Did You Know About Black Wall Street?
In the early 1900s in Tulsa, Oklahoma where proactive African American entrepreneurs had their own governed community in Greenwood District named Black Wall Street. During this segregational period, the Black community was unified understanding the importance of building economic wealth for each other. These businesses consisted of 21 restaurants, 21 churches, 30 grocery stores, two hospitals, law offices, a bank, and a post office, housing, education including schools and libraries, public transportation, and six private planes. Black Wall Street gave the infrastructure of success in the black community.
On June 1, 1921, a great Massacre took place in right in the midst of Greenwood District bombed and burned to the ground. Behind it all was the White Supremacy Ku Klux Klan organization being known for their destruction and mass murders against blacks while invading their communities. Whites who were less fortunate grew jealous and envious of the African American’s self-empowerment. Black owners were highly proud of what they had helped build and wanted it to continue for generations to come. Blacks refused to give up any of their property or businesses to whites. This invasion led to over 600 businesses crashing and having 36 blocks worth of land with a population of 15,000 African Americans 3,000 lives were lost and 1,500 homes burned. Many entrepreneurs from Black Wall Street owned some of the biggest cotton gins and farms. It was great for African Americans to have great leadership initiative in their communities and be able to run it themselves. This took place when a time where blacks were under a lot of harder circumstances than today. Under the circumstances today don’t you think we can rebuild Black Wall Street?
I AM
For the month of February Jabari Hakeem had his residents at the University Towers participate in Black History Month. For every room in the Towers their are two residents and on every door their is a note which reads, “I am.”
“I want my residents to gain self-knowledge from this program, what I want is for them to basically write a description of themselves,” said Jabari. “Two words Dr. Martin Luther King used to exaggerate in his speeches were I am, I am somebody, I am God’s child, I am soul power, I am black power and from that I just want the residents to build self confidence so that every time that they look at they’re doors its like they’re looking at themselves.”
Great way to go about Black History Month!
Midterm State of Mind
Jabari Hakeem doing his duties as a Resident Assistant at Texas Southern University giving his residents tips on studying prepping them for their upcoming midterm exams.
From being Brothers to Frenemies
Waka Flocka and Gucci Mane have not been on good terms in quite sometime. Flocka recently dropped his diss record shot intentionally towards Gucci.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm5wCr1ST9w
Waka Flocka diss record ‘Was My Dawg’.
Gucci Mane being an accomplished rapper out Atlanta, creating many avenues for other artist to shine. One of those artist being Waka Flocka and some would think why would show hate towards someone who is responsible for your career and gave you the oppurtunity on how to elaborate on your success. On the diss track Waka quotes Gucci Mane being somewhat selfish.
“Always talking Brick Squad always talking fam first, when your a** got locked up you turned on a fam first, always taking all the credit never put in no work, use my name for leverage before they front you they gone call first,” Flocka said in the first verse. “You all for yourself shawty you a ball hog.”
Gucci Mane has mentioned in his Breakfast Club interview that he has not spoken to Flocka since he’s been out of prison and says for those who have gone so long without speaking to him means that their is no reason for them to speak anyways.
Waka Flocka’s timing of the diss record wasn;t bad considering that he dropped it while he on feet and a better man while rather than him throwing shots at him while being incarcerated and down. Many may look at Gucci and say how can you take this slander from someone who is under you. In fact this is his second diss track shot at Gucci Mane.
Waka Flocka diss track ‘Ice Cream’. On his Roaches to Rolex mixtape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-JjeHgtnfE
There’s no specific reason on why Gucci on Flocka are bumping heads however it’s something that may raise your eyebrow.
Wale vents about “the Music Industry It Will Take Your Soul”
On Sunday (Jan. 29), Wale’s candor was on full display when he voiced his disdain for the music industry in a now deleted post on Instagram.
“Tired. I’m tired. I tried,” he started. “This music industry will take your soul then make you want leave … n—as don’t respect humble, n—as don’t respect intelligence. They’ll ask for ‘this or that’ and you deliver it, they’ll say it never happened.”
The DC native took aim at the media for praising rappers who exhibit negative behavior over artists who promote positivity like himself. “Let me air out some1 ppl … it’ll make headlines,” he said. “let me uplift some people it’ll get buried quicker than you can say “leanmollyxan” … they’ll kill you and then worship you when you’re gone.”
Immediately after that, Wale veered over to Twitter to voice his frustrations. “N—-s only f–k wit u when ur face on that Teeshirt …this whole shit fake,” he tweeted.
Last December, J. Cole released “False Prophets,” and fans suggested that the record was targeting Kanye West and Wale. “I got a homie, he a rapper and he wanna win bad/ He want the fame, the acclaim, the respect that’s been had/ By all the legends, so every time I see him, he stressin’/ Talkin’ ’bout, n—-s don’t f–k with him, the sh-t is depressin'”, rapped Cole.
In response to the record, Wale released “Groundhog Day.” Since then, he has dropped a barrage of songs showcasing his lyrical prowess including “Folarin Like”,”Smile”, and his new Lil Wayne-featuring single “Running Back,” in advance of his forthcoming album Shine.
MLK Day at Minute Maid Park
Jay Z Makes a Business Move with Sprint giving them 33% of TIDAL
Jay Z has made a deal with Sprint that now makes Tidal worth $600 million. When first investing $56 million into to Tidal about a year ago Jay Z received a lot of back lash from blog writers and critics didn’t expect nore think it was a good investment. The successful rap legend has always had his hand in his own pockets just planted another seed to make them expand. Sprint buys 33% stake of Tidal for $200 million.
When Tidal first began Jay had a major contribution however received from Beyonce, Madonna, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, and J. Cole having them help spread the word and breaking off a percentages of profit. Tidal had its struggles with streaming music with it’s competition being Spotify and Apple Music. This new lifetime deal will help put an end to that. Imagine for every Sprint phone their is a Tidal subscription. Sprint carries about over 55 million customers and a Tidal subscription cost at least $9.99 a month. That’s $549.45 million a month inlcuding Sprint users only not even counting those who listen to Tidal off their regular android or computer.
Jay Z is one of the wealthiest black entrepreneurs we know and we congratulate him on his come up in the music business big time as a black owner. Something for us to look up to and be inspired.
J. Cole Reflects on Oppression, Obama, Revolution on his new single ‘High for Hours’
J. Cole meditates on oppression, meeting with President Barack Obama and the dangers of revolution in a dense new track, “High for Hours,” released on Martin Luther King Day. Produced by Cam O’bi and Elite, “High for Hours” boasts a simple soul-tinged beat. In the first verse, Cole reflects on American hypocrisy as it pertains to the religious justification for slavery, the celebrations surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden and police brutality.The North Carolina MC confronts the State itself, recalling his meeting with Obama during which he asked the President why he hasn’t enacted more radical change to help African-American communities. Taking a few creative liberties with Obama’s response, Cole spits, “I got the vibe he was sincere and that the brother cared/ But dog, you in the chair, what’s the hold up?/ He said, ‘There’s things that I wanna fix/ But you know this shit, nigga: politics./ Don’t stop fighting and don’t stop believing/ You can make the world better for your kids before you leave it.'”
In the song’s final verse, Cole considers what that fight looks like, but the rapper stops short of calling for revolution. Instead, he suggests that the complete overthrow of power inevitably leads to the oppressed becoming the new oppressors. “What good is taking over,” Cole says towards the end of the song. “When we know what you gon’ do? The only real revolution happens right inside of you.””High for Hours” follows J. Cole’s latest album, 4 Your Eyez Only, which was released in December.
Martin Luther King Day a Historic Day to Remember
January 16, 2017, Monday in the parking lot across from the Minute Maid Ball Park Houstonians made their dedication to Martin Luther King an entertaining outing. Having local music artist showcase and perform in front a crowd of all ages giving them positive vibes to reflect the impact Martin Luther King has made on the African American community. We all know Martin Luther King for him pushing the freedom, justice, and equality which led to the passing of the Civil Rights act in 1964. Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee spoke at the and brought up congressman John Lewis who was one of Martin Luther King’s right-hand men during the Civil Rights movement. Also spoke about the importance of expressing yourself.
“If there are problems with your child’s school, you should use your voice to speak out about the issue that needs to be addressed,” Lee says. “If what is given to your child isn’t helping them with math there must be divine instructions to help with mathematics.”
Martin Luther King Day is all about knowing that you can have as much of an impact you want to be in society. It’s important to know history and pass it on to help uplift the minds of others.