Gender Identities: Treatin' ladies with respect since 1988

I've never considered a girl a dime-piece. Incredible, I know. Also, I've never thought that lifting weights or spittin' game was the way to attract a woman. So in that sense, yeah, hip-hop has affected my gender identity. I think listening to and seeing the gender roles defined within hip-hop (that, in my opinion, has evolved into all parts of pop culture) has formed my identity as a man: I do the opposite. I'm not saying I'm a hero. I just know that a smile, a held door and a mixtape is my substitute for protein shakes and eye-f*cking. I think hip-hop and pop culture have evolved women these days into thinking that all they are to men are sexual objects. And I thank hip-hop for allowing me to see what women think I want, then go against that notion, and form a relationship. As I said before, I think the masculinity and warped femininity found in hip-hop has fused into pop-music and the culture that comes with it. Therefore, I think many more younger people are affected by this, and you can see it. Go anywhere and you see more little punks and divas than you could ever imagine. In my generation, just a few years prior, these ideals and images didn't really reach pop culture the way it does now, and that shaped me. I definitely go against the prescribed gender roles that the media, including hip-hop, throws at me. Frankly, I do the exact opposite as they tell me, and I'm pretty damn happy because of it.

Make Believe

Setting: QB, NYC. Nas returns home to find his mother and Biggie back from the dead, talking.

There she was. My mom, my life. Sittin' in that same chair she always sat it, drinkin' and tellin' me stories about her life. My guardian angel was back. Since the day she died everything I did, everything I said, was in memory of her. I looked long and hard with tears rollin' down my face, and I'll never forget the passion that burned in me that day. And on top of seeing my mother again, who was she talking to? My idol. My influence. My brother. B.I.G. This man did more for me as a rapper than anyone but my Mom ever did, and as the tears continued to pour out, I whispered "Thank you" as he looked over, sipped his drink, and gave me a smile. I knew right then and there that everything would be okay. Even though they couldn't hear me and I couldn't touch them or hug them, it was enough. I knew that they were sick of lookin' down at me and smilin' cuz they came right to my kitchen instead.

God

For many, God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving. He is a perfect God. So why do we have war, poverty, rape, crime, disasters, etc? This is the biggest and most sustainable atheist arguement to this day. How can an all-perfect God (strongly advocated by believers) create imperfection? Sigmund Freud belived in a projection theory, that God was simply created as a projection of our mind. If I had to bet, I would need to be logical. And logic tells me that a theory that God is not real is a more powerful and compelling arguement. But there are also questions that arise that make me think twice about the existence of God: where did we come from? How do we explain miracles and the unexplainable? Questions like these science can't answer. We just don't know. And even though it is easier (in my opinion) to prove God does not exist, there are questions that will never be answered, and I will never have definite proof. Therefore, I can't say that I don't believe in God, but I am skeptical as to his existance, and I feel that as humans, that is all we can say for that which has no answer.

Tupac

It may sound like I'm taking the easy way to answer this question, but I can't help seeing Tupac as both courageous and immature/confused when he put out such questionable words for everyone to hear. I think you can still be courageous even if what you are doing is not accepted by other people. Isn't that how most revolutions start, anyway? And aren't revolutions, for the most part, good for their society in the long run? Tupac should not have been misogynistic. But this was what he grew up with . In other words, I think I would be looking at this differently if he was lying. He may have been confused when it came to how women should be talked about or treated, but this was all he knew to do, and he knew people would be offended, and he did it anyway. A courageous, confused action, if you will. But I think that is like most of us. We don't really know why we do anything. Sometimes we say things we don't mean, we lie, etc. Tupac had a lot to say and he had the ability to say it, so he said it all. That's courageous. I don't think he could change his misogynistic ways just to appease the audience, it was who he was.

Gender Identity

I think that hip-hop does have an effect on our gender identity. Music is an important part of my life, and hip-hop is the only music I listen to with a common uber-masculine figure. Yet at the same time, hip-hop has helped me grow to have more feminist views. For example, Tupac asked, “Tell me why we take from our women why we rape our women do we hate our women?”

In my Critical Theory class this semester, we watched 50 Cent’s “Still Kill” video, as well as clips from Beyond Beats and Rhymes. In “Still Kill” 50 does stuff like box and look angry. Beyond Beats and Rhymes really questions hip-hop’s idea of a man. A man has to put down women and never show weakness or feminizing qualities. I found 50’s explanation of a “bitch ass nigga” particularly troubling. Ja Rule, as well as men in general, cannot do something like cry because they will no longer be men? In hip-hop, you can never slip up, and you always have to be tough. I find it ridiculous, and unfortunate.

Gender Identity

As a youth, hip-hop did had an affect on my gender identity, yet as I became older it began to diminished. Reason why hip-hop had an affect on my gender identity was the fact that when I was younger, my mind was too immature in determining my gender identity. I basically let hip-hop developed it. What I realized, in the end, was that it was wrong. hip-hop portrayed me as a whole different individual, which was not relevant to whom I am as a person. As time went by and I became older, I stop allowing hip-hop control my gender identity. As of right now, I believe that hip-hop has a greater affect on gender identity in this generation, than my generation. The reason being is because times has change, and younger people are more naive than my generation. In addition, the music of today's hip-hop is more attractive than in my generation, which makes it easier to manipulate people's gender identity for this generation. sadly, there is not a way to stop this because of the media, and because of corporate America, unless is through government intervention which is not likely to happen

P.S- Hip hop is dead..

A Hip-Hop Gender Identity

Hip-Hop has had a huge impact on my gender identity. I remember listening to "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta," and aspiring to get my hustle on. I used to wear Akademiks and still dress in a highly hip-hop influenced style.
Many aspects of culture, personal experience, reading, upbringing, friends, and other factors have contributed to my gender identity. Hip-Hop is a large part of that. I think children are highly susceptible to stimuli, and therefore mirror hip-hop language, clothing, gender roles, themes, etc. Kids who identify with certain places, races, socio-economic backgrounds, lyrics, accents, or whatever else they pick up from hip-hop videos and songs will be especially prone to internalizing their messages.
I try to challenge gender stereotypes by attempting to treat men and women equally. I expect the same effort and intellect from any gender. I admire strength in women and emotion in men. I also strive to do and say the unexpected in an effort to escape social molds and patterns in favor of new values.

The Hard Life of a Modern Day Superhero

Homeboy has nappy hair and raggedy clothes. He's standing on top of a bench in Boston Common looking at the pollution purple sky. He's got no money, no home, and no friends.
Why is he so hard up? Well, see, my brother always tells that deep, mind-blowing, day-changing, life-altering truth. He can't help it. Truth pours from his mouth like bullshit from a politician. People just can't talk to this cat. After a few words, they stumble off struggling to retain ignorance or to internalize wisdom.
How does my man eat? Well when he needs a bite, he approaches the nearest purveyor of sustenance and says, "We all gotta eat." Struck by the tone and sincerity of the words, our vendor can't help but say, "true, true." Then our honest to a fault friend says, "I have no money, for it doesn't exist." "Are you begging," asks the nourishment salesman? "Naw, just speaking truth. I'm hungry." Confused, but hypnotized, a meal changes hands. "Thank you for such kindness, in turn so shall ye receive kindness," offers our hero, ambling away.
Where does such a man sleep? In the Commons of course, and a shelter when it gets cold. Now what use is truth as a superpower, if you broke, homeless and hungry? Well, this man know what truly is important, what he truly has, who he truly is, and how to appreciate and be grateful for the gift of each breath.

I wasn't exposed to Hip-Hop music until I was older, so I can't say that it had a major impact on my gender perception. Now I hear it all the time. I'm pretty set in my beliefs as far as ideas of femininity and masculinity, and it would take a lot more than song lyrics for that to change. It definitely still bothers me that women are constantly berated in Hip-Hop music. However, I take into consideration that there are a few women out there who pride themselves on being "dime pieces", but they do not define femininity. I think that's an important thing to remember when listening to Hip-Hop. It's also important to remember that its a business, and right now, these are the subjects that are making hits and selling albums. It's not necessarily what these performers believe.
As far as children are considered, I think that they should be sheltered from hearing these offensive lyrics. They are very impressionable as they form their perceptions of gender. They are not able to grasp the concept of Hip-Hop as a commodity, and are more likely to take the songs for what they are. I challenge the gender roles prescribed by Hip-Hop by refusing to accept the songs as an accurate representation of women as a whole, and by taking the songs for entertainment value, not social commentary.

The Realness

Well first of all, I’d like to recognize some already existing hip-hop superheroes. Omar, from HBO’s The Wire, comes to mind. He’s a cowboy / Robin Hood figure placed in the ghettos of Baltimore, and is also the ultimate badass who happens to be homosexual. Luke Cage, the Marvel Comics character, could also be considered one since he has a very urban / hip-hop feel. But I’ll attempt to get more creative.

My hip-hop superhero would be named “The Realness,” after the Cormega album. Their power would be the ability to telepathically force someone to be truthful in revealing ways. Oh what fun it would be to see the president of the United States admit on television the terrible things they have done. Maybe George W. Bush would prove Kanye West in a speech about racism. Rapper’s careers would be ruined with such reveals as “I was never shot 9 times.”

This power is “hip-hop” because hip-hop speaks the truth in ways that are not usually heard. After all, Tupac said that 2pacalypse Now was a “report” of life as he had witnessed it so far. We would know where people stood, and everyone would be “real.”

"Anti-Wackness" Woman

My superhero would be a well-educated, but still street-wise/credible artist, who can bring both entertainment and intellect to the table. I think these attributes are crucial in developing a superhero because they are characteristics that far too few artists today lack. The purpose of this superhero would be that she would use her intellect to knock the "wackness" out of mcs today. Her powers include the ability to sense bad music as it is being made. This is called her wackness senses, and they tingle while bad music is being made. She has ultra-sensitive hearing, and the ability to fly to the scene of the potential crime. Her name would be Anti-Wackness Woman, and her purpose would be to fight the forces of evil within the music industry. She would reside in New York, so as to be at home in the home of hip hop.

Tupac

I think that Tupac was courageous by putting "himself out there." Even though his songs were contradictory, he told the world how he felt without holding back. It may appear that he was confused, but you are not always going to bein the same mind set when you write each song. This would explain why his songs expressed different perceptions. If all of his songs held the same views, then his music would not be as interesting. The contradictions are what make them worth studying and analyzing.

The Truth

My hip-hop hero exists deep in the heart of the city, living in a two-room apartment full of spraypaint, newspapers, and once-discarded televisions set to 24-hour news stations. Not very glamorous, right? It gets better. Our hero is constantly searching for lies perpetrated by the mass-media - the spin and mistruths commonly held as fact. He has an acute mind that picks them out so fast that it would make your head spin. He doesn't just rest on it, however - in his black hoodie, nondescript jeans, and secondhand sneakers, he descends from the steps of his complex, paint cans hidden safely where no one can see. Then, his real powers can be seen - the man who no one remembers (but is really all around us) bravely climbs train bridges and billboards with his sticky hands, tagging trains and signs so all can see. He never leaves a signature, though, and the only way to know it is him is to look for the concept in his writing that is the moniker given to him by cops, civilians, and bureaucrats everywhere - The Truth.

IS there a God

If I had to bet everything on there being some type of God, I would. I feel that there must be some type of higher power for us to have been created. We are to perfect of an animal for us to have been created by accident. I also feel that without some type of higher belief it would be hard to find much of a meaning in life. While i say this i must also say that i dont believe in any type of organized religion. This is where i differ from my presbatyrian parents. they taught me all about their christian beliefs while i was grwoing up and those beliefs rubbed off on me but not all the way.I hold many of the basic christian beliefs, but as I grew older i became very skeptcal about going to church just to give money and recite word for word the same prayers as everyone else around me. I found it hard to believe that those types of rituals is what religion is all about, and are needed in order to keep God happy and to be a good Christian. I feel an individuals personal relationship with God is a good measure of their religious standing.

Home

Home to me means family and friends who always have your back. It means not worrying about what you do or how you loo because everyone already knows you for who you are. it mans having fun doing nothing but chillen. It means bar b q' on the weekend, fishing in the summer time, and goin to the beach everyday. I do miss being home a lot now that I live over 2000 miles away, and i do sometimes sense a feeling of alienation. Its hard not knowing the everyday activities that are goin on with all of the important people in my life. I miss the small jokes or the call ups just to hang out cuz there is nothing else to do. But while i miss it all i know it will always be there because home is wherever you make it and as long as you hold good relationships t will never change.

Definition of my Life

My life up until this point has been defined by two seperate but equally effecting factors. Both being an athelet and eing a student. Both things have been a part of my life since the early age of 6 and have almost solely defined my activities, interests, and relationships since then. Those have been the structure of my life for over 15 years.....go to school, practice whatever sport is in season, go home and do school work, hang out with friends i eaither met on a team or at school.Growing up in a big city in florida however allowed for my expierences to be diverse in both sports and school giving me a wide range of friends, to a very extensive array of competition in sports. But these two seperate entities of my life have allowed me to experience multiple people, places, situations, and obstacles that have shaped me into the person i am today.

Tupac - Courageous or Confused

If Tupac was confused then so is society and the millions of fans who have exhaulted him. However it may not be a bad thing. I like the word confused for describing Tupac in the following sense: he was confused with the way his people and community were being treated. He was confused by the way in which they were treating eachother. He was confused about the conditions in which they were living. Tupac was confused as to why this was going on after hearing and learning in schools about the civil rights movements, and he was confused because he would hear all of this from white men and women. Which in trun made tupac confsed about why there werent men and women voicing themselves like so many in the past.So yes in a certain sense of the word Tupac was confused, but it was that confusion and his lack of acceptance of the confusion that led eventually to his corageousness. It was his drive to end this confusion within the lyrics and persona's that he created. He was an educated man who wasnt scared to stand up and become a voce for this all penetrating "Thug Life" of the time.

Fashion

I think that clothing and fashion are a really important part of who we are. Regardless of whether it is right or not, people judge each other based on appearance. Often, if we haven't met the person yet, all we have to go on is the way in which they present themselves. People can say that they don't care about fashion or what they look like, but in a society that is so image-obsessed, many times the way you look is seen as an indicator of character. Someone who takes pride in the way they look comes across as being responsible, mature and thoughtful. I tend to always care about how I look. I like to present myself as being neat and put together. I put a lot of thought into my outfits. When people see me I think that they associate me with being mature and put together. I think that at this point in time, I am in the minority, at least for my age group. Most young people don't care what others think, which is both good and bad. Good because it allows them to express themselves through what they wear, bad because people judge them quickly.

Hip-Hop Super Hero

Em C is the coolest new superhero in Hip-Hop. She's smart and super talented. She is breaking down the barriers of gender in Hip-Hop and showing everyone that there so much more than bitches and bullets in the genre. With her dope lyrics and impressive beats, she proves that its not just the boys who can sell records. Gone are the days of objectification and relying upon sex appeal to succeed. Em C does not have to dress like a stripper to get people to pay attention. She is confident in herself and her skills. She is determined to equalize the Hip-Hop playing field. By getting her message out to all of the listeners, Em C is paving the way for thousands of female Hip-Hop artists waiting to hit the scene.

Home

Hanover, Massachusetts has been home for my family for the better half of the last century. Both my mother and father's parents moved there in the early 1950's. My parents met in high school, and after spending four years away at college, moved back to start their own family. We're townies. Which isn't a bad thing, I do really like my town. It's a typical South Shore suburb. It's small, but not too small. It's not as busy as a city, but there are things to do. What really makes it home, though, are my family and friends. I grew up surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins within a five minute drive. There was always someone to babysit, play with or just hang out. I've known most of my closest friends since nursery school. While it's terribly cliche, I think there is something really cool about knowing someone for that long, and seeing them through all the different stages of life. We're all at different schools, some as far away as New York and Vermont, but on the few occasions when we are all home, its as though no time has passed.
My idea of home is changing, however. For the past 3 and a half years, I've lived at Stonehill more than I've lived at home. My friends have become like another family. I catch myself referring to campus as "home" when I'm away and I'm talking about going back. Home is going to continue to be a tricky subject come May when I graduate. I have to decide what I'll be doing and where I will be living. At the end of the day though, when someone asks me where home is, I think I'll always say Hanover.

Microphone Man

A heroine lurks around the city of Rap cityin which he tunes down cheap rap. Seeing tunes up in the sky, people already know who it is. It's microphone man. And again he saves the day by using his power of amplify sound to eliminate those who are ruining the foundations of rap. His sidekicks are The Roots, Common, and Nasty Nas. All whom possess similar powers as Microphone man. Located in the birthplace of hip-hop, the south Bronx, the team gathers up for a synopsis of the day. Suddenly, a message appears in the 52" plasma. Who can it be? It's Slick Rick the ruler!!! and MC Ricky D!!!, and no they are not doing there smash hit Mona Lisa stating that he needs help. 50 Cent and the G-Unit gang are taking over the all communications in Great Britain, and forcing people to listen to there music, hyponotising them and making them do crazy things.

And off they go Microphone Man, Nas, The Roots, and Common to Great Britain to fight villians

P.S- Hip Hop is dead

Different perspective poem

From Sudan to America
I'm a long way from home,
Forced to move out
and stand on my own,
They took my family and my land
and now I moved to the states,
I know I should be happy to survive,
But I am uncontrollably irate,
From eating mud in Sudan,
To seeing snow in Mass,
I hope my country will be safe atlast,
I will get this degree,
I will graduate from this college,
I will return to Sudan,
To change her and pay homage

Persona Free Writing

Dwight K Schrute- "The Office"

I’m the best paper seller around

Ain’t no computer in town

Better than me I can’t be beat

Especially when I’m on the farm sellin beats

Halpert cracks jokes all day

But the time will come for him to pay

And for Dwight to play

Like when I play second life

Don’t have no time for a wife

Since angela dumped my ass

I feel like I failed a class

Michael is the greatest boss on earth

I wish we had been friends since out birth

Don’t get me started on an-dy

He’s probly steal candy from a baby

The man can’t sing

The man can’t dance

He’s such a big liar, his pants are on fire

And speaking of fires how bout our out temp ry

He’s the big boss now, but will always be the fire guy

Time to get back to work to sell someone paper

Ill be back to finish my Dwight schrute rap later

Get away from me halpert you big schmuck

Like zane in titanic, a real man creates his own luck.

An interview with Paulette

Ok, so I'm kind of cheating since I did interview her for something else last year, but this still isn't any good.

So what was the question? Why I'm still here? Well, mostly it's 'cause of the kids. I've been here for so many years and I've seen so many of you come and go. It's just interesting to see you guys come in as freshmen, and then the time goes by so fast and all of a sudden you're graduating. And you may not know it, but I know more about you than you think. I mean, I get to see you guys stumble in drunk! (laughs) But it's, uhh, mosly that that I like about working at The Hill. I like working for Sodexho, too, you know they've always been good to me. But (pause) to see your faces always brightens my day. It's weird, 'cause I've got a daughter in college now, too, and you guys remind me of her, and you make me wonder what kind of trouble she's getting into!

When Hip Hop's Queens Overthrow the Kings

I'd like to bring together some of the first big female emcees, to join forces and show the men in the game that women can do anything they can do...better. When you think about the front-runners of hip hop, male artists are of course the first to come to mind. I would like the women of hip hop to be given their dues, and I think an interaction between MC Lyte and Queen Latifah would be a good way to show the skills that females can bring to the game. I think that if they joined forces, they could give some serious competition to the men, and show how women are more than capable of holding their own.
Seeing as how both women grew up in the New York area, they would both go back to their roots, and have the interaction take place in Brooklyn. The focus of their conjoining would be to point out, criticize, and hopefully put an end to the sexism and misogyny that is a present in today's hip hop, and has been so for many years. Both these artists serve as empowering female figures, who proudly know who they are, what they stand for, and the ways of the hip hop business.
The interaction would be a collaboration and combination of some of their songs, which would serve as fuel for their fire against the lack of positive female figures in hip hop. For instance, MC Lyte's song "I am Woman" refers to Lyte as a Queen, and proudly declares her gender, and status as a noteworthy MC. She says that she's well-respected, as both a woman and a music artist, and is standing up for herself in a field that sees her gender as a disadvantage. This song could be mixed with Queen Latifah's "Unity", which focuses on the need for men to respect women, women to respect themselves, and for people to unite to bring respect to all.
I think both artists are monumental figures in the hip hop world, and have done a lot to establish themselves and all women as equal front-runners in that music area. They are both respectable, empowered females, who have gone on to have great success in areas branching outside of hip hop music, which shows just how much they have to offer in various areas. Their joining forces would be a great contribution to hip hop, and would do a great deal to show that the Queens of the game have all the capabilities (and then some) to rule with the Kings.

My Money's on God

I can honestly say that if I had to bet everything I have on whether or not there is a God, I would bet it all on God. I consider myself a religious person, but not in the way that many do. I don't think I'm a devout Episcopalian because I go to church every Sunday, went through confirmation classes, and can recite Bible verses off the top of my head -- because I can't, that's just not me. I don't necessarily see those characteristics as being synonymous with "religious", because in my eyes, you can do all those things and still be the most hypocritical, bigotrous "devout" member of any given denomination.
Instead, I see my religious standing as a personal connection I feel I've developed throughout my life, but more importantly within the past few years. I feel that God is watching over me and my family, and I have a certain spiritual connection with God, for I've experienced and witnessed certain things that have made me believe so. Personal events have fueled my beliefs, and served as strong indicators of these feelings, which go beyond any standard classification of religion in my mind.
Much of my religion has been influenced by my parents, and I can say that I am proud of that. I see nothing wrong with following the religion of my parents, because if they've been able to develop certain beliefs, I think it is fair for them to expose me to them. The importance of this exposure comes in the fact that they never forced their religion upon me. I am very grateful for this, because they enabled me to reach my own understanding of what religion means to me, and have allowed me to come to grips with what my faith means t me.

Taking Another Person’s Perspective

An anonymous friend of mine:

I can’t believe I bought weed from these kids. These fucking losers who waste their time sitting around talking about weed and fucking expanding their mind or some shit. You’re not deep, son. You’re from a wealthy family in California and you deal coke and weed like it’s just a thing to do. I hope you get into a run-in with the Mexican Tempe drug dealers and they pull your card. I don’t want to fucking sit here and smoke out of a $200 bong and talk when I can smoke from a $2 gas station corn cob pipe and listen to Cormega. I just wanna drive around and smoke a little bit, not get too high. “I got a system in my car and when it hits the ground twitches, but I don’t got subs cuz the trunks there for bitches.”

Fashion

Fashion is not that important to my life. I don't define myself by it. I just like what I like. I wear clothes that I like for me, not for anyone else. And if it's too much money, you know I don't spend that cash. I can't justify spending insane amounts on clothing...it just doesn't make sense to me. I try not to pass judgment on those that visibly flaunt their expensive clothes or other things, but sometimes I can't help it.

As for historians looking back on my generation's fashion sense in 500 years, I think they'll see a picture of a materialistic society.

Religion

I would bet everything that there is a God because of the way my father raised me. Every week until I went to high school I had bible study wit him and my two siblings. My father’s religious beliefs and mine are the same not because he grinded them into me but because he explained it in a way that makes total sense in my opinion. He taught me to never just accept things but find proof and using science there is a good amount of scientific proof that a lot of the things the bible says happened. Learning about science I believe strengthened my faith in God. I feel religion is important in raising children it teaches morals and values from an early age and the values I learned during bible study I still have to this day.

My Generation

My generation is unlike any generation before. I don't think that there is any one characteristic that represents my generation as a whole. Unlike those before us, we don't have a singular defining moment or symbol that represents what we are. We are a diverse, colorful, and unique group of people. Of course there are many things that people associate with us. For older generations, it is loud music, poor manners, baggy clothing and the internet (which many people blame for all the negative things about "kids today"). But if you ask me, it's not that simple. Our generation is revolutionary. We are presented with so many opportunities that haven't existed until now. More of us are educated, we're more globally aware, and we have in our hands the ability to shape the future. You can't label us "beatniks" or "hippies", "baby boomers" or "gen x-ers". We are so much more than one all-encompassing title. My generation is strong, intelligent and ready to take over.

My Generation

my generation is defined by technology. we now have instant access to infinite information whenever we want it. we use ipods, itunes, mp3 players, satelite radio soon to be digital radio. now that we are exposed to all this new information this gives all the non commercial/up and coming musicians/ rappers get heard which gives music endless opportunities.
-Mike Gannon

Clothing

I suppose my clothing tells a lot about me, you see black male wearing loose fitting jeans, an overly large white T, a crisp New Era fitted, some clean air Nikes and of course a doo-rag to keep the hair right. My clothing I would like to think says I’m not a bum, but I also know my clothes speak louder than actions on some in certain circumstances. I had a conversation with one of my friends discussing how when he goes out into the suburbs he doesn’t wear a fitted cap and usually wears a polo. I contemplated what we discussed for awhile actually taking the time to consider what might come into people’s minds when they see me walk down the street. I usually didn’t think about things like this because I could care less, but my friend made a valid point, why draw added attention to yourself.

My Generation

I am completely part of the iPod generation. Life without an iPod seems completely foreign to me and I've only had it for three years. It's more of a reflection on how dependent my generation is on technology. The thought of not being able to access a computer or cell phone is horrifying. All of this new technology has made life easier. Some may view it as my generation is just lazy and needs these tools to do work for us. Others say that we focus too much on our material things. I am completely materialistic and I don't think that's an issue. Besides, many lyrics coming from all different genres of music discuss materialism, it's not going away. My generation views our self as modern and on the cutting edge. We are the generation that is going to make technology inescapable.

Doseone and Lil' Kim

Doseone, for those of you who don't know him, is a member of the Anticon group that makes up such acts as Subtle and 13 & God. He's not rich. Lil' Kim, of course, is.

Scene - Brockton Starbucks

Barista: Hello sir, what would you like today?

Doseone: Coffee, leave some room for cream.

Barista: Ok, so Cafe Americana. What size, sir?

Doseone: Ummm...(checks pockets)...What can I get for $2.50?

Barista: A tall

Doseone: I'll take it

(loud crunching noise, sound of reverse beep from gigantic tour bus)

(enter Lil' Kim)

Kim: Whose Toyota Corolla that?

Doseone: Oh, godd*mnit

Kim: Oh, little white kid. D*mn, I'm sorry

Doseone: You hit my car?

Kim: Yeah, what's that hoopty worth, like $500?

Doseone: That's my livelihood!

Kim: I already tell you I'm sorry.

Doseone: F**K! I'm supposed to be playing Stonehill in an hour, I don't have time for this. Wait, Lil' Kim? I thought I recognized you by your lack of clothes.

Kim: Who you calling a tramp?

Doseone: I never said tramp!

Kim: Well, I can't stay to chat, here, take a few bucks.

Doseone: You can't just lea--Oh, you just did...

Kanye West and Slick Rick

Two rappers that i would like to see together would be kanye West and Slick rick. Both artists have excellent lyrical content, which portrays there characteristics. Kanye West with his polo shirts and his preppy clothes, and Slick Rick with his eye patch and his vibrant color outfit both display two styles of clothing. One past and one present.

The setting would have to be New York City because it is there that rap came about and it is well suited in rapping about both the past and present. Lyrically the song both artist would be rapping to, would have to include ideas about the past and present. In addition, both artist should be comparing both ideas.

P.S- Hip-Hop is dead

Influences

Today's generation consist of many elements. Yet, the most important elment would have to be fashion, especially if it is influenced by hip-hop and other genres of music. Hip-hop and other types of music influences people to dress like the stars, and in most cases to act like thme. At one point, I remember there was a crave of wearing extra long white T-shirts. That's a perfect example on how music influences people.This generation also gives rise to the voices of the old school people of hip-ho, who at this point is tired of seeing these new generation of singers and rappers trying to promote materialistic ideologies. The old school people of hip-hop are people who been in the music industry for more than 10yrs and witness this change of ideas of hip-hop. These people, now, are speaking out to those who are ruin the foundations of hip-hop.P.S- Hip hop is dead

Fashion

A huge connection exist between Hip-Hop and fashion. As a matter of fact, hip-hop influences the way people dress. Yet, the way people dress, is also the way people think about hip-hop or any type of music for that matter. Everyone dresses different because of their perspective of certain musics. If one listens to Run DMC, that person automatically makes a connections of shell-toe addidas with the group.As for myself, I do dress like many hip-hop artist of today. Yet, I dress conservately because people critic on the way I dess, especially if I am away from my hoemtown. Often times there would be clashes in determining who dresses better, but how can one determine who looks or dresses better if it all depends on how your perspective is shaped through the music one listens too.

P.S- hip hop is dead

Tupac

Tupac's dualistic attitude illustrates who he really is. Both songs portrays Tupac's attitude about the societal issues he encounters, and towards the people who hate him. Being able to perform this, display Tupac's uniqueness, and ingenuity. For that reason, he is considered one of the greatest rapper in 20th century. Portraying this sense of dualistic attitude is difficult for any rapper to accomplish.In all honesty, there isn't anything I have to show to the world. I am the way I am through no matter what the conditon entails. Unlike Tupac who can portray this dualistic attitude, I can never do it. It's impossible to do so because it contradicts for who I am.P.S-Hip-Hop is dead

How to Get the Party Started

Rahzel is in DC for a show. The next afternoon, he cruises down to the mall to check out some monuments.

Kweli happens to be in DC, visiting friends. Talib literally bumps into Rahzel near the Lincoln monument.

Mad tourists are scurrying around and taking pictures. Rahzel and Kweli start vibing, and eventually Rahzel puts down a beat. Talib starts to ride, and a small crowd gathers.

Cell phone pictures and text messages quickly draw a larger crowd, and even expand the cipher. It's not long before emcee's, beatboxers, and b-boys are flooding in. Now, the tourists start to circle up. Soon the spot is happening. Kids are doing backflips and headspins around Japanese photographers. Multiple emcee battles are going on to six part beatboxed baselines.

The media show up and rolls out cameras and reporters. After a minute riot police surround the square and start edging toward the show.

Kweli and Rahzel had left, and gone down the street for lunch. They come back and see the gorgeous chaos their simple encounter has wrought. After a quick conference, Talib and Rahzel hit their respective congressmen on the cell. A couple of their rep's, government and label, come through on the quick. Rahzel and Kweli hop on some megaphones and begin again to deliver. Now they have heavy volume, a large and engaged audience, and renewed motivation. Suddenly Hip-Hop is in the house.

The politicians and label people call off the riot squad, and aluta continua (the struggle continues). The movement moves the foot soldiers of the system off the block and the people create their own reality until the rising sun breaks up the show.

Divinity

What does "God" mean? God is just a word. Everyone defines it differently. I believe the universe is "God." The complexity on large and small scales is too intricate to completely comprehend. Therefore, I think that the universe is the body of "God." Since my money is on the universe existing, I guess "God" exists. When someone tells me that they're an "atheist," I ask them: "Do you believe in the universe?" If this "atheist" answers, "yes," then I say: "I think you believe in "God," you just don't like the word."

I envision God in everything. All things, thoughts, and actions are "God." "What about evil," you might say. Well, we have not fully embraced and embodied the spark of "God" we each carry within us. Thus, we cannot hope to understand anything as "God" does, as the universe does. We might understand "evil" differently if we could encompass all that exists. Maybe the dualism between "good" and "evil" disappears when you can access and organize all the information available to "God."

My parents are Catholic. I'm not. I don't think anyone is. I don't really believe organized religion exists as a group of people sharing the same belief. I think organized religions are groups of people with similar beliefs who come together looking for a sense of community.

I have grown my own personal belief system from the seeds of my experiences. I think everyone does so. We all have our own individual religions. What people profess to believe in common isn't necessarily what they truly believe, it may just be a regurgitation of words they've been programmed to spit (see closeted homosexuals engaged in gay-bashing ie Sen. Craig).

I feel my religious outlook has affected my parents' just as much as their's has affected mine.

A Swishahouse Teaparty

Setting: Paul Wall and Mike Jones are sitting at a country club sipping sizzurp out of tea cups.
Paul Wall: I like talking about my teeth in my songs. You?
Mike Jones: I like referencing our record label. Again and again. Repetition is key. Monotonous, never-ending repetition.
PW: Go on.
MJ: Then I like to write one really good line, and repeat is over and over. Like this: Back then hoes didn’t want me, now I’m hot hoes all on me. Back then hoes didn’t want me, now I’m hot hoes all on me. Back then hoes didn’t want me, now I’m hot hoes all on me. Back then hoes didn’t want me, now I’m hot hoes all on me.
PW: Again?
MJ: Back then hoes didn’t want me, now I’m hot hoes all on me.
PW: Interesting.
MJ: And I don’t limit a line to one song. If it’s good, I’ll use it in almost ever song I write. What do you like to talk about besides your teeth?
PW: Other jewelry, cars, parts of cars, driving cars, the dashboard, rims, sometimes the trunk. And my teeth.
MJ: You already said that.
PW: Did I?
MJ: Maybe. I don’t really remember with the Sizzurp and all. Hey, I saw Mos Def the other day when we went to MTV Studios. He called me “Stepin Fetchet.” What does that mean?
PW: He’s some actor. I’ve seen some of his stuff. It’s pretty funny. Yeah I saw Mos Def too. He called me “Blackface?” What does that mean?
MJ: Must be a complement. You know what else is good to rap about?
PW: What?
MJ: Your name. Sometimes the chorus of my songs will be me just saying my name over and over.
PW: Yeah I like doing that too. Then they remember you.
MJ: Hey I have a new idea for a video: Remember last one we got head in a car and went to a strip club?PW: Go on…
MJ: Why not get head IN a stripclub?!
PW: Brilliant
*they toast*

Religion

I was raised in a very Catholic family. Mostly because my father was raised in a very Catholic family. And his father was raised in a very Catholic family (and so on). The only excuse for missing a Sunday mass was extreme illness. An hour and a half of every Friday afternoon was dedicated to CCD from 1st to 10th grade. With 20 first cousins alone, I have attended countless Baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations. Religion was a big part of my identity as a child and continued to be a defining factor in my teenage years. This was not necessarily my choice. Practicing Catholicism was something I did because my parents told me I should. Church was never something I thought about, just a routine part of my week, no different from going to school each day. I never questioned what I was told to believe in.
Ironically, my feelings on religion changed once I started at my Catholic college. Without my parents there to urge me, I did not attend mass every week. I was also exposed to other views on religion. Outside of my CCD education, I had never had a religion class before my freshman year. My professor made me seriously question what religion means. The class opened my eyes to the possibility that plenty of people do not believe that God exists, and that organized religion does not make you a spiritual person.
I am still in my "rebel" phase, and have become one of those people my parents can't stand - attending mass only on holidays and the anniversary of my grandmother's death. However, at this point in my life, I feel more spiritual than ever before. I would wager everything on God's existence. Maybe I'm naive, but I have to have faith in a higher power in order to exist. The idea that everything is random makes me feel empty and hopeless. Of course there are days when I question how God could allow such terrible things to go on in the world, but it all comes down to my faith in something bigger than all of us, and my belief that everyone has a purpose.

Home is Where the Heart is

North Reading, Massachusetts. This is the town that I have known as my home for the last 17 years of my life. There's nothing bad I can say about my home, I love being there. North Reaing is a relatively small town about 10-15 minutes north of Boston. It's a really nice place to live with all types of new schools, stores, and parks added within the last several years. However, the biggest reasons for me liking my home is not the surroundings, but the people that live there. I love being home with my family and friends, which is why I try to go home every 2-3 weekends and have some of my friends at school try to plan to do so accordingly. My parents are the best parents that I could have asked for as well. They are very supportive of whatever I do and always are there to help me out when I need it. I love to go home because it is just such a relaxing experience to lie on my couch and watch some TV with some home cooking and not have a care in the world.

You Only Get One Chance to Make a First Impression

The way in which I dress is very important to me. The first impression that a person has of you prior to any conversation is based on your appearance and the way that you present yourself. In order for that opinion to be a positive one, I always like to be wearing nice attire. It is definitely true that you only get one chance to make a first impression. I also truly believe in the saying "If you look good, you feel good." If I feel that I'm looking good, then I'm definitely in a good mood as well.
What I wear also depends on the type of mood that I'm in as well as the occasion. If I feel like I just wanna be comfortable then I'll just throw on some sweats. If I wanna dress up then I'll put on a button up or something nice. Fashion is just one thing that defines me, yet it still is very important to me. I like buying new clothes and staying fresh. I'm not quite sure what historians will think about my clothing 500 years from now. That's kind of an odd question because if I look back to the Pilgrims hundreds of years ago I'd definitely make fun of their clothes, so I'd expect the same out of these futuristic historians.

I think Jigga sums up clothing best:
"1 Life to Live, I Can't let a Day go By without me being fly, fresh to death head to toe till the day I rest" - Jay-Z

Mythication

I would put my money on God if I had to bet on whether or not God existed. On the surface without any religious feelings I would put my money on God because if there were no God then there would be no ramifications for putting my money on God. But if I did not put my money on God and there turned out to be a God a am sure there would be some type of ramification. But on a spiritual level and on a level that I believe to be deeper than the superficial reasons formentionned; I would bet it all on God because of Humans and Humankind. Humans are capable of great things. These great things can be good but they can also be evil. Why we humans have that voice in our heads to keep us from being evil is some proof, but proof enough for me that there is a God. Otherwise, why would there be pain, why would there be pleasure? Why would anything matter if there were no God? Then all of those individuals who meant so mush to me and passed on, are gone forever. I refuse to believe that I will never see them again so I don't. I believe that there is a God because I need to, because it s what keeps me sane and it is my rock in this crazy world.
my religion, my beliefs, are always a work in progress.

If I had to gamble on God, I would wager for the existence of God simply because I want there to be. This is a total cop-out, but the world is a pretty bleak place as it is without any sort of higher power. I’d say with the world the way it is it would be easier to make a case against the existence of God. But any “case” is obviously impossible. I feel that there is something more to human consciousness, and I pray (pun-intended) that there is a higher power.

I was raised Catholic, which was detrimental to my well-being. I was grounded every weekend I refused to go to Church, and forced to go to CCD. This constant hammering of religion, as well as the hypocrisy and intolerance of the Catholic Church, made me loathe organized religion with a fiery passion. So my parents’ religious beliefs, I would imagine, are far different than mine. But I believe that one can have a strong moral compass and even relationship with God in the complete absence of organized religion.

When I think of what "home" means to me, I think of all the things that I love and love to hate about my good old Dorchester. Dorchester to me, is about culture, diversity, hustle-and-bustle, excitement, comfort, and peace. I love that I feel at home in a place where I can walk down the street and see faces of people from all over the world. I love that there's always something happening in my city- whether it be something good, or maybe not so good. My home is where I feel most comfortable and at peace, in spite of the constant busyness of the city, because that excitement is what I've grown accustomed to.

I can honestly say that I've never felt alienated from my home, because it is a place that encourages acceptance and diversity. This diversity is one of the things I miss most when I'm away. It's a bit of a culture shock, being in the different environments, and the lack of diversity is something that takes some serious adjusting to. However, I can gladly say, that what Stonehill lacks in diversity, they somewhat make up for in kindness, which makes the adjustment that much easier.

Tupac: A Conflicted Soul

I do think that Tupac was courageous in "putting himself out there" because he was one of the first hip hop stars who did so in the way that he did. However, I also think that he was a conflicted soul because, on the one hand he was a deep thinker who was able to see the perspectives of others (the hardships they endured), but on the other hand he still fought to maintain the public persona which encouraged and incorporated female degradation and objectification.

This contradictory attribute is something that I have as well, so I can't knock Tupac for his. In fact, I think most people do, and if they don't, it's quite possible that they're too close-minded to be hold conflicting stances on any certain area. An example of my personal contradictory personality is that I consider myself to be some sort of a liberal feminist. I think females are just as capable (if not more so) than men in doing just about anything, and I have serious issues with anyone who thinks otherwise. I believe women should have all the rights of men and be seen as completely equal. However, at the same time, I still hold some traditional ideal that may not be considered new-age feminist. For instance, I like and appreciate chivalrous acts like when a man holds a door open for a woman, or offers to pay for a date. These opinions of mine contradict each other in many ways, and yet I hold on to them and view them as my own. In doing so, maybe I am showing myself to be a conflicted soul, just as Tupac was.

If God was one of us, he'd be pretty ticked that people were betting against his existence.

Religion is a slippery slope. It's worse than politics. If I had to bet on the existence of a God, I would bet that there isn't one. Can't people just be satisfied that some things in life are unexplainable? That's what this concept of God was implemented for, to explain the unexplainable and give reason to our existence. I'm not an idealist in any way, but simply living should be all the reason we need to exist. Religion has caused too many conflicts and feuds to convince me that there are redeeming qualities left to it. It has created far more judgmental, hot-headed, complacent people than well-rounded, truly religious individuals.



I grew up going to a Catholic church every Sunday. Religion was forced upon me, and as a kid, I believed it. But as I grew older and more inquisitive, I realized that the same people that forced religion on me were hypocrites. But I can't blame those people because they were cornered into their beliefs by other hypocrites. It's a huge cycle that only leads to the degradation of the true concept of religion, which of course has been grossly misconstrued into an oppressive institution over the past hundreds of years. While I believe that religion in some ways shapes us into good humans, we shouldn't need an invisible, all-knowing superhuman dictating what constitutes a good person.



Now, if I could just break it to those smelly old ladies sitting in the front pew of St. Joe's...

God?

I am in religious limbo, and I'm not talking about that place you allegedly go after you die. My mother is Jewish and my father is Catholic. This leaves me stuck somewhere in the middle. They never chose for me, thus leaving it up for me to decide. After 21 years I still have not decided what I am, and I don't plan on it. I've been to both church and temple, doing so didn't sway me one way or the other. I have to say that the only perk of this limbo is being able to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, and yes I do get gifts on both. My parents never focused on religious beliefs, so I am not affected by them at all.

With that being said, I wouldn't be able to bet everything I had that there is definately a God. Maybe if I had strong religious beliefs, I would be able to bet everything. I do not know enough about either one of my religions to make that wager. Besides if there is a God, would he or she really want us betting all of our stuff on the question of his or her existance?

God's Silence

If I was asked to place a bet as to whether there was a God of some sort or not, I would wager everything I had on the negative. Admittedly, I know nearly nothing about neuroscience, but I feel like there is a part of us that is hardwired to believe that there is something bigger out there that rules over the world. Why, exactly? We need to feel as if we're not in this alone - there has to be some sort of divine hand moving the chess pieces of the world, right? Not to mention the ugly, dirty, scary prospect of death (see: afterlife). Unlike Plato, Kierkegaard, and a long list of other individuals, important and forgettable, throughout history, though, I don't believe in the metaphysical. So, am I going to hell after I die, then? If my mere guesses (and the film Waking Life) contain a grain of truth, then maybe it will be a few minutes of brain activity that stretch out into a vast eternity - a heaven or hell of my own making...

...Not that I always thought this way. I was raised a Catholic, and even completed my Confirmation, but after thinking about it, I saw nothing behind these ceremonies that could create their significance. Which leaves me here, in a Catholic institution. Not that I have anything against religion or those who practice it - in fact, certain religious practitioners have been some of the greatest people I have had the pleasure of knowing - but I guess what I'm trying to say is that it just isn't for me.

even though what we do is w r o n g

Oh my GOD. How many times have you heard this in the past week? Day? Isn't this a sin, saying the Lord's name in vein? Jesus Christ, it's like we sin everyday. Is what we do holy, stealing gum from Walmart? Cheating on a significant other? Laughing at someone's expense?

I've been to church before. I mean, haven't you? No, not just at Easter and Christmas. We're talking every other week. I really liked the idea of having someone who loved me unconditionally. Therefore I could do no wrong. Well, my parents love me unconditionally but it seems like I can certainly still be punished.

That's tough, betting on God. Is there a God? If there was, he would fix things. Right? That's what everyone thinks. A higher power will come down and bring people back from the dead. He'd make people fall in love. He'd fix poor decisions. He'd virtually eliminate our tear ducts. He'd make life fair. He'd make a Santa Claus. He'd fix poverty. He'd bring back that first pet you had. He'd find your car keys you lost a few minutes ago. If there was a God, wouldn't he make decisions up to you? Wouldn't you have the power to make decisions? If there was a God, he wouldn't want to be tested. For this reason I wouldn't put my money either way. If I lost it, wouldn't everything be alright... God?

It's full of crap

"Granby, Connecticut. I live in that town below the notch that Massachussets has claimed so that 'it doesn't fall off' ". That is exactly what I don't answer when someone asks me where I'm from. It's a lame joke, kind of like the town itself. Our only bragging right thus far is that we have the highest horse per capita in Connecticut. So I'm not kidding when I say it's full of crap. In the literal sense, you get a waft of manure after you step out of the car, which really does a lot for the shower you just took. As you can imagine, the town is full of rednecks, or to put it nicely, cowboys/girls. First of all, I wouldn't know why someone would want to be a cow-person. It's like, 'Why is Jimmy pooping on the lawn?' 'Oh, he's a cow-boy.' Secondly, I'd like to address the music. Oh dear, the music. I've had to hear about people wanting to marry any and every singer that is shirtless in a cowboy hat and I guess there are a lot. I've seen a select few wear white on wednesdays, and heard about racially-based graffiti in the boys bathrooms. If I had a penny for everytime someone talked about hip-hop music... well, I'd have a penny. So, you can imagine my confusion when I'm on the phone with someone from Hartford who asks "What hood you rep?" Hood? I live in a cornfield...

Home

The mean streets of Braintree, Massachusetts. I guess home means a lot to me, I just never think about it. It's me. I am who I am because of where I grew up and what went on while I lived there. I lived in a typical, boring neighborhood and throughout grade school I'd play in the street every night after school until dark. As I got older, I left the street and starting walking around town. As I got even older, I started driving around town and eventually, I left it. But before that parting I met my best friends. I found my favorite places to eat. Home was safety, home was comfort, home was everything I knew. But now that I'm in college, home to me isn't there, it isn't an everyday part of my life. Yet I miss it, and I visit it, only because of how much it influenced my character. Sometimes, I do feel alienated when I go back. Sometimes I feel like home doesn't accept me, maybe because I left it. Home, though, creates you. It doesn't embody you and it won't be an intergral part of your entire life, but make sure to give it credit.
-Bob McCarthy

Home is Where I Set Up Shop

Home is where I rest at. Home isn't just a place though. Home is my peoples. When I'm with my homeys, I'm at home, even when I'm traveling.

When I was younger and didn't know myself that well, I felt alienated from home because I didn't feel at home in my body. I didn't know who I was, or what I was about. Times when I was around people who didn't care about me, or in places where I had nowhere to go for food or to sleep, I felt alienated from my home.

I also feel that Earth, and anywhere on it is my home. Where I live is my home. When I'm away from where I live, I miss routine, normal bedtime, free food, and the comfortable space I've created.

Home is space I carry with me. It's how I look at the world and how show myself to the world. Home is being accepted and respected. Home is when I offer hospitality or kindness to others. Home grows with confidence and feelings of self-worth. Home is where you end up when you feel weak and need support.

When I'm not at home, I miss security and intuition, knowledge of what I'm about, and good company.

What I want the WORLD to know

Pac was certainly courageous. His ability to tell it both ways displays the shifting balance with which we all struggle. He resonated with so many because they could all find themselves somewhere within his work. His courage was to be himself, without shame or apology. He showed people who he really was, and the sincerity garnered respect.
I AM SO CONTRADICTORY! I know so many things I don't like. I preach so much that I can't accomplish myself. I wish I could always do what I know is right, but I consistently find myself doing what I know is wrong.
Few people know me know me, maybe ten or so, and most of them are missing pieces. I
want to tell the WORLD all the knowledge, lessons, and revelation I've gathered. I want the world to see what I've learned, and even some the bad things about me. I want to shed light, but from a human place, from a person conflicted, scared, imperfect, and average. I want to tell my stories and have them resonate the way that Tupac's did. I want people to relate to my strengths and use my example to struggle on, or to overcome their troubles. I want people to recognize my weaknesses and feel comfortable with themselves and their insecurities.
If the world knew me, really knew me, I'd be vilified, hated, loved, and respected. I don't want the world to know me. I'm not about fame. But, I would want people to know what I know, to have the chance I have. I want people to take a shot at becoming better, kinder, less prejudiced, less programmed. Really though, there's nothing specific about me I want to tell the WORLD.

My Generation

My generation is skateboards, breakdancing, emcees, djs, jewelers, glass blowers, graf artists, Phish kids, Dead heads, hippies, Hip Hop, drugs, sex, street, homeless, traveling, music festivals, concerts, urban, ghetto, gully, gutter, underground, raw life.
I came up on Nirvana, Blind Melon, Pearl Jam, and Sublime in a small town where nothing happens - Easton, MA. I did "high" school in Braintree at Thayer Academy. Over there I caught up with the people whose parents didn't buy them Jeep Grand Cherokees. My people were on some flannels and hippie music - The Allman Brothers, Phish, and GD.
In college we were about J-Live's The Best Part, Tribe's Midnight Marauders, The Root's Do You Want More?!?, Defenders of the Underworld, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and Eminem. We scoured Napster all day, playing with butterfly knives, and frequenting house parties in Allston.
Emerson was some hip, gay, ugly, weird, artistic, freaky kids from all over chillin' in the Bean on street corners and in clubs, bars, Allston, Brighton, Cambridge, BC, BU, and everywhere else on the Boston-metro scene. It was a different world to me. Strange kids, new music, new movies, crazy parties, altered goals and mind states. I got caught up in the city, struggled with school vs. play and bounced after a couple.
That was when life got real. I hit the music festival scene, did the Phil Lesh and Phish thing. I realized Phish was the GD for my generation. The scene had never died, just got glossed over by materialism, baby boomers, and a disgruntled public and media. Let's hope that doesn't go down with Hip Hop. And I think it won't, cause Hip Hop was everywhere on the road: in the parking lot, in the fashion, in the vernacular, in the music, in the mindset. Phish tour was Hip Hop. Let me tell you, Phish was something else, it really showed you how much creative and fresh stuff was happening everywhere, with a scary, dirty, dangerous, dark side always looming in the background.
On the road, and before, I met my homeys. The cats who hold me down for whatever, the people whom I love. My people on the music scene, who make art, who make jewelry, who write graf, who spin records, who sell gems, who see shows, keep it creative, and support the continuing maturity of my generation.

Home

Home is West Roxbury, MA. Home is driving down Center Street with the windows down and the music blasting, breaking your neck looking left and right at the people on the sidewalks. Home is the real deal, ordering a Monster Burger: Buffalo style, extra bleu cheese. Home is Billings field where I play basketball, and the Hynes Field League where team Bogues Deep is looking to retake championship glory. Hopme is the gray Tetris block that is 119 Northdale Road., 3rd floor, 1st door on the right. Coming home from college for the first time felt strange because it seemed like everything had changed even though everything was pretty much the same. Being able to go home and see my friends and just relax defines home for me.

There's No Place Like Home

Home is Revere, MA. Home is the city. Home is the condo that I've been living in since I was brought home from the hospwital. Revere will always be a part of me, mostly because I have an extremely thick Revere/Boston accent. I don't always get the best reaction from people when I tell them that I'm from Revere, but I cannot imagine growing up any where else. I think growing up there has made me see a lot of things that people normally don't, and for that I am grateful.

I never realized how much I would miss Revere until I came to Stonehill. I miss being 6 minutes away from the beach, even though it's probably one of the dirtiest beaches I have ever seen. I miss being able to hop on the Blue Line and go straight into Boston. I miss being able to choose which of the 13 Dunkin Donuts in Revere I will stop at for coffee. And most of all, I miss my big comfortable bed. Missing all of these things just helps me appreciate my home even more than I already do.

fashion has never defined me

Throughout my life, fashion has never played a place in defining me. Right now I dress professionally because I teach full time. However, I love the idea of comfort. I like clothes based on how they feel. Sweatshirts are a huge part of my wardrobe. I would have to say my style is laid back and that is how I define myself through fashion. I love the comfort of jeans so they are what I wear most of the time. The current trends of labels and baggy pants are trends in which I have no desire to succumb. But when historians look back at the trends in fashion, they will conclude that the main culture of this time is that of decadence and superfluous usage of money. There is also the consistent trend of clothes that are too baggy. Historians will look back and view the culture that cares more about its baggy and excess clothes, rather than help people without enough clothes to keep warm.

Tupac

I don’t think Tupac was immature or confused- I think he was simply torn. Like all human beings, we have conflicting emotions every day and Tupac was honest with himself about that. It’s not the same old one-dimensional garbage like Paul Wall or 50 Cent. Tupac had honesty, artistic integrity, and “realness” that most rappers lack. I think I can often be contradictory because that is how people are by nature. That is what draws me to Tupac’s music because he covers everything. His music could be very misogynistic at times, but he has also made more strides for women than the large majority of male rappers. That is why Tupac was so “real”: he did “put himself out there,” he talked about how he truly felt without watering it down or manufacturing it, and he was honest.
I am conflicted on a daily basis, and sometimes I wish I had the courage to speak out, confront, and address my problems as aggressively as Tupac did. But as Quincy Jones said, this brutal confrontation with the truth is what got Tupac killed.
-Tim Cuff

I've lived at the same house in Taunton for as long as I can remember. All of my childhood memories take place at this address. We shared our home with my grandmother. It was comfortable, safe, and enjoyable--what every home should be. But when she died in 2003, a piece of home died with her. An integral piece of the only home I've known died with her. Because she was such a huge part of my environment, the repurcussions of her passing were amplified. I felt alienated from my sole sense of home. Home had to redefine itself.
It took a while before the redefinition was complete. Now home is comfortable again. My room is a place that I cherish where no one can bother me. I'll never have the same sense of home as I did before my grandmother's death, but the alterations are a part of life.

Sun in an Empty Room (Thoughts on Home)

I have not felt a sense of connection with my hometown for a while - at least since I entered college, and probably during high school, too. I come from East Haven, a small suburb of New Haven in CT. Now, of course, New Haven is great, but can anyone name anything in East Haven? Didn't think so. In addition, I do not have too many friends in my hometown - we grew apart after grade school. In that regard, I feel more connected to school than I do to my home.

The one thing that does bring me back home, though, is my family. I enjoy spending time with my mother, father, and sister (when she happens to be around.) Also, my grandparents live nearby, so I'm always there for holiday celebrations and other get-togethers. Of course, with family comes the physical home itself, and there's just something about my mom yelling for me from the other side of the house (and failing to get my attention most of the time) that just can't be replicated at school.

I'm not sure what I'll do after I graduate, but the prospect of moving back home again is always compelling because of my family.

Home is where the heart is

To me, home means a lot of different things. First and foremost I take it in the literal sense, the house in which I live in. But it is not just the place where i eat, sleep and spend a lot of my time when I'm not at school. There is a feeling that goes along with. A feeling of comfort, a feeling of safety. Other times of course, it can be a little intimidating, especially if you've done something wrong. During my sophomore year of high school, there was a lot going on with my family at home, so I did feel a slight bit of alienation from my home. But that is where the cliche "home away from home" comes in. My home away from home became my dance studio, and being there helped ease the tension at home. When I'm not home, I miss my room the most. It is the one thing in the house I can call my own, and having that is really important to me.
Liz:)

My Generation

The Who’s song, as stated, has very cynical lyrics similar to those in hip-hop. I feel my generation is definitely a hip-hop generation as hip-hop fashion, music, art, and other aspects are strongly part of our pop culture. I think many aspects of hip-hop that are exploited for financial gain have, unfortunately, become the most influential part of hip-hop in our society. 50 Cent’s philosophy to “get rich or die trying” is apparent in trends of rappers who discuss violence, drug dealing, cars, women, and money. It is also represented in our society at large with going to war for oil, and destroying our environment for greater profit. But, there are exceptions in hip-hop if you delve deeper.

Tupac Shakur, a personal favorite of mine, had many bleak lyrics similar to the Who such as “I ain’t paranoid- I’ve seen the future and it’s hopeless,” and, “Even if I did die young who cares? All I ever got were mean looks and cold stares.” I feel this better represents my generation- detached, apathetic, feeling helpless and misunderstood. Tupac very much talked about the “thug life” as 50 does, but it’s not the same. Tupac often warned of thug life leading to death, further oppression through prison, destruction, and deepening the hole of poverty the black community have yet to climb out of. I’ve always admired 2pac for representing so many different aspects of a generation and so many emotions all at once. His songs run the gamut from hopeless (R U Still Down?) to hopeful (Keep Ya Head Up); feminist (Never Call U Bitch Again) to misogynistic (I Get Around); peaceful (Changes) to violent (Hit ‘Em Up); etc. The “realness” of Tupac was truly felt, representing all the emotions of a youth and not just being tough and getting money. It’s the honesty and emotion that I feel my generation, and modern hip-hop, sincerely lack.

-Tim Cuff

Tupac

Tupac's dualistic attitude illustrates who he really is. Both songs portrays Tupac's attitude about the societal issues he encounters, and towards the people who hate him. Being able to perform this, display Tupac's uniqueness, and ingenuity. For that reason, he is considered one of the greatest rapper in 20th century. Portraying this sense of dualistic attitude is difficult for any rapper to accomplish.

In all honesty, there isn't anything I have to show to the world. I am the way I am through no matter what the conditon entails. Unlike Tupac who can portray this dualistic attitude, I can never do it. It's impossible to do so because it contradicts for who I am.

P.S-Hip-Hop is dead

Clothes.

I think other than a few exceptions, everybody this day and age wears their clothes for a reason. I know I do. We don't just throw on or buy clothes we don't like, and I think this speaks to the idea that fashion is an important way to describe ourselves to the people in our lives. Sure, there are posers and people who wear what they wear to fit in or look "cool", but for the most part, especially in a college setting, people wear what they want to wear, what they look good in, and what they think does the best job of portraying themselves to other people. I think back in the day, no one had as much freedom to wear what they wanted, it had to be socially accepted or it was most likely banned. But as history moved on we gained more freedom. I think a lot of time our clothing speaks more to people we come in contact with than anything else. You can't make conversation where you tell everything about yourself to anyone you see walking down the street. Your clothing often speaks the loudest about who you are as an individual to other people. Bob out.

My generation

My generation. Superficial, smart yet lazy, technologically advanced. We barely talk to one another, at least in person. When's the last time you called your best friend's home phone to see what he/she was doing? When's the last time I had a home-cooked meal on Sunday night? When's the last time I didn't check to see where my girlfriend was on AIM but instead went and looked for her? My generation has advanced in a field of superb efficiency. Nothing is hard anymore. Cars practically drive themselves. You can find anything you want just by knowing what a letter looks like and where it is on a keyboard. I can track how long and how far I jog through my music player. I don't necessarily hate this, though. People may put our efficiency and technology down, and may want us to use more concrete means of transportation and communication (to become a better person), but I think they're jealous. Now, life can be what you make of it, not what it forces you to be. They can criticize our generation if they wish, but they are crazy to criticize that. And even if they wanted to stop it, even if they wanted to bring it back to the old days where people walked to places or talked to each other in person, they couldn't. Our world has become so accustomed to this way of life that people, companies, relationships, you name it, would be in chaos. The computer did that. The cellphone did that. We did that. And there's no looking back. -Bobby McCarthy

Tupac - Courageous or Confused

Edward’s notion that Tupac was courageous for putting himself outthere is correct. What made Tupac Tupac was the passion and emotion that he rapped with. In his song “Brenda’s Got a Baby” he portrays his compassion towards women who are brought up in urban areas and some struggles that come along with it. He was also very emotional and passionate in the song “Hit em Up”, in which he portrays his anger and passion through his battle song. He used this song to lyrically attack Biggy, which is why he used such derogatory words. When he talked to about women in “Brenda’s Got a baby” he was talking about women in general, where in “Hit em Up” he was talking about a specific person (Faith Hill).
-Mike Gannon

My Generation

My generation is thought of in a negative aspect; we are seen as lazy and selfish. sometimes i feel that this is true for some of us unfortunately. However I am also happy to be a part of the new Celtics dynasty generation. I have been waiting patiently for them to return to their glory days, and with the help of the new Big 3 it appears that thye will be able to do so. The bang wagon jumpers for the Celtics have been enormous, but that unfortunately is something that I have to deal with for the team to be good. I went to about 10 games last year, and this year I will be lucky if I can make it to 3. There will be so many pink Garnett jerseys in the stands while I am sitting at home that it is going to make me sick,. It all boils down to Green 17 though, and if they can take that home then nothing else will matter. November 2nd basketball action returns to Boston, and hopefully my generation will be able to experience championship glory.

My Generation

If I had to define my generation, I would have to call it the generation of mourning. My generation has seen the death of music greats that span across the entire spectrum of music. The personal biggest loss to me was that of Aaliyah. Other immensely notable deaths were that of Tupac, Biggie, Left-Eye, Kurt Cobain, and Selena. My generation has stalled with the passing of these figures. We have moved on, yet we keep listening, reminiscing what used to be and ponder what has happened to music. Skeptics say my generation only loves these figures because they died. Although there are some ‘posers’ out there, real fans listen not only on the anniversary of their deaths but all year around. My generation is small in totality, big is huge in heart.
My generation has the unique ability to transcend genres and relate to people’s emotions and through lyrics. One does not need to only love those artists past; in fact doing that is the opposite of my generation. We find influences relevant and look for reverences and allusions in the works of new comers. Although we sit back and remember what could have been we are not a stagnant group of people. We are proud, we a few and we will remember.

My Generation

Each generation is defined by a vast amount of components. They all have their own individual styles of fashion, dance, music, as well as everything else that can categorize them. I believe that the generation I live in is often looked at as the technologically advanced, lazy generation. Often times, people wrongly envision obese adolescents playing Playstation as a representation of our generation. Sure, you're right we never had to walk ten miles in the snow to school everyday, but this is not a completely accurate depiction. I would have to agree with the technology part of the description though. Technology undoubtedly simplifies our lives by giving us the ability to text message, instant message, and correspond on social networking sites like Facebook. Besides technology, I would definitely have to say that music is a major part of my generation as well. Music is a huge influence on the lives of today's teenagers and adolescents regardless of the genre it. Greg

Well my bosses at work always made fun of my band shirts (granted it is Rush, so I suppose I deserve it). I guess in the end I just wear what I think is kinda cool or bands that are pretty cool or shirts that are cool enough and cost less than 5 dollars and that in the end throw me into the whole 'stoner-rock' look. I never really meant it to be like that, but hey you are what you are and then you die. But oh well when I walk around in band shirts, leather jacket, jeans, winter hat, and flip flops, it's hard not to stereotype it, and I guess I live up to the stereotype pretty well. 500 years from now they'll probably just say that we (and by we I mean the stereotype, which is all we have to judge the past by anyways) wore clothing that said what our music preferences were and that we wore clothing that was confortable and unsexualized in that greasy way I'm too lazy to try to do something about. I guess it is just a conglomerate of all things that have been done before, hippies, rockers, new-agers, skaters, whatever it's okay. At least it's not wearing a brand for the sake of wearing it. I kinda wonder what they'll say about that trend 500 years from now. But I guess I am the hippie-stoner-rocker-new-agey-kind so I'm supposed to not understand that anyways. It all works out in the end.

-Bernie

we are living in a material world... and I am a material girl

"F*ck. I have nothing to wear." How many times have I said that in the last month? Madonna's right. I'm a material girl. Look at my bed, floor, or anything but the closet and you'll see a whole bunch of "materials" I'd like to call my wardrobe. My mom always asked me if a tornado hit the room. No mom, tornados don't do that, and how am I as destructive as a tornado? Life was so much easier when there was Sesame Street. Back then there were only cereal girls. Back then, I didn't have to iron my clothes in order to fix the wrinkles I subject them to in the first place. Talk about irony. Now is a different story. The iron and I are best friends (although he gets pretty steamed up once in a while).
I'd take Madonna's clothes over mine anyday. No, not her money, the actual clothes. Risque, yes. Pushing it over the Borderline, no. Madonna thinks you should Express Yourself. And so do I. Clothes express your mood more than anything. Jeans mean I want to be comfortable yet cute at the same time. Sweatpants can mean I will do/just did a sport. In my case, that's not an excuse, it means I-don't-give-a-sh*t. If you see me on a Friday night, that's the same thing. I dress up cute, girls get jealous (for reasons beyond me), call me a name, and I still don't-give-a-sh*t. Somebody get me some sweatpants.
If you see me wearing nice clothes, it's probably a rare occasion, although I I'm doing my best to fix that. With the salary I'm given from the Y (I change kids lives for four dollars an hour less than the people who staple papers all day), I need to be creative. Either that or I better do well in school to get a job that will boss those paper-staplers around. Maybe I can become some rich celebrity with a one-word name, like McLovin, Seal, or Madonna. But right now I'm just Marissa.

I Dress with a Message

Right now I'm wearing I-Path's. That company was started by kids in Geneva, NY, near where I used to live. They're popular among skateboarders and tour kids. My t-shirt was made by a small West Coast independent company called Spraygraphic. I heard about them from Beautiful Decay magazine, a relatively new underground art and culture publication. The graphic on the shirt is a gas can checkered with money symbols with a map of the world cut out of it. My jeans are by Scifen which represents science and the infinite. That company was started by a graf writer.
I rock underground gear almost exclusively as a sign to anyone paying attention that I'm not a slave to or billboard for large corporate interests. I have a couple friends who have their own clothing companies and I push their gear as much as I can. My other homey is putting out a hoody with Mishka for next summer, and I will probably cop one of those.
I try to wear clothes that are intellectual and artistic. I hope that the message behind the art of the things I cover myself with helps people wake up. I wear clothes that promote organic growth, open minds, spiritual progress, and independent artists.
I wear art. I patronize creativity and positivity in what I wear, but still try to look comfortable physically and in my surroundings. Fashion is important to me as a way to reinforce visually the ideas I stand for. I'm always on the lookout for new artwear, new artists, new independent clothiers, and fresh styles.
- John Harlow

Tupac

I think Tupac was both courageous and confused. All human beings are contradictory at one point or another, especially as young adults. We're trying to figure out where we stand and sometimes its hard to make a decision. Tupac was brave enough to vocalize his confusion. Music and lyrics are a very personal way of expressing youself. I have notebooks filled with songs I have written that convey some of my deepest, most complex emotions. No one has ever heard my songs or read my lyrics. I think that if they did, they would probably think that I am a contradictory person too. I've never had the guts to put my stuff out there. For me music is so personal and I couldn't handle people judging me based on the things that I write. I commend Tupac for having the strength to share his thoughts and feelings knowing that they will be judged. I may not agree with everything that Tupac thinks or sings about, but I respect him for speaking his mind through his music. - Meg Sweeney

Fashion

Getting dressed in the morning may be one of my favorite parts of the day. Putting together different outfits together for me is fun. I would consider my style preppy, I do love to wear polo shirts, and yes I do pop my collar. Clothing are an outward expression of who you are. Whether we like to believe it, others are always judging you on what you wear. I think that what I wear is a relfection of my personality. I make it a point that my clothing is always matching and not wrinkled. Even my sweatpants get ironed. In the future, historians will probably look back at my clothes and laugh. I know that style and fashion is cyclical and what was popular in the past usually becomes popular again decades later, but who knows what will happen in 500 years.

A Media Obsession

Since the advent of radio, television, and computers in the twentieth century, it is almost impossible to escape the media. It captivates my generation and makes the majority--not all--of my generation homogenous. It lacks the luster of individuality. Popular music is essentially comprised of the same subjects and musical arrangements. The same stories of celebrities are published weekly or bi-weekly in a multitude of tabloids (which are generally the same). Reality TV shows, although different in objective, have the same execution: strangers who are also competitors live together in a house, cliques form, alliances form, people hook up, and, of course, drama is instigated. I ask my generation, why do we need an array of tabloids if they all publish the same stories? Why tune into the new reality TV show when you know it will follow that basic format? This type of entertainment is completely irrelevent to peronal lives, and by playing into it, the fire only grows.

What my generation needs to do is recognize the benefits of uniqueness and the dangers of uniformity. It's a tough proposition, but there's hope, I think.

--David Charlesworth

A Fashion Diatribe

A little-known band named Tenacious D once sang (in the song "Rock Your Socks"), "Are you willing to make the commitment, waking up, going 'okay, it’s gig time, what t-shirt am I gonna wear?'" Alright, so I don't have any gigs to play, and I'm not even in a band, but I do feel sort of like that when I get dressed every morning. Just recently, in fact, I bemoaned my lack of humorous T-shirs to my roommate. But why t-shirts and jeans, though? I guess part of it comes from a newfound freedom I found in college that I never had beforehand. Before college, I dressed myself in a shirt and tie every day before going to school. Now that might have been fine at Prep school, but I needed a different image for College. I think that what I wear here helps me to stand out from the "popped collar crowd" that is associated with Stonehill. Personally, I'd rather be abrasive than fit in; of course t-shirts from Hot Topic and Kohl's can only be so contrastive, but I do what I can. In addition, I carry a bag adorned with pins and wear an Armor for Sleep sweatshirt because they are colorful and they each exhibit a piece of my personality.

Fashion Forward

Liz Moran
No matter what anyone says, we all pass judgement about other people based on looks. We (hopefully) do not base our entire opinion about that person based on their appearance, but it does play a key factor in every ones life. The clothes a person chooses to wear is the way in which they choose to present them self to everyone else. Also, it is an easy way to identify with another person; it is already one thing you have in common. The clothes a person puts on their back is not only comprised of color and fabric, but of personal style and mood. I say mood because lord knows if it is a nasty, rainy day outside, I'm going to class in sweatpants and a hoodie. But if it is a beautiful summer day, I may be more inclined to wear shorts and a tank top or something. The clothes a person chooses to wear says something about them. It is an inaudible statement of who they are or what they choose to represent. Boys wear jerseys or hats of their favorite sports teams, and girls choose to run around with "juicy" or "pink" stamped on their butts (but hey that's personal choice:)) People put labels on clothing, and not just on the back of the shirt or pants. We tend to classify people by what they wear: preppy, ghetto, grungy, gothic, etc. It can also be a symbol of status. There are some brands of clothing that people know are expensive and have a distinct logo or something. Some people buy clothes like that to tell other people, "look at me I can afford this." Personally I think that bogus. No matter what you wear, I think you should be comfortable and happy, and screw what anyone else thinks:).
“"Style" is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style.”--John Fairchild

Generation

My generation is thought of in a negative aspect; we are seen as lazy and selfish. sometimes i feel that this is true for some of us unfortunately. However I am also happy to be a part of the new Celtics dynasty generation. I have been waiting patiently for them to return to their glory days, and with the help of the new Big 3 it appears that thye will be able to do so. The bang wagon jumpers for the Celtics have been enormous, but that unfortunately is something that I have to deal with for the team to be good. I went to about 10 games last year, and this year I will be lucky if I can make it to 3. There will be so many pink Garnett jerseys in the stands while I am sitting at home that it is going to make me sick,. It all boils down to Green 17 though, and if they can take that home then nothing else will matter. November 2nd basketball action returns to Boston, and hopefully my generation will be able to experience championship glory.

Talkin Bout My Generation

I, along with many others, view my generation as being misguided in many ways. I feel this way because I don't see my generation as having proper or noteworthy role models. In growing up in urban Boston, I noticed how most of the youth around me were driven by, and in many ways, blinded by their desires to make it big. Their role models are celebrities, music artists, and sports players who know more about selling their souls for commercialism, than anything else. To emphasize this point, all you have to do is look at who in our society makes the big bucks. I think there is something seriously wrong when a basketball player (as much as I love the sport) makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year, while the educators of our youth barely make enough to support themselves and their families. And for this reason, the multi-millionaire athletes and musicians are the people that our generation look up to and idolize. When asked, more kids today will say that they want to grow up to be the next Allen Iverson or T.I., and not the next high school counselor. For this reason, I think our generation is misguided, and has the wrong impression of what true success is.
---Felicia Waldron