31.12.2011
Music
When The Roots joined Jimmy Fallon’s show as his in-house band, it provided more confirmation that hip-hop has permanently crossed over into a genre of music people from all races and economic levels can relate to and/or appreciate.
I came across an article online which labels The Roots as “America’s Band,” and I have to say I agree:
The Roots represent “how we live now.” When The Roots joined Fallon for Late Night, folks still used the term “sellout.” Now that’s a quaint, old-fogey notion from a time when your career represented “you” as a person. Now your Facebook page or Twitter feed does the selling out, and every job is just another “gig,” whether you’re a blogger, rapper, or financial consultant to the subhuman demons on Wall Street. Throw in Quest’s fluency with Twitterese, and generally avid use of social media (even breaking some Occupy Wall Street news), and add a pinch of their newfound political prankishness and you have a band that represents America in a way that runs deeper than sales and digital downloads.
It’s cool to see a hip-hop/soul band become a mainstream, (almost) household name especially since their talent is not based solely on their often politically-driven lyrics but on their instrumentalism as well. (If you’ve seen ?uestlove work the drums, you know what I mean.)
What do you think? Do The Roots qualify to be “America’s Band” of today? If not, who would you choose?
Read the rest of the article here
26.12.2011
Success
I’ve returned home after completing my first semester of law school and I’ve been through a lot of difficult experiences in my life…
BUT these past four months have been FAR from easy.
I’ve proved to myself that I can survive on my own, in a new environment, and even build relationships in the process.
I don’t know how well (or not) I did this past semester but I do know that I worked hard and learned that most things don’t come easy and require A LOT of hard work and I proved to myself that I can handle that hard work.
This past semester has both tested and strengthened my faith. I’ve learned a lot about myself and had a lot of fun in the process.
It’s a refreshing feeling to be moving closer to my dream of getting a law degree and becoming an attorney and I’m interested in seeing what this next semester will bring besides thousands of pages of reading, networking, and numerous hours in the library.
06.10.2011
Politics
Even though most news sites and blogs are focusing on the loss of technology legend and pioneer, Steve Jobs. I’d like to bring attention to another prolific life, the life of Derrick Bell.
- DERRICK BELL 1930-2011
Derrick Bell was the first tenured Black professor of Law at Harvard University and dean of University of Oregon School of Law. His achievements and values strike a cord for me especially since I am currently working my way through law school. He is one of the people who is responsible for opening doors and paving the way for me and other law school students of color. Without his work and commitment to justice and equality, my road to and through law school probably would have been tougher than it already was/is.
Though the legal profession continues to be grossly underrepresented by Blacks, I am thankful for his inspiration to seek “a life of meaning and worth” as well as his sacrifices of money and prestige in order to protest Harvard’s hiring practices.
He has taught many about law and race in addition to fighting for civil rights and his academic contributions have made a lasting change.
