All Videos Tagged Trayvon (True Skool Network) - True Skool Network

Macklemore Sends Important Political Statement About Racial Profiling at AMA Awards Last Night

2013-11-25T19:57:43.907Z

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis picked up two prizes at the American Music Awards last night, for Favorite Artist and Favorite Album in the Rap/Hip-Hop categories. And while Stevie Wonder has pledged to stop performing in Florida and other Stand Your Ground states, the two men were in Florida yesterday, and decided to use the confluence of geography and a platform to make a different kind of statement about the same issue.

“Due to the fact that we are in Florida tonight accepting this award I want to acknowledge Trayvon Martin and the hundreds and hundreds of kids each year that are dying due to racial profiling and the violence that follows it,” Macklemore said in the duo’s video acceptance speech. “This is really happening. These are our friends, our neighbors, our peers and our fans, and it’s time that we look out for the youth and fight against racism and the laws that protect it.”

The statement was both a good use of the televised broadcast, and a reminder of one of the issues that’s dogged Macklemore during his rise. The song with which he and Lewis broke out, “Same Love,” is a call for marriage equality. Macklemore is heterosexual, though Mary Lambert, who sings the hook on the track, is a lesbian. And there have been some questions about why a white, straight man’s hip-hop anthem to gay rights has gotten such attention and traction when black rappers’, and gay and black rappers’ work on similar subjects haven’t taken off in the same way. Is it because their work complicates the popular, though not particularly accurate, narrative of black homophobia, while Macklemore is able to call for marriage equality while still retaining the privileges of his skin color and sexuality? Or did Macklemore simply have a decent track, some good timing, and a label smart enough to put some money behind it?

This is, of course, an issue that Macklemore has addressed at some length on “A Wake,” a track from The Heist that hasn’t been released as a single, but that is just as meta and uneasy about pop tropes as Lourde’s “Royals.” The songs would be stronger as a piece of social commentary if he and Ryan Lewis had fact-checked his assertions about teen pregnancy, which is actually on the decline, in the first verse. And it would be better still if the song hadn’t descended into a cliched condemnation of some of hip-hop’s gender politics that seems more like an effort to bolster Macklemore’s “conscious” cred than to intervene in the conversation in a way that might have moved it forward.

via ThinkProgress

Questlove on Police Racial Profiling, Stop & Frisk, the Message He Took From Trayvon Martin Verdict

2013-08-14T19:16:19.624Z

Published on Aug 14, 2013

http://www.democracynow.org - On the heels of this week's historic ruling declaring the "stop-and-frisk" tactics of the New York City Police Department unconstitutional, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots joins us to talk about his own experiences being racially profiled by police. Questlove describes the first time he was harassed by police, as a young teenager in Philadelphia on his way to Bible study, to the most recent: being pulled over in his car by the NYPD two weeks ago, despite being one of the most acclaimed artists in hip-hop. He also discusses the message he took away as an African-American male from the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin: "You're guilty no matter what, and you just now have to figure out a way to make everyone feel safe and everyone feel comfortable, even if it's at the expense of your own soul."

See the full interview with Ahmir "Questlove" Thomson here: www.democracynow.org/appearances/ah...tlove_thompson

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Cornel West: Obama's Response to Trayvon Martin Case Belies Failure to Challenge "New Jim Crow"

2013-07-23T19:24:22.872Z

For a response to President Obama's comments on the acquittal of George Zimmerman and racism in the United States, we're joined by Dr. Cornel West, professor at Union Theological Seminary and author of numerous books. On Obama's remarks comparing himself to Trayvon Martin, West says: "Will that identification hide and conceal the fact there's a criminal justice system in place that has nearly destroyed two generations of precious, poor black and brown brothers? [Obama] hasn't said a word until now -- five years in office and can't say a word about a 'new Jim Crow.' ... Obama and [Attorney General Eric] Holder -- will they come through at the federal level for Trayvon Martin? We hope so -- [but] don't hold your breath. There's going to be many people who say, 'We see this President is not serious about the criminalizing of poor people.'"

Watch more Democracy Now! interviews with Dr. Cornel West at http://www.democracynow.org/appearanc....

Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,100+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.

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Published on Jul 22, 2013

Yasiin Bey, Dead Prez, and mikeflo - "Made You Die" Trayvon Martin Tribute

2012-10-10T19:53:30.541Z

"Made You Die" Trayvon Martin Tribute, featuring Yasiin Bey, Dead Prez, and mikeflo. directed by Bmike (@2cent_bmike )

Immortal Technique Talks Kony 2012, Trayvon, Illuminati, Aliens, End Of World

2012-05-16T19:37:42.692Z

TIS catches up with rapper & activist Immortal Technique as he talks about humans being distracted, the killing of Trayvon Martin, Kony 2012, an end of the world scenario, aliens, and digs deep into the Illuminati. Plus more!