“If the Negro in the ghetto must eternally be fed by the hand that pushes him into the ghetto, he will never become strong enough to get out of the ghetto.” Carter G. Woodson

Having graduated from an HBCU (South Carolina State University) and now working at Edward Waters College, the oldest HBCU in Florida, I learned from past and current experience there still is a need for these culturally diverse educational institutions. My son (honor student) attends Florida A&M University, my fiancée’s  sons are graduates of SCSU and Florida A&M, respectively both honors students.

I was at home on the couch and was led to tune in to the Word Network. I heard Pastor Marvin Winans say, “When you don’t know your worth, you will sell yourself for nothing. When you allow someone to tell you your worth, you will sell yourself for nothing.” It has since stuck with me, and has been my driving force to reach my goals before year-end.

Energy. Pure Energy. This is the only word that best describes the aura of the Wells Fargo Center, in the city of Brotherly Love, on November 2, 2011. Although just a few minutes late, the noisy and impatient crowd of mixed-race and age turned into squealing fanatics pouncing out of their seats when the arena went black and two squares, set at opposite sides, lit up. Mr. Z seized stage left (depending on where you were seated in the u-shape room) and Mr. West controlled stage right.

Kendrick Lamar is my drug, my addiction and obsession for the moment. My thoughts and feelings are dominated by his music and what it stands for.

There is a revolution brewing and if Generation Y-ers are the soldiers, Kendrick Lamar is one of our leaders. Hailing from Compton, California, he was recently rumored to sign to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath record label, after releasing three extraordinary EPs. Now understand that I listen to a song/album for how it moves me sonically and after about 100 plays (if it even gets to that) then I delve into the lyrics and the aura of it. When one of my music idols, Pharrell Williams, co-signed on Kendrick’s talent I thought ‘maybe I should check this guy out’. I found a long catalogue on YouTube and on an audible level, found it interesting. When one of my entrepreneur idols, Vashtie Kola, directed a video from his third EP, titled Section.80, I immediately bought it on the backbone that two of the people I admire had now given him the thumbs up.