The Mission of the Hip-Hop Generation

Michelle Obama Speech at the Democratic National Convention

2008-08-25T22:31:00.001-07:00

Jared Axelrod and Juliana Guzman win ASUO Executive - News

2008-02-24T02:55:00.000-08:00

Jared Axelrod and Juliana Guzman win ASUO Executive - News

Racism is a factor on the economic ladder, too - Opinion

2008-02-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Racism is a factor on the economic ladder, too - Opinion

The Breadwinner

2007-10-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

-By Jontae Grace

As we head in to 2008, it is time to update some of the language that we use in our relationships. Historically, the ‘breadwinner’ of the family was typically the person who grossed the highest pay and thereby “called the shots” in the house. Oh yea: he was almost always male. Even husbands who didn’t bring home the bacon were still officially considered head of household because only they could vote or own property. But nowadays, the practice of breadwinning is in flux, but the theory hasn’t yet adapted to changing times. My stepfather knew that moms was financially savvy, so he relinquished his paychecks immediately, knowing that the bills will be paid and expenses covered. And there would always be enough in the pot for him to get his brandy, and for moms to pick out the drapes. Bottom line, women are as involved in the business of the household as the simpler, satisfying aspects of the family. We cannot discount their contributions to all areas of relationships: parental as well as financial. This piece was written to encourage and celebrate the progress that African-American women-and by extension all women of color- have made in the workplace and the family.

Over thirty-five percent of married women earn more in salary and wages than their spouses. That data doesn’t even account for married women who earn equally as much or a comparable amount, nor does it include the ever-increasing Single Mother heads-of-households category. While white women have had the highest earnings growth in the last twenty years (29%), African-American women have the second highest earnings growth (19%). Women with college degrees have enjoyed a 34% earnings growth increase over the last thirty years, compared to an 18% growth by male college grads over the same period (All of these statistics and more can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website: www.bls.gov).

This seemingly positive trend hasn’t been without its toll on our beautiful black womanhood, especially our mothers. The pressures of professional work, family and social life bring their own stressors that, when not balanced, can leave a woman physically and emotionally wracked. Growing up I used to think that Paxil and Wellbutrin were multivitamins that my mom was taking, but they were antidepressants. Many women with strong professional careers often lack fulfillment in other areas of their lives to offset the demands of work. So their earnings and accomplishments become more important to their self-esteem, and that can create power struggles between friends and significant others.

Also, the concept of a sole breadwinner brings us dangerously close the question of ‘roles’ in relationships. I believe that relationship responsibilities should be fluid and flexible. If I am in a relationship with a woman and I lean on her, she has to lean back or else we will both fall over. A high salary does not make a woman or a man exempt from chores, and it really isn’t that good of an indicator of who is better fit for serious decision-making. Choices should be made in consensus, and if time and circumstance don’t permit, then decide according to the best option for all. But while our women are constantly stepping their game up by leaps and bounds, we fellas need to collectively get on point so we can give our women something worthwhile to come home to.

Some women have cake and make it too...

Man Up

2007-07-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

Man Up- By Jontae’ Grace

It is difficult to find solutions to societal problems because so many factors are interrelated. So when I read a statistic that nearly seventy percent of Black children are now born to single mothers, I immediately wondered what conditions were responsible for it. The usual suspects come to mind: prison, street life, and the cycle of poverty. But how many of our problems are self-inflicted, and how do we know the difference between “doing what we gotta do,” and doing what we need to do? My brothers, it’s time to Man Up.

The black family is one arena where we can directly impact our quality of life, and shape young black minds. Sadly, many men have shunned their parental responsibilities to their women and their children, leaving our women to raise our kids with no financial support or moral guidance. The fact that many black men of our generation didn’t have fathers in their households is NO excuse for running out on our responsibilities. If anything, it should motivate us to be stand-up men and break the cycle that plagues our families. Our black women are strong, but there are some things that we need fathers to be present for. Black men can speak firsthand about the dangers of negative influences, the responsibility that comes with manhood, and the pleasures of honest money and upright living. It is difficult to learn true concepts of manhood when there is no viable example to pattern ourselves after, but we can learn about successful black men who raised families and exemplified masculinity. You can YouTube speeches of Malcolm X speaking about manhood, or read his Autobiography. Will Smith has spoken on the importance of the black father in the household also. And closer to home, there is always a male pastor who can be counted on for guidance, and many churches have men’s meetings outside of regular church hours. If you seek wisdom, she will be found by you. We males need to be willing to stand up in the midst of trials and tribulations, knowing that God is testing us to make us stronger, not to break us. The Bible tells us that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character.

One problem with our notions of manhood is that many of us care too much about how we are viewed by others. Instead of valuing things like education and stable employment, we have a flamboyant popular culture that places much emphasis on “now” money, however it may be earned. Many of us would rather be acknowledged as pilots of candy-painted spaceships than owners of 401k’s, stock options and money market accounts. Part of our tendency to stunt and flash is rooted in the past, when black people were subjected to public humiliation and degradation. For example, in the 1920’s in Charleston, South Carolina, white residents created a law that made it illegal for African-Americans to purchase and wear “silks, satins, crapes, lace, muslins, and such costly stuffs, [that are] looked upon and considered the luxury of dress.” This was designed to make “every distinction…between the whites and the negroes, calculated to make the latter feel the superiority of the former.” During World War Two, the federal government issued an executive law prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, and wearing of loud, oversized zoot suits. It was clear that our attempts to define ourselves through dress and public displays of wealth were fiercely opposed, and this is why we dress and finesse the way we do- because it is a celebration of our tastes and cultures, an affirmation of our personal freedoms, and enjoyment of the fruits of our labor.

But nowadays, we have taken stunting to a new level-for better or worse. The temptations of wealth have lured many of us into unjust gain. The only investments and returns that many inner-city males know is into the lucrative drug trade. One of the intellectuals from O-State University, Marques O’Neal Alexander, talks extensively about the importance of putting our dollars to work for ourselves in real estate, black investments and black ownership. We can still have jewels and furs, but they shouldn’t be our total focus. I am not saying that we shouldn’t strive to have nice things, but we should at least build financial stability before splurging on eye-catching, value-depreciating items. Black buying power is real, and if we used our money to better our communities, we can start to change the quality of life in Black America. Now excuse me while I check my balance.

Be Blessed,

Grace

Black Woman, Black Angel

2007-05-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

-By Jontae Grace

Few women in the world have been forced at times to carry the burden of an entire nation on their shoulders. The Black American woman is one brilliant example. Throughout our four-hundred year history, Black American males have faced every conceivable form of physical, mental and psychological violence from a world that frowns upon Brown. In addition to these, our women also suffered unique punishments associated with their beauty and womanhood. And every time, it was our Black Female Angels who risked life and limb standing beside us in faithfulness, behind us in support, and leading us along peaceful paths with sound moral judgment. None of the social movements that we attribute to our Black male leaders would have succeeded if it were not for the scores of unnamed, faceless Black women who orchestrated and coordinated them. In this patriarchal country in which women and men have traditionally held separate domains, African-Americans have provided a model (though not perfect) of gender equality that is often imitated, but never duplicated. Throughout U.S. history, Black women have been the driving force behind our social, political and economic progresses. I liken the Black Female to rich fertile soil, providing the nutrients needed for a tiny acorn to become a towering cedar. And like fertile soil, the Black Female is overworked and underappreciated. Yet life as we know it would cease if it weren’t for their presence. In addition to providing the priceless fruit of children and future generations, our heavenly ebonies also reproduce our social and cultural histories through their ever-important parental roles. Without that, our collective memories and self-identities would literally disappear in a generation or two. It is important for us to cultivate and care for this plot of land that the LORD has been so gracious as to give us to tend. Yet some males and females have some weeds growing with us that we should uproot. Both of us have been deceived by an American Dream in which we are not intended to be part of. For males, our quest to salvage and assert our manhood which has been under constant assault has forced many of us to overcompensate and turn inward, imitating the same oppressive behaviors that we claim to be against. I, like many of my peers of this generation, are searching for elements of true manhood, which has rarely or never been taught us. I guarantee that one thing all Black males have heard from their Mothers is, “I can raise you and teach you right and wrong, but I can’t teach you how to be a man.” Oftentimes, the streets become like a surrogate family; other times, rap music provides much of the direction that young men lack. Then males have to sift through the wordplay to find underlying themes to put to use in our lives. This is why we need strong, patient women to help us build healthy gender relations. Don’t spend all of your time waiting on a man when you can build one. Teach us and be an active participant in shaping the type of men that you want to see. Relationships are journeys shared between two individuals; growth and maturity is a part of the path. The most important thing that a female should know about black men is that we seek the same qualities in our mates that we find in our mothers. Not every woman can accept that calling, because it requires sacrifice, blind love and financial discipline, among other things. One final jewel that I want to drop on you is this: stop looking for a man with your eyes, and look with your heart. What is pleasing to the former is rarely the case with the latter. I asked my Grandmother, who just celebrated her fiftieth wedding anniversary, what she thinks is one problem between the sexes. She said without hesitation that females in her day just wanted to be loved; she mentioned that today’s woman has a laundry list of prerequisites that they measure men by. It's good to have standards, she said, but it is important to know when you're being unrealistic. Black males are like an endangered species, especially in higher education and professional occupations. Therefore a man who has reached the next level and demonstrated that he wants more outta life should be celebrated the same way black men celebrate sistas on campus. My Nana had some sharp comments about men also, and I totally agreed with her. But in conclusion, thank you Black Angel, because I wouldn't be right here if you hadn't been right there.

P.S. This note was a hella rough-draft. Please excuse my wandering thoughts, as this was more of a freewrite than a structured essay. Be blessed.

Grace

Everybody Wanna Be a Nigga, but Nobody Wanna Be a Nigga

2007-05-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

-By Jontae Grace

Paul Mooney said it best on Chappelle's show: "Everybody wants to be a nigga, but nobody wants to be a nigga."

I've been thinking about that a lot, and there's much truth behind that statement. Black People are the most imitated, copied, envied and admired people on Earth. Paradoxically, we are the most scrutinized, criticized, antagonized and oppressed people almost anywhere. Never in the media do you see a black man showcasing anything but his physical prowess. They say our music is destructive to the American moral fabric...WHAT MORAL FABRIC?!?

I will begin with Black music. Rap music is blamed for every societal problem except 9/11. And I'm sure if they could find a way to link 50 Cent with Osama, they'd do it. A little known fact about Black music: the reason why ALL forms of Black music (soul, funk, rock etc.) are so poignant is because they are born out of some of the worst conditions known to man. Blues, Jazz, Rock (yes, black people created rock, sorry.) were all a product of the best talents in black neighborhoods that never got a chance to do anything. Rap is no different: that is why the most potent forms of the music (what we call 'Gangsta Rap') are what keep the genre going when the mainstream teeny boppers get tired of Nelly. People always talk about how rap is nothing but, "Nigga, Nigga, Nigga..." and "Bitch, Bitch, Bitch." If you think that, then you aren't listening. Gangsta rappers talk about what is going on in their communities, and because the average American wasn't born into those conditions, they dismiss rap as a bunch of ignorant niggaz tryna get on the mic (of course, there are, unfortunately, a lot of ignorant niggaz just tryna get on the mic. but thats a whole 'nother blog). Our Gangsta rappers are probably the closest thing we have to MLK's and Malcolm X's today. Not only were they born into fucked up conditions, but they beat those odds, and they are telling you about it so you don't have to go through it, AND so you won't just turn your back and keep living your middle-class life. If there weren't rappers to show and tell you about the hood, would America pay attention to the slums? DO THEY PAY ATTENTION TO THE SLUMS NOW???

I have more to say about rap, but I need to move on in the interest of time. I want to back the magnifying glass up and look at black culture as a whole again. I want you to know how powerful we are, and how much influence we have on not only American popular culture, but global popular culture. There are Ukranian rap groups now. Rappers are doing songs with rock groups and genres totally unrelated to black America. Record labels that, twenty years ago were laughing at Ice Cube's demo tape, thinking that it would die out overnight, are now paying their children's tuition with dollars that Black rappers generated. We have infiltrated American culture to its very foundations, so much so that Paris Hilton is texting Snoop in the new Tmobile commercial. I say all of that to say this: we are trendsetters, innovators and collar poppers. Hold your head high Black man, know that you are the salt of the Earth, and you keep everythang seasoned. Realize, Black woman, that your nappy hair is not a curse but a blessing. There are white women all over the country at this very moment that are injecting harmful substances into their faces to have your lips. They are spending billions of dollars per year to lay under a knife, just to have your bosom, and your donk. Love yourself, and let your soul glow. I have SOO much more to say about this topic, so stay tuned for part 2.

Part 2: Education

2006-08-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

The Mission of the Hip-Hop Generation-Part 2: Education

-By Jontae Grace

Why does education seem unimportant to our generation? Why are black scholars and students regarded as “Squares,” “Hooks,” and such? By watching BET or reading black magazines, it would seem as if we place great emphasis on hustling, drugs, women, and rims. Now I don’t want to knock it because I like to have money, smoke bomb, and I want to ride something clean one day. But I feel that African-American culture is so much deeper than that. We need to see more positive images of Black people doing other things besides rappin’ and trappin’. Because the truth is, it takes just as much hard work to slang and hustle as it does to earn a degree and make a living for oneself. And that’s real talk.

Black history illustrates the importance of education to us. During slavery, it was a felony to teach a slave how to read or write, and the consequences were disastrous for slaves caught trying to learn. White America knew the importance of academia, and they went to great lengths to keep black people ignorant, illiterate, and subordinate. Black people knew this, and once we were free, everyone from grandparents to grandchildren was packed in churches, eager to learn. In 1865, the year Black people were emancipated, 95% of our population was illiterate. Nearly 50 years later, in 1910, we had reduced our illiteracy rate to under 30%-the fastest turnaround for any race, anywhere.

The fight continued into the mid-1900’s as segregation limited the quality of education that black people had access to. Intellectual black students were denied access to higher education at white institutions. Protests, sit-ins, and nonviolent demonstrations eventually led to the landmark decision Brown vs. Board of Education, in which the Supreme Court declared segregation in American schools unconstitutional.

So where does that leave us now, in 2006? According to the American Council on Education, there were 2 million African-American students enrolled as either undergraduates or graduate students last year (1.3 million women, about 700,000 men). That is a blessing for real. But we need to get rid of the negative image that education has had among youth as of late. More and more young Black males are looking for fast money nowadays, caught up in the strong gravitational pull of the streets. Some are raised in the streets, and so the cycle keeps them there. But what is worse is the young men and women who choose that path for themselves after being taught to aspire to better things. It is our responsibility as the new school to make a better life for ourselves, and encourage our brothers and sisters to do the same. And you bes’ believe that I’m going to do my part.

Part One

2006-08-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Mission of the Hip-Hop Generation
-by Jontae' Grace

While I was reading a masterpiece titled The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, it occurred to me that we are at a crucial point in African-American history. With the rapid advancement of technology allowing access to unprecedented amounts of information, modern American society is evolving exponentially. Just as computer technology doubles with every successive stage of development, so our society progresses by leaps and bounds in industry, science, and politics.
But what does this mean for Black people- especially Black youth? We who continue the heritage, the bloodline, the struggle of our ancestors must recognize that as the population grows larger and opportunities grow smaller, competition for higher education and jobs becomes keener. Thus we must devote every ounce of our energy to bettering ourselves and our people through education, economics, and health. We cannot afford to be apathetic towards the affairs that dictate our quality of life.
The one thing that has always weakened the effect of African-American movements is the failure of political groups to unite across social lines, thereby gaining mass appeal for the cause. Conflicting ideologies, such as Booker T. Washingtons industrial education versus W.E.B. DuBoiss higher education, undermine the fact that both sides desire the same outcome: racial progress. I believe that the roadmap to prosperity for Black people is a synthesis of several ideals introduced by prominent Black leaders. We need Black people to work with their hands, as well as their minds. I will try to do my part in whatever way is deemed necessary, stay tuned for Part 2.