J.Cole Visits Mike Brown Memorial
August 18, 2014 @ 8:56 AM EDT
News
Cole World.
Tempers and protests continued to flare over the weekend in the wake of the Mike Brown police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. On Saturday, Jermaine and his Dreamville team visited the spot where Mike was fatally wounded. If you haven’t yet, his tribute, “Be Free”, can be heard here.
UPDATE: Cole talks to Complex on his visit to Ferguson and Mike Brown’s shooting.
real rap… what these other rappers doing? =/ ..not a thing.. | Be Clear!! Some Important Things You Should Know About The “Ferguson” Situation?! http://www.theincrediblecreation.com/2014/08/be-clear-some-important-things-you.html etc etc.
real shit
This has always been why I liked Cole. Dude easily relatable. Just comes out, talks to ppl as if their equals and not like he’s this big superstar. This is what it means to be realest in the game IMO, not getting locked up for years on some Boosie shit.
EDIT: And best thing is he didn’t publicize this visit for attention like some people would do.
The thing I like is even when that dude got on some dickriding shit and brought up J.Cole’s music in front of the camera while trying to get his camera time, Cole interrupted him like Nah, it’s not about my music right right now. Like he hated that the dude even tried to bring the shit up like it was an opportunity to advertise.
I don’t know why but this seems contrived.
I think when your famous it gives you access to things regular folks do not. So why not go see for yourself what the world is talking about. Better to be actively engaged then lie ignorant I guess. Not saying every rapper who doesn’t go to Ferguson isn’t still in tune with the real world. It’s just if you can why not.
Hey…He’s the only celeb that I know of that actually showed up to “the party”…Gotta give him that. Regardless of agenda.
I’d like to add: (Full) Michael Brown Eye Witness Crime Scene Video + Many Racist Comments? http://www.theincrediblecreation.com/2014/08/full-michael-brown-eye-witness-crime.html
Seeing things like this makes you feel good as a black man. He’s been the only famous figure in the forefront “with a song & actually showing up.”
Where these other so called Black Public figures? Jay, Nas, Kanye, Kobe, Lebron etc? I mean Nelly from STL & I haven’t heard his name once…
This White Man “Robin Williams” who is rich & bored with life killed himself & niggaz on instagram crying like he Jesus himself yet a “BlackMan gets gun down” and niggaz is nowhere around with the support.
If you ask me, Obama should be there instead of spending all this time worrying whats going on in these foreign countries.
Why do you feel like celebrities HAVE to speak up?
Celebs have a lot of power and influence.
Celebrities can only bring the media’s attention about what’s going on, but right now the whole world knows what’s happening in Ferguson so there no need for them to speak up imo.
Its your job first & foremost to be a Man with character, morals and leadership.
You comment is really ignorant, and I hope your just a young cat who just doesn’t know much.
Exactly my G. If Jay Z got on twitter & said go buy this new Liquor I just put out” the stores would be flooded.
So why not use your voice towards something more important.
I agree…”With great power comes great responsibility” – Spiderman. LOL! But seriously, they should be pressed to speak up. Especially black celebs. Why…because this is their problem too. Regardless of the money the own.
We live in a day & time when Celebrities are looked at as “Godly figures.” Do I personally think our youth should? No. But I understand we live in a different time. Back in the 70’s we had public figures like Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Ali, Bill Russell and etc speaking up on social issues.
Why can’t we have those same public figures of this time period speaking up? Or at least just have an opinion and not be mute..
But don’t you think that’s part of the problem? Looking up to celebrities as some sort of deities?
Personally, I don’t expect Jay-Z or Drake to do anything more than deliver good music. I’m just on the fence with this whole situation. Pick up the newspaper, everyday innocent bodies are dropping, but no one cares to say anything.
What I think is fact, is the understanding that the Black community is not united. That is why there is a Michael Brown story every so often. If its not a Racist individual killing a Black Man its a ignorant Black Man killing another.
Instead of embracing a Black Man as your Brother & Sister we disrespect them because they talk polite or have values.
Somewhere around the 1970’s things changed for the Black culture. There is NO unity.
Do I personally want people looking up to celebrities or famous athletes? No.
But they have a certain level of power in voice that can reach & make a change.
Let me ask, where in support of Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul Jabar, Ali, Bill Russell in the 70’s as Black activist?
Let me ask u something what would happen if a rapper was gunned down while unarmed by the Police ? Everybody would be doing songs about it , releasing statements, saying that a black man not even when he turned his life around his life matters and etc but when its not a celebrity or a rapper or whatever, ppl say “but they arent obligated to talk about this” well in some cases i think they are not but when a unarmed black man walking down the streets is executed with 6 shots with his hands in the air it is time to speak and it is time for them to do something. When they need something from us they dont mind to tweet something do a bunch of interviews if they have a voice its bcuz ppl like Mike Brown buy their albums go to their concerts and buy their Headphones so yes when u see one of us be so cowrdly executed it is time to speak.
On the bright side, you will always have Al Sharpton.
At this point in time I would say Al Sharpton is more of a problem than a solution.
B.Dot who else is going to speak up, we have no Malcolm X’s, Martin Luther’s around and the regular civilian voice isnt loud enough to make a difference and the presidents isnt saying or doing shit….. SO WHO IS SUPPOSE TO SPEAK FOR US B.DOT?
This nas lyric always resonated with me “fuck Black leaders cause Whites ain’t got none leading them”. How bout, we, the people, speak for us? I don’t need a mouthpiece
not every celebrity is equipped to speak in a public forum or black people, personally i think it’s more responsible on the part of a kobe or lebron to not speak out if they don’t feel they are prepared or how they feel on this issue, vs a keke palmer or nelly speakin out and then soundin crazy when they do
I agree with you about Robin Williams but it’s also Obama’s job to worry about what’s going on in these foreign countries, because people are waiting on him to do something about what’s happening there.
True. But as a Tax Payer & as an American I want to see his ass in the trenches where the real problems lay in the USA. Im sure Obama can take 1 week out of his schedule to take his ass down to STL.
Oh? you know how a president’s schedule works? Interesting.
Of course not you fuck boy ass nigga. But I do know its his job to worry about and attend to United States issues. If he can take his ass to Iran, Russia & etc and accomplish absolutely nothing, he can take his ass to STL for a few days
Robin williams made a lot of people happy for decades through comedy n movies.Mike brown was out stealin blunt wraps from foreigners lol! Big difference
Nigga how you going to feel sorry for a “Rich White Man” who basically decided he didn’t want to live no more?
Fuck outta here with that bullshit.
truly ignorant.
He was caught stealing blunt wraps yet the owners of the fucking store said they never identified Brown as the culprit and wasn’t he culprit?
Within 4 hours of Robin William’s death they knew every little detail surrounding his death.
When an average teen gets slained by police brutality. days pass and there are still unanswered questions.
Things are truly fucked up in this world.
If you don’t wanna get shot, don’t steal cigars from the chinese shopkeeper down the street.
Him and Nipsey I swear are one of the few in this new class to remain grounded despite their success…I don’t believe rappers “have to” speak up but it just speaks to one of the many contradictions in the African American culture. We say we want to be heard and given a chance but when given the platform we chose to select the individuals who would rather talk about a fantasy life that they know most of us can not live. Jay z drake or whoever has a more powerful voice than any black activist these days and it’s just disappointing how they use it
Jayz does not need to show up to this. Most people would just find something negative to say and they would just hate even if he did. Now people always talking about this generation now doesn’t have a Malcolm X or a MLK? Of course not, they were killed. Why do you need a leader anyway? You need another Malcolm X to speak out for you? The Civil Rights Movement was fueled by young people, alot of them still teenagers. They were not big music stars and they were not celebrities. They just decided they had enough. Whether MLK or Malcolm was there or not when something went down? They decided to move. They had peaceful protests, they put their money together and they flew in and out different speakers and community organizers to address certain situations. Young people planned the sit ins, the freedom rides, the boycotts etc… You dont need Jayz to come tell you what you should be doing if you wanna build the foundation for another black power movement today. The people today have more tools then ever before. You all got Twitter and Iphones and social networks and large groups of people that follow you already. I mean the generation today could easily put together a movement that has a division in every major city and state and you already have to power to unite, mobilize and accomplish whatever the fuck you want. You dont need Malcolm X or MLK anymore. They died so that the young people now would use that power they left for you. The thing is people are just not serious anymore about taking action. They expect fucking J Cole to do some shit. He aint gonna do shit but tell you he got another album coming out after this. The power has to come from everyday people not celebrities in the entertainment business. Jayz and Beyonce have jobs, I know thats hard to believe but they are on tour and have already sold tickets in different cities. Putting on a show of that proportion is not just something you wanna put to the side to fly to Ferguson for picture day at the Mike Brown Memorial. Black people today dont need MLK, or Malcolm X or any celebrities to do shit. You got each other already, just make the decision to do something and then plan and follow through. Everybody wants to show up to get their pictures taken and to be on Tv but the real work is when the cameras and the marches and protests are not going on. Whats being done during those times? Whats the plan gonna be when another black man gets killed? (Which will probably be in the next couple days)? Im done man
Very deep. I agree with the sentiment. But a key part you’re missing is power. You are technically right. We shouldn’t NEED a leader. But you are talking to a group (ethnics) who are at this moment, by nature, are systematically and historically scattered, confused, afraid. Celebs/Leaders undoubtedly have star power. They can influence the words we use, our clothes, and even our thoughts. Intentional or not. Why not leverage that to accelerate the movement?
There’s a systematic reason behind instating a leader. He/she is the person that focuses an agenda, in an order that gets results. Something small patches of people can’t do… Look at war for example. A general is always in place to make key decisions from a stand point that is clear and not necessarily in the field. Leaders are essential to the success of any movement. They are the ones who inspire and empower.
Yes…this power exists in all of us. but few know how to tap into it. Food for thought. A great example of a failed movement, because a lack of a central voice was the “Occupy Wall St” movement. People all over the country made memes, tweets, instagrams, etc…to no avail. Because there was not singularity in their message. You can’t approach such a broad issue with broad demands. Structure is why leaders exist. Some people are good soldiers and some born leaders. Even the most basic animals follow this KEY structure principal…
Yeah but black people are always looking for a leader. Other races dont point out leaders to get shit accomplished. They just get with the people they know directly and move period. True leaders come through elections and votes but who wants to always wait for that systematic process to take place? YOU might be the best leader black people ever had so why you gonna wait for somebody else to do shit? I could go on and we could go back and fourth but at the end of the day a debate with me doesn’t really get shit done in the streets. Not saying you specifically but just anybody in general with something to say to me, hey I get it but fuck debating me, take that energy into your own community, find out whats going on and find out what can be improved and what is needed and get with your friends and family and put a plan of action together to get it done.
and make yourselves known to your community as a group of people there to help. That alone across the country could really do alot for black people.
Of course you don’t need Jay Z or any public figures to be there. But as a Black Man, with a powerful voice & resources he should want to be there.
Whats wrong with being a Black Man who believes in standing up & voicing your opinion on issues?
Am I the only one that believes those are traits Black Men should have?
Unfortuently, I live in LA but If I had the ability to go down there to STL I would be on the 1st bus there. I might be in the Minority but i believe in standing up for cause that is deserved.
Because I dont think you should ask other men to stand for you while you have your own two legs. How many times are people gonna call out for Jayz until they say lets call on each other?
Nigga of course not. But as a fucking Black Man you should stand up for shit you believe is right and also shit you believe is wrong.
I guess niggaz like Ali, Jabaar, Jim Brown and etc where dumb fucks for standing up for shit they believed in
Yeah but niggas gotta worry about if they standing up not if the next nigga is (pause)… You people dont even know what Jayz feel about the issue. He aint gonna get on Tv and make a speech about the shit, he got a job to do. Jay aint more powerful then the people. The fuck, you think Jay gonna snap his fingers and stop police from killing niggas? Fuck no. The people gotta stand up for the people, Jay already stood up for the people in his own way thru out his career. What the fuck Jay gonna do? Come do a fucking concert in Ferguson? The only thing that would happen is his own people would hate on him and say he’s trying to get attention. Black people standing up for themselves is 100x more powerful then Jayz doing it for us.
Nigga I know that. My statement wasn’t aimed at 1 individual. Go back and re-read my initial post.
That niggaz problems now a days, they skim through shit
Props to J Cole
damn i didnt know RR deleted comments that didnt fit the narritave.. politically immature or conciously spewing racial tension in a community of misinformed youth
no one deleted shit.
i posted my comment and link again but it’s still mia..i just wanted everyone to see the eyewitness video so they can actually understand how the whole thing went down.. if we’re not allowed to link to youtube, please add this vital piece of info..it would be a groundbreaking post for sure
This dude is out robbin shit from stores and now folks wanna make him a martyr? Shheeeiiiit…..
Shut yo dumb ass up u saying that like he got killed running out the store with stuff he stole. He got shot an killed NOT commiting a crime. Regardless of whatever he stole from a store that warrants getting arrested not murdered!!!!
Go do as your name says fucking lame
RESPECT… EVERYBODY UNITE