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Megan Thee Stallion v. Tory Lanez
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Eyes are on the Tory Lanez sentencing.
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Today, sentencing continues for the Canadian rapper over the 2020 shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. Lanez has been in jail since December after a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of three felonies, including assault with an unregistered firearm. Megan testified that Lanez shot at her feet several times while allegedly yelling “dance, b****.” Despite a court siding with Megan, the female rapper has been the target of online harassment. It’s bringing up discussions around misogynoir and the treatment of Black women.
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In the weeks leading up to the verdict, male rappers — like Drake and 50 Cent — dismissed her assault claims. Megan also got flak for reporting the incident to the police three months later. It comes as one report found a 3% increase in homicides against Black women in 2020 compared to the year before. Megan Thee Stallion said that she has “not experienced a single day of peace” since the shooting. Meanwhile, Lanez had seven witnesses give statements on his behalf. Rapper Iggy Azalea asked the judge for a sentence that was “transformative, not life-destroying.” Lanez faces 22 years in prison. The judge is expected to decide his sentencing today.
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After three years, Megan Thee Stallion’s case is coming to a close. Throughout the legal battle, gun violence along with racism and sexism came to the forefront. Now, the culmination of the trial is landing as the limits of solidarity for Black women can become apparent.
and also...this
What’s jumping on the crypto train…
PayPal. Yesterday, the company announced it’s getting into the crypto game with its own stablecoin. Enter: PayPal USD. Unlike other cryptocurrencies, which rely on marketplace interest for their value, PayPal's stablecoin will be backed by the US dollar. PayPal USD seems to already be paying off for PayPal, which saw a 2% increase in shares despite the crypto market being all over the place. In a few weeks, people will be able to buy, sell, and convert PayPal USD right on the app. PayPal said the stablecoin will “reduce friction for in-experience payments in virtual environments.” Others say even stablecoin isn’t a sure bet.
…Oh and speaking of tech, Zoom told employees that it would rather have them show up IRL and RTO than have ‘cameras on’ meetings all the time. Time to retire the Zoom shirt.
Who’s also been sentenced…
Tou Thao. Yesterday, a judge sentenced the former Minneapolis police officer to more than 4 years in state prison for his involvement in George Floyd's death. Earlier this year, Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao denied wrongdoing and he said he “did not commit these crimes” and never intended to hurt anyone. Now, he’s the fourth and final officer to be sentenced since Floyd's murder.
What could be feeling blue…
Yellow Corp. Over the weekend, the nearly 100-year-old trucking company filed for bankruptcy after announcing it was shutting down. The company has been struggling since the pandemic (even after getting a $700 million government loan). Yellow is blaming the Teamsters — a union representing about 22,000 of its employees — for rejecting a restructuring plan. About 30,000 people lost their jobs. Some companies (like Walmart and Home Depot) had already paused their shipments with Yellow ahead of the company’s downfall. Other retailers could face higher prices as they change shipping companies.
What customers aren’t too happy with…
Shrinkflation. People have taken to social media to complain about shrinkflation. That’s when companies downsize their products instead of upping the prices. Attenzione pickpocket.
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