Category: Commentary
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Branding Soul? Considering The History of Black Music x Big Business (Article)–@NewBlackMan
Duke University’s Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, professor of black popular culture and host of Left Of Black, wrote an article that appeared in today’s The Atlanta Post. In the piece, Dr. Neal discusses the history, rise and decline of black music as it relates to business and branding. He draws comparisons between Detroit’s Motown, Memphis’s…
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9th Wonder (@9thWonderMusic): “Crabs In A Barrel: The Downfall of NC Hip Hop” (Commentary)
**Update**: 9th Wonder’s full reply has been added below. If you’re outside of the North Carolina hip hop scene then I’m about to put y’all on to something. And if you’re based here I’m sure y’all didn’t expect me to sit back and not post this. Some might see it as airing NC’s dirty laundry…
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I’m Finally Starting To Understand Lady Gaga (A Little)
Lady Gaga isn’t hip hop but just ride with my point for a minute. A few years ago HIV/AIDS awareness in the hip hop community was everywhere you turned. Killer Mike and Big Boi’s "A.D.I.D.A.S." was in heavy rotation, BET’s Rap It Up campaignwas all over the network, Salt ‘N Pepa’s "I’ve Got AIDS" made…
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Dear Young Jeezy
Dear Young Jeezy, What’s up? Regardless of my non-street background and lifestyle, I’ve been a fan of your music since your Come Shop With Me days from 2003 on. You had a fantastical way of weaving gritty tales and making ab-libs the thing to have in 16 bars. Hell, your rhymes were like the Grimm’s…