Galleria Mattia De Luca is proud to present Conrad Marca-Relli – Il Maestro Irascibile (The Irascible Master), an exhibition entirely dedicated to the Italian-American artist, a key figure of American Abstract Expressionism. After the historic exhibition at the Galleria La Tartaruga in 1957, this first Roman retrospective, organized in collaboration with the Marca-Relli Archive, will be inaugurated on Saturday, 9 October 2021, on the premises of the Palazzo Albertoni Spinola at 2 Piazza di Campitelli, Rome.
Conrad Marca-Relli, aka Corrado Marcarelli, was born in Boston on 5 June 1913 to Italian parents from the Campania region. An indomitable spirit and a tireless traveler, Marca-Relli grew up traveling continuously to Italy, making him perfectly bilingual, literally and artistically speaking. A lover of the monumentality of Rome, where he worked for several years, and of great Italian Renaissance painting, the Italian-American artist was the true classicist soul of the New York School. The birth of the Eighth Street Club and the organization of the famous 1951 Ninth Street Show is attributable to his fervent temperament. Marca-Relli, imbued not only with classical culture, but also with a certain pragmatism of American origin, undertook from the 1950s a successful and endless path of research into the collage technique. The compositional results of this research would be brought to the ultimate outcome of speaking of his art as “painting-collage”. This modus operandi emerged as a balanced combination of compositional harmony, typical of the European tradition, a spontaneity of gesture, the offspring of Rosenberg’s arena, and Action painting: raw canvases were cut with a razor blade, the strips glued together, unglued, rearranged, superimposed, layered on the support and, finally, repainted in order to harmonize the duality of “positive” and “negative” spaces. It is this primitive encounter of two opposing forces that brings to life Marca-Relli’s canvases, palimpsest collages created by an equally reasoned and “neurasthenic” gesture, a definition given by Afro Basaldella to the artist in a letter sent to his friend and colleague Toti Scialoja.
Always departing from the classical proportions of the wooden mannequin, inseparable companion of his painting, Marca-Relli created a macrocosm of seemingly abstract signs, main elements of his major artistic achievements, on display at Galleria Mattia De Luca. From plain Cityscapes with a metaphysical flavor of the early 1950s, to the enigmatic seated figures of his early collages, and up to the homage to his friend and neighbor Jackson Pollock, the exhibition traces the strong impact of Marca-Relli as a person and as an artist on the American and international scene.
You will be able to appreciate the works of the calibre of Cityscape from 1953, an oil on canvas, which was inspired by the artist’s Mexican sojourns and is a turning point for his adoption of the collage technique. There are also Seated Figures of the mid-1950s, a cornerstone of his oeuvre owing to its compositional harmony reminiscent of Cubism. Also unmissable are the 1955 masterpieces The Strategist and The Struggle, as well as his epic tribute Death of Jackson Pollock, a testament to what was a mutual influence more than a friendship. This relationship was replete with frequent confrontations (after all, how to reconcile the irascible Conrad with the despotic and childish soul of the boy from Cody), dialogues, encounters and mutual respect. You will continue your journey through the Italian-American master’s production with the harmonious turmoil of the forms in M-11-56, a work that paved the way for the artist’s New York masterpieces The Battle and The Warrior, respectively part of the permanent collections of the MET and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The canvases of the late 1950s and the early 1960s are exhibited as a logical follow-on of Marca-Relli’s artistic career, in which any anthropomorphic reference disappears to leave room for architectural compositions with a classical flavour, as in The Wall No. 2. There is no lack of alternative media with which the artist experimented throughout his entire life, as in the case of Cunard L-8-62, which reveals Marca-Relli’s great ability to absorb the stimuli deriving from Minimalism and Arte Povera. He tried out compositions which, while never losing sight of the harmony of forms, opened up to the concepts of rhythm and matter typical of the works of Donald Judd and those of the great artists of Arte Povera.
Marca-Relli, an abstract expressionist with a European approach, is not only a “bridge” between Rome and New York, but above all a master at the cusp of two worlds, Europe, and the United States.
DJ/producer Rezz announces North American headline dates for her “Spiral Tour” which kicks off on February 5th, 2022 in Vancouver, BC. Tickets go on sale this week starting with Spotify pre-sale on Wednesday, September 29th at 10am local time (Password is Spiral) and tickets for the general public go on sale starting Friday, October 1st at 10am local time.Check out the tour dates below and tickets can be purchased HERE.
Rezz will be releasing her new single “Let Me In” with fknsyd along with the music video this Friday, October 1st. You can pre-save it HERE.
Rezz says, “I’m so excited to announce the Spiral tour as it will feature the biggest production I’ve ever had by far. “Let me in” with fknsyd is one of my favourite songs I’ve ever worked on , her voice & song writing is so incredible I can’t wait for you to hear.“
“Let Me In” with fknsyd follows “Chemical Bond” with DEATHPACT. Both tracks will be featured on Rezz’s fourth album spiral which is set to be released this fall via Rezz Music/RCA Records.
Over the summer, Rezz teamed up with Dove Cameron to release “Taste of You” which was declared “…the best electronic collaboration of 2021 to date” by EDM.com while Billboard stated, “Their combined efforts make for a catchy, fairly traditionally structured but nonetheless punch-packing track that demonstrates the skills of each artist…” Earlier this year Rezz released “Sacrificial” feat. PVRIS along with the video. Watch HERE. Alternative Press praised the track by calling it “…the perfect blend of both artists’ strengths and distinct artistry.”
About Rezz
26-year-old Canadian DJ/producer Isabelle Rezazadeh AKA Rezz has racked up tens of millions of streams, sold out legendary venues and headlined top festivals around the world. She oozes originality and produces genre-bending electronic works, striking a sharp balance between bass-heavy and minimal tech compositions. Her first independent project – the adventurous Beyond The Senses EP – was released in 2019 and garnered praise from Alternative Press, SPIN and Billboard who called it “her most impactful project to date” and went on to receive The JUNO Award for Electronic Album of the Year in 2020. She graced the cover of Billboard’s 2019 Dance Issue and has been attributed as being at the forefront of the dance and rock music crossover. 2020 marked a banner year for the producer who released her first single through RCA Records “Someone Else” with Grabbitz which has garnered over 50 million streams worldwide and reached #15 on Alt Radio in the US and #1 in Canada. Alternative Press praised the song upon its release, including it as the lead track in their weekly playlist. They called the video “another high point in Rezz’s canon,” saying, “…the song evokes a sinister groove that will appeal to dance music devotees as well as industrial rivetheads…” Rezz is heavily featured in a documentary called “Underplayed,” available on Amazon Prime Video, which highlights the current issues female DJs face in the dance industry.
Amidst searing scandal, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has resigned. Many have supported this decision after Cuomo’s many scandals came to light. First there were sexual harassment allegations, then a report exposed the Governor’s use of state resources to aid in the writing of his memoir. Cuomo was also pinned for undercounted nursing home related deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. After that, tragically, even more sexual harassment charges against Cuomo were reported. The investigation in these charges has now been concluded to determine that he did sexual harass multiple women, violating state and federal law. Politically ostracized and facing the grim reality of impeachment, Gov. Cuomo decided to resign on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio remarked on Cuomo’s circumstance in a statement: “It is beyond clear that Andrew Cuomo is not fit to hold office and can no longer serve as Governor. He must resign, and if he continues to resist and attack the investigators who did their jobs, he should be impeached immediately.” Many politicos in New York have also agreed with Cuomo’s departure. Hakeem Jeffries, Gregory Meeks and Tom Suozzi issued a joint statement saying, “the time is right” for Cuomo to resign.
After this statement was issues, each of New York’s 19 congressional Democrats called for their governor to resign. A lawyer for two of Cuomo’s sexual harassment accusers, Alyssa McGrath and Virginia Limmiatis, added: “My clients feel both vindicated and relieved that Cuomo will no longer be in a position of power over anyone. Taking things a step further, some Democratic lawmakers are requesting for Cuomo to be impeached. The governor is currently the subject of an impeach inquiry in the state assembly, reports The Hill.
Taking this place is current lieutenant governor and Buffalo native, Dem. Kathy Hochul. In 2011, Hochul ran for a congressional seat in a special election, in a Republican leaning district between Buffalo and Rochester, NY. Hochul ran against Rep. Jane Corwin at the time and won by 47% of the vote. She held the seat until 2012. In 2015, she became the lieutenant governor and before that, spent more than a decade on the Hamburgh Town Board. Now, Hochul looks to set up into the political arena. Hochul, 62, is set to become the first female governor of the state of New York.
As the world has remained in their homes this past year and a half, traveling abroad seems to be the light at the end of a very long tunnel for many. While globetrotters stayed home bound and planned their trips for the second restrictions lifted, the travel industry underwent a rapid and drastic transformation. As such, many experts claim that travel – and particularly global travel – will be forever changed.
In the midst of the pandemic and the ubiquitous desire to be anywhere but home, travel destinations have begun to accommodate traveler’s concerns in the face of the virus. In some cases, it was changing the distance between tables in a restaurant or limiting the capacity of occupants in a hotel. In other cases, however, the only changes were claims of improvements or safer accommodations. While many hotels and restaurants truly began taking necessary precautions, some did not adapt – despite claiming to.
And such, in the age of the internet and modernity’s obsession with bureaucracy, innumerable COVID safety certificates – some valid, and some pure and simple money grabs – were born. Resultantly, the great saturation of these valuable assurances ultimately renders them to be valueless. For even the avid travelers and eagle-eyed among us, such certifications will likely prove to be a nuisance at best, and a health concern at worst.
In the travel industry, the remaining agencies have sought various solutions to this issue of verifying credibility. What happens when someone who is particularly at risk for COVID is infected by the virus at a supposedly safe hotel? Why even take these risks at all?
This past week, 360 Magazine attended an event with several travel experts who discussed this very issue and presented potential solutions. Though the situation is troubling and promises to only get worse, experts are beginning to craft plans and act against this rubber-stamping.
Terrence Suero of Buffalo-based travel agency Toca Travel has a promising and apt response to this new strain of scammers. While he is confident that the world will never return to its pre-pandemic state, Suero understands that travel is an essential part of many people’s lives. Even now, just months after the commencement of vaccine distribution, Americans have started to travel. While most are now staying within United States’ borders, some are wandering to more distant corners of the globe.
But, every new strain and ensuing restriction springs new doubts and trouble for the average traveler. And for travel agents, their work has only gotten more difficult–not only in the face of these conditions, but also regarding the endless onslaught of dubious safety certifications. To this end, Suero has started Safe Travel Pathways – a new endeavor that he hopes will eradicate, or at the very least assuage, travelers’ health concerns related to COVID.
Safe Travel Pathways at its core is an open-source directory of vetted hospitality companies. The company hopes to begin its directory abroad in Costa Rica, and if successful, to gradually expand globally. Behind Safe Travel Pathways is Suero’s ethos as a travel agent: to treat travelers as adults. His aim is simply to provide helpful and accurate information, with the goal being that travelers can make their own informed decisions.
The main criteria for Safe Travel Pathways’ approval includes adherence to internationally accepted health standards, a third-party audit system that can determine the provided level of safety and strict governance. Safe Travel Pathways uses a grading system from one to five that considers various accreditations, verified safety precautions, and guidelines to evaluate companies. The idea behind this system evinces once more Suero’s desire to allow travelers to choose their own itinerary in light of the safety information provided. While certain places may receive lower scores than others, Suero acknowledges that some people are more comfortable than others regarding COVID safety precautions.
However, Suero has more than just coronavirus in mind. His future offerings likely will include restaurants and other accommodations that have been vetted for specific allergens and other necessary health considerations. Suero was careful to note that most travel agents are not health specialists. With these future additions, he hopes to assuage as many health concerns as possible, for both travel agents and travelers. Such other future additions may highlight businesses that are accessible, sustainable, or accommodating for similar travel concerns.
Safe Travel Pathway’s test run is starting soon in Costa Rica to gain a greater understanding of its capability and viability as an international travel database. Suero hopes to soon expand into Europe and South America with the help of travel bureaus, which validate businesses on a local level. The database is free and accessible to all, with certain features limited to travel agents or agencies.
As the world reopens, much is still left unclear. With each new strain and constantly shifting guidelines, creating travel plans can be unnecessarily convoluted and stressful. Though the world may never return to “normal,” tools like Safe Travel Pathways can hopefully move us in the right direction.
Elektra recording group Saint Motel have announced U.S. and European tours in support of their forthcoming album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The band’s U.S. tour will kick off this September with three special hometown shows at Los Angeles, CA’s The Roxy Theatre, and wrap on Halloween at Madison, WI’s Majestic Theater. In March of 2022, the band will return to the road for a European tour. The upcoming dates mark Saint Motel’s first live shows since their sold-out U.S. tour wrapped in March of 2020. Pre-sale tickets for all dates will be available beginning tomorrow, and general on sale begins this Friday, June 11 at 10:00am local time here.
Saint Motel’s highly anticipated new album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be released on June 25, 2021. The album is available for pre-order now here. The band recently unveiled an official music video for the album’s current single “It’s All Happening”, co-directed by Saint Motel front man A/J Jackson and Mario Contini. Watch it on the band’s official YouTube channel here.
On The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack the Los Angeles-based band dreams up their own cinematic experience in album form, as its songs cycle through stories of love, danger, and impossible triumph. The album also embodies an opulent sound true to its ambitious scope. Co-produced by front man A/J Jackson and Grammy Award-winner Mark Needham (The Killers, Dolly Parton, Chris Isaak), The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack continues the Saint Motel custom of joyfully blurring genres, bringing in elements of everything from symphonic pop to big band.
Audiences began experiencing the album with the release of a pair of EPs: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Pt.1 and The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 2. Among many highlights, “Van Horn” has amassed nearly 20 million streams, while the band performed it on ABC’s JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! Receiving critical acclaim, Dujour described “Preach” as “a bop,” whileAmerican Songwriter poured over the album’s concept in an in-depth interview with A/J. Further looks came from Ladygunn,Hollywood Life, and more. Now, fans get the full picture of Saint Motel’s vision with the complete The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack studio album.
In the lead up to the album, Saint Motel made history as “the first band to open their own virtual metaverse” powered by Mozilla Hubs. The virtual world is designed as a motel with each room dedicated to a song on The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The quartet’s launch of “New World” welcomed fans to the virtual space where Jackson performed a live acoustic set. In this 3D VR chatroom enabled for all headsets and browsers, audiences can enter an exclusive, immersive environment to engage directly with the band through virtual meet-and-greets and intimate, live performances, consume exclusive video content, and much more. Additionally, it doubles as a space for fans to congregate and get to know each other. Saint Motel’s “New World” upholds what has become a tradition of engaging with groundbreaking technology for the guys. Visit Saint Motel’s website to explore the “New World.” In 2016, they dropped their Elektra full length debut saintmotelevision as the first-ever Virtual Reality album and first-ever Augmented Reality album and accompanied the record with the free saintmotel AR/VR app.
Saint Motel U.S. Tour Dates
September 30, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre
October 01, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre
October 02, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre
October 04, 2021 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater
October 05, 2021 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory
October 07, 2021 – Salt Lake City, UT – Depot
October 08, 2021 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
October 09, 2021 – Fort Collins, CO – The Aggie
October 11, 2021 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
October 12, 2021 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
October 13, 2021 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club
October 15, 2021 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
October 16, 2021 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theater
October 17, 2021 – Knoxville, TN – The Mill & Mine
October 18, 2021 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
October 20, 2021 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
October 21, 2021 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater
October 22, 2021 – Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg University
October 23, 2021 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage
October 26, 2021 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
October 27, 2021 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
October 29, 2021 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
October 30, 2021 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
October 31, 2021 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater
Saint Motel European Tour Dates
March 31, 2022 – Berlin, Germany – Franz Club
April 02, 2022 – Hamburg, Germany – Stage Club
April 03, 2022 – Cologne, Germany – Luxor
April 05, 2022 – Munich, Germany – Hansa 39
April 06, 2022 – Milan, Italy – Circolo Magnolia
April 08, 2022 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Noord
April 09, 2022 – Brussels, Belgium – Botanique The Rotonde
April 10, 2022 – Paris, France – La Maroquinerie
April 12, 2022 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall
April 13, 2022 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2
Projecting pop hooks through an alternative lens with a flair for dramatic presentation, Saint Motel make music worthy of the big screen. Streamed and viewed over half-a-billion times, the platinum-selling Los Angeles quartet magnify this vision with immersive live experiences and one unpredictable move after another. The group initially came together at film school before introducing themselves on 2012’s Voyeur. Signing to Elektra Records, their 2014 My Type EP boasted both the gold-certifiedtitle track “My Type” and fan favorite “Cold Cold Man.” In 2016, saintmotelevision yielded the smash “Move.” Flipping the script once again, the musicians reimagined the record with a series of history-making first-of-their-kind innovations: an award-winning Virtual Reality version and an Augmented Reality version. In 2019, Saint Motel launched their most ambitious undertaking yet, unveiling their third full-length album in three parts. First up, they uncovered The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 1 powered by the shimmy and shake of Alternative Top 15 lead single “Van Horn.” Between packing houses coast to coast on headline jaunts and earning acclaim from People, Billboard, and more, the four-piece rolled out Pt. 2 throughout 2020. In addition to unforgettable sets everywhere from Coachella and Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo, the boys lit up shows such as NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden, among others.
Saint Motel is: A/J Jackson (vocals), Aaron Sharp (guitar), Dak Lerdamornpong (bass), and Greg Erwin (drums).
Backyarding is Here to Stay & It Has a Purpose. What’s Yours?
By Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
What once only happened indoors now happens outdoors. It’s called “backyarding,” and it’s a trend that’s here to stay. From office work to working out, from eating to entertaining, if these activities were once typically held inside a home or office, they are now being brought to the great outdoors.
Simply think back over the last year and recount the number of times your backyard has taken center stage in your everyday life. The family yard became the safe and purposeful space where we could gather and recharge. Spending time outdoors is great for your physical and mental health, and our backyards are the bridge between indoor and outdoor living.
The backyard is nearly limitless with possibilities, and you can get really creative in how you expand and enjoy your yard. But before you get to work in your yard, you must first identity what type of “backyarder” you are. Then, you can keep that idea in mind to create a more purposeful outdoor space that is customized to your family’s needs.
Here are just a few of the backyarding personality types. Which one(s) are you?
Entertainer Extraordinaire Your backyard was the neighborhood hot spot long before the pandemic made that trend posh. Family milestones, birthdays, graduations, reunions, socially distanced BBQs – your yard is *the* place to gather. Your yard is set up for success with patio furniture, fire pit, yard games, plenty of outdoor seating, string lights, and maybe even an outdoor kitchen. The family yard and community park are five-star event spaces that are always easy to book!
Environmentalist You know that nature starts in your own backyard and that taking small steps in your yard can make a big impact on climate change. As the proverbial Robin to your yard’s Batman, you embrace your role in supporting the superhero powers of your living landscape. Those include capturing and filtering rainwater, producing oxygen, and absorbing carbon, just to name a few.
Expert Landscaper Your yard makes neighbors green with envy. You know how to maintain a healthy living landscape all year long, and you have the latest outdoor power equipment to make even big jobs easier. Your idea of a good time? Spending the weekend doing yardwork. You love the sense of accomplishment that comes from working in your yard, and friends can count on you for advice about their own living landscapes.
Horticulturist The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is bookmarked on your browser because putting the right plant in the right place is the living landscape Golden Rule you live by. You consider location, maintenance, sunlight and watering requirements, as well as your climate zone and lifestyle needs, before you even think about sticking your shovel in the dirt.
Kid Zone Creator You know the safest place for your kids to be is in your own backyard, and you work hard to create an outdoor fun zone they will never want to leave. A flat area of sturdy turfgrass to play sports and pitch a tent? Check. Treehouse? Check. Zipline strung safely between backyard trees? Check. An elevated garden where kids can help grow the family’s meals? Check. Natural playscapes, like a patch of sand bordered by rocks and log stump seating? Check. “Fun” is your middle name, and you are winning at this game.
Nature Lover No binging Netflix for you. You subscribe to “Nature TV” and prefer to spend your free time watching the birds, bats, butterflies and other wildlife that count on your yard for food and shelter. You cultivate a living landscape that supports a rich biodiversity with butterfly bushes, flowering plants, water sources, and trees and shrubs with nooks for nesting and food.
Pet Pamperer Your focus is on Fido, and you take cues from your four-legged friends about how to purpose your backyard. You’ve planted sturdy turfgrass like Buffalo or Bermuda that can stand up to pet play, and you’ve used soft foliage to create a natural barricade between “off limits” areas and the rest of the lawn. Trees and shrubs are strategically planted for shade, and you’ve even set up a shallow water feature to help your pup cool off on hot days. For you, planting with purpose means keeping toxic plants out of the picture. (For a complete list, visit ASPCA’s list of non-toxic and toxic plants.
Work (and learn!) from Home Warrior You don’t need to turn to technology to create a virtual backdrop for your video calls. The natural setting created by your yard’s trees, flowers, bushes and other plants is your go-to video call background. Your kids aren’t doing in-person school? No problem. Your backyard or neighborhood park is a living laboratory for learning that supports outdoor learning, even when school isn’t in session. Your kids take online classes under the shade of a tree. Do homework at a patio or picnic table. Brush up on STEM education by planting and studying flowers, bug hunting, and weather watching.
Zen Master Enjoying your morning coffee on the balcony as songbirds serenade you. Meditating under the shade of a tree. De-stressing by swinging in a backyard hammock. Taking a break from your busy day to feel the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair. Your backyard is your sacred space for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. It’s the best “green spa” in town. You know that spending time outside is good for your health and well-being and that, thanks to your yard, these benefits are only steps away.
Setting the stage for backyarding. One final and important note to backyarders of all kinds. Creating a yard that supports all of the aspects of your family’s outdoor lifestyle means taking stock of what you might need to care for your lawn. Take an inventory of your outdoor power equipment to make sure you are prepared. Then, get out there and create your canvas for even more backyard memory-making.
To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.
Black Rob, Rapper and Former Bad Boy Artist, Has Passed Away at 52 Years Old
Best known for his 2000 single “Whoa!” the rapper was recently hospitalized in Atlanta
Robert Ross, the rap artist known as Black Rob, died April 17 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Fellow Bad Boy rapper Mark Curry stated the cause of death was cardiac arrest, according to Pitchfork. He added that Black Rob was dealing with a number of health issues prior to his death, including lupus, kidney failure, diabetes, and multiple strokes. Black Rob was 52 years old.
“I don’t know where to begin this, but I thank everybody for the donations. Rob passed away about an hour ago,” a teary-eyed Curry said in a video. “I need for his daughter, Iona Ross, little Robert Ross, y’all get in touch with me, please.”
In a second video, Curry stated that he had spoken to Bad Boy founder Combs for the first time in 15 years following Rob’s passing.
“I just want to say thank you. We really did some amazing stuff. RIP to my brother. I was dead with him, I was dead with him,” Curry said. “I ain’t talk to Puff in 15 years. We talked today. This is the beginning of a new us. Rob made sure he knew what he had to do before he parted this world to make sure we all alright — and that’s what he did. Bad Boy for life, yo.”
Diddy posted a tribute on Instagram, stating: “Rest in power King @therealblackrob! As I listen to your records today there’s one thing that they all have in common! You have made millions of people all over the world feel good and dance! You are one of a kind! GOD BLESS! Love. You will be truly missed!!!!”
Born Robert Ross in Buffalo, N.Y., the Bad Boy rapper grew up in East Harlem where he began rapping as a preteen leading to the formation of his first group, the Schizophrenics. He released four studio albums, his most successful being his 2000 debut “Life Story.” Rob is best known for his hit single “Whoa!” which peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with Curry, Rob was featured on Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ “Bad Boy 4 Life,” which charted at No. 33. Though he left Bad Boy Records in the mid-2000s, Rob reunited with the crew for select dates of the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour in 2016.
A comprehensive report of the continuation and influx of unjustified treatment towards minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
February 23: 25-year-old Georgia resident Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot while running unarmed. No arrests were made immediately, but Gregory and Travis McMichael, who claim to have been making a citizen’s arrest, have since been apprehended more than 2 months after the shooting and charged with murder and aggravated assault. The murder and its delayed action have sparked nationwide protests and calls for justice. The lawyer, hired by Ahmaud’s family, was also hired by another African American victim – Breonna Taylor.
March 13: Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her Louisville home after police entered the house on a search warrant. Taylor and her boyfriend believed they were burglars and began firing at the police. The shootout left 26-year-old Taylor dead and her boyfriend, 27, arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder of a police officer. Neither Taylor nor her boyfriend Walker had a criminal record, but Walker had a firearm license.
March 23: A newly released video shows a 68-year-old black Missouri woman by the name of Marvia Gray and her son Derek being forcefully arrested on the floor of a department store on March 23rd. The two were accused falsely of trying to steal a television and were injured when thrown on the floor by police, according to Gray. They were however, arrested for assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
April 11: Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on Sunday afternoon during a traffic stop. When Wright was pulled over, officers were attempting to handcuff him when the subject broke free and jumped into the driver’s seat. Officer Kim Potter threatened to tase him, yelling “Taser!” three times before shooting Wright. Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon said, “It is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet.” On Monday evening, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner reported that Wright died due to a gunshot wound to his chest. Potter resigned from the police department on Tuesday, and has now been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter.
April 18: Steven Taylor, 33, was shot to death by police in a California Walmart while attempting to steal from the store and threatening violent acts with a baseball bat. Taylor was fatally shot, however, after becoming a non-threat, it prompted the family to call for charges against the officers. Taylor was also allegedly in a mental health crisis and has a history of disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Taylor leaves behind three children and three siblings.
April 21: A 42-year-old Black man, Andrew Brown Jr., was shot by North Carolina sheriff’s deputies in Elizabethtown just before 8:30 am. A private autopsy conducted by Brown’s family has revealed that he was shot five times, and was killed by a bullet blow to his head. The Pasquotank County sheriff claims that the deputies were conducting an arrest warrant on drug charges when Brown was shot. A local prosecutor claims Brown was trying to escape and had hit deputies with his car. The Brown family lawyer claims that Brown’s hands were on the wheel when he was shot, and says that Brown had no drugs or weapons in his vehicle. The family has not yet seen a search warrant from the Department, and the F.B.I. is opening a civil rights investigation into the case.
A clergy march in Elizabeth honoring Brown will take place on Saturday, May 8 at 11am. The march will be led by Bishop William J. Barber (President of Repairers of the Breach, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival former moderator with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)) II and Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman (an elder with the AME Zion Church and former president of the N.C. Council of Churches), both of whom will lead a march of interfaith and interdenominational clergy. A public rally and news conference will follow the clergy march and begin at 11:30am. Clergy members are to meet at 10:30 am at 299 US Highway 158 N., in front of the old Elizabeth City Middle School. The clergy march is set to lead to the Pasquotank County Courthouse, where the public rally will be held. For more info, please visit this website.
April 24: Austin Police murdered 42-year old Michael Ramos after a nearby 911 call about a possible drug deal. The police shot Ramos when he was out of his car, with his hands above his head. When Ramos re-entered his vehicle and began driving away, he was shot again and soon after, died. A later investigation found no sign of a firearm in the car.
April 28: A shootout with police in Florida killed 26-year-oldJonas Joseph after his car was pulled over. Joseph began firing at police, who returned fire and killed the young man.
May 6: 21-year-old Sean Reed was killed by police following a vehicle pursuit on the evening of May 6, 2020. The police pursued Reed after being seen driving erratically on the highway. The pursuit terminated, but when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Chris Bailey spotted the car parked, he approached. Reed tried to flee, but the confrontation left the young man dead. A crowd of protestors at the scene demanded the reasoning for the officer’s use of force.
May 8: The four officers involved with George Floyd’s shooting have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The four officers–Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane– all faces charges for failure to administer aid to Floyd. Tou and Kueng were also charged for their failure to intervene in Chuavin’s unreasonable use of force on Floyd. Chauvin, who was found guilty of murder last month, is also cited to have used “unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from unreasonable force by a police officer,” as stated in the indictment. In addition to these new federal charges, there is also an ongoing civil investigation into Minneapolis policing practices currently underway.
May 9: 48-year-old Adrian Medeariswas killed after being pulled over under suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Houston. The officer conducted a sobriety test, and attempted to arrest Medearis, a well-known local Gospel singer and choir director, but he resisted arrest and was fatally shot in the ensuing altercation. His family and community are demanding the release of the video.
May 18: A Sarasota police officer was filmed using excessive force and kneeling on Patrick Carroll’s neck during an arrest. The video was put on social media and the officer in question has been put on administrative leave weeks after the event.
May 25: A woman named Amy Cooper called the cops on Christian Cooper, a Harvard alumnus and former Marvel Comics editor. The 57-year-old man was bird watching in Central Park when she approached him without her dog on the leash. After he asked her to put the dog on a leash, she called the police and claimed to be threatened. The altercation went viral after Christian Cooper posted a video of the event on social media, recording the woman aggressively restraining her dog and her saying, “I’m going to tell them [the police] there’s an African American man threatening my life.” Amy Cooper has since publicly apologized. But, Cooper has faced repercussions beyond negative comments on Twitter. She has been fired from her job at Franklin Templeton Investments, where she was vice president, and her dog has been rescued by a pet shelter.
May 25th: a Minneapolis man named George Floyd was murdered by police after an officer knelt on his neck despite his cries for help. Floyd was taken to a hospital where he died, and four officers were fired soon after the incident. A police statement says that Floyd was being investigated for a “forgery in progress” and resisted arrest. But, surveillance video of the arrest shows Floyd complying with the officers. On May 29th, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with murder and manslaughter, four days after George Floyd’s death. On June 3rd, the other three officers involved in George Floyd’s murder, J.A. Keung, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, were arrested and charged with Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Murder and Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Manslaughter. Floyd’s murder sparked protests around the country with citizens looting and setting fire to buildings. The protestors have been met with tear gas and rubber bullets from police officers.
May 28: At a protest in Minneapolis, 43-year-old Calvin L. Horton Jr. was fatally shot and a suspect is in custody.
A Mississippi cop is on leave after a video is released of him choking a young suspect.
May 29: CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew were arrested while reporting on the protest in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, another CNN reporter, Josh Campbell, says he was treated very differently by police and allowed to stay and report. Jimenez is black and Latino whereas Campbell is white. All three CNN workers were released from custody an hour later.
21-year-old Javar Harrell was not protesting but was fatally shot near protests in Detroit. It is unclear if his death is tied to protests.
May 30: The “Rally To End Modern Day Lynching” took place in Harlem in honor of George Floyd. The rally emphasizes that participants should still practice social distancing and wear a mask. Also on May 30th, participants will honor Floyd at the site of Eric Garner‘s murder in 2014. These New York protests became progressively more violent into the evening. Governor Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency and curfew for Atlanta in preparation for planned protests on May 31st. After four days of protests, Governor Newsom declares a state of emergency in Los Angeles. The courthouse and city hall were set on fire in Nashville.
A 21-year old unnamed man was fatally shot at a protest in Detroit.
In Dallas, a machete-yielding storeowner confronted protesters and was then violently beaten by the crowd; the man is now in stable condition.
Chris Beaty, 38, was killed from multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene in Indianapolis.
May 31: After setting fires and looting in Santa Monica, the city declared a curfew. Curfews have since been set all around the country.
Italia Kelly, 22, and another victim were fatally shot while leaving a protest in Davenport, Iowa.
In Victorville, CA, Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found hanging from a tree and authorities are investigating the event as a potential homicide. Harsch’s family says they are very skeptical of his death being by suicide.
June 1: In Minneapolis, a group of men attacked Iyanna Dior, a black transgender woman; Dior is okay and in stable condition now.
53-year-old David McAtee was shot as national Guard troops and Louisville police broke up a protest; some footage shows McAtee shooting at police but it is unclear who fired their guns first because the officers involved did not activate their body cameras. The Louisville Metro Police Chief, Steve Conrad, was immediately fired because of the officers’ unactivated cameras.
16-year-old Jahmel Leach was tased in the face by NYPD and could be permanently disfigured from the attack. It is unclear why the police officers used force to arrest Leach.
June 2: Six Atlanta police officers have been fired and arrested for using excessive force towards Messiah Young and Taniyah Pilgrim, two young black people leaving the protests.
77-year-old David Dorn, a retired St. Louis police captain, was fatally shot by looters of a pawnshop after responding to an alarm.
June 4: At 3:45pm, NAACP holds a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in honor of George Floyd live on their Twitter.
June 5: All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department’s emergency response team resigned in protest for police brutality – particularly seen in a video of Buffalo police pushing an unarmed man.
Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian resigns from the company’s board and urges the company to replace his spot with a black candidate.
In a YouTube video, Robert L. Johnson, the first black American billionaire and co-founder of BET, talks to The Breakfast Club about racism and reparations.
20-year-old Dounya Zayer was violently shoved by a police officer at a protest in Brooklyn, NY.
June 6: Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand pledge $100 million donation over the next 10 years to organizations promoting social justice and racial equality.
A video shows protestors creating a human shield to protect NYPD officers fro rioters throwing objects at the policemen.
June 7: Virginia governor plans to remove Robert E. Lee statue later this week.
CEO of CrossFit Greg Glassman’s insensitive tweet about George Floyd has caused Glassman to face serious backlash. Partners of CrossFit, like Reebok or Rogue Fitness, and athletes, including Brooke Wells and Richard Froning, released statements that they will cut ties with CrossFit.
BLM protestors in Bristol pull down statue of Edward Colton, a slave trader who transported nearly 100,000 slaves in the 17th century.
Harry H. Rogers drove into a group of protestors near Richmond, Virginia. Rogers identifies as the leader of the Ku Klux Klan and prosecutors are investigating the assault as a potential hate crime.
June 8: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces police reform legislation called The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 which would ban chokeholds, establish a national database to track police misconduct, and more.
Minneapolis City Council announce plans to defund the Minneapolis police department.
GoFundMe suspends Candace Owens’ account saying that Owens, “spread hate, discrimination, intolerance and falsehoods against the black community.”
June 9: Greg Glassman, the CEO and founder of CrossFit, retires after his inappropriate tweet about George Floyd’s murder.
New York Police Chief Mike O’Meara shames the press for vilifying police officers in a video here.
June 10: In Palmdale, CA, 24-year-old black man named Robert Fuller, was found hanging from a tree in what was originally described as an apparent suicide. Citizens are demanding that Fuller’s death is investigated as a homicide.
June 11: After Trump’s comments about Seattle protestors being “domestic terrorists” and that law enforcement must “dominate the streets” to “take back Seattle,” Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan clarifies that the protestors are not threatening and that the president’s claims are unconstitutional.
June 12: Atlanta police fatally shot Rayshard Brooks, 27, at a Wendy’s drive-thru. Brooks’ murder caused Atlanta police chief Erika Shields to resign.
The officer who shot Brooks was Garrett Rolfe. Rolfe was terminated from his job one day after the shooting, but as of Wednesday, he was reinstated to his position. Atlanta’s Civil Service Board reinstated the officer because they found that Rolfe’s firing violated his due process rights. It is not being argued whether the shooting was justified, but rather if the proper firing procedures had been followed regarding the officer’s dismissal. At a board hearing on April 22, lawyer Allegra Lawrence-Hardy argues that “immediate dismal” of an employee “impairs the effectiveness of others.” However, despite being reinstated, Rolfe will remain on administrative leave until his murder and aggravated assault charges regarding the June 12 shooting are resolved.
June 13: Patrick Hutchinson, a black personal trainer from London, rescued ‘far-right’ protester who was badly beaten during protest clashes in London.
A young, black FedEx driver named Brandon Brackins turned to social media to tell his followers how he was called racial slurs while working.
June 16: A story resurfaces from 2006 when black, Buffalo, NY cop Cariol Horne was fired for stopping her white colleague from choking a handcuffed suspect.
Philadelphia court supervisor Michael Henkel is fired after video shows him tearing down BLM signs.
June 17: Quaker Oats plans to retire their Aunt Jemima branding and logo after acknowledging the racial stereotyping.
June 18: A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy fatally shot 18-year-old Andres Guardado.
June 20: Rioters storm the streets of Tulsa, Oklahoma during President Trump’s rally.
June 21: A NYPD officer is on unpaid suspension after a chokehold incident in Queens.
June 22: Department of Justice is investigating a noose found in Bubba Wallace‘s NASCAR garage. Wallace is the only black driver in NASCAR’s top circuit. On June 23, the FBI determines that Wallace was not the target of a hate crime.
August 23: Jacob Blake is shot by Kenosha police officers after breaking up a nearby fight that two other women were having. Blake was unarmed and shot seven times in the back. He is currently hospitalized for his injuries.
December 5: Lt. Caron Nazario, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, is suing two of the Town of Windsor police officers who conducted his traffic stop. Nazario is a Black and Latino man who was pulled over whilst wearing his uniform. He is requesting at least $1 million in damage costs and is looking for the court to rule that the officers violated his human rights, especially regarding the Fourth Amendment. He was pulled over by Officer Daniel Crocker and Joe Gutierrez, who exercised knee-strikes, deployed OC spray, and took the Nazario’s gun in what his attorney, Jonathan Arthur, classifies as an illegal search. In body camera footage, Gutierrez can be overheard telling Nazario that if he had just complied, he would have “been gone by now” and threatened that the charges against Nazario could impact his career in the army, if Nazario complained about the incident. By threatening Nazario’s career, his attorney says that Crocker and Gutierrez violated the subject’s First Amendment Rights.
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Los Angeles residents continue their demand for racial equality
Breonna Taylor, a Louisville EMT, would have turned 27 years old on June 5th. Instead, on March 13th, Ms. Taylor was shot 8 times while asleep after police officers entered her home without knocking. The young woman was not forgotten at Friday evening’s LA protest. The administrators of the march passionately expressed how this case of police brutality is emblematic of the chronic racial inequality which has defined the US criminal justice system since the nation’s conception.
The atmosphere of the march was boisterous. The Five Stairsteps’ “O-o-h Child” played at the event and defined the hope for a better future omnipresent with lines like, “things are gonna get easier… things are gonna get brighter.” Protestors fed off each others’ energies with chants of “No Justice, No Peace,” “Whose streets? Our streets,” mixed with an eclectic concoction of cheers. Indeed, the emphatic beeps of car horns, the banging of pots and pans from apartments above the street, and a sea of signs created a powerful spirit that, in the moment, felt indomitable.
One of the most inspiring aspects of the protest was the mélange of ethnicities in attendance. The multicolored faces of the crowds formed a microcosm of America – a new America. This diverse movement circled downtown Los Angeles, walking past boarded-up businesses that still bore the scars of previous nights. Much to the credit of the protest’s organizers, they were determined to reject the vandalism that had wounded the essence of the movement’s message earlier in the week. They wished to emulate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s tactics of non-violence, aspiring to make progress in King’s fight that must still advocated for.
At several points throughout the protest attendees were asked to take a knee. The profound purpose of this act was revealed at the conclusion of the event. “It’s uncomfortable isn’t it?” asked one protest organizer stuttering on her own passion, “Well imagine what it felt like for George Floyd for 8 minutes and 46 seconds!” Her vehemence echoed throughout the crowd as applause ruptured the silence of intent listening.
As the California sun dipped below the horizon, thousands ascended upon City Hall where a vanguard of LAPD lined the entrance. The protestors were nourished by a plethora of free snacks provided by supportive local vendors. The march culminated with a moving tribute to Ms. Taylor on the steps of City Hall. Here, the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to yet another martyr of the African American community in what appears to be an endless struggle for equality. Stories like Breonna Taylor’s tell a hauntingly familiar tale of racism in our country, and these injustices haven’t ceased during quarantine. The 360 Magazine “Minority Report” details all of the acts of racial inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The crowd was rife with enthusiasm for change but there was also a portentous understanding that this is not the last march for justice. However, the prevailing attitude was one of passion in hope that, despite the brutality of US history, America has finally reached a social crescendo free of the injustice that has characterized the country’s nascence.
So, what does all this mean? Well, the protestors and organizers were eager to proclaim a sizeable achievement they have garnered thanks to this movement. One of which is LA Mayor Eric Garcetti’s revision of the proposed city budget. In this revision, $150 million from the LAPD will be diverted towards healthcare, jobs, and education opportunities in communities of color. It is unclear whether stripping funds from the police will make the streets safer for people of color, yet protestors saw this as a victory for the Black Lives Matter movement.
The push to reduce police power will undoubtedly clash with President Trump’s call for “law and order.” Trump’s adoption of the infamous Nixonian verbiage and allusions to “vicious dogs” and “ominous weapons” has inflamed tensions in Los Angeles. In general, the president’s responses to BLM movements have done little to soothe California’s most populous city. A city, that only 28 years ago, was the epicenter of mayhem after a jury acquitted four police officers of using excessive force against black LA resident Rodney King. Thus, almost 30 years after the Rodney King riots and 50 years after the civil rights movement, one is still left wondering: do Americans trust law enforcement?
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