In an age where reference research no longer requires a library card, but rather a well-oiled pointer finger and a high-speed internet connection for streaming YouTube clips with ease, many have labeled this generation a post-literate one.
In response, Booker Mattison, author of Unsigned Hype, is using the new medium of hip hop literature to captivate an audience of young, web-savvy, music loving, hip hop heads enough to resign them from their video IPods for a few hours to pick up a 224-page novel.
“I wanted to reach an audience of young Black youth who never read anything, for the person who would never go into a Barnes and Noble for any reason,” said Mattison. “Actually, my 13-year-old nephew – whose mother was an English major and makes him read several books a month – said this book was the best he ever read and not because it’s the best written book, but because he’s in it.”
In response, Booker Mattison, author of Unsigned Hype, is using the new medium of hip hop literature to captivate an audience of young, web-savvy, music loving, hip hop heads enough to resign them from their video IPods for a few hours to pick up a 224-page novel.
“I wanted to reach an audience of young Black youth who never read anything, for the person who would never go into a Barnes and Noble for any reason,” said Mattison. “Actually, my 13-year-old nephew – whose mother was an English major and makes him read several books a month – said this book was the best he ever read and not because it’s the best written book, but because he’s in it.”
An Ohio senior was suspended on May 11 from the fundamentalist Baptist school he has attended since kindergarten after attending a public school prom.
Just weeks before its grand opening, China's first theme park devoted to sex has been razed. "Love Land" was going to feature giant models of genitals, workshops on sex techniques, and educational displays about condom use.
Poet Maya Angelou met comedian Dave Chappelle on Sundance Channel’s show Iconoclasts.
Dave Chappelle asked her about growing up in the civil rights movement and what it meant to have experienced such intense marginalization based solely on the color of her skin and if it ever made her her angry.
“Absolutely,” she said quite simply. “But what you do with anger is you paint it, and you speak it, and you dance it, and you sing it, and you write it, and you sculpt it.”
The act of drowning one’s anger and hurt in art was never more real to the man, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, Jr., played by Jaime Foxx in this season’s Oscar-worthy film, The Soloist.
This story was inspired by a series of real-life columns written by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, who wrote about the plight of a homeless, schizophrenic musician, Ayers, (which eventually was chronicled in Lopez's book, "The Soloist."
Dave Chappelle asked her about growing up in the civil rights movement and what it meant to have experienced such intense marginalization based solely on the color of her skin and if it ever made her her angry.
“Absolutely,” she said quite simply. “But what you do with anger is you paint it, and you speak it, and you dance it, and you sing it, and you write it, and you sculpt it.”
The act of drowning one’s anger and hurt in art was never more real to the man, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, Jr., played by Jaime Foxx in this season’s Oscar-worthy film, The Soloist.
This story was inspired by a series of real-life columns written by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, who wrote about the plight of a homeless, schizophrenic musician, Ayers, (which eventually was chronicled in Lopez's book, "The Soloist."
It’s May which means it’s time for Mother’s Day…and weddings…and college graduations.
Last weekend, I attended a local university’s graduation ceremony. The commencement speaker—a notable judge—was engaging, hilarious, and sincere. Of course, he followed commencement protocol by peppering his address with vivid anecdotes and memorable jokes. He charged the graduates to pursue excellence, grab hold of their bright futures and on and on.
Bristol Palin, the 19-year-old-daughter of Sarah Palin and unwed mother of 4-month-old Tripp, has been attacked quite heavily for her caprice on the 'abstinence only' issue. Despite her previous remarks on Fox News that dubbed abstinence only education as "not realistic at all," on May 6 she debuted as an Abstinence Ambassador for the Candies Foundation.
The world's largest democracy, India, stands with bated breath for May 16th when the final results of the five-phase, month-long elections to the 15th Lok Sabha, the Indian Parliament, are announced. Ironically, with the massive digital push during this election, the country's rich and middle class urban voters have been the ones who failed to show up in large numbers to exercise their franchise.
KFC learned a painful lesson this past week after talk-show titan Oprah Winfrey took to the airwaves May 5 with an offer of a free grilled chicken two-piece meal - a new, healthier addition to the menu at the fast food chain known for its southern fried chicken.
According to Black Voices.com, BET doesn't want to let cat officially out of the bag, but it has officially canceled the '106 & Park' spin-off '106 & Park: Generation Gospel.'
