From Vivirlatino:

Last Thursday, independent, radical, revolutionary, activist Hip Hoppers Rodstarz and G1, two brothers known musically and in the movement as Rebel Diaz , were walking in the Bronx, NYC when they witnessed an all too common occurrence. Police officers from the 41st Precinct were in the middle of a sting against street vendors, aggressively confiscating the fruit and vegetables of a street vendor. What happened next was a mix of the sadly uncommon and the everyday threat that is faced in many of our communities. Rodstarz and G1 didn’t walk by quickly or quietly, watching their extended community being attacked. They approached the officers to ask why the vendor was being treated in that manner and asked for their badge numbers. The police, who aren’t exactly keen on the idea of being monitored by the very same community they allegedly serve, turned their aggressions on the duo. After beating them and arresting them in front of over a dozen witnesses, they were taken to the 41st Precinct.

From NY Magazine:

Hollywood stars are enthusiastically applying bronzer in 2008, either for a quick gag or for a serious leading role, that we’re forced to hesitatingly declare this movie season the Summer of Brownface.

More here… 

(Found on Zentronix)

Thanks to everyone who helped out with the hunger project. That project is over, but we wanted to keep it moving. So from now on when you buy a CD, we’ll donate ten percent to the World Food Program.

Today is the last day of our campaign to help the World Food Program.  Can you help us do that?  If you buy Zane Tate’s Boom Bap Sunrise on CD, we’ll donate 100% of profits to the World Food Program.  Simply buy a CD, and we’ll give all the money we make to help the hungry.

Buy a CD, and help the hungry…

The world is suffering a global hunger crisis, and it’s recently reached emergency proportions. According to the World Food Program, over 850 million people go hungry every day, and now the crisis is getting worse because food prices are skyrocketing.

From the New York Times:

Over the past few years the prices of wheat, corn, rice and other basic foodstuffs have doubled or tripled, with much of the increase taking place just in the last few months. High food prices dismay even relatively well-off Americans — but they’re truly devastating in poor countries, where food often accounts for more than half a family’s spending.

The rise in food prices is also impacting the World Food Program, the United Nations’ front line agency in the fight against hunger. They estimate that they’ll need an additional $755 million to implement programs in 2008.

So, in our own small way, we want to help.  For the next seven days, when you buy Zane Tate’s Boom Bap Sunrise on CD, we’ll donate 100% of profits to the World Food Program.  Simply buy a CD, and we’ll give all the money we make to help the hungry.

Related:

• Learn more about the global hunger crisis
• Zane Tate - Boom Bap Sunrise: Rural Sounds Vol. 1