hard Knock radio | Hip-Hop and Politics

Former Political Prisoner Lynne Stewart Speaks: From Larry Davis to the War on Terror

May 7, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Hard Knock Radio: Over the weekend, we were honored to sit down and speak with long time human right’s activist and freedom fighter, former political prison affectionately known as ‘the People’s Lawyer-Lynne Stewart.

She swung through the Bay Area with Pam and Ramona Africa to celebrate Mumia Abu Jamal’s 60th birthday and to raise awareness about political prisoners. For those who are unaware, Stewart was sent to jail almost 10 years ago when the Bush administration accused her of aiding and abetting terrorists, which was far from the case.

She was sent to jail under new restrictive laws that were newly applied to lawyers working with particular clients. Her case set a frightening precedent and showed just how much our civil liberties have been encroached. By using the words terrorists and painting Stewart as some sort of danger to national security, the Bush administration was able to get away with what Stewart described as an egregious crime.

Stewart pointed out that her long history of successfully opposing state oppression and abusive police made her a target where all rules were thrown out the window. During our interview she breaks down the full details leading up to her arrest and conviction. It is truly fascinating.

Larry Davis

We also spoke to Stewart about her past work, including her being the lawyer for infamous Bronx drug dealer, turned police fighter Larry Davis. Davis was accused of shooting six New York City cops who he said were dirty and forcing him to deal drugs. He went on the run for 17 days after the shooting, sparking one of the largest man hunts in New York City history.

What a lot of folks don’t know is Lynne successfully defended him of those initial charges. he was acquitted. Sadly he was actually convicted on something that was minor compared to the charges levied on him about the police shootings. Stewart noted that she wasn’t Davis’ lawyer in the last case which led to him being convicted and sent to jail where was later murdered.

During our interview Stewart gives up a lot of key information about the plight of political prisoners and what its like inside jail for them. She described in detail the types of tactics guards use to prevent inmates from asserting their rights and organizing..

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News Tagged With: hard Knock radio, Lynee Stewart, people's Lawyer, political prisoner

Remembering Rubin Hurricane Carter..Our Hard Knock Radio Interview

April 22, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Rubin Hurricane Carter

Hard Knock Radio 04-21-2014: We talk with the two reporters who were on the scene last year in Boston during the bombings that took place at the conclusion of the marathon.. Chris Farone and Dart Adams share their thoughts on what was going on then and now and how the response to those bombings impacted our civil liberties ..

Later on in the show we give a throwback interview featuring former HKR co-host Weyland Southon speaking w/ Rubin Hurricane Carter who passed away over the weekend.. The former celebrated boxer turned prison rights activist was someone who showed us how to be resilient in the face of the most oppressive and insurmountable odds.

When he came to our studios a few years back, he was in the middle of a speaking tour helping raise awareness about the plight of political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal.. Here carter speaks at length about Mumia’s case as well as dispensing advice to those currently locked up.. It was a memorable visit.. He was very inspiring

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: hard Knock radio, prison rights, Rubin Hurricane Cater, Weyland Southon

MSNBC Legal Analyst Lisa Bloom Breaks Down Trayvon Martin Case

April 22, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Lisa Bloom

Hard Knock Radio 04-16-14: We speak NBC legal analyst, lawyer and author Lisa Bloom about the her book Suspicion Nation which gives keen insight into the Trayvon Martin/ George Zimmerman trial which she feels was botched by the prosecutors..

During our conversation Ms Bloom lays out 5 key egregious mistakes and oversights about the trial which led to its messed up outcome. Among the points raised is the mistreatment and harassment of the only non white juror, Maddy, who for weeks felt singled out, demeaned, and belittled by the five white jurors. Things got so bad that she decided to leave — twice — but was talked into staying by two minority bailiffs. Was racial profiling going on inside the jury room in the midst of the highest profile trial in America about racial profiling?

Another disturbing aspect brought forth by Lisa Bloom in our interview was how the state of Florida failed to argue their best evidence (that Zimmerman’s gun was holstered behind him, making it impossible for Trayvon to see, much less reach for – the essence of Zimmerman’s self-defense claim).

Zimmerman demonstrated this on videotape the day after the incident, so it was right under their noses all the time. The state failed to prepare its most important witnesses, and assured the acquittal by delivering an abysmal closing argument, failing to connect the evidence to the law, asking questions rather than providing answers. State Attorney Angela Corey’s big smile and statement “the system worked” after the acquittal raises real questions about whether they wanted to win the case at all.

Rachel Jaentel

Lisa Bloom talks about her interview with Trayvon’ s friend Rachel Jeantel who she notes was poorly prepared by the state prosecutors for her testimony. One of the key points that the state neglected to bring to light during that fateful last conversation was how Trayvon was joking with Rachel just before the altercation. This revelation would’ve have undercut Zimmerman’s claim that Trayvon was an enraged homicidal attacker.

Lisa Bloom addresses the nagging issue of Trayvon being suspended from his high school in Miami. many were lead to believe that Trayvon was some sort of violent thug who was disruptive. That was far from the case. Bloom points out that Trayvon was suspended for being late and having an empty bag with traces of weed in his locker.

Trayvon Martin

During our conversation Bloom gives larger context to the suspensions by noting how there have been multiple civil rights cases filed against Florida schools for racial bias against African-American boys in suspensions. In the case of Trayvon his infractions did not warrant suspensions under his school’s own written policies.

Under those policies, his offenses, like tardiness, should have not led to suspensions at all, or resulted in only brief suspensions. Trayvon was away from his Miami home the night he lost his life due to an unwarranted ten-day suspension, his third in a few months.

We concluded our interview by talking about the importance of making sure the right DAs and judges get into office and how the refusal of many to take such elections seriously have had long term negative consequences…

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: hard Knock radio, Lisa Bloom, Suspicion Nation, Trayvon Martin

Explosive Just Cause Report Shows Health Impact of Gentrification

April 10, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Robbie Clark of Just Cause

Hard Knock Radio 04-09-14 We sat down and spoke with Robbie Clark of Just Cause/ Causa Justa about the new 110 page report called Development Without Displacement: Resisting Gentrification in the Bay Area that shares important finding on the impacts of gentrification on Bay Area communities and some principles and policies for stabilizing our cities so that long-term residents and communities of color and stay and thrive.

The report was done with the Alameda County Department of Health and although it focuses on Bay Area cities Oakland and San Francisco its findings apply to regions all over the country. Whats most telling is how this gentrification process of mass displacement along racial and class lines and its long-term health impact…

As Robbie Clark noted in our conversation everything from long commutes to no longer being around familiar settings and family and friends to not having access to adequate health facilities and resources in new places where folks are being displaced have had devastating impact. The stress of not being able to hold onto a home or having rents significantly increase has been unsettling for many resulting in long-term health issues.

During our conversation we spoke about the root causes of gentrification in the Bay Area and the key role ruthless corporations have played in driving up home prices by pressuring politicians to put forth specific policies to prevent rent control and make evictions easy…

We also talk about the various waves of gentrification. Often we focus on the impact of Black and Brown folks in particular areas, but in cities like San Francisco, gentrified from 10 years ago are now showing those gentrifiers are being displaced. People who were forced to move away from the cities into far off suburbs are finding they are not safe from the predatory process as investment corporations are set on driving up home prices and rents in those areas as well. In short there is no escaping the practice by moving away. Its about pushing for policy changes and redefining how communities should be.

Robbie was great in laying out several of the many solutions this report puts forth. Most important is organizing. It seems simple on the surface,but it’s not done as effectively as it can and should be. In addition what’s often not realized is that new comers into a community often feel empowered and quickly organize and petition locals municipalities to craft a vision for the community as they see fit. This vision often includes adding new police, putting forth new ordinances and developing policies to make it easier to remove families who they deem problematic.

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: Bay Area, Causa Justa, Gentrification, hard Knock radio, Just Cause, Robbie Clark

Black Male Achievement, Hip Hop in the Academy; 2 Educators Speak Out

April 9, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Brenden Anderson

Hard Knock Radio: 04-08-14 We speak with local community activist and educator Brenden Anderson about Black Male achievement, effective teaching methods, the school to prison pipeline and the upcoming Black male Achievement Man Up Conference. We talk about the obstacles that are in the way preventing effective methods from being implemented in schools. We talk about the way economic incentives around mass incarceration and private prisons. play a role in keeping education underfunded. We talk about how the programs Brenden is involved in have become a model currently being looked at by the Obama administration for their My Brother’s Keeper program.

Mazi Mutafa

Later on in the show we talk with educator Mazi Mutafa about his Washington DC based organization Words, Beats and Life. We talk about Hip Hop in the academy and how its grown over the years and the various approaches many are taking to enhance their teaching and excite students. We talk about their peer reviewed magazine and the significance of having scholars directly interact with practioners, artists and pioneers vs being detached and ‘studying them’.

We talk about the on going One Mic Festival in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center in which WBL is participating . We talk about How Hip Hop has spread globally and the steps folks here in the US must take to become a better participant in Hip Hop’s global conversation.

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: Black Male Achievment, Brenden Anderson, hard Knock radio, Hip Hop, Life, Mazi Mutafa, Words Beats

Critical Updates on the Alex Nieto Killing by SFPD | Special Election in Jackson, Ms

April 8, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Hard Knock Radio 04-07-14: Today we sat down with local activist and Professor Ben Bac Sierra, who was best friends to Alex Nieto. Alex was the honor student and security guard at El Toro Nightclub was slain by SFPD as he sat eating in a park in neighborhood in Bernal Heights..

According to police, they were responding to reports of a man acting ‘erratically’ carrying a gun. Alex was in the park walking back and forth, praying out while carrying his job issued taser which strapped to his side. Police showed up, stood 75 feet away and shot Alex after he pointed the taser at him.. That’s according to their reports. That account has been widely disputed.

Ben gives us a blow-by-blow account of the incident following the timeline put out police. He also explains that the caller stayed on the phone with police dispatchers as they approached Alex and noted that he was sitting on a bench eating when police approached him..

He also talks about how the SFPD visited Alex’s parents hours after he was killed and attempted to get information about his mental well-being in the past. The parents were unaware their son had been killed. They were under the impression Alex was in some sort of trouble with the law which in itself was shocking because he had whistle clean record. They cooperated with police as best they could. His parents do not speak English. The police demanded to search the house, Alex’s father refused. It was after the police questioned the parents that officers informed them they had shot and killed Alex…

Ben also relayed how SFPD Chief Greg Suhr publicly promised to pay for Alex’s funeral during the widely watched police town hall. After the cameras were gone Suhr called up the family the next day and reneged on his promise. The family had to hold a fundraiser to get money for Alex’s funeral.

Ben concluded our interview by noting the support they have been receiving by hundreds of residents all over Bernal Heights and the Mission as well as by local supervisors David Campos and John Avala.

In recent days SFPD have announced they are on high tactical alert because they had received an anonymous death threat. Local organizers feel this is the police’s way of demonizing Alex’s friends and family who have been peaceful in all demonstrations and outings.

Later in the show we talk with longtime activist and Malcolm X Grassroots leader Kali Akuno about the special election in Jackson, Mississippi for Mayor that’s scheduled for Tuesday April 8th. He talks to us about the political landscape in the wake of Mayor Chokwe Lumumba’s death. His son Antar is running and trying to succeed his father and continue implementing the Jackson Rising people’s plan…

Kali noted that many of the candidates initially had pledged loyalty to the late Mayor’s historic Jackson Rising plan. Its enormously popular among Jackson residents. Once Antar entered the race, those same candidates have been working overtime to dis it.

In the wake of last week’s Supreme Court ruling where campaign contribution limits have been lifted, millions of dollars from outside the city and state have poured into the election making it the most expensive in Jackson’s history. The bulk of the money has been coming in from developers and republicans in the overwhelming Democratic City. Kali noted that there is a strong push to gentrify Jackson.

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: Alex Nieto, Ben Bac Sierra, hard Knock radio, Jackson Mississippi, Kali akuno, SFPD

The Eviction of Sabrina Carter-SF’s Privatization and Negro Removal Plan

April 4, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Sabrina Carter

Hard Knock Radio (04-02-14) Co-Host Anita Johnson speaks with Tiny Lisa Garcia of Poor News Network and long time resident Sabrina Carter about the ongoing privatization and gentrification that is unfolding in urban areas, in particular San Francisco…They talk about the large numbers of Black families being forcibly moved out of San Francisco

In the case of Sabrina Carter she is the latest person to come under the scourge of San Francisco’s Negro Removal Program where large numbers of Black people all over the city are being evicted for a variety of nefarious reasons. In this case , she is being evicted because she is unable to control the actions and behavior of her adult son. This eviction would leave Carter homeless…

Below is an excerpt from a recent SF Baview newspaper article penned by Lisa Garcia explaining the plight of Sabrina Carter and a recent protest that took place at City Hall..http://sfbayview.com/2014/the-new-freedom-ride-black-families-youth-elders-and-ancestors-sing-spirit-into-sf-city-hall/

“You can’t sing in here; you are constituting an unlawful assembly!” As we walked 30 deep – youth, adults, elders, singing the spirit of our African ancestors, our indigenous ancestors in resistance into City Hall – we were stopped by three sheriffs who said we were, in fact, an unlawful assembly because we were singing.

“I thought this was our constitutional right to free speech, to free song,” I said.

“No, you are protesting; therefore you are an unlawful assembly.”

“We aren’t protesting; we are singing,” I continued to say.

Then more sheriffs came. They talked among themselves. They had guns and batons. We had our voices. We were walking spirit of our ancestor freedom fighters inside the politrickster-infested walls of soul-ed out peoples of color, trying to get mines, capitalist pawns and apologists of the ruling class.

“Where are you going?”

“To see the mayor.”

“Well, you can’t see the mayor if you are singing. You can’t protest in this building.” As the men with the badges and the guns spoke, the walls shook. The floors trembled. The statues of politricksters past shook slightly on their marble podiums. Mama Sabrina’s face shook with tears. Her strong young 10-year-old and 19-year-old sons looked down as they stood valiantly by her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkEMA6UaINE

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: Anita Johnson, Gentrification, hard Knock radio, Lisa Garacia, Poor News Network, sabrina Carter

Queendom Comes Together | Sellassie Speaks on State of Bay Area Hip Hop

March 28, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Jazz Hudson

Hard Knock Radio (03-28-14), c0-host Anita Johnson chops it up with long time artist/ activist Jazz Monique Hudson about women in Hip Hop and the upcoming Queendom event featuring herself, Aima the Dreamer, Aisha Fukashima, DJ Zita, Queens D Light, Coco Peila and Shy An G to name a few.

Jazz speaks about the current challenges of dealing with sexism within the industry as well as the power moves she and other women are making to remain independent and better equipped. Queendom is taking place on Friday March 28 2014 at Betti Onos and will feature women repppin’ all 4 elements of Hip Hop..

Later in the show, Anita chops it up with SF artist Sellassie about the state of Hip Hop in the Bay Area. He explains the concept behind his upcoming unity summit he is organizing which is intended to bridge the gap between local artists and club and radio deejays.

He feels that many deejays are not supportive of the Bay sound.. Many deejays feel otherwise and hence this gathering Next Wednesday April 2 between 7-10pm at African American Cultural Center in the Filmore district of San Francisco..

Sellassie also talks about police brutality incidents and what folks should be doing to fight back.. On this show he reveals his new song ‘Cops Keep Firing.’

https://soundcloud.com/mrdaveyd/hard-knock-radio-03-28-14

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News, Hard Knock Radio Intv Tagged With: bay Area rap, hard Knock radio, Queendom, sellasie, Stop Hating in the Bay, Women in Hip Hop

Meet Jessica Care Moore Legendary Poet-Build Black Institutions

March 25, 2014 By mrDaveyd

Last week the Bay Area was blessed when legendary poet, playwright, actress, educator, businesswoman and mother Jessica Care Moore made the trek from Detroit to historic Merit College (birthplace of the Black Panthers) to give a talk. Inside the Huey P Newton/ Bobby Seal Lounge, Moore talked for about an hour to a packed room about a number of topics ranging from her friendship with the late Amiri Baraka and why she felt her generation were connected with the Black Arts Movement which is often erased and marginalized in history. She talked about some of the projects folks are working on the preserve the memory of Baraka and bring a larger spotlight on to BAM.

We spoke about her native Detroit and the legacy of techno music and its pioneers Juan Atkins and her good friend Mad Mike Banks who opened a techno museum. We talked about how many forget techno is a black music genre and why Detroit and its gritty conditions gave birth to it in the early 80s. Jessica noted that she had recorded her album inside the techno museum and was working on a project with Mad Mike that will soon be released.

We talked with Moore about her close friendship with John Doe aka J-Dilla who actually made beats for her spoken word that have yet to be released. Yes, there are unheard Dilla beats sitting around..

We spoke about her close friendship with Detroit’s unofficial mayor the late Proof of the group D-12. We talked about the early days of his now iconic Hip Hop Shop and what it meant to the city. We talked about Eminem and his rise to fame and what its meant for Detroit. We talked about the strong women artists who come from that city.

We talked about Moore’s current project Black Women Rock which went down last weekend and why she formed it and its overall goal of showcasing and empowering talented women not just from Detroit but from around the country.

During our interview we talked about the city in general and its current financial hardships and how Detroit is changing for the better if you are rich. She noted the city is deliberately changing to exclude and oppress the poor. She talked at length about what and how people are fighting back..

Moore talked at length about the importance of institution building and why its essential for Black folks and artists to make moves in direction. She talked about Black Women Rock is an institution and we spoke about her publishing company Moore Books which has been home to a number of important spoken word artists including Saul Williams. She talked about how she learned from Third World Press publisher Haki Madhubuti who was a key member of the Black Arts Movement

We talked about the work she did with Nas and her current project she has done that features stellar figures like Roy Ayers..

https://soundcloud.com/mrdaveyd/hard-knock-radio-03-24-14-intv