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Eye 4 Eye Symposium •

This is for the Open-Minded: 23 Years of Supernova — Eye 4 Eye Symposium

From the moment Supernova first touched my ears, it felt as though a new dimension of understanding and inspiration had been unlocked in my life. The album, with its bold spirit and profound messages, became a beacon of light during times of uncertainty and growth. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, through her fearless creativity and unyielding passion, transformed not just music but the very way I perceive the world around me. It brought my inner child to life during the darkest moments of my life, fillin...
Medium •

TBTS Album Reflections: Q-Tip’s Amplified

The year is 1999; Afrofuturism is in full swing in both R&B and Hip-Hop during the height of the Y2K Scare. Per usual, Black folks were not bothered by the white-dominating crisis and continued to live their life outside the box and in their own universes. Missy Elliott’s Da Real World shocked the airwaves by reclaiming the phrase “She’s a Bitch” with a powerful feminist statement, while her fellow VA partner in crime, Timbaland, trademarked eclectic Middle Eastern sounds used in “Big Pimpin.” T...
Medium •

Women from the Black Male Perspective in 90s Films: Reviewing John Singleton’s Poetic Justice

There is an ancient proverb that goes like this: “Make right what you have done wrong.” Or as His Royal Badness, Prince once stated in a 1995 rock-inspired tune: “Right the Wrong.” I believe this philosophy can be applied in the case of filmmaker John Singleton’s second Poetic Justice, which features a primarily female cast and narrated from the perspective of a troubled Black woman (Justice). It is my observation and assumption that John Singleton was a man of the community, so telling the stor...
Medium •

Ernest Dickerson’s Juice 30 Years in Retrospect: A One-Stop Physiological Thriller & Hood Tale

These are the last chilling words viewers hear from a reckless teenager turned psychopathic juvenile delinquent, Bishop, as his life hangs in the hands of his best friend on some odd story-high rooftop. Shortly after, the screaks of premature death on a set of consequences echo through our ears, yet sadness and a strange sense of relief are felt for our protagonist, Quincy (also known as Q). Before fading to black, the question of morality that comes to mind is would you have let him go? Would y...
Lifetime •

7 Facts About Mary J. Blige

In celebration of Blige's most recent work with Lifetime, check out these lesser-known facts about the award-winning singer, actress and producer:

In 2023, Blige served as an executive producer on two new original movies inspired by her biggest hits: Mary J. Blige's Real Love and Mary J. Blige's Strength of a Woman . Mary J. Blige's Real Love is available to stream now and Mary J. Blige's Strength of a Woman premieres Saturday, June 17 at 8/7c.

From her emotional discography—including My Life
Lifetime •

8 Little-Known Facts About TLC

Here are eight lesser-known facts about the iconic girl group:

From creating chart-topping hits to inspiring long-lasting fashion trends, the best-selling group's legacy—as well as their obstacles, controversy and tragedy, including the death of Left Eye—will be uncovered in TLC Forever . The special is available to stream now in the Lifetime app.

With hits like "Waterfalls," "No Scrubs," and "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," the group is also praised for promoting female empowerment, self-determination,
Medium •

90s Hip Hop, Black Masculinity, and Mental Health: Deconstructing the Depressive, Yet Vulnerable…

In February of 1994, seated with former Vibe senior writer Kevin Powell, outside his new Georgia home, Tupac Shakur reveals his shocking state of mind that transferred the tough revolutionary media target into a vulnerable, dwindling reflection of the 90s Black male existing in hardcore lifestyles. Matter-of-factly, Tupac states: “Some days I wake up and it wouldn’t take nothin’ for me to just go, “POW!” He points an imaginary gun at his head. “But I wouldn’t do that because I don’t want no to t
Medium •

Prince the Purple Prophesier: His Internet & Intellectual Property-Based Revolution for the…

Prince the Purple Prophesier: His Internet & Intellectual Property-Based Revolution for the Advancement of Black Capitalism in the Music Industry

These were the words that Prince, known as O+(-> during this period, presented to a sea of entertainment industry artists all a part of the Black rainbow we define as the African diasporic spectrum at the 2000 BET Soul Train Awards on March 4, 2000. Accepting the Male Artist of the Decade Award, Prince deflects the electric aura, radiating from himsel
Medium •

The Elucidation of Prince’s “Cinnamon Girl”

Music of all generations often has an artist — or a handful of artists on special occasions — that project their political voice. Although there is a percentage of musical artists that are taking a stand in the sociopolitical state of our nation, there are a smaller percentage of them willing to take risks while presenting the content of their works to the public in both aural and visual format. Legendary recording artist Prince fell in that small percentage, as he has curated songs with robust
Medium •

VCDM 408 (Visual Culture) - Hip Hop to Me: My Soundtrack

VCDM 408 (Visual Culture) - Hip Hop to Me: My Soundtrack

As explained in my previous post, Hip Hop to me is a plethora of communication methods (or elements) working together to form a culture of expression that promotes freedom: Graffiti, breaking, emceeing, and deejaying. As a result of Hip Hop being a core practice of communication in Black culture and onwards (i.e. pop culture), I qualify it as a universal language. To create an audiovisual experience, I have curated a playlist that coincid
Medium •

The Presence of Purism in the Hip Hop Community: Is the Preservation of the Culture Overkill or a…

The Presence of Purism in the Hip Hop Community: Is the Preservation of the Culture Overkill or a Necessity?

Defining hip-hop purism in the culture and where it resides is a complex task for any author, listener, or admirer to perform regardless of the amount of knowledge and experience one has on and with the music form. The issues arise with generational gap thinking; there is indeed a perception that differs through identifier of age and the actual definition of a hip-hop purist that solidif
India Mallard •

We R Glad That U R Free, Prince…

Six years later and the pain is still everlasting.

I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. It came in two blows. First, the causality at Paisley Park was reported and plastered on headlines around America. I was in U.S. history, and it was approximately noon. At the end of class, My instructor, Mr. Jones, peered down at his phone while most of the students were all lined up in front of the door, anxiously awaiting the school bell to ring so they may crowd the hallways. I remained
Medium •

'The Problem With Hip Hop Journalism’ Response

In an article on Rap Rehab entitled, “The Problem With Hip Hop Journalism,” Lauren Carter defines the ills of Hip Hop journalism in modern society, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Cater describes the world of this sector of journalism as only having two extremes: the “press release aggregators and groupie types” and the “cultural tourist.” She defines category one of the spectrum as publicists that pose as journalists who focus on the engagement rather than encouraging their readers to think