The 44 Percent: Haitian Flag Day, Miami rapper goes national & Angel Reese returns
Part of the Black experience is pushing through tough times.
Haitian Flag Day, typically a jubilee for Haitians in Miami, had a different tone this year because of recent events in the country — but the festivities continued.
Miami native Gregory “King Tetrus” Owens kept recording his music at night even though he wasn’t sure people would ever really get into his work. But now, they are.
One of the most famous woman athletes in America, Angel Reese is still being diminished by hateful observers and critics but she still is pushing ahead playing the game she loves.
Black people are resilient, and will still find joy during moments when it seems like everything is against us.
INSIDE THE 305:
Sunday’s Haitian Flag Day. But the mood leading up to May 18 is anything but celebratory
Miami Herald reporters Jacqueline Charles and Raisa Habersham teamed up to write about the duality of an annual Haitian pride celebration and how its joy contrasts with a difficult moment in the Caribbean country’s history.
Two days before one of Haiti’s biggest national holidays, the streets in the heart of Miami’s Haitian community are unusually quiet. Few cars move up and down Northeast Second Avenue flying giant-size blue and red flags as has been customary and few patronize the sidewalk vendors selling Flag Day T-shirts, caps and bandannas.
“Last year, there were more people who came. This year, things are slow,” Farilia Antoine, an artist and vendor said as she was arranging her wares on a table along Northeast Second Avenue and 59th Street.
What’s the cost of success? For this Miami rapper, it took $28K a year in ads
In my profile of Miami rapper Gregory “King Tetrus” Owens, I wrote about how the Miami native worked in corporate America for several years before the music he made in his free time finally broke through and got the attention of Jay-Z’s nephew, Rel Carter.
During a lunch break at his day job earlier this year, Miami native Gregory Owens checked his Instagram and saw a direct message from a well-known music executive. After five years of sacrifice and hard work as an aspiring rapper, Owens was stunned.
“I said, ‘Is this time for me to quit?’” Owens, 36, told the Miami Herald.
OUTSIDE THE 305:
Angel Reese responds to WNBA investigation of alleged fan abuse
The WNBA season is finally back and basketball fans like me are excited. But much of the racist animus directed at Black stars like Angel Reese has also come back with it.
A flagrant foul by Caitlin Clark on Angel Reese during their teams’ game last weekend has led to fans making derogatory comments about Reese. CNN reporter Thomas Schlachter wrote about the situation.
Angel Reese on Tuesday praised the WNBA for taking up an investigation into alleged abuse aimed at the Chicago Sky player and the way the league and her team have had her back.
The WNBA said it was investigating reports of abuse directed towards the second-year forward during Chicago’s loss to the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
“Obviously there’s no place in this league for that,” Reese said during media availability on Tuesday. “I think the WNBA and our team and our organization has done a great job supporting me.”
Spike Lee’s Denzel Washington Pic ‘Highest 2 Lowest’ Scores Six-Minute Ovation At Cannes Premiere
When Spike Lee or Denzel Washington release a new film, it’s an event. But when they work together? It’s a reason to call someone and talk for hours.
The new Spike Lee-directed movie “Highest 2 Lowest” stars Denzel Washington and has already gotten rave reviews. The six-minute ovation at one of the world’s top film festivals is only the icing on the cake. A team of three Deadline reporters wrote about the ovation in detail.
Spike Lee returned to the Cannes Film Festival Official Selection tonight with his latest feature, Highest 2 Lowest, which is running in the Out of Competition strand. Starring Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, A$AP Rocky and Ilfenesh Hadera, the Akira Kurosawa-inspired crime thriller garnered a six-minute ovation at its world premiere.
HIGH CULTURE:
Celebrate Memorial Day weekend at Trina Day
This Sunday, May 25, a free, annual celebration of Miami-born rapper Katrina “Trina” Taylor’s impact will happen in Liberty City at 6400 NW 15th Avenue from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Taylor founded the day as a tribute to her community of supporters and to pay homage to her niece that died due to gun violence. The event will consist of live performances, giveaways, activities for youth, food vendors and more.
Miami’s Best of the Best marks the return of dancehall as big artists get U.S. visas
Sunday’s dancehall festival at Bayfront Park featuring stars like Buju Banton and Wayne Wonder is proof that dancehall is enjoying a special moment.
Dancehall music has a renewed energy in America thanks to many of the genre’s top artists finally getting U.S. visas. Herald reporter Jacqueline Charles discussed the significance of this ahead of this weekend’s Best of the Best music festival.
Black superhero show “Ironheart” will debut next month on Disney+
With production from “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler, the newest Disney+ superhero is a young Black woman from Chicago. Actress Dominique Thorne stars as Riri Williams, a young Black woman who builds her own body armor suit modeled after Tony Starks’ Iron Man suit.
I’m hype about this character getting her own show and have hoped for it ever since she was introduced in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” This YouTube trailer captures some of that magic.
Where does “The 44 Percent” name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter’s title.
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