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LOS ANGELES — Eleven minutes. That’s how long it took Brandon “Stix” Salaam-Bailey to write “Clip City,” the Los Angeles Clippers’ anthem for this season, mere days after an invitation from DJ Dense, one of the team’s in-arena hosts at Staples Center.

Ten days. That’s how long it took Stix—a local rapper, producer, community activist and leader of the Think Watts organization—to get the Clippers and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), wrapped in red tape as it may be, to complete a revitalization project at the University Pathways Public Service Academy and Charles R. Drew Middle School in South LA.

“If you think Watts, you think of electricity,” Stix explains to CloseUp360. “If you think of electricity, that means you have a lightbulb. If you have a lightbulb, that means you have an idea. And if you have an idea, you can change the world.”

In the wake of Nipsey Hussle’s tragic murder this past weekend, the Clippers’ collaboration with Stix comes as a reminder that the uplifting of a community like Watts not only requires more than one person, but also can be led by many, especially with the support of an NBA team.

“It’s very uplifting and it’s really good to show that the Clippers really care about the community they’re a part of by coming back and doing this,” Clippers alum Craig Smith, who attended the event alongside NBA analyst Ryan Hollins, tells CloseUp360.

The concept of refurbishing recreational spaces at Drew Middle School sprang out of Stix’s creativity on behalf of the Clippers. After hearing “Clip City,” the team’s marketing department reached out about licensing the song to use as they pleased. Stix declined that initial request and insisted on an in-person meeting rather than a conference call. His demand: that the Clippers help to transform the school’s gym and field, which hadn’t been updated in 30 years.

Less than two weeks later, the Clippers, in conjunction with LAUSD and American Airlines, had renovated the indoor basketball court, nine-and-a-half outdoor courts, two volleyball courts, two tennis courts, two four square courts, four handball courts, a garden, a walking path and a fresh paint job on the school’s gymnasium.

“We need to clone you,” LA City Councilman Joe Buscaino tells Stix during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the latest unveiling of Clippers Community Courts on the first Tuesday of April.

​Stix (center) cuts the ribbon to unveil the latest Clippers Community Courts in Watts as members of the organization—including alums Craig Smith and Ryan Hollins (right)—look on. (LA Clippers)

To celebrate the completion of the project, the Clippers conducted basketball clinics on the outdoor courts for Drew Middle School’s students, with Craig and Ryan offering encouragement—along with a picture-perfect alley-oop connection.

“Any time of giving back to the community, I’m all for it because I was once a Los Angeles kid, just trying to figure my way around life,” Craig says. “And to come back and obviously be a positive influence and inspire the kids, it’s always a great thing to do.”

The contribution comes at a particularly important time for the University Pathways Public Service Academy. “The U,” as it’s called, opened on the campus of Drew Middle School in August 2018, and aims to educate students who can then act as agents of change in the community.

As for the Clippers, this project is the latest in an ongoing partnership with LA’s Department of Recreation and Parks. Since October 2018, the organization has been busy fixing up 350 courts across the city as part of the Clippers Community Courts initiative, which was made possible by a gift from the team, owner Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie.

Josh Martin is the Editorial Director of CloseUp360. He previously covered the NBA for Bleacher Report and USA Today Sports Media Group, and has written for Yahoo! Sports and Complex. He is also the co-host of the Hollywood Hoops podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Think Watts Foundation in collaboration with the Harold Robinson Foundation are proud to present the “ 2nd Above and Beyond Food Distribution,” a special free food distribution event for the neighborhood of Watts and the city of Compton.

Organized by Thinkwatts Foundation founder Brandon ‘Stix’ Salaam-Bailey, this is the 2nd massive distribution with the last distribution happening back in the month of


June with music label Tde, home of successful hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar, and Watts native Jay Rock. The event focuses on community enrichment through providing healthy food options  for residents in all of the Watts housing projects with 4 or more people. Additional contributors will include Beyond Meat, HACLA, Aqua Equity, Primestor, Freedom Plaza, GodissLove, Pull up Neighborhood, and Miss Diddy.

The event will take place on Friday,  Aug 7th 2020 and the distribution will include several thousand boxes of Beyond Meat food products, fresh produce and cases of water for all residents located at Hacla’s major project housing sites located in Watts simultaneously with 3 major locations located in the city of Compton. The day will begin in the Jordan Downs and conclude at Gonzales Park.

This one-day event is Stix’s latest of many efforts to promote unity between Watts and Compton and address the food deficiencies in low income neighborhoods due to Covid by giving back. To stay up to date and support Thinkwatts Foundation log on to www.thinkwattsfoundation.org

​WATTS, Calif. – Working out toward a better future is how Abigail Fernandez now spends her days. She uses the school’s treadmill to train for soccer.

It is Fernandez’s first year on the team and she loves it. She owes this opportunity to University Pathways Public Service Academy, or The U, a specialized high school she had to apply to get into.

“I have a future here. I really have a future in this school,” says Fernandez.

A bright road ahead because of what The U offers, like higher level classes and a pathway to college or a career. Being from Watts, which is often seen as an underserved community, Fernandez feels she now has a chance at a better life.

“It’s special because we don’t live in a rich community and maybe people think about like, ‘Oh, those kids don’t have chances in life,’ and we are really trying to make it and I feel like this is going to help us a lot,” says Fernandez.

What will help her even more is the new gym she is working out in. Planet Fitness created a fitness center for all students to use at The U and The Charles Drew Middle School, which are located on the same campus. Fernandez did not have a place to work out in before, she just ran outside to condition for soccer.

“I’m lucky to be in this school because most schools don’t have this,” says Fernandez.

This is why local rapper Stix made this partnership happen. He has been working to give more opportunities and accessibility to his neighborhood Watts. He got the ball rolling with Planet Fitness and the Los Angeles Unified School District to make this new gym. He hopes more of these are put in schools around the neighborhood and beyond.

“The goal is to treat this as a Guinea pig, a testing ground, to see if this can actually work for an underserved community and right now it’s working,” says Stix.

It is working he says because he sees students are more eager to learn and chronic absenteeism has gone down in the school all because of the resources given. It is even seen in Fernandez’s life who says the new gym keeps her out of trouble.

“I’m not out there no more, not on the streets. You know doing bad things. Now I have something to do here,” says Fernandez.

Stix is excited to continue his work and help more students like Fernandez see a brighter future ahead.

​WATTS, Calif. – A classroom full of students is a rare sight during summer break. These students are dedicated to learn all they can about money.

Local rapper Stix, felt there was a need for a financial class that wasn’t given in school. He learned this all by posting financial tips on social media.

“People were like, ‘Yo, this information is useful. I didn’t learn this in school. I didn’t learn this anywhere. This is helping me,'” says Stix.

Being from Watts, Stix is using his platform to give back to a neighborhood that he says sometimes goes unnoticed.

“My whole goal and my whole focus, whether they remember my name or they don’t, they’ll remember that somebody cared enough to try to give them the tools to survive,” says Stix.

So, he used his connections at the Banc of California to put together this weekly financial literacy program for students in the area. The program is a test run held at the New Charles Drew Middle School.

“It has been going really well because it’s something that is not being delivered in the community. When you bring them something that they need, they will come,” said Stix.

Eleventh grader Jnanya Shingleton decided she would use her summer vacation to learn as much as she could.

“You can relax all you want on summer, but you should still get up and do something. Plus I thought it was a great opportunity to do something and learn how money works,” says Shingleton.

Shingleton says learning about finances will only help her in the future. Other students seem to feel the same. The first class only had 12 participants and now it is up to at least 50.

“I hope this helps me manage my money better, be able to save better, and do better financially in my future,” says Shingleton.

Stix hopes that next summer this program can grow even more and expand to other areas of Los Angeles.

“I want to tap into all the underserved areas in ways that I can to empower people to properly learn how to manage their finances,” says Stix.

School is not out for summer for students eager to learn in Watts.

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L.A. County Sheriff’s Department addresses city in response to George Floyd protests
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department held a news briefing at 6 p.m. Saturday in response to ongoing local protests against the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“Everyone enjoys a First Amendment right to protest the actions of government, no matter where it occurred throughout our entire great nation,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. “But we have to do it in a manner that’s peaceful, that respects everyone else’s first amendment rights, everyone else’s rights to property, to be free from harm or injury.”

Hours earlier, the city of L.A. announced it would impose a curfew in downtown from 8 p.m. Saturday until 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

Watts-born rapper Stix made a name for himself in the music industry and has produced anthems for teams like the Clippers and LAFC, but it’s his efforts to elevate the Watts community that will be the most significant part of his legacy. Jaime Maggio caught up with the local rapper and philanthropist.

​WATTS — Volunteers from several community groups distributed boxes of meat, produce and water to residents of several public housing projects in Watts June 10.

The Above & Beyond Food Distribution, hosted by hometown leaders Top Dawg Entertainment and Think Watts Foundation, was sponsored by Beyond Meat, the Harold Robinson Foundation, the Housing Authority of the city of Los Angeles, Aqua Equity Water, Community Healing Gardens, Godiss Love and Primestor Development.

They distributed the boxes and bags of food to residents of Nickerson Gardens, Jordan Downs, Imperial Courts, Gonzaque Village and Avalon Gardens.

Brandon “Stix” Salaam-Bailey, founder of Think Watts Foundation organized the event in two weeks. He said he wanted to do something special for the city, so he called his partners to help.

“Watts is in my mind and heart, so I have to give back,” Saalam-Bailey said. “I have to give to those in need, and even if they’re not in need I still want to give back to show they’re appreciated.”

The Think Watts Foundation’s primary objective is making a positive difference for adolescents and adults raised in underprivileged communities.

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles coordinates services for the14 public housing developments.

“It’s essential we do this together,” said Joel Lopez, who represented the housing authority at the event. “We have a large population of seniors, people with disabilities and families with young children.

“Some are unable to leave their home because of COVID-19, whether it be child care or sheltering in place. There’s a scarcity of food for areas like Watts, where you only have one or two supermarkets,” he added.

Top Dawg Entertainment is home to music artists Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, Lance SkiiiWalker, Reason and Zacari. Many of its artists are from California and the company also hosts an annual Christmas toy drive.