Connect with us

Entertainment

Black Protesters In NYC Charged With Felonies More Than White Protestors, Data Shows

Between May 28th and June 7th – the height of recent Black Lives Matter Protests in New York City, the NYPD arrested over 2,000 protestors. Of these arrests, white people made up about 44%, while black people made up about 39%. Despite these similar numbers, data released by New York State’s Office of the Attorney General reveals that 16% of the black arrestees were charged with a felony, compared to just 3% of white people. 

Latinx people made up about 13% of the arrests with approximately 8% being hit with felonies. 

One public defender’s organization in Manhattan also found that, between May 29 and June 6, only 5% of the 72 people arraigned in “protest-related cases” were white. Almost 70% of those 72 arraignments involved third-degree burglary charges, a nonviolent felony with a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

“The only folks who were being held were the kids of color, who were being charged with these ridiculous, trumped-up felony cases. And that was just really, really enraging,” said Jessica Heyman, an attorney for the New York County Defender Services. 

Furthermore, the Manhattan DA’s office released data confirming that most of its protest arraignments were of non-white people. Among the 484 people arraigned between May 28 and June 4 for “protest and ‘looting’ related cases,” only 30 (6%) were white. 

Advertisement

Black people made up about 71% of those arraignments while Hispanic people made up another 20%. About 430 of those arraignments involved felonies, most frequently third-degree burglary. 

As black protestors are being arrested and hit with these trumped-up charges, the NYPD is continuing to be hit with several allegations of excessive force, mistreatment of essential workers and detentions of neutral legal observers, fueling calls to defund or entirely abolish the force

[via]

Source

Advertisement

Artist Spotlight

Marsha Bartenetti reinvents in her own style “New York Minute”

Marsha Bartenetti

Marsha Bartenetti’s latest release, “New York Minute,” written by Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, and Jai Winding, offers emotional depth, turning a timeless look at life’s fragility into a reflective, cinematic journey. Stephan Oberhoff’s arrangement perfectly frames Bartenetti’s voice, and Kevin Bate’s expressive cello adds a warm resonance that makes the track feel like a movie.

The way each instrument sounds makes it feel planned, which lets the listener stay in the fleeting moments the song so beautifully describes. Bartenetti’s singing is the best part of the song. She shows an openness that feels real, as if she has lost something and still fully embraces love and presence with complete honesty. Her choice of words and small changes in tone make the lyrics feel even closer.

“New York Minute,” is a new version that pays tribute to the original while showcasing Bartenetti’s own style. The movie-like instruments and heartfelt vocals make the song feel both personal and universal. It makes us think about how hard it is to let go and hold on.

Connect with Marsha Bartenetti on Spotify || Facebook

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Artist Spotlight

“Yonkers” – Song by Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator

15 years ago, Tyler, the Creator released “Yonkers.” The song would go on to shape a generation of hip-hop fans and make him one of the most talked-about artists in modern music. Tyler’s work on “Yonkers,” which came out of the Los Angeles group Odd Future, was a brave mix of raw lyrics, dark humor, and simple production that made him stand out from other artists right away.

“Yonkers,” which is just over three minutes long, seems simple but has a big effect. The song’s production is based on a spooky bassline, simple piano chords, and simple drums. This puts Tyler’s voice and story front and center. His flow is slow and threatening, and it sends out a stream of verses that balance shock value with deep thoughts on themes like being alone, rebelling, and thinking about oneself. This song has a modern twist on the gritty, confrontational style of hip-hop that was popular in the early 2010s.

The music video for “Yonkers” became a cultural phenomenon all by itself. In the black-and-white video, Tyler looks straight into the camera while doing something that surprised both fans and critics. Tyler became known as an artist who isn’t afraid to push boundaries when the song’s raw lyrics and stark images quickly went viral. The video’s viral success brought Odd Future national attention and helped Tyler get more work, including his albums Goblin (2011) and Wolf (2013), which were both well-received by critics.

People who didn’t like “Yonkers” thought it was a new take on hip-hop. People in the genre often liked flashy production and collaborations, but Tyler’s solo song showed that minimalism can be just as interesting, if not more so, when it has strong lyrics. Young people who wanted realness and change connected with the song’s unapologetic tone, and its influence can still be heard in music today. Many contemporary artists assert that Tyler’s early compositions, particularly “Yonkers,” significantly influenced their lyrical writing and visual storytelling techniques.

Advertisement

“Yonkers” was a big moment in Tyler, the Creator’s career. It was a bold statement from a single artist who wanted to change the rules of hip-hop, and it captured the spirit of early Odd Future, a group that thrived on chaos, creativity, and free expression. More than ten years later, the song is still a touchstone for fans and a turning point in the growth of alternative rap. Its creepy beat, controversial lyrics, and viral music video are still seen as examples of a time when hip-hop was pushing its limits and welcoming a new generation of voices that were willing to question the way things were.

“Yonkers” is a cultural artifact, a snapshot of the time that shaped Tyler, the Creator’s unique artistic style, and a reminder of how powerful bold, unapologetic music can be.

Continue Reading

Video Of The Week

Trending