LL Cool J Has Been Nominated For The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

A foundational figure in Hip-Hop history is eligible for nomination into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a milestone reached in past years by Beastie Boys, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, N.W.A., Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C. and Tupac Shakur. This year, LL Cool J is among the list of nominees for the class of 2019. Only 15 names were put forth by the nomination committee and Uncle L is notably the only Rap artist in the class, a fact exemplary of his standalone achievements in music history. Continue Reading...

Who was Coretta Scott King?

Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, civil rights

1964

leader, and the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.from 1953 until his death in 1968. Coretta Scott King helped lead the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. King was an active advocate for African-American equality. King met her husband while in college, and their participation escalated until they became central to the movement. In her early life, Coretta was an accomplished singer, and she often incorporated music into her civil rights work.

King played a prominent role in the years after her husband's 1968 assassination when she took on the leadership of the struggle for racial equality herself and became active in the Women's Movement. King founded the King Center and sought to make his birthday a national holiday. King finally succeeded when Ronald Reagan signed legislation which established Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. She later broadened her scope to include both opposition to apartheid and advocacy for LGBT rights. King became friends with many politicians before and after Martin Luther King's death, most notably John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy's phone call to her during the 1960 election was what she liked to believe was behind his victory.

In August 2005, King suffered a stroke which paralyzed her right side and left her unable to speak; five months later she died of respiratory failure due to complications from ovarian cancer. Her funeral was attended by some 10,000 people, including four of five living US presidents. She was temporarily buried on the grounds of the King Center until being interred next to her husband. She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame and was the first African-American to lie in State in the Georgia State Capitol. King has been referred to as "First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement".

Learn more about Coretta Scott King...

Why Washington BL. in Pasadena, CA is Targeted for Historic Street Name Change to Robinson Blvd

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson. A figure who has greatly inspired the generation of today to live up to

their potential. In Pasadena, California, you see his monuments almost everywhere. From Robinson park and Rec Center to City Hall, John Muir High School to Pasadena City College, Robinson has definitely earned more than just a name for himself. But even after The 4.2-mile stretch of the 210 from Gould Avenue to Orange Grove Boulevard was renamed the "Jackie Robinson Memorial Highway," there are still a few spectators who still aren't satisfied. I mean, it's cool having a portion of a freeway named after you. But, that was something that could've came after Robinson  Blvd.

After watching the movie "42" about the life & career of Jackie Robinson, Mistah Wilson was struck with inspiration and soon thereafter had a vision of seeing Robinson Blvd in real life. After ample research and thinking it through, Mistah Wilson soon found out that there was no major thoroughfare named after Robinson. Wilson felt as though Robinson should have at least one major thoroughfare honoring his legacy. So, he started the "Robinson Boulevard Initiative", an initiative to ultimately change Washington Blvd in Pasadena, CA as we know it to the nation's first ever (Jackie or Mack) Robinson Boulevard.

Before we get into the specifics, let us remind you that Jackie Robinson was a true product of Pasadena, California. Although he was born in Cairo, Georgia, Robinson attended 3 Pasadena educational institutions and soared as an athlete in multiple sports, earning letterman in varsity ranks. By the time he was approached by Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers at the time, Robinson already demonstrated his capacity for cultural diversity by attending public school and playing sports at UCLA.

To forward this initiative, Mistah Wilson organized an ambitious 42mile walk effort demonstrating Love, Peace, & Unity in honor of the late great Jackie Robinson. The walk took place on January 31st, 2015, from East Pasadena to Leimert Park on a tailored route. This was Wilson's first step in pushing the initiative. And he knew he was going to be in it for the long haul. Mistah Wilson also emailed the Mayor's office to share his ideals about Robinson Blvd. Bill Bogaard, former Mayor of Pasadena, promptly replied with statistics detailing the Pasadena community's effort to change

Hammond Street to Robinson Street. The report showed how the run was short lived and that it failed. Most people said no and the others were not home to comment. There was simply not enough homeowners who voted yes. Even though the report wasn't promising, Wilson was still encouraged. "Robinson deserves a major thoroughfare, just like Martin Luther King. I feel his character and image was just as significant," explains Mistah Wilson. "And what better place to start than Pasadena, California?"

Here's the deal. The Robinson Boulevard Initiative is meant to ultimately change Washington Blvd in Pasadena, CA as we know it to the nation's first ever (Jackie or Mack) Robinson Boulevard. Below is a list of reasons why Jackie Robinson deserves a street named in his honor and why Washington Blvd in Pasadena is being targeted for the historic name change:

Why Jackie Robinson Deserves a Street Named in his Honor 

1. This is a community initiative that gives us a positive, progressive African American movement. If Jackie Robinson could inspire us 42 years after passing to embark on such a mission, who knows what impact he can have on future generations.
2. Jackie Robinson's character stood for love, peace, unity, hard work, and dedication. Perfect for the direction we should go as a community.
3. Jackie Robinson was culturally unbiased. He embraced people of different ethnic backgrounds and didn't allow racism to be a determining factor of his life and story.
4. It's no secret that Jackie Robinson contributed to the Civil Rights movement of the mid-1900's. He fulfilled the dream of Martin Luther King by defeating social/racial barriers and being the first African American professional athlete to successfully break through.
5. Being the first African American baseball player in the major leagues, the first Afro-American inducted in the MLB Hall of Fame, and having his number "42" retired across all teams makes Jackie Robinson worthy of being honored by a major street in Pasadena, California.
6.  Jackie Robinson inspired the entire team as a rookie and made his teammates better.
7. The fact that Jackie Robinson graduated from college represents the power of an education. This is a good quality message we want our youth to be influenced by. 
8. With his education, Jackie Robinson was also an American business man. 
9.  Jackie Robinson received an honorable discharge from the United States military.
10.  Jackie Robinson starred in his own movie!

Why Washington Blvd in Pasadena, CA is being targeted for historic street name change to Robinson Blvd.

1. Not to discredit George Washington for all the great things he's done for the USA, but he has no immediate relevance to the City of Pasadena as Jackie Robinson does.
2. There is a Washington Blvd 10 miles and several different directions. The change wouldn't be drastic.
3. Because we feel Robinson deserves a major thoroughfare, it makes sense to target Washington Blvd because surrounding streets like Orange Grove, Fair Oaks, or even Woodbury Rd. are already unique to the City of Pasadena. Furthermore, most North/South bound streets touch different cities like Alhambra and South Pasadena. We want to avoid this so that we may not be presented with additional challenges during the process.
4. Because Jackie Robinson stood for cultural diversity justifies why Robinson Boulevard should be able to run through the East Washington Village, an Armenian-American community.
5. No one in the world living today took part in the actual naming of Washington Blvd. in Pasadena, CA.

For more information regarding the Robinson Boulevard Initiative can be found online at the official petition here. If you'd like to support or be part of the discussion, please sign the petition and contact ThaWilsonBlock Magazine here.

Hip Hop Hall of Fame Unveils New Design Concept for Manhattan

After two decades of development, the Official Hip Hop Hall of Fame (“HHHOF”) is poised to become “the Hip-Hop institution of record for the 21st century,” as reported in Billboard Magazine.

The organization kicks off November 2016 ‘Hip Hop History Month’ by unveiling its long awaited ‘State of the Art’ Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum & Hotel Entertainment Complex design concept for its Manhattan location in New York City.

The Hip Hop Hall of Fame was Established in 1992 by Founder J.T. Thompson, who created and executive produced the first Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards Induction Ceremony & Concert on the BET Cable Network in the 1990’s to be the annual fundraising catalyst for the establishment of a Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum in New York City; modeled after the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Museum which produced 20 years of awards shows before eventually opening their Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum and Entertainment Complex vision of the design concept is to include the Hall of Fame, Museum, 5 Star Hotel, Retail Stores & Gift Shop, Arcade, TV Studios, Sports Bar, Restaurant & Concert Lounge with a goal of serving up to 1,000,000 local, national, and international visitors annually including music fans, tourists, students, culture enthusiasts, and families on educational & entertainment excursion tours.

The facility will produce permanent and part time jobs, provide valuable internships and community volunteer opportunities, with a goal to host up to 150+ live events, shows, concerts, and educational programs annually for people of all ages. The project is expected to yield a significant socio-economic financial impact in...

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Ice Cube Voices Support for Tupac's Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

Ice Cube, who has been vocal about N.W.A belonging in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a rap group, now voices his support for Tupac to get the honor. The late, great Cali rapper was announced yesterday (October 18) as a nominee for the Class of 2017.

“I think we need our own Hall of Fame to be honest, but Tupac definitely needs to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” Cube says to TMZ.

N.W.A had a long journey into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, being nominated several times, but was finally inducted this year, much to the frustration of KISS singer and Class of 2014 member Gene Simmons.

“It don’t matter, as long as you get in, baby,” Cube says of Tupac’s first nomination despite naysayers like Simmons who don’t think rap belongs in the Hall.

The Class of 2017 inductees will be announced in December.

Watch the clip of Ice Cube endorsing Tupac’s nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...