I’m sorry but this is not ‘real shit’ to me. There are dozens of protesters that are locked up right now in cities across the country whose bails are a fraction of the $10 million it will cost to bail Suge out. But, Suge Knight’s lawyer claims Mayweather has taken it upon himself to pay his bail next week.
Joseph Kent’s newly appointed attorney Steve Beatty spoke with CNN’s Don Lemon last night to set the record straight on what Kent’s motives were for breaking the citywide curfew. He also relays a message from Kent asking that people not commit any violence in his name. For now, Kent remains in jail on a curfew violation charge.
Twitter user @POPSspotsports has come forward with some interesting pictures and recollections from his encounter with Baltimore activist Joseph Kent last night. This young man was not only peaceful, he was assisting police and also acted as a mediator between them and the protesters. This is someone who was clearly not anti-police, not a ‘thug’, not provocative, not inciting riots, etc.
Many viewers looked on in disbelief last night as they saw a slow moving humvee pull up beside 21-year-old Baltimore activist and Morgan University student Joseph Kent while a group of National Guardsmen suddenly descend upon him, snatch him up, and put him in the vehicle before getting in themselves. The clip quickly went viral on social media with people demanding to know, “where is Joseph Kent?”
It’s being reported that he was arrested for violating the 10 PM curfew that went into effect yesterday. Baltimore attorney Steve Beatty says Kent is currently being held at the CBIF (Central Booking & Intake Facility) and is waiting to be let upstairs to see him.
Many are criticizing the way that Kent was detained, calling it a violation of rights and likening it to blackbag kidnapping. We can probably assume Kent was not read his Miranda rights, either. I have just one question for all the pacificists and peaceful protest advocates:
Do you approve of this? What Kent did was simply an act of civil disobedience, he was not harming anyone or destroying anything, and yet he was still snatched up just like anyone else would be.
UPDATE: Good news from Steve Beatty:
Everybody has an opinion but it’s time to listen to the people of Baltimore.
Kudos to this brother for having the balls to speak the truth about the ugly history of this country and how is correlates to the riots in Baltimore. America will have to face its sins sooner or later, hopefully before it implodes into permanent disaster. I had to stop short of fulling supporting what he said once the subject of reparations came up and he initially danced around it and said ‘maybe we should get free education’. What a lame cop out. Monetary reparations have been paid out to all over the world and black people deserve no less.
When the incident first aired, many speculated the mother was hitting him out of embarrassment or punishing him for being ‘stupid’. This is partially true. In an interview with CBS News, she says she was worried about his safety since he is her only son; she didn’t want him to a Freddie Gray. She goes on to say she does not support vandalization asserting that, “that’s not justice.” This is definitely a genuine concern for a mother, so her reaction is very understandable. However, I do commend the young man for having the heart to take a stand for what he felt was right, and hope he will continue to channel that energy into positive and productive outlets in his community as he grows.
My theme music.
Hypocrisy at its finest.
A true ride or die.
Baltimore Bloods & Pirus spoke with WBAL TV last night and clarified that local gangs did not call a truce to cause any harm to police, contrary to what the BPD has allowed to be promoted by the media. They acknowledge that although some of them are taking a non-violent stance, others within their respective gangs may not, which is a choice they do not condone, but are understanding of. The BPD and the media’s vilification of this truce and the parties involved is reminiscent of what constantly went on during the Black Panther era, and pretty much any other time Black People came together for a cause that threatened the status quo.
Jessie Williams speaks to the media driven narrative about the protesters and rioting that is happening in Baltimore.
If there was ever a time that the People in communities across the U.S. needed to come together, it’s now. While images and videos of the Baltimore protesters’ exemplary model of unity continue to pour in by the hour, it is unfortunate that that spirit of solidarity has not spread throughout the rest of the country and penetrated the hearts of others. I truly wonder what the motive could have possibly been to lead these men to opening fire on a group of 300 people that were just leaving a funeral service. Many of whom were with their loved ones and simply wanted to pay respects to someone who had passed. Little did some of them know, they would have to start making plans to attend two more. It’s even more saddening to hear that one of the men that died in this senseless act of violence was killed in front of his son. For what? When will this vicious cycle end? Let this be a reminder that although the solidarity shown in places like Ferguson and Baltimore is a step in the right direction, it is something that must not be fleeting. We have to be as unrelenting in our struggle for unity amongst the People as the opposing forces are in their efforts to keep us divided.
I offer my condolences to all those affected by this tragedy.
Six people were shot — two fatally — Monday night during a drive-by shooting outside a Brooklyn church where funeral services were being held, police sources and witnesses said.
More than 300 people were leaving the service at Emmanuel Church of God on Flatbush Ave. near Foster Ave. at about 8:30 p.m. when a gunman fired up to 15 shots into the crowd from a silver SUV.
“It sounded like a war … boom, boom, boom,” said witness Carlo Stamand, 60, who owns the nearby Cafe Creole restaurant. “I ran. I went inside my business. After that, the police came.
Witness Angela Diggs, 50, was worshiping at another church nearby when the congregants’ prayers were drowned out by gunfire.
“We didn’t come out,” she said. “We just continued praying for whatever was happening out there. Praying that nobody died.”
Diggs’ prayers weren’t answered.
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Just hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray, protesters returned to the streets, where they ended up clashing with police in riot gear, as shown in the video above. The protesters are seen hurling rocks and other objects at the police as they retreat from the scene. The USA Today reported the following in regards to the conditions of the officers involved…
Baltimore police Capt. Eric Kowalczyk said seven officers were injured. He said one officer was “unresponsive” and others had broken bones. He condemned “criminals who violently and without provocation attacked our police officers.”
He said officers would respond with tear gas and “pepper balls.”
“We will continue to keep the city safe,” he said.
As of now, there have been no reports of protesters being injured.
Word is starting to spread like wildfire across social media that the Nation of Islam has had a hand in forging a truce between long-time rival gangs the Bloods and the Crips in Baltimore. According to a recent report by CounterCurrentNews:
Reports among members indicate that members of the Nation of Islam organization brokered the truce, much the same as happened in Los Angeles two decades ago.
“I can say with honesty those brothers demonstrated they can be united for a common good,” Carlos Muhammad, a minister at Nation of Islam’s Mosque No. 6 said.
“At the rally, they made the call that they must be united on that day. It should be commended,” he continued.
“We can unite and stop killing one another, and the Bloods and the Crips can help rebuild their community,” Muhammad said in an interview with theThe Daily Beast.
A community organizer, DeRay McKesson, confirmed the ceasefire between the groups.
“The fight against police brutality has united people in many ways that we have not seen regularly, and that’s really powerful,” McKesson said.
“The reality is, police have been terrorizing black people as far back as we can remember. It will take all of us coming together to change a corrupt system,” he added.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake acknowledged the peace-brokering efforts of the Nation of Islam, singling them out specifically for helping to stop the violence in the community.
This is not the only information that has surfaced, however. An e-mail from the Baltimore Police Department that seems to be a response to this truce states that the alliance is a ‘credible threat’ to law enforcement agencies and they are told to take necessary precautions. The e-mail also states that the Black Guerilla Family has joined up with the Bloods & Crips, and various posts on social media claim GD’s are standing in solidarity as well. It appears these groups are not a threat when they are a divided and warring against each other, just when they unite and decide to take a stand against police brutality.
Don’t know the full story yet, will update as details emerge. I guess cops have no idea how to remedy a situation without brutal violence.
Photo Credit: AP/Alex Brandon
With scenes of the Michael Brown protests in Ferguson, MO still ripe in the minds of many, the clips that have been circulating of what took place in the Freddie Gray protests yesterday should not come as a surprise. In fact, they should be expected. Because when such displays of extreme disregard for human life are the catalyst for these actions, in communities where many of its downtrodden occupants already feel like they and others who look like them are walking targets, it is inevitable. Then, those whose duty it is to hold criminals accountable have the audacity to put the perpetrators of these contemptible acts on administrative leave with pay, while imposing mandatory curfews on those demanding justice and telling them how and where to protest. No, that’s not how it works. You do not get to dictate how the People choose to express themselves when your actions and/or failure to take necessary action is/are the reason(s) the People are protesting in the first place.
If we allow those whom we are protesting against to determine what is acceptable and what is not without applying any type of pressure, what is stopping these things from happening again if they feel they can contain the level of response? And if they know the People will ultimately acquiesce to their requests? Could this be a reason why we are seeing no change in the excessive use of police force across the country?
Besides police, I have heard quite a few people pass judgment on how protesters choose to express themselves. If you aren’t living in the same conditions as many of them or are so far removed from the urban community and the experiences of those living there that you can’t empathize with their struggle, then what right do you have to tell them how they should conduct their protests? How can one remain peaceful when your People have been getting harassed, assaulted, and killed by those whose job it is to protect and serve you and getting away with it for generations? How can you keep faith in the idea that justice will be served when time after time, it isn’t?
Do I condone one form of protest over another? No. I just am not naïve enough to believe that simply protesting peacefully is the only answer. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was as peaceful as they come, and he was still shot down in cold blood. Not everyone who uses aggressive action as a form of protest is a thug, hoodlum, animal, or opportunist; many of them are just tired of not being heard. If they were to take their aggression out on the police rather than their surroundings, then what would you say?
When things like social unrest start moving into areas like Downtown Baltimore, as shown in the video below, where the people of higher classes are known to frequent, clearly there is a communication barrier that exists that we all need to address, because the death of Freddie Gray is not just a Black issue, it is a human issue. To some, the Orioles game or the White House Correspondents Dinner held more value than showing solidarity with our brothers and sisters (Black, Brown, White, whatever) in demanding justice for this man’s life. And let’s be realistic, telling people to make sure they vote in the next ballot or election does absolutely nothing to help them right now. You can’t expect those being affected to just sit on their hands and remain passive until the polls open while injustice continues to plague their communities. Enough is enough. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem.
If you haven’t been keeping up with the protests in Baltimore, check this extensive article written by WBALTV. What are your thoughts on the protests and the current state of society in the U.S.?
The people want to know what happened to Freddie Gray in that van?
Lmaooo.
Deep.
We showed people what they looked like in ultraviolet, & wondered aloud if they wanted to put on some damn sunscreen already.
They need to drop the whole tape already but he has been hitting on all cylinders with these.
Rock-N-Jocks is having a BIG SPRING SALE with 20% off everything on entire site. Enter promo. code DRAFT at checkout page. Hurry this short sale ends on April 25th. Go now only at www.rocknjocks.com
Charlatan Creflo Dollar aka Pastor Offering cooks up a response in front of his loyal sheep about the controversy of his needing a $65 million dollar private jet.
I can dream as long as I want to. I can believe God as long as I want to. If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. You cannot stop me from dreaming. You can’t stop me from dreaming. I’m gon’ dream until Jesus comes […]
If you think a $65 million plane was too much, if they discover that there’s life on Mars, they gon’ need to hear the Gospel and I’m gon have to believe God for a $1 billion space shuttle because we got to preach the Gospel on Mars. I dare you to tell me I can’t dream. I dare you to tell me I can’t believe God […]
Modern day slavery. This story is heartbreaking to say the least. Rich Arabs doing their best European impersonation in the enslavement of Black Africans in Sudan. Then we have the Christian Missionary to the so-called rescue who are looking for converts in exchange for these people’s freedom. These ‘masters’ they speak of in this doc are just subhuman devils disguised as the Islamic Army who are using innocent children to fight their wars. Sick just plain sick.
Two of Hip Hop’s most revered lyricists finally dropped the first single “Social Media” to their long awaited collabo album.
This should finally put this issue to bed. After the cut I am adding the full version to ‘Look out for Detox’.
What the f*ck happened to this brother? The Mayor of Baltimore needs to cut the bullsh*t and get to the bottom of this or her city is gonna be an inferno soon. Another black man meets his death at the hands of police.
The Baltimore Police Department is coming under growing criticism following Freddie Gray’s death in police custody. Concerns include the use of excessive force and the failure of officers to follow police protocol. Ben Swann spoke to former US Marshal Matthew Fogg, who said there wasn’t enough evidence even to arrest the 25-year-old.
She went in.
The Hunger Game’s Amandla Stenberg delivers a crash discourse on black culture with a fellow classmate for their history class.
Nobody should have to wait an hour for Mickey D’s fries.
This was released at least a year ago but has suddenly caught fire the past couple of days on Facebook and has ignited a serious discussion. There is no context as to who made the video and it may very well be a video made to further divide black men and women. I have seen Facebook topics “Why Do Black men Hate Black Women?” and vice versa and it caused nothing but nasty exchanges in the comment sections.
The fact the video bases it conclusions on broad generalizations and does not dig deeper into black relationships historically shows it was trolling at it finest. The word ‘submissive’ will always cause an uproar when discussing relationships between men and women, and especially in the black community where black women have been the heads of households for decades. But we cannot ignore the brutal policies of slavery, jim crow, and the prison industrial complex effect on the black man and his ability to head his family. To ignore those objective truths in this conversation and is trolling at its ‘finest’. If you have any thoughts on the subject be sure to leave your comments below.
Is there any dispute that The Rock is the hardest working man in showbiz?
Ballers, a new HBO original series starring Dwayne Johnson, premieres Sunday, June 21st at 10 PM on HBO. Connect with Ballers.
Update #2: Two members of Migos have been released on bond.
Update : According to NBC affiliate WSAV News 3 reports that Migos members Quavious Marshall, Kirschnick Ball, Kiari Cephus were all denied bail following their arrest over the weekend. source:
I, along with millions of others watched Noisey/Vice Media do a bunch of documentaries on Atlanta’s trap music scene (with a nerdy white guy as host and at one point even smoking a PCP laced blunt) that they seem so enamored with in the Vices offices in Williamsburg.
In particular in the Meet the Migos episode, was the proliferation of illegal drugs and firearms on display with no context as to whether these firearms were legal for these young black males to possess. We only can gather that these weapons are for protection of the Migos clan from ‘fuck ni*ggas’. I have no idea what the open carry gun laws are in Georgia, but I am gonna jump out the window and say the artillery these guys were carrying at this local suburban trap houses were illegal.
News has just broken that the Migos were arrested for drug and felony firearm possession by authorities. Now what role does Vice Media actually play in this situation? The fact they are so willing to put these young black males on camera with potentially illegal firearms shows me that clicks, views, and ad dollars are more important than the actual lives of these young men who by massive popularity and fame are forced to carry automatic weapons where ever they go.
After a decade and half of adoration for 2 Pac since his death, I have recently heard some compelling arguments against the true legacy of Tupac Shakur.
Being childhood friends/former teammates with the best basketball player in the world has it perks, but it won’t guarantee you a spot on an NBA roster. So what do you do to put food on the table for your family? Romeo Travis has spent the last 8 seasons playing professional basketball overseas. No matter where in the world basketball takes him, the city of Akron (OH) will always be his home.
“SHOOTIN’ THE SH*T” is an original video series where professional athletes have real conversations about sports, culture and everything else happening in the world.
I saw this episode and this has to be the first time I have seen somebody frying chicken in bed. She actually made fried chicken history when we thought we had seen it all. I also have never seen anyone throw french dressing on fried chicken either.
Marla is so heavy she cannot stand up. Bedridden, her true weight is unknown but estimated at 800-lbs.
Marla must face the facts about her health and the toll it takes on her supportive family if she is to save her health.
I dare a human being on this earth to say in my face that this sh*t is some isolated incident garbage. This is business as usual in every police dept. in this country.
Damon Dash is somewhere proud.
17-year-old Chase Reed and his dad started SneakerPawnUSA in Harlem, New York, to fill the sweet gap between unneeded sneakers and needed cash. Chase tells AJ+ how it all came together. From video journalist Richard Dinardo in New York.
Dumb rappers need teaching. It seems like freedom of speech is tossed out the window when it comes to rappers who get in serious trouble with the law. The fact that they are using their own music videos against shows that you can be keeping it too real. If you are in the underworld it seems utterly idiotic to then put dramatizations of your crimes in a music video.
via NY Daily News
Prosecutors can use YouTube music videos made by the leaders of a Brooklyn drug gang called Together Forever Mafia against them at their upcoming racketeering trial, a federal judge ruled Friday.
The TF Mafia videos on YouTube include titles such as “Smell Murder,” “Hustler Anthem,” “TF Mafia — My Mobb” and “Brooklyn Zoo — Boo,” according to court papers.
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Fanboys everywhere just pissed their pants.
By his own admission it is safe to say these are the culprits behind rampant lean use in hip hop today which has lead to the premature deaths of some the genre’s most prominent figures((Asap Yams been the most recent). Drink that poison at your own peril. The fact he blows the lid off cocaine use and squeaky clean Rapper Nelly recently get busted for felony drug charges including possession of meth shows Hip hop’s dirty little secret is rearing its ugly head once again.
STREET KNOWLEDGE 