The Rapidly Rising Rapper Turns His Struggles Into Inspiration On Moving New Track
Seemingly overnight, Kode Phive has emerged as one of the hottest voices in the American hip hop underground. He has shown an uncanny ability to transform the most difficult moments of his life into a powerful, moving brand of hip hop. On his latest song, he mines his childhood for memories before turning his attention toward the future and his ascending career. The result is one of the more memorable hip hop tracks you’ll hear this year.
The first thing that stands out about ‘The People’s Station’ is the sheer conviction of Kode Phive’s voice. It is clear that he has survived an incredible amount of adversity on his way to becoming the artist he is today. He’s a natural storyteller, speaking for not just himself, but the friends and family members he’s lost, and the community who continues to support him. This authenticity has obviously struck a chord with modern listeners, as has tracks have been streamed over a million times this year alone. Kode Phive is a talent that demands attention, and it ‘The People’s Station’ is any indication, he will be a force in the hip hop world for years to come.
‘The People’s Station’ is available everywhere July 23, 2020
Contact: twentyfoursevenpublicity@gmail.com
Instagram: @KodePhive
Twitter: @KodePhive
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San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr speaks to members of the media
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SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr on Friday announced the conclusion of an Internal Affairs investigation into racist and homophobic text messages sent by officers.
Suhr said at least one police sergeant and a captain were involved. "It just makes me sick to even talk about it," said Suhr. "Certainly to have a member as high ranking as a captain was particularly disheartening."
The texts surfaced a couple of weeks ago after former officer Ian Furminger was sentenced on federal corruption charges.
Former officer Ian Furminger
Fourteen officers in all were the subject of an internal investigation. Suhr says eight - including the captain - sent messages sickening enough to warrant immediate suspension and eventual termination.
Michael Robison - a gay police officer and 23 year veteran - resigned over the texts he shared with Furminger.
On Friday, Officer Michael Celis, a 16 year veteran of the force, announced he'd step down as well - a move that may help the officers keep their pensions.
"Those [texts] don't represent his views, they don't represent how he approached his work and his life," said San Francisco attorney Tony Brass, who represents Celis and Robison. "But he understands that the texts are incompatible with continuing his work as a San Francisco police officer."
In a statement, San Francisco Police Officers Association President Martin Halloran said, "These officers need to be afforded their due process... If these allegations are proven to be true... there is no place for this type of behavior within the San Francisco Police Officers Association or the SFPD."
The officers will go before the Police Commission, which will have the final say on whether to terminate them or mete out another form of discipline.
Critics on Friday called for reform in the department. "We have to vet officers," said San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, "so we don't have officers who hold racist views that are going to endanger not only themselves but the public, and also provide training on unconscious bias."
Suhr said the department recently restored a racial profiling class that had lost funding and plans to examine officers' backgrounds for warning signs.
"You have to assume that there could be more," said Suhr. "So we're going to look at their personal history questionnaires to see if there's some commonality that we hired somebody that we should've known that we shouldn't have hired."
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Tony Yayo said he has the most eclectic musical taste in G-Unit. He listens to J. Cole, Lady Gaga, The-Dream and the Pack's Lil B, who is on a few tracks from Yayo's new mixtape, along with protégé Danny Brown.
"Lil B, I told you I'm feeling," he said. "I wanna start something new and get some artists under the wing. Lil B, Danny Brown is on the mixtape coming soon. [G-Unit member] New Money Trav. Trav knows Lil B. He has connections with Too Short. I got connections with E-40. They all end up coming to the show in the Bay. That's how 50 [Cent] wound up doing the remix to [E-40's] 'N---a Don't Act Like a Bitch.' They all ended up backstage. We had E-40 back there, Too Short, Lil Uno from the Pack. It was so many people back there. I linked up with Lil B. His music is good. He's a real humble dude. That cooking dance is hot."
Tony said B came to the G-Unit mansion and banged out a few tracks shortly after.
"When I'm in the studio, me and D. Brown, it was cool new energy," the Southside Queens native said. "It was cool to have new energy in the studio. Like how Cam'ron vibes with Vado. I think Vado makes Cam better. You hear his sh-- sounding better because of Vado. Me working with D. Brown, I hear my sh-- sounding better and better. When you work with a guy who has punch lines, you take your time to create punch lines too. It's like a war in the studio. Lil B came to the studio, knocked out his verses easy. Came to the mansion, we balled out and just chilled, man."
When asked if he could see Lil B as part of G-Unit, Yayo didn't think it was out of the realm of possibility.
"I could see that," he said. "He's a little crazy, but I could see that. He makes good music. It's all about the good music."
Video After The Jump
LOS ANGELES — For 18 months, former Bay area transit officer Johannes Mehserle maintained a public silence about what led him to shoot unarmed Oscar Grant as he lay face down on an Oakland train platform.
More answers may come on Friday when Mehserle resumes testifying at his murder trial in a Los Angeles courtroom. His testimony marks the first time he's spoken publicly about the shooting early New Year's day 2009.
Mehserle, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to the 22-year-old black man. The trial was moved from Alameda County because of intense media coverage and racial tensions.
Friends and family of Oscar Grant
In a surprise move Thursday, Mehserle took the stand and told jurors that training he received didn't emphasize the possibility of mistaking his stun gun with his handgun.
But that's what his lawyer claims happened when Mehserle pulled out his .40-caliber handgun and shot Grant.
On questioning by defense lawyer Michael Rains, the brawny, 6-foot-4 Mehserle said he received Taser training in December 2008 and had only pulled it out once while on duty in the month before the shooting.
He said his former employer didn't put much weight on possible "confusion issues" where officers should place the Taser holster, only that the weapon wasn't to be put under their issued handgun.
"They left it up to us to figure it out," said Mehserle, who spoke in a calm, soft voice. "For me it wasn't that big of a deal."
Prosecutors say Mehserle intended to shoot Grant, and that Mehserle used his handgun because officers were losing control of the situation. Mehserle wore his stun gun on the front left side the night of the shooting, while his handgun was mounted on his right hip.
The trial adjourned late Thursday before Mehserle could give details about the shooting.
Former Bart cop Johannes Mehserle talking to his lawyer
Legal experts say while defendants in criminal trials rarely take the stand, his testimony could be compelling for jurors.
"They are going to want to get a sense of is he a good person, a thoughtful person," said Dr. Philip Anthony, a Los Angeles psychologist who is chief executive of the jury consulting firm DecisionQuest. "Most importantly, they want to hear what was running through his mind, his thought process when he fired that fatal shot."
On the stand, Mehserle did say when he arrived with his partner to the train station in response to a possible fight, that he could hear yelling and screaming from the platform above.
"I remember it being real loud," Mehserle said. "I didn't know if officers were involved in the fight or the crowd had turned on them. It didn't sound good."
He added he intercepted a few men who he said were approaching two fellow officers that had detained Grant and several friends against a concrete wall. He said the men, who turned out to be more of Grant's friends, were taunting the BART officers.
"I just instructed them to get back," Mehserle said.
He said he eventually looked at Grant and Jackie Bryson, who appeared to be upset. The other two officers, Tony Pirone and Marysol Domenici, had pulled their stun guns out and given the situation, Mehserle said he decided to do the same. Before Grant was shot, he snapped a photo of Mehserle pointing his Taser stun gun in his direction.
Mehserle said he wasn't sure what had transpired but tried to cool down Grant and Bryson.
"They were yelling '(expletive) that officer,' 'I'm going to sue,'" Mehserle recalled the two men saying of Pirone, who was described by some onlookers as the most aggressive and hostile toward Grant and his friends.
The shooting, and the events leading up to it, were captured on video by several bystanders.
Grant's uncle, Cephus "Bobby" Johnson said he believes Mehserle will try using his testimony to differentiate himself from Pirone.
"Now all of the sudden he's this huggable, passive, non-aggressive person who really believes in communication instead of exerting authority," Johnson said. "I'm not buying that."
Associated Press Writer Terry Collins contributed to this report.
Wanda Johnson, (R) hugs friend during demonstration outside Bart Station In Oakland
Unseen Footage Of Oscar Grant Killing
BART Cop Johannes Mehserle Takes Stand In Murder Trial
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