Tag: spike lee

Washington (CNN)The Killers cover political topics from the border wall to mass incarceration on their new song "Land of the Free." Lead singer Brandon Flowers said in a note posted to Instagram that the idea for the song began after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. "In the months and years that followed, America would be hit with an onslaught of more mass shootings of innocents and too many examples of racial injustice to ignore," he wrote. Flowers credited Ava DuVernay's "13th," a film about race and incarceration, and Jimmy Kimmel's political monologues with convincing him to turn his thoughts into music. He also mentioned his grandmother, a Lithuanian immigrant who traveled to the US to escape Soviet oppression, and said, "We dishonor our values, our ancestors and our heritage when we tear gas our brothers and sisters seeking asylum." "I love my country," Flowers wrote. "I know that these are complicated issues but whether you stand to the left, right, or straddle the line, you've gotta believe that we can do better." The video for the track, directed by Spike Lee, includes footage from the wall on the US-Mexico border. Flowers has weighed in on politics before, but it's usually local. The Nevada singer performed at a rally for the Senate campaign of Democrat Jacky Rosen in his home state in 2018, and he's appeared before with former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.

Nike took this route as its biggest representatives — most notably LeBron James and Serena Williams — have spoken out about police shootings of African-American men and problems facing the black community. NBA players in recent years have worn shoes with messages of “R.I.P. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2018 Athletic apparel companies have straddled the entertainment and cultural worlds for years partly with their emulation of black culture — think Run-DMC’s Adidas shoe deal in the wake of the group’s rap hit “My Adidas” and Nike’s “Air Jordan” campaigns featuring Michael Jordan and Spike Lee. And with that shift, Nike is taking the side of its superstar athletes — even if it means alienating Trump supporters and intertwining shoes and politics. Clothing and shoe makers have always had a back-and-forth relationship with minority communities. The relationship began in the 1980s, when Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Converse became staples of black fashion, and African-American youth sought to emulate the stars of the day, like Jordan, Run-DMC and other figures associated with the burgeoning hip-hop culture. Companies “have made millions off of following trends from the black community, and so they have to be cognizant of the feelings of that community,” said Antonio S. Williams, who teaches sports marketing at Indiana University. A company official said “things are going to move in the right direction” under a Trump presidency. Protesters took that as support for Trump and began burning New Balance shoes and posting videos. Nike has likely figured out that its core consumers — the people who regularly buy its sneakers and clothes — are probably the millennials and minority youth who already support Kaepernick or at least don’t mind the stance he is taking, Antonio Williams said.

Sorry To Bother You director Boots Riley has issued a long Twitter critique of Spike Lee’s new Black KKKlansman film, attacking its politics and timing. Warning: The article contains spoilers on Black KKKlansman and Riley’s tweets. While allowing that Lee has been “a huge influence” on his career, Riley took issue with the fictionalization of the story, wherein police are made out to be heroes in the battle against racism. Lee’s film tells the true story of a black detective infiltrating a Colorado Springs chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. “After 40 years of cop shows and cop movies, did we really need one more movie where it’s supposed to be about racism but the cops are the actual heroes of the film and the most effective force against racism?” Riley asked. The director noted his tweet was a “rhetorical question,” indicating the answer is “no.” Riley previously tweeted support for Lee and enthusiasm about seeing the BlackKKKlansman film. Some observers have noted that both films are now in the theaters, setting up a quasi-competition. In the 5th paragraph it says: "where he did what all papers from the FBI’s Counter Intelligence Program (Cointelpro) that were found through the freedom of information act tell us he did" 2b clear, it shuld say: "found through the freedom of information act point to him doing" — Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) August 17, 2018

Director Spike Lee talks about President Trump and explains how his movie, "BlacKkKlansman" is relative to race in America today.

Spike Lee says that it's hypocritical for NFL team owners to kneel with their players because they have forgotten the reason why the protest started in the first place.

Spike Lee says that it's hypocritical for NFL team owners to kneel with their players because they have forgotten the reason why the protest started in the first place.