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As part of the NBA Juneteenth celebration, a discussion between Caron Butler and Lakers guard Danny Green led to Green explaining why he joined “More Than A Vote,” the new get-out-the vote and education initiative led by LeBron James.

“We all come from different places and different communities,” Green told Butler, referencing the very public learning curve Drew Brees went through this month. “If we can help educate them, it helps in our next generation of not having police brutality, so it’s big for everyone with a platform … to educate the cities that they come from.”

Yet police brutality is not the only issue at stake, and James’ organization seeks to attack voting and public policy with much broader strategy. James said when the campaign launched that “we’re going to give you the background of how to vote and what they’re trying to do, the other side, to stop you from voting.”

Voter suppression became a hot-button issue anew after Georgia’s primary election. Many waited in line into the night to make their vote count, and James spoke out against the state’s failures that night, calling American voting systems “structurally racist.” Shortly after, James launched “More Than A Vote.”

Green, though, said learning about his civil duties and power as a voter came late.

“I didn’t really care for politics or care to get involved,” Green said. “I would vote when I was able to, but understanding that our voice and taking action does make a difference and is important, and the younger generation understanding that a lot quicker than we did is important for the future.”

Much discussion in the NBA the past couple weeks has covered the question of whether that education process would be help or hurt by the league returning to play. Green said he sees both sides but ultimately believes having a microphone every day on television is too massive a platform to ignore, so long as the message stays front and center.

“It’s an advantage to us to get down there and use that platform to keep the movement alive,” Green said. “It’s a better way for everybody to be there and everybody to be united, and use that platform to our advantage to really put our foot on the gas.”

For those unable to donate or who are not on TV like NBA athletes, Green urged other forms of action, including campaigning with politicians, continuing to protest, and educating oneself.

“There’s many ways to speak out,” Green said. “You don’t have to always use your voice if you’re not comfortable. … It would be nice to get comfortable to speak out some, but there’s so many other ways to join the movement and be with us.”

Earlier this year, Kamaiyah released her long-awaited third record Got It Made after ending a deal with Interscope. But that wasn’t the last we’ve heard of her. Since debuting the album, Kamaiyah has been steadily sharing a handful of stand-alone singles, including “Extravagant” and “Go Crazy,” which earned a quarantine-style video. Now, the Bay Area rapper returns with the easygoing number “Black Excellence.”

Aptly arriving on Juneteenth, “Black Excellence” features Kamaiyah flaunting her achievements with a polished flow over a cruising beat. “I’m Black excellence / B*tch check my melanin,” she repeats at the chorus.

Ahead of the single’s release, Kamaiyah had some beef with Kehlani. Kamaiyah accused the singer of colorism after her verse was removed from Kehlani’s “All Me.” Addressing the situation on social media, Kamaiyah said: “I feel like it never should have came out. I never wanted ‘All Me’ to come out and she wanted ‘All Me’ to come out… It was our song, we did a project together… if anything I was genuine. My problem came from the disrespect. It was out of hand. It was on some, ‘Oh you’re Black, you’re ghetto, you’re not tasteful.’”

Listen to “Black Excellence” above.

Got It Made is out now via GRNDWRK/Empire. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

WARNING/EDITOR’S NOTE: This article contains subject matter and some language (thought censored) that may be triggering for readers. However, in our attempt to highlight passive examples of systemic racism we felt it was a story worth sharing.

There are certain sounds that are synonymous with summer, the crack of a baseball bat, the sounds of someone cannon-balling into a pool, and the tinny sound of the ice cream truck rolling down the street, accompanied by the scampering sound of children’s feet.

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The song played by the ice cream truck in most people’s neighborhoods sounds something like this:

The Ice Cream Truck Song

www.youtube.com

The tune is “timeless,” but most people don’t know that the words to the most popular version of the song are incredibly racist.

The original version of the melody comes from the traditional British song “The (Old) Rose Tree” which made its way to the American colonies by Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1700s where it was popularized as the song, “Turkey in the Straw.”

In the late 1820s, the melody took a turn for the disturbingly racist when multiple songs were written about “Zip Coon,” a popular minstrel character. Although it’s unclear who originally wrote the lyrics, there were versions published by Thomas Birch in 1834 and George Washington Dixon in 1835.

O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,

Sings posum up a gum tree an conny in a holler.

Posum up a gum tree, coonny on a stump,

Den over dubble trubble, Zip coon will jump

The chorus of “O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day” would later become the inspiration for Disney’s “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”

Zip Coon was a stock minstrel show character who was a way to mock free Black men. He was an arrogant, ostentatious man who wore flashy clothes and attempted to speak like affluent white members of society, usually to his own disparagement.

He was often paired with Jim Crow, a dimwitted rural character. The actors who played both roles were white and wore blackface.

via Wikimedia Commons

OLD ZIP COON – 1834 – Performed by Tom Roush

www.youtube.com

In the early 1900s, coon cards which were essentially playing cards with racist depictions of Black people eating watermelons while making wide-eyed looks, were popular and inspired another racist version of the popular melody: “Ni**er Love a Watermelon Ha! Ha! Ha!”

The song opens with someone telling a group of Black people to stop playing dominoes and to come get some ice cream. The racist twist is that it’s “the colored man’s ice cream: Watermelon!”

The hook has to be one of the most racist things every written:

Ni**er love a watermelon ha ha, ha ha!

Ni**er love a watermelon ha ha, ha ha!

For here, they’re made with a half a pound of co’l

There’s nothing like a watermelon for a hungry coon

The Truth About The Ice Cream Truck Jingle | Ni**er Love A Watermelon

youtu.be

The song would become popular in ice cream parlors of the early 1900s that often played minstrel songs. After World War II, when many people moved out the cities and into the suburbs, ice cream parlors sent trucks out to these new neighborhoods to expand their business to the ‘burbs.

To keep the old-timey feel of the parlor and to alert the children to the truck’s presence, they would commonly play the melody associated with the two extremely racist songs.

Hundreds of years after the melody first was written somewhere in England, American children now associate the song with one of the purest joys life has to offer, the cool taste of ice cream on a hot summer’s day.

But after learning the melody’s historic association with pain and oppression, can we ever hear the song the same way? Should we be happy that a timeless melody has been redeemed after decades of being associated with something positive? Or should it be banished it from being broadcast on our streets and replaced by something that better describes the joys of summer?

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If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

Perry Mason (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — HBO’s launching their gritty reimagining of the 1950s Raymond Burr lawyer series with Matthew Rhys in the title role. Brian Grubb’s got good and bad news about how this all turned out. In the pilot episode, the Los Angeles-based private investigator’s on the case of a kidnapping for ransom.

NOS4A2 (Sunday, AMC & BBC America 10:00 p.m.) — Zachary Quinto’s back as psychic vampire Charlie Manx, who’s dead.. or is he? Poor Vic McQueen can’t catch a break in the continuing adaptation of Joe Hill’s supernatural horror novel. Fortunately, the horror this season is more personal and convincing, so welcome back to Christmasland.

7500 (Amazon Prime movie) — Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s choosy with his project these days (read our interview with him), so he must have seen something special here. JGL plays a co-pilot whose cockpit is overrun by terrorists in this tense, taut thriller.

Taste The Nation With Padma Lakshmi (Hulu Series) — Padma Lakshmi’s new show rises above the genre with true depth as she takes a journey across the U.S. to explore the cuisine and traditions of immigrants in the U.S. The season, which arrived in full already, includes a Juneteenth-focused episode titled, “The Gullah Way.”

Disclosure: Season 2 (Netflix documentary film) — In celebration of Pride Month, here’s an eye-opening glimpse at transgender depictions in Hollywood. Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, MJ Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton, and Chaz Bono will all appear onscreen to provide a look back at projects like Dog Day Afternoon, The Crying Game, and Boys Don’t Cry, as well as some titles that you may not expect to see revisited. The group’s hope is to reframe iconic scenes and characters and dig into how accurately TV and movies have reflected the reality of trans lives.

Love, Victor (Hulu Series) — As a spinoff from the Love, Simon movie, this show focuses on a high school student who reaches out to Simon when challenges at home and struggles with sexual orientation become too much to bear alone.

The Politician: Season 2 (Netflix series) — Ryan Murphy just doesn’t stop with his many TV projects, including this satiric comedy that’s now focused on grown-up trash-tossing during political races. This season, Judith Light and Bette Midler are battling with Gwyneth Paltrow stepping in to dramatize her the political aspirations of her son, Payton. However, he’d like to raise above all that petty nonsense, and good luck, kid.

The Order: Season 2 (Netflix series) — The lines between good and evil continue to blur as magicians, cults, and demons interface in the strangest of ways. The Knights are struggling to keep their memories intact, and the powers that be just aren’t having it. Why? Well, retribution is at hand, and everyone’s skipping class at school.

A Whisker Away (Netflix film) — This animated film follows Miyo Sasaki, a bright girl with a surplus of energy, who’s in love with a classmate. She… somehow transforms into a cat in an attempt to win him over? It sounds odd, but it’s gotta be better than Cats.

Lost Bullet (Netflix film) — This action movie follows a whiz mechanic who gets involved in a disastrous heist and faces prison time. Nine months later, he’s successfully satisfied the law, but then he gets wrapped up in murder accusations. No rest for the heist-ers!

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Sherman’s Showcase (Friday, AMC 10:00 p.m.) — The second season kicks off with a Black History Month Spectacular (arguably overdue from February but timely for Juneteenth) to shine a light on Black icons.

The Chi (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Season 3 begins with a life-altering wedding while Ronnie’s struggling, Jake deals with an unexpected visit, and Emmett’s struggling with his work-life balance.

Snowpiercer (Sunday, TNT 9:00 p.m.) — An engineering emergency on the train could make the whole thing go down, but Layton’s still busy laying track for revolution.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — Everyone’s singing this week as Molly and Tiago go dancing, and Tiago and Lewis make tough choices.

I May Destroy You (Sunday, HBO 10:30 p.m.) — Michaela Coel’s newest series takes a week off, but next week, check back for more of her fiery and fearless exploration of sexual consent.

It’s almost Father’s Day and the “father figure” in your life — define that term however you want! — deserves more than a bottle of cheap, drugstore cologne or a gift card. This year, instead of Googling “gifts for Father’s Day” and then picking the most inexpensive one, actually buy him something worthwhile.

By “worthwhile” we mean whiskey. We always mean whiskey. Nothing says that you appreciate everything your dad has done for you quite like a bottle of bourbon. David Powell, brand ambassador at Hudson Whiskey, explains that picking the right bottle for your dad isn’t easy. That’s part of what makes it such a thoughtful gift.

“It’s hard to narrow this one down, the category is so expansive and there are so many amazing bourbons out there,” he says. “For me, it would have to be more about what my dad is into more so than just dropping him a bottle of Hudson just because I can.”

Find out what your dad is into. Drop a few hints to see what he’s been drinking lately or if he’s open to trying something new. If you get stumped, take a few hints from some of our favorite bartenders.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Caleb Kimbley, bartender at The Beehive in San Francisco

It has to be something timeless and as special as the person receiving it. That is Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, a sophisticated bourbon that’s been around the block more than once.

Eagle Rare

Danny Caffall, lead bartender at The Mansion Bar in Dallas

Eagle Rare. Fantastic juice at a good price and not hard to find. I like to give people things that they will enjoy, preferably with me. If you give someone a really expensive bottle, they may never open it or only on special occasions.

AD Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon

Seth Lowe, owner of 39 North Spirits in Eagle, Colorado

As for a bourbon, our pick would be AD Laws Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey-Bonded. It’s the first bonded whiskey in the history of Colorado, and again clocks in at around 100-proof. All the whiskey is aged a minimum of 6 plus years. A great gift for Father’s Day because of the exclusivity of this limited release. Its not the easiest to find and with a price tag that is typically over $100, this one isn’t an everyday bourbon, and would work well as a special gift for dad.

Long Acre Long Hair Jim

Nancy Conaway, bartender at Republic Street Bar in Fort Worth, Texas

Long Hair Jim by Acre Distillery. A quality spirit that is part of my local Fort Worth community. The locals can even enjoy a fun afternoon sitting at the distillery enjoying some lovely libations with dad.

W.L. Weller Antique 107

Zack Musick, beverage director at Merriman’s in Hawaii

W.L. Weller Antique 107 will always be a standout bourbon for me. What separates W.L. Weller from other brands is the amount of wheat that goes into their mash bill, making it one of the smoother options out there. Any true whiskey lover would appreciate having a bottle of Weller to add to their collection.

Maker’s Mark

Kenneth McCoy, chief creative officer at The Rum House in New York City

Maker’s Mark bourbon will always be my go-to whiskey. Great for the novice or the well-seasoned whiskey drinker. Super smooth, easy to drink, and makes a killer Manhattan.

Koval Single Barrel

Robert Swain Jr., owner of OnTheRoX Bartending Services in the British Virgin Islands

Koval Single Barrel Bourbon comes to mind when I think of the ultimate drink for the man of the house. With a few flavors that dance on your palate — like apricot, caramel, and tobacco, Koval can definitely be served neat. No chaser or ice required.

Knob Creek Single Barrel

David Powell, brand ambassador at Hudson Whiskey

I’d probably find him a bottle of Knob Creek Reserve Single Barrel because Knob Creek is the first whiskey that I remember him ordering from me at Red Rooster. It would be a nice way of giving him something that I know he likes, just a slightly more unique version of it.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep

James Simpson, beverage director at Espita in Washington, DC

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep – Jimmy Russell’s name is synonymous with excellent bourbon, and his son Eddie joined him in the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2010. This bottle is Eddie’s first release as master distiller, an incredible limited edition 17-year-old bourbon that celebrates the passing of tradition from father to son.

Maker’s Mark 46

Tim Wiggins, co-owner and beverage director of Yellowbelly in St. Louis

In my opinion, the best bourbon to gift anyone is their favorite bourbon. Most dads who enjoy bourbon have been drinking their favorite brand for a long while. If the dude loves Maker’s Mark, upgrade him to the Maker’s 46. I think forcing a “better” bourbon on someone who has their standard is not always wise.

Buffalo Trace

Todd Johnston, beverage director at Thompson Nashville

Buffalo Trace is a pretty recognizable name in the world of bourbon and domestic whiskey. It encompasses many different labels, several of which are fairly small production and limited in their release. If you can’t find some of the more rare releases like Pappy Van Winkle then Weller is the way to go. Not only is it easier to find but it is wildly less expensive and is made up of the same wheated mash bill as Pappy.

Weller 12 Year

Brock Schulte, bar director of The Monarch Bar in Kansas City

Weller 12 Year or Full proof is probably a favorite of mine. It’s rich, full-bodied, and has a long finish. Weller is a staple for quality and collectability.

The music sharing platform Bandcamp has been waiving its fees on a select number of days since the beginning of the pandemic in order to support artists in need. On Friday to celebrate Juneteenth, the website announced it would be donating its share of profits from music sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. As a result, many artists have elected to release music via Bandcamp Friday. In order to contribute to the cause, Toro Y Moi teamed up with twin jazz duo The Mattson 2 for a groovy cover of Afro-Filipino artist Joe Bataan’s 1972 track “Ordinary Guy.”

In a statement, Toro Y Moi said he was immediately drawn to Bataan’s music upon first hearing him in 2009:

“I’m super excited to announce this release. It’s a cover of a song by a fellow Afro-Filipino, Joe Bataan. His music first caught my ear back in 2009 when Ryan Kattner of Man Man played it for me. I was immediately hooked by Joe’s music because, to me, he represented the impossible–he felt so comfortable in his skin and he had so much confidence and appeal. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe at an incredible dinner with friends at Jeepney, a Filipino restaurant in New York City. Joe was at the center of the table, talking to us like we were family. I played Joe the cover that night through the restaurant stereo and he was so happy to hear that his music stood the test of time and reached me. Now, 45 years after the original song hit the airwaves, I’m honored to bring this song to new ears. Thank you for your support.”

Toro Y Moi’s “Ordinary Guy” cover isn’t the first time the singer united with The Mattson 2. Back in 2017, the three recorded the joint record Star Stuff, released the moniker Chaz Bundick Meets The Mattson 2. Toro will also release an instrumental version of Causers Of This next week to celebrate the album’s anniversary.

Listen to Toro Y Moi and The Mattson 2 cover Joe Bataan’s “Ordinary Guy” on Bandcamp here.

After a long three year investigation that, at times, looked it would go nowhere, That ’70s Show and The Ranch star Danny Masterson was officially charged with three counts of rape on Wednesday. The surprise announcement came after years of back-and-forth headlines involving the Church of Scientology and Masterson’s multiple accusers, four of whom sued the church and the actor in 2019 over claims that they were stalked and harassed after going to the police.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the four accusers suing Masterson expressed their thanks to the Los Angeles County’s D.A. Office for finally charging the actor with rape, and they are confident that justice will be done.

“Since we were victimized and raped by Danny Masterson—and knowing we are not the only victims—all we have wanted was justice, accountability, and truth. Instead, we were subjected to continued harassment, embarrassment, and re-victimization by Masterson and the Church of Scientology, which has only worsened since they learned we were cooperating with authorities,” the statement, given to PEOPLE by the women’s attorneys, reads. “We are thankful that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is finally seeking criminal justice against Masterson after a three-year investigation. We are confident that the truth will be known and hope that the charges filed today are the first steps in this long journey of healing, justice, and holding those that victimized us accountable.”

The accusers’ statement arrives on the heels of former Scientologist Leah Remini’s reaction to the charges. Remini has been championing the victims during their struggles with the church and its alleged efforts to influence the LAPD.

“Finally, victims are being heard when it comes to Scientology! Praise the lord!” Remini tweeted. “This is just the beginning Scientology, your days of getting away with it is coming to an end! #justice #scientologytheaftermath.”

Back in 2017, Remini interviewed Masterson’s accusers for an episode of her award-winning A&E series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. After talking to the D.A.’s office, however, Remini shelved the episode out of concern that it could jeopardize the investigation. But as the case continued to move at a snail’s pace and concerns were raised over whether it had been permanently stalled, Remini pulled the trigger and aired the interview for the series finale in August 2019.

[via PEOPLE]

Drake’s undying love of sports has been extensively-documented. In the past, Drake has been seen hanging out with Kevin Durant and offering his LA home to Kawhi Leonard. Drake even gifted himself an iced-out, custom-designed Toronto Raptors championship ring. But with the coronavirus pandemic effectively shutting down the sports sector, the rapper has been forced to turn to other outlets to fill the void left in the absence of basketball. Apparently, the rapper has been using time in quarantine to practice his cornhole moves, and it has paid off.

In a video captured and posted to his Instagram, Drake sank an impressive bullseye shot in a game of cornhole. The rapper can be seen standing on his second-floor balcony and tossing a red bean bag at the cornhole board several yards away. The rapper’s aim was perfect, and the bean bag landed into the hole with a satisfying thump as his friends erupted in cheer. “Highlight of summer 2020 so far,” he wrote alongside the video.

In other Drake news, it was recently announced that the rapper is leading nominations for this year’s BET Awards. Drake has been nominated for six categories, including Best Collaboration, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video Of The Year, and Viewer’s Choice Award.

Watch the clip of Drake’s impressive cornhole trick shot above.