Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield says he will be taking a knee during the National Anthem this season. When a fan asked Mayfield if he would kneel, Mayfield responded with his stance.

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"Please tell Browns fans you’re not going to be kneeling this season," the fan commented on Instagram. 

"Pull your head out. I absolutely am," Mayfield responded. 

Later, Mayfield posted a lengthy statement regarding the situation on his IG Story.

"Everybody so upset about my comment doesn't understand the reasoning behind kneeling in the first place... Nate and Kap came to an agreement that kneeling was the most respectful way to support our military while also standing up for equality," Mayfield wrote. "I have the utmost respect for our military, cops, and people that serve OUR country. It's about equality and everybody being treated the same because we are all human. It's been ignored for too long and that is my fault as well for not becoming more educated and staying silent.

"If I lose fans, that's okay. I've always spoken my mind. And that's from the heart," he added.

Texans Head Coach Bill O'Brien recently said that he will also kneel during the anthem with his players.

Houston Texans Head Coach Bill O’Brien plans to take a knee during the National Anthem, in solidarity with his players, to protest racial inequality and police brutality.

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“Yeah, I’ll take a knee — I’m all for it,” O’Brien told the Houston Chronicle. “The players have a right to protest, a right to be heard and a right to be who they are. They’re not taking a knee because they’re against our flag. They’re taking a knee because they haven’t been treated equally in this country for over 400 years.”

O’Brien attended George Floyd’s funeral, joining several other players and staff members associated with the Texans.

“It wasn’t a conscious effort,” O’Brien told the Chronicle about the team attending Floyd’s funeral. “It wasn’t like we had a conversation together and decided to do it. I think we just said enough is enough, and we’ve got to do what’s right. As an organization, we’re part of the conversation, and we want to do our part.”

Floyd died on May 25, after former police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. Protests erupted around the world afterward, calling for drastic policing reform and the defunding of police.

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Atlanta Police are in the news this morning as they shot and killed a black man at a Wendy’s Drive-Thru late last night. According to TMZ, 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks was sleeping in his car in the middle of the Drive-Thru and was blocking customers from getting their food. Eventually, the cops were called and they performed a field sobriety test before trying to place him under arrest. In a video taken by someone nearby, the cops can be seen struggling with Brooks, and eventually, the man tried to run away. That’s when cops chased him down and shot him in the back. Brooks eventually died of his injuries during surgery.

Following the shooting, many bystanders protested outside of the police tape, berating the officers for what they had done. This shooting took place in the midst of nationwide protests against police brutality and it’s very clear that people are fed up with black men and women being killed by the cops.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is currently looking into the matter and as TMZ noted, this is the 48th officer-involved shooting they’ve had to look into in 2020. 

Stay tuned for updates on this story as we will be sure to bring them to you.

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Just days before resigning from his position as CEO of CrossFit, Greg Glassman made some inconceivable remarks about the late George Floyd on a phone call with a gym owner in Minneapolis, where the man was killed by police. On Tuesday (June 9th), Glassman officially announced his resignation after some thoughtless tweets about Floyd, in which he’d mocked the gravity and pervasiveness of police brutality and systemic racism against Black people in America, sparked immense outrage. Glassman acknowledged that his remarks had “created a rift in the CrossFit community and unintentionally hurt many of its members” and decided to step down as CEO.

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However, it turns out that he’d spewed even more ignorance about Floyd’s murder on a phone call with a Minneapolis gym owner just days prior to his resignation. The owner had asked Glassman why the company had yet to make a statement on Floyd’s death. “We’re not mourning for George Floyd,” he responded. “I don’t think me or any of my staff are. Can you tell me why I should mourn for him?”

“Now, I gotta say something or I’m a f*cking racist, and now this gym is gonna look like it’s reparations or something,” he said, referring to the plans he’d already had to build CrossFit gyms in “blighted neighbourhoods” free of charge, prior to the protests. When asked how he felt about these protests, he responded, “I love the rebuilding, I love the helping. I’d like to make an anonymous donation to the rebuild. But I don’t want any of it going to or supporting anything that looks like pro-rioting.”

He then comments on Floyd’s death, insisting that it was not a crime motivated by racism. “What is the indication that this thing had anything to do with race?” he asks. “I think we can make this short, pray, there is none, because it had nothing to do with race.”

There was much chatter about Tiffany Haddish when she was seen standing alongside Al Sharpton at George Floyd’s memorial. The actress became a trending topic after people stormed social media to chastise her, but she explained why she felt the need to attend the service during her appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. The host noted that Tiffany Haddish is usually a positive person so it must be difficult for her to dial things back as she speaks openly about serious issues.

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“I’m watching the world fall apart, and it feels like it needs to fall apart,” Haddish stated. “And be put back together again in a way that’s fair.” She added, “I decided to go because I was invited to be there. The main thing that made me want to be there, mind you I ain’t been nowhere in months, but the thing that made me want to be there is I have watched my friends be slaughtered by the police. I have watched people be murdered in front of me as a 13-year-old, 14-year-old girl and there was nothing I can do.”

Tiffany Haddish became choked up as she shared her memories. “I wanted to be there in support of the family because I understand how they feel. Being there was like being there for all of my friends, whose funerals I already went to, but all my friends who passed away. All the people I went to school with who passed away. Who been locked up for no reason just ’cause they can’t afford a good lawyer or accused of things that they didn’t do. Being there was so powerful.” Watch Tiffany Haddish below.

Tucker Carlson is currently facing a storm of online backlash stemming from comments he recently made about the Black Lives Matter movement and recent protests. During his primetime Fox News segment last night, Carlson questioned the intentions of protests against policebrutality and George Floyd’s death, declaring “This may be about a lot of things… but it is definitely not about black lives.” He also warned his audience to “Remember that when they come for you," adding "at this rate, they will.” 

While some conservative commentators applauded Carlson, many others harshly condemned him, causing #tuckercarlsonisaracist to trend on twitter as users pleaded advertisers to stop sponsoring his segment. The public has been most up in arms about Carlson’s “when they come for you” warning, believing that Carlson was referring to black people specifically when referencing “they.”

A bloody pig head on a spike was found by Los Angeles Police officers outside of the department’s Rampart Station, a division notorious for its late-90s corruption and police brutality scandals. It is currently unclear who placed the head at the station or if it was intended as a threat. 

The Pig’s head discovery comes amidst large-scale global protests against police brutality and George Floyd’s death. While Derek Chauvin and the other Minneapolis officers involved have been fired and charged, protesters are demanding further reforms to law enforcement practices and the American criminal justice system, as Floyd’s family is seeing a surge of financial support and lawmakers are proposing new legislation aimed at eliminating police brutality. 

Given the high tensions surrounding recent protests and numerous documentedincidents of police violence, the LAPD is reportedly approaching the situation extra cautiously, currently reviewing surveillance footage in an attempt to identify the perpetrator. In the meantime, TMZ reports that LAPD officers, under the direction of Chief Michel Moore who recently blamed George Floyd’s death on looters leading to calls for his resignation, have now been advised to maintain a low profile while off duty, in order to avoid further confrontations with the public.

It’s rare that a song’s power only intensifies with time. Though nostalgia can be a powerful means of preserving replay value, more often than not a song stands as a representation of a moment in time. A reflection of the social climate, of the musical trends prevalent. When N.W.A. first released “Fuck Tha Police” back in August of 1988, over thirty years ago, it’s uncertain whether Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella had any idea what they had created. A song that has continued to resonate with people of all ages, unified by a shared disdain for abusive police and the systems they represent.

Following the death of George Floyd, murdered by the disgraced police officer Derek Chauvin, the protests that sparked in defiance looked to the past for its theme music. With thousands placed in direct confrontation with police, in many cases forced to suffer abuse with impunity, the need for a rallying cry has reached an apex. “Fuck Tha Police” has found new life as a modern-day anthem, one whose message has endured for decades. In its simplest form, a stand against authority figures, especially those who succumb to the temptations of tyranny. Yet amidst the simple bluntness of the titular curse lies a long and complex history. One chock-full of racial prejudices borne through a lack of empathy and understanding. Satisfying though it may be to blast “Fuck Tha Police” in a cop’s vicinity, the deeper meanings should not be diluted.

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The story of its creation was sold to many by the 2015 N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, which depicted our five heroes being racially profiled outside of a recording studio and roughed up for no other reason beyond their skin color. In reality, a revelation on HBO’s The Defiant Ones confirmed that “Fuck Tha Police” was originally declined by Dr. Dre, after Ice Cube presented the young producer with the incendiary lyrics. It was only after Eazy-E and Dre engaged in a joyride on the Los Angeles freeway, possessed by a desire to fire paintballs into passing cars. “Fifteen minutes after that, the police is behind us,” reflects Dre, older and wiser. “They pull us out of the car with guns drawn, lay us face down on the freeway.”

In the same clip, Cube admits that Dre’s frequent trips to jail were the catalyst for “Fuck Tha Police.” As he explains, Dre’s company tended to mean that the parties were in full swing; in Cube’s eyes, the Doc’s recurring weekend slammer trips were the ultimate buzzkill. “I was mad that all the fun stopped, and Dre had to go to jail till Monday,” smiles Cube. “So I wrote ‘Fuck Tha Police.’” A far cry from the narrative put forth in the film, but authorial intent doesn’t necessarily matter when the product is ushered into the world. The minute it was released, “Fuck Tha Police” provided a voice to everybody who ever experienced police brutality. Especially when Cube’s opening verse painted such a vivid picture, one that could be juxtaposed with any given protest montage of today with no shortage of relevancy.

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It’s become all too familiar a sight. A Black person harassed, assaulted, and in the bleakest cases, murdered because a police officer claims to have feared for their safety. We’ve seen the footage. Traffic stops turned fatal, as was the case for Philando Castile. A fatal chokehold placed on George Floyd over a counterfeit bill. Instances where the consequences of an officer’s actions went unfeared, the system backing them designed as an impenetrable safety net. For Ice Cube, frustrated by the seemingly unconquerable presence of the police, rebellion came through music. By belittling the organization that had disrupted his daily life. Provocative in its blunt title and direct message, it didn’t take long before “Fuck Tha Police” caught the ire of law enforcement across the country. For those who self-aggrandized themselves as untouchable, the hostile bars of Compton’s finest served as the ultimate undermining. And given how infectiously catchy the track was, its popularity ensured that “Fuck Tha Police” quickly achieved anthem status. And given how many different walks of life have experienced negative interactions with aggressive police officers — across all generations — NWA’s controversial creation continues to carry the same weight today.

Though the track’s longevity speaks to the brilliance of its creators, it also reveals a darker truth on the other side of the coin. The fact that the animosity between the civilian population and the police sworn to serve and protect still exists is a disturbing reality. It also highlights how deeply entrenched within the system that racism really is. “Police think they have the authority to kill a minority,” rapped Ice Cube, in his instantly recognizable opening verse. Sadly, that truth has revealed itself like clockwork. Only this time, it seems as if the people have had enough. The streets have since come alive in protest; there isn’t a person in the entire United States that hasn’t come to know the name of George Floyd. Though some police have attempted to combat the uprising with force, they’ve quickly realized that heightened publicity can be a devastating counter to their all-too-often unprovoked bouts of violence. Excessive force will no longer be judged by fellow officers, but the court of public opinion — one that is, for what feels like the first time, standing largely united. All the while, N.W.A’s “Fuck Tha Police” continues to capture the zeitgeist once again, gaining renewed purpose as a protest anthem for a new generation. 

Beyoncé used her speech during Barack and Michelle Obama’s “Dear Class of 2020” YouTube virtual graduation ceremony to address protesters, sexism in the music industry, and more.

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After thanking the Obama’s for the platform and congratulating the graduating class of 2020, Beyoncé spoke about the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Abery, and Bronna Talyor: “Thank you for using your collective voice and letting the worlds know that black lives matter,” she said. “The killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many others have left us all broken. It has left the entire country searching for answers. We’ve seen that our collective hearts, when put to positive action, could start the wheels of change. Real change has started with you, this new generation of high school and college graduates who we celebrate today.”

From there, Beyoncé discussed the role of women in the entertainment industry: “The entertainment business is still very sexist,” she explained. “It’s still very male-dominated and as a woman, I did not see enough female role models given the opportunity to what I knew I had to do. To run my label and management company, to direct my films and produce my tours, that meant ownership—owning my masters, owning my art, owning my future, and writing my own story. Not enough black women had a seat at the table. So I had to go and chop down that wood and build my own table. Then I had to invite the best there was to have a seat. That meant hiring women, men outsiders, underdogs, people that were overlook and waiting to be seen.”

Check out the rest of Beyoncé’s speech below.

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Lil Wayne has been catching some flack for his recent comments about police brutality in response to George Floyd's murder, and he's been doing some damage control on Young Money Radio ever since. In the wake of the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis last month, Wayne made some remarks that did not sit well with some people. "We have to stop viewing it with such a broad view, meaning we have to stop placing the blame on the whole force and the whole everybody or a certain race or everybody with a badge." Wayne told Fat Joe. "We have to actually get into who that person is. And if we want to place the blame on anybody, it should be ourselves for not doing more than what we think we're doing."

He has since attempted to explain his stance by speaking on his own upbringing in New Orleans where he used to see Black people get brutalized by police all the time. However, he also used a famous encounter with a white officer in his youth to further justify why he feels the way he does about the issue of police brutality.

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"My life was saved when I was young," Wayne recalled on Friday's episode of Young Money Radio. "I was 12 or something, I think. Shot myself. I was saved by a white cop, Uncle Bob. So you have to understand...you have to understand the way I view police, period. I was saved by a white cop. There was a bunch of black cops that jumped over me when they saw me at that door, laying on the floor with that hole in my chest. He refused to. Those black cops jumped over me, and ran through the crib, and said, 'We found the gun, we found this, we found that.' He said, 'I found this baby on this floor I need to get to a hospital.' He didn’t wait for an ambulance. He took his car. He made somebody drive it, and he made sure that I lived."

Wayne has spoken about "Uncle Bob," AKA Deputy Robert Hoobler, on a few occasions in the past, most memorably during his I Am Hip Hop Award acceptance speech at the 2018 BET Hip-Hop Awards. It's worth noting that Hoobler was fired from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff Department in 2012 after repeatedly tasing a man while calling him racial slurs, including the N-word. Sheriff Newell Normand even considered filing criminal charges against Hoobler for the incident.

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While Wayne fails to mention this detail, he does recall several other instances in which the police were blatantly racist towards him while he was growing up. All of these encounters, good and bad, he explains, have contributed to his current position on police. "So before you want to speculate about anything, understand that I go through situations, too, and we all got our situations, so don’t judge no one for no reason," he said. "Do you. Help out in any kind of way you want to help out, any kind of way you can."

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