• Jay Electronica Responds to Ferguson, Eric Garner Decisions

    In light of the recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri, and Staten Island not to indict two white police officers for the killings of two black men, protests have erupted across the United States and sporadically around the world. The issue of police brutality and mistreatment of minorities vs. whites by law enforcement is at the forefront of the nation's conscious. While some commentators have steered the commentary toward black-on-black crime and the violence in poor urban neighborhoods, New Orleans native Jay Electronica wholeheartedly disagrees with this notion, saying among other things in a series of tweets that "We live in a criminal nation, founded by rapists, mass murderers and robbers. So don't tell me about 'black on black' crime." Read the expletive-laden series of tweets below, via "Pigeons and Planes."

  • Wu-Tang Clan 'A Better Tomorrow' Vid Features Footage from Michael Brown, Eric Garner Protests [WATCH]

    Wu-Tang Clan dropped a video for the title track off their new album "A Better Tomorrow," and it is one powerful, political visual. The group used footage from protests revolving around the recent decisions to not indict police officers who killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York. Both grand jury verdicts have caused unrest throughout the country and political debates among friends, family and famous personalities. The video opens with a snippet of an address by President Barack Obama, who says the incidents are part of larger issues that have been in the public eye for four decades. Scenes from protests follow, with police sporting riot gear and citizens chanting "Hands up, don't shoot." "We want justice," Raekwon raps. "Police are supposed to protect and serve / And then they shoot us down like wild animals, the nerve / Of them cold-hearted killers with blue suits / Slaying our black youth." Check out the video below.

  • Peaceful Protest Over Eric Garner's Chokehold Death Turns Violent in California

    Thousands of protestors met up in big cities across the country yesterday for a fourth day of making their displeasure with law enforcement in NYC and Ferguson, Missouri known. Nearly two weeks ago Darren Wilson walked away indictment-free in the Ferguson shooting death of Michael Brown. This past weeks' decision of a grand jury not to indict Daniel Pantaleo in the Staten Island chokehold death of Eric Garner took things to a completely different level. After the video of Garner's saying that he couldn't breath moments before dying hit the internet most people expect some charges to stick to Pantaleo. When they didn't it prompted people that normally don't get involved to speak up and rally for change. The majority of the protests have been peaceful with the exception of one in California last night.

  • NYC Chokehold Victim Eric Garner's Family is Grateful for the Support of Peaceful Protesters

    While the lack of an indictment in the chokehold death of Staten Island's Eric Garner may have been exactly the same result that the people of Ferguson, Missouri faced in the shooting death of Michael Brown just one week earlier, the reaction has been profoundly different. Rather than lashing out in one night of mayhem like Ferguson did, supporters of Garner have truly taken a peaceful approach to protesting and his family couldn't be more grateful to see that kind of support from complete strangers.

  • Hillary Clinton Claims Nation's Criminal Justice System is "Out Of Balance," Supports Probes of NYC and Ferguson Police Cases

    It seems like Hillary Clinton might be the only one left that isn't sure if she intends to announce a 2016 presidential campaign, but if that is on her to-do list, then the fact that she supports the U.S. Department of Justice looking into the untimely deaths of two black men at the hands of white police officers is sure to get some backing. Clinton spoke at a conference today and expressed her dismay at there being no indictment against police officers who ultimately killed Eric Garner in NYC and Michael Brown in Ferguson while in the line of duty. She was quoted as calling the system "out of balance."

  • Michael Brown, Eric Garner: 10 Tribute Songs From T.I., Alicia Keys, J. Cole, And More

    Following the grand jury decisions regarding the police-related deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO and Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY, plenty of musicians have expressed their outrage and calls for peace and unity by releasing songs inspired by these incidents. Here are 10 songs inspired by the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

  • Iggy Azalea Slams Azealia Banks for Using Eric Garner's Death to Start Feud

    After Azealia Banks took shots at Australian rapper Iggy Azalea last night, Dec. 3, in the wake of the shocking non-indictment decision by a New York City grand jury in the case of Eric Garner's death at the hands of a New York police officer, Azalea took the time to respond to remarks directed at her regarding race and her place in the industry. In a series of tweets, Banks expressed her frustration and disgust with the situation that African-Americans face in the United States, highlighted by the recent death of Garner. She took the opportunity to call her out for not being totally into black culture and being a "wigger." Azalea, as we have seen in the past with Snoop Dogg, did not just take the criticism lying down, responding to the situation and calling out Banks for using Garner's death to start a feud on Twitter, via radio.com.

  • Peaceful Protests Erupt in NYC After Grand Jury Doesn't Indict Daniel Pantaleo in Eric Garner Chokehold Death Case

    Almost immediately after it was announced yesterday that NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo would not be indicted for the chokehold death of Eric Garner in July on a Staten Island street, the backlash and disbelief began. If you tuned in to any of the news stations, then what you saw was inevitably heated debates between journalists and legal analysts over whether or not an indictment for any charge at all seemed like a no-brainer. Then last night, the peaceful protests began. Smaller groups in Harlem and Staten Island and at Grand Central Terminal were later followed by a march 5,000 people strong down Broadway through Times Square. Protesters are still rallying for some type of justice for Garner, who, just minutes before his death, broke up a fight between a few other people and then found himself surrounded by NYPD. A video of the entire altercation was caught on a cellphone and Garner's hands were clearly up as he backed away from officers who were determined to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes — a summary offense. Pantaleo wrestled Garner to the ground in what appeared to be a type of chokehold, something that has been banned by the NYPD. Even as Garner expressed his inability to breathe and another officer directed Pantaleo to release him, he continued the maneuver until Garner eventually died on that sidewalk. Ironically enough, after it was announced that the grand jury would not be charging Pantaleo with a single crime, he issued an apology to Garner's family, something his widow, Esaw Garner refused to accept.

  • Grand Jury Decision Imminent in NYPD Chokehold Death of Eric Garner

    While the majority of America has been focused on the fallout in Ferguson, Missouri, after Michael Brown's killer Police Officer Darren Wilson was not indicted, another eerily similar case has been starting to grab real attention. In July, Eric Garner was stopped on a Staten Island street and accused of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes by NYPD officers. As they closed in on Garner, he resisted a bit while asking them not to touch him, but eventually Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed Garner in a chokehold while wrestling him to the ground. Garner died on that sidewalk and a New York City grand jury has been deliberating since late September over whether or not Pantaleo should be charged, and it looks like their decision is imminent. This altercation was captured on video and it is absolutely horrific to hear Garner pleading with the officers, telling them flat out, "I can't breathe." Garner had asthma, and it has been determined that the chokehold combined with that and heart issues ultimately lead to his death. Peaceful protests have been occurring quite regularly in Garner's neighborhood, with many calling for criminal charges to be filed against Pantaleo.
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