Confined for 23 hours a day with only 15 to 20 minutes time out of the cell, Harlem-born hip-hop star and fashion icon A$AP Rocky (born Rakim Mayers), and two companions, have been jailed in Sweden for over two weeks following an altercation in the city of Stockholm. The U.S. Congressman serving Rocky's home district in New York City, Adriano Espaillat, is working to change that.
"Three young men, doing the right thing, successful, we're very proud of them, and they got bamboozled and thrown in jail," Espaillat told Cheddar Thursday. "That's why I'm fighting to get them out of jail."
On the final leg of their European tour, Rakim Mayers, and two other performers, Bladimir Corniel and David Rispers, were arrested and detained "for a suspected attack on an unknown person" on July 3, according to the Associated Press. In a video posted on the rapper's Instagram, two men are shown following the crew for multiple blocks, with one ultimately striking A$AP's security guard with headphones. Rocky can be heard repeatedly telling the two males to back away.
Swedish prisons are reportedly known for being a model for criminal justice, but Rep. Espaillat suggests his constituent's continued detainment and treatment might have more to do with the color of his skin.
"Race is always a factor, and continues to matter across the planet. In this case, it may have had something to do with it," the Congressman said.
"Sweden's gonna come out of this with a black-eye. I think that they really have not measured the kind of harm that it's done to their image," he added. "As a country that has always promoted itself for niceties, and having the haven of democracy there."
On Friday, a State Department official will travel to Stockholm to potentially rectify the situation. Kim Kardashian West announced over Twitter that President Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Jared Kusher, and other members of the White House are working to free the three imprisoned in Stockholm.
At a press conference on Wednesday with the Congressional Black Caucus, Espaillat called on the State Department to do more, going as far as to call out Pompeo to "speak up."
Espaillat's message to a jailed A$AP: "We're fighting for you, stay strong, we'll get you out of there soon enough."
The "Long Live A$AP" rapper is known for his lyrics discussing a range of cultural topics from criminal justice, drugs, and race.
A just-released Harris Poll revealed that there are some differences of opinion among workers on returning to the office. The survey showed that 52 percent of women would still prefer to work from home versus 41 percent of men. The report also showed that 52 percent of black workers and 50 percent of women see it as being better when it comes to career advancement. Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, professor of practice at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, joined Cheddar News to explain the report. "The first set of observations are about infrastructure and flexibility. The second are about inclusion," she said. "And so what we've learned from many non-white workers are that they appreciate the opportunity to focus more on their tasks and to be buffered in a sense from some of the hostilities and the exclusive environment and practice that they had to navigate for many years in their in-person offices."
Roku shares dropped during Friday's session after the streaming company reported Q4 revenue on Thursday that missed expectations, and disappointing guidance for the Q1 of 2022. Tuna Amobi, director and senior analyst at CFRA Research, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what it means for investors and the company's future.
The Retail Industry Leaders Association released a report alleging the safety risks, economic losses, and potential job losses they link to a surge in shoplifting crimes in the United States. Lisa LaBruno, senior EVP of retail operations at the trade organization, joined Cheddar News to discuss the impact of websites that allow for the resale of unverified goods and passing the INFORM Consumers Act to stamp it out. “We need to hold the online marketplaces accountable for being a favored venue for criminals to resell stolen product," LaBruno said. "And that is exactly what the INFORM Act is designed to do."
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Nzingha Samuel, social entrepreneur and community developer at E & Z Star Culture, joins Cheddar News to talk about her efforts creating a space for Black Americans in Ghana.
Cindy Blanco, senior learning scientist at language learning platform Duolingo, joins Cheddar News to discuss users now being able to learn Haitian Creole.
While the United States were once again among the top nations in 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to medal, with the games just ended, the focus turns to the athletes coming home and the mental toll the competition take on them. Lauren Gibbs, the 2018 Team USA silver medalist in bobsledding, joined Cheddar News to give her perspective on this year's games and what the competitors have gone through. “Its definitely a mixed bag, you know? It's like I just had the most incredible athletic experience of my life, but then its like its over in a flash," Gibbs said about the feelings an athlete can go through after finishing. She noted that it's important for them to be vocal and reach out to support networks after the rush of competition ends.
In 2021, Americans reported losses from so-called romance scams hit an all-time high of $547 million, or six times the total losses in 2017, according to the FTC.
