"Weekly Spotlight" - Black Love - Interview with Rochon and Jasmine Hall

This week’s spotlight is shining on Rochon and Jasmine Hall. Rochon is an excellent and skilled photographer as well as immensely inclined musically as a producer and rapper.  Jasmine, while juggling talents such as modeling and writing poetry, maintains her gift of inspiring many through her awesome daily motivational messages shared via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (she is also in the process of writing two books that I will keep readers posted on). I had the pleasure of knowing the Hall’s during their tenure at Tuskegee University and the couple embodies such a positive loving spirit not only to themselves but to others as well. 

Before the interview, I wanted to examine the importance of black love in our communities and the gap between complacency in NO TITLES and the union of marriage. I believe the usage of the “no title” excuse is a cover-up for not being hurt by possible unmet expectations. Your parents didn’t have a healthy relationship which in turns changes your view on how your relationship should go. Despite being a witness to an unhealthy relationship I still feel that I am worthy of happiness and a solid commitment. Black love is a beautiful thing. To meet that one person who accepts all of you and supports, understands, values, connects with, and undeniably respects you is quite amazing. Black people are very capable of acquiring and maintaining healthy relationships and regardless of what may be said by young black adults, we all want that. The recent passing of the late, great Ruby Dee is a sad occasion, but she can now finally rest with her husband Mr. Ossie Davis. They acknowledged that whether in this life or the next they will always be together. I watched them in movies and in interviews as a child, and enjoyed seeing them embracing life as one grand unit. Remember: Our Black IS Beautiful. I mean that in every sense of the phrase. Our minds, our love, our men, our women, our souls, our future, as well as our culture and heritage.

Hi Rochon and Jasmine, thank you for taking the time to talk with me on behalf of Urban Echelon, I am very excited to display more of our young movers and shakers who are bringing the REAL to our respective environments.

• Where is home?

Jasmine: Huntsville, Alabama

• Rochon how long have you been a photographer? (as a hobby and professional)

I’ve been shooting for about 5 years now. It started off as a hobby to make some extra money, then turned out to be something I love doing. I think I love it so much because, it is a way for me to turn my crazy visions into art that I can look back on and be like “dope”.

• Jasmine when did you begin writing poetry and expressing yourself through “love messages” as I call them?

I began writing when I was probably in the fourth grade. I kept several journals during my childhood which also encouraged me to write at such a young age. I dealt with a lot growing up emotionally and physically and because I was a child no one had time to sit and listen to me; therefore, I used writing as an outlet not knowing that it would soon become a passion of mine. I began expressing myself through “love messages” when I was in high school. I dated a guy who I thought I would spend the rest of my life with and when we broke up, it triggered an emotion that caused me to write again.

• Jasmine do you believe society today has a clear view of what they want, who they are, and where they are going (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, etc.)?

I believe that there are a few in today’s society that are very in tuned with who they are becoming and what they “think” they want. Where someone is going spiritually, in my opinion, cannot be determined by the human eye because everyone’s spiritual journey is different and belongs to just them. Our society wants to produce shallow, egotistical individuals, but a lot of people are going against the grain. I’ve noticed that some people would like to find themselves and grow spiritually, but they find it impossible because of the way the world is now. So no, I don’t believe society has a clear view of what they want, who they are, and where they’re going, but I do believe that certain individuals do.

• Rochon, if you had the ability to be invisible for one day with your camera what scenes would you capture?

I would love to just capture individuals behind closed doors, and not like that. Old people, young people, children etc. Many people today are afraid to express certain emotions outside of home for the fear of being looked at or judged. Moments in life don’t last forever, which is where I come in.

• Three words to describe your spouse. (both you guys respond for this)

Jasmine: Soft spoken, brave, and optimistic (described by Rochon)

Rochon: Dedicated, compassionate and focused (described by Jasmine)

• What are your opinions on the status of relationships (friendship, dating, and marriage) in the young black community?

Jasmine: My opinion on the status of relationships in the young Black community today is that we/re confused. Relationships were once valued in the past because different forms of pain were present for example, Civil Rights, wars (which separated families), and fewer opportunities. We believe that if we’re given more freedom then more will be accomplished but that is a lie. Now that we have more opportunities as African Americans, we take them for granted. The music that we listen to promotes promiscuous behavior. Now that we have our own shows on television, which too promotes the wrong sexual behavior, it teaches us that it’s okay to tear families apart. So many of us are still taking advantage of the government when we now have access to education or even owning our own businesses. All of this plays an important role in our foundation for building healthy relationships. We become so consumed with pleasing others physically that we fail to establish ourselves and even the people around us. I often times wonder that if we were put into our great- grandparents shoes, we would not survive a day. We think that we are strong, especially our women, but we’re weak mentally and emotionally. We, as women, pride ourselves on being strong single mothers, but will continue to be with men who we aren’t entitled to. The men pride themselves on being great fathers by just putting clothes on their children’s backs. I could go on, but I’ll just say we’re confused. (laughs)

Rochon:  A lot of relationships these days aren’t built on a solid foundation; Trust, willingness, love, dedication just to name a few. African American relationships in the past were built on uplifting each other as a whole because we were working towards a common goal. Now, we all seem to be crabs in a bucket fighting to get to the top. I’m old fashion so I believe the principals of the bible led you in the right direction, but it seems that people are following society’s advice rather than following the blueprint that has been laid out for you already. How to dress, who to date, how to look, what to eat, where to go are all examples of the way society has tapped into our brains. We have to start thinking for our self. It’s okay if your marriage is in a crisis, because it can be fixed and working like no other. It’s okay if the guy/girl you’re dating isn’t a perfect 10, as long as they make you happy and treat you right. Your friend did you wrong? Who cares! Talk about it and make up. We give up way too easy in our relationships, that’s the problem. If you want something bad enough you have to WORK FOR IT! 

• Rochon, what advice would you have for photographers just starting out or those who are interested, but may be nervous in pursuit of their dream? Jasmine what advice would you have for those who are struggling with certain life matters and they think that life cannot progress any further than the level they are currently experiencing?

Rochon: Just get out there and DO it! It doesn’t matter what your dream is, if you aren’t putting in the work you’ll never reach them. Fake it till you make it baby… that’s what I did. And I’m still “faking” it till this day.

Jasmine: If there is someone struggling with something in life, my advice to them is to remember it’s temporary. Often times we allow a problem, no matter how big or small, to consume us. Once that problem passes, we realize it wasn’t as bad as we thought it was. It’s temporary and anything that is temporary will not last forever. You can be or do ANYTHING. Stop feeling bad for yourself and acting like the victim. Someone is always going through so much worse, but they’re living. I grew up in a household where everyone played the victim so problems were never solved. I was the same way and I eventually realized that nobody cared because everyone had their own problems as well. So my advice is to be strong. Don’t do it for anyone, just do it for yourself and remember that it’s all temporary.

I want to truly thank you guys again for engaging in this conversation with me and I wish you all many more years of happiness.

Poem written by Jasmine



ROCHONHALL Photography

ROCHONHALL Photography

ROCHONHALL Photography

ROCHONHALL Photography

ROCHONHALL Photography

ROCHONHALL Photography

INTERVIEW BY LARAE WALKER FOR URBAN ECHELON MAGAZINE AND BLOGSPOT

#JUSTICEFORLEON

This story is a little bit different than Travyon Martin’s, we still do remember him right? The one we wore hoodies for, bought t-shirts for, blacked out social network profile pictures for, the one who we stood up for, the one we were the voice for and yet received no justice. Sadly, Travyon Martin was unable to get his side of his story heard, but Leon Ford has survived to be able to. This paralyzed survivor of racial profiling and police brutality is more than deserving to have the truth to be told and that is all he wants.

On November 11, 2012, an officer with the Pittsburg (Pennsylvania) Bureau of Police shot an African American 19 year old male, Leon Ford, five times during a supposedly routine traffic stop. When the three police officers approached Leon Ford, he was no other than a law abiding citizen, providing proper documentation that they asked for which was his: license, registration and proof of insurance. As they were checking his name, the initials “L Ford”appeared in a recently arrested list. This was Lamont Ford that they had found and Leon was mistaken for him. (PROFILED) Lamont Ford’s description was a black male, with a white t-shirt. (REALLY?!) Questioning and doubting his identity, the officers then try to pull Leon out of the car after threatening and harassing him. Violating standard policies and procedures, an officer jumps in on the passenger side of the car, claiming he saw a barrel of a gun... (WAIT, WHY WOULD YOU JUMP IN THE CAR IF YOU THOUGHT HE HAD A GUN?!) Somehow the car shifts in a different gear, and shortly after you hear 5 gun shots. While in complete distress over hearing about the incident on the news, Leon’s parents rushed to the hospital to see their son, but that didn't happen. They were denied to see their son and they continued to wait for over seven days. After being left paralyzed from the waist down, the tragedy doesn't end here… Leon is being charged with serious criminal charges that could put him in prison for a minimum of 20 years. A police officer is claiming that Leon dragged him down the street with his car…

Leon is no longer able to walk. He can’t wrestle and play football with his son like he planned on doing. Leon’s physical dreams for his future have been deferred. Leon’s parents are asking that these false charges be dropped, and that the officer who shot Leon be held accountable. To sum it up, Leon got pulled over for running a stop sign, he gave his license, registration, and insurance, but instead of getting a ticket he was shot five times and paralyzed. Can we be that same voice for Leon as we were for Travyon? www.justiceforleon.com

#JUSTICEFORLEON   

Video Provided by the Huffington Post :  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/08/leon-ford-cop-shooting-video_n_2837802.html

Guest Writer : Janae Johnson for Urban Echelon Magazine and Blogspot

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients (Part 2)

The topic of the day is Drug Test. The drug testing in the United States Welfare System to be exact. Stereotypically, you would think that young minorities would cause an uproar about the mere thought of drug testing welfare recipients. This is the far from the case. Many educated minorities feel as though since many jobs require drug testing then people receiving public assistance should meet the same requirements. This opinion may be drawn from personal experience or may just of simple ideas of equality. Although I have been thinking of this issue for a while as I wanted to do my terminal research on the subject of requirements for public housing. This is attempt for drug testing in public and mixed income housing units in Chicago, Illinois and the lawsuits behind the situation. This subject is not far at all from that topic and truly is connected in the assumption that if you receive public assistance then you have a drug problem or are incredibly lazy. This article today was inspired by an Instagram post. The particular post although I have seen it before was posted by someone a follow who goes by the user name is @just_hannah__. This student from Harris Stowe State University made a good argument in the exchange that we had stating in one post, “…if you need a drug test to work they should be able to do the same thing for welfare. They take taxes out of our checks to pay for sec. 8, welfare etc. I would like to know that my hard earned money is being put to use the way it should be. And not given to drug dealer down the street.” Thanks Hannah.

Now time for my opinion which I have and will argue to professors with doctorates to the people I grew up with in the town. The issue I have with the drug testing in multifaceted. My first issue is that why make it hard for people to receive aid? Given, there are people that are taking advantage of the system and we all have seen it. But who is to say what percentage of people are taking advantage? There are people that are trying their hardest to make it and this assistance makes up the difference. I do not feel it is okay that this assistance should be put in jeopardy because the head of household enjoys a blunt once and a while. This may something that some people disagree with but for those with the “taxpayers have to pay them” argument… I have a question. Do people that are working at McDonald’s paying taxes? Sure they are. Jobs just as the illustrious Mickey D and Walmart have been reported to suggest to their employees to apply for public assistance.

I feel as if when people see any form of government aid, they think of this typical 30 year old woman that has 3 to 4 bad ass kids that collects checks, smokes, drinks and fucks everyone in the neighborhood. I can understand they argument but at the same time I kind of have an issue with the people from neighborhoods that may have grown up in those types of neighborhoods that act as if they don’t understand that they may the most vocal of recipients but not they are not truly the majority. My father had 4 boys in the house for most times. We had food stamps and were receiving aid from the state due to the fact that our mothers situation wasn’t the best (this may not be full welfare but worth the argument). Well I am not sure of my brothers situation so I will speak for myself and say that I received funding because I was a Ward of the Court. My daddy did everything he could to raise 4 men and that little 200-300 dollars made it that much easier on him. They are plenty of people that depend on certain benefits of the government whether it be child care, food stamps or whatever. To give drug testing for these benefits may not be a solvent to any problem at all. 

It is easy to state that things shouldn’t be when they don’t affect you. It is easy to be against gay marriage when you’re not gay and in love. It’s easy to say that public schools don’t need more funding even when they are not performing up to par when you’re not in the school with run down and hand me down books and no programs. When you’re not a kid that has a main priority of surviving rather than being in school. It is easily to tell a felony to keep his clean when you have never had to feed a family on $7.25. It’s easy to tell a single mom to go to school, work and stay off the weed when you’ve never had that experience in that environment. I feel that we have become so critical of others as some of us have improved on our situations and tend to look down on others. I know plenty of black professional that speak badly on their family but never acknowledge the fact that some of those people have sacrificed to get them in the position that they are in. I know personally that my family may not be the best and we may have some ratchet problem but I also know that they made sure I was good before anyone even myself know I was leaving Oakland. From fights to bomb advice. People have to acknowledge that everyone’s situation is not the same. I feel to restrict someone from that most basic necessity (food) because of their personal vices is wrong. It shows me that people don’t want to be helpful unless you do what they what you to do and live how they see fit. I understand there are people taken advantage of the system but drug testing just doesn’t solve the issue of hunger.  Federal aid is one of main factors that separate: developing counties (ie: Brazil), developed counties (ie: USA) and 3^rd world counties (ie: Haiti). I understand that some self-sufficiency initiatives can be taken to help alleviate the stress in the government and tax payers.

Q. Young
Urban Echelon Magazine and Blogspot

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients (Part I)

The issue behind welfare checks has always had a negative connotation behind it. Think about it, when you imagine someone who receives welfare some but not everyone thinks of your typical (lack of a better term) “hood-rat” chick, many of the recipients of welfare are in fact not your typical “hood-rat,” but individuals that were hit hard economically. A recent post from Instagram appeared in my inbox, with the question “What you think?” Before I go further here’s the question, “You should have to pass a drug test to receive a welfare check, because I had to pass one to earn it for you”.  Welfare initially started off and remains as a temporary means to allow individuals and families to receive funding until they get back on their feet. Now welfare is something that many depend on and overly abuse.  Robert Rector a Senior Research Fellow in Domestic Policy at the Heritage Foundation stated that, “Taxpayers should provide support to those in need; recipients, in return, should engage in responsible and constructive behavior as a condition of receiving aid.” This quote takes me back to the original statement posed on Instagram, if I’m a taxpayer giving a part of my earnings to help families and individuals in need, can you at least refrain from spending the money on drugs? I mean let’s think about this logically. If you’re on welfare 9 times out of 10 you’re in need of a job, being that welfare is a TEMPORARY means of aid, at some point you have to apply for a job, right? Right! And when you apply for this job what do most jobs require you to do, take a drug test. Now, if it’s mandated that recipients of welfare take drug test in order to continue to receive welfare, then this means that more will pass drug test given by employers, which will ultimately allow welfare to be temporary aid, which it was designed for. More people have jobs and less people on welfare, happy world right?

Many feel that drug testing of welfare recipients is discriminatory towards minorities, which only suggests one thing, that those that feel this way assume that the majority of welfare recipients are minorities. Wrong. The majority of the recipients that receive welfare are in fact White. This is something that many try to hide, but numbers don’t lie. This type of drug testing posed is not established to discriminate against any one group of people, but its goal is to weed out individuals who abuse the system. I do however suggest that if something like this is implemented that there be certain stipulations where someone with a child loses their welfare because of a failed drug test that the child is somehow still partially taken care of whether it be via free lunch/breakfast at school (if school aged) or a food bank. At the end of the day the children should not suffer for their parent’s wrong doing. Once an individual fails a drug test, there should be levels to where may be the first offense the benefits of the welfare are taken away for 30 days, then 90 days, and then if it still persist where the individual is still failing drug test, then guess what maybe they just don’t deserve to have welfare. The object of welfare is not to support drug habits, but it allows you to support your family by means of government assistance.

I personally see nothing wrong with the statement posed on Instagram, if you’re receiving a welfare check you should want to hold yourself to a higher standard, and not just sit at home an abuse taxpayers dollars. I am sensitive to the fact that many will disagree with my semi-republican (I promise I’m not one) logic and say that the only beneficiaries of this are the drug testing companies. But I feel that drug testing is needed to help take welfare back to the temporary state that it was designed for. If something like this isn’t implemented there needs to be something to help weed out the abusers of the welfare system.
Thoughts?

Britt Daise
Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot

Painting a New Future: From New Orleans to Yale

Does the name Leonard Galmon ring a bell? Probably not, but he is definitely someone you should know. His mother had him at 13 years old, his father was a murdered drug dealer, and to top it off he’s a product of one of New Orleans worst schools. None of that matters because this 17 year old is headed to Yale. Yes I said YALE! He was 26 out of the 5,500 applicants to win a Ron Brown Scholarship. This scholarship provides extra money plus support to keep promising future black leaders on track. Leonard had the highest ACT score in either Cohen High or Cohen College Prep, scoring a 28 out of the maximum 36, placing him in the 90^th percentile. Starting off as a student at Cohen High, Leonard soon transitioned to Cohen College Prep where he applied to NOCCA’s half day art program during his senior year. Yale was not the only school that Leonard applied to, the counselors at Cohen College Prep encouraged him to apply to other schools like Wesleyan and Brown. Leonard has not only excelled in academics, but also in art.

Leonard has not allowed the negative circumstances in his life to overshadow or hold him back from achieving success in life. Leonard has used art to help paint a new path for himself, which will help steer him to that next chapter in life. Although we do not praise individuals like Leonard enough, we have to realize that young teens like this are out there and deserve the recognition. It also important that we help keep music and arts in the schools and readily available to inner city youth. Many use music and art to escape from life or as a means to express themselves. Let’s do all that we can to save the music and arts programs so that students like Leonard Galmon can continue to express themselves and exert black excellence.

Congratulations to Leonard Galmon!

Britt Daise

Urban Echelon Magazine and Blogspot

Twitter

"Weekly Spotlight" - Interview with Chucky

By: LaRae Walker for Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot

1. When did you begin producing beats and musical compositions?

First, let me say thanks for taking the time out to do this interview with me. I've been playing the drums since I was a baby and I started playing the piano about 12 or so. I started making beats around the same time I started playing piano. Around 16 or 17 I began to hear full compositions in my head and so began creating them into full songs.

2.  Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

Yeah definitely! Music of the 80's HEAVILY influenced me. That time in music and sound really confirmed that I wanted to make music for a living. Records like, Thriller and Purple Rain really did it for me (laughs). The ideas of Michael working with Quincy Jones or Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis producing records made me put my production into a wider perspective. As a producer, researching what Quincy's job was with that project was very influential.

3. At what point did you realize "I'm good at this"?

(laughs) That’s a weird question (no disrespect to you or the publication, just never had that asked before.) but I’ll try to answer the best way I can. I’m still getting better. It’s like every time I create, I feel like I gain enrichment of the craft through simply practicing it over and over again but...I guess I knew I was actually good at it when I began to get paid for it (laughs)

4. Do you have a favorite musical project that you've worked on?

I can't say at the moment. I think for me it’s the MOMENTS that you really cherish WHILE you are producing for somebody. Creating Theme music/instrumentals for projects is what I currently enjoy the most. For me, it’s just different from making a record with a performing artist.

5. Is there an artist you want to work with that you have not yet had the opportunity to work with?

 It's a lot of artists that I want to work with, but I always talk about how cool it would be to work with Madonna, Gwen Stefani or even possibly ….Applonia 6 (laughs) That would be dope.

6. What advice would you give to people starting out?

Remain patient and humbled, research your craft, and most of all practice it every chance you get. Don't be scared to socialize. It’s gonna seem like you are getting more "no's" than "yes" but when you get the "yes", it will overshadow the "no's". Embrace your difference and use it as way to standout.

7. What can we expect from Chucky in 2014?

A lot of Art, music, and finishing my mixtape series. I put "Team Edward" (which fuses 80's Synth Pop and Hip-hop) on my artist.mtv.com page on Mtv.com – [search I AM Chucky]. The second installment, King Edward is in motion to be released soon. There will be music available on the internet by the time people get this interview.  After the last installment, I want to take the whole "Edward Collection" and exploit it as a piece of art --- like how visual art is. Also, crafting theme songs and jingles is a pretty dope job as well so if the creator upstairs allows it you will definitely hear some awesome work as a result. I’m speaking it into existence right now! (laughs)

BE SURE TO SUPPORT AND TAKE A LISTEN TO THE MUSIC!

Brooklyn…Stand Up!

B R O O K L Y N! Spike Lee has done it again, and this time he deserves a congratulations. If you are a real movie head like myself then you've seen Spike Lee’s film ‘Do the Right Thing’, now that phrase will be forever immortalized in the streets of Brooklyn, NY. Recently the Brooklyn Community Board 3 has voted to change the street where the movie (‘Do the Right Thing’) was filmed , to rename the Bed-Stuy block of Stuyvesant Avenue and Quincy Street to ‘Do the Right Thing’ Way. Although the City Council has the final say on this issue, if the street renaming goes through, this will come in time for the 25^th anniversary. Legislation to change the street name has been introduced, but Councilman Robert Cortege was quoted as saying, "It's a bit complicated, because the City Council' standards for co-naming focus on people and organizations, not works of art. Nevertheless, I fully support this effort and will continue to work in every way I can to see the commemoration happen."

Let's hope the City Council approves this name change. Congratulations in advance to Spike Lee.

PHOTO CRED: Spike Lee's Instagram

The Ladies of 'Think Like A Man Too'

If you’re not in the summer time spirit yet, maybe the July 2014 issue of Essence Magazine will get you in the mood.  Or maybe it will be the beautiful ladies from the cast of this summer’s Think Like A Man Too. We all know how funny the first Think Like A Man was, so part 2 should be no different.

The July cover features the gorgeous Meagan Good, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, LaLa Anthony and Regina Hall. The film hits theaters on June 20, and is centered around the crew heading to Las Vegas to celebrate a bachelorette and bachelor party before the big wedding day. (I wonder what kind of trouble Kevin Hart’s character will get into).

Be sure to support the film when it comes out!

Think Like A Man Too - Official Trailer

Joining the Cast

Congratulations to Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o. On Monday an official statement was released via StarWars.com, which stated that the 12 Years a Slave actress will be joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. The new Star Wars movie is set to open in theaters December 2015.

 May the force be with you!

 

Political Hip-Hop

As I sit back and listen to the music blaring through my speakers I began to realize the importance of hip-hop, now you’re probably wondering where exactly I’m going with this, who really sits back and thinks about the importance of hip-hop. I remember growing up listening to music and getting excited to actually hear what the artist had to say, music had substance, a message, but more importantly music had a purpose. Today, I don’t know if I can say the same about the hip-hop/rap culture. Many artist today lack substance and purpose, it’s more about “turning up” in the club, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that kind of music (I happen to enjoy it myself from time to time), but what about more?

When we think about politics often times we do not initially correlate it with the hip-hop/rap culture, even though we should. The hip-hop community as a whole has a very big influence on politics and governmental affairs. The hip-hop community represents the people, to be more specific, often times they represent the youth whose voice goes the most unheard. Hip-hop describes the many issues that take place and have taken place within the inner city communities across the U.S. through descriptive lyrics that makes you feel as if you were right there as it happened.  When I think of political hip-hop I think of an artist telling the stories of the unjust atrocities within the inner cities. Political hip-hop is a way of informing the world of the things that go on that often times do not get the attention that is needed. Many hip-hop artist have made politically inspired songs such as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five with, “The Message”, Common, with “The Corner”, NWA’s “F**K tha Police”, or Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”. As the songs change on my IPod I began to hear Tupac’s “Changes”. Tupac was always ahead of his time. He was very clever in his rhymes, so much, that often times you did not realize how political he was in his songs. “Changes” was written in the Golden Era of hip-hop (1992) at the height of cocaine epidemic, when poverty was at an all-time high, lack of jobs, over populated jails, etc. Tupac was able to convey all of this in this one song.

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s there was a crack epidemic that began to surge throughout many inner cities. The crack epidemic was not the root of the problem at this time, it was poverty and lack of jobs which ultimately caused many to resort to the crack. Blacks were institutionally marginalized to a great extent during this time. “Institutional marginalization includes those embodies in organizations, policies, standards, operating procedures, and laws that control or limit the full participation of marginal communities in dominant institutions.” During this time President Reagan implemented new economic policies that were supposed to help the poor instead it helped those who didn’t need the help in the first place and gave black women the stereotypical phrase as being a “welfare queen”.

I began to stop thinking and really listened to the words of Tupac, “I made a G today, but you made it in a sleazy way, selling crack to the kid. I gotta get paid, well hey, well that's the way it is”. In these inner cities there is a common saying that either you have a nice jump shot or you sell drugs, these are the only two outlets that many inner city youth feel they have. “Government policies that fail to address inner city needs for the provision of health care, education, housing and employment opportunities create an environment where drug culture, both using and dealing, become the norms. Unrestrained suburban flight puts jobs beyond the physical reach of most of the residents of inner city communities”.

As the cocaine flooded into many inner city communities, it began to provide families with the necessary money and gangs the necessary connections and money to turn this into an issue bigger than one could imagine.  Gangs became more powerful than ever before, they now had weapons and means to purchase automatic weapons. But could we really blame the drug cartels or gangs in these inner cities for the continuous growth of crack in these neighborhoods? Of course they all played a part in this, but the government was root of the cocaine epidemic that existed in the U.S. Webb G, Kramer P. Blacks Groups Seek Probe of CIA Links. San Jose Mercury News. 24 August, 1996: 1A.The government began to infiltrate drugs into these inner-cities, which in turn made people distrust the government even more. In the song Tupac says “Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me”. Police began to racially profile blacks because they fit the description of what a drug dealer would be. During this time blacks were being stopped for the simplest things (which still happens today. Is history repeating itself?). As illustrated in the documentary “Letters to the President” one black man was pulled over because his “license plate was flopping.” Many blacks at this time were all seen as the same no matter how well of you were, you were always seen as a suspect or a threat to the population. Tupac like many others during this time,  felt that we should stand up to the police officers/government and not let them put us (those blacks living in an inner city that made an honest living and had nice things) in a box just because we may be economically well off than the typical black man from the inner city. “Don't let 'em jack you up, back you up, crack you up and pimp smack you up. You gotta learn to hold ya own they get jealous when they see ya with ya mobile phone”

Consequently if cocaine was an epidemic as well as threat to society, the only two avenues that were likely for an individual that takes part in this is either death or jail. The government provided this drug only to trap blacks and place them back in the system, which I feel is “modern slavery.” Tupac stated in his song “It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks.” In the documentary “Letters to the President”, it was said that “blacks make up 62.7% of all drug offenders sent to state prison. That’s 13.4 times the rate at which white men are imprisoned for drugs.” Another surprising statistic from that same documentary stated that “while 49% of crack users were white in 1998, according to federal estimate only 6% of those convicted in federal court for crack sales were white. Blacks, 34% of users, were 85% of federal convicts.” This just shows how the penal system as well as the government began to target the inner cities.

Political hip-hop has been around in different forms since slavery. In today’s society political hip-hop seems to slip in between the cracks due to the high demand of “turn-up” music. Artist like Tupac, Public Enemy, Nas, Common, NWA, (the list goes on) made a statement in music because they were brave enough to voice what was actually going on within the inner cities across the U.S. Even though crack is no longer an “epidemic” in the black community, there are still issues that many face living in inner cities that often go unnoticed. Changes may have been written in 1992, but we are still dealing with the same issues of racial profiling, lack of jobs, lack of affordable housing…etc. So I have to ask is political hip-hop dead?

Britt Daise
Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot

Twitter: thisisbee

PHOTO CRED: Tupac

A New Dean in Charge

If you’re from Atlanta or you know about the nation’s top colleges then you have without a doubt heard of Emory University. Emory University is one of the most top ranked schools in the nation. Emory University has recently made headlines, it’s probably not for what you think. Emory University will welcome its first black woman, Erika Hayes James, Ph.D. to be the dean of their top-ranked Goizueta Business School.  James will serve as the first black woman to lead a full-time MBA program which is currently ranked No. 1 by the Bloomberg Business Week, with four of their degree programs ranking within the top 25. James was a former associate dean at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. James has previously served as a consultant to several Fortune 500 companies as well as having received her Ph.D. in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan.

This is an incredible accomplishment for not only James, but for black women as a whole. In recent studies black women have been ranked the most educated group by race and gender. This accomplishment for James speaks volumes for all black women, this shows that we aren’t content with just a bachelor’s degree anymore, we desire to go further and obtain our Masters and Doctorates. Obtaining higher degrees not only makes us more marketable in the job market, but it helps us to actively go against our male counterparts. Females whether black or white, historically have been paid less than their male counterpart holding the same position. For a black woman to make this accomplishment, to some may not seem to be much of a big deal, but in actuality it is. How many black women are deans at prestigious schools? Let’s just say not enough. James plans to bridge the gap between the Goizueta Business School and business in Atlanta, James stated that, “I see a real opportunity to align business thought leadership in Atlanta and, in the tradition of the academy, to bring research to bear on challenges”.  Atlanta seems to be the perfect place for James’ vision to come to full circle. Atlanta has many Fortune 500 companies that will allow for many business and leadership opportunities to become a part of the vision the James has set out for the Goizueta Business School. Emory University Provost Claire Sterk had this to say about James, “she brings a background of impressive scholarship and strong skills in academic administration, and she will work collaboratively with faculty, students, staff, alumni and supporters to take the school to the next level – all while honoring the principled leadership or Mr. Goizueta’s  legacy”.

Can you say BLACK EXCELLENCE?! Congratulations to Erika Hayes James!

Britt Daise
Urban Echelon Magazine & Blogspot

Twitter: thisisbee

PHOTO CRED: Erika Hayes James

5 Terrorist for 1 Soldier: Worth the American exchange?

5 Top Taliban Leaders released yesterday from Guantanamo Bay under the Obama administration in a exchange for a POW American Sergeant. Taliban Leaders are known currently as the "Gitmo 5" and were released to the Country of Qatar. There has been much argument about the authorization of the Commander in Chief, President Barack Obama, to do this deal due to the need of a 30 day notice that must be given to congress before anyone can be released from the infamous Guantanamo Bay. I can imagine that the parents of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and the Sergeant himself are happy for the deal but was it truly worth it. Although Qatar has assured that these ex-prisoners will be closely monitored for one year, can they truly be trusted to fulfill that promised? If they can then that is only a year of the battle. While we pull out of Afghanistan, we have chosen to release 5 officials that have held executive positions in the terrorist organization. We leave them with 5 people who have been living in a place that has been home to many terrorist from all over the world. They have been there for around 10 years and as they come home we will never know what plans were devised and what hate was accumulated for the United States. Even though I usually support the president, certain moves that he tends to make have raised questions on their motive. Was this simply a political move due to the negative issues such as the V.A.Hospital? It would be ignorant to not think of the negative possibilities of the decision. We can only sit back and wait to see if these releases have negative effect not only in the U.S. but in the world as we know it. Terrorism is a worldwide problem we as Americans may be endangering the world with this decision. Considering the consequences, I do not feel the trade was well worth it. I say this with shame as I have plenty of love ones overseas. Yet, the lives that can be lost due to these additions to such a well-developed and organized organization as The Taliban may be much more than a single person.  

Former Taliban positions of released prisoners known as the "Gitmo 5" are as following: 

Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa - Interior Minister and direct associate of Osama Bin Laden

Mullah Mohammad Fazl - Chief of Army Staff

Mullah Norullah Noori - Governor of Balkh province in the Taliban

Abdul Haq Wasiq - Deputy Chief of Taliban Intelligence

Mohammad Nabi Omari - Taliban Chief of Communication.

Q.Young
Urban Echelon Magazine and Blogspot