REFORM Alliance Co-Founders Michael Rubin and Meek Mill and the Philadelphia 76ers Hosted Special VIP Experience for Children

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Yesterday, as a way to give back this holiday season, REFORM Alliance and the Philadelphia 76ers hosted a special VIP experience before and during the 76ers’ game vs. the Miami Heat for more than 25 children who have been negatively impacted by an unjust probation system (have a parent in prison for technical probation violations, have a parent who has been incarcerated for technical probation violations or had their probation extended due to a technical probation violation).

 The afternoon started with REFORM Alliance co-founders Michael Rubin and Meek Mill, Philadelphia 76ers managing partner Josh Harris, Grammy-nominated recording artist Lil Baby as well as Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Marc and Heidi D’Amelio, REFORM CEO Robert Rooks and former 76er World B. Free surprising the kids with custom uniforms and playing basketball with them on the Philadelphia 76ers court at The Center.

Ahead of the game, the children also had the opportunity to sit alongside the celebrities for a private dinner, take part in an intimate Q&A with 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, watch player warmups from the court and receive an incredible holiday package of 76ers fan gear from Fanatics. To cap the evening, REFORM Alliance and the 76ers allowed the children to split time by watching the game courtside and from a private VIP suite. Later on Saturday, Dec. 18, REFORM co-founder Clara Wu Tsai will host a similar giveback with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty at Barclays Center to treat children from community-based organizations focused on supporting mothers currently or formerly incarcerated to a special experience.

REFORM and its Board started this holiday tradition in 2019 (the event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic), which provided children who have been negatively impacted by the criminal justice system with a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. The event included a shopping spree at the NBA Store in NYC with Rubin, Meek and Wu Tsai, followed by a trip to watch a Patriots home game and meet with Patriots owner and REFORM co-founder Robert Kraft.

As you may know, Rubin, Meek, Kraft, Tsai – alongside other co-founders – launched the REFORM Alliance, an organization committed to transforming probation and parole throughout the United States by changing laws, systems, and culture. The nonprofit organization formed in the aftermath of Meek’s controversial two-to-four-year prison sentence for technical probation violations (he went to prison for NOT committing a crime) in November 2017.

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Watch Mike D, Money Mark and Mix Master Mike Perform Together in Los Angeles

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Mike D was joined by longtime Beastie Boys collaborators Money Mark and Mix Master Mike during his Los Angeles show last night (September 21).

The three came together at The Belasco to play the Beastie Boys’ 1992 single ‘So What’cha Want’ at the end of Mike D’s set.

Money Mark began the song on keyboard before the others joined in. The performance soon had all three jumping across the stage. Watch footage below.

Money Mark worked on Beastie Boys albums released between 1992 and 2011. Mix Master Mike also contributed to several of their records and remains the group’s DJ.

 

 

Elsewhere in the set, Mike D played Beastie Boys songs ‘Hello Brooklyn’, ‘Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun’, ‘3-Minute Rule’ and ‘Body Movin”’, alongside material from his debut solo album, ‘Thank You’.

The album came out last month and does not feature his former Beastie Boys bandmate Ad-Rock.

Mike D recently discussed why Ad-Rock is absent from the record. He told Consequence that he waited until he was “really committed” to the project before he “had to call Adam and tell him. It’s almost like I was calling [and] telling him I was in a relationship or something. I guess I was I was in a relationship with making a record.”

Mike D said Ad-Rock “couldn’t have been sweeter” when he heard the news. “He was just very supportive, and then we also joked around and he said, ‘Oh, yeah, I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do. I’m playing some drums.’ So it was nice. I’m glad that we had that conversation.”

He explained to Consequence that he had never planned to invite Ad-Rock onto the album: “I would have felt weird about it and I think he would have felt weird about it, and why go there? Let’s just be clear and be honest, it was very important to me that I make my own record.”

Asked about being the first Beastie Boy to release a solo album, Mike D told NME: “To be honest, there was no race to the finish line on that one! I’m still thankfully good friends with Ad-Rock and he’s not racing me on this one. It wasn’t until I had to sit down and do the first interview that I realised that was a thing.”

He also described the balance between the album’s sound and its lyrics: “The way I describe the record is that musically it’s still pretty immature, and lyrically it’s a little bit more mature. I just feel like there’s more of the things I had to tap into. I had to learn how to feel all over again.”

NME gave ‘Thank You’ four stars in its review, concluding: “His true solo potential will be revealed when he goes on to push harder on his extremes, but what you have in ‘Thank You’ is a solid and joyful return to be grateful for. Welcome back."

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