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JAY-Z & Roc Nation Criticized for Donating Money to Nonprofit who Cut Dreadlocks Off of Chicago Kids
The organization also tweeted "All Lives Matter" and has asked Donald Trump to save Chicago from gun violence.
Earlier in the week, it was announced thatJAY-Z'Roc Nation and the NFL were donating $400,000 to two Chicago charities — the Better Boys Foundation Family Services organization and the Crusher’s Club — as part of the Inspire Change program. A day after the news was announced controversy started swirling around one of the nonprofits: The Crusher's Club.
READ: JAY-Z & Roc Nation Have Aligned Themselves with the NFL — But At What Cost?
Twitter user Resist Programming dug up a bunch of old tweets from the nonprofit. Most disturbing, are a number of tweets showcasing Crusher’s Club founder, Sally Hazelgrove, cutting the dreadlocks off of kids associated with the nonprofit.
\u201cTHREAD: Cutting off dreads for \u201cchange...and a better life.\u201d \n\n\u201cCops and cupcakes\u201d\n\nPraise for Chicago Police\n\nA look at some tweets from one of the Roc Nation \u201chand-selected and vetted\u201d organizations \u201cas part of the \u2018entertainment and social justice partnership\u2019 with Jay-Z...\u201d\u201d— Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0 (@Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0) 1567683329
\u201c\u201cAnd another Crusher let me cut his dreads off! It's symbolic of change and their desire for a better life!\u201d - Crusher Club President Sally Hazelgrove https://t.co/BgaYA2Ef6R\u201d— Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0 (@Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0) 1567683329
Resist Programming also pulled up old tweets showing the organization's support for the Chicago police department; a tweet in which they write All Lives Matter; and a tweet asking President Donald Trump for help.
\u201cThe Crusher Club also encourages youth to grow up and incarcerate others to earn a living. \n\n\u201cOur Jr CPD they cant wait to arrest someone! Especially hearing they can start making 70k as a cop!\u201d https://t.co/clpwx8aDrA\u201d— Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0 (@Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0) 1567683329
\u201c\u201cALL LIVES MATTER\u201d https://t.co/YKN8650aI8\u201d— Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0 (@Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0) 1567683329
\u201cCrusher Club said Trump is the answer for Chicago\u2019s gang violence and called for a city curfew. \n\n\u201cWe need Trump to help us. Sad to say we need a curfew while we address our current crisis of gun violence.\u201d https://t.co/wtWhiCKyIZ\u201d— Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0 (@Resist Programming \ud83d\udef0) 1567683329
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After the posts went viral, Hazelgrove sent a press release around saying the nonprofit doesn't prohibit kids from having dreadlocks. Via The Fader:
The Crusher’s Club does not have any policies prohibiting dreadlocks — we welcome all hairstyles from our youth. On occasion, our kids look to change their hairstyles and ask us to assist, especially since haircuts can be a costly expense for them. Our goal is — and will always be — to equip our youth with the resources to improve their neighborhoods, maximize their potential and develop into the leaders of tomorrow.
Crusher's Club also tweeted out a video of one of the young men who had his dreads cut: Kobe. In the video Kobe said he cut his hair three years ago because he was "tired of it, tired of gangbanging, tired of messing up." Roc Nation also retweeted the video.
Many Twitter users online criticized JAY-Z and Roc Nation for donating to an organization like Crusher's Club.
\u201cJay-Z giving to the Crushers Club just shows how out of touch he is with Chicago and police accountability. This thread is repulsive.\u201d— Charles Preston (@Charles Preston) 1567722637
\u201cJay-Z giving 200k to a blue lives matter non profit is........\u201d— Solidarity with #StopCopCity (@Solidarity with #StopCopCity) 1567720408
Source: The Fader
