The Breakdown with Shaun King

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 677 - All charges need to immediately be dropped against the revered executive Chaka Zulu Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

This past June, at his own place of business, at least 4 men brutally attacked, beat, stomped, and shot the revered 51 year old music executive and entrepreneur, Chaka Zulu, outside of his own place of business. I have known Chaka for years and he is literally one of the most peaceful, respectful, kind, and outgoing men I've ever met.
When I learned the news of what happened to Chaka, like thousands of others, I was devastated. When I saw the footage of what happened to Chaka, and to a female colleague of his that was also brutally attack by the men, it broke my heart. It's a miracle he even survived.
It was my expectation that the men who assaulted them were going to be charged. They should still be charged, frankly. And ANYONE who sees what happened, will think the same thing.
That's why it makes NO SENSE that somehow the Atlanta Police charged Chaka with murder when the ONLY thing he was doing was literally defending himself from being killed. It's outrageous.
Chaka fired his gun in self-defense and self-defense alone. And he might have died had he not done so. It is a textbook case of someone standing their ground - not just during a threat, but during a literal life or death assault.
Immediately, these bogus charges against Chaka need to be dropped. It's stupid that we are even in this position. This should not go to trial. This should not have a plea deal. Chaka did what he was legally allowed to do to defend himself.
But what we are clearly seeing is that laws that regularly protect white men, suddenly seem to have no teeth when they need to protect a Black man.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 676 - Why it's horribly wrong to trick and ship undocumented immigrants all over the country Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

I didn't think I needed to explain this, but I clearly do. What Republicans are doing right now - lying to undocumented immigrants - who've often escaped treacherous conditions - and are desperate and exhausted - and tricking them into being flown and bussed all over the country - is dead wrong. It's immoral. It's unethical. And it appears to actually be illegal.
And here's what I know - Florida Governor Ron Desantis would NEVER do any of this to white immigrants - no matter where they came from. You know he wouldn't. And so we must ask ourselves why they think it's OK to treat immigrants of color like this.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 675 - What role does hip hop play with violence in our communities? Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

This question is as old as hip hop itself, right? Most hip hop artists will tell you that the violence they rap about is simply a reflection of the violence in our communities. Most critics will say that hip hop is not a reflection of the violence in our communities, but is a primary cause.
The truth, I believe, is somewhere in the middle.
First, we must admit that violence in our communities is an epidemic. For instance, last year was the single deadliest year for gun violence EVER recorded for Philadelphia. But this year is on pace to break last year's record. This is a problem.
And people always want scapegoats more than they actually want solutions. The truth is that DOZENS of factors are to blame for violence in America and violence in our communities - and the only way to take it seriously is to approach the problem as if it is truly complex.
However, we cannot argue on one hand that hip hop is the most influential culture in the world and THEN, on the other hand, argue that it isn't having any impact on the way people think and act in our communities.Hip hop does indeed reflect the violence we have in America, but we are lying if we don't also admit that it glorifies and romanticizes it. If I listed the Top 25 causes of violence in our communities - hip hop (and Hollywood and video games) would make my list, but they wouldn't be in the Top 10.
Should we still address it? Absolutely.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 674 - GREAT NEWS! Prosecutors just dropped the death penalty from Marvin Guy's case. Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Nearly 2 years ago my team at the Grassroots Law Project took on the case of Marvin Guy - who was wrongly arrested for shooting and killing a police officer over 8 years ago in a horrible no-knock raid.
Wanting to see blood, they charged Marvin with murder and have been pursuing the death penalty. And for the past 8+ years, Marvin has been sitting in a local jail cell in rural Texas without ever being convicted of a crime. It's outrageous.
Well, yesterday, prosecutors finally decided what we knew all along - that they never should've pursued a case to execute Marvin - and they dropped that pursuit altogether.
This means we will still likely go to trial, but it also means they know they have a weak case.
THANK ALL OF YOU who've supported Marvin all these years.
You can still join us now @ FreeMarvinGuy.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 673 - Pennsylvania conservatives are trying to remove Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner from office Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

I need you to understand what's happening right now. It's VERY disturbing. Last year Philadelphia's DA, Larry Krasner, won his reelection bid with a blowout victory of nearly 70% of the vote - making him one of the single most popular elected officials in the city.
But conservatives HATE Larry. They always have. He has exonerated so many people and is holding corrupt cops accountable and they can't stand him for it. And in spite of Larry having impeccable integrity - and breaking no laws - they are doing everything they can to remove him from office.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 672 - The murder of PnB Rock and the exhausting cycle of gun violence in America Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Listen to me. Stop thinking of the Wild Wild West as something that took place in the 1800s. We are living in it RIGHT NOW. And day after day, week after week, month after month, we can reasonably assume that men, women, boys, and girls are going to get slaughtered by guns in America.
Experts say that 316 people PER DAY are shot in America. PER DAY!!! This is not OK.
Many developed nations don't have 316 people shot PER YEAR. Some don't even have that many per DECADE.
And in this country, doubly so in our own communities, gun violence is chewing us up and spitting us out. I don't believe we have any easy answers or solutions, but what I do know is that what we are doing right now simply is not enough.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 671 - If you don't know these 4 names, you are setting your own money on fire Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

Today I wanna be a teacher for 10 minutes if that's ok with you - and I want to teach a short civics lesson.
You pay taxes. You probably pay thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars in taxes every single year. It's brutal. And whether or like it or not, whether you care or not, local leaders are making hundreds of decisions on what to do with that money.
Now you can say you hate politics, and maybe you hate politicians, but are you ok with your own money being set on fire? I doubt it.
If you don't know the names of these 4 local leaders, you might as well be setting it on fire yourself.
LISTEN and let me teach the lesson.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 670 - When white racists say something is "too woke" they clearly mean it's too Black. Sep 09, 2022

Show notes

Racist and conservative white people all over the world are LOSING THEIR MINDS over the new Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones television shows. And in doing so, they've really told on themselves.
They keep saying that these new shows are "too woke," but what's wild is that the shows aren't really woke at all. They are the same shows they've always been, but simply with new Black characters. And what's wild is that these new Black characters, in these mystical, fictional lands, aren't even the lead roles.
White folk are going CRAZY that Black folk even have bit roles in fantasy lands that they clearly preferred to be "whites only."
But it's all actually VERY revealing and insightful. Over and over again, they keep saying these shows are super woke - when it's obvious they simply mean the shows are now a little Black.
Now, when you hear white leaders talk about how much they hate wokeness, just know, they mean Blackness.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 669 - Why it stings to learn the US has given Ukraine $15.2 billion while Jackson & Flint don't have clean water Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

I loathe what Russia is doing to Ukraine. It's wrong. It's criminal. They've forced millions of people to become refugees while killing thousands of people and leveling entire cities. Countries should be supporting Ukraine. That's not the rub.
The rub is that Ukraine has now received $15.2 billion (not the $8 billion people keep quoting) while it would cost just $1 billion to completely solve the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi. It would cost $1.5 billion to do the same in Flint, Michigan.
And it continues to seem, in the words of Tupac, that this place has money for war, but won't feed the poor.
It's despicable and dangerous that ANY American city would be without clean water. People in Jackson are literally being told to shower with their mouths closed. What are we doing here? How could that be?
Yes, every single statewide official in Mississippi is a Republican, but this is more than a partisan fight. The US government needs to own problems like this and just pay what's needed to permanently fix them.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep. 668 - What Dawn Staley did was the single biggest boss move against racism in sports in a generation Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

First off, if you didn't already know it, Dawn Staley is a basketball legend - on the court and as a coach. But to me, what she just did, by canceling her team's games against BYU in Utah because of overt racism at the college, is the single biggest boss move against racism in sports in a generation.
It's that big. And it's EXACTLY how athletes, coaches, athletic directors, general managers, and other sports staff should be using their power to make it clear that racism, discrimination, and bigotry can continue - but that it won't continue with your support.
I'm actually all for protests, demonstrations, and symbolic actions. They matter. They can move the needle, but what Dawn Staley just did, is the single strongest form of protest we can see.
By pulling South Carolina's games out of Utah, it will cause not only a major economic hit for BYU, it will hurt them with recruiting and beyond. And in one strong, smart decision Dawn Staley showed us all how to better use our power. Now, let's hope she doesn't stand alone

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Breakdown with Shaun King

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected