When I first learned that rapper Christopher “Cool C” Roney was set to die by lethal injection on (ironically) March 9, 2006, I was shocked and saddened. Like most Hip-Hoppers, I knew exactly who Cool C was and growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, I was quite familiar with his music. Even at 24 years old, […]

A visionary sees what is and what will be. Lives tomorrow in the present tense. Truly understands contemporary for what it is: temporary. Gordon Parks was a visionary in the truest sense of the word. A visionary sees obstacles to achieving goals and makes them into examples of how to win. Mr. Parks was responsible […]

A Hip-Hop Salute to Coretta Scott King: Continuing the Struggle for Freedom, Justice and Equality February 8, 2006 Across America and throughout the world, millions of people have taken the time to say a prayer, to utter a word of condolence, or to make some expression of gratitude for the living legacy of Coretta Scott […]

How does it feel to always have to be strong?  To be forced into a role as the calm in the midst of a raging maelstrom?  Coretta Scott King knew.  How do you share your husband with an entire people at a time when your life and the lives of your children are at risk? […]

Irregardless of how much I happen to dislike many of these pop rappers, you’d be hard pressed to find me in the club these days. It’s hard enough to tell the difference between women with bangin’ bodies and men with bang-up operations in broad daylight let alone ‘in the pale moonlight’ of nightclubs. For those […]

Here we are, another King celebration has come and gone. Already removed from celebrating the birthday of arguably our greatest civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and I am still searching for our next one. For a minute, we all thought Rev. Jesse Jackson would be it, especially since he was in the […]

Legacy. Something handed down from the past for the benefit of the future. Never has there been a more precious gift than a life laid down so that others may enjoy liberties you were denied. Such is the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As we near what would have been Dr. King’s 77th […]

“They killed the teacher!” said Snoop Dogg at the funeral services for Stanley Tookie Williams December 20 at the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. Rev. Jesse Jackson, Bruce Gordon, Minister Tony Muhammad, Stan Muhammad, Rev. Dr. Lewis E. Logan II, Minister Lewis Farrakhan and Tony Robbins all listened as Snoop Dogg brought the packed […]

I admit, I’m not a criminal and I don’t know all the laws of criminality. Despite that, there is one notion that has domineered this year. In 2005, Hip-Hop and the streets demand that you all STOP SNITCHING. There is a website devoted to it, every gangster rapper on Earth denies being one and rightfully […]

The debate over lyrics that promote the worst in our culture is an ongoing affair that we all secretly deal with. It can be difficult to define the line between intentions to either sound the alarm or glorify atrocious acts of violence. As such controversy drives what the music industry seems to expect from Hip-Hop, […]

Victory Against Hip-Hop Profiling: Trial and Triumph of Irv and Chris Gotti December 2, 2005, New York City: The Federal jury that unanimously cut Irv and Chris Gotti free of bogus money laundering charges sent a tumultuous shockwave up the prejudicial spine of the government prosecutors who were confident that this latest case of “Hip-Hop […]

A Woman’s Fashion Sense on the NBA Dress Code… I love a man in a suit! No offense to the short brothers out there but there is nothing like a tall specimen of a man, draped in something tailored, pressed and pinstriped. Egyptian cotton shirt and silk tie, Ferragamos on his feet – you just […]

Dear Mixshow/Mixtape DJ Family, We’ve got a serious problem within the DJ community and we’re going to have to find a way to solve quick because we’ve got more pressing matters than the issue I’m about to address. First things first, effective immediately, I am officially withdrawing my affiliations with The Core DJs & The […]

While there had been numerous atrocities and injustices such as the murder of Emmett Till up to and preceding 1955, December 1st became an active catalyst to a movement that forever changed the plight of American culture. Who would’ve thought that the simple act of remaining seated on a segregated bus would come to, ironically, […]

Do you know what a predicate felon is? According to New York State law, a predicate felon is “a defendant convicted of a felony in a New York State court who has a prior felony conviction within 10 years.” The notion of a predicate felon has everything to do with sentencing guidelines and if felonies […]

It brings me the utmost pleasure on this day to tack on another homage to the countless barrage commending the man, the myth: Christopher Columbus. I have my own rendition of 21 questions and things that make you go ‘Hmm….’ (throwback to my man Arsenio Hall!) regarding his American lore. This guy, half-man-half-a-racist, has been […]

“Last night…last night it changed all…I really had a ball” On Monday, I was in hip-hop heaven. As I watched The 2nd Annual Hip-Honors on VH1, where rap heroes like LL Cool, Ice-T, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Salt-N-Pepa, Big Daddy Kane and the Notorious B.I.G were honored like kings and queens, I was […]

Let me find out that y’all are scared. The rap world is kind of scary these days. There are all sorts of animals running around the game – b######## thugs with big guns and huge entourages that beat people down. So fearsome! These thugs start wars and tear each other limb from Black limb and […]

As Salaam Alaikum, Imam Najee Ali In your "Open Letter" to Minister Farrakhan, you wrote: "Minister Farrakhan, in the spirit of brotherly love I am humbly suggesting that you consider postponing your current plans to hold a Millions More Movement March in Washington D.C. next month." I humbly disagree with your suggestion. Considering the fact […]

As Salaam Alaikum, (Peace be unto you) Minister Farrakhan. I pray to almighty God that you are and continue to be in the best of health. You are in my thoughts because we are soon approaching the 10 year anniversary of the historic Million Man March which was held on Oct 15th in Washington D.C. […]