video, JT mixes street performances, club scenes and clips from him performing the song at Yankee Stadium while on his and Jay-Z’s Legends of the Summer tour.
(AllHipHop News) DMX seems to have hit a low point in this career with him filing for bankruptcy yesterday (July 29th). However, the 42 year old Hip Hop legend says the bankruptcy was to solve restrictions he’s had on obtaining a passport in a statement sent to AllHipHop by DMX’s publicist Domenick Nati:
“DMX’s financial strains have been inhibiting his career for several years. Poor financial management by prior representation have caused him to be ineligible to retain a passport. The purpose of this bankruptcy filing is for reorganization so he can perform for his fans oversees. We are currently planning a tour in Europe and Africa for the fall of 2013.”
DMX was set to embark on a European tour last year in promotion of his seventh studio album Undisputed.
(AllHipHop Features) In June news broke that Chicago rapper MarVo was suing Disturbing Tha Peace co-founder Ludacris over the song “Sex Room” claiming he is one of the original writers of the tune. The track featured Trey Songz and appeared on Luda’s 2010 album Battle of the Sexes. MarVo had remained silent on the lawsuit publicly, but he spoke exclusively with AllHipHop to give his version of events and to reinforce his claim that he deserves credit and compensation for “Sex Room.”
“I want my side of the story to be shared. I never wanted any bad blood,” says MarVo. “I am not looking to prove to you what I did. I’m telling you what I did, and somebody’s being dishonest. Not me per se. Not Luda per se, but somebody is being dishonest.”
According to MarVo, he worked with a DTP producer on the track back in 2009, and he wrote the hook that was eventually used for “Sex Room” for a song he was working on. He contends the producer, who according to reports is named Kajun, then gave the track with MarVo’s hook to Ludacris without his permission or knowledge. MarVo says the song was then re-worked with Luda writing his own verses and Songz added to sing his chorus.
MarVo also contends that him seeking compensation for his contribution has been ongoing for years. Apparently, conversations about receiving a financial percentage for his part in the creation of “Sex Room” took place before the song was released, but the issue was never resolved. That same year MarVo says his mother passed away, and as a result his attention turned away from the dispute over “Sex Room.” Supposedly, MarVo was not fully aware a lawsuit was ultimately filed in his name.
“It hit the surface back in 2009 before the record even came out. Things were silent, because I’m a dope emcee, and I don’t want people to feel like I trying to use Ludacris’ name to gain me some fame,” says MarVo. “Getting information [about the lawsuit] was almost like a shocker to me. I knew what was going on, but it wasn’t even something that I had actually initiated. It was a call made to me like, ‘we did this and this is going into motion’.”
MarVo made it a point to clarify that he has no ill feelings towards Ludacris or associates at Disturbing Tha Peace. For him, it is about business and fairness.
“I don’t have no beef with anybody, but Ludacris even said, ‘sometimes people write hooks.’ He’s in the industry. Everybody who’s in this industry really understands how it goes. Sometimes a person will write a song. He’ll say, ‘Hey I love that song. Let me buy this song,’ and what’s suppose to happen is everyone who is involved in the process of making that song is supposed to get compensated,” says MarVo.
“I don’t condone anyone to get out here and say Luda is a snake, because I don’t personally know Ludacris. I have never met Ludacris in my life. It just happens that I was in communication with people around Luda, so it’s not impossible for him to hear a record composed by myself. However, the person letting him hear that record might not be telling him there’s a kid in Chicago who actually wrote the hook to this record and we gotta take care of him.”
There has been backlash in the press against MarVo. Some media outlets have suggested he is just an unproven local rapper looking for a come-up off the success of an established artist. MarVo insists that is not the case and maintains that he has proof in the form of video footage from 2009 of his participation in the making of “Sex Room.” The video is currently being held as evidence in the case.
“I do have proof. There’s a video where you can see that MarVo did write the record. We were in the studio filming while we were recording this record, me and the producer,” says MarVo. “This video is going to be the crippling blow. The video puts the situation in my favor, because you have on the video me singing the lyrics to another person.”
Marvo claims that being left out of gaining publishing rights to a top five R&B/Hip Hop song like “Sex Room” could have cost him anywhere between $500,000 to $1 million in potential revenue. MarVo has been working in the entertainment business for years making a majority of his money from corporations who license his music for television shows and commercials. His track “Attitude” was recently featured on the “I’m Not Kelly Pitts” episode of BET’s The Game.
MarVo also works as a “professional ghostwriter” helping other emcees craft their songs, and he releases his own music like the DJ Head Debiase & Don Cannon hosted Change mixtape, 2011’s “Derrick Rose” with Yung Berg, and the single “This Ain’t New To Me” featuring Future.
After making important connections in the industry that last few years, MarVo feels at this point getting what he calls his proper credit for “Sex Room” is mainly about being properly recognized for his work.
“I saw his interview on The Breakfast Club where Luda was like, ‘I’m straight. I’m good.’ Even knowing that this man is good, and he makes all these millions of dollars, from the jump I would have been willingly to sell for a very small amount,” admits MarVo. “At the end of the day this is Ludacris, DTP. They are successful, so Luda having this record and being successful with it would not be detrimental to my career.”
No matter how the situation turns out, in MarVo’s eyes he played an important role in a single that was performed by a platinum selling rapper and one of the leading voices in R&B music today.
“If I wasn’t born that song may never have been in existence, so if you can make a statement like that it’s like me being able to really look in the mirror and be comfortable looking at myself and say, ‘Yeah, I’m the cause of this hit record’.”
(AllHipHop News) Redman along with 211 Media organized the recent 8th annual Lincoln Park Music Festival in South Jersey this past Sunday (July 28th).
Heavy rain forced the show to end before Redman could perform, however Funk Doc took time out to EXCLUSIVELY talk with AllHipHop about the Lincoln Park Music Festival, if How High 2 will follow Spike Lee’s lead and get a Kickstarter as well as more.
Yesterday, Nicki spilled the beans on DJ Funk Flex’s Hot 97 show.
“I was shocked just like the rest of the world and I was cracking up laughing with the rest of the world.”
“Khaled is my brother and Khaled was not serious with that damn proposal, ya’ll. Please let it go. He was kidding. He’s not attracted to me, he doesn’t like me. We’re brother and sister.”
I’m thinking DJ Khaled is like, “Yeah, we brother and sister that think incest is ok.”
This is what the real deal…they are promoting a new song they have together.
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry! -illseed.
