Ms. Carter Receives Early Mothers Day Gift

Ms. Carter Receives Early Mothers Day Gift
May 15, 2007
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White

Although Mothers Day is a few days past, this story is a great sentiment for one of hip-hop’s moms. Gloria Carter, the mother of Shawn “Jay Z” Carter was honored three days before Mothers Day by the New York City Council with a proclamation for her “outstanding contributions to the community.”

Ms. Carter heads the Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund for High School Students. Started in 2003, the program assists disadvantaged youth, non-traditional High School graduates, GED recipients, and those who have been formerly incarcerated, an opportunity to fulfill their desire to attend college. Ms. Carter and her organization also traveled to Houston after the Katrina disaster to distribute food, and clothing to the victims of the Hurricane.

On Wednesday, Ms. Carter received a framed proclamation from Queens Councilman Thomas White Jr. during a meeting at City Hall. AP reported that Jay-Z hugged his mother and stated that he was, “Very proud of her” as they departed from the small ceremony.

This is a great story and a tremendous accomplishment, especially for a woman who is not as widely known as some of the other famous rapper-moms. This is a woman who has pushed aside the glitz and glamour of attending NYC parties that other famous rapper-moms have become known to embarrassingly attend. Instead, this famous mother is giving back to a community that has helped to launch her son into stardom. Kudos!

Hip-Hop Can Do No Right...

Hip-Hop Can Do No Right
May 15th, 2007
AMW !.e. Talent: DJ Single Handed

The stigma attached to hip-hop and its artists has gotten in the way of rappers giving back to the community. The celebrity basketball fundraiser which was supposed to take place in Stamford, CT is the most recent example of this phenomenon. The reason for its cancellation: D-Block member Jadakiss was scheduled to make an appearance, and because of that, a high risk of violence at the event was present. An outcry of protesting from church and community leaders caused the event organizer to cancel the affair.

Among several e-mails that were written, some of them categorized rappers as “criminals” and “the worst of the worst.” One community leader called for the cancellation of the event or to have “‘clean’ entertainment” from “artists with ‘clean’ reputations.”

Last I checked, not all rappers have rap sheets (pun intended). If you ever have the need to make yourself look uneducated and unable to think for yourself, then generalizing a group of people using a negative connotation with no basis of truth is a great way to do just that.

Because of widely expressed negative opinion, the community missed out on a potentially great event which would have more than likely been an alternative to violence. I’m assuming the funds that were to be raised would have gone towards the community that the protesters claim to hold in such high regard.

This event reminds me of the time Nelly cancelled his bone marrow drive at Spelman College due to protesters. Violence was not the issue; misogyny was the topic at the forefront, specifically Nelly’s music video for his song “Tip Drill” and its degrading and overtly sexual portrayal of women.

I admit that I can see why the image of a credit card being swiped through a scantily-clad woman’s rear end would make people mad. I think the protesters had a legitimate issue with him, and their opinions deserved to be heard. However, the bone marrow drive did not deserve any action that was taken to prevent it from happening.

If a high-profile person that hasn’t hurt anybody (the music video pissed people off, but it did not hurt anybody that I’m aware of) chooses to use his/her money, connections, and other resources to give to those who need it, then let him/her do it! If we concentrate so much on the negative that it winds up hindering the positive instead of facilitating it, then how is necessary good work supposed to get done?

Regarding the Jadakiss issue, the main theme of all the protesting is that hip-hop brings violence. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Poverty brings violence. Lack of opportunity brings violence. Hopelessness with no foreseeable “bright future” brings violence. Hip-hop merely points it out. It reports on the violence that goes on without sugarcoating it.

Actually, hip-hop used to report on violence. Now it reports on Chevy’s with butterfly doors and Cadillacs with D’s on them. Boy, do I miss those days when hip-hop used to bring violence (to the masses via the words to its songs). There is still much to report on, and all of it deserves to be heard.

Nelly Gone Global?

Nelly Gone Global?
May 15, 2007
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White

The question goes through my head, “Is this a monumental move for Nelly” or “Is homeboy setting us back like 100 years with this mess”; any way you look at it Nelly is going Global. The St. Louis native has inked a deal to distribute his Pimp Juice Energy Drink, Apple Bottoms and Vokal Clothing brands through the continent of Africa. Starting May 18, Nelly along with his Mojalife partner will begin selling 1.5 million cans in South Africa; and according to Peter Friedman, Mojalife Creative Director, they will produce 1 to 1.5 million cans locally on a monthly basis. The cans will also be sold in Australia and New Zealand.

The rapper’s Pimp Juice brand fell victim to some backlash 2003 due to the controversial name chosen for the juice and the message that it sent to young fans. Despite the controversy, Nelly managed to link with the Mojalife distributor. What most may not know is that Mojalife chairman Mathews Phosa, a well-known member of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), has stated that the PIMP in Pimp Juice stands for, "positive, intellectually motivated persons." The distribution plan seems to be a positive step in the right direction for the Hot in Herre rapper, who has been tagged to reach the heights of Russell Simmons due to this new deal.
Many hip-hop artists and rappers from the U.S. have unimaginable influence in African hip-hop culture. Unfortunately the African hip-hop culture has also grown fond of the “gangsta” hip-hop that has plagued the U.S. music industry. This is another reason that the Pimp Juice brand may again experience backlash from music industry leaders who are beginning to grow tired of the negative messages rappers continue to spread throughout the country and the world.

Unfortunately the stories released regarding the Pimp Juice, Apple Bottom Clothing, Vocal Clothing, and Derry Entertainment did not include any information about how many jobs will become available due to the expansion of the brands. The available information did not include any of the positive aspects you would expect to hear when you have an African American expanding their enterprise into any African country. How will Pimp Juice and its cousins assist these nations into building a better quality of life? What positive results can we expect to see by having Pimp Juice and Apple Bottoms available to African teenagers? Hopefully, Nelly will come forward and speak more about this new venture.


Source: Sixshot

Hip-Hop Cleans Up Its Act – At What Cost?

Hip-Hop Cleans Up Its Act – At What Cost?
May 15th, 2007
AMW!.e. Talent: DJ Single Handed

The recurring theme in the hip-hop community today is a “cleanup” of sorts. The call to eliminate explicit, misogynistic, and otherwise degrading lyrics from rap songs has been heard loud and clear. Def Jam Records founder and owner Russell Simmons, an extremely influential voice in hip-hop, has made known his commitment to this movement and has encouraged others to do so as well.

No Limit Records founder and southern hip-hop pioneer Master P has stepped up to the plate by launching a new label, Take a Stand Records. The company co-owned by Master P and his son, Romeo, will release music free of explicit lyrics. To take it a step further in a positive direction, a portion of the profits generated by record sales will go towards scholarships for underprivileged youth.

While the integrity and necessity of philanthropy in the hip-hop community cannot be disputed, I’d like to take a closer look at the lyrical cleanup effort. The intentions are good, but I’d like to see precisely what it is we’re doing.

What exactly are we cleaning up?

If we’re cleaning up the perpetuation and glorification of negative stereotypes and images in songs that are done strictly for entertainment purposes, then I am all for it. If we’re completely cleaning up lyrics across the board, regardless of intention and context, then I think we should take a few steps back.



One characteristic that has made hip-hop stand out is its edge fueled by uncensored, in-your-face lyrical content. Much of it was used to describe the plights in our country: deplorable conditions in our nation’s inner cities, difficult circumstances faced by our youth, and other realities that were displayed as a critique of the establishment as a whole.

The language I’m using right now tells the truth in an easily digestible way. Hip-hop said “F@*k the police!” The message was driven into our brains and implanted into our collective consciousness with brute force, even though many dismissed it as merely hateful garbage.

As we eliminate negative images and “dirty words” from hip-hop, will we go so far that we wind up taking away part of hip-hop’s identity? As it is, hip-hop is barely still a culture. It is now firmly entrenched in the establishment it once fought against. Though hip-hop in its purest form will always remain intact largely under the radar, the land of Corporate America has completely taken it over and turned it into a nicely-packaged product that it can put on the shelf with all of its other nicely-packaged products.

Hip-hop does need to “clean up” by reviewing its responsibilities to everyone it influences. I just hope that the community as a whole prioritizes what exactly needs to be cleaned up and what degree of adjustment needs to happen to other aspects of hip-hop.

Dr. Cornell West – The New Face of Hip-Hop?
AMWie. Talent: Andrea M. White
April 7, 2007

Every now and then in the hip-hop grave of poppin, snappin, and lip-gloss, a breath of fresh air eases its way into the corpse of our cd players, and respires life into an industry that desperately needs reviving. Well, one of the most intellectual and inspirational scholars of this century has joined the hip-hop community to introduce what is sure to be one of the most talked-about projects this year.

Dr. Cornell West, Harvard University Professor of African-American studies, along with his brother, have teamed up with a group of hip-hop and R&B heavy hitters, including Nas, Prince, Dead Prez, the late Gerald Levert, Krs-One, Talib Kweli and others to present a collaboration entitled, “Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations“, scheduled to be released this June during Black Music Month.

When asked why he decided to create this critical collabo, Dr. West stated:
"I believe he (Nas) wanted to spark a substantive discussion about which way Hip-Hop was going. It is such a complicated genre with so many tendencies and I think he was saying the dominant stream is betraying the origins of Hip-Hop. So, in a sense, it's dead, but he (Nas) is not part of the worst of Hip-Hop. In fact he represents the very best of Hip-Hop in his mind and in my mind. So, to the degree that he is still going and to the extent that KRS-One and many others are still going it is still alive. But there is a dulling and deadening that has set in and he's very much right about that. Because in the end it's not just about the music. It has always been a way of life for young folks. So if you're talking about Hip-Hop is dead then you're really talking about the dead souls of Black folks. Hopelessness, self-violation, self-destruction, self-flagellation. Is that what we're saying? That's a much stronger claim. Much more is at stake here."

Dr. West believes that we should not let “lazy artists” off the hook because black music is too important, and he feels like this project will evoke some life into the hip-hop community. West hopes that this awakening will continue to influence other artist to release music in the near future that discuss these issues and provides a positive note for music and the industry.

Man!! I wish I could get into all of the issues that Dr. West addressed about the poor, healing, and examining yourself, because this man is truly outstanding. He is not only one of the most unbelievable speakers ever, but he just seems like he’s too cool. Either way, I encourage everyone to support this album when it drops next month, I am excited that someone this influential is supporting the culture and not bashing it; and taking the initiative to make a change and do something – and not simply talk about it. This thing is going to be fire.

HSAN is Taking Back Responsibility

HSAN is Taking Back Responsibility
AMW i.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
April 1, 2007


Perhaps we should call it “The Imus Effect,” weeks following the notoriously controversial and racially insensitive comments from the famous shock-jock; the African-American community has taken notice and action. There has been a tremendous amount of dialog, locally and nationally regarding African-American responsibility. Russell Simmons and Ben Chavis of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, have released a statement in correlation to the organization’s theme, “Taking Back Responsibility.”

In the statement, HSAN has confirmed they have been in contact with the broadcasting and recording industries in light of the recent discussions regarding corporate responsibility linked to lyrics in rap and R&B music. HSAN has requested that the words “bitch”, “ho” and “nigger” be removed/bleeped/deleted from lyrics, and that they be treated the same as other “extreme curse words.” Along with this request, HSAN has requested the formation of the Coalition of Broadcast Standards which would consist of leaders from the radio, television and recording industry who would serve to recommend a number of standards in visual and lyrical content. The last recommendation from HSAN is that there be an establishment of an artist mentoring program which would establish forums for artists, fans, and industry leaders to promote positive change throughout the music, television and recording industries.



HSAN has said that they are, in no way, trying to stifle the rights of the First Amendment and free speech, “HSAN reaffirms, therefore, that there should not be any government regulation or public policy that should ever violate the First Amendment. With freedom of expression, however, comes responsibility.”

The “Imus Effect” has definitely forced the African-American community to take a hard look at ourselves and this flower we call the Hip-hop culture, which has blossomed almost uncontrollably. African-Americans must remember that music has held a powerful place in the hearts of our communities and our culture. It is important to understand that Hip-hop is at its idealistic fork-in-the-road, and right now it can choose any path. As African-Americans, we must make certain that our flower chooses the right path; we must make changes and incorporate our own personal responsibilities to force Caucasian corporate America to cease using our forms of creativity against us. But most importantly, we must make certain that we are maintaining our own levels of respect and admiration for our own art forms and communities.