Saturday 4 June 2016

Tribute to Muhammad Ali









Here's to Mr. Muhammad Ali (Born 1942- Died 2016) May your soul rest in peace.


We just wanted to take a brief minute to take a look back at the life of the African and Irish legend that is Mr. Muhammad Ali. We sincerely wish his family and friends all the best in this troublesome time. He was a true legend.



Early Life


Mr. Muhammad Ali was born to make a difference and he knew it from early on. Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. He was a natural born brave heart and displayed this at an early age, which eventually led him to where he ended up career wise. Growing up in the South, in times where racialism was more prevalent that it is today and discrimination was a common trend, it was not easy for young Muhammad Ali everyday.

Mr. Muhammad Ali fell in love with boxing at the very tender age of 12 years old, little did he know it would set him on a path that would change become his life. When he discovered his passion for the sport of boxing, it lead him to be trained in a local gym by a local police officer in his area. Thus his boxing career began to unfold. Everyday Mr. Ali would go to training where he would get better and better at his craft, till one day he was presented to his very first amateur boxing match in 1954, which he of course won.

Mr. Muhammad Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light heavyweight division.


Olympic Gold


Mr. Muhammad Ali was tall, fast and efficient at his craft and so was allotted a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team in 1960 in Rome, Italy. Mr. Ali was quite intimidating and impressive in the ring and won every match, with the gold every time. 

He became an Olympic American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group, and continued overwhelming all opponents in the ring. Ali took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963, and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

Conversion to Islam and Suspension


Mr. Muhammad Ali converted to an Islam group at first in 1964. At first he called himself "Cassius X" before settling on the name Muhammad Ali. (The boxer eventually converted to orthodox Islam during the 1970s.) 

Afte Mr. Muhammad Ali's conversion he became alot more philanthropic, as well as started becoming quite the activist with his outspoken views against the Vietnam War. Drafted into the military in April 1967, he refused to serve on the grounds that he was a practicing Muslim minister with religious beliefs that prevented him from fighting. He was arrested for committing a felony and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license.

The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of violating Selective Service laws and sentenced to five years in prison in June 1967, but remained free while appealing his conviction. Unable to compete professionally in the meantime, Ali missed more than three prime years of his athletic career. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually overturned the conviction in June 1971.

Boxing Comeback


Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, Ali returned to the ring in 1970 with a win over Jerry Quarry. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went toe-to-toe for 14 rounds before Frazier dropped Ali with a vicious left hook in the 15th. Ali recovered quickly, but the judges awarded the decision to Frazier, handing Ali his first professional loss after 31 wins. Ali soon suffered a second loss, to Ken Norton, but he beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch.

Another legendary Ali fight, against undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman, took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to the younger, massive Foreman, but he silenced his critics with a masterful performance. He baited Foreman into throwing wild punches with his "rope-a-dope" technique, before stunning his opponent with an eighth-round knockout to reclaim the heavyweight title.

Ali and Frazier locked horns for their grudge match in Quezon City, Philippines, in 1975. Dubbed the "Thrilla in Manila," the bout nearly went the distance, with both men delivering and absorbing tremendous punishment. However, Frazier's trainer threw in the towel after the 14th round, giving the hard-fought victory to Ali.

After losing his title to Leon Spinks in February 1978, Ali defeated him in a September rematch, becoming the first boxer to win the heavyweight championship three times. Following a brief retirement, he returned to the ring to face Larry Holmes in 1980, but was overmatched against the younger champion. Following one final loss in 1981, to Trevor Berbick, the boxing great retired from the sport.*


Philanthropy and Diagnosis of Parkinson's




Mr. Muhammad Ali announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and was involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali also supported the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations. In 1996, he lit the Olympic cauldron at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, an emotional moment in sports history.

Ali traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations.

In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."

Despite the progression of Parkinson's and the onset of spinal stenosis, Ali remained active in public life. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009, when Barack Obama was sworn into office. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts. 

Death and Legacy



Things began taking a turn for the worse within a few years. In early 2015, Ali was hospitalized for a severe urinary tract infection after having battled pneumonia. He was hospitalized again in early June 2016 for what was reportedly a respiratory issue. The revered athlete passed away on the evening of June 3, 2016, at a Phoenix, Arizona facility.

Ali was survived by his fourth wife, Yolanda, whom he had been married to since 1986. The couple had one son, Asaad, and Ali had several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila Ali, who followed in his footsteps by becoming a champion boxer.

Universally regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history, Ali's stature as a legend continued to grow even as his physical state diminished. He continues to be celebrated not only for his remarkable athletic skills but for his willingness to speak his mind and his courage to challenge the status quo.

Reference and edited from: www.biography.com/people/muhammad-ali-9181165

Friday 3 June 2016

GROOVEFEST 2016 in the Dominican Republic



History


Groovefest Music & Art Festival was born in Oregon in 1993 – the passion project of Tim and Lisa Cretsinger, owners of record store Groovacious. In 2000 the Cretsingers moved to Cedar City, Utah and shared their store and the festival concept with Southern Utah. Groovefest Music & Art Festival is a unique arts experience for Cedar City. The festival is now a seven day celebration of the arts and includes Groovekids, LitFest, Campfire Concert in the Canyon, kick-off and after hours concerts, two-days of free music, art and food in Main Street park and workshops for all community members! The festival is staffed by community volunteers and financially supported by local businesses, which makes this a true community effort and a wonderful experience for young and old alike. The Groovefest American Music & Art Festival is a seven day celebration of the arts and music – dedicated to American music, whether it is Blues & Folk, Bluegrass & Country Western, Americana, Jazz, Jam.*



*The above brief history lesson was from the enclosed source (http://www.groovefestutah.com)
Now onto the juicy stuff, you know what you really came here for. We have good news and bad news. The bad news is you have missed Groovefest Malta.......oh no! but wait don't panic yet.............not until you here the good news, which is, that the festival will be on again this year in September in the Dominican Republic. 



The above video is just a snippet of the amazing coverage they have of the festivals on their official YouTube channel. This year they will be having the amazing festival at an adult only resort at Punta Cana....sorry folks 18 years and older only. Groovefest in well known for having the best in House and Techno music, from all parts of America, so there will be something for everyone, no matter the flavor. The absolute perfect way to end the summer. The freshest island foods and the most alluring cocktails coupled with the best music day and night for 7 days. You cant get a better way to end the Summer than that. 



The musical line up from the DJ'S to the performers are pure vibes and will have you pumping from morning till night time, while you eat and drink only the best in the lap of beach luxury on the tranquil and majestic island of the Dominican Republic. As the highlights come in we will be posting more about Groovefest 2016 in the Dominican Republic, Stay tuned......

So, the official website for the Dominican Festivities has been launched. Check it out www.groovefestevents.com....Simply amazing, book tickets for the event, flights, view activities plus so much more!














Will you be there? Let us know below....

RED ALERT!!

Groovefest is having a massive 48hr flash sale, that's $200 off. This is basically a give awy to the largest event to hit the Caribbean ever. 

Simply use the discount code 
  Use Discount Code: GFFLASH48

Best of luck securing your spot and be sure to share the savings, the more people you bring with you the better the event will be! Cheers, 
Articles