At a time when farebeating and possessing marijuana have been decriminalized and crime is at record lows, many New Yorkers were surprised that selling the fried dough sticks known as churros in a subway station could get you cuffed.
Critics say it was over-policing. The NYPD said the officers were just enforcing the law. Arrests in the subway have dropped 24% through Nov. 10, according to the NYPD. But summonses issued for fare evasion has significantly increased to 22,000.
LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
PANEL: Phillip Hamilton, a criminal defense lawyer and civil rights attorney
NYPD Sgt. Ed Mullins, the president of the union Sergeants Benevolent Association
Josmar Rujillo, an activist and co-organizer of Swipe It Forward
The African influence is growing in hip hop with the explosion of Afrobeats music. As hip hop culture becomes more international, it’s opening up new doors around the world.
The video for French Montana and Swae Lee’s 2017 hit “Unforgettable” was filmed in Uganda and has been viewed more than 1 billion times on YouTube. Its success paved the way for many others, like Casanova and Davido’s hit “2AM” and Nigerian artist Burna Boy, who has enjoyed Billboard Top 10 chart success with his unique sound.
Hot 97’s DJ Wallah, who took a chance and broke Afro B’s “Joanna,” says the appeal of the Afrobeats sound is universal. He says he sees a lot of the hip hop artists collaborating with African artists now. He says that is pushing the culture forward and broadening the horizons of hip hop.
Dr. Chris Emdin, a Professor at Columbia University Teachers College, says the hip hop-African connection is real and deep.
And Tuma Basa, YouTube’s director of urban music, says the growing number of collaborations between hip hop artists and African artists is a way for artists to expand their audience without alienating their core fans.
LISA EVERS, Host and Executive Producer, Street Soldiers https://twitter.com/lisaevers
Homelessness is a national crisis and in New York City, tens of thousands of people sleep on the street or in shelters every night.
Lisa Evers and the STREET SOLDIERS panel discuss the extent of the problem, and how best to try and tackle it.
Impostors and fake songs are sneaking onto music streaming services, making thieves tens of thousands of dollars. But how to weed out the fakes and make the system work better?
Street Soldiers’ Lisa Evers sat down with multi-platinum music producer Amadeus, assistant managing editor for Laptop Magazine Sherri Smith and Def Jam recording artist Bamby H20 for a discussion.