On Wednesday, a video was released of a Black Memphis inmate Gershun Freeman being brutally beaten to death by a group of officers. The victim, identified as 33-year-old Gershun Freeman, can be seen in the video being punched and kicked repeatedly by the officers.
As a society, we have long struggled with issues of police brutality and systemic racism. Unfortunately, that struggle has once again come to the forefront in Memphis, where a group of officers was recently caught on camera brutally beating a Black inmate to death. The footage is horrifying and raises countless questions about the use of force by law enforcement officials.
This tragic incident occurred just one day after the decision was made to not indict the officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting. Once again, justice was not served and it sends a clear message that Black lives do not matter to law enforcement.
Gershun Freeman was a Black Memphis inmate who was beaten to death by a mob of officers. In the fall of 2022, Freeman was arrested after his girlfriend accused him of domestic violence and he was charged with domestic violence. The suspect has been taken into custody by the police and has been charged with aggravated assault and kidnapping. Afterward he was then restrained by officers and taken to an outdoor area, where he was repeatedly punched, kicked, and hit with a flashlight. One officer can be seen standing on Freeman’s chest while he is lying on the ground. The officers involved in the incident have not been charged.
In the United States, people of color have long been subjected to violence and discrimination at the hands of law enforcement. This history of racial injustice in law enforcement came to a head in 2020 with the high-profile killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans by police officers. The resulting nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism put a spotlight on the long-standing problem of racial injustice in law enforcement.
Racial injustice in law enforcement is not a new phenomenon. In fact, it has its roots in the very origins of American policing. The first formal police force in the United States was established in 1838 in Boston, and it was modeled after British policing methods that were used to control slave rebellions in the West Indies. These methods were then adopted by southern slave patrols, which were created to catch escaped slaves and prevent slave uprisings.
When news of the incident broke, there was outrage among community members and bystanders. Many were shocked and appalled at the violence that was inflicted upon the inmate, and felt that it was unjustified. There were calls for the officers involved to be held accountable, and for justice to be served. The incident has also raised questions about the use of force by police officers and how it is often disproportionately used against people of color. This case is still ongoing, and the outcome will likely have a significant impact on the community.
21 Savage and Drake teamed up at the beginning of November 2022 for their joint album Her Loss. This album, which featured Travis Scott as the only guest artist, went on to take the top spot on the Billboard 200 after selling 404,000 album equivalents during its first week. Eventually, it surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify, continuing to gain popularity.
There was a big surprise for fans today (Feb. 24) as the two rappers dropped the official music video for one of their best songs from the LP, “Spin Bout U.” The new video was directed by famed filmmaker Dave Meyers, and takes place aboard what appears to be an enormous cruise ship. As the film begins, the pair go on a rescue mission to save a drowning woman who is at the shore during a storm. As 21 spits bars about his love for women, things take a turn for the worse and take a drastic turn for the worse.
As of June 2022, the Toronto-based star Drake dropped off his 14-track EP entitled Honestly, Nevermind, which featured many sounds that were influenced by the elements of dance music as a whole. Last month, Drake also made headlines with his back-to-back performances at the infamous Apollo Theater in Harlem which made him an instant celebrity. Drizzy is not only known for his own releases, but also for several guest verses he has turned in on recent projects such as “WASTING TIME” with Brent Faiyaz, “We Caa Done” with Popcaan, and more.
The year 2022 will always be remembered as the year when Fivio Foreign broke through with his debut album, B.I.B.L.E., which consisted of 17 tracks and was contributed to by artists such as Blueface, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Queen Naija, Quavo, Coi Leray, A$AP Rocky, Chlöe, DJ Khaled, and more. With the release of the visuals from the project, fans have been able to enjoy clips from cuts including “For Nothin,” “Hello” a collaboration between KayCyy and Chlöe, and “What’s My Name” with Coi Leray and Queen Naija.
Yesterday, the Brooklyn-born emcee Fivio Foreign made his return with his latest release, “Notice Me,” which features a number of high-energy features from Jenn Carter, Tata, and Kyle Richh. The song is accompanied by a subliminal visual. The video is directed by one of the squad’s frequent collaborators JLShotThat. It shows scenes of the squad hitting NFL games, partying on the streets of Brooklyn, and much more. With his introduction bars on the track, Fivio sets the tone for the rest of the track:
In addition to his own releases, you can hear the “City of Gods” rapper Fivio Foreign featured on a number of recent tracks including: “C.A.B.” with Chris Brown, “Outcast” with Malaa, “Repeat” with FNF Chop, and more. Fivio had never released an album prior to his aforementioned B.I.B.L.E. project, and the only body of work that he had was 2020’s 800 BC, an album that contained his breakout single, “Big Drip.”
The Florida rapper, Kodak Black, released an impressive new track yesterday (Jan. 22) called “Maui Woop,” which is produced by Dyryk and sees the rapper taking a moment to reflect on his life and losses.
In addition to the track, Maui Woop also includes a matching video produced by Cameraman Chris. Kodak Black can be seen entertaining his viewers with a drink on the balcony. He also takes part in water activities, having fun with his kids, and more in the Aloha state. Aside from that, he is seen wearing high-end furs in an unknown setting with his crew of friends.
Kodak Black recently dropped a new album on the heels of his last effort, Kutthroat Bill: Vol 1, which came out last year. The record also included collaborations with the likes of Prince Swanny, NFL Tuewop, VVSNCE, and Lil Crix. Further to this, 2022 was a year in which the 19-track collection Back for Everything was released. There was no doubt that that album would be dominated by the smash hit “Super Gremlin,” a song with an emotional impact that was first released in 2021. In addition to earning a platinum certification on those two singles, they also reached the third spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. A prominent part of the album features a guest appearance from Sniper Gang’s frontman on Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, released on March 29, 2015. The album set a new standard for hip-hop with its own instrumentals and lyrics. During the week ending January 16, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers had the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart.
On December 20th, Lord Francis released his new single, “Down,” a melodic effort, created under the production of Too Tall, who is known for his past work with the likes of Shy Glizzy, Rick Ross, and Ace Hood. This dancehall-influenced track is centered around a sexual rendezvous between two lovers and it’s infectious and upbeat.
In addition to the single, Lord Francis and his team worked with Malcolm Cook, Jon Brooks, and Ramses Villalva Designs to create the matching visual accompanied by the single. This clip shows the D.C. talent’s interaction with a woman in a bar before he heads out for a wild night out with his friends. While watching the film, viewers will be able to observe Francis and his love interest engaging in an intimate moment on the beach.
In March of this year, Lord Francis joined the masses with what was dubbed Nocturnal, a six-song EP that delved into the love life of the artist that included the popular singles “Champagne Waup” and “Long Day.” Scattered across the internet, the mysterious artist has stayed off the radar since then. Earlier this year, he announced the return of his music career with a song called “U Street” which pays homage to one of the city’s former nightlife and cultural hubs. His momentum would continue to build with the release of “Growing Man,” another Too Tall-backed production, in which he reflected upon one of his former flames while creating a comparison between his own life and the life of his grandfather.
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