for every conveniently. whenvenlt.eventchattel. eventuallyeventually. eventuality. >> that's it. go to aljazeera.com for the headlines. her. >> i wanted to be seen and have people hear me. it wasn't easy, it motivated me to keep pushing. >> sara hoy with the man known as freeway, a hip-hop artist dedicated to act vis. and spreading an inspirational message. also tonight - from the grass rots. correspondent lisa fletcher vets

what is behind a citizens campaign that lit up marijuana activists in ohio. >> the subject of legal marijuana or are you passionate about the financial potential that it has. >> i'm passionate about both. it has huge implications for the state of ohio. >> is it a ground-up effort or are business interests pulling the strings? good evening, and thanks for joining us, i'm maya angelou, sitting in for joie chen. high risks and high rewards. that's what is at stake in a proposed marijuana initiative in the state of ohio. a group of wealthy investors are backing up legalization campaign, a "america tonight" investigation finds a small group stands to make a lot of money. lisa fletcher along with the center for public integrity tracked the story in ohio from the capital to the corn fields

to find out if voters are aware of fine print and if they care. >> you a registered voter. >> reporter: in the heart of ohio, the famous swing state and political barometer of the nation, the movement to league at his marijuana is growing like a weed. if these blue shirted workers succeed, ohio could be the fifth state to legalize recreational use of the drug. legalize. >> reporter: they have gathered more than 550,000 sits across the state. nearly double the requirement to qualify for the november ballot. >> if done properly and regulated, tested and taxed, if you do it the right way, this will become a industry. >> ian james is the executive

director of responsible ohio. an operation he has been running out of his colombus mansion for the past year. >> this is not your grandfather's ballot initiative. far from it. responsible ohio has a whopping 20 million budget. >> we'll have television, direct male. you know, the data analytics of this is expensive. >> reporter: responsible ohio is bank rolled by some of the wealthiest residents. from boy band and reality star nick lachey, retirement basketball star oscar robinson and others. and cleveland native bobby george, who owns 18 restaurants in ohio. are you passionates about the subject of legalizing marshalling marijuana or passionate about the financial potential it has.

>> i'm passionate about both. i think they have huge financial ohio. >> reporter: then there's alan mooney, a minister and colombus advisor. >> i think it will be bigger than g.m. in this state. >> reporter: billion in a b. >> wall street has not woken up and begun to realise the magnitude we talk about. >> reporter: mooney has every right to be giddy, if it succeeds, mooney's 36 acre corn field will be one of 10 sites in the state permitted to grow cannabis, and the investors bank rolling the initiative control those 10 sites. >> i have had people offer me 10 times what i invested to buy out my interest. by november, i think the partnerships, without growing a plant, the day this passes the billion. >> reporter: if i came to you

and said i'd give you $100 million for your position, you'd walk away. >> i already have. >> the right to grow is found in the second paragraph of the marijuana amendment. signature gatherers are not required to discuss the details with signers. this kind of investor-backed ballot initiative happened before. in 2009, a small group of investors bank rolled a measure to be the exclusive operators of casinos in ohio. the victory was led by in james. >> some said this was the high-jacking of the initiative process. >> they are not paying attention to the process in ohio. we propose to have the conversation in the light of day, with full disclosure of investment groups, and the plans for what they envision. >> reporter: just baug you are transparent on who the investors are doesn't just ni the fact

that the small elite group is monopolising control of operations for four years. >> it's not a monopoly they don't have to compete. >> didn't they contribute to your pact, to make sure that you can create a strong robust campaign to give them what they want, which is control of this land. >> it's literally to change the constitution to allow for the growth cultivation extraction and sale of marijuana, and possession. if you take it a step further, you go through the legislative process, which is not going to happen, or you put the position on the ballot. >> back in cleveland, bobby george says his investment was motivated by the possibility of large returns. he is, after all, a businessman. >> why are the writers of this amendment, the sole ash terse of who does and does not get to grow marijuana in the state? >> well, they are the ones taking the risk and putting the

blood, sweat and tears into legalizing it. otherwise, how does it get past. >> it's a citizens initiative. if the citizen passes it, they are okay. >> if the citizen passes it. they don't have the opportunity to make money off it. >> anyone can open up retail, or the area that has marijuana infused product. >> they can't grow. >> every industry is limited. >> that has a farmer lit up. >> we take pride in the quality of our product. >> katy gave us a tour of her boss's aqua ponics form on the outskirts of colombus. she and her boss are innovate of course, and cannabis would be a perfect crop to try. >> the more i looked into it, the more i realized the economic opportunity would be centralized and limited to a small group of people, and as a farmer, i'm seeing that it's excluding all

much. >> she says she cannot afford to be an investor. >> it's blatantly spitting in the face of democracy of what we are founded on. competition and chance to even put your business out there. and they take that away completely. >> it's incredibly rare for a ballot measure to write into a state's constitution specific locations or areas where only a business can operate, and the locations be owned and operated by the funders of the initiative. >> liz is a reporter for the center of republic integrity, which has been investigating the issue along with "america tonight". the center found more than 400 million was spent on ballot initiatives nationwide. they were up for a vote in 2014. >> we found that most of the

money came from big business or trade groups who were largely successful. they want 96% at the time in defending the interest in the ballot measure process. ashley white says what responsible ohio is doing is unique by the money standards, and the voters she talked to permit. >> i didn't see anyone read the whole thing. most people i saw who signed it and talked to me said they information. >> reporter: this person wants to legalize marijuana, but his rival group hopes to defeat responsible ohio. >> our position is that if we allow everyone who wants to grow commercially to get a licence, it will be easier for the government to track and regulate that, it will be safer for everyone and work on eliminating the back market.

>> he wants his own initiative approved for the 2016 ballot. he says he got investors bank rolling his operation to the tune of half a million. he said he thought what they were doing was fundamentally wrong, but doesn't it - isn't it fundamentally what the democratic system is about. you create an initiative. you get voters to sign on to it. you get it on the ballot. there's nothing hidden from the voters, they have the ability to redevelop measures and make a choice. the idea of predetermining who is allowed to grow commercially by requiring them to invest in a campaign and so forth is the wrong way to go about it in general. too many people are shut out. the problem is they are trying to block everyone else out, including the people that have advanced cannabis culture and the industry to the level that it's at now. who frankly don't have millions of dollars to write their own initiative like this. >> they say there's no precedent

to restrict marijuana growth. >> it's about do we want to fundamentally change the foundational document of our state to allow corporate takeovers of whole industries. what is next - water, corn. where does it stop. >> it stops with the voters, and they have eyes, and they will decide. >> i agree. in november, they will vote no that's "america tonight"s lisa fletcher reporting. the question is what will happen next in ohio. the voters will decide in november whether or not they care who controls the bisof the state. right now polls show the majority of ohioans want marijuana legalize said. >> philadelphia's freeway, a hip-hop artist turned activist rededicating himself to reliagion and helping at risk youth. he shares his story with "america tonight"'s sara hoy.

later in the programme, a sanctuary attacked. a congregation with a history of standing up against evil. >> we don't see ourselves as a place to come and welcome, but culture. >> shot dead and the government does nothing. >> they teach you how to eliminate people? >> ya. >> we've done it and that is why we are there. >> my life is in danger. >> anyone who talks about the islamic religion is killed. >> don't miss the exclusive al jazeera investigation. >> i can't allow you not to go into that because that is your job. >> only on al jazeera america.

>> comedy great, richard lewis >> i really am in love with the craft... >> turning an angst ridden and neurotic outlook... >> i have to un-ravel myself on stage as fearlessly as possible >> into an award winning career... from hell? >> it's thrilling when it's working.... >> every tuesday night. >> i lived that character. >> go one on one with america's movers and shakers. >> we will be able to see change. >> gripping. inspiring. entertaining. talk to al jazeera. only on al jazeera america. in the u.s. a recent study found that if you are born in poverty the chances of climbing the socioeconomic ladder are very slim. in philadelphia, a city riddled by poverty and violence and

drugs, the situation for many seems hopeless. there's one local hip hop star who made it out of the rough section of north philly, and as "america tonight" sara hoy reports, he's a beacon of hope and inspiration. [ sings ] lesley always wanted to be heard. growing up in one of the nation's poor cities, there were times he felt invisible. >> i wanted to be seen, i wanted people to hear me. i had a time. i wanted my voice to be heard. and definitely it was hard. it wasn't an easy thing. it just motivated me to keep pushing and pushing. >> after his parents split, he turned to selling drugs to make ends meet. fighting his way from notorious north philly to become freeway. one of the city's best-known rap

artists, a journey as rough as the streets that forged him. >> when i was growing up, the corner boys was the successful people. the person on the corner, they had the fly car, was getting the money. that's what i wanted to do. i wanted to get money. i had to live up to them. >> the 36-year-old group in the midst of the crack epidemic, rocking the city of brotherly love to its core. and corner boys, the front line lieutenants of the drug trade, like the young men depicted were out in full force. >> put me there. march. >> what was it like it be living epidemic. >> it was pappeda mopium. -- pandemonium, everyone out for themselves. at that time i was going to high school, and my mum and dad did the best that they could do. it wasn't much. i wanted more. people were driving to school.

i'm taking the train. i'm wanted those things. although there was a position that the crack epidemic was over. not much changed. >> we heard and thought it was eradicated. what is the reality. >> the reality is crack is in full effect. it's everywhere. we are 10 blocks from the heart of north philly, we don't have to go there. i am sure that we walk two blocks down that way there are people outside that use drugs. people outside selling crack. it's everywhere. >> just up the block, his description came to life. i told you that we had to walk. look at this, we are a city. people sleep on the ground. people are foectedaffected by it.

just life in period. just life dealt them a bad deck of cards. >> it's the same streets that the freeway uses to paint his lyrics, he's known for a unique deliver and view. >> the sun go down. people have to bundle up. they rocket down, listen up, don't you know the soul purpose is to locus down. when we destruct stuff, the kids have no way to eat. that's what i was born with at the time. >> he did gaol time for drug possession. experiences detailed in his lyrics. at 23 he caught the dangers of jay z, and launched his music career at the moguls rocker fellow records. he says his time behind bars and his faith turned him from the path he was on. islam has been a part of his life since he was a teen.

it wasn't until adulthood that faith changed who he was. >> i used to cell drugs, that's how i made my money. i was hurting people, and that's all that i knew, you know, and god gave me a chance to do something positive. it's a blessing. i want to move forward. >> today he's an independent artist with his hands in a number of projects. like the documentary pull of gravity, following three former inmates transitioning from prison to society. and last winter freeway launched a beard cream. able to overcome the pull of his environment, he's talking about his life experiences, and trying to influence others to do the right thing. >> where i come from, i feel it's important to touch the people. i know i believe in things i can

see, things i know is real, you know, when you are out there and deal with people and you touch the people, you can affect the people. people see me, i'm from the hood. i'm successful. if they see me, talk to me, and i'm there in their face, maybe i can inspire them to do the same thing with the recent uprising in baltimore, new york, ferguson, freeway felt compelled to get removed on the ground. >> when we look at baltimore, ferguson, what impact or message is it sending. these are people treated. it's not right. somebody has to do something. someone has to stand up. >> take back. >> baltimore. >> we can't be hopeless. people before us fought for it. we are fighting, and i am sure after we are gone, people will come after us that will be fighting for it, you know.

we have to keep pushing. >> he visited with the family of freddie gray, and marched in washington with danny glover. >> it makes me sick to my stomach. a person that is a police officer needs to be a special person, you have to deal with a lot of things, like you can't let your - you might wake up, have a bad dad or let that affect your job, you have to let it treat people properly. >> hip hop has done more damage to black and brown people than racism in the last 10 years. >> reporter: on the flipside, some like fox knew's avera says hip hop music is damaging the lives of black people. what do you want to say to the critics that look at you saying you are pat of the problem because of you, your lyrics, tainting the young people. what do you say to that. >> what are they doing to help. i'm trying to do something. i'm trying, at least i'm trying to do something positive.

at least i'm trying to get back. i was out marching with the people, listening to the people. trying to get the people's suggestions. what are they doing? >> freeway's life now is in perpetual motion. >> if there's one thing you want people to take away, you want our viewers to know about you, the individual. what is it? >> that i'm hear, you know, i'm a child from the ghetto. i made a difference. and my life was [ bleep ] i turned it around. if i can do it, anyone and everyone can do it too coming up next, echos in the sanctuary, the scene of charleston's tragedy and how this church long stood strong in the face of injustice. next week on the programme, 7 months after the death of

britney minard, and she's having a major influence on medically assisted suicide laws. one up for debate in california. i'll take you inside the right to die movement with the man behind the momentum. britney minard's husband. >> hunted to the brink of extinction... >> we need an urgent method that stops the killing. >> now fighting back with a revolutionary new science. >> this radio carbon dating method can tell us if trade of ivory is legal. >> it could save a species... >> i feel like we're making an impact >> techknow's team of experts show you how the miracles of science... >> i'm standing in a tropcal wind storm... >> ...can effect and surprise us... >> wow, these are amazing... >> techknow, where technology meets humanity!

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the heart break of the charleston shootings is stunning. a vicious and calculated attack against the prayerful. death in the presumed safety of a holy sanctuary, and whether the killer knew it or not, a place with an extraordinary history of embracing justice in the face of raceism. chen. >> god we welcome and invite you into this place, your house. >> reporter: he was the pastor who in every way symbolized mother emanuel for a new gerp aches, clementa pinckney gunned down, early reports say, as he urged the killer to give you willize firearm. the leader of a congregation with deep roots in social justice, civil rights and a long

history of standing up to oppression. >> we don't see ourselves or many of us don't see ourselves as a place where we come and worship, but as a beacon, and as a bearer of the culture, and a bearer of what makes us people. >> in the video from three years ago, he mixed sermons with history lessons, in a church born of a sometimes bitter and bloody history that began in the 1800s. in the post revolution port city small congregations of african-american faithful sprouted up in time coming to be known as the african-american episcopal denomination. the a.m.e. church. moth e-emanuel was conse grated in 1816 with 4,000 members, enormous in that influential. a founder was a freed man,

denmark, who bought his way out of slavery, and was said to have tried to organise the largest slave revolt of the day. thousands were to take part coming from the plantations outside of charleston. as well as freed and enslaved blacks in the city. someone leaked the plan. b.c. was given a summary trial, and executed with dozens of others. denmark is a story told and retold at mother emanuel like generations of leaders. those that hosted civil rights leaders at its pull pit and like clementa pinckney knew that it carried a critical inspiration for the future. >> it really is what america is all about. could we not argue that america is about freedom, quality and the pursuit of happiness, and sometimes you have to make noise to do that. sometimes you maybe have to die like denmark to do that. sometimes you have to march and struggle and be unpopular to do that.

that's "america tonight"s joie chen. as to whether mother emanuel can recover from the attack at its sanctuary you have to consider its history. mother emanuel sanctuary was burnt to the ground. for years they met in secret until it rose up once again. that's "america tonight". tell us what you think at aljazeera.com/americatonight. you can talk to us on twitter or facebook, and be sure to come back. we'll have more of "america tonight" tomorrow.

>> brittany menard's decision to take her own life last year. sparked a national debate. >> brittany didn't wan't to die the brain tumor was killing her, she simply took control over how that process would go. >> now see what her husband is doing to keep his promise to change "right to die" laws nationwide. america tonight only on al jazeera america. >> i'm under water on this mortgage. i overspent. i went, you know, overboard on many, many things. never thinking that it was all going to be taken from me. >> babysitter bills, stuff like that. we're all struggling. >> i'm finding that it gets more complicated after you retire. >> it's not the best right now. i'm trying to do as much as i can but for myself i think it's not enough.