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Tupac Amaru Shakur — “I'm Losing It… We MUST Unite!”

Where To Start

Start Here Start at 1619. Move forward.

The Arc is the spine of this project: 40 essays, one chronological argument, five analytical lenses.

The 40 Arc Essays — Canon Index → Full reading order · 1619 to the present · All 40 essays live

This site should read like a structured archive, not a loose category list. The Arc is the entry point; the lenses help you move through it with intention. Empty sections stay hidden until they are live.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Dwyane Wade and Rick Ross Drop Limited Edition ‘Way of Wade’ Sneaker

Three-time NBA Champion Dwyane Wade is collaborating with hip-hop heavyweight William Leonard Roberts Jr., better known as Rick Ross, on a new sneaker to continue the legacy of the Way of Wade sneaker line.

The retired Miami Heat legend hooks up with the Maybach Music Group mogul on a two-shoe collection that celebrates and commemorates their success and collective impact on the city of Miami. The duo designed new colorways of the Way Of Wade 7 (WOW7) performance shoe and the lifestyle-focused Essence Ace II silhouette.

The Way Of Wade 7 is a black, purple, and gold reimagining of Wade’s seventh signature shoe. The performance basketball sneaker features a removable/replaceable crown that wraps along the midsole and heel, a nod to the artwork of Ross’ critically acclaimed album, Rather You Than Me. The Essence Ace II has a tonal red upper utilizing premium materials, such as reptile suede, tumbled leather, and reflective hits donning gold “Rick Ross” tags on each toe box, and co-branded logos throughout.

The collection, both on limited runs, is currently available for sale. The WOW7 is priced at $300 with the Ace II priced at $200. Both shoes are ready to be purchased online at www.wayofwade.com and locally in Miami at The Edition Boutique.

Way of Wade is more than a sportswear brand, it is a unique collaboration between Wade and Li-Ming, launched in 2012. Since then, Way of Wade has developed seven iterations of Wade’s high-performance basketball sneakers and created a fashion and lifestyle division that has grown with each year. The brand is a direct reflection of Wade’s passions and values, but the team runs a bit deeper. There is a roster of Way of Wade athletes competing at the highest levels, hand-picked by Wade himself.

Wade is a retired three-time NBA Champion (2006, 2012, and 2013) and 12-time All-Star selection. In 2006, three years after first joining the Heat as the No. 5 overall draft pick, he led the team to Miami’s first-ever NBA Championship and was named MVP of the Finals. In 2012 and 2013, Dwyane won his second and third NBA Championships. In 2004, he created the Wade’s World Foundation, which provides support to various educational, health, and family service programs, in particular, those that benefit underserved communities in Miami and his hometown of Chicago. In 2011, Wade was appointed to President Obama’s Fatherhood Task Force. In September 2012, he became a New York Times best-selling author, with the release of his first book, A FATHER FIRST: How My Life Became Bigger than Basketball.



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Monday, October 28, 2019

T.I. Says Iggy Azalea ‘Switched Up’ Once She Figured She Didn’t Need Black Folks Anymore

T.I. on Monday continued his regrets tour when it comes to former protégé Iggy Azalea, saying that the Australian-born rapper fell off, in part, after she decided to switch things up once she realized “she didn’t really need black people” anymore.

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Donald Trump Takes His ‘Buffoonery’ on the Road, Trashing Chicago and Its Top Cop in Speech Before Law Enforcement Group

As he has a tendency to do—especially when it comes to black or brown strongholds, from San Juan to Baltimore—Donald Trump trashed Chicago and its police superintendent during a speech Monday before a group of top cops.

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Wrestler Jordan Myles WWE over ‘Sambo’ t-shirt design: ‘They’ll regret making this’

Superstar pro-wrestler Jordan Myles is upset about a t-shirt design for his WWE NXT character, which he blasts as racist toward African Americans..

Over the weekend, Myles, real name Albert Hardie Jr., called out the company, Vince McMahon and Triple H on Twitter over the similarities between his official t-shirt logo and the grin on a “Sambo” doll, according to TheWrap.

READ MORE: Hulk Hogan fired by WWE after racist rant surfaces in report

“They’ll regret making this…#ForTheCulture I will keep posting this till my voice is heard. I’m not sorry for anything I say or do,” Myles tweeted. “Representation is important. If this is @VinceMcMahon & @TripleH ‘vision’ of me then this is a slap in the face to EVERY African American performer, fan, and supporter.”

On Monday morning, he followed up with further criticism over the design in a string of tweets and a video where he says “WWE doesn’t care about black people.”

Myels also slammed Ring of Honor wrestler Jay Lethal for being an “Uncle Tom,” and noted that the rehiring Hulk Hogan after using the n-word as proof the WWE is racist.

“The fact that @HulkHogan is still employed after giving the locker room an apology for being caught says enough,” Myles wrote. It appears he later deleted the video calling Lethal an “Uncle Tom,” but TheWrap captured screenshots of both.

Dispute with WWE

WWE responded Monday (Oct. 28) to the “racism” accusations, noting that Myles “approved” the t-shirt for sale.

“Albert Hardie Jr. (aka Jordan Myles) approved this t-shirt for sale,” a WWE spokesman said in a statement. “As always, we work collaboratively with all of our performers to develop logos and merchandise designs and get their input and approval before proceeding. This was the same process with Albert, and we responded swiftly once he later requested that the logo/t-shirt be redesigned.”

“No t-shirts were sold,” WWE said, as the merch has reportedly been pulled.

READ MORE: Is Dwayne Johnson returning to his wrestling roots?

“The Story of Little Black Sambo” was a children’s book published in 1899 and written by Scottish author Helen Bannerman about a boy who lives in India. But later versions, the main character is depicted with stereotypical features largely criticized as racist — including dark skin, big lips and bright teeth. Since then, activists have decried the images put forth in the books.

Discussion with Twitter followers

Myles responded to a fan on Twitter who inquired about what the WWE had to say on the matter.

“When I originally saw the design I was uncomfortable. Rather than addressing the issue I decided to counter offer with another. Baker Landon lied to my face! He said HHH wanted this design so my hands were tied. I spoke with @TripleH in person and his impression was I approved,” he wrote.

In another tweet, he included a screenshot of his e-mail from Baker Landon and told him, “GFYS!” Myles captioned the post: “Don’t believe me? Email him and ask him yourself. GFYS Baker!”

 

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Officials release 3-year-old Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney’s cause of death

As a Birmingham Alabama community mourns, police revealed the cause of death for toddler Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney. Two suspects are now in police custody for McKinney’s kidnapping and murder.

READ MORE: Video shows missing girl, Kamille ‘Cupcake’ McKinney, just before disappearance

On Friday, officials announced that the 3-year old died by asphyxiation after she was abducted earlier this month while outside at a birthday party.

Surveillance obtained by police showed two individuals walking past two small children around the time the abduction took place. Two suspects were arrested and charged with murder, according to WIAT TV. County District Attorney Danny Carr said if the suspects are found guilty of capital murder, they could get the death penalty.

The child’s body was found in a garbage dumpster in a landfill Oct. 22 after she was first reported missing Oct. 12.

On Sunday, hundreds of mourners gathered at New Beginning Christian Ministry for the toddler’s funeral to say their last goodbyes. Pastor Sylvester Wilson officiated the service, according to AL.com

“She was an angel sent from Heaven,’’ Wilson said. “God came back just to get his angel because one little girl that lived to be 3-years-old brought this whole city, this whole country together. Don’t let her death be in vain.”

“This 3-year-old has Herculean powers,” said Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith. “She’s unified a city. She’s brought the city together.”

“I think she touched a cord within the city,’’ Smith said, “This was a “how dare you’ crime. How dare you touch our children. How dare you disrespect our community. I think that’s why it touched a chord.”

An array of colorful flowers and balloons were on display, including a bouquet of flowers in the form of a cupcake.

“What we see here is pure evil,” the pastor said of Kamille’s tragic murder. “This is not the Lord’s doing.”

“My mind and my feelings are all over the place,” he said, adding that one of his grandchildren just turned three on Friday.

“I’m struggling now because I realize I’m a man of God, I’m the pastor of this church and that ain’t going to change. But I don’t know how I would feel if that had happened to one of mine. I told my wife I’m afraid I wouldn’t be the pastor of this church, but I might be an inmate pastor,” Wilson admitted.

READ MORE: Stepfather arrested in connection to kidnapping of 4-year-old stepdaughter

Birmingham activist Carlos Chaverst attended the funeral and shared a heartfelt text message he received from Kamille’s mother, April Thomas at 1:59 a.m. Friday, the outlet reported.

“When everybody sleeps at night it be the hardest part of my day, not holding her and thinking about what I could have hanged to keep this from happening. I tried so hard to be a good mother and I feel like the devil still defeated me and took a big chunk out of my heart and there’s nothing I can do. I feel helpless. A few minutes turned into a lifetime of hell.”

“There’s a family that is hurting,” Chaverst said.

“We need to be here for this family,” Chaverst said. “The funeral may be today but the hurt will be forever.”

The post Officials release 3-year-old Kamille “Cupcake” McKinney’s cause of death appeared first on theGrio.



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