Malindi Minute: Drake, HBCU's, and A'ja Wilson

Happy Sunday! Whether you're a new subscriber or an existing subscriber, welcome back. Here are a few articles you should check out from this week!

Earlier this year, Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group that was a result of the battle he had with Kendrick. Drake claimed there was defamation and was suing the label that he alleged amplified and popularized the song "Not Like Us." After months of back and forth, a judge has dismissed the lawsuit that was filed. The judge basically stated that the lyrics were hyperbolic and that the average listener understands that the lyrics aren't facts but are opinions. In the 38-page opinion by Judge Vargas, she explained that for there to be defamation, there must be a defamatory statement of fact. She further highlighted the issue of whether "Not Like Us" could be reasonably understood (by the listener) to be stating a fact that Drake is a pedophile. She concluded that it could not. She took into account where the statements were made. And explained that when the average person watches the news, they assume it's a fact. But in music, that's not the case. She compared a song to YouTube or X. Which is closer to anything goes writing style than reporting or journalism. The opinion went on to write that not only were the lyrics merely an opinion, but Kendrick Lamar was simply calling back and responding to Drake's lyrics in Taylor Made Freestyle, where he mentions that Kendrick may say he likes young girls. After the decision, Drake's team said they plan on appealing.

HBCUs have always been the focal point of certain marketing campaigns because of their storied history as well as the loyal alumni bases. Earlier this year, Ralph Lauren did an Oak Bluffs collection in collaboration with Morehouse and Spelman. From a fashion perspective, it worked and was sold out pretty quickly. This week, Nike is releasing an HBCU Air Max collection. They’ve done this before in previous years, so this is true to form for Nike. The schools that are collaborating are Morehouse, Spelman, Norfolk State, and FAMU. They will each have special edition color ways for the Air Max 95 OG Bubble. They will be released October 14, 2025.

This weekend, A’ja Wilson became the first WNBA or NBA player to win the scoring title, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same year. This is her 3rd championship in 5 years. And she already is a 4-time WNBA MVP. Based on her resume so far, A’ja Wilson makes a strong case as the greatest WNBA player of all time. And easily one of the greatest basketball players ever. The sweep in the WNBA finals was a great way to capitalize on a tumultuous WNBA season and a challenging playoff run. Of course, Nike had to capitalize on their star's victory. They released an MVP color way of the Nike A’One.

On the subject of sports, Kenyan athlete Hezekiah Nyamau passed this week. He was part of the gold medal team at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, on a team that included Charles Asati, Julius Sang, and Robert Ouko. With his passing, Charles Asati is the only living member of the team.

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Conversations this week

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson speaks on his new critically acclaimed film, The Smashing Machine.

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Song of the Week: “Down For You” by Mobb Deep feat. Nas, Jorja Smith (U.S.A.)

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