Hip Hop Culture | Hip Hop Arts and Lifestyle Archives - Page 33 of 58

Nas-Inspired King Tut Sculpture Sparks Debate At European Museum

May 25, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The Pharoahic image of Nas, which appears on his I Am LP cover, has been receiving an onslaught of negative criticism in a Dutch art exhibition, with the Queensbridge legend being depicted as King Tutkenhamun.

The image has been shown in the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities recently opened exhibit called “Kemet: Egypt in Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul and Funk,” which explores the connection between Egyptian culture and Black music. David Cortes’ statue, which is titled “I Am Hip-Hop,” shows Nas as King Tut, sending many critics into a frenzy for daring to depict Egyptians as Black people.

An Egyptian antiquities expert the museum, claiming that it made a “grave mistake by insulting Egyptian civilization by portraying Tutankhamun as Black.”

Museum director Wim Weijland had to go as far as defend the exhibit after receiving the immense amount of criticism, saying that while the Kemet exhibit “does not have an Afrocentric perspective on ancient Egypt” but it does help to “critically examine ideas presented in Black music.”

Weijland said in his statement, “The exhibition does not claim the ancient Egyptians were Black, but explores music by Black artists who refer to ancient Egypt and Nubia in their work: music videos, covers of record albums, photos, and contemporary artworks. This music often reflects on the Black experience in the West and tells stories about the African diaspora and pre-colonial Africa, including ancient Egypt.”

He added, “The exhibition explains that the representations of ancient Egypt are imaginaries: artistic interpretations of ancient Egypt, not realistic images of ancient Egyptians. For example, the exhibition contains a modern sculpture that represents the musician Nas, modeled after the mask of Tutankhamun. The exhibition explains that it is a contemporary artwork, not a replica. The exhibition explains why and when it was made and clarifies that it is not an ancient Egyptian artifact.”

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Is The Black Lives Matter Organization Going Bankrupt?

May 25, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Several reports have confirmed that Black Lives Matter’s investment accounts lost over $10 million in value, forcing them to report a very significant loss. BLM, a non-profit organization, had a 88% drop in public donations and experienced an $11.75 million drop in net assets.

The nonprofit’s latest Form 990 shows that a loss of just over $961,000 was logged on a securities sale of $172,000. The disclosures suggest a year of missteps for the foundation, as well as a dramatic drop in donations

In 2021, Patrisse Cullors resigned from her position as executive director due to allegations that her and her team were pocketing donations. Now, the organization’s executive board is being head by Cicley Gay, a philanthropic strategist who has filed for bankruptcy seven times since 2005.

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) was started by organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement, which first emerged in 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

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[WATCH] ‘First Take’ Rivals Stephen A. Smith and Will Cain Disagree About Jordan Neely Case

May 25, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The on-air rivalry between ESPN’s First Take co-hosts Stephen A. Smith and Will Cain is unmatched. Emotional and controversial debates dating back to 2016 boast YouTube views in the millions.

Recently, Smith joined Cain in his new show Fox News Tonight, where Cain and Smith debated about the fate of Daniel Perry, the ex-Marine who choked a Michael Jackson impersonator and a homeless man named Jordan Neely to death on a downtown Manhattan subway last month.

Cain supported the former Marine, saying, “I think the world needs more people like Daniel Perry to step up!”

Unexpectedly, Smith did not jump to convict the 24-year-old Perry, stating, “I don’t know all the facts, so I’m not ready to convict Daniel Perry, like a lot of people, politicians and citizens have been so quick to convict this man of that,” Smith said. “I think we need to hear all the evidence. He did have him in a chokehold for an access of three minutes. That seemed a bit accessive, particularly when that he had two other people helping him [restain Jordan Neely on the subway train]. But then again, we need to know more.”

Cain, as expected, took the exact opposite stance as Smith, declaring, “You’ve got to be careful in a situation like this Monday morning quarterbacking. In my estimation, while I appreciate you wanting to wait for the facts, Stephen A. [Smith], I don’t think that the man should have even been charged…I don’t think what we see here [was] reckless, and I certainly don’t think he intended to kill Neely, and then to a larger point, by even charging him you create a dissident for strong men…you dis-incentives strong men to step up and help the vulnerable.”

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Florida School Bans Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration Poem, Citing “Indirect Hate Speech”

May 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Just day’s before controversial Florida governor Ron DeSantis is expected to formally announce his 2024 presidential bid, his recent legislation, which focuses on eliminating LGBTQ literature in K-12 classrooms, has added several more works to its list of censored or banned works- including Amanda Gorman‘s 2020 Presidential Inauguration Poem, “The Hill We Climb.”

The removal of the work from Bob Graham Education Center in Miami Lakes, a Miami-area K-8 school, came after a parent of two students objected to five titles at the school. The complaint against “The Hill We Climb” cited “indirect hate messages” and indoctrination and was ultimately deemed inappropriate for elementary school students. (It will still be available in the high school library.)

The advocacy group PEN America reports that at least 175 books have been removed from school libraries throughout Florida in recent months following the passage of DeSantis-backed legislation.

A Harvard graduate, Gorman was the United States’ first national youth poet laureate. At 22 years old, she was the youngest poet in memory to read at a presidential inaugural ceremony. A full viewing of the poem’s reading by Gorman can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ055ilIiN4.

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The Gap Sues Kanye West for $2 Million Following Failed Partnership

May 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The Gap Sues Kanye West Following Failed Partnership

Kanye West’s Yeezy line might be on sale again (sort of), but one place that his apparel will not be for sale is at the Gap. About eight months after the implosion of their partnership, the Gap announced that they are suing Ye in the amount of $2 million dollars for a breach of contract.

The Yeezy Gap apparel line deal, which included men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, was announced in 2020 and was supposed to last 10 years (with an option to renew after five) and generate $1 billion in annual sales.

The Gap’s lawsuit against West actually stems from another lawsuit against the Gap. According to court documents, a real estate company called Art City Center (which owns a building in Los Angeles that Gap had leased from them to be used as a storefront for the Yeezy line) sued the Gap for nonpayment. In the documents, Art City Center alleges that Gap significantly altered the property for the Yeezy store, but did not restore it to its original state. Since West was the party to formally end the partnership, Gap is using the lawsuit to get Ye to pay the bill to cover the costs incurred by Art City Center (plus additional fees).

Since the ending of the partnership, both sides have pointed fingers and claimed the other side failed to fulfill creative and/or contractual obligations. For the first 18 months of the partnership, only two products were released (for online sales only): a puffer jacket and a sweatshirt. In May of 2022, the Gap released the “Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga” line, a high-end line of 36 styles created in partnership with the high-end designer. However, the line’s cheapest items (t-shirts) started at $140 and hoodies were priced starting at $240- much higher than the Gap’s regular products.

There was also controversy over the display of the line at a Gap location in Times Square, where clothes were shoved in what appeared to be garbage bin bags throughout the store.

While the Gap’s stock prices initially shot up about 40% following the announcement of the partnership with West, sales had fallen about 10% from the year prior in the fall of 2022. While other economic factors could certainly be involved, the Gap reports that Ye was not fulfilling his contractual obligations while he claims the brand did not adequately promote and market his line.

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NAACP Issues Travel Advisory for the State of Florida Following Actions by Gov. Ron DeSantis

May 22, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The NAACP has issued a travel advisory for Florida, citing that Gov. Ron DeSantis has led the area to be “hostile to Black Americans.”

“On a seeming quest to silence African-American voices, the Governor and the State of Florida have shown that African Americans are not welcome in the State of Florida,” the statement reads.

“Due to this sustained, blatant, relentless and systemic attack on democracy and civil rights, the NAACP hereby issues a travel advisory to African Americans, and other people of color regarding the hostility towards African Americans in Florida.”

The advisory follows DeSantis’s action on Monday to prohibit the use of public funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. According to The Hill, he also recently blocked an Advance Placement African American Studies course in-state public colleges.

“Under the leadership of Governor Desantis, the state of Florida has become hostile to Black Americans and in direct conflict with the democratic ideals that our union was founded upon,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

This comes ahead of an anticipated announcement by DeSantis, who is expected to announce his bid for President. According to The Post, a major Republican Party funder plans to abort Trump and put his power behind DeSantis.

The funder is Hal Lambert, founder of Texas-based Point Bridge Capital, which manages the “Make America Great Again” investment fund. “I’m in for DeSantis this time. I plan to do a lot to help DeSantis win,” Lambert said.

DeSantis recently was reported to not think of Trump as a threat, stating the race is solely between him and Biden.

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SOURCE SPORTS: NFL’s Inspire Change Initiative Hits $300 Million in Support for Social Justice

May 19, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The NFL today revealed that the league’s Inspire Change campaign had received more than $300 million in social justice donations from the NFL Family. This achievement comes as the NFL and the Players Coalition renewed 15 grant partnerships to encourage further improvements in police-community relations, criminal justice reform, education, and economic development.

“Players Coalition and the NFL have collaborated over the past five years through Inspire Change grants to help drive direct impact by supporting organizations at the frontlines of social justice and racial equity work,” said Anquan Boldin, co-founder of Players Coalition. “While the work is far from over, we look forward to advancing aligned partnerships with grant recipients and building on our continued partnership with the NFL to address priority social justice issues.”

“The NFL Family is proud to have contributed more than $300 million to support social justice efforts in communities across the country, but our work is far from over,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility. “The positive impact of this work is being felt every day, and we are committed to continuing our efforts with players, clubs, and our Inspire Change grant partners to break down barriers to opportunity and end systemic racism.”

You can see the impact of Inspire Change on organizations like Alabama Appleseed in the video here.

“There was no reason for the NFL to care about what was happening in Alabama except that they legitimately wanted to help solve problems,” said Carla Crowder, Executive Director of Alabama Appleseed. “The NFL gave us not only resources to hire more people, but a national platform to lift up the crisis around prisons, excessive punishment, and the human rights of incarcerated Alabamians.”

The Player-Owner Social Justice Committee, which consists of a 10-person panel of players, Legends, and team owners, recently approved the 15 renewal grants. Nonprofit groups that are bringing about measurable change in all four areas of Inspire Change are given grants.

You can learn more about the Inspire Change initiative here.

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RHOA Kim Zolciak-Biermann Requests Estranged Husband Kroy Biermann Submit to Drug Test in Divorce Case

May 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Kim Zolciak Biermann requests estranged husband Kroy to submit to drug test

The Real Housewives franchise cast members are no strangers to drama- especially RHOA cast member Kim Zolciak-Biermann, whose current divorce situation with her estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, is playing out in the media in real time. In addition to requesting a significant divorce settlement, she now also wants the former NFL player to submit to a hair follicle drug test as part of the divorce proceedings.

Court documents show that the middle age reality star has petitioned the Superior Court of Fulton County to determine if Biermann, 37, is currently using drugs or has in recent history.

The case would require that Biermann “submit to a five-panel hair follicle drug screen” and he would not be allowed to “cut or remove any of his hair until such time as the screen is complete.”

The request comes following Biermann’s filing for “sole physical and legal custody” of the couple’s minor children, who range in age from nine to 11 years old. (Zolciak-Biermann has two older children from a prior illicit relationship.)

Zolciak-Biermann, meanwhile, has requested primary physical custody of the couple’s four children, joint legal custody, and significant spousal support from Biermann as well as the restoration of her maiden name.

Zolciak-Biermann stated that she requested the hair follicle drug test because she “has serious concerns for the safety and well-being of the minor children,” according to court documents.

Despite the fact that Zolciack-Biermann is requesting the drug screening, the court filing states that she expects her soon-to-be-ex husband to cover the drug screening costs.

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Grand Opening Of Museum Of Graffiti’s Latest Exhibition “All Black Everything” Slated For June 2

May 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Museum of Graffiti, the world’s first Museum dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of graffiti art, is announcing today the opening of the first exclusively African American graffiti exhibition. Opening on June 2nd, 2023, the exhibition entitled “All Black Everything,” celebrates the contribution and art of multi-generational graffiti artists from the African diaspora. To celebrate the opening, the Museum will host a panel discussion with artists featured in the exhibit including graffiti pioneer Richard “Bama” Admiral. The discussion will be the first of many “Fighting Spirit Stories” told throughout the summer as part of Modelo’s Summer Culture Series at Museum of Graffiti.

Guests can expect to see the work of famed African American artists Bama, Blade, Daze, Delta2, Dondi White, Esteme, Ewok, Kool Koor, Noc167, Quik (Lin Felton), Skeme, Sneke, VFR, and Wane One alongside vintage sketchbooks and ephemera showcasing the early artistry of the influential and elusive Web One. Original graffiti paintings on canvas and works on paper from the past 40 years will also be available for purchase within the exhibit.

“In the 1970s, the Bronx was burning due to economic turmoil and crime. It is no wonder that the imaginations of the African American artists living in these neighborhoods propelled them beyond their surroundings into a world of fantasy and hope. This is what you will see in the paintings by Kool Koor, BAMA, and Delta2,” said Allison Freidin, co-Founder, Museum of Graffiti.

Modelo’s Summer Culture Series will include special museum programming and classes on the first Friday of each month, beginning June 2nd, and will touch on all generations of black and brown graffiti artists. Opening night admission will be limited to guests 21+ for the first look at the exhibit with complimentary beverages courtesy of Modelo.

“Many people around the world are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop by placing an exclusive emphasis on the music. However, hip hop is a movement with great cultural contributors across many creative disciplines, including graffiti. From Bama in the North Bronx who participated in the first graffiti exhibition in 1973 to Harlem’s cultural icon Skeme to Wane One who for the past 30 years has been traveling around the world teaching his unique lettering style to disciples around the globe. There is no better time to celebrate their genius than now,” said Alan Ket, curator and co-Founder of the Museum of Graffiti.

Ongoing support for the museum’s Hip Hop programming is provided by IMLS.

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Tamika D. Mallory and Rev. Michael McBride Pen Letter Highlighting Lack of Black Leadership in Collectibles Organization Panini

May 16, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Tamika D. Mallory, a co-founder of Until Freedom, and Reverend Michael McBride, a co-founder of the Black Church Political Action Committee, made the announcement that they had written a letter to sports and entertainment collectibles company Panini criticizing the company’s lack of a black leadership team and requesting immediate reform of its hiring practices.

Mallory and McBride sent the letter to Panini America CEO Mark Warsop on Monday, pointing out that even though black and brown athletes account for 75% of the company’s revenue, the company’s executive team in no way reflects the company’s diverse athlete base.

Mallory and McBride claim that the situation is even worse, given that Panini has made billions of dollars off black and brown players. In addition, only 3 of the 800 company employees listed on LinkedIn are black. The discrepancy confirms that Panini employs few to no black staff across the board.

Mallory and McBride issued an ultimatum to the company, demanding it takes urgent corrective action and employs black leadership in essential positions. If not, they intend to work together to push Panini’s athletes and partners, including the English Premier League, NBA, NFL, NBA Players Association, and FIFA, to boycott the firm.

Additionally, they spoke with the attorneys general of Texas, Ken Paxton, New York, Letitia James, and California, Rob Bonta, on their diversity requests.

In the letter, Mallory and McBride point out the hypocrisy in Panini’s business practices, writing that “Panini’s simultaneous profiting from its collaborations with black and brown athletes on the one hand, and exclusion of black people from its leadership on the other hand, is unacceptable.”

Mallory is a well-known civil rights activist who co-founded Until Freedom, an organization for intersectional social justice built on the leadership of people of color from various backgrounds to combat racial and systemic injustice. She co-chaired the Women’s March on Washington, the largest one-day protest in American history, and was the National Action Network’s youngest-ever executive director. Following George Floyd’s murder, Mallory gave a stirring speech that was hailed by many as “the speech of a generation.”

In response to the appeal for leaders committed to stopping mass imprisonment, defending the right to vote, reducing gun violence, and advocating for the equitable treatment of all people, McBride co-founded Black Church PAC.

You can read the full letter here.

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