Ebonics 101: Big L & E. B. White Break Bread

“Euphemisms are misunderstood as mistakes/ But it’s a by-product of the ghetto music we make/” —Canibus, “Poet Laureate II,” Rip the Jacker, 2003. Of the many reasons Hip-Hop music dogged for, one of the most unremarkable is that it teaches bad English—broken English—Ebonics. Critics argue that it celebrates anti-intellectualism, with an emphasis on rhyme rather […]

Rappers: Where Ya’ Ba**s At?

“Half these rap lyrics ain’t thought-provoked/ Just a lot of beef till they get caught and smoked/” —GZA, “Illusory Protection,” Grandmasters. “If I rhyme about home and got descriptive/ I’d make 50 Cent look like Limp Bizkit/” —K’Naan, “What’s Hardcore?,” The Dusty Foot Philosopher.  Nowadays, nothing seems to annoy this writer more than the fecklessness […]

Bruno Needs a Beatdown!

“Now, I’m sure that some of my “post racial” Black and liberal White friends will say that I need to calm down…   Back in the late 1800’s a Scottish woman wrote the controversial book “Little Black S####.” Although, the story was about a dark skinned Indian child with exaggerated Negroid features who liked to […]

Monday Fashion Feature: Michael Jackson: The Fashion Icon

Beyond his incredible force as an entertainer and philanthropist, Michael Jackson is one of the most crucial fashion icons of our time. Countless celebrities and fashion designers have replicated Jackson’s distinct looks. Many people in general, fans or not, probably don’t even realize that they own pieces that were inspired by the legendary star.As his […]