Wednesday, April 27, 2016

R.I.P. Amy Joyner

The violence in America is never ending. After I heard about the death of 16 year old girl because of a fight over a boy, I was extremely devastated. 16 year old Amy Joyner had an altercation with another student over a boy. The altercation then escalated to a fight on Thursday morning at 8 am in the bathroom of Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington, Delaware. The one on one fight quickly turned into a jumping when 2 other girls hopped in the fight. As the fight was going on, another student was recording the assault on 16 year old Amy. After Amy had hit her head on the sink and been knocked unconscious the girls continued to beat her, having no regard for her life at the moment.


It's true that fights happen everyday and there is no way to prevent that. Sometimes people fight over meaningless things and sometimes people get jumped. None of this is rare. However, we rarely hear about someone losing their life in due to a fist fight. Although fights are common in our society, there were multiple things that were wrong about the fight at Howard High School. Accidents do happen and Amy hitting her head on the sink could have been one of those accidents but the problem is that they continued to beat her after she had been knocked unconscious. It's one thing to fight somebody if they are able to fight you back but the girls that jumped Amy seemed to have no sympathy for someone who was unable to defend themselves. Another problem with this fight is that no one stopped it. Even after Amy lost consciousness, no one broke it up and the girls recording continued recording the fight. Social Media and websites like WorldStar have had a huge effect on this generation because now every fight is recorded to show to hundreds and thousands of people.



Although the fight, in general, was wrong, the biggest problem is that the girls behind the camera chose to keep recording while defenseless Amy Joyner lay on the floor unconscious being beaten. This tragedy could have been prevented if even just one of these girls would have been more aware or caring. In that moment, no one cared about the lives at stake or the possibilities of what could happen. Amy Joyner would still be alive if this fight wouldn't have gone on so long to the point where someone got terribly injured. The girls' focus on "capturing the moment" and recording the action resulted in the loss of a life. This senseless act of violence is a wake up call and it shows the worst possible outcome of these situations. The next time someone decides to fight, I would hope that after this, the people standing around would break it up before it gets out of hand instead of taking a video or walking a way. Now we know, that simply doing this could actually save someone's life.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Carry-out: The DC Version

When people hear the word carry-out they think of fast food places or restaurants where you order your food and take it home. This is completely correct but when you hear the word carry-out in DC, you think of something kind of different. Although it's still food that you order and "carry out" of the restaurant the food served is different from the food in carry-out restaurants that aren't located in the District. A typical carry-out in DC consist of a combination of Chinese and American cuisines, from everything like burgers, chicken wings, and fries to shrimp fried rice, Singapore noodles, and egg rolls. However, what really sets DC apart from a carry-out in any other city is our famous mumbo sauce. Mumbo sauce is a sweet red sauce found in DC carry-outs that people usually put on chicken wings and fries.

From my knowledge, I know that chicken wings and mumbo sauce are what DC kids and teenagers usually order. I did a survey of 45 McKinley Tech students to find out where the best carry-outs are. When Christian Bryant, a senior at McKinley did the survey he told me "it's all about the mumbo sauce and if it's not red then it's not good". The food obviously plays a big role in what makes the best carry-out but in a city known for its special sauce, the mumbo sauce plays an even bigger role. I asked students of McKinley if the best carry-outs were in the Northeast part of the city, Northwest better known as "uptown" and Southeast better known as the "Southside" of DC. Out of 45 students, 18 said the best carry-outs are in Northeast, 6 said Uptown, and 21 said the best carry-outs are on the Southside. For most of these students, the mumbo sauce was their deciding factor in this survey. For the residents of DC and DC visitors, if you're looking for the best place to get chicken wings and mumbo sauce, you'll find it in Southeast.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Black Privilege

Although I understand why some may mistake black empowerment for black privilege, let me explain the distinction between the two. The difference is that black privilege simply does not exist. Black privilege is a concept that has been invented by the racists in America to keep black people beneath them so that they remain superior. These people are scared that the organizations that empower black people are assisting in the disappearance of the social hierarchy that has existed in America for so long to uphold white supremacy.

I will agree that black people are given advantages that people of other races do not have. But isn't it fair that the black community receive some sort of recognition or compensation for the decades of oppression that we have endured. If the organizations made for the black community offend certain people, and by certain people I mean white supremacists, then I suggest you open your mind and accept that these organizations only serve the sole purpose of giving black people hope. In a society where our race has been discriminated against and put down because of the color of our skin, hope was our only way out. Organizations like the NAACP gave us hope that we could rise from oppression and advance in an America whose foundation was built upon the advancement of only white men.

It's my opinion that a White History Month shouldn't even be thought of. The months that belong to certain cultures and races are a celebration of our history and our ancestors who fought for where we are now. Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Asian Heritage Month are all examples of this. Months that are made into holidays are for these  people from  different cultures who are labeled as "minorities". They are made so they know where they came from. It's a celebration that says I'm proud to be black, I'm proud to be Hispanic, or I'm proud to be Asian even though America was not made to help us prosper. They are merely a representation of the struggles we've faced and obstacles we've overcome as minorities in America. Therefore the recognition of a White History Month would be an insult to our cultures who have struggled because of White supremacists. What struggles will a White History Month represent? The struggle of being born with better opportunities?  Or the struggle of being superior to other races ? If we're talking about privilege it is clear that it only belongs to the white race in America. So when discussing privilege be more conscious of what the word means and remember that the difference between black privilege and white privilege are their existence.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Oddisee: People Hear What They See


   Amir Mohamed el Khalifa is the product of an African American mother and a Sudanese father but that is not all he is composed of. His true identity is shown through the music that flows through him. He reveals his true identity through hip-hop, going by his stage name Oddisee. Oddisee is a D.C. native but his roots are in Largo, Prince George’s County, Maryland. With a combination of influences from his parents’ heritages and influences from  Rakim, De La Soul,  and a Tribe Called Quest, Oddisee creates a beautiful work of art in his 2012 studio album People Hear What They See. 
  The album has a different vibe than most of the music I usually listen to but Oddisee's voice demanded respect and I was compelled to listen. Although his music is new to me, Oddisee is not a new name in hip-hop. In 2010, his Odd Spring mixtape was listed in Washington Post as one of the Best Local Hip-Hop mixtapes of the year. The following year when he we released Rock Creek Park, the mixtape was named mixtape of the week by Stereogum. Oddisee's art and his passion has been progressing through the journey of his career, dating all the way back to 2006. In People Hear What They See, he wanted to talk about his influences, inspirations, his perception, and his reality and form it into a musical work of art. 

    Oddisee’s artistry shows through expressive lyrics and rhythmic tracks. Oddisee opens up People Hear What They See with the song Ready To Rock just talking about being himself. In the first verse he says “What you are you can’t escape from // so embrace it, don’t run away from // being that digit in that everyday equation”. He’s sending the message that it’s okay to be yourself and you don’t have to try so hard to be something you’re not. You can tell the album was well thought out and he is very conscious of what he believes in and what he wants to say through his music. The central theme of his album revolves around problems that he sees in his everyday life. The rapper stated that "every song on the album was written in an outside environment so that I could observe what was around me and let it become my subject matter". One of my personal favorites from the album, American Greed, Oddisee said, was inspired by watching lawyers and congressmen converse on the steps of the Supreme Court. In verse two of the song, Oddisee says "Them laws invented by those who break 'em, I bend 'em // I'm painted as heinous by hypocrites who feel offended". This song was a clear representation of how he felt about the government. The lyrics are very self explanatory revealing his thoughts of the government being corrupt and Americans as a whole are greedy because they take advantage of the things they have and constantly want more than they need. 

    People Hear What They See is a very interesting album because unlike the music that I listen to, it focused on the bigger picture. When I listen to the music of rappers from DC or other areas around DC, they often talk about the struggles of living in the city and what life in the "ghetto" parts of the city are like. Oddisee did an amazing job of focusing on multiple subjects that came together as one huge central theme of the reality that we see on a daily basis. I didn't like every single song on the album, however, there was not one song that I did not understand. Based on the way that Oddisee eloquently conveyed the messages he intended to in the album, I would give it an overall rating of a 9 out of 10. Oddisee shows that he is more than just a rapper, he is an activist that is passionate about the things that happen around him and things that affect others. 

4 Favorite Tracks:

1. American Greed
2. Way In Way Out
3. Ready to Rock
4. Maybes



Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Macklemore: White Privilege II Review


White supremacy is a topic that is often discussed in America yet, it is still a sensitive subject. African Americans and other minority races are usually the victims subject to white supremacy. So who wouldn’t find it a little strange when a white person, who thrives off white supremacy, discusses this touchy subject. Not just a white person, but a white “rapper”, who some would say is influential in hip-hop. The 32 year old Seattle native Ben Haggerty, known by his stage name Macklemore takes an interesting approach on the issue in his song White Privilege II.



Macklemore was brave enough to tackle this large issue of race, giving valuable insight from his perspective. In one part of the song, Macklemore speaks as a white mother who is not a fan of hip-hop saying “You’re the only hip-hop that I let my kids listen to // Cause you get it, all that negative stuff isn’t cool // Yeah like all the guns and the drugs // The bitches and the hoes and the gangs and the thugs”. With this, he gives off a feeling of guilt for being who he is and in a sense, being the face of white supremacy in hip-hop. Although what he is saying is true, this line, just like most of the song is more of a battle with his conscience than it is a stand against the issue. He makes it seem like he is responsible and the one to blame for all of these problems. Don’t get me wrong, the song definitely does make a statement, but instead of focusing on what the song is supposed to be about, he makes himself the victim.

The song is very political in the way it is conveyed than it is emotional. Comparing himself to other white musicians who are famous for resampling black music styles and and saying he needs to read more articles and have more conversations to tackle the issue are just some of the many ways that Macklemore takes a political approach instead of connecting to the audience. I will say that it gives white people a better understanding of their supremacy but it will not get to them on a level deep enough for them to want to step up and do something about it. His lyrics are very self explanatory and I think they lack the depth and emotion needed to make the song impactful.




The song conveys a message of don’t just be aware of racism, do something about it. The message had the potential of being meaningful but I feel that the person delivering the message is what made the song lack quality. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with a white person expressing their concerns and speaking on white supremacy but it lacks quality when they haven’t experienced the negative side of it. Macklemore was brave in making this song but I don’t feel like he is experienced enough socially or musically to take on such a strong topic such as this one. Although I agree with the truths about race that he expresses, it seems like more of a lecture to himself than a hard-hitting message to the listeners. I am not a fan of Macklemore and given the average quality of the song, it was not enough to make me want to become a fan. The song was a strong stance against the issue but that doesn’t make it a good song.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Lightshow: If These Walls Could Talk


In a city generally known for go-go music, a young man with a compelling voice has been breaking barriers in hip-hop. Yes, I said hip-hop. The nation’s capital is usually overlooked when talking about talented rap artists but this artist makes you want to double back and take a second look. From the south side of D.C., he has been pushing toward success and carrying his entire city with him through his journey. He tells a story of his struggles as a young black man in his city and paints a picture of the D.C. that most people from the area don’t see. With his authentic lyrics and his strong voice he has made a name for himself and caught the attention of big stars in the music industry.  He was born as Larinzo Williams in Southeast Washington, D.C., but has progressed into the superstar of his hometown going by the rap name “Lightshow”.

Lightshow released his latest project titled “If These Walls Could Talk” on September 25 of 2015. Life in D.C. and the struggles he faces on his rise to fame are recurring themes in his mixtapes, however in “If These Walls Could Talk” he goes down a different path shying away from what his listeners are used to. Still keeping his fans intrigued with head-nodding beats and catchy lyrics, Lightshow begins to go deeper into the message he conveys on his previous projects. He reflects on his past and and talks about how it has helped him overcome the struggles he faces on his path to success. Lightshow starts this mixtape off with a song titled “Keep It Gangsta” which is one of my personal favorites. Although the song is not upbeat like the hits we’re used to hearing from Lightshow, it sets the right tone for the mixtape and compels you to keep listening. At the beginning of the chorus, Lightshow sings: “If they real I don’t wanna be real // If they trill I don’t wanna be trill // and f*ck friends i just wanna be up // these ni**as envious they wanna be us”. The catchy tune is one of the main factors of the song’s popularity but the realness of it is also a contributing factor. “Keep It Gangsta” symbolizes Lightshow leaving certain things and people in his past that will hinder his success.


The mixtape is a timeline of events that occur on his rise to fame and there are certain tracks that relate to one another giving off a “then vs. now” kind of vibe. “Keep It Gangsta” is the “then” which was the struggles he faced at the beginning of his success and another one of my personal favorites, “Feed My Whole Crew”, is the “now” which is what is happening as he becomes more successful. This upbeat track is just one of the many songs that you’ll want to play on repeat and blast in your car or your headphones. “Feed My Whole Crew” mostly has an upbeat feeling but mellows down in the hook when Lightshow sings “I want Beamers for my b*tches, mansions for my thugs // f*ck the other side put my trust in up above”. These two lines encapsulate the track’s meaning of real friends supporting him and always being loyal and, in return he stands by them even as he gains fame and success.

Lightshow has been one of the most sought after artists from the DMV for a while now progressing through the makings of his ten mixtapes. Half of the ten were comprised of freestyles to other artists beats like on his infamous Yellow Tape & White Chalk mixtapes. On the other hand, the other half were more like albums comprised of original songs where he speaks his mind such as the album prior to his most recent project titled “The Way I See It” hosted by the founder of We The Best Music Group, DJ Khaled. Lightshow has been getting the recognition he deserves from big names in the music industry such as Khaled and fellow D.C. rapper Wale, however he is still an underground rapper. Although he has not blown up and taken the world by storm quite yet, signing to All In Entertainment and creating extraordinary and thought provoking works of art such as “If These Walls Could Talk” are big steps in the direction towards stardom. The transition and progression in Lightshow’s music through his journey is extraordinary but you don’t need to have listened to his previous projects to know that he is an artists to watch out for. Simply listening to this mixtape that I rate as a 10 out of 10 is enough to make you a fan. Take my word for it. Lightshow is the next big thing.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Redesigned Racism

      As time has progressed, numerous people have argued that racism in America has died because of black success stories and new opportunities that have become available to black people. But is racism really dead or are we just blind to the new racism in modern day society ? Racism is not dead, it has simply been born into a new form.

     When most people think of racism, they think about the Ku Klux Klan, slavery, and segregation because they are blind to how racism has developed and adapted to the new era. In an article from CNN, John Blake states "The more we assume that the problem of racism is limited to the Ku Klux Klan, the birthers, the tea party or to the Republican party, the less we understand that racial domination is a collective process and we are all in this game." Racism has evolved and it is felt but it fails to be noticed. Racism is exposed and justified through different means that keep it hidden so as Americans, we don't necessarily understand that we are living in a racist society. For instance, the alarming amount of incarcerated Americans is not seen as racism because it is justified through laws and the criminal justice system. Out of the 2.3 million incarcerated in America, African Americans constitute nearly 1 million of the population. However, according to NAACP about 14 million whites and 2.6 million African Americans report using an illicit drug. If these are the facts, then why are there more incarcerated African Americans than incarcerated whites ? This evidence clearly shows that there are more white criminals that blacks.

     Although there are successful black figures, we still live an era of colorblindness. The America we live in chooses to believe that everyone is truly equal because of people like Obama and Oprah. Not every black person in this country is an Obama or Oprah Winfrey. No caste system in the United States has ever governed all black people and there have always been black people who have been oppressed, discriminated against, and deprived of civil rights. Therefore, it is safe to say that America is still racist, just different from the ways in the past. Take Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin for example. The officers in these cases were both white males who killed unarmed black men. The killing of these black men were justified through laws and the officers supposedly "fearing for their lives". The reasoning behind the officers' actions was not because they were doing their job, it was because they immediately assumed that since Eric and Trayvon were black, they were criminals. This is a silent racism that is hidden under a blanket of justifications. Racism is legal because black people are seen as criminals so it's acceptable for them to be treated as such and feared when walking around in a neighborhood with a hoodie on.

     Racism still exists in America but the society we live in makes it seem as it has become obsolete. We simply have racism without racists. By this I mean that there is still racial discrimination but no one believes that they are racist because they only believe what they want to believe. For instance, in the incidents involving police brutality against African Americans, most people have said that the crime has nothing to do with color. Yet, it has everything to do with color. If Trayvon Martin was white, we all know the situation would not have ended the same and if the roles were reversed, justice would have been served for the little white boy who was shot and killed by a black police officer. We see white privilege and we say oppression of blacks but we chose to ignore it. So again I say, racism is not dead; the new racism is denying that racism exists.