Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks drives to the hoop in the first half against Trevor Booker of the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Sunday, March 12, 2017. Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac

Tonight the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks meet tonight at Madison Garden.The Nets are coming off of a 112-107 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks are searching for their first win of the season.

I discussed the ‘Battle of the Boroughs’ matchup with 33rd & 7th podcast host, Anthony Donahue.

Check out 33 & 7th’s Anthony Donahue chat with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Nets/Knicks  

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The post Scoop B: New York Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets at MSG Preview With Anthony Donahue & 33rd & 7th appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Spike Lee courtside at Madison Square Garden, Photo Courtesy of Yard Barker

Candice Wiggins had a very successful WNBA career. Wiggins won a WNBA Championshop and once won the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year Award.

But, to add to that list, she can say that as a member of the New York Liberty, she played in front of die-hard New York Knicks fan Spike Lee.

Wiggins retired from basketball as a member of the New York Liberty in 2015. But she distintly remembers Lee sitting courtside!

“I would say, you know the coolest thing was playing in Madison Square Garden and just helping the Liberty have the best season in history,” Wiggins told me on Scoop B Radio.

How cool is that? 

Check Out Candice Wiggins and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatting on Scoop B Radio.

“And I would say having Spike Lee at the game. He came to our two last games. He came to the Eastern Conference Semis and then the Eastern Conference Finals and I remember the whole season I was saying the last year: ‘I know I’ve made it, as soon as I signed with the New York Liberty, I said: I know I’ve made it when Spike Lee comes to a game.’ And I kinda just put that out there in the universe and every time I would say it to people, people were just like: ‘Man, Spike Lee ain’t coming to no WNBA game, he ain’t coming to our game, he’s never coming to our game. He ain’t in 20 years.’  Everyone kind of just rolled their eyes.”

Retired WNBA player Candice Wiggins chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio about playing at Madison Square Garden In front of Spike Lee. Photo Courtesy of New York Daily News

But Wiggins had faith as small as a mustard seed. And guess what? Spike Lee came to a New York Liberty game!

“I’m like: ‘man I have a feeling, man I just have a feeling that if we get good enough.’ I was just putting it out in the universe and then I’ll never forget I was warming up and then I looked up at the Jumbotron in Madison Square Garden: and it said: “Thanks Spike Lee, welcome Spike Lee to a Liberty game.” I was like: ‘oh no it’s over now.’ Like this is it, like this is it. And then you know, I had two of my best games in my entire career with him there?  And I just, that’s when I really felt that like I was on the top of Mount Everest. Like you know, it was the craziest thing I just felt like this is it. This is what athletes play for to be in the mecca; Spike Lee sideline at the Garden, damn!”

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Former New York Knicks legend Charles Oakley was known as a beast on the court during his tenure in the NBA and at 53-years-old it appears that his demeanor hasn’t softened in retirement.

On Wednesday (Feb. 8) Oakley was charged with three counts of assault following an altercation in the stands near team owner James Dolan at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

According to published reports, during a stoppage in play as Kristaps Porzingis was shooting free throws in the first quarter against the visiting LA Clippers,  Oakley was making comments at the Knicks owner who eventually had security escort him from the arena.

“What happened is me and four friends went to the game tonight, to watch the Knicks and Clippers. We did sit down, trying to have a good time. Next thing I know I was asked to leave the building,” Oakley told the Shadow League after his arrest. “I asked, ‘Why?’ and they said, ‘You have to leave because someone ordered you to leave.’ And I’m like, ‘I’ve been here four-and-a-half minutes.’

Oakley had been sitting mere feet from Dolan, reportedly said he purchased his own tickets. When Knicks realized that he was seated behind James Dolan they asked him, “why was he here.”

“I was there for four minutes,” Oakley continued. “I didn’t say anything to him. I swear on my mother. They came over and wanted to know why I was sitting there. I bought the ticket. I said why do you guys keep staring at me. Then they asked me to leave. And I said I’m not leaving. I’m a Knicks fan, played here 10 years. I love the Knicks. I love New York. This is my heart. I wish them all the luck and success on the basketball court. I don’t know why I’m not welcome into the Garden.”

The New York Daily News‘ Stefan Bondy reported security handcuffed Oakley and escorted him away from the arena. Oakley reportedly said, “Dolan did this,” alluding to Knicks owner James Dolan, as team president Phil Jackson was trying to calm him down, per ESPN.com’s Ian Begley.

https://twitter.com/SportBlogNYC/status/829515957357903872

Ryan Field of ABC 7 reported Oakley would be charged with three counts of assault, per the New York Police Department. Begley added that Oakley would be charged with criminal trespassing as well.

Not everyone thought it was a fair decision, LA Clippers head coach, Doc Rivers told Sports Illustrated that he, “thought for a second I was gonna run down there, but then I thought, what the hell am I gonna do?”

Even Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James took to Instagram to voice his thoughts on Oakley’s ejection and arrest:

Charles Oakley played for the Knicks for more than 10 years and helped the franchise reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 1993 and the NBA Finals in 1994. He’s listed as sixth in Knicks history in games played (727).

Check out the video of the incident and Oakley’s response below.

Charles Oakley reportedly to be charged with 3 counts of assault after incident tonight https://t.co/X4KeHGitaH

h/t Ian Schafer (@ischafer) https://t.co/WFeQMWIxhK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2017

Charles Oakley answers questions about what he says happened at The Garden on Wednesday night. pic.twitter.com/lx1JO1nBc8

— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeague) February 9, 2017

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The post New York Knicks Legend Charles Oakley Charged with Assault After MSG Ejection [Watch] appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The announcement made Thursday [April 21], marks the very first time in VMA history that the iconic award show will be held at the staple landmark and will mark the ceremony’s return to New York after three years in Southern California.

“The ‘VMAs’ at MSG is a New York story too good to resist,” MTV president Sean Atkins said in a press release. “The VMAs deliver some of pop culture’s most defining moments and we’re grateful to our New York home and Madison Square Garden for rolling out the red carpet for what is sure to be the biggest night in music.”

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio even took time to comment on the historic moment. “From the red carpet to the accolades to the performances — and everything in between — the VMAs are an incredible showcase for so many talented artists,” he said. “It also goes without saying that hosting the awards in our city means a boost to our small businesses and restaurants and more jobs for the thousands of crew members who work to bring the show into homes around the world.”

Since the awards debut in New York in 1984 at Radio City Music Hall.  Since then it has been switched between being held in New York and Los Angeles, with Las Vegas and Miami both hosting one each. The award show’s last visit to New York was in 2013 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for the show’s 30th anniversary.

Hosted by Miley Cyrus, the 2015 VMAs offered up plenty of memorable moments, including Kanye West’s infamous declaration that he’d run for president, Taylor Swift’s reconciliation with Nicki Minaj and we can’t forget Nicki’s infamous checking of Miley Cyrus-“Miley what’s good?”

You can catch the 33rd annual Video Music Awards live Sunday, August 28th.

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BE GREAT

“I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era.” – Michael Jordan

20 years ago Outkast stood on a stage at Madison Square Garden, and got booed after receiving the Source Award for Best New Rap Group. Being the birthplace of hip-hop, a vast majority of New York City natives were quite territorial back then, and not as open to receiving other areas representing the culture artistically. Plus, the amped-up east coast/west coast feud being elevated throughout the evening’s ceremony didn’t help. But little did we know at the time, that awkward experience ultimately turned into a milestone moment in hip-hop, after ‘Kast member Andre ‘Dre’ Benjamin stepped up to the mic and made it clear that “The South got something to say.” Not only did that rejection fuel the Atlanta duo to work harder to get better at their craft, but it also ignited a movement for every other aspiring rap act outside of New York to not only be themselves but to also be okay with not trying to sound like, be like or be accepted by anyone resistant to the change that was coming.

The cool thing about hip-hop in that era was the fact that it wasn’t cool to sound like someone else. Although it’s natural to be influenced and inspired by heroes and peers, what makes artists great is the ability to master the existing skills that best fit one’s personality, and to creatively make it their own. LBJ started off wanting to be like Mike, but now LeBron James has a great legacy of his own. Somehow we’ve arrived at a place, musically, where a lot of what’s being played on the radio and in the clubs is sounding the same. Based on those existing playlists, it’ll be hard not to credit Future and Mike WiLL Made-It for initiating the current trend. For only the second time ever, the two brilliant minds sat down for an interview together to share their perspective on why they continue to win, and how they’re continuing move the culture forward, which is the centerpiece for this issue’s theme on inspiring greatness.

Within the last 20 years, a lot of the great music that has helped reshape the way that the culture has been received has made it’s way through Patchwerk Recording Studios in Atlanta. From T.I. to Young Jeezy, Missy Elliott to Beyoncé, Nas to Kendrick Lamar, a lot of history has happened inside those walls. Across town, K Camp has quietly been kicking down doors and making a name for himself by being himself. Ice Cube has been relevant since 1987, when his controversial, sociopolitical organization disguised itself as the gangsta rap group N.W.A. The west coast legend’s new biopic Straight Outta Compton exposes a lot of new information regarding the methods behind their madness.

Years ago I had a talent and production deal with Starz, so it’s great to see my former team doing big TV numbers with Power and Survivor’s Remorse. We wish continued success to 50 Cent, Naturi Naughton, LeBron and RonReaco Lee. Not enough can be said to express our appreciation for our outstanding POV line up, Kyle Christy and Todd Spoth. Dig deeper, learn more and please join us at respect-mag.com for more digital coverage on this issue’s participants. Much love goes out to Greg Street, Jason Jeter, A3C, Courtney Lowery, Yvette Gayle, B. Write, Tony Draper, Robert Redd, Talitha Watkins, Joy Phillips, Curtis Daniel, April Love, Zaytoven, and Tony Gervino, our super-dope RESPECT. editor whom I missed in my last letter. Until next time…

#FocusOrFold

Adell Henderson

Editor-In-Chief
Issue Inspiration: Eric Thomas, “The Combat Jack Show,” 1 Goal 1 Passion, and the victims, families and friends of the Charleston shooting for inspiring the #RespectPlanDemand initiative. Stay tuned—more to come.

The post Future & Mike WiLL Made-It COVER: Issue #23 Editor’s Letter appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Mac Miller has been hard at work on his newest project, Blue Slide Park, but that hasn’t kept the Pittsburgh native from showing love to his fans.  Karmaloop TV sat down with the up-and-coming emcee to talk about his debut album and plans post-release of Blue Slide Park.  News about the video for the first single off the album surfaced earlier this week, but Mac kept somewhat quiet though he did assure fans that it is due out soon.  As for his plans post-Blue Slide Park, he did throw out one name, Madison Square Garden.  “That’d be tight wouldn’t it,” Miller said.

The post Mac Miller Talks Blue Slide Park appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.