Thousands gather for funeral of Michael Brown
Thousands of people gathered to mourn Michael Brown, the teenager killed by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer on Aug. 9. Relatives of Michael Brown urged mourners Monday to turn their anger into a catalyst for change as thousands attended the funeral for Brown, an unarmed black man whose death at the hands of a white police officer has focused attention on what protesters say is racial profiling by law enforcement.
Some relatives choked back tears as they spoke to hundreds of people packed into St. Louis’ Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist church. Some expressed rage and admitted they wanted vengeance. But all said the violence that rocked Brown’s hometown, Ferguson, after his death on Aug. 9 was not how the 18-year-old would want to be remembered.
Civil rights activist Al Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy, echoed their calls for a powerful but peaceful response to Brown’s death.
People gather for the funeral of Michael Brown inside Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis.
“We can’t have a fit. We’ve got to have a movement,” Sharpton bellowed at the crowd, which roared in approval. “ A fit – you get mad and run out for a couple of nights. A movement means we’ve got to be here for the long haul and turn our chance into change, our demonstration into legislation.”
Sharpton and other speakers stood on a stage behind the black and gold casket containing Brown’s body. Large photographs of Brown, some framed in flowered wreaths, flanked the casket. A huge bouquet of red roses and a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap sat atop it.
The nearly three-hour service was at times heartbreaking, at times politically rousing, and at times soothing as gospel music filled the church. In that sense, it mirrored the flow of Ferguson since Brown was killed. The initial days of looting and heavy-handed law enforcement response have given way to peaceful marches for change; the withdrawal of National Guard troops and police in riot gear has reduced the tensions that pitted angry citizens against nervous law enforcement officers.
Even if street clashes have subsided, though, many speakers Monday made clear their anger remains raw.
“Michael Brown’s blood is crying from the ground. Crying for vengeance. Crying for justice,” one of Brown’s cousins, Pastor Charles Ewing, said to the crowd.
But Ewing, invoking the deaths of other young people killed in gun violence, said the cry was not just for Brown. It was also for Trayvon Martin, for the 20 first-graders shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and for the students who died in the Columbine High School massacre, Ewing said.
“I love you Mike. That’s all I’ve got to say,” Bernard Ewing, another relative, said as he choked back tears.
Before the funeral began, Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, wearing a cardinal red dress, stood for several minutes at the casket before taking her seat. A single tear ran down her face, and she shook her head back and forth as if in disbelief, oblivious to the crush of people filing into the service.
They included the Rev. Jesse Jackson; filmmaker Spike Lee; actor Wesley Snipes; Sen. Claire McCaskill and Rep. Maxine Waters.
But it was the regular citizens who formed the bulk of the mourners, many of whom did not know Brown or his family personally but who spoke of them and wept as if they were family.
"This is just so, so heartbreaking," said Monica Jackson, one of the mourners. "They shouldn't be burying this boy. He should be going to college. Not to a cemetery."
A line of several hundred people stretched outside the church hours before the doors opened -- women in church hats, men in suits and ties, occasionally singing “We Shall Overcome” as they waited during the sweltering, muggy morning
“We love you!” members of the crowd shouted as McSpadden emerged from a limousine and entered the church.
There will be no "catalyst for change" until black folks come to terms with why members of their community commit violent crimes far more often than is their percentage of the country's population. The friction between police and blacks is inevitable given the police's...
Greg Davis, 57, of Ferguson, was among the first in line at the church. Davis said he knows Brown’s great-uncle and that he had come to support the Brown family and to draw attention to police brutality and racial profiling -- the problems that protesters have said led Police Officer Darren Wilson to shoot Brown.
"Change starts with us as a community," Davis said, gesturing to police nearby as he stood outside the church about 7 a.m. “Justice for me is to stop profiling us. I would love to see them walk the beat, get to know the residents. Right now, it's hard for me to call them."
Davis wore a pin with Brown’s picture that read simply: “Justice.” Other mourners wore brown T-shirts printed with the refrain that has become the rallying call for protesters: “Hands up, don’t shoot.”
Witnesses have said Brown had his hands up and was trying to surrender when Wilson shot him on Aug. 9. Police have said Brown attacked Wilson and that the officer fired in self-defense. A grand jury began hearing evidence in the case Aug. 20.
Davis said he had been thinking a lot about the video, widely shown on TV and social media, of Brown’s body lying in the middle of the street for hours after the shooting. The image has angered some protesters who said it smacked of disrespect for Brown.“That’s something I can forgive,” Davis said. “Some people can’t.”
Indeed, marches have continued nightly on Ferguson’s West Florissant Avenue, near the shooting scene, since Brown’s death. Lately they have been peaceful, with no signs of the looting or tear-gas lobbed by heavily armed police -- images that stunned the city and the nation in the days immediately following Brown’s killing.
But marchers have said they will not stop their protests and hope that Brown’s death serves as a catalyst for change in a community that they say has long needed it.
As the funeral ended, pallbearers slowly carried Brown’s casket up the church aisle into the searing heat outside and placed it in the back of a hearse, for the drive to a cemetery where Brown will be buried. Lesley McSpadden walked slowly behind it, hugging people who lined the aisles but who stood aside to let the somber procession pass.
Miss Gunn, 42, who is from north St. Louis, said she worried about what would happen in the coming weeks.
"I've got a son and when these cameras leave, I just hope the police don't start going after black men more than they already do," said Gunn, who is black and who came to the funeral with some cousins. She did not bring her son, Montel, who is 17, saying he has been to “too many in his short life.”
"Either it's black-on-black killing or the police shooting blacks. It's sad," Gunn said.
But Eric Davis, a member of the extended Brown family, said that at least Monday should remain peaceful in honor of Brown.
“Today is for peace. Peace and quiet,” Davis told mourners inside the church. “We don’t say goodbye,” he said of Brown. “We say good journey, until we meet again.”
NeNe Leakes RHOA Au revoir is Official!
For months there have been rumors that NeNe Leakes was on her last season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Looks like the rumors were true…
According to Us Weekly,
Veteran Housewife NeNe Leakes will be making a comeback for one final season; the budding actress and performer's contract is up after season seven.
BYE BYE!
Kim Kardashian And Kendall & Kylie Jenner: Slammed For Texting During Ferguson ‘Moment Of Silence’ At VMAs
They’re some of the most avid social media moguls on the planet, but when Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner failed to ditch their phones during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards they may have made a huge mistake.
At one point in the show, rapper Common asked the audience at The Forum in Inglewood, California to observe a moment of silence for slain man Michael Brown and the people of Ferguson, Missourri.
However, Kim and her two younger sisters could be seen texting on their cell phones during the duration of the pause, and fans took to Twitter to voice disapproval.
One woman wrote, "An extra-special f--k you to the kardashian-jenner girls for texting during a moment of silence for ferguson,"while another shared, "I'm sorry that the moment of silence for Ferguson was interrupting the Kardashian's social life. What complete a-holes.”
Young Jeezy Arrested, Chopper Found During Wiz Khalifa Concert Murder Investigation
We’re told Irvine PD executed a search warrant on the rapper’s tour bus Sunday at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in connection with the shooting in Mountain View, CA … where a man died after being shot 5 times.
Jeezy is on tour with Wiz … and law enforcement sources tell us during the search cops found an assault rifle they believe belongs to Jeezy. Several members of Jeezy’s entourage were also arrested for gun possession.
Jeezy’s being held on $1,000,000 bail — and he’s still in custody.
Drake disses Chris Brown after making peace with him
After years of feuding, it seemed like Drake and Chris Brown had finally buried the hatchet in their longstanding beef and decided to make peace with each other when they were spotted in the studio together this past July and even appeared together in a sketch at the ESPYs that same month. However, after only a month of peace, it looks like things may have gone south again between the two artists because Drake recently dissed Brown during one of his concerts.
During a recent show on his joint tour with Lil Wayne, Drake was filmed mimicking brown’s dance moves while singing a line from Breezy’s “Loyal.” And although it seemed to be all fun and games at first, Drake ended the joke on a sour note when he bashed Brown’s song in front of the crowd.
“These h— ain’t loyal,” sang Brown, before adding, “F— out of here with that s—.”
Drake and Breezy originally began feuding over their love triangle with Brown’s ex-girlfriend, Rihanna, and the feud came to a violent head when Drake and Brown got involved in a bottle-throwing brawl with each other in a New York nightclub.
However, things seemed to calm down over the past year as Brown moved on to his current girlfriend, Karrueche Tran, and Drake reignited his romance with Rihanna.
But if that video is a sign, then Drake and Breezy are back to being enemies, once again. Hopefully they won’t resort to violence this time around though.
Nicki Minaj Gets A Diamond “Flawless” Chain From Beyonce
Despite having a major wardrobe malfunction, Nicki Minaj had a big night at the VMAs that ended with a special gift from King Bey. After hitting the stage to perform with Ariana Grande and Jesse J, Nick was gifted with a diamond Flawless necklace hand delivered by Beyonce herself.
Awww How cute!
Momma Dee & Frankie Celebrity Coaches for the First Annual “Balling For Lupus” Celebrity Basketball Game
CEO of Blaq Pearl Entertainment, Bo Talley-Williams, the wife of WNBA coach of the Tulsa Shock Fred Williams hosted the 1st Annual Balling for Lupus Celebrity Basket Game.
Check out the Details: Blaq Pearl Entertainment, Bo Talley-Williams and her husband WNBA coach Fred Williams presented the first ever all female Celebrity Basketball Game at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Middle and High Schools.
“Balling for Lupus” was an activity to bring about awareness to the chronic illness. The couple teamed up with the Georgia Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America to raise funds and have a great time.
“Balling for Lupus” was a night of fun, excitement, awareness and inspiration to all those who were in attendance. The event was sold out and they enjoyed some phenomenal entertainment from a spirited rendition of the national anthem by the female R&B group BLISS..
The celebrity coaches, included Momma Dee from “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta“, and Frankie, Keysha Cole’s mom, Miss Juicy from the Rickey Smiley morning show, WNBA superstars Kara Braxton and LeCoe Willingham as head coaches.
Coach Fred Williams and his wife Bo Talley-Williams brought together some amazing female celebrities which included Kahdijiah Rowe (Big Rich Atlanta), Neffe (Keysha Cole’s family first) Judy Nash (VH1′s Toughlove co-ed), Reigndrop Lopes (sister of Lisa “Lefteye” Lopes), Dominique Blake (Olympic medalist), Tyra B (singer), Chanita Foster (Football Wives) and more for one dynamic cause.
The halftime entertainment was amazing with performances by R&B/ POP female group Havok Jones, Child Rapper King Roscoe, Dance Crew Imyounique, and Dem Freshmen.
In addition to the star-studded basketball team and guests ten special Lupus Survivors and advocates were acknowledged and honored during the “Balling for Lupus” event including Kaleena Harper (Dirty Money), Michael Keith (R&B male group 112) and his mother Cheryl Keith.
Good Times for a cause!
Jim Jones Calls Dame Dash A Culture Vulture
From growing up together in Harlem to bringing the streets to the corporate office, Jim Jones and Dame Dash have a long history together. It seems that relationship might be in danger as Jim called out the former cakeaholic on social media.
Jones took to Instagram) to accuse Dame of being a crook and called him out of his name all in one fell swoop.
“This ni–a here is th real culture vulture n a thief f— f—ot lol back to my day” Capo wrote.
In a following post Jim made it clear that his account was not hacked and indeed it was him feeling in a ways. “Thts how I’m on it today f— n—az n I ain’t never hard to find”.
Ironically on the 13th anniversary of Aaliyah’s death, Dame Dash wrote a lengthy response stating he was unsure of why the Diplomats rapper was talking greasy and urged him to make peace for the sake of Hip-Hop.
“I’m not sure what exactly would make @jimjonescapo disrespect me publicly or any kind of way but if it’s over money or Buisness i really don’t think that’s the most productive way to deal with things…but I’m always open for discussion as long as we speak as men”.
Jones and Dame are currently partners in the Vampire Life clothing line and a couple of other projects that have yet to be officially launched.
Soulja Boy To Fight Gillie Da Kid In Las Vegas Boxing
After much back and forth, Soulja Boy and Gillie Da Kid are set to settle their differences in an upcoming celebrity boxing match in Las Vegas. Boxing promoter Damon Feldman sent out a press release on the fight, which will be the main event for Celebrity Boxing 77 on Oct. 25.
Reports Vlad via XXL:
The two rappers will step in the ring for three rounds, lasting a minute and a half each, while wearing protective gear and gloves. Gillie made it clear over the weekend that he wanted to square off with the “Crank That” rapper, and appeared in a video that showed him signing the fight contract.
Soulja responded to Gillie’s video by saying, “You think I’m gone box you in a ring for some money. I don’t need no f-ck-n’ money, I got money. How ’bout I knock your b-tch a-s out in the street for free?”
Word?
It’s Official: Mike Epps Lands The Role Of Richard Pryor
Comedian Mike Epps won the role over other serious contenders, Michael B. Jordan, Marlon Wayans and Nick Cannon.
It’s Official….Epps, Oprah Winfrey, and Lee Daniels confirmed the news last night on social media.
This is a part that Epps has been trying to get since 2005 when he was chosen to play Prior in a biopic directed by Walter Hill. That project fell through.
Ludacris Honored With President’s Award At 2014 BMI Awards
The 2014 BMI Awards, which specializes in saluting the top Hip-Hop and R&B talent annually, was in full effect. Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), the global leader in music rights management, presented the BMI President’s Award to Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges at the 2014 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on August 22. The star-studded event celebrates the songwriters, producers and publishers of the most-performed R&B/hip-hop songs of the previous year.
Ludacris was honored for his outstanding achievement in songwriting and his profound global influence on culture and the entertainment industry. As the 2014 President’s Award recipient, Ludacris joins an elite list of previous honorees that includes will.i.am, Adam Levine, Carlos Vives, Taylor Swift and Pitbull.
The night’s top honoree got the crowd moving with a medley of his greatest hits including “Fantasy,” “How Low Can You Go,” “Southern Hospitality,” “Area Codes,” and “Yeah,” joined by special guest Mystikal.
The evening also featured a slew of performances: rapper TeeFlii and DJ Goofy delivered “24 Hours”; Tamar Braxton offered “Love and War”; and a special set by DJ Mustard and YG.
Additional top honors were presented at the awards ceremony: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Can’t Hold Us” earned the Song of the Year prize; Lil Wayne was crowned the Songwriter of the Year for penning hits “Ball,” “Bandz A Make Her Dance,” “Beware,” “Love Me,” “No Worries,” and “Pop That.” DJ Mustard won the coveted Producer of the Year award and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. accepted the prestigious Publisher of the Year crystal for having 14 of the most-performed songs from the previous year.
Warner/Chappell Music (WCM), the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, was named Publisher of the Year at last night’s BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. In addition, WCM songwriters took home a collective 19 Most Performed Song of the Year Awards, eight of which went to Dwayne Carter AKA Lil Wayne, who was named Songwriter of the Year.
“To win Publisher of the Year at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards is an enormous accomplishment for WCM, and we couldn’t be more proud of our incredibly talented songwriters. I’d also like to thank our dedicated team for their tireless hard work, and BMI for this wonderful recognition,” said Jon Platt, President, North America, Warner/Chappell Music. “We are all humbled by what we’ve achieved together in the past couple of years. It’s been amazing to be part of our songwriters’ extraordinary creativity and success.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘#UNDERWEARNESS’
Not to sound like a total dick, but Depends is doing a huge viral marketing campaign to raise awareness for adult diapers. #Underwearness if you will.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!
EFREM
