134 Search results for "inspiring"

I spent most of this past week trying to figure out what in the hell is going on in the mind of Charlie Sheen. And I’m ashamed to admit that it’s been pretty amazing.The obvious question: Is Charlie Sheen #WINNING? The real question: Should we really be cheering him on?

Black students trail peers in graduation rates at Memphis-area universities Richard Morgan, The Commercial Appeal, February 26, 2011 Give the Children Music: Inspiring Our Youth Through Hip Hop Charles Howard, Huffington Post, February 26, 2011 Seminar in York examines hip-hop’s influence on youth Bill Landauer, Daily Record/Sunday News, February 26, 2011 Documentary reveals everyday life […]

The Grammys usually suck. Time and time again, some of the most incredible albums and songs of the year are consistently shafted in favor of the easily-digestible and unimpressive. This year is largely no exception. But this is to be expected. And for music nerds, bitching about the Grammys is a begrudged annual pastime, like […]

It is an epic in the truest sense of the word; mindboggling in its scope, enthralling in its depth, and all-consuming in its grandeur. Like Prince’s Sign o’ the Times, U2’s The Joshua Tree, or Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) is one of those rare and electrifying moments in popular music when a prodigiously talented artist with an almost blemish-less track record sees the light and finally unleashes their magnum opus.

Langston Hughes wrote, “Let, me tell ya, chile, life for me ain’t been no crystal stair,” and I wholeheartedly agree. Life for me as a weekly blogger has been “no crystal stair.” It’s had tacks in it (i.e. People who call you a feminist bitch or dyke bitch because you see the intersectionality of Precious’ […]

Thriller, released three years later, took things to another level entirely however, and deserves all of the fanfare and acclaim that it receives. But before Thriller there was Off The Wall, the coming out party for an ambitious teen idol that wanted to take over the world, one song at a time. Jackson may have made more successful albums, but he never bettered this one.

Good morning, and congratulations to the class of 2010.  I know you’re wondering what inspiring words of wisdom I might impart on to a new generation of graduates.  Well, frankly, I have none, which is probably why my commencement address is coming to you via this blog and not as you sporadically doze your way […]

Kansas City wants to close half its public schools Heather Hollingsworth, ABC News, March 7, 2010 Ludacris, Foxx target black youth in social media push on HIV Steve Sternberg, USA Today Local students win annual Black History Essay Contest Hope Young, The News Star, March 7, 2010 On Their Own at 18 Tyler Hayden, Santa […]

And all of this makes Scott-Heron’s new album, I’m New Here, all the more stunning; not since the Rick Rubin-assisted resurrection of Johnny Cash’s legendary (and, by the earlier 90’s, similarly derailed) career has an older, seemingly past-their-prime artist returned with something so haunting, so vital, and so unequivocably brilliant.

These past few weeks have been stressful so I won’t try and formulate a coherent opinion on any of the hot-button topics. To be honest, I’ve just been too tired to deal with much of anything lately. Instead, I will share something with you guys. I haven’t lived much. 23 very short years, in fact. […]

Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry said Precious was awesome and that everyone should go see it. Since I am the most obedient of Negroes, I saw it last Friday. If Flavor Flav is the world’s greatest hype man, this duo is officially the world’s greatest hype machine. I found Precious slightly underwhelming, uninspiring, and lacking […]