by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
As a fan of hip-hop, I couldn’t help but appreciate the talent of the rapper Wiz Khalifa out of Pittsburgh. Fresh off the release of his new album, “Rolling Papers,” Wiz appears to be on the top of the hip-hop world. The first thing I thought about when I heard Wiz Khalifa’s style is that he sounded remarkably similar to artists of my generation, namely Snoop Dogg and Too Short.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
“More African American men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War began,” according to Michelle Alexander, a law professor at The Ohio State University. Alexander is the author of an interesting new book called “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindedness.”
According to Professor Alexander, increases in crime rates do not explain the massive growth in black male incarceration that has taken place over the last 30 years.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I spent yesterday a bit disappointed with entertainer Chris Brown after his alleged tirade on 'Good Morning America.' After being one of the few voices defending Chris Brown on CNN a couple of years ago, I quietly wondered if I was wrong about him. It's not that I thought Chris Brown was a good man. It's that I saw him as a 19-year-old kid who was not beyond redemption. America has a nasty habit of destroying the lives of young black men when they make mistakes at an early age.
My mind tried to wrap itself around the Chris Brown/'Good Morning America' incident. I figured that Chris would be on his way to jail, given that busting out a window is not exactly legal and nearly any decision to break the law amounts to a parole violation. But I saw and heard almost nothing indicating that Chris was going to experience any significant legal consequence from his behavior.
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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
A couple of years ago, I went onto CNN to give measured support for Chris Brown as he was facing tremendous public scrutiny (much of it deserved) for his physical attacks on the singer Rihanna. I wasn’t trying to say that Chris was a good person; instead, I was arguing that he was a young kid who is not beyond redemption.
The bottom line was that Chris Brown is not a monster.
After hearing about his outburst today on Good Morning America, I am starting to think that Chris might be determined to become a monster. If he’s not a monster, he’s at least a damn idiot.
Click here to listen to Dr. Boyce and Al Sharpton debate the attack on Libya
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Media superstar and modeling-model Tyra Banks recently announced that she's headed to the Harvard Business School. While it's still not clear if she's getting an official degree (I assume its a short-term executive education course; I can't imagine someone with her experience and schedule taking too much time off for school), one has to be impressed with her decision to continue educating herself. Some might think that education is simply a thing you tolerate long enough to make money to support yourself. Nothing could be further from the truth, since learning should be a lifelong process.
"I started last summer and I didn't really talk about it. It was very incognito, my name and everything, but I decided to talk about it [now]. I think it's a positive thing, especially for girls to see that you can still continue to educate yourself and you can still be fabulous and fierce and celebrate your femininity," Tyra said to MTV News.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
So, Bill Cosby tells Russell Simmons to “Get the fuck out of my face”? I would like to say that the comment surprises me, but the truth is that someone else told me they had a similar interaction with Cosby in private. It appears that their divergence of opinions stems from Cosby’s remarks about black youth a few years ago. In case you don’t know, Cosby seems to think that all young people are headed to hell in a hand basket, and that they all miraculously decided to get together and destroy their own futures. The problem, obviously, is that there are a host of extraneous factors which led to the urban decay we’ve witnessed over the last 30 years: A failed educational system, unbelievable amounts of black unemployment and mass incarceration have worked together to destroy the integrity of the black family. Cosby’s courage in attacking single mothers and black teens is not matched with an equal amount of courage as it pertains to standing up to the powers-that-be who profit from our destruction. Therefore, his analysis was incomplete at best.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
1) Tell your kids you love them every single day
Love not only makes the world go round, but every person needs to feel loved in order to have the balance necessary to be truly successful. If you love your kids, don’t just show it with your actions, say it with words. It will keep them from seeking love in all the wrong places.
2) Set an example for other fathers
The black male gets a bad rap for allegedly being an irresponsible father. We know that this stereotype is a misguided reflection of America’s historical hatred of the black male, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t encourage each other to do a better job. Demand that other brothers in your circle stand up as good fathers to their children, in spite of their circumstances. It can be tough to be a good parent with sky high unemployment and incarceration rates, but that doesn’t give you an excuse not to try. Those of us who ignore our children should be shamed into realizing how harmful such irresponsibility is to our community.
3) Always find a way to show respect to their mother
Even if you can’t stand the woman you had a child with, you should always give her as much respect as you possibly can. Kids don’t enjoy watching their parents fight, no matter whose fault it is. Also, in spite of your differences, you must always find a way to show appreciation toward the woman who gave life to your offspring.
4) Prepare them for the bullsh*t
We know that being black isn’t easy. You have to be twice as good to get half as much and life sometimes kicks you in the butt when you don’t deserve it. Prepare your kids for life as an African American, letting them know that they are going to have to be tough, smart and courageous to succeed in a world where the odds can be stacked against them. We all know that life isn’t fair, and it’s important to make sure your kids are prepared for the coming disparities.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
This morning I woke up to find out that Nathaniel D. Hale, better known as Nate Dogg, died last night (March 15). The cause of death has not been announced. But its easy to connect Nate Dogg’s death to the health problems that came from the massive strokes he suffered in 2007 and 2008.
Nobody sang hooks like Nate Dogg. Most of us can go back to Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” album in the early 1990s as well as “Regulate” by Warren G to see where this brilliant artist set the game on fire. I loved Nate Dogg, and I am going to miss him. Nobody could run the chorus the way he could, for he had a voice that hip-hop will remember for the next 50 years.
On another note, I wonder how Nate Dogg’s early death was related to some of the self-destructive habits
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached another milestone in his increasingly storied hip-hop career. This year,Forbes ranked Diddy as the wealthiest hip-hop artist in the world, with a net worth of $475 million. He was followed on the list by Jay-Z, who himself carries a net worth of $450 million.
Following Diddy and Jay-Z are Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and Bryan "Birdman" Williams of Cash Money Records.
I wasn't surprised to see Diddy at the top of the list. His visionary style of corporate leadership is nothing short of iconic and legendary. The same is true for Jay-Z and other artists who made the list. What's most interesting to me about Diddy, to be quite frank, is that Sean is probably the worst rapper on the list of wealthy hip-hop artists. While we can easily point to major jams produced and sold by Jay-Z, Birdman, Dr. Dre and even Fifty Cent, Diddy hasn't put out hardly anything noteworthy since the death of the Notorious B.I.G. nearly 14 years ago.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
In a recent survey taken at YourBlackWorld.com, over 83 percent of the black respondents said that the NAACP is off-base by nominating hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj, both of whom have used the N-word and lyrics that are derogatory toward women. In the survey, participants were asked the following question:
"The NAACP Image Awards recently nominated artists like Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj, both of whom have used the N-word and lyrics which degrade women. Does this make the NAACP hypocritical?"
In response to this question, 83 percent of the 335 respondents said "Yes, these nominations are a contradiction to the message and image of the NAACP." Another 5.8% of the African American respondents said that the NAACP might be a bit hypocritical in their approach, but that giving awards to these artists helps to keep them relevant. Another 10 percent of the respondents said that the NAACP was not being hypocritical by nominating these artists.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Last night, I was up watching last year's Hip-Hop honors on Vh-1. I knew that it wasn't live, since the rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane weren't in jail. In fact, I find it interesting that I had to count and remember which artists were incarcerated out of the bunch, since it seems that hip-hop has now made it cool to go to jail, at least for a little while.
As a fan of hip-hop, I enjoyed the music being performed by various artists. I couldn't, however, help but be disturbed by trends that become more and more apparent to me as I get older. At one point, there were three "interesting" songs performed in a row, one by an artist by the name of "Bone Crusher," a second performed by Gucci Mane and a third performed by the Ying-Yang Twins. Bone Crusher rapped about "popping the trunk" and killing another "n*gga" who spoke to him disrepsectfully. To be more precise, the lyrics were as follows:
Let a choppa go PLOOOOOOWWW! to yo melon
Now the plasma is oozin outta yo cerebellum
AttenSHUNNNNN! F*ck n*gga, now you swellin
You ain't talkin hardcore, now is ya? Lil' b*tch!
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
March 9, 1997 will forever go down in history as the day when the world lost one of it's most talented artists, the Notorious B.I.G. Biggie was "the man," dropping lyrics like no other, gaining respect all around the world. He was loved by the community, and his spirit continues to live in the world on the 14-year anniversary of the day that he died.
I loved both Biggie and Tupac when they were alive. Both of them were about my age, and I mourned with the rest of the world after hearing about their deaths. I can also say that, like nearly everyone else, I knew that both Biggie and Pac were going to die young. Both artists seemed to believe that the end was coming soon, which is a problem that is all too common among young African American males.
In the midst of the cultural cancer that impacts the lives of millions of young black men across America, we find that all too often young black men don't expect to become old men. Hip-hop has long existed as a venue through which the state of the black male is communicated, and in this arena, you find that there is consistent conversation about violence, homicide and the soldier-like suicidal mindset that these men must embrace in order to have a chance to keep breathing.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It appears that life just got more complicated for former NBA star Allen Iverson. It is being reported that Iverson's 6,848 square-foot home in Cherry Hills, Colorado is now in foreclosure. Iverson is an 11-time NBA All-Star and former MVP. He purchased the home in 2008 for $3.88 million and now owes $2.5 million to Wells Fargo.
I am not sure if this foreclosure is part of a broader financial trend in Iverson's life, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised. For some odd reason, the last five years have produced one of the fastest slides of any player in recent memory. Just a few years ago, Iverson was an NBA beast; slashing, leaping and sprinting his way to magical performances. As the years went by, we saw more and more reports that Iverson's personal life was starting to unravel. Stories about alcoholism and gambling problems were accompanied by an embarrassing drop in his on-court statistics, leading America to conclude that Iverson was becoming an aging also-ran.
Click here to watch this film, “It’s a fact and it might be true,” by Takia Thompson. It’s hilarious!
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I was introduced to the work of Roszalyn Akins at a conference being held by the Mississippi Learning Institute. Roz (that's her nickname) was giving a presentation about her program called "Black Males Working." I was immediately impressed with the vigor and passion with which Roz approached the important task of mentoring and educating young black boys. Without having the funding nor the fanfare that her program truly deserves, Roz has taken the "worst" kids in her district and turned them into academic champions. She reminds us that there is nothing that our kids can't do when they are given an opportunity and a little bit of encouragement. Saving the black male is not just something just that helps black men. It is important to any woman who cares about her son, husband, brother or father and the abysmal outcomes that occur in a society that is designed to destroy you. So, saving the black male is critical to protecting the black family in America. It is for her never-ending commitment to empowering black boys that Roszalyn Akins is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
They say that behind every great man, there's a great woman. Yes, this is true, but what people also forget is that behind nearly every empowered, intelligent and confident young woman, there are a collection of black male role models. The group Watoto from the Nile, featuring three little girls doing an open letter about Lil Wayne's disrespect for women has simply taken over the black Internet. The video had over half a million views in just six days, and keeps growing by the second. It was due to the vision of the group's young manager, Albert Phillips, that the little girls were able to strike the blow heard around the world when it comes to black women demanding their right to be respected. In fact, these children struck a blow to Weezy that no grown man could ever match. It is for that reason that Albert Phillips is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:
From Dr. Boyce Watkins – Scholarship in Action
“For the better part of a decade, a San Francisco Bay Area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the Crips and Bloods street gangs of Los Angeles and funneled millions in drug profits to a Latin American guerrilla army run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, a Mercury News investigation has found.
This drug network opened the first pipeline between Colombia's cocaine cartels and the black neighborhoods of Los Angeles, a city now known as the "crack" capital of the world. The cocaine that flooded in helped spark a crack explosion in urban America . . . and provided the cash and connections needed for L.A.'s gangs to buy automatic weapons.” – San Jose Mercury News, 1996
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
A group of white students, who some believe are from Stuyvesant High School in New York, has gotten the Internet up in arms. Laying out admittedly solid freestyle skills over a smooth beat, the students continuously spew out the kind of racism that would make David Duke blush. To the surprise of some, Stuyvesant High School is considered one of the top high schools in the nation, but many are wondering what in the world they are teaching.
Apparently frustrated with their black classmates, the rappers use lyrics like "You so wack, b--, chilling in the projects. ....You black and you so f-– grimy. ... What'cha gonna do? Call your black squad n--?"
For over five minutes, the young artists continue to squeak out demeaning language toward people of color. The video is seemingly endless. The men also seem to be under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The rapper Lil Wayne may be ready to take on all haters in the club (since he regularly reminds us that he stays strapped). He may be ready to have sex with every girl in the world (the title of one of his songs), and he might have more money than King Tut. But there is one attack that Lil Wayne was probably not ready for, and that came from a 10-year old girl.
While I am still searching to find the little girl's name (her management team didn't put her name on the video), this child lays out a song that even Weezy himself will have to acknowledge at some point. Referring to herself as a "little queen," she questions why Lil Wayne has decided to make a career out of degrading black women and chasing corporate greed over creating music that is socially-responsible and capable of uplifting a community that is dying by the second.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard this audio, in which Creflo Dollar appears to be arguing that if you don’t tithe, you should be put in front of a firing squad. I did some research and found media outlets reporting the video, and I can only hope that he doesn’t truly believe this.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Dr. Artemesia Stanberry has been relentless in fighting to free her cousin, Rodney K. Stanberry, who appears to be in prison for crimes he did not commit. I first heard about the case from Dr. Wilmer Leon, as we were headed to Missouri last year to rally on behalf of Heather Ellis, a college student threatened with 15 years in prison for cutting in line at a Wal-Mart.
When I first heard about Rodney's case, I couldn't believe my ears. From what Dr. Leon was telling me, it sounded like a case of lazy police work, where officers didn't want to go through the efforts of going all the way to New York to find the true killers. Additionally, like so many others affected by our racially-skewed criminal justice system, Rodney K. Stanberry ended up in prison because he was the most convenient person to incarcerate. This is particularly true in Alabama, a state where the modern prison system has powerful links to slavery.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Football superstar Michael Vick initially made plans to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. But it's just been announced that Vick is not going to appear on the show, citing personal and professional conflicts that have made the appearance impossible.
"Mike postponed the taping because of the timing of the interview for personal and professional reasons," said Michael Vick's spokesman Chris Shigas. "He does not have a reschedule date at this time."
Some speculate that Vick may have canceled because other groups have been sending emails and letters to the Oprah Winfrey Show, asking that the voices of Vick's critics be heard. One of Vick's strongest critics has been Richard Hunter, a stand-up comedian who also adopted one of Vick's dogs. Hunter claims that he and others who agree with him have been harassing Oprah's producers since it was announced that Michael Vick might appear on the show.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
CBS Los Angeles is now reporting new evidence that officers within the Los Angeles Police Department may have played a role in the death of the rapper Christopher Wallace, also known as The Notorious B.I.G (aka Biggie Smalls).
Wallace was murdered March 9th, 1997. According to witnesses, a lone gunman in the driver's seat of a black Chevy Impala pulled up to the truck where Wallace was sitting in the passenger seat and opened fire. Wallace died shortly thereafter.
The Wallace family filed suit against the LAPD in 2005, bringing forth additional evidence that was not considered, implicating LAPD officers that they believe were involved in the death of Christopher Wallace. The two officers under suspicion are David Mack and Rafael Perez. Both Perez and Mack are in prison now for unrelated crimes, Mack for bank robbery and Perez for stealing cocaine.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It's nearly impossible for something I hear on television to wake me up in my sleep. Some exceptions might be the start of a nuclear war or the voice of Beyonce Knowles. But this morning, I heard a voice that yanked me out of La-La land faster than you could say, "Whatchu talkin about Willis?"
Sports commentator Dick Vitale was on the ESPN Show, "Mike & Mike in the Morning" talking about the possibilities regarding the trade of NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony. The hosts were discussing the rumor that Anthony may copy LeBron James and join forces with two other superstars headed to the same team.
In reference to his frustration about the idea of men like Anthony choosing their own fate in spite of the fact that NBA Commissioner David Stern objects to their behavior, Vitale said that such moves were like "Inmates controlling the asylum."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
This weekend, Professor Cornel West gave a strong endorsement to Carol Moseley Braun in a heated and controversial race to become the next mayor of Chicago. West didn't have very many good things to say about Moseley Braun's leading opponent, Rahm Emanuel. He referred to Emanuel as an outsider and a candidate who is beholden to big business interests in the city and across America.
"I believe a Rahm Emanuel victory would be a slap in the face," West said. "I'm here to support poor and working people - specifically black Chicago."
One of the problems for Moseley Braun, however, is that the media is focused as much on her remarks about Emanuel as they are about the Cornel West endorsement. When she spoke, Moseley Braun made reference to a movie called "The Producers," which satirized the life of Adolph Hitler.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse university – Scholarship in Action
Hip Hop News 24-7 recently interviewed the rapper J-Kwon about his interesting child support situation. During an interview with Miss Georgia, J-Kwon informed listeners that he'd been paying $2,500 per month in child support for seven years for a child that was eventually determined to not be his.
The artist goes on to say that he was jailed for not making the child support payments, which derailed his entire career, killing his ability to earn income. He also said that when it was determined that he wasn't the child's father, the courts provided no remedies whatsoever for him to retrieve the tens of thousands of dollars he'd paid over a seven-year period.
J-Kwon is now saying that he plans to start a foundation for fathers who are having their rights violated by the child support system. I support his initiative, because many of us forget about the millions of fathers out there who are doing all they can to have access to their kids and trying to do the right thing, but are left alienated by deceptive mothers and a court system that would rather see a man in jail than with his own children.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The movie we all expected to see years ago is finally being brought to the big screen. Antoine Fuqua has committed himself to bringing the late Tupac Shakur back from the dead with a soon-to-be-released biopic about the life of the legendary rapper.
Tupac Shakur is nothing less than the most respected hip-hop artist in history, primarily because he lived an incredibly memorable life. His greatest claim to fame during life was his album "All Eyez on Me," which was one of the first to produce a double CD with a long list of hits. Only "Thriller" by Michael Jackson and "Straight Outta Compton" could compare in terms of an album's impact on an entire generation.
Some seem to feel that Tupac's career was just taking off when he died at the age of 25. He was just starting to come into his own as an actor, and he ended up releasing more songs as a dead man than most artists ever release during life. With everything that's come out of the studio since Tupac's untimely death, it appears that he was planning for several years of virtually unprecedented artistic productivity.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons has released an interesting new book entitled, "Super Rich: A Guide to Having it All." Simmons appears to have decided to share his keys to wealth with the world, addressing a community where wealth accumulation continues to be one of our greatest and most lasting mysteries.
I thought that Simmons' approach to the book was interesting. Reflecting his Buddhist background, Simmons said, "Its about making people focused and free and not fearful. So they can get up and give in the morning. Instead of waking up and thinking what you're gonna get, wake up and thing what your're gonna give. That's a different mindset. That's the mindset the we have to be in to not only be successful but to be happy."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University
As the son of a preacher, I know how to avoid sacrilegious statements when I see them. I don't use God's name in vain, and I don't make nasty jokes about Jesus. But if hip-hop had a bible, it would start with the commandment that "Thou shalt not compare any living rapper to the great Biggie and Pac."
If you even briefly mention that any artist in America comes close to "the great ones," you are quickly slapped with a "shut yo mouth" by hip-hop heads who tell you that you're out of your damn mind. There is no living artist, at least not under the age of 30, who dares compare himself to Biggie and Pac, who've effectively become the God and Jesus of the hip-hop world.
Let's be clear: these artists were legendary in their talent level and deserve massive amounts of respect. But the idea that they are better than every hip-hop artist since is likely due to our stunning capacity to practically worship dead artists rather than a truly fair comparison of musical impact. Since Tupac Shakur died, he has been transformed into a visionary and a saint, when the truth is that he could be just as trifling as Lil Wayne, TI and the other artists who are living today. I was a huge fan of both Biggie and Pac when they were alive. I listened to Pac every morning before heading to campus, and I bumped Biggie when I rolled in my hooptie. They were like Burger King and McDonalds or Coke and Pepsi: two dominant versions of virtually the same product (gangsta rap). I never chose one over the other, because both of them were great.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I watched a video the other day about a woman named Jazz Ison Sinkfield and couldn't help but laugh. For some reason, Jazz thought it would be a good idea to start growing her fingernails for almost a quarter of a century without ever cutting them. Now, the woman is stuck with a set of peculiar monstrosities hanging from both of her hands that keep her from typing on a computer, tying her own shoes and perhaps even wiping her own behind. I'm not necessarily one to judge another human being so harshly, but I found it most interesting that Jazz truly believes that other women are jealous of her fingernails.
Jazz is not the only person in our community who has gathered a set of habits that some might consider to be a "ghetto fab." I am not sure where all of these habits come from, and when I see them, I try to process things without becoming a hater. But when I put it all together, I can't help but quote someone whom I disagree with regularly by the name of Bill Cosby, who once made this simple comment: "Come on people."
When one rolls through "the hood," they will usually see a few interesting things. First, we see the pants sagging down below the butt, with a brother who has to use one hand to constantly keep his pants from falling to the ground. You might then see someone else with tattoos up and down both arms, and maybe some additional tattoos on the neck. Actually face tattoos have become all the rage among rappers who don't seem to remember that these things are difficult to remove.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins
Luisa Gil of Union City, NJ was arrested in Boston after swallowing a pound of cocaine. Authorities are holding her on $200,000 bail on a charge of Class B substance trafficking.
The 21-year old woman flew into Logan airport from the Dominican Republic. When authorities questioned her, her answers seemed suspicious. She then admitted to swallowing 50 pellets of compacted cocaine. The cocaine had been wrapped in condoms.
After hearing the woman tell her story, police took her to the hospital, where the dope was recovered. The drugs had a street value of $50,000. She was allegedly paid $2,000 to make the transfer of the drugs to the US.
Yes, we wonder how desperate people have to be in order to do something like this to earn money.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Two men opened fire after an argument occurred at an Omega Psi Phi fraternity house in Youngstown, Ohio this weekend. The two men shot multiple rounds into a crowd of people, killing a student and critically injuring a 17-year old with a head wound. The student who was killed was shot while trying to break the two disputing groups apart. The university said six of the injured were students.
The murder victim was 25-year old Jamail E. Johnson of Youngstown. Most of the 11 injured were shot in the foot. The men were arrested and charged with aggravated murder, shooting into a home, and felonious assault, according to Chief Jimmy Hughes of the Youngstown Police Department.
"These guys were in the location for a little while before the shooting occurred," he said. "Something happened that they became unhappy. They had some type of altercation."
Click here to watch the video. To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit YourBlackWorld.com.
Nicki Minaj recently gloated over Lil Wayne’s sobriety since he got out of prison:
"He's like a new person," she said. "He's nicer, he's like more calm. I guess when you are not getting high you have to deal with reality and I think he likes his reality now."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Millry, Ala., is a town where racial tensions have allegedly been running high for a very long time. The boiling point was hit recently, when a white father came to the town's high school and threatened one of the black players on the basketball team.
The infuriated parent told one of the boys that if any of them made contact with his daughter, he would "kill him and his black friends," at least that's what was reportedly told to Latisha Mitchell, the step-Mother of one of the players.
Mitchell claims that her son was only friends with the man's daughter and that they would text message each other. TheNAACP took notice of the man's racial threats, and the town is in an uproar. There is even conversation about the Ku Klux Klan planning a retaliation against local residents who held a meeting to discuss what had occurred.
Since the incident, the father has been banned from school property, but some parents are saying that the father should be arrested for his public threats.
Chad Holley is brutally beaten by police, although he’d clearly surrendered before the beating. Click here to see the video.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
It appears that the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar is getting the kind of traction that can make a difference. Since we first wrote about Kelley on AOL Black Voices, the entire nation has taken notice. Change.org and ColorofChange.org have launched petitions that have garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures. Also, the story has gained national attention as a clear example of all that's wrong with the educational system in America.
In case you haven't seen the story, Kelley Williams-Bolar is the single mother of two who was sent to jail for sending her children to a school outside their district. In addition to being sent to jail, Williams-Bolar would have a felony record and not be able to ever teach again in the state of Ohio.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
One of my favorite on-air personalities is Charlamagne Tha God, one of the members of "The Breakfast Club" with Power 105.1 in New York City. Charlamagne was also the co-host of The Wendy Williams Experience, arguably the most popular radio show in New York at one point in time. I appeared on the show six times between 2006 and 2009 and it was a great experience each time.
Charlamagne is known for his raw, in-your-face and borderline insulting interview style, likely something he picked up from working with Wendy Williams for so long. I have no doubt that he's made a few enemies in the industry, but I also doubt that he gives a damn. The man fears no one, and neither did Wendy.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
While most of the folks in our community are familiar with hip-hop as a form of entertainment, many of us are not aware that the strongest opportunities actually lie on the business side. We also know that on both sides of the mic, women are usually missing. Sure, there are great female artists like Nicki Minaj and spoken-word artist Madam Prezident. Those who establish the platforms, obtain financing and run the business operations that lie behind your favorite artist have access to both the power and financial benefits that come with the hip-hop music industry. So, hanging out in the booth may not be as valuable as going to business school when it comes to having real power in hip-hop. It is for that reason that Shylise "Shay Nutt" Simpson is today's Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight on AOL Black Voices:
1) What is your name and what do you do?
Shylise "Shay-Nutt" Simpson, Owner and operator of Undergroundgirlsofhiphop.com, 2010-2011 Female Hip Hop Honors Awards and Founder of the Power In Pink Mentoring Program.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The University of Texas just inked a $300 million television rights deal for a 24-hour network that will broadcast Longhorn athletes and games. ESPN is the partner in the deal and will distribute the network via satellite in Texas and other states around the country. The network is expected to launch in September.
Given that college athletes are serving as the foundation for massive wealth being generated by schools like the University of Texas, it is time that we consider allowing these athletes to have the same labor rights as other workers who generate wealth around the nation. The United Steel Workers Union has actually spoken out on behalf of NCAA athletes, stating that they should have the right to unionize to ensure that their families can benefit from the wealth being created in these massive financial deals.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Last year, at the "Measuring the Movement" forum, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, I had a chance to sit next to Chuck D from Public Enemy. I found Chuck to be as impressive, interesting and intelligent as he is on television. He also didn't give off the mind-numbing, stomach-turning, arrogant celebrity vibe that I see all too much. I was thoroughly impressed.
While I feel that I have some understanding of Chuck D, I simply cannot say the same for Flava Flav. Flava almost seems to come out of a different time, place, and perhaps even another planet, from the rest of us. He would have been great in the 1920s, when black performers could make a fortune by embracing ignorant stereotypes and engaging in ridiculous behavior. Flava seems to relish his role as the cultural clown, reminding all of us of exactly what Dr. Martin Luther King did NOT want our children to become.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The rapper 50 Cent is known as much for his creative PR and business tactics as he is for the rhymes he once busted on the airwaves. Well, I guess he is still technically a rapper, but the music side of 50 Cent’s career doesn’t seem to be taking off like it did at the start of the decade.
Since his last hit record, 50 Cent has been involved in a series of business ventures that seem to pay him better than he was ever paid as an artist. The problem for Fifty is that he might be in trouble with theSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for using his power tohaul in $8.7 million by pushing a stock on his Twitter page.
50 Cent has 3.8 million Twitter followers who apparently respect him for his investment advice. The rapper tapped into his massive market power by telling all of his followers about a stock that he owns called H&H Imports. In fact, 50 Cent owns quite a bit of the stock after acquiring 30 million shares in a private placement last October.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
Anyone watching with pride as the Pittsburgh Steelers fought their way to yet another Super Bowl likely heard a few interesting facts about their general on the field, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin, at the age of 38, is the youngest head coach to ever lead two teams to the Super Bowl. Before that, he was the youngest head coach to win a Superbowl. He does this while sitting at the helm of a storied franchise that has more Super Bowl wins than any team in NFL history. In other words, the man is a serious beast.
Tomlin's feats are not just impressive for a black coach, they stand above nearly any coach in NFL history. It is equally ironic that he is the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose owner was responsible for opening the door for black coaches to get a chance in the league. Steelers owner Dan Rooney helped to create the Rooney rule, requiring NFL teams to interview African Americans for head coaching and senior administrative positions.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
The black community in Greenwood, Mississippi is on edge and angry after the death of Frederick Jermaine Carter. Carter, who was 26 years old, was found hanging from a tree in what authorities have labeled to be a suicide. But the community isn't buying the police's story and claim that he was actually murdered.
The Final Call is reporting on the death of Carter, and even Michael Pimbleton Jr., the mayor of Sunflower, Mississippi has said that there was more going on than meets the eye.
"This is 2010 and we still have Black people hanging from trees? They're saying he hung himself but I have doubt in my mind that he actually did that. That wasn't his character. This wasn't a suicide, this was a homicide," Mayor Pembleton said to The Final Call.
Carter was found on December 3, with his body hanging from an oak tree in North Greenwood, which is a predominantly white section of Leflore County. He actually lived in nearby Sunflower County, and North Greenwood is known as an area that black people are sometimes afraid to visit. Carter was with his stepfather, who said that he wandered off from an area in which they were both working.
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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action
I was sitting in front of my TV set flipping through one channel after another, and I found something that both intrigued and concerned me: An ESPN special about the image of the black athlete. I was curious to see what they had to say about black athletes, especially males, since that's something I think about nearly every single day of my life.
The panel consisted of Jalen Rose, John Calipari, Randy Shannon, Spike Lee, Robin Roberts and others. I was hopeful that the panelists would not succumb to the temptation of taking the paternalistic viewpoint that black male athletes are somehow destined to be ignorant and need to be told what to do. For example, unlike any other sport, men's basketball and football are the only ones in which there are age limits before the athlete can become a professional. The reasons for these regulations are driven primarily by the argument that the men are too young to go out and support their families by doing what they do for the NCAA without being compensated.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins – Syracuse University, Scholarship in Action
The "What the hayell" segment asks serious questions about events, institutions and individuals in our society who lead us to be confused about their behavior. One serious point of confusion is the NCAA, Auburn University and the treatment of star quarterback Cam Newton. Newton helped bring in a $21 million dollar payday to Auburn University with his recent NCAA championship. He also helped the school earn millions throughout the year through ticket sales, jersey sales and national television appearances. Yet, to this day, Cam and the other players on the Auburn University basketball team will see no piece of the multi-million dollar pie generated by their labor.
