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As a fervent observer of culture and media, I have always used Hip Hop as a gateway to expanding my consciousness of the world around me. It has provided a soundtrack to my aspirations and my frustrations, articulating thoughts that felt as if I alone were having, giving me comfort and affirmation. As long as I've had a pair of earbuds, I've been just fine throughout the trials and tribulations of this world. Hip Hop is everything.

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Articles by this author

Article May 1 2016

ALL WIN TOGETHER NOW: The Marvel Of The Wu-Tang Clan

What’s in a name?  Well, everything. Some names just immediately illicit an emotional response in me. When it came to toys, it was Optimus, Megatron, Ravage, Devastator. When it came to comics, it was Logan, Rom, Ororo, Jean Grey. When it came to movies, it was Axel Foley, John McClane, Charly Baltimore, Boba Fett. When […]
Article Mar 20 2016

TOO COLD TO HANDLE: Ice T Has Lessons For Days

“There’s no way I’m getting out this f-ing car.” Now, there weren’t many times that I became firm with my father while growing up. Besides being old school as hell, Dad was a very large man that I respected. When I got out of line, my father had no problem putting me back where I […]
Article Nov 8 2015

KING’S ENGLISH: The Improbable Impact of Slick Rick

It should not have worked. Slick Rick’s album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick had a lot working against it when it came out. Without considering the album’s content at all, there were a lot of factors that could have derailed his debut upfront. For starters, 1988 was one of Hip hop’s heaviest years, with […]
Article Oct 1 2015

LYTE YEARS AHEAD: MC Lyte Transcends Labels

Act like you know. I’m just going to get into it. MC Lyte’s Paper Thin was the most New York thing I’d ever seen at the time. Between the subway setting, the crazy gear, the headphones Lyte was rocking, boomboxes and head knockers, Lyte’s pattern of speech…  it was easy for a Southern boy like […]