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PASS THE ROC PASSES ON SPIRIT OF EMPOWERMENT

Indeed, Greene, president and CEO of the PASS THE ROC basketball clothing brand, is not only looking to use his brand to sell its apparel, but he is also using it as a way to give back to the less fortunate.

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PASS THE ROC PASSES ON SPIRIT OF EMPOWERMENT Jarrod Greene
Photo Credit: Joe Nunez and Jarrod Greene

Jarrod Greene is the epitome of the credo “to whom much is given much is expected.”

Indeed, Greene, president and CEO of the PASS THE ROC basketball clothing brand, is not only looking to use his brand to sell its apparel, but he is also using it as a way to give back to the less fortunate.

“PASS THE ROC is about empowerment,” said Greene. “There are two sides to the brand: the clothing brand that represents athleticism independent of any other brands and the philanthropy side where we give back. It is a for-profit company but there is another side that will be not-for-profit.”

Greene was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. From the time he was a kid, Greene knew he wanted to do great things. He was endowed with the entrepreneurial spirit by way of his parents.

“My father was very instrumental in teaching me how to work,” said Greene. “He actually grew me into being an entrepreneur by default.”

After Greene graduated from high school, he was expected to go to business school or trade school, but watching his father work hard fueled him to be his own boss.

Although Greene worked in the secular job market, he was not particularly pleased with the environment.

“In corporate America, you deal with certain people and their attitudes,” Greene said. “I never really excelled well there because I always had a certain mentality and somehow it may rub somebody the wrong way. I’m not going to let somebody push me over and talk slick to me. That always resulted in some type of reprimand, dismissal or not seeing eye to eye with someone.”

Nevertheless, Greene formed PASS THE ROC in 1994 and launched it in the spring of 2003. Its basketball gear was sold in 400 to 500 stores throughout the United States. The brand also secured distribution deals in Europe and in Spain.

Pass The Roc Logo

Pass The Roc Logo

 

“For two years, PASS THE ROC made $5 million in business which was relatively small, but an accomplishment,” reflected Greene.

The year 1891 is also featured on PASS THE ROC apparel and for a good historical reason.

“1891 was the year basketball was invented by Nai Smith,” said Greene. “The brand adopted the year as our symbolic year of inception which makes PASS THE ROC the official basketball outfitters. “

Greene noted that not even Nike or other major basketball brands thought of that concept.

 As far as competition, “there is no other specialty basketball brand out there that we have to compete against,” Greene said.

Up until 2008, Greene had been growing the PASS THE ROC brand, and then the recession hit which affected him personally and financially.

“I had to get back in the workforce and just do what I had to do,” Greene said.  “I’m an independent contractor doing sales for Verizon at the moment. This affords me to take earnings to invest back into PASS THE ROC. I’m flipping the money to build my business and my philanthropy.”

Greene also has no financial backers for the brand at the moment. “I’m doing all this by myself,” Greene said. “The revenue from everything I do helps to fund PASS THE ROC, money from secular work, money from consulting for other brands, money from the designers and apparel production. This affords me the capability of being able to take care of my baby which is PASS THE ROC.”

For a time, Greene was also homeless.

“I’ve been evicted out of my apartment and I know what it feels like to go through that,” Greene remembers. “I stayed in my car and slept on street blocks. I had gym memberships at local colleges so I would take showers there. I know what it feels like to not have food, to have a dollar and take that same dollar and try to find something to eat. What all of this was help to build my character.”

Kenny Anderson - Pass The Roc

Kenny Anderson – Pass The Roc

Since Greene has bounced back, he is all geared up with all kinds of plans for PASS THE ROC. In December, the brand had a relaunch party with 100 to 250 people coming out to support him, including legendary veejay Ralph McDaniels from the classic music video program “Video Music Box.”

Greene is planning on doing launches for the brand in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Vegas.

Greene is also planning a mobile restaurant to help disadvantaged families in Hudson County as well as a reality show based on how he maintains and runs his operation which will be produced  via his Greene Paper Dreams production company.

Greene credits his mother, who is deceased, for inspiring him to be caring and giving.

“My mother was such a giving person,” Greene reflected. “She had a big heart.”

Athleticism and, most importantly, empowerment and philanthropy are the three key ingredients that sum up PASS THE ROC. Greene is looking to come into the first quarter of 2014 on a higher note with excellence.

Greene also emphasized the importance of those with roots in Jersey City who become successful to not forget about the less fortunate in their hometown.

“There are celebrities who came out of Jersey City, such as big actors, who are not coming back from where they came from and say ‘I want to do something for these people just for one day’ or ‘I want to donate something for one day.’ No matter how big I may become, I will never be that type of person where will I not give back to the community from where I got my start.“

Greene said he is not looking for accolades “but I want to share with people my success and taking those three words PASS THE ROC and make them global.”

For more information about the PASS THE ROC clothing line, visit www.passtheroc1891.com and www.roc2rise.com or email Jarrod Greene at info@passtheroc1891.com.

Photo Credit :

Joe Nunez and Jarrod Greene

Written By Stephen McMillian


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Interviews

Meet Singer TruSoul Davis

As an up & coming artist hailing from Cleveland, Ohio’s Morris Black housing projects, TruSoul Davis is adamant to keep love in music.

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TruSoul Davis
TruSoul Davis

As an up & coming singer hailing from Cleveland, Ohio’s Morris Black housing projects, TruSoul Davis discovered his affinity for music at a young age, singing in local choirs in his youth.

TruSoul Davis discovers his voice

In his later years, he began to take music more seriously, honing in on his gifts and finding his voice. TruSoul Davis went on to release multiple singles leading up to his first major release “The Tru Experience” to widespread local & international (UK) acclaim.

After a short promotional tour that included various radio station visits & shows such as “The FreeThinkers Tour”, “Indie Acoustic Soul Live” & “Song Wars 5” to name a few, TruSoul looks to make an impact in the R&B scene by “Bringing real R&B back”, as he says.

Unheard Voices had a chance to ask TruSoul Davis some questions on his journey.

Get to know the soul singer below and see why he’s Unheard Voices featured artist of the month.

Unheard Voices: When did you fall in love with music?
TruSoul Davis: At a very young age, probably about 5 years old. I can remember back when my mother used to bring home records from her job at the local record shop and let me just “dive” deep into her collection from artists like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, etc.

Unheard Voices: How would you describe your style of music?
TruSoul Davis: Simply a touch of 90’s RnB with today’s twist.

Unheard Voices: What is the meaning behind your name?
TruSoul Davis: My name came from me and a friend of mine listening to music. I started to sing the song we were listening to with a lil bit more sauce then my friend was like ” man you sang that with some true soul ” so I just dropped the “e” and put it together.

Unheard Voices: What does your work aim to say?
Trusoul Davis: With my music, I sing songs to the hearts of women and the minds of men showing the up’s and downs of love and life, good and bad, and just trying to keep ” love” in music because we need it.

Unheard Voices: What or who have the greatest musical influences on you and your music?
TruSoul Davis: There are just too many to name. I can name a few to keep it brief; artists like Luther Vandross, Donny Hathaway, Johnny Gill, Dave Hollister, Michael Jackson just to name some ALL PLAY A GREAT PART IN MY MUSIC.

Unheard Voices: What has been the biggest challenge you have encountered during your journey with music?
TruSoul Davis: The biggest challenge I have encountered is being my own worst critic, and just trusting the process.

Unheard Voices: Where do you see yourself musically in five years?
TruSoul Davis: I can’t say but what I will say is “where ever hard work and consistency gets me”

Unheard Voices: What is next in the works for TruSoul Davis?
TruSoul Davis: Dropping a video to my latest single “Wildflower” ft my homie Big Trip. Shout out my shooter Logan Kyngston also some big shows coming this summer.

Unheard Voices: What do you like to do in your free time (outside of music)?
TruSoul Davis: Outside of music I love spending time with loved ones, working out, and doing something proactive for those around me friends and strangers alike.

Unheard Voices: In closing, I would like for you to leave the Unheard Voices readers words of encouragement and inspiration, especially for those pursuing a career in music and entertainment.
TruSoul Davis: Some words of encouragement for those grinding just like me “keep ya head down stay focused stay sharp rock with the people that rock with you just like that and TRUST THE PROCESS stay consistent and results will come”.

Check out him on Reverbnation.


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Interviews

Missin Peace holds police accountable with national misconduct database

Missin Peace is the only national police misconduct database that collects formal civilian complaints against law enforcement.

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Missin Peace national police misconduct database
Envato Elements

Missin Peace is on a mission to connect the dots when it comes to police misconduct.

For decades, many Americans have suffered various forms of brutality and injustice at the hands of “bad” law enforcement officers.

With the upsurge of cell phone cameras, citizens are finally able to document their interaction with police. The unfortunate murders of
Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others have galvanized the masses to demand justice.

Police officers are intended to be public servants, but what happens when the officer is accused of misconduct?

Sometimes, a civilian puts in a complaint in a step towards holding the officer accountable. But only a small percent of complaints result in the officer being disciplined —partly because the accusations are hidden.

Records of misconduct are filed away and rarely seen outside of their department.

Investigators can’t take action against corrupt officers if they are missing the pieces of the puzzle regarding stories of misconduct.

That’s where Missin Peace comes in.

How Missin Peace works

Missin Peace is a national police misconduct database that collects formal civilian complaints against law enforcement.

Missin Peace organization

 

Released in 2017, the registry offers two type of accounts.

One, it enables civilians to put the formal complaints they filed against the officer on record. Civilians are able to submit the official civilian complaint along with pictures, videos, and other accompanying documentation.

Two, the database also serves as a portal for investigative journalists, hiring managers, and civil rights attorneys to conduct research. For this type of account, users must contact Missin Peace to be granted access.

Currently, Missin Peace is the only national police misconduct database that allows citizens to follow and find any police officer’s history of complaints. The organization’s goal is to increase awareness on the database to be used as a tool for police accountability.

Check out Unheard Voices interview with Missin Peace founders:

For civilians who file their complaints on the database, personal information is stripped from the complaint, assuring complete anonymity.

The intent is to put on record police misconduct without fear of retaliation.

Traditionally, corrupt law enforcement officers have been allowed to transfer from one department to another and avoid the repercussions of their actions. To circumvent the recycling of corrupt cops, the American public and politicians finally understand the need for a centralized database of citizen complaints.

Missin Peace is here to fill in that void.

How to submit your complaint(s) in the database

If you have filed a complaint against a law enforcement officer, Missin Peace encourages you to put your complaint in the database to fill in the missing pieces. It doesn’t matter how old the complaint is, as long as it’s official.

To visit Missin Peace, check out their website and spread the word with your loved ones.


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Interviews

Rapper Chad Watson Is Poised To Become LA’s Next Rising Star

Chad Watson is a lyricist, songwriter, producer, and classically trained pianist based out of the Los Angeles area.

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Rapper Chad Watson
Chad Watson

Chad Watson is a rapper, songwriter, producer, and classically trained pianist based out of the Los Angeles area.

Who is rapper Chad Watson?

His roots began in the church at a young age where his love for music manifested. But it was only a few years ago that he started taking music seriously and he’s never looked back since.

His deep appreciation of acts like Andre 3000, transcends into his own style. He is the quinessential artist that is poised to become one of the biggest acts in the country and he’s well on his way.

With his growing buzz, he has appeared on various media platforms and now Unheard Voices.

We had the chance to chat with Chad Watson, asking the music artist questions on his journey.

Check it out below and click here to listen to his music on YouTube.

Interview


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