LL Cool J Says He Won't Perform at Philadelphia's July Fourth Festival in Support of Workers Strike
The rapper and actor had been scheduled to appear at the Wawa Welcome America Festival on Friday along with R&B singer and Philadelphia native Jazmine Sullivan and other performers. LL Cool J said in a video posted on social media that 'there's absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line, and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage. I hope, I hope, I hope that, you know, the mayor and the city can make a deal. I hope it works out,' he said.
LL Cool J also said that he never wants to disappoint his fans and that he plans to be in Philadelphia in case an agreement is reached. The festival comes as the strike moved into a fourth day Friday. Trash has been piling up in some areas and more than 30 Medical Examiner's Office staffers have been ordered back to work because of a growing backlog of bodies in storage.
The latest talks between the city and leaders of District Council 33 – the largest of four major unions representing city workers – ended late Wednesday. Both sides have said they were willing to continue negotiations. The union represents many of the city's blue-collar workers, from trash collectors to clerks to security guards. Police and firefighters are not on strike.
The city has offered a three-year contract with annual raises of about 3 percent, which the union said amounts to little more than $1,000 after taxes for members making $46,000 a year on average. Mayor Cherelle Parker has said the city has put its best offer on the table. She stressed that the effective 13 percent pay hike over her four-year term – including last year's 5 percent bump – along with a fifth step on the pay scale would be the best contract the union has seen in decades.
Parker responded to LL Cool J's statement saying that she spoke with him on Thursday. 'I respect his decision and understand his desire to see the city unified,' the mayor said. 'He is always welcome in Philadelphia.'
The union also responded, saying LL Cool J's support for municipal workers highlights his commitment to social justice and community well-being. 'His support not only brings attention to our efforts but also inspires others to recognize and advocate for the rights and respect of all workers,' the union said. 'It's heartening to see public figures using their influence to champion causes that matter to everyday people.'
On Thursday, Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street approved the city's request to have the medical examiner's office staffers return to work because bodies have been piling up there in storage, posing a health and safety risk. Those workers include death and forensic investigators, forensic technicians, and clerks.
The order came a day after the judge ordered some emergency service dispatchers and essential water department employees back to work. Mounting trash piles in some parts of the city were also still causing grief for residents and officials, who have strongly urged residents to follow the collection guidelines imposed when the strike began Tuesday. They also urged residents to report problems at the trash collection sites and noted trash is being cleared as fast as possible and the city is working to open more sites.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Pearl Jam Drummer Matt Cameron Says He's Leaving the Band After Nearly 30 Years
Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron said Monday that he's leaving the band after nearly 30 years. The 62-year-old Cameron announced his departure in a social media post. 'After 27 fantastic years, I have taken my final steps down the drum riser for the mighty Pearl Jam,' Cameron said. 'Much love and respect to Jeff, Ed, Mike, and Stone for inviting me into the band in 1998 and for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime filled with friendships, artistry, challenges, and laughter.' Cameron didn't give a reason for his departure. 'Matt Cameron has been a singular and true powerhouse of a musician and drummer. He has propelled the last 27 years of Pearl Jam live shows and studio recordings. It was a deeply important chapter for our group, and we wish him well always,' Pearl Jam members said in a statement posted to the band's social media accounts. They made no mention of a replacement. Cameron, who played drums for Soundgarden for more than a decade before joining Pearl Jam, was not a founding member of the band and didn't play drums for the early albums that made them rock superstars. But he provided some much-needed stability at the drum kit after the band had gone through four others since its inception. He first joined in 1998 as a temporary replacement for Jack Irons, playing on a long tour before making his studio debut with the group on 2000's Binaural. He just finished a yearlong tour with the band in support of its 12th studio album, Dark Matter. Cameron was born and raised in San Diego before moving to Seattle shortly before its music scene became a global phenomenon. He played in proto-grunge band Skin Yard before joining Soundgarden. He did double duty with Pearl Jam and a reunited Soundgarden from 2010 to 2017.
Asharq Al-Awsat
13 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
‘Jurassic World Rebirth' Bites Off $318 Million at the Global Box Office
Dinosaur fatigue may be a theme in 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' but moviegoing audiences don't seem to have that reservation. The newest installment in the 'Jurassic World' franchise ruled the Fourth of July holiday box office with a global, five-day launch of $318.3 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Universal Pictures release, directed by Gareth Edwards, opened on Wednesday and earned $147.3 million in its first five days in 4,308 North American theaters. An estimated $91.5 million of that comes from the traditional 'three day' weekend, which includes the Friday holiday, Saturday and projected Sunday ticket sales. Internationally, it opened in 82 markets including China, adding $171 million to the opening total. According to the studio, $41.5 million of that came from China alone, where it played on 65,000 screens, 760 of which were IMAX. It's the country's biggest MPA (Motion Picture Association) opening of the year. 'Rebirth,' starring Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey, is the fourth movie in the 'Jurassic World' series and the seventh since Steven Spielberg's original Michael Crichton adaptation stormed theaters in the summer of 1993. The new film received mixed reviews from critics, carrying a 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, and B CinemaScore from opening weekend audiences, The Associated Press reported. Factors like the holiday weekend, inflation and post-COVID moviegoing realities make it difficult to fairly compare the 'Rebirth' launch to the other films in the 'Jurassic World' franchise, the first of which opened to $208 million domestically in 2015. The other two, 'Fallen Kingdom' and 'Dominion' opened to $148 million and $145 million respectively. 'Jurassic World Rebirth' introduced a new main cast to the series and brought back a familiar voice in 'Jurassic Park' screenwriter David Koepp to guide the story about a dangerous hunt for dinosaur DNA (not for making dinosaurs this time, but for curing heart disease). It cost a reported $180 million net to produce, not including marketing and promotion costs. The campaign was far reaching, including a global press tour, with stops everywhere from London to Seoul, integrated marketing across NBC Universal platforms and brand tie-ins with everything from Jeep and 7-11 to Johansson's skincare line. No major new films dared go up against the dinosaurs, who left last week's champion, the Brad Pitt racing movie 'F1,' in the dust. 'F1' fell a modest 54% in its second weekend with $26.1 million, helping bring its domestic total to $109.5 million. It continues to play on IMAX screens with accounted for $7.6 million of the North American weekend ticket sales. Globally, it's nearing $300 million with a running total of $293.6 million. Third place went to Universal's live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon,' which earned $11 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $224 million. Disney and Pixar's 'Elio' landed in fourth place with $5.7 million. Globally, 'Elio' has just crossed $96 million in three weekends.
Asharq Al-Awsat
13 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
'Superman' Director James Gunn Remakes the Hero for the Big Screen
James Gunn, writer and director of the off-kilter "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, tussled with various ideas on how to deliver a new take on Superman to the big screen. Gunn said he was aware of the many ways the noble hero had been approached since his 1938 debut, initially in comic books and then radio serials, television shows and movies. The challenge was to deliver something fresh that would appeal to a new generation of moviegoers and reinvigorate Warner Bros Discovery's DC Studios. His vision, in the movie titled simply "Superman," starts rolling out in international theaters on Wednesday and in the United States and Canada on Friday, Reuters reported. In the opening scene, Superman, played for the first time by David Corenswet, is seen bloodied after a fight, an unusual portrayal for the Man of Steel. "I wanted to take the character of Superman and just focus on a piece of him that we haven't necessarily seen before," Gunn said. Gunn surrounded Superman with elements that enthralled him from the comics as a child. Superman lives in a world, Gunn said, with "superhero friends and giant monsters and flying dogs, robots and all this magical stuff." The new film includes Superman's four-legged sidekick, a superpowered dog named Krypto first introduced in a 1955 comic. The latest version is based on Gunn's real-life, misbehaving rescue mutt. Warner Bros is counting on "Superman" to start a new era at DC Studios, which has failed to match the superhero success of Walt Disney-owned Marvel. Gunn, who made the "Guardians" movies for Marvel, was named co-CEO of DC Studios, alongside producer Peter Safran, in 2022. The pair have plotted a long-term slate that features a Supergirl movie for June 2026, a film based on Swamp Thing and TV shows for HBO Max. Wonder Woman and Batman also are expected to return to cinemas. Gunn said the aesthetic that audiences see in "Superman" will not necessarily foreshadow future DC Studios endeavors. "I want to be really certain that every project has its own unique flavor," Gunn said. "We're doing Clayface, and that doesn't feel like this movie. It's an R-rated horror movie. We're doing 'Lanterns,' which is an HBO show, which feels very much like an HBO show, very grounded, very kind of brutal. We have 'Peacemaker,' which is an adult show with a lot of emotion and a lot of comedy." Gunn admitted he has felt the weight of responsibility to produce a hit. "I've felt pressure all along," Gunn said. "That's been difficult." But as he started to see initial reaction to the film, "I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "It's pretty fun. I'm seeing the effect the movie has on people."
