Going into “NorthBound,” I was looking for two things: voice and moments. Admittedly, I’m relatively new to Glenn Waco, only first hearing him tear up features on Mic Capes’ “Rise and Grind.” Between those features, the slew of tracks he released over the summer, and following him on social media, my impression was a young …
The biggest irony of the Rick Ross “date rape” controversy was that everyone saw a rise in their profile except female MCs. Everyone from Rosa Clemente to Crunk Feminist to Talib Kweli to Jasiri X made their presence felt in the conversation. I even read an article today interviewing children. With everyone talking about what …
Female MCs Get No Shine and I’m Part of the Problem Read More »
Awhile back, while attending a lecture by Immortal Technique, someone in the audience asked him about the Seattle WTO protests and what his thoughts were on the necessity of violent tactics in demonstrations. I’ll never forget his response. To paraphrase, he said that anyone can go out in a blaze of glory. What is truly …
No week goes by without someone talking about how negative rap music is destroying the Black community. Apparently, not just are these ignorant rappers not “real,” but they are killing our children’s minds. This line of thought always bothered me. I’d be lying if I said emcees don’t have an influence, especially on impressionable young …
Believe it or Not, Your Least Favorite Artist Really Isn’t Destroying the Community Read More »
An Angolan friend once laughed when my family brought up Kwanzaa. She said it’s a term for currency where she’s from. While Kwanzaa is not an African holiday, dismissing it as another makeshift black creation ignores the positives of the celebration. Kwanzaa is a week long celebration from December 26 to January 1 that puts …
Protesters in the Occupy movement have chanted they are the “99%” but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the majority of protesters are white. Many wonder why more people of color aren’t showing up to the protests, considering the disproportionate effect the financial crisis has had on them. In the case of Portland, look …
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwMknGllKaw&w=420&h=315] Andy Rooney left “60 Minutes” this past Sunday. The nation is in need of a seasoned journalist to provide a weekly dose of context. What an opportune time to free award winning journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, the most famous death row inmate in the world. Abu-Jamal symbolizes the struggle of the under served in …
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyO02uNGo38&w=420&h=345] I’ve had way too many conversations that ended with, “We could change things if all oppressed people just came together.” While it’s a nice thought, the opposite has actually happened. Races have unified against blacks even though blacks have the least resources globally. Nonetheless, black people have been the first to embrace multicultural …
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZxmuMmPLUU&w=560&h=349] You ever get hit with the “nice” racism? Call it offensive with a smile. I was visiting a meeting for a group in Lake Oswego, which I won’t name, and I introduced myself to one member who, ironically, was named Bruce. He was white. We shared a quick laugh about the coincidence and …
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAs9AVKkG5w&w=425&h=349] “You said don’t go to war unless I got my money behind me Aight, I got my money right here, now I want war” -Tupac Shakur When we discuss populist movements, it’s always important to take history into account. The American political system may be broken but even if it was “fixed”, it …