Menu
Vanessa Bryant asks eBay to remove Nike’s Mambacita shoes

Vanessa Bryant asks eBay to remove Nike’s Mambacita shoes

It was reported on eBay that a pair of unauthorized Kobe 6 Protro sneakers called “Mambacita” was being sold for almost $7,000. 

In a tweet released Friday (June 4), eBay Sneakers wrote: “Thanks for your concern.” There is no longer an entry on this company’s website. According to Complex, the sneakers have also been removed from GOAT and Flight Club, while StockX still has them listed for sale. 

In response to reports that someone had purchased shoes Bryant designed in memory of her late husband and daughter, Vanessa Bryant took to social media on Wednesday (June 2). 

My daughter Gianna inspired me to work on this shoe,” Vanessa Bryant wrote. As an exclusive colorway of her daddy’s shoes, it was to be called MAMBACITA. The colors I chose were inspired by her uniform, the number 2 she wore like Gigi Smith’s, the inside pattern, Kobe’s signature instead of Gigi’s, and the details of the shoe (butterfly, wings, halo).” 

Furthermore, she wondered how someone had been able to purchase the “Mambacita” shoes before her and her daughters received them. 

There is no approval for the sale of MAMBACITA shoes. As much as I wanted the shoes to be sold to honor my daughter, ALL the proceeds would go to a foundation I support called @mambamambacitasports, but I did not extend the Nike contract.” In the first place, MAMBACITA shoes were not authorized to be made. I nor my girls have received these pairs from Nike.” 

As of April, Vanessa Bryant rejected the sneaker company’s renewal offer for her husband. Her estate and the estate of her late husband were “frustrated” by Nike’s decision to limit the availability of his products after his death and when he retired.  MAMBACITA is a trademark and global brand managed by Vanessa Bryant.  

This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.

Meek Mill wants New York to pass the Less is More Act, which would reform parole

Meek Mill wants New York to pass the Less is More Act, which would reform parole

More people are imprisoned in New York for technical parole violations than anywhere else.

In addition to the criminal justice system, Meek Mill emphasizes other social issues. The embattled rapper is passionate about making changes to outdated legal policies and discriminatory practices.

It was Saturday (June 5) when Meek published a tweet advocating the passage of a bill that would eliminate incarceration for most technical parole violations.

Legislators in New York State must pass the Less is More Act before they can leave town next week. In NYS, we need meaningful reforms now!  The tweet was sent by Meek.

LessisMoreNY.org, a website dedicated to the bill, says there are about 35,000 people under active parole supervision in New York who could be incarcerated again at any time if they reoffend on a technical violation. “Not only does this result in harm to individuals and families without corresponding improvements to public safety, but it also drives up the population in state and local prisons, wasting taxpayer money.”

As a state, New York is home to the most inmates imprisoned for technical  parole violations. The site lists a number of offenses, from failing to appear for a parole officer’s appointment to arriving late for curfew or testing positive for alcohol or another drug.

According to the current bill, incarceration would be limited for technical offenses if it is adopted into law. Additionally, it would enhance due process, provide speedy hearings, and provide credit for earned time under community  supervision.

There are over 275 community and advocacy groups across New York as well as democratic members of congress that support the Less is More bill, which technically is titled Senate Bill S1144. Senator Brian A. Benjamin is the sponsor of the bill.

Meek is co-chair of Reform Alliance, a nonprofit that works toward creating safe communities by drastically reducing the number of people trapped in the criminal justice system. The group has had legislative success in California, Louisiana, and Michigan, so hopefully they will be able to add New York to the list soon.

This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.

Exclusive material on vinyl from Dave Chappelle inspired by George Floyd

Exclusive material on vinyl from Dave Chappelle inspired by George Floyd

Fourth World Records and Dave Chappelle partnered to release limited vinyl copies of his ‘8:46’ special.

In response to George Floyd’s murder, Dave Chappelle has teamed up with a record label to release limited edition vinyl copies of his special 8:46. Three reports indicate that Third World Records is distributing the rapper’s red, black, and green LPs.

A double album was released by Dave Chappelle, both named after the reported period of time Chauvin kneeled against George Floyd’s neck. Watching Side A takes about 30 minutes. In the B-Side, Amir Sulaiman reads both “My Insides Out”  and “We Must Win.”

The vinyl features images from the show and George Floyd’s protests, as well as a moment of silence honoring him and other victims of police brutality and systemic racism. The book will be sold in limited quantities of 846 copies.

In addition to being available on Third Man’s website and in their Nashville and Detroit stores, Dave Chappelle’s limited edition 8:46 vinyl is currently available online. Orders for the black version of the album – due out on Oct. 29 – are now being taken.

Dave Chappelle’s high school in Washington, D.C., Duke Ellington School of the Arts, will receive the sales proceeds.

It was in Chappelle’s 8:46 special, in response to George Floyd’s tragic passing, that he grappled with the loss of another Black man, as well as the recurring incidents of police aggression. According to the press release, YouTube’s most popular video in 2014 was this one entitled 2020, which has garnered more than 30 million views, as well as 7.5 million views on the comic’s Instagram account.

This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.

Among other Canadian artists, Drake signs letter seeking changes in the copyright law

Among other Canadian artists, Drake signs letter seeking changes in the copyright law

Consequently, artists whose rights were lost as youth could enjoy the fruits of their own labor later in life. 

Canadian copyright laws should be amended, according to Drake. 

Canadian artists Drake and Shania Twain sound the alarm as they join the Songwriters Association of Canada in calling for a change in Canada’s copyright law to give greater power to artists and songwriters. 

To be able to regain ownership of their copyrights, they propose creators and their families be allowed to do so 25 years after the transfer, rather than after the creator’s death, as stipulated in the country’s copyright law. 

Artists and songwriters are pressed into signing away their rights early in their careers. By doing so, they deny themselves, their families, and their children the chance to reap fair rewards later in life for their creative pursuits. 

Moreover, the report reports that copyright laws in the U.S. have been revised to allow creators to terminate and re-claim their rights once 35 years has passed since the transfer, while the European Union is currently considering rules to ensure similar fairness. 

To ensure fair protection of Canadian creators, Canada should follow the example of Europe and the United States, the letter says. Creators are better able to contribute to the revitalization of cultural and economic development in Canada with rights reversion. 

Furthermore, the letter highlights recent amendments to US and several European countries’ copyright laws that have ensured fairness between creators and labels. Canada should “follow European and American models for protecting Canadian artists and creators,” the letter states. 

Keeping with the latest reports of Lil Wayne‘s sale of Young Money’s entire catalog to Universal Music Group, the court documents cite the deal as worth more than $100 million. All of Drake’s albums released before 2018 – Thank Me Later, Take Care, Nothing Was The Same, Views, and Scorpio – were released under Wayne’s record label. Recent projects of his have appeared under October’s Very Own. 

This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.

A $300,000 grant is awarded to survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre

A $300,000 grant is awarded to survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre

Survivors from the 1921 Tulsa race massacre will each receive $100,000 following the centennial.

A Tulsa-based nonprofit will give a monetary gift to the three surviving witnesses of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. In an article in the Washington Post, it was reported that Viola Fletcher, Lessie Benningfield Randle, and Hughes Van Ellis would each be given $100,000 as part of the centennial commemorations.

Foundation founder and executive director Damario Solomon Simmons said the donations demonstrate the foundation’s commitment to ensuring justice for Black communities in Tulsa and across the country.

It is “a significant step on the long-overdue path to justice” and “a show of resistance to Greenwood’s attempts to erase” its Black community.

As a result of experiencing the bloodshed 100 years ago, all three men have talked openly about their experiences to preserve the story.

He recalled when white men and boys were entrusted with the duty of setting the city on fire following rumors of a white girl being assaulted by a Black teen. Some of [the buildings] were set ablaze. It was some of them that they tore up,” she said. “I will never want to see another event like that again.”

In his memoir, Ellis noted how he served his country as a soldier, but upon returning home he realized his skin color would remain a hindrance to progress.

“In my home country, I did not find any of those freedoms I had fought for overseas.  Even though freedom was ripped away from me at home, I fought for freedom overseas,” he said “Both my community and home were destroyed. As far as I am concerned, America will be able to resolve this conflict in the long run. In the aftermath of the war, I discovered this freedom I fought for overseas was no longer there. My skin color prevented me from getting GI Bill benefits like white servicemen.”

A highlight of the testimony was Fletcher’s testimony before House members on the continued fight for reparations. While Simmons recognizes that the $300,000 gift pales by comparison to the survivors’ desired compensation, she hopes it offers some comfort and hope.

He expressed his excitement about doing his part to correct these injustices. As we continue to call for reparations, we must alleviate the financial burdens left behind by not only the massacre itself but also systemic racism that followed the massacre. In order to ensure enduring injustices are actively challenged, we have to tell their stories, confront our past, and learn from it.  Tulsa Race Massacre changed the course of American history forever.  The Tulsa Race Massacre is a prime example of how America continues to struggle with systemic racism. 

This article was penned by Jonathan P. Wright. Jonathan is a freelance writer for multiple mainstream publications and CVO of RADIOPUSHERS. You can read more of his work by clicking here.