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Mikey Likes It Ice Cream X Dusse' Cognac Launch Event @ The W Hotel

We had the official launch for our exclusive collaboration with Dusse' Cognac this week. This W Hotel event was a kick off for the flavor Dusse' de Leche, a premium cognac infused ice cream. The flavor will be carried in NY W Hotels and 40/40. Thanks to everyone that came to the event. It was the perfect start to a great relationship.

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A very special thank you to @lordandtaylor for giving us the opportunity to provide their customers with an elevated shopping experience yesterday. The Vanilla Pop, double vanilla ice cream with m&m's, and Lemon & Basil Ice Cream, lemon and basil ice cream with lemon meringue pie pieces, was loved by all. Thank you. #mikeylikesiticecream

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THIS BLOG IS CLOSING. FOLLOW: MIKEY LIKES IT ICE CREAM

THIS BLOG WILL BE CLOSING IN A FEW DAYS. PLEASE FOLLOW MIKEY LIKES IT ICE CREAM FROM NOW ON. THANKS.

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Check out Relly Snow, this talented brother got some heat in his catalogue. To listen to his tracks and find out more info about him, goto: rellysnow.com VIA: www.kingnyc.com

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NEW FLAVOR ALERT! La Isla Bonita AKA Coquito. Available for delivery. Happy Holidays!

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Rest In Peace to Sir Nelson Mandela aka Madiba. A few years ago @sneakerfairy customized a pair of Air Force One sneakers for Nelson Mandela and I had them delivered to him personally by my mother, pictured with him in South Africa for his 99th birthday. Once he saw the shoes, he said he had goosebumps all over his body. @sneakerfairy had done an exceptional job as she always does. Let us understand that we can do anything that we put our minds to and strength in numbers is the key to our success. Today marks a sad day for us as people but let us reflect on the positive and understand the sacrifice that people have endured so that we can walk freely today. As the gates of Heaven open up for you Rest In Peace Sir Nelson Mandela aka Madiba.

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Mikey Likes It Ice Cream featured in The Huffington Post.

Mikey Likes It Ice Cream - Spreading Happiness and Making A Difference One Scoop At A Time.

Michael "Mikey" Cole's story is an inspiring one: he went from prison, to business school, to where he stands today -- selling healthy ice cream as part of his latest venture.

I met Mikey a few weeks ago when he came to the NFTE offices with his mentor fromDEFY (I wrote about this amazing program here).

He entered the room with a wide grin and an extended arm, holding a pint of his freshly mixed organic ice cream and looking sharp in his pinstriped suit. My assistant dove in head first, pausing briefly to explain what I'm missing. She loved it.

Mikey smiled, pleased. Another successful product, another satisfied customer of his business, an organic ice cream company inspired by his deceased aunt's special recipes. This is his third venture, after a shoe store, and before that: almost two decades of business outside the law.

Mikey and Tim Draper.

Mikey learned his entrepreneurial skills on the street. But after serving time, he got a degree in Economics and Business Management.

He couldn't have done it without the assistance of development programs like the Boys Club, which helped him get to college; and Breathing Space, an educational incubator for ex-cons, which gave him the resources, and entrepreneurial and mentorship support to bring Mikey Likes It Ice Cream to fruition.

Not only is Mikey growing his own career, he's bringing opportunity back to the community.

"And that's what the business is about now. You know, with the ice cream business, it's not just about creating ice cream," he states. "It's spreading the word -- it's about giving back to the community, to help the next generation so they don't make the same choices that I've made."

With the profits from his company, Mikey caters youth events, free of charge, and provides scholarships for local students. He's starting off small, but he's starting; "About three weeks ago, we donated 250 servings of ice cream to a school and paid $1,200 for a girl to go to summer camp. We're a business that doesn't have money yet like that... but you know, to give back is the most important thing for us."

What's so special about Mikey's story? Nothing and everything -- just look at the facts:

1/3 African American males will spend time in prison; and,

72 percent of the 2.3 million prisoners in this country are minorities.

What makes Mr. Cole different is his opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty and crime where many others in his Lower East Side neighborhood found themselves trapped. Mikey was given the resources to gain an education, and apply his advanced business skills to an industry where he could succeed indefinitely.

Organizations like Breathing Space and NFTE are fighting to keep people away from the plagues that come with poverty. If you are poor, you can't afford an education. Without an education, you can't get a well-paying job. That is why poverty and crime are frequently found sabotaging the same communities. People cannot afford an education, and turn to other means -- frequently, illegal means -- to supplement their low wages.

And then they are stuck. It is almost impossible for an ex-con to get hired. Those who are white only get hired half the time; and blacks only get hired 30 percent of the time. Once at the job, they can expect 40-percent lower salary than their peers who haven't served time.

Entrepreneurship has become a means of rehabilitation; organizations like Breathing Space, Defy Ventures and NFTE liberate at-risk youth and adults devoid of opportunity by teaching them business concepts, and facilitating their paths to success. NFTE has helped over 500,000 youths, and many more have become successful entrepreneurs, then the average for the national population.

Mikey won first place in Defy's plenary competition and successfully started his own venture without any funding. The program connected Mikey to opportunity, where he pitched Mikey Likes It to entrepreneurs and venture capitalists including Timothy C. Draper, founder of the global venture Draper Fisher Jervetson.

Breathing Space, located on 32.5 acres in the Catskills of New York, is a newcomer to the entrepreneurial circuit. The organization was founded by formerly incarcerated men who have created the Hudson Link College program in New York State prisons, Housing Works' Healthy Re-entry Program, and part of the off Broadway show "The Castle." They currently host Mikey Likes It Ice Cream's production facility, including three greenhouses for organic hydroponic food production.

We rarely hear about the mom-and-pops that make up American small business. For instance, 13 percent of adults in the U.S. are involved in startups, and about 400 million in the world. But now, entrepreneurship is now seen as a means of rehabilitation; for those who do not have access to advancement resources -- who cannot finance their own higher education, or acquire a career in profitable industry, the startup world is a viable alternate path. It provides an opportunity to attain financial independence. It provides a voice for voiceless people and means to possible financial liberation.

Mikey transformed his life and is working to change others. What would have happened if he had not been granted this opportunity? Would his path still have led to great change? One thing is certain, without Mikey Likes It Ice Cream, the world would not be as sweet a place.

To learn more about Mikey Likes it Ice Cream: www.mikeylikesiticecream.com

Very special thanks to Maya Horgan, who provided research assistance on this article.

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Thanks to @TheWHotels for having us today. We are extremely blessed to spread happiness with all our organic artisan ice cream. Blessings to @liliforlove for making this happen. Thank you very much.

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Preservation feat. Yahzeed - "Shyne"

  It is with great pleasure to introduce those who do not know about Yahzeed aka The Red Eye Jedi. This brother has been creating rhymes and performing for years and is currently on the rise. Here is his new video with the beat done by Preservation, who happens to be a very well known DJ, to those who know good music. Below is the write up from OkPlayer. 

Preservation delivers the video for “Shyne” – the latest from his debut compilation entitled Old Numbers – featuring Yahzeed. The project from Mon Dieu Music features appearances from Yasiin Bey, Edo G, Jean Grae, Minnesota and more. The project follows Preservation’s recent rework of Yasiin’s 2009 LP The Ecstatic. The video produced by Fishing Cat Films is a beautifully photographed phone booth confessional that captures the somber mood of Preservation’s sweeping production as brought to life by Yahzeed’s lyrical catharsis. Detailing his sins and sundry mistakes, Yahzeed finds shelter from the storm in the cramped quarters of a telephone booth and solace in the truth of his words; the emotionally dense verse plays like an ode to his pen and a bittersweet apology to anyone he’s ever failed to love as much. Check the footage below to view the video for “Shyne” from Preservation and Yahzeed. Stay tuned for more from the pair as Yahzeed’s forthcoming EP Of Monolithic Proportions produced by Preservation approaches this fall. Purchase Preservation’s Old Numbers LP via iTunes.

  Keep up the good work! It is now your time to shine!

  TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YAHZEED FEEL FREE TO FIND HIS INFO AT:

http://www.reverbnation.com/jedimusick

TWITTER: 

@onyxmonolith

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Shout outs to @fleeyayo and @prodigymobbdeep for collaborating on this "Infamous" Ice Cream flavor. Wait till you try this! #mikeylikesiticecream #fleeyayo #prodigymobbdeep

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http://www.heights-kenchi.com/single/mikey-likes-it--heights--kenchi

  Bespoke menswear at its finest. A hidden gem in the city is HEIGHTS + KENCHI. When I am looking for that something special to wear I head over to this one of a kind establishment located at 207 Clinton Street. With a great attention to detail, I am always taken care of well and when I get my clothes, I feel like a little kid in a candy store. For those who are into men’s fashion and like to be on their “grown man look", HEIGHTS + KENCHI is the place to go and support.   

Tell them Mikey sent you!

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Morir Sonando by #mikeylikesiticecream for my people's who represent DR, The Heights, The BX, and Uptown. Delicioso!

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Recap of: The White Tee Party presented by REEBOK at Greenhouse in NYC on Thursday March 21, 2013. Hosted by: Great Scott and Wayno.

Mikey Likes It Ice Cream had the opportunity to be part of the REEBOK White Tee Party on March 21. This party was in celebration of the release of a REEBOK all white collection, in which certain classic styles were being released exclusively in an all white color way.

In attendance were many tastemakers including Swizz Beats, Sway from Mtv’s Rap Fix Live, Alvon of The Burn it Down Music Group, Actor Michael K. Williams aka as Omar from The Wire, Actress Snoop Bmore, Kevin Leong from Phat Farm, Puma from VH1’s Black Ink and many more. The evening was definitely a memorable one and Mike Likes It Ice Cream was able to satisfy all palates with our “Cool Runnings” ice cream flavor. This flavor was specially made for this event and was fresh coconut ice cream with fresh coconut shavings with dark and milk chocolate almond pieces. Loved by all and hated by none.

Thank you for the experience Great Scott and Wayno. See you at the next event.

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New Flavor Alert: In remembrance of The Notorious B.I.G. we at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream have created a new flavor named: “Sky is the Limit.” Sold exclusively on May 21st, which is Biggie’s birthday. “The milk was chocolate the cookies butter crunch!” #mikeylikesiticecream #biggiesmalls

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New Flavor Alert: In remembrance of The Notorious B.I.G. we at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream have created a new flavor named: “Sky is the Limit.” Sold exclusively on May 21st, which is Biggie’s birthday. “The milk was chocolate the cookies butter crunch!” #mikeylikesiticecream #biggiesmalls

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Follow @MikeyLikesItIC on twitter for the latest scoop on the World's first Pop Culture Inspired Ice Cream Company. #MikeyLikesItIceCream#icecream#

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Happy 50th Bday to the Man, the Myth, the Legend Michael Jordan. I represent in my custom Mitchell & Ness jacket, artwork done by the uber talented Mr. Jai Cruz. Here is the back view. POW!

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Happy 50th Bday to the Man, the Myth, the Legend Michael Jordan. I represent in my custom Mitchell & Ness jacket, artwork done by the uber talented Mr. Jai Cruz. Here is the front view. POW!