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Hip Hop's New Initiatives For Social Justice 

by: Vonetta Hinton 

Hip Hop and social justice have had a long history. Hip Hop has always been the CNN of urban America, chronicling the everyday happenings of police brutality. There have been major initiatives in the industry that have been implemented in the past year in response to recent injustices.   

The Rolling Loud Music Festival (California) is now happening from December 10-12, a three-day event that has become the largest Hip-Hop festival in the world. They are a shining example that Hip-Hop is doing a lot more to raise awareness of social justice.  

The Black Music Action Coalition announced on December 2 that they are collaborating with Rolling Loud’s California team on a slew of social justice initiatives including panel discussions and fundraising that will take place throughout all three days of the festival.  

The panels will feature various industry thought leaders, activists and musicians elaborating on how they use their platforms to advocate for social justice reform.   

Revolt TV the network founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs dedicated his annual three-day summit to social justice. After the killing of George Floyd by white police officer Derek Chauvin went viral and sparked protests worldwide, Combs knew that Hip Hop must take action.     

This week, the trial continues for Kim Potter, the ex-officer that shot and killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Minneapolis, MN, still reeling off the death of George Floyd which happened last May. Just last month, the trials of the murderers of Ahmaud Arbery and Kyle Rittenhouse have infiltrated our televisions, reminding us that we have a long way to go in a racially divided nation. Add to the equation that Congress announced in September that they will not be pushing forward with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would have established a bold approach to hold police accountable for racial profiling. These ingredients create a tense atmosphere that may become combustible with the next event of injustice.  

The Bureau of Justice Statistics released its newest report on interactions between police and the public, using survey data from 2015. The report reminds us that police stops and use of force are already racially discriminatory, with predictable consequences for public trust of the police.  

How can this problem be fixed? A USA Today article details 5 ways to reduce police misconduct, use of force and racial profiling. See more details below in this infographic:  

Does racial profiling have its origins with J. Edgar Hoover and the tactic of Cointelpro targeting black organizations and leaders in the FBI during the civil rights movement? Just as an Miami police sergeant grouped together all Hip-Hop artists as gang members, the FBI detailed this in their confidential FBI letter now on public record: 

 

Find the entire letter here on the FBI website:  
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5215226  

Why does Hip Hop need to take a stand? Because racism in the United States of America is a problem that still needs to be addressed. Now what will be do about it as an industry? 

12/12/2021

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Juneteenth Speaks Presents Miss Juneteenth: Midwest  ​​​​​​​- First Annual Miss Juneteenth Midwest Scholarship Program to Premier August 28th 2021  

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/19/2021 
Lee H Jordan 
Juneteenth Speaks 
612-860-4974 
juneteenthspeaks@gmail.com
 

Juneteenth Speaks Presents Miss Juneteenth: Midwest 
First Annual Miss Juneteenth Midwest Scholarship Program to Premier August 28th 2021 


[Minneapolis, MN]: Juneteenth Speaks today announced the launch of its first annual Miss Juneteenth: 
Midwest a contest and scholarship program centered around creating something more than just a 
pageant for young women. The goal of Miss Juneteenth: Midwest is to encourage young ladies to 
embrace their diversity and culture while pursuing higher education goals. 

Miss Juneteenth Midwest 2021 will be held on August 28th 2021 at the Urban League Twin Cities. It is 
open to young women who identify as American Descendant of Slavery (ADOS) between the ages of 15 
and 18. 

“Juneteenth Speaks believes it is important to assist young ladies in their educational aspirations while 
showcasing women of color in a way that inspires the youth to see young black women represented on 
a national pageant platform.” Says Juneteenth Speaks Founder and Midwest and State Director for the 
National Juneteenth Lee H Jordan, “I want to thank the great people who have joined me on this 
program and helped me with the planning and coordination.” 
Miss Juneteenth: Midwest Team also includes: 

  • Ms. Jeweleen Jackson; National Ms. Kwanzaa, UltimateQueen, and Founder of Miss Black Minnesota 
  • Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan; Artist, Community Organizer, Public Speaker, and reigning Miss Black Minnesota 
  • Andrea Bennett; Mrs.US of A Globe 2020, Spokeswoman for W.I.N. Foundation 
  • Makarie Payne-Glass; America's Pre-Teen for America's Little Miss 
  • Carol Payne; Business Woman and an active member of Wayman AME Church 
  • MsDenisha; Mother, Top Model Coach, Founder of Top Model Coach & The Model Boutique 

To learn more please visit our website at https://juneteenthspeaks.com/
 
About Juneteenth Speaks: Juneteenth Speaks is a Minnesota start-up (and soon to be Non-Profit) that 
recognizes Black History as American History. Juneteenth Speaks goal is to elevate and celebrate the 
importance of Juneteeth year-round. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the 
ending of slavery in the United States. Traditionally Juneteenth is known as a cultural event that 
celebrates the emancipation of slaves in America in 1864. 

###

08/09/2021

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Corey Feldman's "Truth" Revealed in New Documentary 

By Jessa J.L. Jansen  

Staff Writer - The Boom Bap Hour Uncut

With the long-awaited revelation of those Corey Feldman has labeled as being part of a Hollywood pedophile ring, came the premiere of his new documentary: (My) Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys (2). The night of Feldman’s premiere took place at the Directors Guild of America building. It included known celebrities like Rosanna Arquette, Patricia Richardson, Jaime Kennedy, and musician Dave Navarro, but delays posed threats against both screenings (1).  

Self-financed and also promoted to fans as a one-time viewable live stream, the documentary was overcome with technical issues, which ultimately led to the live stream version being canceled (3). With the technical issues blamed by Feldman as a “hacking” and then ultimately blamed as a hoax by many others, both have now proven to be false and that it was the showing during the premier that had the issue (2). 

In his ambiguous way, Corey Feldman had for years called out the names of well known Hollywood figures, which he claimed both sexually abused him and his close friend Corey Haim when they were both youths (1). It's been ten years since the unfortunate death of Corey Haim, who had starred with Corey Feldman in 12 movies. According to NBC, Fieldman posed that “the documentary would ultimately reveal six names, including one he said, was “the most dangerous, and the one I’m most scared about” (3). 

Corey Feldman is known to have a controversial reputation amongst his Hollywood peers and the general public alike, with many believing his stories to be fictionalized (2). With claims, there have been attempts made on his life because of what he has sought to expose allegations made against those mentioned in his documentary, both Feldman and the film's director Brian Herzlinger reveal scandalous details about their fellow peers (2). 

Kaufman, A. “Inside Corey Feldman's Wild Screening of His Sexual Abuse Film as It Went off the Rails.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2020, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-03-10/corey-feldman-documentary-sexual-abuse. 

Orange, B. Alan. “Corey Feldman's '(My) Truth' Documentary Review: Is It Worth the Price of a Ticket?” Movieweb, Movieweb, 15 Mar. 2020, movieweb.com/my-truth-the-rape-of-2-coreys-review/. 

Spencer, Samuel. “How to Watch the Corey Feldman Documentary Online.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2020, www.newsweek.com/corey-feldman-documentary-streaming-watch-my-truth-rape-2-coreys-online-1491391.

 

04/04/2020

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The Saga Surrounding R Kelly Continues 

 

By Jessa J.L. Jansen 

Staff Writer - The Boom Bap Hour Uncut

Earlier last month, authorities raided a storage unit owned by R. Kelly and seized around 100 devices like video cameras, Apple iPads, hard drives, computers, and cell phones (2). Information about the raid was released during an arraignment for an indictment filed last month, adding additional allegations of his involvement with a minor (1).  

Kelly’s defense team offered that the search took place at a storage facility near O’Hare Airport that had already been raided prior while criticizing the ongoing allegations from the government (4). Kelly’s attorney Steve Greenberg stated that he doesn't believe investigators will find “anything incriminating ” reported the Chicago Sun-Times (3). 

The jailed singer could face additional charges following the carrying out of the search warrant for the storage unit prosecutors alleged in court this week (3). With everything that is presently surrounding his course case, the prosecution is hoping to find additional discriminating evidence pointing to the award-winning singer’s alleged pedophilia (2). In addition to the string of new allegations referred to in the indictment as "Minor 6,” it has been revealed that the new trial will now be postponed from April 27 to October 13, giving prosecutors more time to investigate the electronic devices that were found in Kelly's storage unit (6).  

R. Kelly is still facing trial in Brooklyn beginning July 7, and presently remains behind bars having been locked away for almost a year on the original 13-count federal indictment (2).  

Meisner, Jason. “Feds Seize 100 Electronic Devices in R. Kelly Probe, Delaying Upcoming Sex Abuse Trial in Chicago.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2020, www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-r-kelly-plea-federal-charges-20200305-543r4ests5ae7obto47iplly7i-story.html. 

NDSmith. “What Do You Think They Found on the Almost 100 Electronics They Swiped from R. Kelly's Storage Unit?” The Source, 6 Mar. 2020, thesource.com/2020/03/06/100-electronics-r-kelly-storage/. 

Meisner, Jason. “Feds Seize 100 Electronic Devices in R. Kelly Probe, Delaying Upcoming Sex Abuse Trial in Chicago.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2020, www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-r-kelly-plea-federal-charges-20200305-543r4ests5ae7obto47iplly7i-story.html. 

Pruitt, Sharon L. “R. Kelly To Face Additional Charges After Recovery Of More Than 100 Electronic Devices During Search, Prosecutors Say.” Oxygen Official Site, Oxygen Official Site, 6 Mar. 2020, www.oxygen.com/crime-news/r-kelly-more-charges-after-device-discovery?amp.  

Seidel, Jon. “Feds Recover More than 100 Electronic Devices, Including Cellphones and Hard Drives, in R. Kelly Case.” Times, Chicago Sun-Times, 5 Mar. 2020, chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/3/5/21166189/r-kelly-arraignment-new-federal-charges-chicago. 

Zidel, Alex. “R. Kelly Trial Postponed.” HotNewHipHop, HotNewHipHop, 6 Mar. 2020, www.hotnewhiphop.com/r-kelly-trial-postponed-news.105612.html?_amp.

04/04/2020

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Current Women in Hip Hop 

By Kayla Williams 

Staff Writer - The Boom Bap Hour Uncut

 

Modern Feminism in Hip Hop 

“I really cannot wrap my head around the fact it's 

Taken me this long to finally realize I'm fantastic 

I used to write my little raps 

They'd always look right past it 

Like it's average” 

Mexican- American rapper Snow Tha Product rapped these lyrics (from the song Bilingue) last year. These lyrics voice her frustrations of being a woman in the hip hop industry. She feels as if she is overlooked by big players in the field because she is female, even though she has delivered great lyrics, performances, and deserves to be taken seriously as an artist. 

Unfortunately hip hop and the music industry are still riddled with sexism. In spite of this, women are persevering and paving the way for others as they have been succeeding in the genre of hip hop as of late.  Last year’s charts reflected the highest total number of female hip hop artists making their mark on the Billboard Hot 100 during this decade. Saweetie, Iggy Azalea, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Lizzo and City Girls all had songs topping the charts last year. On top of this, Lizzo also impressively became the sixth woman rapper to ever hit the No. 1 slot, and the first to do so in two years. Her single “Truth Hurts” officially became the longest-reigning Number 1 single performed by a female rapper without any features in the chart’s history (Orcutt). 

Not only is there a place for women in the industry as successful hip hop artists; women have also begun to show their sexuality in a positive light and use it to empower themselves as well as other women. A new wave of feminism has emerged through modern day hip hop artists’ music and images. These women have used their social media platforms to educate young women and speak about important issues like colorism, sexism, politics, and above all to stand together. They have also shown women as sexy, powerful, and desirable through their music videos and lyrics. Take for example, Texas rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who was the first female to be signed to 300 Entertainment’s record label. Megan Thee Stallion is known for her confidence, sensuality, and explicit lyrics. She presents this throughout her lyrics, videos, and live performances. In an interview with Pitchfork she stated, "It's not just about being sexy, it's about confidence and me being confident in my sexuality." 

A large part of Megan’s appeal is that in her music, she raps as a dominant alpha male. Her song, Cash Sh*t , emphasizes her  position of power in a relationship with a man. She raps that to be romantically involved with her, a man has to understand that she is in charge. Lyrics like, “Yeah, that's my dawg, he gon' sit down and listen. Call him a trick and he don't get offended”, portray her as a female pimp.  This goes against the status quo of the typical gender dynamic in hip hop. Often male hip hop artists depict themselves as pimps in their songs or compare their lifestyle to that of a pimp (since pimps are seen as successful, powerful figures). The pimp is often used as a metaphor in rap lyrics, however female rappers like Megan are flipping the script and putting themselves in the position of power. In Cash Sh*t Megan raps, 

“He know he giving his money to Megan 

He know it's very expensive to date me 

Told him go put my name on that account 

Because when I need money, I ain't tryna, hold up,” 

Megan has also been very vocal about her journey through college (which she is currently enrolled in) and has encouraged her listeners (who are in college), to do well during the school semester. Megan Thee Stallion studies health administration and is also becoming involved in her community by helping to foster better assisted-living facilities in her hometown of Houston, Texas. She popularized the phrase “Hot Girl Summer” and then wished her fans a “Hot Girl Semester”, promoting the idea that women can be sexy and have fun while partying in college, but can also be focused and successful in furthering their education.  

In the past women who danced in hip hop videos were looked down upon and referred to as “video hoes”, but this viewpoint reflects negatively on strippers, who they are often compared to.  Many do not understand or realize that some women dancers and artists in hip hop perpetuate this stereotype and present themselves this way purposefully. Some enjoy flaunting their sensuality and actually use it to promote feminism as well as for their own financial gain. More female artists who once performed as strippers are coming into fame and shedding light on their pasts. Record breaking rapper, Cardi B has spoken about her past experiences as a stripper and is not ashamed of her previous career. She has embraced her sexuality and referenced her past in music videos, lyrics, and live performances.  

Cardi has advocated for exotic dancers and strippers, stating in an interview with Cosmo that she is honest about her past to ensure that people remember where she came from and to hopefully get them to respect her and her past experiences. She also urges people of all genders, to understand that women who strip need to be respected. Cardi points out that just because she was once a stripper, that doesn't mean that she is uneducated. She had gone to college, but did not complete her degree.  She still has strong opinions about important topics such as police brutality, politics, and the Me Too movement, and these opinions should not be ignored or trivialized because of society’s view on overly sexual women. Cardi’s openness about her past brings up the discussion about sex workers, and the stigma that surrounds sex work as a whole. Women who participate in this trade are immediately looked down upon; their feelings are invalidated, their intelligence is questioned, and their voices are silenced. 

In addition to breaking stereotypes, we have also started to see an influx of positivity and inspiration amongst female rappers. There have been many posts and positive comments made by women about other women in the industry. In July, Cardi B took to social media to shout out Rapsody, Tierra Whack, Kamaiyah, and Chika as a few lyrical rappers who deserve more recognition in the game. Rihanna tweeted last year that she would love to collaborate with Lizzo and called her “so bad*ss”.  This is an indication of how more female hip hop artists are coming together to collaborate as well. In August of last year Megan thee Stallion and Nicki Manji released Hot Girl Summer, and a few months prior, Cardi B and City Girls teamed up for Twerk. 

There is definitely still room for improvement from male artists, who should be encouraging their female counterparts. Although men rap about sex, their status, and their riches; they criticize women when they do the same thing. A prime example of this is when hip hop producer Jermaine Duprii created a major controversy in the music industry last summer after he shaded some of today’s top female rappers. In an interview with People, he called out Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and Meghan Thee Stallion, when asked how he felt about them. “I can’t really say, I feel they’re all rapping about the same thing. I don’t think they’re showing us who’s the best rapper. For me, it’s like strippers rapping and as far as rap goes I’m not getting who’s the best,” he responded. Not only is his comment sexist, it is also untrue. Of the women mentioned, Cardi is the only one who ever worked as a stripper.  

Jermaine clarified that his remarks were aimed only at the artists he was asked about (Nicki, Cardi, and Megan) -- and made a point to say that his statement was not meant to be a blanket label on all female rappers. He also argued against claims that he's sexist, saying nothing is further from the truth (Robidoux and Weakland). Yet lumping Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, and Nicki Manji, together because of their sexual lyrics does exactly that. All three women are have different flows and styles, and they make different types of rap music. Such statements by males artists, producers and the media minimize the achievements and progress women have made in the music industry.   

Attitudes like Dupri’s further promote misogyny in hip hop and prove yet again that it is extremely difficult for women to succeed. It’s a double standard to believe that women should not rap about sex or be sexual, but it is acceptable for their male counterparts to do so. Dupri does not call out male artists for doing the same thing or state that there is a problem with male rap artists “rapping about the same things all the time”.  He also belittles women who work as strippers by implying that, because they take their clothes off for a living they don’t possess any musical talent or have skill sets outside of sex work. To make matters worse, he also groups all female rappers together, even those who do not choose to express their sexuality, although he later claimed that was not his intention.  

In response, Cardi B posted an Instagram video in which she states that raunchy lyrics are what audiences respond to. "It seems that's what people want to hear," she explained. "When I did 'Be Careful,' people we're talking mad sh*t in the beginning. If that's what people ain't trying to hear, then alright," (Saponara). 

There is still much work to do, as sexism is embedded into many aspects of life, but hip hop (or any music genre) should not be excused from its partaking in furthering misogynistic views even though women are proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can keep up in this male dominated field. 

Works Cited 

Arceneaux, Michael. “The Obsession With Cardi B's Stripper Days Is Boring And She Deserves Better.” Essence, Essence, 25 Apr. 2018, www.essence.com/culture/cardi-b-stripper-past-hyper-sexualization-female-rappers/. 

Hernandez, Emma. “Cardi B Opens up About Her Stripping Days and Her #MeToo Moment.” Life & Style, Life & Style, 3 Apr. 2018, www.lifeandstylemag.com/posts/cardi-b-stripping-me-too-movement-156306/. 

Orcutt, KC. “Each One, Teach One: What Generations of Women in Hip Hop Teach Us about Perseverance.” REVOLT, REVOLT, 16 Oct. 2019, www.revolt.tv/2019/10/16/20917629/women-in-hip-hop-lessons. 

Robidoux, Brandy. “Jermaine Dupri Defends His 'Strippers Rapping' Comment That Sparked Backlash From Cardi B.” Hollywood Life, Hollywood Life, 22 July 2019, hollywoodlife.com/2019/07/22/jermaine-dupri-defends-comments-strippers-rapping-interview/. 

Saponara, Michael. “Cardi B Urges Fans to Support Female MCs Who Don't Rap About Sex.” Billboard, Billboard, 12 July 2019, www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8519631/cardi-b-support-female-mc-dont-rap-about-sex.

03/11/2020

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The Power of Privacy 

By Bria Jackson 

Staff Writer - The Boom Bap Hour Uncut

 

Just yesterday everyone learned that upcoming rapper, Bashar Barakah Jackson, or Pop Smoke to most, died from being shot during a home robbery. What was even more shocking was that a lot of us were just finding out who Pop Smoke even was. I know I just learned of him last week. He was twenty years old from Brooklyn, New York. I kept hearing his song Dior, thinking it was Desiigner because of how deep and unique his voice was but I learned quickly they were two different people.  

I’ve been trying to avoid social media lately because of Kobe and Gianna, then there was Ja’Net Dubois and Esther Scott (two phenomenal women many of us grew up watching) and there was also Fort Valley State University student, Anitra Gunn, who’s body was found after she went missing on Valentine’s Day. I’ve been blessed at 24 years old have not had to deal with any death super close to me, so it’s not something I typically think about. So in addition to not being used to that, I really couldn’t handle getting on social media as much these past few days, or at least not Twitter. 

One of the few times I did end up getting on social media, I noticed people on Instagram were beginning to play detective to what happened to Pop Smoke. What everyone knew so far was that some guys had found out where he lived. Before I continue any further, I want to make the topic of my article very clear. I am not a journalist telling the story of how Pop Smoke really died or what I think happened. Whether the facts that I know are true or not, I want to talk about how important it is to watch what information we are putting on the internet. 

To proceed, social media initially blamed Pop Smoke’s long-time friend, Mike Dee, for setting him up because he posted a picture that had part of the street number in the picture. The world can be so critical and cruel these days. Too many times do we jump and give unsolicited opinions without knowing all the facts. I knew people were in this man's comments being nasty. I mean, telling someone who just lost their best friend that they were the ones to set them up? It’s so cruel it’s not even funny. It’s sick. 

As more facts start unraveling, I think everyone came to the conclusion Pop Smoke may have accidentally put his own self in harm's way because of what he was posting on his story. What rapper isn’t out here posting their nice watches and stacks? Well, that’s exactly what he did as well and in one video where Pop Smoke is seen showing off what seems to be a bag, you can see a luggage tag that had his address on it. It can be assumed that this may be how the robbers got his exact address. 

We need to be careful about what we’re posting on the internet because we never know who is watching and we never know who is secretly envious. The world is not the safest place anymore, in my opinion. After a traumatizing incident I had with a guy once, I’ve learned to not even put my location on my stories/posts if I’m somewhere specific. I don’t let my followers know what I’m up to. There are some people that I don’t even let follow me; I will just go ahead and block them. I don’t do these things for any other reason except to keep my business private. People see you doing good and start feeling green instead of being happy that someone else from our community made it. I don’t think anybody should be trying to play “creator” and decide the fate of someone’s life. The universe doesn’t sweep actions like that under the rug. What amazes me is that people are willing to risk their entire freedom on a simple chance…the chance of possibly living off of what they robbed him for, for who knows how long, a few weeks? Months maybe? It’ll never be worth it. 

Nicki Minaj said it best in her caption as she sent her condolences to Pop Smoke, “The Bible tells us that jealousy is as cruel as the grave” and I don’t think there is a truer statement. I encourage everyone to stop putting locations on their every move, as in not putting every single restaurant you’ve gone to in a day. You’re literally leaving a trail for someone. Snapchat allows you to share your location or go ghost mode. The other day, my cousin asked me why was I ghost and I told her that Snapchat shows the exact location down to the street. For what purpose do my followers need that information? Even on Twitter, some people tweet with their location on and it will show what city; I keep all of that information turned off. Do not hesitate to block people that look fishy or have 0 mutual followers with you. I had to get onto one of my other cousins the other day because she always puts something like “Work the next 3 days *eye-rolling emoji*” on her story and I told her to stop because she doesn’t know who is watching her stories and picking up on her work schedule. And last but most importantly, keep social media out of your pockets!!! I can’t stress this enough. 

I understand social media has gotten to a point where we feel the need to constantly post our accomplishments and flaunt our newest purchases, but the point is, you can never be too safe because this world is a sick and evil place. It is completely okay to be private with your life. Pop Smoke didn’t do anything wrong but post on his story as we all do. I hope this is a message to remind everyone to pay more attention to the things we post and share on the internet. 

Rest in Peace.

 

02/21/2020

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