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One couple is giving sneakerheads a new marketplace to flip kicks

Adena and Chad Jones, founders of Another Lane, didn’t just see a hole in the sneaker marketplace. They saw a glaring lack of sincerity.

Another Lane is a sneaker resale marketplace bringing originality and genuine connections back to the sneaker industry.

For Adena and Chad, the former with extensive experience in media and the latter a sneakerhead to his core, the connections between collectors and buyers have been missing for quite some time. And thus it is Another Lane’s mission to bring fairness and honesty back to the forefront of what it means to love sneakers.

Another Lane

Chad ponders an old adage he learned. “You can tell a lot about a person by the shoes that they wear.” He sits on it.

“The truth is… I’m more focused on the people in this thing than the sneakers. Scrape everything away, especially with this pandemic, and what do you have? The people in your network and your relationships. Nothing else matters.”

Chad Jones, COO, Co-Founder of Another Lane

Another Lane preaches authenticity above all else

Adena and Chad Jones believe there is an authenticity lacking in the sneaker community and marketplace. The relationship between sneakerheads (collectors and buyers) should not be so torn, but the transactional nature of the industry leaves a barren landscape bereft of love and inspiration.

“I think that a lot of these brands have gotten away from the true nature of the sneaker community and what it was here for. To bridge gaps, to unite people.”

Adena Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of Another Lane

Organic connections fuel the greatest sneakers at our disposal. Check inside your closet. Chances are the hottest and most unique pair of kicks you have was based upon a genuine and inspired connection between two parties.

Chad Jones sees that connections are forced, and there is no honest nostalgic emotion crafted by brands to motivate collectors to seek out retro products or reimagined sneakers. And when the collectors feel slighted, other collectors and buyers lose out.

With this in mind, Another Lane has tailored itself to be just as much for collectors as it is for buyers.

The sneaker industry is a two-sided marketplace, and both sides, working together like a sea anemone and a clownfish, must work together in a symbiotic relationship to prosper. Another Lane and its sneaker marketplace thus nurtures both sides.


Bringing back fairness to the sneaker industry by emphasizing the importance of the two-sided marketplace

The buyers feed the market in most industries, often leading the sellers to engage in a dog-eat-dog sneakerhead style of fight for the power grab.

But collectors are buyers and sellers at the same time, and the work that goes into finding a collection of kicks, gathering them, and flipping them, means a lot more when it comes from an impassioned place.

Chad, as a sneaker connoisseur and collector himself, has seen both the good and the bad in the sneaker industry. And Adena, as Chad’s partner, has witnessed it as well.

“We noticed a hole that people like Chad weren’t taken care of, and that there was an opportunity to serve them. And when you nurture that side of the equation, it almost seems like a waterfall moment that buyers will be nurtured also.”

Adena Jones

Chad and Adena noticed that there was a glaring lack of respect and appreciation out there for the collectors and sellers’ hard work.

Credit for transactions, accolades, and even the hefty payload often goes to the consignment shop, while the person who did all the work is left by the wayside.

The sneakerhead who travels for years finding shoes, builds honest and beautiful connections with like-minded shoe-lovers. In some cases, they get their enjoyment out of the journey and, in an altruistic sense, want to share that collection with another sneakerhead.

There has been a glaring lack of fun and creativity within trading sneakers in recent years. For fans of collecting, sharing, and treating sneakers like the unique and hot commodity they are, it is demoralizing.

But Chad and Adena linked up with a common love for sneaker value and a plan to help change the culture.

Now, with each other, they can finally put their mission to fruition.


Getting involved with Another Lane

With a nurturing and appreciative disposition, Another Lane sets itself up to earn sneaker collectors’ undivided attention, respect, and admiration.

Another Lane sets collectors up with editorial content surrounding their stories. As well as digital marketing, photos, studios, and even help with uploading their collections.

“It’s an arduous thing. And it can be overwhelming. So we’re here for them.”

Adena Jones

Adena has worked at ESPN and Bleacher Report before, exploring stories around NBA players. With her experience, she is an expert storyteller in digital media.

And then there is Chad, a lifelong lover of sneakers and collector who can relate to others within the industry perhaps better than anyone.

As Chad mentioned previously, Another Lane is focused more on the people behind the sneakers than the product itself.

What inspired them to make this collection, gain knowledge from the package, or end up buying it?

It is within those stories of the sneaker marketplace, within the fine lines of business transactions that are often swept under the rug, that beauty is found.

Also, it is there that Another Lane sets itself apart from the pack in restoring authenticity and inspiration to the culture.

Another Lane had its public launch on December 15, and is encouraging sneaker lovers to apply and sign up to be members on the site.

Memberships are complimentary and no seller fees are taken off of sales. Adena emphasized that Another Lane is looking for the impassioned public to join their community, because it is about them.

What will start as a site predicated towards its members, will expand into a community that feeds itself and helps everyone thrive.

Another Lane is for the culture. Join here.

Why Loyalty Above All is the next great thing in sports and entertainment

The boutique sports and entertainment agency Loyalty Above All doesn’t operate like your average talent management company. It runs more like a family-owned business grinding its way to creating an empire.

Not only does Loyalty Above All get its clients the best deals and opportunities possible, but it has even built a platform for athletes to monetize their likeness, creating a passive revenue stream. This makes LAA’s clients money when they’re not even officially on the clock.

“All our guys have to do is play football,” says Matthew Leist, Director of Client Relations at LAA. “We’ll take care of the rest.”

CEO Zac Hiller with Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook

The sports and entertainment agency took off running five years ago and founder Zac Hiller, who secured over $100 million in contracts before his 30th birthday, hasn’t looked back since. Hiller has just been named as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 for sports in 2021.

Along with Hiller (who also acts as LAA’s CEO), Leist and Director of Marketing Eric Dounn run the show, and the agency team is the youngest in the industry by a wide margin.

“Being able to relate to the next generation in sports and entertainment has enabled us to build something truly unique.”

Eric Dounn

Giving the power to the players

Loyalty Above All represents star NFL talents such as Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins, and even retired future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Every business deal for LAA’s clients is treated like its own. The athletes have creative control over their decisions, and instead of using an outside agency to sell merchandise and figure out other business opportunities, LAA does it all in-house, ensuring its clients reap all of the earnings that they deserve.

“Athletes should have full control over their careers.”

Matt Leist

Loyalty Above All represents more than just athletes too. Entertainment stars such as comedian Bob Menery, and artists Kierra Luv, and Ray Emmanuel get to call LAA home.

Hiller and Leist’s jobs, above all else, is to to make sure their clients are happy. This means constantly checking up on them and seeing how they can grow further. In that sense, LAA is run much like a family boutique.

“We are a family. We keep everything in-house.”

Matt Leist

Creating better solutions for the future

When ticket sales went out the window at the onset of the pandemic, Loyalty Above All, like most businesses, had to shift and find new ways to continue bringing revenue in for its clients. What LAA and Leist pivoted to see was a booming marketplace for memorabilia.

“Teaching our clients to monetize their worth through their signature is imperative.”

Eric Dounn

Without the ability to see their favorite stars on the field or on stage, fans would be more eager to pay for things such as game-worn jerseys, helmets, gloves, etc. And because LAA sells it all on-site and not through an outside account, its clients (and/or the charities they provide for) receive the most money possible.

“Everything our clients touch, wear, or put their name on has value. That value can be exponential in terms of building a brand and leaving a legacy.”

Eric Dounn

One such example is Dalvin Cook’s chef clothing line which goes directly to charity. With Cook and LAA in full control, as Leist puts it, “Dalvin is in control.”

View this post on Instagram

👨🏾‍🍳 Link in bio 👀

A post shared by Dalvin “The Chef” Cook (@dalvincook) on

“We can add any product or service to the platform.”

Matt Leist

Energy always focused forward

It has been a difficult year, where past certainties now are no longer. The NFL season was completely up in the air as to how it would be handled, and whether or not it would even be possible. But as Leist says, “our guys stayed ready to go, they locked in and stayed healthy, and followed the rules.”

It’s evident LAA and its clients get it. Dalvin Cook has been having the best season of his career while rookie J.K. Dobbins has also been a bright spot on the Baltimore Ravens offense.

J.K. Dobbins and Dalvin Cook

“We want players that understand the model,” says Leist, alluding to the chemistry present between him, Hiller, and all of LAA’s clients.

When it comes to Loyalty Above All, it’s all in the name. Loyalty, combined with a diligent work ethic, allows the brand to be massively successful today while also set up for prosperity in the long-term.

By creating strategic partnerships with like-minded athletes and influencers, LAA will no doubt continue to grow the brand and make a larger name for itself. And by solidifying those family roots early on, Loyalty Above All is building a foundation made to stand the test of time.

Shop for, and support Loyalty Above All agency and its clients here.

Who is Mario Judah? The goth-metal rapper calling out Playboi Carti

Upon first glance of Mario Judah, he looks a bit like a mixture of our favorite comedian Druski, and Dracula.

His flows pack a punch, his lingo sounds eerily familiar, but his style feels like more something we’d see in a gothic setting, not mixed into hip-hop.

This combination results in as unique a talent as the music industry has seen in quite some time. So who is Mario Judah? Is he a meme representative of the strangeness of 2020?

Is he indicative of the toxic desperation for something new that the culture often feeds upon, then spits out like last night’s dinner?

Let’s dive a bit deeper into the goth-metal rapper who recently called out Playboi Carti.


Mario Judah calls out Playboi Carti

Fans have been feening for Playboi Carti’s newest project, Whole Lotta Red. However, his fans have been left flummoxed by his failure to release the long-awaited project.

Enter Mario Judah, the man who looks like what SyFy would draw up if they were creating DJ Akademiks.

Judah called out Carti asking where the project is, and even threatened to release his own mumble-rap version of the project if Carti refused to drop it before December 6.

The Atlanta rapper has been consistent in calling out Carti to release the project, and by December 6, he decided to treat his own fans to his own version of the sound with “Bih Yah.”

Man… we can respect the audacious pursuit while still acknowledging that this bean bag chair shouldn’t try to bite Carti’s sound. Try as anyone might, you just can’t replicate Carti.

And if Judah is doing most of this for clout… well all power to you fam. But that’s not a good look either. His goal should be to become relevant, and maintain relevancy, and these short-winded power grabs are not how you get there.


Where did Mario Judah come from?

Mario Judah’s biggest rise to fame was the song “Die Very Rough,” which has amassed over 12 million streams on all major DSP’s.

The 21-year-old Atlanta producer and recording artist has been making beats for around three and a half years now, striving to make a trap and rock sound in his own unique way.

Judah’s first song, “Crush, “was released four months ago on SoundCloud, followed by his aforementioned hit “Die Very Rough. “

Roughly a month later, One Room Media’s J. Law discovered Mario Judah on a promotion page and asked him to come up to Maryland to record a music video.

What became “Die Very Rough’s” music video amassed over two million views on YouTube in one day.

Judah has understandably become a meme on TikTok and Twitter and gotten the attention of other rappers who incorporate rock into their music.

And the world’s funniest jokester right now, Druski, was always bound to get his steak-cut fry hands on Judah, as two titans of the culture collided in an interview for the ages.


Mario Judah speaks with Druski

One of the most popular parts from Druski’s interview with Mario Judah was when he asked the rapper if his use of the n-word is racist, as he screams the word in more of a punk-rock whiteboy manner, than he does a prototypical Black rapper.

“That’s gotta be racist. There’s no way that is of our culture.”

Druski

Druski was unable to get any answer from Mario Judah, and the interview ended.

https://youtu.be/qVzgOhp7JhE

Being seen in clips with Trippie Redd and other artists has bumped up Mario Judah’s name, but it is clear he is used more of as a meme than anything else.

But if that is the strategy for Judah right now, then there was no one better than Druski, the funniest man out right now, to lead the conversation.


Mario Judah speaks with Genius

“When I was making that track, I wanted to say it as clear as possible, so that the viewer/listener can hear what I’m saying, and understand the freaking emotion in my voice and the pain.”

Mario Judah on his track “Die Very Young”

Mixing gothic sound elements with rap has been a flavor adopted by musical artists for decades, but it does feel like right now there is a boom in the demand for it. Mario Judah’s sound just takes it to the next level.

With unabashed screaming and body movements, a dark aesthetic and makeup, and leaning so far into the topic of death that his chin may as well be scraping against the floor, Mario Judah is putting all his cards on the table.

“Growing up, I knew I was going to do something that was attention-worthy.”

Mario Judah

There is no better time than now to mix various elements into one sound. And even as he made a power grab at Playboi Carti’s, that feels like a one-off. Make no mistake: Mario Judah and everything about him is entirely unique.

So will he continue to prosper? Will meme-culture and TikTok allow Mario Judah to move into his next phase?

Or will he flame out like so many artists we have seen before…

Two worlds collide in first MusicGamingCon by Amanotes and Nue Agency

What happens when you combine gaming, tech, and music? You get a flurry of culture and creativity that cannot be replicated.

Nue Agency and Amanotes are collaborating for a virtual conference titled MusicGamingCon on Thursday, Dec. 3 from 1-6 pm EST. The conference will serve as a meeting between key people in music, tech, and media to discuss the unique world of music interaction through gaming.

We have seen before what a convergence between music and gaming looks like. Excitement, intrigue, innovation. Look no further than Travis Scott’s virtual concert on Fortnite.


The convergence of music and gaming

Music both is inspired by, and inspires, raw emotion. The best and most successful music also requires an extreme honesty and transparency that can be hard for most people to flesh out.

While gaming can do the same, it is based more heavily upon a different kind of creativity. And a different kind of work ethic.

Thus, MusicGamingCon brings together two spheres (and more) that are not always thought to be related. But why shouldn’t they be? At their cores, music and gaming are both about exploration. They both provide pure bliss to consumers.


Background and more information on MusicGamingCon

MusicGamingCon gives us a conference between industry professionals perhaps never before linked. And that alone is a reason to be extremely excited.

The exceptional and diverse array of individuals includes Lee Trink (CEO of Faze Clan), Just Blaze, Bob Lefsetz, FaZe Nikan, Steve Martocci (CEO of Splice), Aaron Levant (CEO of NTWRK), Cherie Hu (Water & Music), Raphi Lima (EA Games), Kitty Ca$h (DJ Set Performance) and a bevy of other special guests.

Amanotes is the number one music games publisher in the world with over one billion downloads. This first MusicGamingCon will explore important topics like music education, production, podcasts, newsletters, in-game marketing, and more trending topics.

Nue Agency is a creative music agency built for a new generation. Nue, per its own words, “leverages the power of music to make deep connections with consumers.”


How to join MusicGamingCon

MusicGamingCon is free to join, but there are only a limited number of slots available to join the conference. Whether a fan of music, gaming, tech, or just industry professionals at the top of their respective games, tap in to find out more about the culture.

Join here to see what MusicGamingCon can offer you.

A look inside France protests through the eyes of photographers

Photographers have been on the frontlines of France’s recent protests, documenting the intense scenes in the nation with some of the most notable uprisings in Western history.

Protests erupted over the weekend after four police officers were shown on security footage beating a Black music producer in Paris.

Much like in other countries, France and its officials have been forced to reckon with its ongoing history of racism and police violence. Or, in the ignorant and powerful’s case, forced to ignore it.

But there is much more to the protests that have rallied tens of thousands of Franks to the streets. A provision in article 24 of a new security bill under review by the French Parliament could restrict the sharing of images of police officers.

Naturally, the provision has come under fire from journalistic institutions, advocates of free speech, and those who denounce racism and call for full transparency.

The most recent case of police brutality has only exacerbated the cries for justice from the people, and France’s photographers have been there at nearly every moment of the protests to show the people, both domestically and internationally, what is going on.

So, here are five photographers risking their lives for transparent and crucial content amidst France’s ongoing protests.


Kiran Ridley

Kiran Ridley is a Paris-based photojournalist who operates throughout Europe and Asia. For Getty Images, he has chronicled some of the most shocking and representative photos of France’s protests.

The French Government’s Global Security Law has upset much of the country, and the year widely known for protesting corrupt government measures and racism internationally, continues on with activists calling for justice.

Ridley has shot around the Place de la Bastille, the Place de la République, and many more places just in the last week. But he is an award-winning photographer focused on more than France, on issues in news, social political topics and the human experience.


Ameer Alhalbi

Ameer Alhalbi is a name that has been widely circulating this week. He is a Syrian award-winning photographer that was wounded in a protest in Paris.

The protest and his devastating injury forced him to suffer a “heavy shock” that reawakened memories from the civil war in his home country. Working for the press company Agence France-Press (AFP), Alhalbi was on the scene documenting the action.

But trapped for several hours with head wounds unable to get to the hospital, Alhalbi was brought back to harrowing memories of his time in Aleppo for AFP, where he won several international awards for his work as a photojournalist.

Rallying cries against injustice are globally signaled, and then globally heard. France’s protests are understood more clearly by people around the world because of photographers like Alhalbi.


Benoit Tessier

Benoit Tessier is a French photographer for Reuters. On his profile on the worldwide publication’s site, he says,

“I like challenges and first times.”

Benoit Tessier

He is certainly getting what he’s bargained for then, with the new and difficult circumstances surrounding France right now. He is not just a French photographer capturing a protest. This is a monumental time in the country’s history surrounding topics of racism, police brutality, and free speech.

Tessier has photographed many more events than the recent protests, but no doubt this experience feels new, and thus, intimidating.

But it is that courage and pursuit of the new and challenging that makes photographers and their dedication for the perfect shot so special. And for that, we applaud and commend France’s protest photographers in the trenches right now.


Gonzalo Fuentes

Like Tessier, Gonzalo Fuentes is a photographer for Reuters in France. Capturing politics, sports, society and everything in between, Fuentes is another French photographer documenting the current protests.

It is through the dedicated work of Fuentes and others that the rest of the world gets insight into the current circumstances of France. In a globalized world, impacts felt in one country reverberate like a shockwave throughout the rest of the globe.

There is no greater evidence of this than the Black Lives Matter movement and calls against police brutality this past Summer from the U.S. to the UK to France to New Zealand to countless others along the way.


Francois Mori

Francois Mori is a contributing photographer for the Associated Press. He has been extremely active in documenting the intense and ongoing protests taking place in France.

Much like his contemporaries, Mori photographs many things off of the streets. His Instagram is filled with landscape photography, art, nature, and sports. But as all great photographers know, the outside world dictates where you run to next.

Nothing is preordained. In life and day-to-day photography.

Thus, the protests in France beg for the best photographers to flock to the streets and capture the moments of peril, bravery, and camaraderie.


It’s not just France, photographers are the visual conduits for protests all over the world

I cannot help but be inspired by a group of professionals both within my field of study and somehow outside of it. To capture a moment, one fleeting visual, that can embody a day, a year, a movement is as impressive a task as anything in my sphere of thinking.

It is through these photographers, Kiran Ridley, Ameer Alhalbi, Benoit Tessier, Gonzalo Fuentes, Francois Mori, and many more like them, that the world hears the people of France’s cries. Hears, truly, for a picture captures more than a thousand words.

Much of France is crying out in their protests for the government and the rest of the world to hear, and photographers are the conduit for which it can reach us.

The question remains, for President Macron as much as for all of us: will we listen?

Encouraged by these French protest photographers? Get the wisdom you need to succeed in the industry below

My homie was selected in the NBA Draft: A tribute to NY Knick Obi Toppin

The New York Knicks selected Obi Toppin with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft Wednesday night. The Knicks, a franchise that has been mired in obscurity for years now, got the player it coveted, without having to trade assets to move up in the draft.

Obi, a Brooklyn-native who spent part of his high school years in Ossining, NY, with me, was clearly overcome with emotion after being taken by his hometown team. After being asked why it’s important to wear a Knicks jersey, Obi, amidst tears, said:

“I’m from New York. That’s why it’s important. Me repping my city. It’s amazing.”

Obi Toppin

Most Knicks fans and NBA enthusiasts see a player that will bring excitement to Madison Square Garden. A high-flying skywalker that will make the Mecca fun again.

But I see a different picture.


Coming into his own

I remember seeing the bubbly 17-year-old spinning the ball on his finger in gym class. The jovial kid walking into my economics class with the biggest smile on his face.

https://twitter.com/Con_h9/status/701136888502099969?s=20

I remember seeing the kid who worked so hard from Junior to Senior year that he grew what seemed like six inches and could suddenly dunk the ball.

A kid who made such an improvement between those two years that our whispers of “Can Obi make the league?” seemed less foolish by the day.

We’ve all grown up since high school, but for most of us, we still carry our raw and authentic personality traits.

Obi, me and a couple other friends after a Dayton vs. Fordham game

I know Obi carries that same bubbly and kind-hearted nature he had five years ago. That’s what makes him a great person and someone I’m proud to still call a friend. Someone that inspires me beyond belief.


What the Knicks are getting

I know Obi still absolutely cannot STAND losing, so much to the point that it feeds his desire to be better. This, I know, is part of what Leon Rose and the Knicks saw in Toppin, and what made him rise to the top of their draft board.

“He’s a high character individual with a tremendous work ethic. We look forward to a bright future with him and are excited to bring a native New Yorker home to The Garden.”

Leon Rose, Knicks President

And I know his work ethic is nearly unmatched. This work ethic enabled him to improve immensely from year to year, so much that he was Dayton’s 6-man last year, and this year was the most outstanding player in all of college basketball.

Obi is not just a high-flying rim runner, but adept at putting the ball on the floor, shooting from distance, and is an underrated passer. And in a season with an absurdly-short training camp period due to the pandemic, the Knicks are getting perhaps the most NBA-ready player from the draft.

And they are getting my friend; someone who has worked so hard to get into this position. And who will never take it for granted.

Is the ‘Fleets’ feature a smart move? Why biting isn’t a good look for Twitter

After dropping its Fleets feature, Twitter is planning a takeover, but in the process, raising questions about censorship in the digital age.

Twitter’s new feature called “Fleets” has people buzzing, both positively and negatively. Disappearing tweets that are “fleeting,” as is the wordplay Twitter is playing off of, “Fleets” are essentially stories that Snapchat came to prominence with, and then Instagram bit off.

Twitter is the app for conversation, much more than it is for lifestyle. While Fleets allows people to post more timely thoughts, seeing outfit pictures and meals and selfies on Twitter just won’t feel the same as on the aforementioned other two mediums.

Twitter is for jokes and giggles! Not necessarily to brand oneself visually.

Dyo Reactions GIF by Dyo - Find & Share on GIPHY
GIPHY

Nevertheless, Twitter is making a big push against its contemporaries. And outside of its ‘Fleets’ feature it has another add-on that will rival another up-and-coming social platform.

The company announced on Tuesday Spaces, a feature that will allow users to join virtual rooms to engage in audio conversations in real-time with other users.

Heard of this recently? Well, that’s because its “rival,” Clubhouse, has been revolutionizing the game with this feature, and a grain of exclusivity. Because each new user can only invite one new person in.

Before Clubhouse has even had a chance to deliver an IPO, Twitter has come in for the swoop.

That’s cold man. Ice cold.

Twitter expanding is not necessarily surprising.

Other apps like Instagram and Facebook are constantly evolving (for better or worse). And also, look at Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

https://twitter.com/EMMAHOLLY1/status/1328394693722443782?s=20

Son. Just look at that beard for a second. That thing looks like it’s been growing for millennia, like he’s Gandalf the Grey’s distant great great grandson. I mean, if he’s not shaping that up to look decently presentable for a Senate hearing, he must be behind the computer trying to expand.

But with Twitter’s recent audacious pursuits, comes questions about censorship on the app. Yeah, yeah, we all know how this goes. Liberals believe everything is skewed in the right’s favor. Conservatives believe everything is skewed in the left’s.

And those of us with common sense know it’s somewhere in the middle, but Trump and his cronies’ tweets dripping with misinformation that can get people killed (such as wearing masks being a threat to freedom) deserve to be flagged and removed.

Still, Dorsey, Twitter, and even other companies have had their hands full trying to maintain fairness in the eyes of the public while not promoting misinformation on their platforms.

Or, in Mark Zuckerberg’s case and Facebook, their hands are not full, as they just do not care.

There is a thread from two years back on Reddit (yes I recognize the irony in analyzing all these different social media outlets) that notes how Twitter users are often suspended without a reason. Appeals are sometimes responded to, other times not.

We can relate personally. Recently, after Senate-candidate Jaime Harrison quoted a tweet featuring a story of ours on him (written by one of his campaign staffers), we were suspended from the app without reason or warning.

The story did not contain misinformation, violent rhetoric, or anything that could be misconstrued as such. Our appeals have not been responded to. We, like many before us, are in #TwitterJail.

Was it so vast a group of people on the right flagging our tweet that Twitter was forced to do something without doing its actual due diligence? Was it a mistake?

Or was it something far more sinister, considering how the man Harrison was running against, Lindsey Graham, was recently discovered to have asked several people to throw out legally-cast ballots?

Something is fishy, and the Senate speaking with Dorsey and Zuckerberg about their roles in upholding election integrity and democracy do nothing to dissuade our qualms and worries.

There is no precedence to this. To any of it. Social media and the internet is its own beast, and no one, much less the grandpas and grandmas in the federal courthouses who don’t know how to work an iPhone, know how to regulate the power and influence of the social media magnates.

In harrowing times, honesty is of utmost importance. Even if the internet is saturated with so much news, there must be ways to flag what is false and disqualify certain outlets from spreading fake information for personal or political gain.

And there must be ways for the honest and innocent to not be restricted and suspended accidentally.

NYPD, Tekashi 69

Do Hip Hop police exist? All you need to know about the NYPD rap unit

Hulu recently released 69: The Saga of Daniel Hernandez, a documentary chronicling Tekashi 69’s rise to the top of hip hop and internet fame. As well as his ultimate fall and the NYPD rap unit’s involvement with his case.


69: The Saga of Daniel Hernandez trailer

69 has been out of jail for some time now, and the shock from his release and snitching scandal has dissipated. Thus, Hulu’s release of the documentary comes at a most opportune time.

People may not be as interested in his music and trolling, but they definitely will want to see how he rose to nearly unprecedented internet fame.

69: The Saga of Daniel Hernandez also brings to light a harrowing realization. The police, no doubt in several cities but principally in NYC, have squads deliberately meant to combat hip hop artists and their fans.

The NYPD’s Enterprise Operations Unit, also known as the “rap unit,” monitors hip-hop shows across the city.


The NYPD Rap Unit

According to the New York Post, the task force makes a list of weekly rap shows and classifies them as either low, medium, or high risk in terms of illicit activity expected.

The task force has reportedly monitored Remy Ma, 50 Cent, and yes, Tekashi 6ix9ine. Records show that ahead of a scheduled appearance at Club Lust over a year ago, an email circulated among members of this “rap unit” about the concert.

The NYPD plants undercover hip hop police inside of the venues to keep eyes on the crowd, as well as officers outside. Even if the artist on stage is not wanted for a single crime, officers will still show up if they believe crimes will be carried out and threats are posed.


That same formula…

We know enough about how Black and other BIPOC communities are persecuted by the police. It’s the same formula: Even if there is no intel on crimes being committed, cops will show up and find something (if not forcibly create a conflict themselves).

To create an entire squad focused on the shows of popular hip hop artists is not just a waste of funds, but a deliberate (and racially motivated) attack on the communities of color that are more inclined to listen to hip hop and attend those concerts.

It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy in the same way seeing police in one’s neighborhoods and/or schools is.

If you see police all the time and are always under the watchful eye of a group trying to catch you slip up, you will eventually cave and be that which they want you to be, a criminal (only using that term for the purpose of how cops see crime, not us).


Hip Hop police throughout history

And this has been going on for quite some time, even back to Biggie Smalls. Derrick Parker, an NYPD detective in the late 90s, claims that NYPD officers from the department’s Major Case Squad, followed Biggie on his trip to LA in 1997 where he was killed.

Dawn Florio, who represented Remy Ma, 6ix9ine, and others, when asked about the “rap intel unit,” said:

“They’re a shadowy specialized unit that conducts overly aggressive investigations that monitor every move of entertainers. To me, it’s like stalking at the highest level.”

Dawn Florio

This Major Case Squad ostensibly transitioned into the aforementioned “rap intel” unit, under the watch of the NYPD’s Gang Intelligence Unit. Now what does that say about how the NYPD thinks about hip hop, if it naturally pairs hop hop with gangs?

None of this is altogether surprising in theory. But to be substantiated, that is the part that leads to an epiphany. If cops were monitoring Biggie back then, and are still monitoring artists today, what really goes on behind the scenes?

Are police reports indicative of the entire stories they claim to be about? Or are they even rooted in the truth as opposed to covering their asses? Anyone who believes wide scale corruption is not commonplace has not read an article in 2020.

And I’m no conspiracy theorist.


The hip hop police are real AF

Just think of the Alameda and Aurora Police Departments, as well as Lindsey Graham’s recent request of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to throw away legal voter ballots.

Ultimately, the 69 documentary exposes many perils of society. There is the clout-chasing that quite literally destroys lives, the selfish manipulating nature of the music industry, and of course, then the evil and racially motivated ways of the NYPD.

It is not enough to stay woke. One must understand what is wrong with society and societal institutions and then make a coordinated plan to educate and rally the masses.

Defund the police. It has never been clearer.

How No Access New York is creating clothing and opportunities in Malawi

“It stretches way beyond the clothing for me. I’m happy that I get to make clothes but at the end of the day I’m trying to tell stories, I want people to know Malawi and become familiar with where I come from.”

Thomas Keys, Founder of No Access New York
Thomas Keys

No Access New York is a clothing brand manufactured and headquartered in Mzuzu, Malawi. Keys founded the brand in 2017, and in its inception was a convergence between where he was raised (Nyack, NY), and where his family is from.

Two homes, yet two distinctly different cultural palaces, even increasingly as the fashion world is concerned.

clothing opportunities malawi
At the tailor’s shop

Within Mzuzu, Keys’ mother’s influence on the city cannot be overstated. In addition to the clothing brand creating tailoring jobs and clothing opportunities that are incrementally increasing, his mother has built Mzuzu International Academy as well as Kwithu CBO, a feeding center.

Their extra fabric makes bags which they use to send to customers. And no Access has produced 500 uniforms for a local secondary school.

Keys had a vision for a clothing brand within sustainable and practical fashion. But even more than that, one that exemplifies and emphasizes community, empowerment, and creative expression.

“When I was going to school at City College, I started interning at Ghost Gallery in Crown Heights. My boss at the time, Steven Alexandr, had recently opened the gallery and I got to see it grow over time. This was a very significant time for me, because I had just gotten my first samples back from Malawi. I was excited, and working at Ghost gave me an opportunity to be around other creatives, and truly learn. I saw firsthand how hard you have to work to make it and run a successful business, and that definitely helped me in the beginning stages of No Access.”

Thomas Keys

A quick trip to Malawi would inspire Keys to create more clothing opportunities

The summer after freshman year of college, Keys went and stayed in Mzuzu.

“I was spending every single day at this tailor shop, from sunup to sundown, just soaking in game and learning, that’s really where it started for me.”

His mom used to be a designer in Malawi, and is still a staple of the community. In Keys words, she inspires him every single day.

That Summer, “she was really just giving me game and preparing me for this opportunity. Once I expressed to her that this was really what I wanted to do, she put me in position to really pursue and strive for this.”

Thomas and his mother

Thomas started meeting the local tailors and picking up the intricacies of the city and its people. It wasn’t his first time there by any means, but in order to create a network and infrastructure to prosper, he needed to understand it all.

In his reconnaissance, as it were, Keys saw a different side of fashion in Malawi than he has in the states and principally New York.

“People in Malawi take pride in what they wear and how they look. Everyday when I’m walking on the street, I see so many different styles and looks that inspire me. Working in the tailor shop gave me a chance to see that firsthand, as people in the community would always stop by at the end of the day to see what we had made, and never hesitate to show love or give advice.”

malawi clothing opportunities
The clothing opportunities in Malawi struck Keys on arrival in 2017

And as a basketball player his whole life, Thomas would play with local construction workers at the one court in the city. This experience would serve as the inspiration for his first design.


No Access New York’s First Design

“I remember my first release was those work suits with the reflective tape.

Thomas Keys
Keys’ first release

Going to Katoto everyday to play basketball was where a lot of inspiration for my first release came from. At the end of the day, everyone would come play ball, and a group of my homies would come straight from working construction all day and play. When they pulled up they always had on their work uniforms. But the way that they’d carry themselves and what it meant to have that suit on… it was something that opened my eyes up to how clothes should be viewed and how clothes should be worn.”

Thomas Keys
malawi basetball players
Mzuzu, Malawi

Keys feels like his designs now come from personal inspiration and more so trying to make practical things in sustainable fashion.

“Nowadays I feel like a lot of designers who truly put the time in get overlooked, because of the hype and trends that constantly plague the fashion industry. I’ve been lucky enough to be around young designers like myself who love the process, and are dedicated to the craft of making clothes.

I spend a lot of of time sourcing fabrics in Malawi, Tanzania, and South Africa. I fell in love with this process, and always make sure each season we come with something different fabric-wise.”

Thomas Keys

Sustainable efforts

No Access uses only locally-sourced fabric, and Keys also remarks that everything they do is sustainable. They don’t waste fabric, and when they ship clothes out, they have dustbags made from excess fabric that carry the clothes. Kwithu CBO receives the excess fabric and turns it into rugs, dolls and bags there.

No Access fabrics

‘Sustainable fashion’ is a buzzword now because it has become trendy and “cool” to operate in that space. But how much is each brand or designer really practicing what they preach?

“I’ve just seen companies really use that term (sustainable fashion) and just run with it and be like ‘yeah this t-shirt was made out of four plastic water bottles.’ And it’s kind of just like ‘bro what the fuck does that even mean?’” ponders Keys.

Keys’ first pop up shop in New York, and subsequent ones, showed him that all different age groups and “types” of people wanted to rock his designs. Malawi showed him the way clothes should be seen and worn, and the pop ups in New York City showed him even more that fashion should be available to everyone.

No Access New York pop-up
Keys and me in NYC at a No Access New York pop-up

Community

“I’m trying to make clothes for everyone, that’s really my main goal.”

Thomas Keys

Keys understands there is more to his designs and business enterprise than clothing opportunities in Malawi and money. People gravitate towards No Access because of the mission and where their support goes. He may charge a certain price, but that money is helping him build a production center, pay tailors, and all the additional altruistic efforts No Access leads.

“To have people feel that they’re a part of the community, that’s what I want. I take pride in where I come from and what I’m doing out here.

To me this is way bigger than the clothes I make. It’s about how can I help my community in Mzuzu, and provide jobs for people in Malawi. I wake up everyday motivated to invest my time and money back in the city that has always been like home to me since a kid. This is truly my passion, and I know my purpose stretches beyond just making clothes.”

Thomas Keys
clothing Production plant in Malawi
Production plant in Malawi

Reinvesting money back into Mzuzu is the mission, and it is currently being acted upon.

The clothing opportunities for tailors in Malawi are not great, because some weeks there could be a lot of business and money coming in, but other weeks there is no business to pay tailors.

pay malawi tailors
No Access New York tailor working on sustainable fashion

Keys came in, and with a respectful hand, offered local tailors full-time jobs with salaries, ensuring these people make more money and have more stable situations than they had before.

No Access is rooted in community, but also empowerment within fashion. Keys wants to not only make clothes, but also produce for other people and organizations. He wants to create comfortable clothing, but also push the boundary between classy and casual. No Access’ upcoming collections reflect this sentiment and vision.


Empowerment

“The way I look at fashion nowadays, overall it’s in a bad place. Being in New York really exposed me to that,” solemnly states Keys.

“You have these companies, they’re not trying to push change, they’re just trying to make money. There’s no excuse for being silent on certain issues. A lot of these major companies, they take straight from the Black youth, rip them off, sell them false dreams, and then chew them up and spit them out, and it just keeps happening.”

Thomas Keys

Still, New York still plays a really big role for Keys. He grew amidst the stale smell of smoke in New York City and the beautiful sight, yet pungent aroma of the Hudson River. There is inspiration in the streets even amidst the uber-political and corporate nature of fashion currently in the city.

Keys in NYC

Keys grew up in Nyack and was one of the only African kids in his town. And his mom instilled in him to always carry a pride in where he came from.

Mzuzu eventually made sense as a place to operate in, with clothing opportunities galore in Malawi with his connections. And it also served as a safe haven for Keys to let his inspiration flow.


The No Access Initiative

Moving forward into 2021, Keys has his eyes set on big picture projects. To start what will become known as the No Access Initiative, he’s focused on a piece of Mzuzu that feels innately personal to him.

The basketball court he plays with the local construction workers on has a lot of room to grow. “I’ve probably ripped like five pairs of kicks on some bullshit.”

He wants to eventually repaint the court, put in bleachers, get new hoops, and build off of that. With the money he sees from collections, he wants No Access to dedicate two to three collections to the No Access Initiative each year.

malawi production plant
Production plant in Malawi

Thinking of the good fortune many of us have had to grow up near stable basketball courts, community centers, art centers, studios, you name it, Keys wants to really give back.

“The thing that matters the most to me throughout all of this is the people out here… do they respect what I’m doing? Do they rock with it? That means more to me than any opinion in the world. And I’ve been embraced.”

Thomas Keys

My friend beamed with the vision of setting up a channel for kids to be inspired and learn. To also create clothing and other opportunities in Malawi for the youth.

“The end goal with the No Access Initiative would be to build a vocational school somewhere down the line. I want to create an environment where the kids feel empowered, and have the proper resources to learn. It’s a dream that constantly runs through my head everyday.”

Thomas Keys

Creative expression

“[People out here] look so much flier, comfortable and happier than people in the states. I really wake up everyday and I’m inspired — that’s why I moved to Malawi.”

Thomas Keys

Keys recounts how there is endless inspiration just from walking outside. Everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves without the overbearing drama of worrying about how that garment fits in with societal standards.

Keys wakes up at 5 am and works until 7 pm. From 10 to 12 at night he works in the shop, fine-tuning designs, cleaning, and thinking about the future. With his mother as a blueprint of hard work, innovation and advocacy, Keys has created a network tailored to giving back. He has created clothing opportunities in Malawi that have an immense impact on the community as a whole.

“If you’re a good person, good things will happen to you. And out here, they know that… word gets around. I only want to keep growing and expanding.

I truly believe that no dream is too big. Now I’m finally realizing that.”

Thomas Keys

So you voted, right? Here’s how to prepare for the election outcome

As we all wait for the 2020 presidential election outcome, we have to remember this is not a normal year and we need a game plan.

In fact, in a normal year, we’d already know who the president would be. But, 2020 has been anything but a normal year, so no surprise there.

So you voted, right? You did your civic duty, and for many of you, myself included, you felt a responsibility to vote this time around, even if you never had before. Take pride in the fact you did what you can. And take solace in the face that it’s now out of your hands.

So where do we go from here? You can stare nervously at the news, biting your fingernails until they’re bleeding, and wait for the election outcome. You can ask people around you “who did you vote for?” But ultimately, none of this is helpful in the post-election world.

It is completely out of our hands, and with that being the case, we’ve come up with a game plan for how you can maneuver through this weird and triggering time, regardless of the election outcome.


The election outcome will bring out the crazies. So, post up in the crib

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Don’t start wilding out.

Tensions are high, and there’s a lot of people out there with less to lose than you do. Don’t give them a reason to think they’re being a martyr.

Take this time to find helpful distractions! If you can, delve into that creative outlet you’ve been meaning to get to for awhile (i.e. sewing, writing, recording).

Dive into that book that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand for ages. All those times you could’ve turned to your book, but you went for your phone instead, now is the time to do the opposite. Ain’t nobody realistically want to be on social media right now. You don’t need that stress in your life fam.


“First rule in this world baby: Don’t pay attention to anything you see in the news.” – Kanye West

Pin by Katie Brown on Important GIFs | Kanye, Pay attention, News

The man who can’t seem to get it right lately… damn sure got it right a lot of times in the past. It’s why he’s the musical superstar and cultural icon he is right now.

Ye told us to not believe everything we see on TV, and he’s right. News channels fight for ratings, even if publicly they say it’s all about journalistic integrity. Money makes the world go round. For these media moguls, it ain’t no different.

Channels want to be the first to break news, and often this leads to inaccurate reporting. Especially when it comes to the presidential election results.

I hate to bring up such a harrowing example, but remember the misinformation that came out when the great Kobe Bryant passed earlier this year? Saying his entire family was on board the chopper that went down?

Breathe. Check on your friends. And then breathe again. We’ll find out the news. It just doesn’t have to be in record time.


No matter the election outcome DO NOT TURN TO THE SAUCE for your game plan

New trending GIF on Giphy | Steve harvey, Funny gif, Harvey

I may have had some rosé last night… so what?

We all had a thought about whether we were going to go sober election night or turn towards the bottle or reefer. Let’s not play dumb. That shit can help in the moment.

But only the moment. Especially as the bottle is concerned, it’s only down from there. Not to mention if the election outcome doesn’t play in your favor.

Today is a new day with endless possibilities. And we can only control what we can control. Don’t go down that bottomless pit, it’s not worth it.

If not for you, then for your close circle. They need you, just as you need them. Lean into that love and direction fam.


Don’t ask people who they voted for

I don't like it - S08E05

After we find out the election results, please don’t ask people who they voted for. Realistically, what do you have to gain?

And believe me, I’m cutting off anyone that votes for racism, xenophobia, misogyny, corruption, and a plethora of other heinous actions.

But at this point, who’s to say someone will tell you the truth? And the overwhelming stress talking about the presidential race post-election takes is too big to let it drag you down.

We’ll find out who wins the presidency soon enough. Just like we’ll all find out who the people in our lives voted for by their words and actions in the coming weeks and months. This country is too polarizing to not be able to tell.

And really, if you’ve been paying attention and take your blinders off, you know who they voted for. You know.


Check who your homies “really” follow

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It can be a fascinating-yet-harrowing trip down the rabbit hole investigating who your friends and acquaintances follow on social media. Do they follow Trump? Ok, but many people like and need to stay up to date on issues, so that can make sense.

But do they follow Ben Shapiro (yuck)? Do they follow Candace Owens? Do they follow Breitbart? These are questions worth asking and investigations worth solving. I don’t care if they say it’s just for jokes, it rarely is just that.

You can tell a lot about someone by who they follow, the trends in that search, and who they refuse to unfollow. Social media should not be taken too seriously, but it is deeply entrenched within the fabric of our lives.

There are few accidents here. If your homie is following Candace Owens, it’s probably because they want to hear what she has to say.

It’s post-election, all votes have been placed, and the outcome is yet to be decided. Take care of yourself in this stressful time. Hopefully, our game plan was able to help steer you in the right direction.