An unidentified Zimmerman supporter sold gun range targets that invoke Trayvon Martin’s image.

The targets depicted a hooded figure carrying skittles and ice tea—the items Trayvon Martin was carrying the night he was shot by neighborhood watchmen George Zimmerman. The seller claims the targets sold out almost immediately.

“My main motivation was to make money off the controversy,” the unidentified seller said in an email exchange with the Orlando based station WKMG-TV.

The advertisements for the targets claim the seller “supports Zimmerman and believes he is innocent and that he shot a thug.”

He wouldn’t comment just how many of the targets he’s sold. “The response is overwhelming. I sold out in 2 days,” the seller told WKMG.

WKMG-TV

Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara thinks the targets are in poor taste. “It’s this type of hatred — that’s what this is, it’s hate-mongering — that’s going to make it more difficult to try this case,” O’Mara said. He thought the targets represented “the highest level of disgust and the lowest level of civility.”

The targets have since been taken down due to increased media scrutiny. They are no longer available for purchase.

The Ed Show – Trayvon Martin gun range targets sold out online.

Zodiac’s Note: Whoever this is, is a special kind of asshole.  I hope he’s wearing a hoodie with a target on his chest and gets done in by a Zimmerman wannabe.  Stand your ground, you anonymous dick fungus.

Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch dies at age 47.

The music world is mourning again. This time, it’s because Adam Yauch, known as Beastie Boys rapper MCA, has died.

GlobalGrind.com, music mogul Russell Simmon’s website, reports that Yauch died after a long battle with cancer. He was 47.

In 2009, Yauch announced he was being treated for a cancerous tumor in his salivary gland. He has undergone surgery and radiation therapy, and has not performed live since then. Yauch is survived by his wife, Dechen Wengdu, and their daughter, Losel.

Yauch was born an only child in Brooklyn, New York. While attending Edward R. Murrow High School, he taught himself to play the bass guitar, and formed the initial incarnation of the Beastie Boys with Michael Diamond (a.k.a. Mike D. ). They played their first show on Yauch’s 17th birthday. Yauch attended Bard College for two years before dropping out to focus on music.

The group originally featured friends John Berry and Kate Schellenbach. After Berry departed the band, he and was replaced by Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock). The group began building their reputation with a song called Cookie Puss, based around a recorded prank phone call to Carvel. The song became a sensation in New York’s underground dance scene.

Two years later, at the age of 22, the Beastie Boys, now performing as a hip hop trio, released their first album Licensed to Ill on Simmons’ Def Jam Records. By 2010, the Beastie Boys had sold 40 million records worldwide. The group has won multiple Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. Yauch, a practicing Buddhist, didn’t attend because of illness, but his bandmates read a letter from him.

“I’d like to dedicate this to my brothers Adam and Mike,” he wrote. “They walked the globe with me. It’s also for anyone who has ever been touched by our band. This induction is as much ours as it is yours.”

On Twitter, fans were remembering Yauch and the music.

Wrote Marlon Wayans: “Rest on peace Adam Yauch. Beastie Boys were always the “coolest whiteboys” when I was growing up. They erased color lines the opposite way”

Wrote director Kevin Smith: “RIP Adam Yauch. You made my teenage years more fun and your art made it easier for me to do what I do. For a Beastie, you sure were a beaut.”

And actress Milla Jovovich said, “We lost one of our greatest talents today. my prayers and thoughts go out to the family and friends of Adam Yauch. Beastie Boys for life.”

Trayvon case shows more black Americans tapping power of social media – USATODAY.com.

Somali hip-hop artist transcends Western stigmas

Somali-Canadian rapper and musician K’naan released his critically acclaimed second studio album, Troubadour, in February. Troubadour misses the quality-challenged handful of characteristics that defines a “successful” rap album in the age of top 40 hip-hop.

– http://www.thebluebanner.net/mobile/2.2681/somali-hip-hop-artist-transcends-western-stigmas-1.243533

Rapper Delivers Performance From Atop NYC Light Post

A rapper staged his performance high above Times Square on Tuesday — atop a light pole he climbed.

– http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/28/rapper-delivers-performance-from-atop-nyc-light-post/

Rapper Tech N9ne is a top seller in Utah

Rapper Tech N9ne is a top seller in Utah By CHASE HALL The Salt Lake Tribune Published Jun 23, 2011 04:29PM MDT Hardcore rapper Tech N9ne has been hailed for his success as an independent underground artist, while his newest release, “All 6’s and 7’s,” is already capturing a following in Utah. For two weeks after the album’s June 6 release, “All 6’s and 7’s” was the highest-selling record at …

- http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment/52047316-81/album-albums-artists-features.html.csp

Grio.com: Can a white rapper use the n-word?

Kreayshawn is facing some tough questions in the wake of a series of confusing and seemingly contradictory statements and behavior involving her use of the infamous n-word.

- http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/can-a-white-rapper-ever-use-the-n-word.php

International Hip-Hop artist discusses Future of Mobile Music

Berlin, Germany (PRWEB) June 09, 2011

The MLOVE ConFestival is announcing a new addition to its eclectic speaker list of international thought-leaders: Houston, TX based Chamillionaire. He is joining the stage with Grammy’s Director of Marketing Social Media, Beverly Jackson and composer producer Justin Ellington.

Chamillionaire was crowned the biggest selling Ringtone artist ever, with over 5 million ringtone sales, and was certified by the RIAA as the first multi-platinum Mastertone artist in history.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chamillionaire on the MLOVE stage and share his insights from the artist perspective. It will be one of my personal highlights of the 2011 MLOVE ConFestival,” stated Harald Neidhardt, founder of MLOVE.

MLOVE ConFestival has an eclectic list of international speakers that all highlight how mobile will change our future. As an interactive new format, it has already a ‘must join’ status among the “mobile avant-garde”. The event is anything than a usual tech conference.

“I’m excited about my participation in MLOVE for this second year.  I’m eager to bring the attendees some inspirational music content, personalities and technology applications.  It’s an amazing environment to share, network and learn….I’m a huge fan,” added Beverly Jackson of the The Recording Academy, the producers of the GRAMMY Awards.

Mobile will change our future and how we interact with music, media, advertising, automobiles, education, health and many more aspects of our lives. This generates new opportunities for start-ups and enterprises alike.

MLOVE is designed as an interactive event to network, exchange ideas and collaborate on the future of mobile.

About Chamillionaire

Hailed around the world for his major label platinum-plus debut smash album, The Sound of Revenge, the disc became one of the most influential hip-hop records in 2006, with the versatile Chamillionaire emerging as a mainstream multi-platform entrepreneur.  The single and video for “Ridin’ featuring Krayzie Bone” became the most requested hip-hop anthem, soaring to the top of the urban, hip-hop and mainstream radio charts, almost single-handedly transforming the digital landscape.

His Myspace site has exceeded 15 million profile views, earning him over 4 million in digital sales, outselling established stars such as Nelly and T.I.   In keeping with the outpouring of recognition, the charismatic performer beat out proven superstars 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and others for Best Rap Video of the Year honors for the groundbreaking “Ridin’” video, featuring Krayzie Bone, at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.

In addition, the Houston rapper won “Rookie of the Year” and the prestigious “Alltell Wireless People’s Champ Award” (viewer’s choice) at the first ever BET Hip Hop Awards, as well as a nod at the American Music Awards for Favorite New Breakthrough Artist.  In February 2007, Chamillionaire received his first Grammy Award win in the Best RB Performance By Duo Or Group category for “Ridin’.” In 2007, Chamillionaire released his sophomore effort, Ultimate Victory which debuted in the Top 10 of the Top 200 Sales Chart and was critically acclaimed as one of the best hip hop albums of the year.

About MLOVE

The MLOVE ConFestival has been named a ‘TED for Mobile’ and a meetup of the ‘IT avantgarde’ with an engaging and inspiring format in the setting of a 19th century castle in the former Eastern Germany. The MLOVE ConFestival, hosted south of Berlin from June 29 to July 2, 2011 will focus on innovative mobile opportunities for brands, entertainment and advertising and the impact of mobile as a social catalyst for positive change.

The MLOVE tribe started grass roots by an international group of “mobile passionistas” in 2008. Through MLOVE “camps” in Andorra, Barcelona, San Francisco, Munich, London, New York and Singapore the agenda for MLOVE evolved into more than mobile.

The current Speaker line up for MLOVE ConFestival 2011:

Music/Gaming:

Chamillionaire, Grammy-Award winning music artist, USA

Peter Vesterbacka, CMO, Rovio (Angry Birds); Finland

Justin Ellington, Music Producer, USA

Izzy Lawrence, DJane, TV Radio Presenter, UK

Advertising/Media/Communications:

Martin Lange, Global Lead of Mobile@Ogilvy, OgilvyOne, USA

Takeshi Mizukawa, Director, Future Communications, Dentsu, JP

Katsutoshi Kitamura, CEO, Butterfly, Inc., JP

Dr. Bernd Becker, Head of Digital Worldwide, Volkswagen, GER

Will Samson, Editor, Contagious Magazine, UK

Mobile Innovation:

Daniel Graf, Director, Google Apps Lab, USA

Thorsten Dirks, CEO of E-PLUS (BASE), GER

Japan:

Kei Shimada, CEO, Infinita, Japan

Inspiration:

Peter Hale, Co-Founder, GBH branding agency, UK

Jonathan MacDonald, Founder of Every Single One of Us

Russell Buckley, MobHappy, Singularity Alumni, UK

mHealth:

Thomas Goetz, Executive Editor, WIRED Magazine, USA

Yuri van Geest, two time Singularity University alumni, FutureMed, NL

Social Change/Sustainability:

Adele Waugaman, Director, United Nations Foundation, USA

Bernd Kolb, Founder, Club of Marrakesh, Marocco

Corvida Raven, Founder, Shegeeks.net; the ‘Oprah of Social Media’

Start-up competition Jury:

Jean Schmitt, MD of Sofinnova Partners; France

Daniel Graf, Director, Google Apps Lab; USA

Additional supporting companies include NOKIA, Volkswagen, Vodafone, Alcatel Lucent, BASE, Smaato, Huawei, and Onitsuka Tiger (Asics).

For more information, the developing speaker line up and tickets registration, visit our official website at http://www.mlove.com.

CONTACT:

Information and your request for an invite write request(at)mlove(dot)com or go to http://www.mlove.com

MEDIA CONTACT:

Philipp von Roeder    philipp(at)mlove(dot)com    +49-172-6897499

Social Media: Follow MLOVE on Twitter: @mlovesociety and hashtag #mlove

Become a MLOVE fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mlovesociety

###

Katy Redka
MLOVE
+49.172.44.68.199 media@mlove.com
Email Information

Walking through the serpentine streets of a Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Beirut, Mohammed Turek stops at his homemade recording studio. It measures only six by twelve feet, and the walls are covered with foam-rubber baffling and political posters. Turek, known as TNT, records tracks here for his rap group, I-Voice.

Still in his early 20s, TNT is already a veteran of the local hip-hop scene. TNT doesn’t speak English, but says he’s drawn a lot of inspiration from American rappers like the late Tupac Shakur, whose video for the song “Open Fire” struck a chord with the young artist.

“I saw the graffiti street art,” he says, speaking through a translator. “They lit a fire on the street and I liked that. It could have been a Palestinian camp in Lebanon.”

Palestinian rap can be traced back to 1999, when the Israeli Arab group DAM began rhyming about resistance to occupation. But as hip-hop spread to Lebanon a few years later, the music started to incorporate themes specific to the Palestinian experience there. The Beirut group Katibe 5, for example, has a song called “Welcome to the Camps,” which criticizes the Lebanese army occupation of Palestinian refugee camps and government corruption.

Most of the camps in Lebanon were established in the late 1940s, after Palestinians fled Israel. They have come to function as small cities, beset by poverty and guarded by the Lebanese Army. Angie Nassar, an American of Lebanese descent, is a journalist in Beirut and a graduate student writing her master’s thesis on Lebanese hip-hop. She says the hardships of daily life in the camps have led Palestinian rappers to largely reject the gangster image popular with some of their American counterparts.

“Palestinians have it arguably worse in this country than anyone else,” Nassar says. “It’s like they have to deal with devastation. They have to deal with being nobody in this country.”

Rapper Osloob, a member of Katibe 5, says there is a parallel between black ghettos in the U.S. and Palestinian camps in Lebanon two segregated communities on opposite sides of the earth. At the same time, he says, the camps do help the Palestinians maintain their national identity.

“The camps keep the Palestinian culture in the Lebanese community,” Osloob says. “We need to never forget the history.”

In order to preserve that culture, TNT says, Palestinian hip-hop often incorporates traditional spoken-word poets and Arabic instruments.

“We find people who play [lute-like Middle Eastern instrument] the oud and other instruments, such as Arabic drums and keyboards tuned for the Arabic scale,” TNT says. “We don’t sample someone else’s music. We record everything live.”

While these efforts to fuse rap with classical Arabic music have attracted young Palestinians, some conservative Muslims in Lebanon still criticize hip-hop for being imperialist, Western music. But Ghazi Abdel Baki, who runs the independent recording label Forward Records in Beirut, says he disagrees.

“Some of them, the purists, consider it a Western mode of expression that is not ours,” he says. “But Vivaldi is not European anymore. It’s a heritage of the world.”

TNT says that, while American hip-hop initially inspired him, it’s the Palestinian people who continue to give him stories to tell.

“Palestinians are so proud of the rappers,” he says. “When I get back here from Europe, even if the flight is at 4 a.m., people are waiting for me. I’m like an ambassador.”

Copyright 2011 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.