Tag Archives: George Floyd

Tekashi 6ix9ine Releases New Nicki Minaj Collaboration “Trollz”

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Tekashi 6ix9ine is trollzing the internet…

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican & Mexican American rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, and Nicki Minaj have released the candy-colored video for their latest collaboration, “Trollz.” 

6ix9ine x Nicki Minaj

The song, which was release one week later than originally scheduled due to the nationwide protests over the police-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, was released Friday morning with the visual a feast for the eyes and a famine for anyone who thinks they can take either MC on.

“They get nervous when it’s Nicki on the roster/ Somebody ushered this n—a into a clinic/ My flow’s still sick, I ain’t talkin’ a pandemic,” Minaj raps in between shots of her twerking in a bubble bath in a rainbow-colored bikini and bouncing topless in digital pasties and ROYGBV hair. “I write my own lyrics, a lot of these b—-es gimmicks/They study Nicki style, now all of them want to mimic.”

The follow-up to Tekashi’s first song since leaving prison, “Gooba,” the new track is uncharacteristically sedate for the typically over-amped rapper. 

Over a laconic beat, 6ix9ine’s first verse is a near-whisper before he unleashes on his detractors. 

“I know you don’t like me, you wanna fight me/ You don’t want no problems at your party, don’t invite me,” he spits in a more melodic take on his typical guttural flow (which, don’t worry, is back on the second verse). “I don’t worry ’bout you n—as, please stop talking about me/ Always talking ’bout me ’cause you looking for the clouty.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNg3M9IJJlY&feature=youtu.be

The sequel to the dynamic duo’s “FEFE” single from 2018 finds them sharing cotton candy and a giant bowl of colorful cereal, amid scenes of Nicki pouring milk on 6ix9ine’s head and Tekashi toting a giant cash stack and adjusting his ankle monitor. 

Minaj said on Instagram that “a portion of the proceeds from #Trollz including merch items, will be going directly to The Bail Project Inc. [@bailproject].” 

Lin-Manuel Miranda Among 300 BIPOC Artists to Sign Open Letter Demanding Change from the “White American Theater”

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Lin-Manuel Mirandais addressing the “White American Theater.”

As protests and rallies against racial injustice and the killing of black lives continue throughout the world, the 40-year-old Puerto Rican composer, lyricist, singer, rapper, actor, producer, and playwright is bringing the theater world into the spotlight, to address systemic racism against black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC).

Lin-Manuel Miranda 

An open letter addressed to “White American Theater” and demanding change was published earlier this week. 

The letter was filled with ugly truths that those who’ve worked in the theater industry have experienced for decades. 

Among the 300 BIPOCs who signed the letter were Miranda,Viola Davis, Sandra Oh, Uzo Aduba, Sterling K. Brown, Cynthia Erivo, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Danai Gurira, Andre Holland, Conrad Ricamora, Tanya Saracho, Anika Noni Rose, Jessica Hagedorn, Leslie Odom Jr.,Katori Halland others.

The letter bluntly calls out the industry: “We see you. We have always seen you. We have watched you pretend not to see us.”

“We have watched you exploit us, shame us, diminish us, and exclude us. We see you. We have always seen you. And now you will see us.”

It continues to drag theater’s history of tokenism, white privilege, patriarchy, blatant racism, bias and hypocrisy: “We have watched you amplify our voices when we are heralded by the press, but refuse to defend our aesthetic when we are not, allowing our livelihoods to be destroyed by a monolithic and racist culture.”

“Join us in demanding change for BIPOC theater artists at http://weseeyouWAT.com. #WeSeeYou #TomorrowTherellBeMoreOfUs,” Miranda tweeted, sharing the letter and a petition with everyone.

The open letter comes as the protests following the killing of George Floyd and other black lives continue around the globe. It also comes when there seems to be a reckoning in all industries when it comes to racial inequality. 

Jennifer Lopez Marches in LA Protest Calling for End to Racism & Police Brutality

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Jennifer Lopez is walking the talk…

The 50-year-old Puerto Rican superstar marched alongside fiancé Alex Rodriguez in Los Angeles on June 7, during one of many protests spread across all 50 states and beyond.

Lopez joined those gathering to call for an end to systemic racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

“We must take a stand for what we believe in and fight against the injustices in this world. So we continue to peacefully protest until there is change,” the singer wrote on Instagram.

Jennifer Lopez

J Balvin Among Latin Artists Speaking Out About Police Brutality in Latin America

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J Balvin is among the Latino artists speaking out about police brutality in Latin America

As protests spread across the United States demanding racial justice following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police, the 35-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer and fellowLatin music artists are also breaking their silence on Anderson Arboleda, a young black man who recently died at the hands of police in Colombia.

J Balvin

On May 19, Arboleda, a 19-year-old man of Afro-descent, was allegedly beaten outside his home by local police officers for breaking the quarantine curfew. 

He was reportedly hit multiple times on the head with a baton and tear-gassed, according to his mother Claudia Arboleda, reports El Tiempo. Arboleda, who aspired to become a soldier of the Military Police and sold face masks in his town, was pronounced dead due to brain death on May 20 at Valle del Lili clinic in Cali.

Arboleda’s story came to light in a tweet by ChocQuibTown’s Goyo (real name: Gloria Martinez), just days after a video of Floyd’s death surfaced showing police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck. 

“Racism is when police murder a young negro in Puerto Tejada supposedly for failing to comply with the quarantine. And this isn’t reported by big media outlets. Is this not enough to outrage a country?”

J Balvin Post

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_onNlHU1a/

In an Instagram post, J Balvins hared Arboleda’s story and publicly asked for justice. “One of the things that doesn’t let me sleep at night is injustice and that’s why I ask for Anderson Arboleda’s death to be investigated,” he expressed. “I raise a voice of protest and justice […] there is also racism here [in Colombia] and that is why I want to denounce it.”

El Tiempo reports that commander of the Cauca police, Colonel Rosemberg Novoa, is investigating the case.

Outside of the U.S., the recent death of Arboleda brings to the forefront the seriousness of police brutality and racism around the world. 

In Mexico, activists and artists like Alejandro Fernandez and Salma Hayek, are also demanding justice for Giovanni Lopez, who was recently allegedly tortured and killed by police in Jalisco, Mexico for not wearing a mask that was also caught on video.

With the world taking notice of cases of racism and police brutality, artists have taken to social media to condemn the acts and demand justice for the families of the victims.

Jose Ramirez’s Bout Against Viktor Postol Could Finally Happen This Summer

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The third time could be the charm for Jose Ramirez…

The bout between the 27-year-old Mexican American boxer and WBC and IBF junior welterweight champion and mandatory challenger Viktor Postol, twice postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, is now expected to take place this summer, according to Top Rank promoter.

Jose Ramirez,

The fight is expected to take place in the first or second week of August, according to Top Rank, but the date would be contingent on Postol getting into the United States from his native Ukraine, where he’s currently training.

Vadim Kornilov, Postol’s manager, said he’s been trying to expedite Postol’s journey to the U.S.

“We have a reserved ticket for him on Monday. We’ve just been a little bit delayed because of the protests,” Kornilov said, referring to the protests that have been taking place across the U.S. in the aftermath of George Floyd‘s death. “We wanted to see that quiet down before we bring him here to the States. It looks like he’s good to enter with no issues.”

Postol (31-2, 12 KOs) once held the WBC 140-pound title. He typically trains under Freddie Roach in Los Angeles, but all gyms in the city are currently closed.

“We definitely have to wait for restrictions to be taken off as far as the quarantine of the gym and Freddie returning, but in my opinion, that should happen pretty soon,” Kornilov said. “Until then, the plan is for Viktor to just start training at a private gym we can find locally and get back into shape, and then wait for the restrictions to be taken off.”

While Top Rank’s June and July schedule in the States will take place exclusively at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Ramirez’s manager, Rick Mirigian, who has helped market and promote Ramirez into one of the biggest regional draws in the sport in Fresno, California, is hoping to bring this fight to California’s Central Valley.

”I’m preparing options for Top Rank for California, a casino and an arena,” Mirigian said. “I’m going to prepare those options for them to consider.”

Mirigian has had numerous meetings with venues as well as discussions with Andy Foster, the executive officer of the California State Athletic Commission, in the hopes of staging cards with a limited number of spectators. The Save Mart Center in Fresno is Mirigian’s priority, but he declined to disclose what casino he’s also pursued.

“That is the goal — to have some sort of a California audience with the bare minimum. A small ‘studio’ show, which could be Ramirez’s family, some key sponsors, etc. Keep it small,” said Mirigian, who also reiterated that these events would still have social distancing regulations and mandatory masks in the venue.

Ramirez will be relieved just to get back into action and satisfy this fight against his mandatory challenger. If the fight takes place in August, Ramirez will have been out of the ring for more than a year. 

His most recent bout came against Maurice Hooker on July 27, 2019. Since then, he has had his sights set on a fight against Josh Taylor, who has the other two major belts at junior welterweight.

Demi Lovato Encouraging People to Send Birthday Cards for Breonna Taylor to Kentucky’s Attorney General

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Demi Lovato is calling for people to honor the memory of Breonna Taylor…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has taken to social media to ask her fans to honor Taylor’s memory with a different kind of social action on what would’ve been the slain African-American woman’s 27th birthday.

Demi Lovato

“It’s Breonna Taylor’s birthday this Friday (June 5). Her favorite colors were blue and purple @iamkevingates was one of her favorite artists. She was an EMT on the frontlines during corona(virus),” Lovato wrote of the Louisville woman who was killed when a squad of police used a battering ram to enter her apartment using a “no-knock” warrant and opened fire. “Around midnight on March 13th police broke down her door and shot her 8 times, no evidence of a crime was uncovered. The sole crime was the murder of Breonna Taylor. Her crime being asleep in her own home.”

Taylor’s name is among those most frequently mentioned these days by protesters marching to demand justice for George Floyd, who was killed when a now-fired white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

During a week in which she’s been sharing resources for Lovatics interested in donating to or showing solidarity for groups seeking racial justice and police reform – as well as participating in Black Out Tuesday – Demi Lovato offered up a new way to make a statement.

Drawing inspiration from writer/feminist Cate Young‘s suggestion, Lovato encouraged fans to honor Taylor’s memory by sending cards to Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron. 

“The most underserved demographic in America is black women, we cannot allow them to forget Breonna,” she wrote.

Demi Lovato Breonna Taylor

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_AD3JhAIh/

To date, a GoFundMe effort to support Taylor’s family has collected more than three times the initial $500,000 goal.

The three officers in the case have been placed on administrative reassignment and the attempted murder of a police officer charges against Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker— who reportedly fired on police when they burst through the door — were dropped last month; the FBIis investigating Taylor’s shooting.

Pope Francis Condemns the Death of George Floyd

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Pope Francis is speaking out against racism…

During a speech from the Vatican on Wednesday, the 83-year-old Argentine pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church, whose full name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, condemned the death of George Floyd. 

Pope Francis

He directly addressed “brothers and sisters in the United States,” saying he has “witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest in your nation in these past days,” following the officer-involved death of Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minnesota.

“My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life,” he said. “At the same time, we have to recognize that the violence of recent nights is self-destructive and self-defeating.”

Floyd died in policy custody last week after a white officer knelt on his neck, sparking protests across the United States – most of them peaceful. Some demonstrations have turned violent and looting has been seen in cities nationwide. 

The Pope said nothing is gained by violence and much is lost. 

He also lead a prayer for Floyd “and of all those others who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism.”

“Let us pray for the consolation of their grieving families and friends and let us implore the national reconciliation and peace for which we yearn. May Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America, intercede for all those who work for peace and justice in your land and throughout the world. May God bless all of you and your families,” he prayed.

Carmen Osbahr-Vertiz’s Rosita to Participate in “Sesame Street” & CNN’s “Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism” Town Hall

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Carmen Osbahr-Vertiz is helping raise awareness on racism in America…

The 58-year-old Mexican puppeteer’s beloved Sesame Street character, Rosita, will be part of the long-running PBS series town hall addressing racism in partnership with CNN. The event comes in  response to protests around the world after the death of George Floyd in Minnesota.

Carmen Osbahr-Vertiz's Rosita

Big Bird will join CNN’s Van Jones and Erica Hill to moderate the Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism town hall, which will cover topics of racism, protesting, embracing diversity, and being more empathetic and understanding.

In addition to Rosita and Big Bird, Sesame Street’s Elmo and Abby Cadabby will join experts to answer questions from parents and children.

The 60-minute special will air on Saturday, June 6, at 10:00 am ET. The town hall will air on CNN, CNN International, and CNN en Español. It will also stream live on CNN.com and on the CNN app, without requiring a cable log-in.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer kneeled into his neck for nearly 9 minutes. The incident was caught on video by multiple bystanders and released across social media, leading to an intense response from residents in cities across the U.S., as well as other countries, calling for justice and an end to police brutality against black people.

Osbahr-Vertiz’s Rosita is a 5-year-old turquoise Hispanic female monster Muppet character on the children’s television series. Fluent in English and Spanish, she’s the first regular bilingual Muppet on the show. Osbahr-Vertiz has voiced Rosita since 1991.

Sesame Street and the news network also combined forces in May for a town hall discussing COVID-19.

To help combat systemic racism, please consider donating to these organizations:

  • Campaign Zero, which is dedicated to ending police brutality in America through research-based strategies.
  • Color of Change, which works to move decision makers in corporations and government to be more responsive to racial disparities.
  • Equal Justice Initiative, which provides legal services to people who have been wrongly convicted, denied a fair trial, or abused in state jails and prisons.