Entertainment
Michael Vick voted for the first time in 2020. Now he encourages others to get involved.
Growing up in Newport News, Virginia, in the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, Michael Vick didn’t know much about elections or voter rights.
Thanks to his parents, Vick understood the scale of electing leaders in this country, especially the president, but the former NFL quarterback was surrounded by violence and poverty in his hometown (nicknamed “Bad News” because “a lot of bad things happen there,” compatriot Allen Iverson once said). As a youth, Vick’s only concern was entering into the NFL and getting over his illness, so things like voting and laws took a backseat.
A federal dogfighting conviction in 2007 sent him to 21 months in prison, further alienating Vick from the electoral process and his desire to exercise his right to vote.
“At a young age, I lost the right to be involved,” Vick told Andscape. “So for an extended time I used to be distant from it, I didn’t concentrate to it since it didn’t mean anything.
“It had no effect on me.”
While in prison, Vick made a listing of things he wanted to achieve after his release, which included: voting for the first time. In 2020, greater than a decade after his release, Vick’s voting rights were restored, allowing the 40-year-old to solid his first ballot this yr.
On the eve of Tuesday’s presidential election, the former dynamic quarterback is recommending that others register to vote in order that their voices may also be heard. He partnered with the Vote or Else campaign to engage more Black communities in the political process to improve their social standing after the four-year election cycle.
“People didn’t do this for us when we were growing up,” Vick said. “So this is a campaign where I felt like if someone watches me and idealizes me in a way, they can look at everything I do outside of playing football.”
After a two-year collegiate profession at Virginia Tech that included a national championship berth and a third-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting in 1999, Vick was chosen No. 1 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, making him first, the Black quarterback can be chosen with the top pick. It only took one season for Vick to turn into one in every of the most fun and unique players in league history, combining a sprinter’s speed with the elusiveness of a kick return and a cannon for a throwing arm.
His Jump 46 meters during a game against the Minnesota Vikings during his sophomore season in which Vick’s lightning speed caused two defenders to run into one another trying to attack him, it felt like something out of a movie. At the start of the 2002 playoffs, he traveled to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers, who had not lost a house playoff game since 1933. At 31 degrees Celsius Vick made something out of nothing in almost every performanceleading the Falcons to a 27-7 loss.
From there, Vick became a cultural icon. Nike gave him his own signature line of shoes, a first for an NFL quarterback. His cover of the 2004 video game Madden and its almost indestructible gameplay of the game’s characters is one in every of the most significant covers of a whole generation of gamers and continues to be talked about today. In each his game and appearance (dark skin, cornrows hairstyle, streetwear), Vick displayed a coolness that was more present in the NBA than the NFL at the time. Wearing a Falcons jersey backwards with Vick’s name and No. 7 on the back was a trend, and although in 2004 he was principally just standing in the music video for Atlanta rapper T.I.’s single “Rubber Band Man,” his mere presence was a moment. itself.
“Michael Vick was the Michael Jordan of our football,” said Marvin Bing, founding father of Mobilize Justice in Philadelphia, which organized the “Vote or Else” events. “It was Jesus on the gridiron.”
Vick signed a 10-year, $130 million contract with the Falcons in 2004, a then-record amount, but by April 2007 he was under investigation for running a dogfighting ring out of several of his Virginia homes for six years. In July 2007, Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury and on December 10, 2007, he was sentenced to 23 months in prison. (In September 2007, Vick was also indicted in reference to two state dogfights in Virginia; in that case, Vick pleaded guilty and received a three-year suspended sentence.)
After serving 19 months in prison – where he refused to eat for the first three days of his stay, missed his grandmother’s funeral and witnessed various things, – he told an ESPN reporter things that “should have stayed in prison” at the time – Vick was released in July 2009. Within weeks of his firing and after consulting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as Donovan McNabb’s backup last season, becoming the starter for the 2010 season. Vick resumed his great play – in 2010 he had a historic 400-yard game and 6 touchdowns against the Washington Redskins – and later signed one other $100 million contract with the Eagles in 2011.
Ryan Hunt/Getty Images
While serving his sentence from 2007 to 2009, Vick didn’t participate in the election of then senator. Barack Obama for president. He knew who Obama was because he had examine the election and watched the debates, but witnessing the historic election of the nation’s first black president made him feel more misplaced in prison. So he finally decided to vote when he was free.
“I felt like on a small scale this was something that would be the most important thing at some point,” he said. “It’s about having your rights to do certain things in life.
“I screwed it up and I wanted to at least fight for it, and if I missed then at least I gave it a chance.”
But when Vick tried to vote in Florida with family and friends in 2011, they found he was ineligible due to his felony conviction. Before 2018, the Florida Constitution permanently prohibited individuals with felony convictions from voting. (Vick owned a house in Broward County, Florida). But in November 2018, Florida voters passed Amendment 4, restoring voting rights to 1.4 million returning residents like Vick. Months later, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis added a requirement in 2019 that those affected by Amendment 4 first repay any fines, fees and restitution before they’ll regain the right to vote.
Although Vick paid nearly $1 million in restitution for his conviction, he still had not registered to vote as of early 2020. He partnered with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which works to restore voting rights to individuals who have served their sentences for crimes, and led the effort to pass Amendment 4 to each regain his rights and lift funds to help other returning residents pay court fees. During that time, the coalition raised greater than $4 million to cover the fees, with some support from the More Than a Vote campaign backed by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.
“(If) people can call you a criminal, it means they can treat you differently” – Desmond Meade, executive director of the coalition, he said in a 2020 documentary about Vick’s electoral journey. “We deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and the best way to achieve that is to make our voices heard.”
Vick voted for the first time in November 2020, filling out a Florida absentee ballot from his home in California. “I felt that younger generations, seeing me do this, whether they were white, black or indifferent, would strive to do the same,” he said.
Across the country, in Philadelphia, Bing was mounting a campaign for Tuesday’s upcoming presidential election that relied on people like Vick for support.
In addition to founding Mobilize Justice, Bing also served as national artistic director for the human rights organization Amnesty International USA and is co-founder of Justice League NYC, which advocates for criminal and social justice reform. Bing’s father, Malik Aziz, was a Philadelphia civil rights activist who in 2000 successfully challenged a state law barring residents with returning felonies from voting.
AP Photo/Rob Carr, file
“He was one of the first people to actually engage in advocacy for this organization and partner with it to actually challenge the legal system in the states to gain voting rights after he got out of prison,” Bing said of his father.
For the Vote or Else campaign, Bing invited athletes and entertainers to connect with Black communities who may feel forgotten between election cycles and support collective change to improve their social standing. That list includes Vick and Iverson, rappers Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Jadakiss and Killer Mike, and actor Woody McClain.
Bing said he selected these stars because their upbringing and background made them credible messengers.
“They come from what I consider ‘mud,’” Bing said. “They know what it’s like to fight, they know what it’s like to just play this sport to get out of a bad situation and change their family and (their) circumstances.”
Vick walked through neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Atlanta, knocking on doors, talking to residents, hugging them and taking photos to educate them about their right to vote and the importance of getting their voices heard. A girl Vick met in Atlanta told him her father was an enormous fan and hung his Falcons jersey on the wall.
“It makes me persevere and achieve more in life,” said Vick. “I’m not a young man, but I still have a lot of life ahead of me, God willing, so I continue to set goals for myself. People like that encourage me to hear stories like that and people appreciating what I did in the time I spent there.”
Bing said Vick brings a novel perspective as a talented black athlete, entrepreneur, husband and father who managed to escape Virginia and the criminal justice system. Vick, who retired in 2017 after 13 seasons, speaks the languages of the Black community and the resilience he has shown over the past twenty years is an indication of hope.
So much in order that, according to Bing, Vick inspired no less than one person in Philadelphia to fulfill his civic duty.
“One woman said, ‘S— I could go vote early now,’” Bing said.
Entertainment
Support is poured by the following shocking reception of Flaver Flav, which he converted after almost five years sober
Flavour Flav left fans when the legendary noise and public co-founder of the enemies began to Instagram with a brutally honest confession about stumbling in his sobriety-a few months before what could be his five-year milestone of a pure life.
Confession is a surprise for followers who watched milestone publicly rejoice since sobriety since 2020. His fifth anniversary is approaching October 19.
Hip-hop legend, known for its characteristic clock necklaces and “Yeah Boy!” Hatchpraze, he was transparent about his struggle with addiction in his entire profession. His last statement reflects his involvement in responsibility and authenticity despite this failure in his journey to health.
“I remain authentic for who I’m, and for me a big part of the last 4.5 years was a journey for me.
His statement continued to substantiate his slip and a request for understanding.
“I converted briefly,” he wrote. “I say this to grant my mistake and publicly attract. I am a man who makes mistakes and does not make me a bad man. I hope that those who are around me support my choice to be sober.”
Hype of the public enemy ended his message with a strong reminder of perseverance: “I came back to 1, again. Time has not stopped, my journey continues.”
Fans quickly gathered with the taste of taste when the Jasmine brand Again His statement, flooding comments supporting messages.
“Sobriety is really a journey from day to day. We fall. We are coming back,” wrote one of the commentators, while others added a straightforward but encouraging words corresponding to “It’s ok! Go Flav” and “Respect”.
Some supporters, nonetheless, questioned whether such a private fight needed to be publicly made available.
“Not everything must be made available on the internet, but great for him for putting health,” commented one person.
Another suggested a more strategic motivation: “Someone was Finna Snitch, a good job, winning before history.”
This is not the first time Flavour Flav was honest in his battles of addiction.
In January 2023 revealed The delightful financial number of his previous drug habit, spending from 2,400 to 2600 USD per day for six years – of almost $ 1 million per yr per substance.
The rapper’s sobriety journey began in 2020, running down with a turbulent period when he was temporarily faraway from the public enemy after the dispute with Chuck for the support of the Bernie Sanders group, Los Angeles Times Reported then.
Since the restoration, Flavor Flav has been giving concert events with a gaggle that recently announced thirty fifth anniversary of the celebration of the breakthrough single “Fight the Power” in London Royal Albert Hall on June 27.
In October last yr, during the World Mental Health Day, the taste of taste common Insight into tools supporting his sobriety, including therapy.
“I talk to the therapist. In fact, I talk to two,” he revealed in the film on Instagram. He also supported the application for AI therapy called Sonia, which he considered significant support during a good concert schedule.
Born William Jonathan Draton Jr., The rapper consistently formulated his journey of sobriety as each a private triumph and a platform to encourage others.
“I think God wanted me to live. And he knows that I am a mouthpiece for the world,” he said in previous statements, explaining his belief that sharing his experiences may prevent others from making similar mistakes.
Despite this temporary failure, Flaver Flav’s desire to publicly reset his sobriety meter shows the reality that many are fighting regeneration – this progress is not at all times linear, and susceptibility may be strength.
(Tagstotransate) flavery flav
Entertainment
The best new music this week: Ciara returns from “Ecstasy”, Alex Isley drops a completely new single, “Sinners” Rod Wave and more – ESENCE
Happy Friday, people. This week, music drops are pure magic.
Today, Ciara makes a dazzling return from “Ecstasy”, a stuffy groove, who proves that she remains to be the queen of the dance floor. “Mrs. GOODY shoes” by Alex Isley is a stuffy bliss, while Wave Rod has a heart together with her emotional “sinners”. Our list also includes Bigxthaplug, Destin Conrad, Sir and more.
Look on the best new music this week,
Ciara – “Ecstasy”
Grammy Ciara’s winner returned together with her single from 2025 from “Ecstasy”. Listen to this HERE.
Bigxthaplug ft. Bailey Zimmerman – “completely”
The rapper from Texas Bigxthaplug uses his rural roots with “All the way” with the participation of Bailey Zimmerman. Check the new record HERE.
Sir ft. Maeta – “from my hands”
Two essentially the most talented stars within the listeners of R&B gifts all over the world with their joint song “Out of My Hands” with Heavy luxury: light. Check it out HERE.
Alex Isley – “Mrs. Goods Two Shoes”
Alex Isley returned with the album “Mrs. Good Two Shoes”. Hear this HERE.
Wave Rod – “Sinners”
Just a few weeks before the discharge of “sinners” Rod Wave gives one with the identical name. Watch the movie inspired by the movie HERE.
PinkPantheress – “Tonight”
Today, PinkPantheress shares his first solo song of the yr from “Tonight”, which is trying panic! At the disco “Do you know what I see?” Listen to the song HERE.
Destin Conrad ft. TEEZO STOP – “Last time”
Destin Conrad and TEEZO TDZIENDOW are combined with a new album entitled “The Last Time”. Streamly send a new record HERE.
With April, longer days and warmer weather come, which is good for outdoor classes during the day, after which move to the evening with friends. The world of sneakers includes changes in the forecast, offering a good selection of colourful, expressive footwear options. Nike takes a creative swing in baseball, while Adidas gives us something for tennis courts. When it comes to catching up with friends? Mark Streetwear Corteiz, star Wnba Breanna Stewart and others have you ever.
Asics provides the package “quite strange”
Asics
The latest gel-1130 from Asics wearing the seas and volt will appear in a selected generation Live pink Colors and immediately take into consideration Nickelodeon. As with most ASIC, the net is the star of the program, because each shoes use a silver and black cage around the mesh to emphasize the mesh used. Both shoes have a white central sole that helps to support much more. Do not get down in case you see them on the gym, on trails or worn freely this spring season.
Release date: April 4
Retail sales: USD 110
Breanna Stewart wins again with Stev 4
Puma
After a successful inaugural season of the New League 3 out of three, Breanna Stewart tries to proceed her success. With the WNBA season just around the corner, Stewart and Puma they supply the fourth edition of the longest -working rim shoes for girls. Dressed in an opalescent upper with a blue and pink prism style, these shoes will immediately attract attention, similar to Stewart, on the pitch and out of doors.
Release date: April 4
Retail sales: USD 120
Bape and Adidas rejoice the star
Adidas Originals
This yr, the iconic SUPERSTAR ADIDAS model is celebrating its fifty fifth anniversary. We have already seen one special edition, and now Bape is entering to deliver. Dressed in a blue leather upper with an aging white central sole and shell finger, the shoe has a brand in the type of each the Bape Sta Bape logo and three adidas strips are displayed on the medial and side, respectively on the right shoe, while the left shoe. The end of the package is the iconic bape camouflage embossed in the upper of the shoe.
Release date: April 5
Retail sales: USD 160
Jordan Brand Crafts “Rare Air”
Jordan Brand
Pulling inspiration from design samples and early prototypes. The men’s version is the early sort of “what the”. Equipped with a mismatched logo of wings, a black noise that provides way to red underneath and other works from various Jordan 1. A pair of girls has a more subdued approach, but still matches the form “what”. In particular, the Wings logo comprises “Air Jordan” and “Nike Air” on shoes. If you might be a fan of the history of Jordan 1 or Jordan, they’re mandatory.
Release date: April 5
Retail sales: USD 180
Nike goes home
Nike
The late Kobe Bryant was a big fan and supporter of Los Angeles Dodgers, often seen in Dodgers games. After teasing almost two years ago, the “Dodgers” colours receive the proper release. Kobe 6 arrives mainly wearing the royal blue with a white central sole. Red seams on the shoe tongue imitate baseball seams, ending a baseball tie. Additional equipment and items related to baseball complement the theme.
Release date: April 13
Retail sales: USD 175
Nike takes SB Dunk to “Rodeo”
Nike
Long before Beyonce told everyone in her cowboy side, black cowboys were once a key a part of culture. The latest Dunk SB is the perfect tribute to those days and other people whose story tried to forget. Tourmaline stone colours function a canvas for Nike to emphasize the key parts of the on a regular basis lifetime of black cowboys. From the lace inspired by lasso to cowboy accents to a cowboy occurring a horse on the inserts, this shoe is an exquisite tribute to the era, which history tried to erase.
Release date: April 17
Retail sales: USD 135
Air Max 95 “Neon” is back
Nike
The term “goat” is abused to such an extent that now we have herds of so -called great things, ultimately diluting what we want to justify the sublime distinction. But don’t make a mistake-if there may be a Sneaker Hall of Fame, “Neon” Air Max 95 is a unanimous entrance to the first ball, because from three a long time it has been the basis of sneakerheads. After the last release in 2020, the biggest hit of the former designer Nike Sergio Lozano with a very important change – the brand used “Big Bubble” to pay homage to the original project, which contained a bigger air unit. Although this is a sort of enthusiasts of sneakers from trifles.
Release date: April 18
Retail sales: USD 180
Brain Dead comes alive with Forest Hills
Adidas
Last time Brain Dead, it was the return of their Converse cooperation. This time, collective from La copies on the Adidas vault to restore the silhouette of Forest Forest in tennis. In 4 unique shots, blurred suede uppers, textured languages and released lace add a further depth to the appearance of the shoe. It intends to immediately cause a sense of tennis throatrs that were once home for the Forest Hills Model. Completing the package is to use the Brain Dead logo in lots of places.
Release date: April 25
Retail sales: USD 120
He has maniere does it “for love”
To me
A frequent associate of Nike A has a manére provides a brand new but easy approach to the classic silhouette of Air Force One Their collection “for the love”. Things are easy because the shoes are covered with a black leather upper with white notes on ending around the noise and brand A has maniere on the heel. The real goal is to use craftsmanship and materials corresponding to butter skin to construct a upper. The last touch of workmanship is “A” on the heel tab.
Release date: March 29
Retail sales: USD 150
Court “Black honey“He finally arrives
Corteh
After months of teasing in social media, we finally confirm that the long -awaited fourth a part of the London brand Streetwear Corteiz’s Air Max 95 will appear this month. Like many Air Max 95s, this version follows the “layered” upper approach, with the upper layer containing the mesh layer to contrast the solid black layers under it. Continuing subtle deviations is Corteiz’s yellow Tour to emphasize branding on the fingers, heel and tongue.
Release date: March 24
Retail sales: USD 190
Line notes
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