” The satin shield highlights our aestheticism and culture, while protecting our crown and glory.” In my late teens, early twenties I remember watching a television show and hearing “the most important thing to a brotha is his barber.” That line resonated with me more ways than one: being that I am a direct extension [son] of...
“Many leave home to grow, because home has a way of hindering lives.” When I was about 12 years of age; the Church I went to was out my grandmother’s backdoor, through a parking lot, and across a small field. Needless to say; it was a hop, skip, and a jump away from home. Church for me...
On the cusp of his 40th birthday, Usher gets extra cozy with his hometown sound on “A”. Teaming up with Atlanta producer Zaytoven to record an 8-song project in 5 days. Followed with the decision to release it 48 hours before its date. Instantly you hear that Usher still refuses to give his fans traditional R&B that...
Kanye West approached his eighth studio album a little different than usual. Simply titling it ye, and consisting of 7 songs only. Mr. West is persistent on veering further away from rhyming by exploring his other musical abilities, which are bought to the forefront. Opening with what sounds like a therapy session with his inner...
Before we became sucked into this feature driven music industry. Before we craved to see album track listings- just to see whom the feature guest was. Before artist needed assistance from all of their musical peers. You know, back when both artists actually got in the studio together to create magic. Back when artists actually...
As Kanye West once said: “If you’re a fan of Kanye West, then you’re a fan of your mother*&king self.” Yes, I’m well aware that he has gone against the black agenda by aligning himself with Trump, and referring to Trump as “brotha.” But honestly, I don’t care about him professing his love for that...
“I was covered in dollars, now I’m dripping in jewels…I started speaking my mind and tripled my views. Real b!tch, only thing fake is the boobs.,” Cardi B. raps on her Meek Mill-esque track “Get Up 10.” And that was just the first track of 13. She may have started things off speaking about her...
Jay-Z really shook a lot of people’s world causing them to wake up, and pay attention to their financial future with his latest album 4:44. Finance expert and entrepreneur Jeremiah Brown was another inspired to illustrate a guide to mastering the “game of money.” Brown’s book Financial Freedom My Only Hope differs from...
DISCLAIMER: this was written last year (2017) for BIG’s 20th anniversary, but for some reason or another, I never published it. Here ya go! Can you believe it’s been twenty years already? The phrase “how time flies” couldn’t be further from the truth. Especially since most of us can recall exactly where we were,...
Thirty years ago, during Black History Month. Spike Lee returned with his second joint School Daze. Who knew exposing black college life on the big screen would be so impactful. Daze was actually written before Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, but budget prevented it from becoming his first release. School Daze, which was originally titled...