The Final Toronto International Poetry Slam Happens In September (@dwayne_morgan)

00-toronto poetryKnown across North America, as one of the most fair, well organized, and drama free poetry slams, the Toronto International Poetry Slam, will be produced for the final time on Sunday, September 6th.

 After taking a break from the event, multi year winner, Jamaal St. John from New York, will return to the city to try to reclaim the title one last time.

 The Toronto International Poetry Slam (TIPS) always boasts a stellar cast of poets, and if you are a lover of poetry, there is no event in the city that puts this type of variety and quality on stage.

For the final edition of the show, TIPS will return to where it all started, at the Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street West.

$20 advance tickets are on sale now at http://www.dwaynemorgan.ca, and as always, priority seating at the Lula Lounge is reserved for those with dinner reservations.To get the best seats in the house, hit up the Lula Lounge at 416.588.0307

The Sunday, August 23 ‘Caribbean Crack Up’ With Majah Hype Has Been Postponed (@IrishandChin)

00-irishandchin_Postponed1Irish and Chin, the promoters of the show ‘Caribbean crack up,’ featuring Majah Hype & friends, has just announced that the show which was schedule for tomorrow, Sunday August 23, 2015 has been postponed. They are making it clear that all online ticket purchases were refunded via paypal. And persons who purchased tickets at a store, are being asked to return their tickets for a refund.

Ninja Crown “Talk Up” Signature T-Shirt Line by Cooyah Clothing (@NinjaCrown)

00-talkupnowWhen world renowned sound system selector Ninja Crown teamed up with Cooyah Clothing for “TalkUp, his idea was simple and precise, to open honest dialogues and use his voice to make a difference.

The dj/radio host kicked off his campaign on his beloved island of Jamaica where part of the #TalkUp sales aim to benefit Kingston Public Hospital. Reaching out to the media, Ninja visited such platforms as NewsTalk, Hot 102FM, Fame FM, Hype TV to explain the mission of #TalkUp. Humbled by the experience, he visited Kingston Public Hospital and saw first hand the urgent needs list and assessed for himself what is needed by the hospital.

My recent visit home, to Jamaica, was a productive one and an eye opener. Meeting with Dr Natlie Whylie of Kingston Public Hospital really made me see for myself that a lot is needed and I have a lot of work to do. But it can be done and will get done” stated Rohan “Ninja Crown” Henry

As Ninja is back on American soil, his mission continues, Talk Up about injustice, Talk Up about the need for the the less fortunate, Talk Up for the Voiceless. Talk Up! Order #TalkUp now on http://www.Cooyah.com or place order now at TalkUpTshirts@gmail.com

Happy Birthday to MJ Magazine’s Contributor Adokwei Addo (@tsotsoobilove)

IMG-20150813-WA0002Adokwei Addo, a contributor at MJ Magazine is celebrating his birthday today and the MJ Mag family wants to send A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Adokwei is responsible for covering stories primarily from the western region of Africa. Persons based in that area that would like to get their stories to us should send him an email at adokwei@gmail.com, but not today, it’s his day off 🙂

Top Comedian Majah Hype Hits New Jersey for ‘Caribbean Crak Up’ (@MAJAHHYPEWORLD @IrishandChin)

00-majahhypeInternet and social media comedian sensation MAJAH HYPE is taking his hilarious characters and skits to the stage on Sunday, August 23rd at Campus High School in New Jersey. Don’t miss this rare chance to see your favorite comedian live in action for his extreme brand of Caribbean comedy.

Majah Hype will be joined by fellow funnymen Jon Laser, Suga Sean Riley, Kenny Williams and Imagine. This event is brought to you by Irish and Chin’s Sound Chat Radio in conjunction with Greag The Barber! For more information visit: http://irishandchin.com/even-tlist/158-event-list/7169-caribbean-crack-up

Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown has passed away!

00-bobbi-kristina-brown-health-crisis-comaSeveral media outlets in the United States are reporting that 22 year old Bobbi Kristina Brown who was in a hospice has passed away. According to Entertainment Tonight, Bobbi Kristina passed away surrounded by family at the Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth Georgia today. In a statement to ET, the family thanked everyone for their love and support these past few months.

On Jan. 31, Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in her bathtub, and was then taken to North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, Georgia, where she was put on a ventilator to assist her breathing. She was later placed in a medically induced coma at Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital.

Nearly two months later, she was moved to a rehabilitation center, where she remained until June 24, when she was moved to the hospice center.

Marlene Palmer’s Accurate Assessment Of Sandra Bland’s Murder & Cover Up

00-sandrabland001So what do you do after falsely arresting and imprisoning someone who vows to get justice, and they end up dead? As this sickening tragedy continues to unfold its becomes more and more apparent, that the powers that be will do whatever it takes, to ensure that those responsible for Sandra Bland’s murder are protected.

Those of us who really understands how this so called justice system works in regards to black people, knew and expected that those claiming to be investigating her death, would do whatever it takes to deflect and change the narrative, from the fact that she was unlawfully arrested, detained and subsequently found dead. To the fact that she was not only depressed she was suicidal. Ultimately taking her own life. This despite the fact that she has NEVER been clinically diagnosed.

Now we’re hearing from the investigation, allegations that go from her having previously attempted to commit suicide, to her self harming, to her having marijuana in her system. This is the investigation that their supposedly doing to see how Sandra Bland died. But even if that’s true what does that have to do with what happened to her? Why because this builds a bases for everything they will do going forward.

00-sandrabland002However for some strange reason the ONLY one that seem to be under investigation is Sandra Bland. We’ve heard nothing in regards to the investigation involving the bully boy thug with a badge Brian Encinia, who falsely accused and arrested Sandra Bland on trumped up charges, who both verbally and physically assaulted her both in and outside of the vehicle.

Who escalated a minor routine traffic stop from simply issuing her either a citation, warning, ticket and LET HER GO. Once it was deemed that there was no clear or present danger. To threatening to light her up with his taser, terrorizing this woman in the most despicable, cowardly and demeaning way.

Despite the fact that a preliminary investigation found that Encinia violated traffic stop & courtesy protocols. We seem to be unable to find out from DPS what exactly does ” violating traffic stop & courtesy protocols” really mean? Could they possibly be referring to his despicable, disgusting, aggressive, arrogant, egotistical, combative, abrasive, bullying behaviour? You think (sarcasm). What is the status with his investigation I wonder, if any?

00-sandra-bland003Hell even “DPS Director Steve McCraw stated that regardless of the situation, the DPS state trooper has an obligation to exhibit professionalism and be courteous,” “That did not happen in this situation.” When Texas State Senator Royce West was asked by reporters if Sandra Bland caused her own death, West said “no.” He also added that she didn’t deserve to be arrested in the first place.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it over, and over, and over again, were it NOT for the actions of bully boy thug with a badge Brian Encinia, Sandra Bland would still be alive today. SANDRA BLAND’S BLOOD IS ON BRIAN ENCINIA HANDS! So it begs the question who is actually being investigated? The woman that was profiled, targeted and subsequently FOUND DEAD or the individuals both directly and indirectly who came into contact with Sandra Bland?

Let us be very clear every effort and attempt WILL be made to smear, tarnish, impeach, discredit and destroy Sandra Bland’s character and credibility. They will dig up whatever dirt they can to sully her reputation. That strategy has proved effective in the past, so I see no reason for them to deviate from it now. This is something they MUST DO, in order to deflect from this disgusting tragedy, that should have never, ever happened in the first place, to it being about Sandra Bland herself.

00-sandrabland004This witch-hunt has absolutely nothing to do with getting justice for Sandra Bland, this is about protecting, concealing and covering-up, for all parties involved. After all if they really wanted justice for her she would have NEVER BEEN ARRESTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

So whatever they do at this point will be a whitewash both figuratively and literally. The system will do whatever it takes to protect a corrupt dirty cop! Just ask Serpico. Because keeping the status quo and keeping law and order, is the most important thing they can and must do at this point. What Sandra Bland’s case shows is how as a black person in America you have NO RIGHTS.

And just in case you forget your place, you’ve not only got bully boy thugs with badges to contend with, but the entire legal system at their disposal to do their bidding for them. I continue to be astounded by the sheer level of ignorance, bigotry, hate and downright stupidity that many whites and even some blacks have as it relates to what is really happening in this country.

Again there are those that get it and those that don’t, Sandra Bland got it, and did her best to articulate it by using ‪#‎SandySpeaks‬ as a platform to share her views about the things that mattered to her. A beautiful and articulate woman, she was full of life outgoing, and mindful, who spoke truth to power based on what she saw, both as a passionate black woman as well as an activist.

00-sandrabland005A 28-year-old woman who made a decision to relocate to another state after having had being offered not one but two jobs, a woman who was looking forward to starting a new chapter in her life. Who loved her family and was in turn loved by them. Who now are having to deal with the horror of what happened to their loved one, their sister, daughter and aunt.

Trying to make sense of and understand how their sister who on the day she was arrested was on her way to a job interview with her former university, Prairie View A & M University. Ends up dead days later. How tragic and ironic that someone who felt compelled to speak out against racism and injustice, becomes a victim of it herself. Sandra Bland’s family has every reason to be sceptical in regards to anything authorities tell them whether it be the events before and after, the autopsy and everything in-between.

We will NOT allow this corrupt system that is rigged at every single solitary point, to put Sandra Bland on trial. The only ones that should be on trial is the bully boy thug with a badge Brian Encinia, and the other responding officers, individuals at the Waller County Jail as well as the entire judicial and criminal system itself.

The sad reality is that with a grand jury deciding whether Sandra Bland was murdered, or she died of a suicide. And with the long racist history of Waller County itself. The odds of anyone being criminally held accountable for her arrest, jail time, and death are slim to none. This is the reality of living in an institutionally racist white supremacist society where black lives don’t matter.

‪#‎SandraBland‬

‪#‎IfIDieInPoliceCustody‬

‪#‎BlackLivesMatters‬

‪#‎NowLegalizeBeingBlackInAmerica