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Parliament-Funkadelic Co-Founder Bernie Worrell Dies at 72

Bernie Worrell, the keyboardist, songwriter and synthesizer pioneer for the Parliament-Funkadelic died on Friday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 72.

According to Variety, Worrell was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer earlier this year, yet this April took part in a benefit concert with George Clinton, Questlove, David Byrne and Meryl Streep. Yet, in June, his wife told the press that her husband had taken a turn for the worse.

Mr. Worrell grew up playing classical piano and was adept at jazz, rock and R&B, the New York Times noted, and was knew Mr. was best-known for his innovative bass line he played on three connected Minimoog synthesizers in the 1978 Parliament song “Flash Light.” In the 1980s he joined the Talking Heads and in the 90s his music was sampled by rappers such as Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre.

“I mix musics; I don’t stick to one thing,” Mr. Worrell said in a 2013 interview at the Red Bull Music Academy Festival. “I can hear the same scale or mode in a classical piece; you can find the same mode in a gospel hymn. Same mode in an Indian raga, same mode in a Irish ditty, same mode in a Scottish ditty, or whatever you want to call it. Same mode in Latin music, African. It’s all related. It’s how you hear it.”

RIP Bernie. You will be missed.

Black Lives Matter Drops Out Of SF Pride Parade After Organizers Increase Police Presence

Black Lives Matter

Source: Michael B. Thomas / Stringer / Getty

Black Lives Matter and other community groups won’t be taking part in this weekend’s San Francisco’s LGBT Pride parade because they disapprove of the city increasing police presence at the event.

According to the Huffington Post, parade organizers and San Francisco police recently announced that they stepped-up security measures for Sunday’s parade in response to the mass shooting last week that killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. This translates into more cops and more metal detectors.

In response, BLM activists don’t believe that fits into the theme of “For Racial and Economic Justice” and therefore won’t be the grand marshals of the event.

“As queer people of color, we are disproportionately targeted by both vigilante and police violence. We know first hand that increasing the police presence at Pride does not increase safety for all people,” said BLM member Malkia Cyril in a statement.

“Militarizing these events increases the potential for harm to our communities and we hope in the future SF Pride will consider community-centered approaches to security at pride events.”

Other groups have bowed out as well, including TGI Justice Project, an organization for trans individuals.

“While I am thankful for this honor, and grateful to Pride for bringing our work to the front this year, the decision to add more police to Pride does not make me, or my community, more safe,”Janetta Johnson said in a statement.

Vivica A. Fox Slams Donald Trump, Says ‘I’m With Her

Vivica A. Fox And Candy Ice Host The Unveiling Of The Candy Ice Collection At The Royal Ontario Museum

Source: George Pimentel / Getty

Vivica A. Fox is not here for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The former Apprentice contestant recently told Access Hollywood  that while she is appreciative to Trump for teaching her the art of business, his racist and problematic rhetoric doesn’t make him fit to be president of the United States.

“He doesn’t want to make America great again. He wants to take America backwards, in my opinion,” Fox told the show’s hosts.

Who does she believe will bring us forward?

“In my life I got to see the first African-American president, and if things continue the way that I believe they should i will get to witness the first female president,” Fox said. “#ImWithHer.”

Afternoon Minute: Parliament-Funkadelic Co-Founder Bernie Worrell Dies at 72  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com