Source: John Lamparski / Getty Korey Wise Answers Questions At “When They See Us” Premiere The depiction of Korey Wise’s prison experience was a tough pill to swallow in Netflix’s “ When They See Us “! After all that the falsely accused man went through, he was the only one of his peers arrested during that fateful time who remained in NYC after they were released and cleared of charges. The other five guys migrated south. But why did Korey stay? He tells BlackTree TV, its simple math: “This is my roots. I can’t speak for no other. This is my roots. This my home. I have no problem visiting, but this is my home.” After his release, Korey partakes in the Innocence Project to help free more innocent incarcerated folks like him.
I f defending white supremacy was a club, Candace Owens would not only be a member, she’d also be the president. What others rightfully recognize as racism, Owens sees as an opportunity to pander to conservatives who are writing her bigger checks than she got running an anti-Trump website only a few years ago. Now, the same person who not so long ago defended Adolf Hitler has offered up some more unsolicited and bizarre comments. This time they were about “blacks” in reference to “When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay ‘s brilliant new miniseries about the Central Park 5 that premiered on Netflix over the weekend. MORE: New Zealand Mosque Terrorist Reportedly Was Listening to Civil War Music “How foolish do you have to be to believe that the Central Park 5 case is suddenly being unearthed and glamorized because people care about justice?” the 30-year-old Connecticut native tweeted Tuesday afternoon. “WAKE UP, BLACK AMERICA! Millions of dollars are being spent to emotionally manipulate us ahead of an election cycle— AGAIN.” How foolish do you have to be to believe that the Central Park 5 case is suddenly being unearthed and glamorized because people care about justice? WAKE UP, BLACK AMERICA! Millions of dollars are being spent to emotionally manipulate us ahead of an election cycle— AGAIN. — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 4, 2019 She also added, “This is exactly the problem. The media relies on black emotion. Few people read the details of the case. Now, blacks are once again being emotionally manipulated by Leftists… The Central Park 5 were NOT innocent.” This is exactly the problem. The media relies on black emotion. Few people read the details of the case. Now, blacks are once again being emotionally manipulated by Leftists. I agree with you wholeheartedly, Brandon. The Central Park 5 were NOT innocent. Periscope coming soon. https://t.co/sISbgb3K7e — Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) June 4, 2019 Owens is clearly crying for help. How else can you explain making a sweeping opinion on five men who were exonerated by the New York Supreme Court? The pro-Hitler commentator who inspired the New Zealand terrorist could be suffering from some deep psychological issues. Her craving for fame has exposed her fraudulence. Remember when she tried to own the term Blexit , her word for encouraging Black folks to leave the Democratic party? It turned out that was actually a slogan stolen from the Bank Black movement . Owens also once said the NRA is “the nation’s oldest civil rights organization” and was founded “to train Black Americans to use guns to defend themselves against the Ku Klux Klan, a Democrat terrorist group.” She is the same person who said Hitler just wanted to “make Germany great.” She also blamed the horrifying mail bombs back in October on Democrats, by tweeting then deleting , “I’m going to go ahead and state that there is a 0% chance that these ‘suspicious packages’ were sent out by conservatives. The only thing ‘suspicious’ about these packages is their timing. Caravans, fake bomb threats—these leftists are going ALL OUT for midterms.” Owens truly hates herself. If you have prayers to spare, pray for this sunken place demon. Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us” is a critically acclaimed and cultural hit with or without Owens’ input. SEE ALSO: All The Ways Cops Are Still Trying To Cover Up LaQuan McDonald’s Execution Outrageous! Figurines Of White Cherub Crushing Head Of Black Angel Removed From Dollar Store Meet Jogger Joe, The Man Who Took Racist Cue From BBQ Becky In Tossing Homeless Man’s Clothes [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3838917″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Michael Campanella / Getty The Feds have Tekashi69 and his affiliates in their sights , and they continue to drop. Another defendant in the conspiracy case against the Brooklyn rapper has pleaded guilty. By the reports, this guy was “The Shooter.” Reports Complex : On Monday, Kintea “Kooda B” McKenzie, became the eighth defendant in the 6ix9ine racketeering case to plead guilty, according to court documents. The defendant appeared in Manhattan District Court for his alleged connection to the shooting of Chief Keef outside the W Hotel in Times Square. McKenzie pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Kooda allegedly accepted a $10,000 payment from 6ix9ine for carrying out the shooting in June 2018. In his guilty plea in January, 6ix9ine admitted to his role in the attack and named McKenzie as the shooter. However, in February, Kooda was granted bail despite the mounting evidence against him. Unlike many of the other defendants in the case, McKenzie is not suspected of being a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. Interestingly, despite being named the shooter, McKenzie was granted bail earlier this year. “Today, Kintea McKenzie admitted his responsibility for a brazen shooting in bustling Times Square,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a statement. “In coordination with Tekashi 6ix9ine and other Nine Trey gang members, McKenzie arranged to have another individual shoot at a rival gang member. We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and to vigorously investigate acts of violence committed by gang members.” Reportedly, the Feds pegged McKenzie to the scene via DNA evidence found on a discarded water bottle. Yeah, if the Feds want you, and you actually did dirt, you may want to take that plea deal. — Photo: Getty
L aw enforcement in Virginia Beach has been frantically searching for stories for why 40-year-old DeWayne Craddock shot and killed 12 people on Friday. Initial reporting claimed he was a disgruntled city employee but a new report indicated that theory has been debunked, leaving even more questions. See Also: Watch A Black Man Save His Life While A White Cop Has A Gun In His Face Craddock was reportedly not fired from his job after all. Instead, he resigned just hours before the shooting and PBS reported that his letter of resignation gave no indication that he was anger or upset. City Manager Dave Hansen also said Craddock was an employee “in good standing” and showed “satisfactory” job performance. It was not immediately clear why he resigned. However, the New York Times reported there were acts of violence from Craddock. He allegedly got into physical “scuffles” with other city workers, just a week before, which resulted in “a violent altercation on city grounds.” It’s not clear what the altercations were about. That said, there were at least three witnesses who said Craddock saw and locked eyes with them but opted against shooting them. Therefore, the shooting may not be as random as officials have said while police continue to look for a clear motive. The Washington Post reported that there was one person with whom Craddock “casual acquaintances” who was not shot. Craddock did shoot and kill two of his supervisors, one fatally. Craddock was described as a longtime city worker employed as an engineer with the Department of Public Utilities at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center for about 15 years. “ Victims were found on three floors of Building 2 and one victim was found shot in a car outside,” CBS News reported . Building 2 is where the Department of Public Utilities is located. The Virginia Beach city manager told the New York Times that Craddock was technically still employed when he started shooting and that he “had a security pass like all employees had and he was authorized to enter the building.” One of the victims, Ryan Keith Cox , was being praised as a hero and guardian angel . Cox was an account clerk who worked in the public utilities department for over 12 years. Christi Dewar, a survivor of the shooting says she may not be alive if it wasn’t for Cox. “If it wasn’t for him, there would have been several more people that had perished,” Cox said. Our condolences go out to everyone affected by this shooting. SEE ALSO: Neighbors Recall Virginia Beach Gunman’s Ex-Wife As Questions Of Motive Linger Racist Airbnb Host To Black Guests: ‘Which Monkey Is Going To Stay On The Couch?’ [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3404967″ overlay=”true”]
Source: picture alliance / Getty #ItsAboveMe Viral Video Sparks Hilarious Social Media Response If you haven’t born witness to the greatness that is the now-famous viral video known as #ItsAboveMe, then press play on the tweet below… I called a FUCKIN NIGGER at work… this how it played out #KillEmWithKindness pic.twitter.com/2Mftkj2eOg — NoFridayy (@craignofridayy) June 3, 2019 This video will go down as one of the most prolific moments on social media history and this young man has become the Bran Stark of the 240-character realm known as Black Twitter. His fortitude, resolve, and unflappable nature in the face of a tearful racist brings joy and happiness to our cold, unforgiving hearts. #ItsAboveMe is the long awaited vaccine to “I was told by Apple Care.” pic.twitter.com/SIluWzyIIU — Jerry L Barrow (@JLBarrow) June 3, 2019 This is just the tip of the iceberg. Flip the page over a few times to see some of the very best reactions that Twitter has to offer!
Source: Keysus / Keysus Like its hip-hop counterpart, Dancehall is evolving. Trap beats are replacing traditional dubbing but, the raw and unfiltered lyricism continues to keep our attention. See Also: Black Music Month: Afrobeats Bangers For Black Music Month, we’re introducing you to a new class of dancehall artists that include Shenseea , Koffee and Rygin King. Press play below.
Source: Keysus / Keysus Like its hip-hop counterpart, Dancehall is evolving. Trap beats are replacing traditional dubbing but, the raw and unfiltered lyricism continues to keep our attention. See Also: Black Music Month: Afrobeats Bangers For Black Music Month, we’re introducing you to a new class of dancehall artists that include Shenseea , Koffee and Rygin King. Press play below.
Source: David Howells / Getty Frank Lucas Dead At Age 88 The man who Denzel Washington immortalized on the silver screen has gone home to glory. According to Rolling Stone , heroin kingpin Frank Lucas died of natural causes yesterday as confirmed by his nephew Aldwan Lassiter. For those who haven’t seen American Gangster, Lucas is a legend of sorts. He is credited as the visionary behind the “Golden Triangle” cartel that imported heroin from Asia inside the coffins of dead Vietnam soldiers. “Who the hell is gonna look in a dead soldier’s coffin,” Lucas said told New York in the 2000 article “The Return of Superfly.” “We had him make up 28 copies of the government coffins . . . except we fixed them up with false bottoms, big enough to load up with six, maybe eight kilos.” (Lucas’ coffin claim, however, came into question following the release of the movie.) The DEA and NYPD collaborated to bring Lucas down in 1975. The drug czar would eventually go on to snitch on a LOT of people as he turned state’s evidence The Drug Enforcement Agency and the New York Police Department ultimately ended Lucas’ reign in 1975, with Lucas receiving a 70-year prison sentence. However, Lucas later turned state’s witness and provided evidence that resulted in dozens of drug-related arrests. Lucas was released from prison in 1981 after his sentence was reduced to time served. Three years later, Lucas was again busted for a drug deal that violated his parole and spent seven years behind bars. Sterling Johnson, a former New York City special narcotics prosecutor, called Lucas’ operation “one of the most outrageous international dope-smuggling gangs ever . . . an innovator who got his own connection outside the U.S. and then sold the stuff himself in the street.” Source: David Howells / Getty We’re not sure if Frank Lucas is in Heaven or Hell but rest in peace, Black man.
Source: WENN.com / WENN The world is marching to the rhythm of West Africa. Afrobeats have gone global and artists are clamoring to capitalize off of the infectious sound. Afrobeats, not to be confused with Afrobeat, created by Fela Kuti, gets its upbeat and energetic melodies from a hybrid of West African music and American jazz and funk. Wizkid, Davido and Tiwa Savage are just a few of the artists who have helped take Afrobeats abroad, introducing it to the world at large. Its popularity has prompted Sony Music and Universal Music Group to open offices in Lagos, Nigeria to help develop the talent behind the music. With backing like that, Afrobeats has a bright future! For Black Music Month, we put together a playlist that’s sure to get you moving no matter where you are in the world.
Source: Netflix / Netflix Ava Duvernay was just a teenager when five young Black boys, from Harlem, were arrested and convicted for the rape of a white woman in Central Park on the night of April 19, 1989. So when Raymond Santana, one of the “Central Park 5” sent her a wishful tweet about bringing the Central Park 5 story to the screen, “it meant a lot” to her, she revealed to NPR . Ava and Netflix’s When They See Us chronicles the events of the Central Park Five case that captivated the nation. The four-part series will span 25 years, taking on the wrongful conviction of the boys, as well as highlight their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Jr., Kevin Richardson and Korey Wise were beaten upon arrest, forced into making false confessions and convicted of a crime they did not commit. They served seven years in prison and were later exonerated only to have a convicted murderer, who was serving a life sentence, eventually confess to the crime. Their story is perfectly aligned with Duvernay’s mission to raise awareness around the injustices of the prison industrial system, which she explored in her critically acclaimed documentary the 13th. When They See Us stars a stellar cast Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo, Niecy Nash and Blair Underwood, who opened up to us about this role in the series. “My character’s name is Robert Burns and I play the defense attorney to one of the, no longer Central Park 5, the Exonerated 5,” he says making a clear distinction. Burns comes into action in the second hour of the four-hour series. According to Underwood, his character isn’t necessarily “a huge part” of the limited series. Albiet small, the emotional toll of a role like this can’t be underestimated. “Ava did something I’ve never seen on any project I’ve done. She made a grief counselor available to everyone on the set,” Underwood revealed in a candid conversation. “They were up and running by the time I came to set and I’d get e-mails from production that would say this is a very tough material. It’s emotional and it dredges up so much in all of us. Especially the young boys recreating these emotions. To be able to say here’s the person to contact if you need any grief counseling is amazing. It’s apart of what we do. It’s our job as actors to bring those emotions to the forefront and let it manifest. People deal with it different ways.” Underwood said he took several walks to connect with nature after filming. “It’s very deep themes. The thing with this story is there is no distance from history to separate then and now. There’s 30 years logistically but emotionally, how far we’ve come? Theres very little daylight.” When They See Us is on Netflix now. RELATED STORIES: Ava Duvernay, Spike Lee ‘More Of Black Hollywood Recreate The Iconic ‘Great Day In Harlem’ Portrait Secure The Bag! Ava DuVernay Tapped To Direct DC Comics Movie ‘The New Gods’ CBS Picks Up Ava DuVernay’s Drama Pilot ‘Red Line’
