Distant Relatives - Hip Hop and Reggae

Despite his money and marital troubles, Nasir Jones (NAS) remains one of my favorite hip hop emcees.  When I first heard that Nas was collaborated with reggae music artist, Damian Marley, on an album called "Distant Cousins", I did not know what to think about project.

♪ ♪ Any Way You Figure, The President's a Nigger to Meeeee♪ ♪

Last night I set my DVR for the Boondocks at 11:30pm like I usually do every Sunday. I got off work at 9pm then went home to finally relax, study a bit, and watch the Boondocks. For the last three weeks Aaron McGruder has not disappointed covering such issues as Obama's media hype, the reality of rapper's lives, the Chinese stealing the Olympics, and now self-hate and racism to the fullest extent.

Perception doesn't always equal Reality...

I went bowling with a few co-workers and friends yesterday evening as we usually do on Thursdays. We were having a good time competing and keeping up with the NBA Finals scores. As the night neared its end, we noticed another party, a group of about 8 black males who were placing bets against each other to roll strikes, spares or have the high score. We noticed because there was a disagreement about a $5.00 bet and yelling ensued.

I digress, it reminded me of the scene in Barbershop when Lahmard Tate’s character, while stealing an ATM, drops the task to chase a man who owes him $5.00. When confronted about the situation he stated, “It’s not the money….. It’s the Principle.”

Recognizing the Unsung, pt.I

When it comes to Olympic protest and Black Power, Tommie Smith and John Carlos are the first two that come to mind. The 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City were a key moment in Black athlete protest, as illustrated in the great number of articles and books that focus on this event.   However, little known Wayne Collett and Vincent Matthews embraced the spirit of Black power protest from the '68 Olympic Games and displayed their own demonstration at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich. 

Charter school in tough neighborhood gets all its seniors into college - chicagotribune.com

Charter school in tough neighborhood gets all its seniors into college - chicagotribune.com

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DR. BOYCE: March Madness Is A Billion Dollar Sweatshop

http://newsone.com/entertainment/sports-entertainment/boycewatkins/dr-boyce-march-madness-is-a-billion-dollar-sweatshop/

Vandalism at U. Missouri Black Cultural Center

UPDATE: Two Students Arrested For UMissouri Cotton Ball Hate Crime

http://newsone.com/nation/news-one-staff/umissouri-black-cultural-center-littered-with-cotton-in-racist-display/

Cavs Welcome Big Comeback Win in Boston

In the NBA, no team has ever won a championship in late February, but a team can gain confidence. The Cleveland Cavaliers double-digit comeback win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday was a much-needed morale boost for a team that had previously lost their last eight games, in the TD Banknorth Boston Garden, including the playoffs, dating back to Jan. 2007.

No Rebellion?! The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth: Christianity, Colonialism, Slavery and Revolutions

Part One: Moses, Blackness and the Meaning of Meek

Recently (and in the not-so-distant past) I have had various conversations with professors and graduate students on the role of religion, specifically Christianity, in Africa and her descendants. There is the role of religious syncretism (the mixing West African religions and Christianity) as a method of spiritual, mental, and physical survival (if you are from the South, you know what happens at a “Home Goin’”). There is the role of the Black Church as a sanctuary and “safe place” for meeting and organizing during much of the Civil Rights Era. The more controversial side (the dark side of “Christians”) discusses how Christianity sanctioned colonialism in Africa and around the world. How it warranted the discrimination of Blacks grounded in religious enlightenment theory via the “Hamitic Curse” Myth. But a recent conversation, for some reason, really got me to thinking. The person(s) stated: “Isn’t God opposed to rebellion? He said ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’ and ‘turn the other cheek’? Doesn’t ‘meek’ mean ‘timid’? Sounds like God is in favor of slavery.” Hmm…So I began my study.

Sports, Prison, Violence and Black Masculinity

I have a three-year old son, who is rather tall and strong for his age. Apparently, having parents over six-feet tall did not help any. I remember one day sitting in a restaurant with my son when an older white couple came up to us and said, “He is so cute and so big. I just know he is going to be a football player.” At this point my son hadn’t reached one year old yet, but had received similar comments previously. I responded to the couple, “Or maybe he is going to be a principal or a scientist.” After awkward silence, they left. Years later, he continues to receive the same career predictions. To which I jokingly say, “My son is going to play badminton and chess.” Usually laughs follow, but there is a level of seriousness disguised in my humor. Why is a tall strong black man having tactical skills in chess or dominating the badminton court funny? Is he not a black man if he participates in such activities? I tell this story because certain ideas of black manhood is pervasive in many of our minds. We see many of these manifestations in popular culture. If black men stereotypical have a high acumen for sports, does it matter which sports they play? Or is it only aggressive contact sports that are reserved for and assumed to encompass black masculinity? How do these constructions shape our knowledge (or assumed knowledge) of black men?