His impersonations of Jay Z, Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, and many others brought in laughs during his time on Saturday Night Live or in his comedy routines, but Jay Pharoah shared a story that was anything but funny. People have been coming forward with tales of their frightening run-ins with police, and Jay recently shared a video to his Instagram page where he detailed a run-in with the Los Angeles Police Department while exercising in Ventura, California.

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"Coincidentally, when the footage dropped for Ahmaud Arbery, a week prior to that I was actually in Ventura. I was exercising. As I'm walking across the street, Corbin and Ventura, I see an officer to the left of me. I'm not thinking anything of it because I'm a law-abiding citizen. Also, keep in mind I got my headphones on. I'm in my zone right now." Then, out of nowhere. Jay Pharoah said when he looked again, the officer was coming toward him with his gun drawn.

"I see him say 'Get on the ground, put your hands up like you're an airplane,' Jay remembered. "As he's looking at me I'm thinking that he's making a mistake so I'm looking passed where he's looking." He thought to himself it's about to be a bad day for whoever the cop was after, not knowing it was him. "Four officers got their guns blazing, they tell me to get on the ground, spread my arms out. They put me in cuffs, the officers took his knee, put it on my neck, it wasn't as long as George Floyd, but I know how that feels."

When he asked why he was being held down on the ground, he was told that he "fits the description of a black man in this area with gray sweatpants on and a gray shirt." Jay Pharoah told them to Google him in order for them to see that they made a big mistake. "They come back and they say, 'We're sorry. We just got a call in that it's not you." He said he'd never been in handcuffs before but it was an experience he never wanted to have again. Listen to Jay Pharoah share his harrowing tale in full below.

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Proud to have collabed w/ so many influencers on this one, @theonlycarey thank you for allowing me to express my situation w/ temperance. #blacklivesmatter #BlackFilter #jaypharoah #blackandproud

A post shared by Jay Pharoah (@jaypharoah) on Jun 12, 2020 at 7:19am PDT

America is witnessing a revolution across the country but the support is coming from all pockets of the world. Black Lives Matter protests in Australia, Europe, and Asia have taken place in support of justice for George Floyd while this week, the officers involved in the Houston native’s death have been charged for their involvement. 

Banksy has often taken social issues and turned these moments into powerful art. Though his identity still hasn’t been confirmed, he shared a powerful statement on his Instagram page with three slides. The first includes a picture frame with a shadowy figure and a lit candle next to it. The next slide zooms out of the shot revealing the candle lighting the American flag.

“At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue.

BUt why would I do that?
It’s not their problem. It’s mine.

People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system. Liek a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. This fauly system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t — no-one will let them in the partment upstairs.

This is a white problem. And if white people don’t fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.”

 Check the post out below. 

Over the last week, many black celebrities have remained relatively silent about the protests that have sparked in not only 50 states, but in over a dozen countries worldwide. Earlier on in his career, Kanye West was vocal about black political issues, but later, he boasted about his relationship with President Trump, touting America’s leader as someone he supports. The relationship was something that got under people’s skin, but on Thursday (June 4), Kanye resurfaced with a pledge to not only cover the costs of George Floyd’s daughter’s college education but he also donated $2 million to fund the legal costs of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor’s cases.

Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Images

Then, a video surfaced that showed Kanye West out in his hometown of Chicago. The Grammy Award-winning rapper wore a hoodie with his face covered as he walked alongside Windy City protesters supporting Black Lives Matter and calling for criminal justice reform and police accountability.

Even with his most recent efforts, people still have taken to social media to criticize West for his previous interactions with the president while others have commended him for stepping up on behalf of these recent victims. Check out the clip of Kanye West marching with protesters in his hometown of Chicago below.

Ahmaud Arbery was allegedly killed in broad daylight a few months ago while jogging through Georgia. Travis and Greg McMichael reportedly thought Arbery was a burglar and they tried to take matters into their own hands. William Bryan was the man who filmed the alleged murder and eventually, he was arrested and brought up on murder charges along with the McMichael's.

Today, there was a probable-cause hearing which was mediated by Magistrate Court Judge Wallace Harrell. The point of this hearing was to see whether or not there was enough evidence to actually bring this case to trial. Today, Judge Harrell decided that all three men will indeed go to trial for alleged murder and that there is enough evidence for prosecutors to make a winning case.

People have been wondering aloud when Kanye West, the Trump-supporting, MAGA-hat-wearing, Republican-voting rapper and activist would speak up about the current situation in America. Protests have taken over the country as we seek justice for countless incidents of police violence, which took the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and more. 

Well, it didn’t take too long for the billionaire to put his money where his mouth is. He has reportedly donated upwards of $2 million to the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.

According to TMZ, the recording artist has made a few separate donations to the families. He has set up a college savings fund for Gianna, the 6-year-old daughter of George Floyd. In addition, he also offered to cover the legal costs for Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor’s families.

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West is also donating to a number of black-owned businesses in his native Chicago and across the nation.

Many media personalities, including Ebro Darden, asked publicly what Kanye West has done since the beginning of the social unrest. Here’s your answer: he was gathering funds to send to the families affected by these tragedies.

He is one of many to have donated money. Recently, it was reported that The Weeknd and Drake both put up hundreds of thousands for non-profit organizations supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and others.

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Jay-Z and Roc Nation have been playing an integral role in the fight for racial equality, having launched several initiatives designed to reevaluate the criminal justice system. Now, Jay is once again doing his part to ensure that black Americans see justice, taking a major step in making sure that Ahmaud Arbery’s attorney was able to attend today’s preliminary hearing.

 Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Taking to Instagram, attorney Lee Merritt, representing Arbery, revealed that Jay had provided him with access to a private jet. “When you absolutely have to be in Court to stand with your client and righteous protestors for justice…Jay Z sends his private jet,” he captions. “That’s part of the P.P.E plan to get us out of this Crisis (People Power Political Power Economic Power).”

Because of Jay’s gesture, Merrit was able to attend the hearing, where several disturbing revelations came to light. For one, it was revealed that Arbery’s shooter Travis McMichael uttered the phrase “fucking n***er” after pulling the trigger and firing the fatal shot. On his IG page, Merrit has been providing updates on the case, including news that the McMichael’s defense team has been attempting to “malign the character” of Ahmaud Arbery. “It is a common tactic of white supremacy to criminalize illness and trauma in the black community,” he writes, unwilling to stand down.

As the hearing unfolds, keep an eye out for Merrit’s updates as they emerge. We at HNHH demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery and pray that the men who took his life end up behind bars where they belong.  

While it has already been reported that the three men involved in the senseless murder of Ahmaud Arbery — Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr (who recorded the murder)– are presently facing Judge Wallace E. Harrell in a hearing, further details have come to paint an altogether disturbing picture of the shooting’s aftermath. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation detective took the stand to provide his testimony, and he fielded a question about a particular quote uttered by Travis McMichael, as heard by Bryan Jr.

Glynn County Sheriff’s Office Getty Image

Prefacing that the quote came from McMichaels and McMichaels alone, the detective elaborates. “Bryan says that after the shooting took place, before police arrival, Arbery was on the ground. He heard Travis McMichael make the statement “fucking n***er.” A somber silence follows as the weight of the violent word sinks in.

Though a final verdict on whether further charges will be pursued has been reached, this latest revelation certainly paints a bleak picture — one in which Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan Jr clearly held racial prejudices, with the former openly unafraid to voice the depth of his hatred aloud. A disgusting truth, but one that may play a pivotal role in ensuring that Ahmaud Arbery receives the justice he deserves. Look for further developments on this case to follow, and should you be interested in contributing to Arbery’s memory, there are means of doing so here. 

Check out the video of the detective’s testimony below, courtesy of TMZ.

At this moment, Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr — the men involved in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man gunned down during a morning jog — are appearing before Judge Wallace E. Harrell. TMZ reports that the hearing is meant to establish whether there remains enough evidence to move forward with the murder case. While the alleged murderer and his associates will not be physically present, their lawyers will be representing them in Glynn County Magistrate Court in Georgia.

Sean Rayford/Getty Images

The hearing is being live-streamed, and at the moment of his writing, the court has recently begun to resume following a brief recess. Both McMichaels have already appeared on camera, while Bryan JR. did not; it should be noted that all three parties are currently being held in jail without any bond.

As of now, TMZ confirms that a detective took the stand in opposition to Gregory McMichael’s position that Arbery matched the description of a burglary suspect. The detective maintains that there is no evidence suggesting that Arbery was complicit in burglary of any sort, going so far as to provide details of the McMichaels pursuing Arbery in an elaborate chase. 

With a verdict yet to be reached, those curious about the case can tune into the live stream courtesy of TMZ. For those interested in catching up on what has already transpired, PBS has uploaded the hearing onto YouTube — also embedded below.

Following a large-scale tragedy, a new wave of art tends to follow. For many rappers, the fight against police brutality has been an ongoing reality, one that has plagued the likes of Meek Mill, DaBaby, Tee Grizzley, and countless others. As George Floyd’s memory continues to inspire the nation to rise up in protest, Grizzley has taken a moment to put his thoughts on paper. 

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Previewing an acapella verse from a song that appears to be in the works, Grizzely wasted little time in setting the tone. “You ever seen the police kill somebody that’s your color?” he asks. “In uniform, they ain’t even dressed as undercovers / that shit make me want to hit my girl with a rubber, scared to bring a child into this world where don’t nobody love us / Kaepernick took a knee, he was standing his ground / George Floyd took a knee, he was getting pinned down.”

Grizzely continues, his words resonating. “Ahmaud went on a jog, he was minding his business, they chased him down trying to gun him down on a street full of witnesses / this shit gotta stop.” It’s unclear whether he’ll be putting these words to an instrumental, but it should be noted that we’re still waiting for the release of The Smartest, an album that has already seen singles like “Payroll.” Show some support to the Detroit rapper for holding it down with some powerful words, a reminder that the fight continues. 

Lauren London joined Jada Pinkett Smith during the most recent episode of Red Table Talk to discuss their experiences with gun violence as women. Although the footage was taped prior to the pandemic and, thus, the most recent, publicized police killings of Black individuals in America, Jada recorded an updated introduction in light of the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.  “As we are witnessing our black men being murdered in the streets, very rarely do we talk about the women who are left behind grief-stricken and shattered,” Jada says. “George Floyd has a six-year-old daughter, a sister, a girlfriend. Ahmaud Arbery [has] a mother, a sister. Both men have countless heartbroken women—aunts, cousins, friends—in their lives who love them. We are dedicating this Red Table Talk to how gun violence affects women.” She also acknowledges the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor, who was “struck by eight bullets while sleeping in her own home” on March 13th.

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During their conversation, Lauren speaks to Jada about what it was like losing her life partner and father of her child, Nipsey Hussle, to gun violence last year, and how she’s been handling raising two black sons in a world where they will often be perceived as a threat for no reason. “So you’re raising two black boys. As a mother, what are some of your precautions or some of your messaging?” Jada asks her. “What I instill in them is more about the police,” Lauren responds. “How to handle yourself when you get pulled over. That’s more of my education, protecting them being Black men in America.” She also talks about her experiences with gun violence growing up.

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“Just growing up in LA, in the area that I was around. In high school, a lot of the boys were in gangs, and I remember that a lot of our friends, by summertime they were gone,” she recalls. “They had transitioned from gun violence. So you kind of got… I don’t want to say numb, but used to hearing it.” She and Jada then relate with one another about essentially risking your life every time you went to a party in high school. “That’s traumatizing,” Lauren says. “To be 16 years old, having to be on guard when you go into a party.”

“You just get used to figuring out how to keep yourself safe in these environments,” Jada points out. “Most of us grow up in war zones. And I did not even realize that until my life changed. When I started to look at how my kids were growing up versus me. But that’s not their reality.” Later on in the episode, Jada, along with the rest of the ladies of Red Table Talk, speak with peacemaker and activist Erica Ford as well as gun violence survivors Rain Stippec and Dani Robinson. Watch the full episode below: