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Genius •

Exploring Hip-Hop’s Modern Consciousness

In 1979, hip-hop went pop with Sugarhill Gang’s groundbreaking “Rapper’s Delight,” the genre’s first-ever Top 40 hit. Built on a sample of Chic’s “Good Times,” the song proved that hip-hop, like disco, could resonate with audiences seeking feel-good dance music.

But a year after that, in 1980, Bronx school teacher and rapper Brother D and his crew Collective Effort posed a powerful question over the beat from Cheryl Lynn’s 1978 disco smash “Go To Be Real.” While the track maintained the groove
Dorchester Reporter •

Dot-born Khamari, a R&B prodigy, takes off on his first headlining tour

Khamari has always been a lover of music.

In his days as an adolescent growing up off Blue Hill Ave., the singer, born Khamari Barnes, played instruments ranging from the guitar to the French horn. An alumnus of Swampscott High School through the METCO program, Barnes has lived in Dorchester for years, along with his family. He studied classical music, piano and jazz while bumping the likes of Stevie Wonder, Usher, The Beatles and J.Cole. His early exposure to the arts and love for music made o
Dorchester Reporter •

Fred Woodard Collective kicks off Dot Jazz Series

No matter how many times Fred Woodard Jr. takes his guitar out of the case, it is always a big deal. The musician, teacher, Berklee alumnus, and organizer of the Dudley Jazz Festival always sees the occasion as an opportunity to spread positivity– and a strong groove– to his audience.

His aspirations and dedication to musicianship were as clear as ever last Saturday evening, when he and his band, the Fred Woodard Collective, performed in softly lit Peabody Hall inside the Parish of All Saints c
Backward •

Men’s Fashion Trends: The 2024 Edition

The new year is always a great excuse to revitalize one’s fashion sense, and as 2024 treks on, there are a number of trends set to dominate the men’s fashion market.

Throughout the early 2020s, there have been a number of consistencies across men’s fashion as seen through the demands for Y2K adornments and streetwear. Yet, 2024 seems to have a few new tricks up its sleeve– including the inclination toward “Peach Fuzz,” according to Pantone’s Color of the Year forecast.

To help you get your war
Backward •

Will AI Save or Destroy the Fashion Industry?

A mere five years ago, AI or artificial intelligence was something that only a select few programmers across the world could access, let alone use. When discussing the efforts of Mazin Gilbert, a Technology Executive who wanted to make AI technology available to all AT&T employees, including those without a background in computer science in 2018, the Harvard Business Review described this goal as “ambitious.”

Now, on the cusp of 2024, AI can be used by the average employee, executive, or consum
BET •

Chronicling 50 Years Of Hip-Hop Through The Archives of Ice T and Afrika Islam

In 1987, Tracy “Ice-T” Marrow, an up-and-coming rapper and actor from New Jersey, worked with Bronx-bred hip-hop DJ and producer Charles “Afrika Islam” Glenn to release an album that is now considered a progenitor of “gangsta rap.”

“Rhyme Pays” was the first of several musical collaborations between Ice-T and Islam. More than 30 years after their most recent one, they’ve joined forces once again to commemorate the culture that brought them together.

“Day One DNA: 50 Years in Hiphop Culture” ce
Backward •

7 Tips for Color-Blocking: Make Every Outfit Pop

Whether you are drawn to bright and bold colors or soft pastels, a pop of color can go a long way in taking an otherwise simple outfit up a notch. So imagine what happens when you mix two, three, four or more.

The famed French designer Yves Saint Laurent was one of the first fashion designers to utilize this practice – known as color-blocking – through the iconic Fall/Winter 1965-1966 sack dress, which was inspired by the work of Dutch painter Piet Mondriaan.

Nearly 60 years later, color-block
BET •

Finding An Ally in the Fight Against Breast Cancer and Financial Toxicity

According to American Cancer Society figures, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and for people like Hall, the reality of juggling active treatment with other critical expenses can be debilitating. But because of the help she got, Hall was able to receive funding for three months of rent and avoid eviction.

Read on and be inspired by these stories from real women. Shante Thomas, 36, Accokeek, Maryland - “My experience with breast cancer has taught me that I can han
Backward •

Is Y2K Here To Stay? Newstalgia & What’s Next

We might party like it’s 1999, but we dress like it’s 2000– a future that Prince and The Revolution could only dream of.

Y2K fashion started to make a comeback towards late 2019, and three years into the 2020s, it is clear that it remains appealing to the masses. Ensembles consisting of mini skirts, denim-on-denim, layered tees and baby tees are in, thanks to the markets of nostalgia and TikTok.

Fashion trends tend to cycle in and out of the mainstream, especially in a digital age where our at
GRAMMY.com •

Revisit The 2023 Washington D.C. Chapter Block Party: Championing Artistry & Advocacy

The block party fell on the same day as The Day that Music Cares , the first-ever day of service for the music community. To commemorate this day, attendees were encouraged to bring school supplies for the chapter’s back to school drive.

The six-hour event provided the opportunity for both fellowship and knowledge-building. The first half featured a Creator Lounge, where panelists spoke on the nuances of an ever-changing industry and how musicians can adapt, advocate and monetize their work. Th
The Root •

From Rihanna to Ice Spice, Dyana Williams Continues To Build Her Legacy as a Coach to the Stars

Aside from being some of the biggest names in the music industry, these artists have another thing in common: T hey are among the countless artists who have been coached by Dyana Williams.

Dubbed “Hip-Hop’s Artist Whisperer” by the New York Times in 2018, Dyana Williams has earned more than a few titles throughout her career. She is an artist development and celebrity media coach, a journalist, an award-winning radio broadcaster and a co-founder of Black Music Month, which is observed every yea
The Root •

Hip-Hop 50: Let's Break Down the Art of Sampling

I can still remember the first time I ever heard A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 joint, “Check the Rhime.”


As a Queens native, my 15-year-old self was struck not only by Q-Tip—also known also as The Abstract—and his reference to “the boulevard of Linden,” but also by the accompanying bassline and horns beneath his words. Thanks to his musical genius—as well as that of his groupmates, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and the late “Five-Footer” Phife Dawg—these elements ushered in what would later become my l
The Root •

Carlee Russell Was Found Alive But Tiktok Made The Nation Care

“Where is Carlee Russell?” took the internet by storm, leading to a whirlwind of rumors and theories surrounding her disappearance, and now the question has shifted: What happened to Carlee Russell?


The 25-year-old Alabama native was reported missing Thursday evening after claiming to see a toddler walking alone on the interstate and stopping to help, according to the police. The next day, police held press conferences, her parents pleaded to the media, and TikTokers– both Black and white inf
Howard University News Service •

A Star to the Stars, a Light in Face of Darkness: In Memoriam of Harry Belafonte

A Black man, a son of immigrants, an entertainer and a fervent defender of civil rights, Harry Belafonte broke the mold for Black entertainers aiming to enter Hollywood. But he also showed that it is not necessary to compromise one’s beliefs to achieve success.

Belafonte took his permanent resting place among the ancestors on Tuesday, dying of congestive heart failure. He was 96 years old.

Born in Harlem, New York, to Jamaican and Martinique parents, Belafonte started his career far from the e
Howard University News Service •

An Ode to the Legacy of ‘Chocolate City’, Go-Go Music Lives On

With a Latin funk-infused rhythmic sound, go-go music has filled the streets of D.C. since the early 1970s. In 2023, the sounds might be heard from the Metro PCS on Chuck Brown Way– named in honor of “The Godfather of Go-Go” – or blasting from the speakers of someone’s car, but in the 70s and 80s, D.C. natives of all ages could go to the go-go and hear live bands for less than $5.

As a sound, go-go is known for its call-and-response structure and for its ability to keep people moving on the dan
Howard University News Service •

The Soundtracks to Our Suffering: How Black Artists Have Used Song As a Medium of Pain and Protest

Marching through the streets during the pandemic, boycotting buses in Alabama or sitting in at Confederate landmarks are a few examples of how Americans often stand up against injustice. However, one of the most powerful yet grossly underestimated channels through which Americans, and especially Black Americans, have ushered in these movements has been through the art of protest songs.

Music has accompanied Black Americans, not only as a means to motivate but as a means to disrupt the status qu
Howard University News Service •

Hip-Hop, The RAP Act and the Demonization of Rap Culture

Those who believe that art should be separate from the artist are most often referring to the exploits of their “problematic faves,” but this concept remains especially relevant when considering how certain art forms and their proprietors face demonization.

The case against rapper Young Thug and the Young Slime Life (YSL) label, which began the week of Jan. 9 in Atlanta’s Fulton County, has garnered much attention and renewed arguments about lyrics being used against rappers in criminal court c
The Hilltop - The Nation's Oldest Black Collegiate Newspaper •

Alumni Reflect on Navigating Professional Careers After Howard

The prospect of graduating excited Maia Regman more than anything. Having been involved in content creating and influencing since the age of 16, she felt more than ready to apply these skills in the “real world.”

A 2021 graduate from the School of Business, the former management major and Bronx native had been creating influencer marketing campaigns for HBCU students since her freshman year, allowing her to work with brands such as Fenty Beauty and Jansport. She also developed a platform throug
The DC Voice •

Howard University Students Reflect on Prospect of Campus Modernization, Funding for Future Students

By way of the prestigious university’s capital investment plan, along with donations from the likes of alumni and philanthropists, there are a number of projects set to be fulfilled at Howard University.

On March 23, Howard announced the allocations of their $785 million capital investment plan, which will entail the modernization of current campus facilities, such as the School of Education building, along with the creation of a Center for Arts and Communications, a Health Sciences Complex and
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