Posted on 02/14/2003 7:46:57 AM PST by twas
Last week, Russell Simmons announced plans to boycott Pepsi for unfairly dumping Ludacris as their spokesperson. This past Tuesday, Russell called a truce saying that Hip-Hop need not boycott as Pepsi had verbally agreed to millions of dollars in support of urban arts programs through Rush Arts. Then early yesterday morning, Russell abruptly sent word of a press conference to announce that the Pepsi boycott was back on. Finally hours later, it appears the boycott was back off again.
In an apparent last minute move, Pepsi has once again averted the boycott by conceding to demands by The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HHAN) to pony up on official agreement paperwork. The quick change took place just minutes before the 2pm press conference yesterday at New York's Sheraton Hotel called by Russell and Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President of the HHAN.
The boycott back-and-forth began when Pepsi made the verbal promise of monetary support but appeared to front on their word during an appearance of a Pepsi spokesperson this week on the O'Reilly Factor. This led Russell to turn on the boycott engine again yesterday morning... and then off again yesterday afternoon when Pepsi produced official agreement paperwork.
At the press conference, Russell Simmons explained to the crowd that the original purpose of the press conference was to activate a boycott of Pepsi, but happily just 20 minutes before the conference, the HHSAN received a signed letter from Dawn Hudson, president of Pepsi, reconfirming the verbal agreement originally reached between the parties. The press conference simply announced the receipt of that document.
While much of the details are still being worked out, insiders on the talks between Pepsi and HHSAN say that a proposed $1 million a year for 3 years will be given by Pepsi to various organizations and charities helping at-risk urban youth. A steering committee being created between Pepsi, HHSAN and Ludacris Foundation will review worthwhile organizations and charities that will receive the money.
As for Ludacris himself, he doesn't want to have his ad reinstated and he doesn't want more money from Pepsi. He states that he "wants to walk away from this situation knowing that Pepsi is donating money to the kids and that makes him feel good."
So now we can all go back to drinking that Pepsi on our desks. Whew!
"On your knees sucka and kiss my black *ss"
Never! Pepsi sucks.
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