In light of the brutal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Jay Z is speaking out via his new track “Spiritual.” Written (and not finished) after the Mike Brown shooting, this serves as Jay’s first official solo release in years.
Revolution and protest is thick in the American consciousness in the wake of recent court rulings on the killings of civilians Mike Brown and Eric Garner. Using the Harold Melvin & Blue Notes’ “Wake Up Everybody” as the backdrop, the Clan delivers their vision for change and unity (with some subtle 5% philosophy for the initiated). “A Better Tomorrow” is the title track off Wu’s new album.
In the spirit of police protest songs like NWA’s “Fuck the Police” and Ice-T’s “Cop Killer,” the G Unit collective take aim at the police for their recent controversial killings of unarmed civilians across the country. The video itself is a collection of police brutality incidents and the fallouts. G Unit’s new EP, The Beauty of Independence, was released yesterday and can be purchased HERE.
A first round knockout loss has to be one the worst feelings in the world for a professional boxer. Weeks of training and focus are evaporated in just a matter of minutes (and in some cases, seconds). You feel embarrassed to show your face in public, and have to endure feelings of self-doubt and overall depression. In the case of Sergei Liakhovich, you also suffer from feelings of delusion, as the former heavyweight contender amazingly plans to file an official protest to overturn is first round blowout loss to Deontay Wilder earlier this month.
Liakhovich’s advisor, Anthony Cardinale, wants the fight turned into a “no-contest.” Furthermore, Liakhovich himself insinuates that Wilder deliberately fights dirty in order to uphold his perfect knockout record of 29-0.
My goal for going public is to expose Wilder and show people what really happened because it was difficult to clearly see his illegal punches on television due to the camera placement and how quickly it happened. I also feel that I disappointed a lot of people who believed in me and I feel it’s important to explain what happened to them. Wilder’s people are sending out press releases to hype him up, even more, so it’s very important for me to expose him for what he is and how he fights.
According to Liakhovich, the first illegal punch hit him over the ear, and then a right behind his head destroyed Liakhovich his equilibrium.
If he had hit me in the face, fair and square. I would have kept my mouth shut and said he was the better man. Everybody’s going around saying nobody can stand-up to his power, 29 knockouts in 29 fights, but any heavyweight would go down from a punch behind the head. That’s why it’s an illegal punch! There’s nothing you can do when you get hit with a punch like that; your body just goes wobbly with no balance at all.
If he is allowed to continue throwing illegal punches like the one he hit me with behind my head. Somebody is going to get seriously hurt. I can’t allow him to get away with that anymore.
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No, you’re not reading an article off of The Onion — this is really happening. In the press release sent for this protest announcement, Liakhovich’s team sent a still-shot of Wilder’s punch seemingly landing flush on the back area of Liakhovich’s head. But a quick rewind of the fight shows that the actual KO blow landed clea on the side of Liakhovich’s face. The second shot that clipped Liakhovich did slide to the back area of Liakhovich’s head, but it was inconsequential as the first shot was what sent Liakhovich to the Land of Make Believe.
We won’t hear about this anymore, much like Zab Judah protest of his “low-blow” knockout loss to Amir Khan a few years back. But it’s a reminder of how far some fighters will go to find excuses for a bad loss.
In a perfect case of know your guests before giving the invite, organizers for Sunday night’s StartUp RockOn Inauguration concert in Washington had to remove Lupe Fiasco after the Chicago lyricist went on a reported 30-minute anti-Obama rant after performing “Words I Never Said.”
Regardless of what you think about Fiasco’s stance on not voting and President Obama’s politics in Palestine and Israel, Lupe is has been very consistent on his views for the last several years. Although he no doubt laid it on extra thick knowing the Inauguration was today, I don’t think anyone there familiar with his music was surprised. And from the below clip, the crowd didn’t seem too irate with Lupe (who took a bow before leaving the stage).
Still, it’s completely understandable that a 30-minute Lupe could wear on the nerves. You can read Startup Rock On’s official statement on the controversy HERE.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unvwao0PzGU]
Migue Cotto has released his first statements to the media refuting rumors that he planned to file a protest over his unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather last Saturday (May 5).
Cotto arrived in Puerto Rico yesterday having to answer questions about his team members who claimed he was unhappy with the decision verdict. The speculation had begun immediately after the contest when Cotto abruptly left the ring without a post-fight interview and skipped the press conference.
“I’m not protesting the decision of the judges. And never have been,” explained Cotto in a statement to The New Day. “I have accepted each of my losses. My whole career, with and without excuse, I assumed my role as a winner or loser. Without complaint, much less without protest. What is published and the expressions given in recent days was the opinion of my team, not mine.”
Cotto’s effort has been widely praised by fans and critics as one of Mayweather most exciting fights. Mayweather himself credited Cotto as the “toughest” opponent he’s ever faced.
“Now I will rest and take some time for me and my family, and soon we will sit as a team and will report what the next step,” said Cotto. “There are still desires and goals to accomplish in boxing,”
On the surface, Dr. Martin Luther King and Muhammad wouldn’t seem like two men that had a whole lot in common during the late 60s. In Ali you had a cocky, outspoken athlete in his prime who was a member of the controversial sect The Nation of Islam. In King, you had a charismatic Baptist minister who utilized Ghandi’s non-violence principles to fight racist oppression against African-Americans in the United States. One of the common grounds between these two men was their vehement opposition to the war in Vietnam, which in turn made them two of the more criticized figures in mainstream America.
During the final years of his life, Dr. King expanded his message beyond Civil Rights to the economic and political disparities facing all poor Americans. In the below clip, Dr. King has nothing but praise for Ali’s decision not to enlist for the Vietnam War. For many of us who didn’t live the era, it’s hard to imagine a time when King and Ali, two of the more saintly American icons of today, where among the most reviled individuals in mainstream America. Makes you wonder what they’d say about today’s politics.
