The Blue & White Flash February 9, 2023

www.sites.jsums.edu/jsufl

Reeves bans TikTok on state-owned devices

Ayliahna Wilson Staff Writer

Students at Jackson State University received an email from Jackson State University IT Support announcing a ban on the use of Tik Tok on University owned devices effective immediately.

The email read: Effective January 30, 2023, access to the social media app and website TikTok will be blocked on all Jackson State University (JSU) networks, wired and wireless in accordance with the following directive from Governor Tate Reeves.

The directive forbids the use of TikTok on all government-owned and state-owned devices. All JSU students and employees who utilize state-issued cellular phones, computers, and other wireless communication equipment should delete any apps or other software applications developed by ByteDance Ltd., which owns TikTok, by the end

33rd

Amaya Baker Staff Writer

of the month. JSU will continue to take steps to ensure compliance with this order and will provide updates as they occur.

This came as a huge surprise to many individuals across campus.

According to the directive from Gov.Reeves, this ban was set in place in order to protect the United States information and infrastructure from the app which is based in China.

With the ban, the governor believes Mississippi and the U.S. can better protect themselves from getting personal information stolen from Americans and used against us in China because of concerns about Tik Tok tracking its users.

“It’s no secret that the Chinese Communist Party is actively trying to steal U.S. intellectual property and Americans’ personal information. It’s a major threat to our national security and critical infrastructure, costs the U.S. economy hundreds of billions annually, and jeopardizes American jobs,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Mississippi isn’t going to sit around

waiting for the Chinese Communist Party to steal our state government data, and that’s why I issued this directive. It will help us better protect our state’s sensitive information and critical infrastructure,” said the governor in the directive.

Some Jackson State students said that while they understand the severity of national security, they believed Mississippi has more important issues to tackle.

Tyshyia Frazier, a sophomore political science major from Florence, Miss., said that issues like the city of Jackson needing proper funding and a better water system were more important than banning Tik Tok.

“I am extremely upset. I feel like there are more important things to focus on besides students using Tik Tok. We have a lack of security, barely enough parking spots for students and potholes on every corner of campus,” Frazier said. “We also have strangers wandering around campus day and night, yet our school is worried about Tik Tok?”

She added, “If the people who are in charge of this school are worried about their students, social media should not be the first thing they turn to. They could be working on fixing the Wifi that goes out every week on campus instead.”

Jayden Mack, a sophomore business marketing major from Naperville, Ill., said it does not matter because it will have little to no effect on the students staying inside dorms on campus.

“Before the Tiktok ban, we already had numerous reasons not to stay on campus, such as problems with housing space, visitation policies, water issues, etc,” Mack said. “The school banning Tik Tok is just the icing on top because what if they decide to block other social media apps? There wouldn’t be anything you could do about it except accept it,” said Mack.

Although banned on campus, students still have access to the application using their own data and outside of campus in the city of

Jackson.

The state of Mississippi was not the first state to issue the Tik Tok App ban from their servers. Both Alabama and Arkansas have issued bans as well. Jackson State IT Chief Information Officer Deborah F. Dent, Ph.D., said that a lot of information is still being retrieved about the Tik Tok ban.

“As far as JSU, we are blocking access to Tik Tok at the network level. If you are connected to the internet or WiFi via the JSU network, you will not be able to access TikTok,” Dent said. “I will continue to seek information on the penalty for anyone who figures out a workaround.”

The Flash will continue to update this story as more information is released.

Tatyana Ross contributed to this story.

African-American Read-In held to promote literacy

“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” by Walter Mosley was the focus of the 33rd African-American Read In (AARI) held on Feb. 6 in the H.T. Sampson Library.

Hundreds of Jackson State University students, staff and faculty participated in the annual event which is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts Department of English, Foreign Languages and Speech Communication.

The goal of the day, according to the National Council of Teachers of English website, is to make the celebration of African-American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.

Monica Granderson-Little chairs the annual event and also expounded on the objective of the event.

“The purpose of the AARI is twofold. We hope to encourage young African-Americans to read and we also want to promote literature that is by us and about us,” said Granderson-

Little. “We picked these stories because many black children don’t read detective novels or really any novels at all. We hope that by encouraging them to read novels like this, their deductive reasoning skills are utilized.”

Students and panelists discussed the novel as it related to: Conflict/ Resolutions, Social Justice, Personal Responsibility and Intergenerational Relationships & Lessons. How the movie was adapted from novel to film was also discussed.

An important topic for many students and staff alike was the discussion on generational gaps.

The panelists included Hillard Lackey, Ph.D., author C. Leigh McInnis and Professor Janelle Jefferson.

McInnis, had this to say about how generational divides can be fixed.

“Elders must develop relationships with young people to stop generational divide,” McInnis said.

In the featured novel, 91-year-old Ptolemy is suffering from dementia. He doesn’t have any children and is taken care of, or really not taken care of, by his great-nephew Reggie who doesn’t have time for him.

Reggie is killed in a drive-by shooting and Ptolemy gets a new caretaker, a young girl named Robyn. Robyn helps him to stay focused on the present because his memory loss goes back and forth between his time as youth in Mississippi and present day Los Angeles.

Ptolemy learns of an experimental drug that helps to restore his memory but it eventually kills him.

During the discussion, the Tyre Nichols case and social justice was discussed. Ptolemy was believed to have committed a crime when he was younger and his nephew ends up getting murdered so he is trying to get justice for him.

“This (Tyre Nichols) ties directly into what is happening in the black communities now. We (Read In participants) all agreed that something needs to be done all the officers. It’s just really hurtful when things like this are done to and by our own,” said Granderson-Little.

According to the NCTE website, the National African American ReadIn (AARI) was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National

Council of Teachers of English to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. This initiative has reached more than 6 million participants around the world.

In 2002, Dr. Doris Ginn, linguist

and associate professor of English at JSU, had a prominent role in establishing the African-American Read-In on the campus of Jackson State.

Tiger Events

JSU’s 7-Day

The march continues for African-Americans seeking civil rights

brutality, voting rights and equality were all done in solidarity.

My mother was born in the late 50’s and recalls traumatic memories of her life. She vividly describes a cross burning in her yard, Caucasians throwing bottles at her and her siblings walking alongside the road; racial slurs being echoed and scoldings by rich white ladies.

Fast-forward to today, the rhythm and blues are still played in the same tune of the 1950s and 1960s.

Alivia Welch Managing Editor

When the Civil Rights Movement is discussed, one usually thinks of Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, or John Lewis. These renowned individuals all fought for rights that were spoken for long before African-Americans and people of color (POC) were granted said rights.

The mass protests against racial segregation and discrimination, police

What challenges did African-Americans face throughout the Civil Rights Movement that they continue to face today?

Let’s ask Eric Garner, George Floyd and Michael Brown.

“I can’t breathe,” said Garner and Floyd.

“I don’t have a gun. Stop shooting,” said Brown.

These are the last words of black men who were killed by police in recent years.

Aside from the areas of brutality, we’re still being mass incarcerated, systematically oppressed by lack of jobs— including fewer job openings,

lower wages, and job quality. The common myths of being lazy, lacking worth ethics, relying on the government for food and money that have stereotyped the African-American people for decades is simply not true. But many people of other races still perpetuate these stereotypes. My mother recalls as an adolescent having to work all day in the cotton fields and receiving nickels and dimes for her labor. Even now, employers are being sued and fined for paying less wages to people of color. Other historical events that suppressed our community was redlining, which is the refusal of financial services to certain people based on their race.

The Homeowners Loan Corporation in the 1930s discriminated against black families who were seeking homeownership. This cooperation particularly assigned mortgage lenders, banks, and real estate agents to map out areas in poor communities and neighborhoods based on their income.

When people of color from these communities would apply for the loans they were automatically denied and numbers and codes were used to identify your address that aided in the suppression of black families because they were not able to buy housing in non-red areas.

These whites didn’t want people of color in those areas because they believed it would drive their home price down into a lower bracket.

Even though redlining is illegal, there are businesses today that operate using this same system and map.

This act prompted development of covenants and Home Owners Associations (HOA). These covenants protected the value of the neighborhoods. When President Biden took office in January of 2020, our country was in turmoil. He vowed to fight for racial justice and advancing equity through the federal government.

“It is therefore the policy of my administration that the federal government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of

color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our government,” said President Biden in an Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities.

The idea that we as AfricanAmericans are still facing injustices by a country that has advanced from the work of our ancestors is shameful.

From the words of Winston Churchill, “Together we stand, divided we fall.” It is then we as a nation can unify and ignite change. The courage and bravery that my elders displayed showed their strength to overcome barriers that was meant to suppress and destroy their potential.

The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.

“What Challenges did African-Americans face during the Civil Rights Movement that still exist today?”

Joshua Edwards Senior Journalism & Media Studies Tulsa, Okla.

“One challenge is opportunities within corporate America. Black women and men alike have the same position, but the white person may get paid more.”

“No

Deiante Harris Freshman

Criminal Justice Chicago, Ill.

“The police target mostly us during our day-to-day lives, and not much has changed. George Floyd was a victim of the racially motivated system.”

Yahkeemyh Yisrael Freshman Political Science Hermanville, Miss.

“Discrimination in all areas is still faced. We may be able to do more things physically but you can still feel the oppression.”

Tyliah Hall

Sophomore Elementary Education Jackson, Miss.

“Police brutality, they (police officers) should follow the role of serving and protecting the community, not tearing it down.”

“Something that African-Americans still face today is the lack of diversity and inclusion in the work environment, especially for women.”

Laila Woodfork Junior Biology/Pre-Medicine New Orleans, La.

“Having to work 10 times harder to prove ourselves is a challenge we still face, even if we are more than qualifi ed.”

Damarius Fitzpatrick Freshman Business Administration Stuttgart, Ark.

“Police brutality is an issue. There was George Floyd and now Tyre Nicholas. It’s like the same cycle, just a different name.”

Mykylia Williams Sophomore Political Science

Little Rock, Ark.

“We still face black on black discrimination. The day that we can all come together and realize we have the same goal regardless of how we get there, things would be a lot different.”

“Being seen and heard. There were so many protests within the movement and we still get treated poorly. Women are not viewed as actual people, more like objects.”

Japhiah Watkins Junior Marketing Pearl, Miss.

“We still go through segregation in more discreet ways. A prime example would be the schools we graduate from. The education is not quality at an HBCU as it would be at a PWI.”

Amaya Smith Freshman Criminal Justice Chicago, Ill.

“Being segregated in regular spaces like restaurants. If a restaurant has more white people in it, people automatically view it as more classy.”

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Compiled by: Shakell James

Hiyonah Stewart Freshman Computer Engineering Atlanta,

Ga.

Gregory Underwood Freshman Education Jackson, Miss.

matter what area of skill it is, we often get rejected or pushed to the side.”

Jade Jones Junior Biology/Pre-Medicine Chicago, Ill.

Black History Spotlight: Dr. Hilliard Lackey - 56 years and counting

Tatyana Ross Editor-in-Chief

Hilliard Lawrence Lackey, Ph.D. sat down to speak with Flash Editorin-Chief about his upbringing and the journey that led to his over 50year span of service to Jackson State University

Lackey was born on Oct. 9, 1942 in Marks, Miss., a small town located in the Mississippi Delta, where his family lived on a cotton plantation as sharecroppers. He knew there had to be more to life than working in cotton fields all day.

Lackey attended Friendship School located in rural Quitman County.

“I had two teachers, Mary Valentine Johnson and Solomon Benson and they were not college graduates. They might have taken classes but I’m reasonably sure they did because they spoke so well,” Lackey said.

He added, “Where I was, you went to church on Sunday and we had funerals on Sunday afternoons in those days because you couldn’t miss work to do anything.”

Lackey was always interested in higher education and in 1961, his high school teacher Leo D. Reed took him to Jackson State to take the ACT.

When his classmates were presenting which college they planned on going to, Lackey told the class he wanted to attend Memphis State University and the room just went dead silent before his teacher interjected.

“And he just laughed at me and said, ‘They don’t want you there’ and he invited me and two other students along with him that same weekend to take the ACT here,” Lackey said.

Lackey admitted to never actually trying to get into Memphis State but he said he always fantasized about it.

“I read a newspaper everyday which

was passed along from the plantation owner, The Memphis Press Scimitar,” Lackey said. “Everything we had in the Delta came from Memphis, so I was infatuated with Memphis and I wanted to get there.”

Lackey said that the day he took the ACT marked his first real time getting to see black people wearing such nice suits and dresses and he was inspired and described it as having instant role models.

He admired all of his teachers but he said that Allen Brown, a chemistry teacher, is who he looked up to the most. After taking the ACT he was invited to stay at Brown’s residence.

Brown was more than just a teacher but he also filmed the sports games for the school. And after helping

Lackey receive a position with student employment, he joined the staff of The Blue and White Flash as a photographer.

“Teachers were bigger than life in our minds as students and we really held the teaching faculty in high regard. We thought they were something,” Lackey said. “And now that I am one of them I emulate those of the past.” He added, “I want to just overwhelm students and innovate them with knowledge and my perspective of an open-minded person seeking the truth.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree from Jackson College for Negro Teachers, Lackey continued his education.

According to Lackey, there were only three schools where AfricanAmericans could attain a Ph.D.:

University of Oklahoma, Indiana University, and Ohio State University. However, he managed to gain his Ph.D. from The University of Mississippi.

Lackey became the first employee hired on Peoples’ staff holding the position of the Director of Alumni Affairs, and he has maintained a position at Jackson State for 56 years and counting.

“I came on April 1, 1967 and that was 56 years ago. One of the smaller things in life is to be the longest serving employee of Jackson State,” he said.

In 1967, the school was renamed Jackson State College and Lackey said that after Peoples took over as president he had goals to make Jackson State even better.

“When Dr. Peoples became

president, he asked all employees, especially faculty, to get their ‘meal ticket’,” Lackey said. “He wanted to strengthen the institution by strengthening the faculty.”

He added, “In those days you couldn’t get a master’s degree in Mississippi unless you got it from Jackson State, if you were black. And you couldn’t get above a master’s at all unless you left the state of Mississippi.”

Lackey said he is grateful for all the years he has dedicated to Jackson State because it has had a lot of influence on the man he is today.

“Jackson State is F.U.B.U., for us and by us. We made this school. And a student should understand that nobody gave us this school. We made this school,” Lackey said

Courage of Ida B. Wells still recognized today by journalists

Terrien Edwards Staff Writer

The late Ida B. Wells was an influential journalist, civil rights leader, and suffragist who fought against the injustices faced by AfricanAmericans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Through her writing, research, and activism, she was successful in bringing awareness to issues such as lynching and segregation.

Wells’ bravery and courage led her to become one of the most respected civil rights activists of her time. She was not afraid to call out the injustices of her time, even though her safety was repeatedly threatened.

Born into slavery in Holly Springs, Miss. in 1862, she was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Wells was orphaned at the age of 16. She attended Rust College and became a teacher, but when a mob burned a close friend’s newspaper

office, she began to write articles in support of the African-American community.

Growing up being constantly surrounded by legal, social and racial barriers, Wells quickly made up her mind to become a prominent civil rights leader and journalist, who would be unafraid to speak out against discrimination and corruption. This decision came from her experience in Memphis after being thrown off a train for refusing to leave the first-class car.

Wells wrote articles for The Living Way, a church paper, before becoming co-owner of the Memphis Free Speech & Headlight. There she wrote scathing accounts of the horrors of lynching because she witnessed one of her dear friends being lynched.

Since her writings were very graphic and deemed dangerous, she was fired from her job. Other ways she pursued justice against lynching was by taking her case to court.

Wells co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909

and continued her activism until her death in 1931.

Her pioneering crusade spanned

continents, as she traveled extensively to Europe, including Britain, to bring the horrors of the lynching epidemic to the attention of a broader audience.

Her work served as a powerful example of how ordinary people can make extraordinary change, and is an inspiring reminder of the potential of individuals to fight against injustice.

“As a journalism major, Ida B. Wells is a very important figure that is consistently talked about. My professors have always brought up how Wells altered the way the stories are now being written. In early history writers were scared to write about anything that was considered graphic and sugar-coat the truth, but now the media is more open to the truth graphic or not,” stated Donavon Jones, a junior journalism and media Studies major from Jackson, Miss. Factual information in this spotlight was gathered from https:// www.britannica.com/biography/IdaB-Wells-Barnett

Beyoncé, Styles, Lizzo and more win at 65th Grammy Awards

Tatyana Ross Editor-in-Chief

Harry Styles may have won Album of the Year, arguably the biggest prize of the night, with his hit “Harry’s House” but it was Beyoncé aka Queen Bey who made history during the 65th Grammy Awards.

During his acceptance speech, Styles said, “ On nights like tonight, there are no such things as ‘best’ in music. This is really, really kind. I’m so grateful. This doesn’t happen to people like me very often.”

Styles went up against powerhouse artists like Beyoncé, Lizzo, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar and more to claim this top award.

Beyoncé won four awards, becoming the winningest Grammy artist of all time. Her awards included: Best Dance Recording for “Break My Soul”, Best Dance/Electronica Album for “Renaissance”, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “Plastic Off the Sofa” and Best R&B Song for “Cuff It”.

Kennedy Harrison, a senior political science major from Dallas, Texas believes the top award should have gone to Queen Bey.

I feel like Beyonce got snubbed for the Album of the Year Grammy. This is typical of the Grammys because they never recognize black artists properly,” said Harrison. “Regardless of the

snub, Beyoncé is the greatest artist of all time.”

Joel Murchison, a junior music education from Atlanta, Ga., believes Styles deserved the Grammy for Album of the Year.

“Everybody is talking about how Beyoncé lost to Harry Styles. Honestly, he deserved it. This wasn’t even Beyoncés best album.

If anything it should’ve been Bad Bunny (who won). Beyoncé losing with “Lemonade” was crazy but that’s the past and this is now. She did not have the best album this year,” said Murchison.

Many fans were surprised when blues singer Bonnie Raitt was announced as the winner of

the Song of the Year with her hit “Just Like That”.

Lizzo’s song “About Damn Time” which always brings listeners to their feet, gave an acceptance speech that also had the audience on their feet. The artists thanked everyone from Beyoncé to pop legend Prince, who she dedicated her Record of the Year award.

“When we lost Prince, I decided to dedicate my life to making positive music. This was a time when positive music wasn’t mainstream at that point. I felt very misunderstood … but I stayed true to myself. Because I wanted to make the world a better

place, so I had to be that change to make the world a better place,” Lizzo tearfully explained.

Lizzo went on to thank Queen Bey.

“You changed my life. The way you made me feel, I was like, ‘I want to make people feel this way with my music,’” she said.

During all the fan fanfare, many did not notice that Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, who had six Grammy nominations, received her first ever nomination for Album of the Year with “Good Morning Gorgeous” as a solo artist.

One of the most emotional parts of the ceremony was Migos member Quavo’s salute to Takeoff,

along with the recognition of other artists who passed in 2022.

“The tribute to Takeoff by QUAVO was amazing, I liked how they included all of the heavy hitters and other people that meant a lot to the industry as they played three different songs to honor them,” said Jayden Potts, a freshman music technology major from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Potts was able to attend the ceremony in person.

For a complete list of Grammy Award winners, visit: https://www. grammy.com/awards/65th-annualgrammy-awards-2022 Elizabeth Duncan contributed to this article.

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65th Annual Grammy winners - Top from left to right: Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Lizzo. Bottom from left to right: Bad Bunny, Adele and Kendrick Lamar.

Photos (1-10) taken by Photographer Jamall Morris during the musical revue, “A Salute To Black Broadway” presented by the Department of Art and Theatre in the College of Liberal Arts. (1) Dreamgirls

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Salute to Black Broadway musical revue thrills audiences

Tatyana Ross Editor-in-Chief

The Department of Art and Theatre at Jackson State University helped start off Black History Month with a celebration of AfricanAmerican culture with a musical revue: “A Salute to Black Broadway”.

The revue was conceived and directed by Theatre Arts Faculty Fellows Mark G. Henderson and Yolanda Williams with intent to introduce students to the various shows that graced the Broadway stage featuring African-Americans.

“I feel like the goal was to show the drama, the song, and the dances,” Henderson said. “And it covered all the uniqueness of our culture.”

If that was the goal, Henderson and Williams went above and beyond their expectations. The production had an overall gorgeous set design built by the theatre department’s own technical design professor, James Pettis.

The show was packed full of scenes from classics like “Raisin in the Sun”, “Dreamgirls”, “The Color Purple”, “Summertime from Porgy and Bess”, “A

Soldier with a Secret from The Colored Museum”, “For Colored Girls”, “Fences”, “The Wiz”, and “Hamilton”. Along with nodes to famous songs from the Jackson 5, and Tina, Ike, and the Ikettes. The costumes were designed by Dexter “Tokyo” Harris and I think he did a great job with creating costumes for characters

throughout the show, except in the “For Colored Girls” scene. Even though one of the costume’s did not match the character, it did not take away from the overall message of the story and that is what really matters. My personal favorite was the “Dreamgirls” performance because it was also one of my favorite scenes in the original play

and film. Nakyeria Allen, a junior social work major from Memphis, Tenn., played Effie and she brought down the house.

“My favorite part about the production was the cast. Even when rehearsal was extremely hectic, there were rarely any attitudes, which I could appreciate,” Allen said. “It was such a surreal moment. I have always

told people that if JSU put on ‘Dreamgirls’ that I was going to be Effie.”

She added, “I said it without a doubt in my mind, but seeing my name beside the character Effie still took my breath away.”

Another scene that stood out to me was the table scene from “The Color Purple”. The cast performed it effortlessly. I have seen that film so many times and seeing it brought back the feeling I remember when I was first introduced to the movie years ago. It enhanced my experience watching this production.

Overall, I think this was my favorite production that I have ever seen produced by Jackson State’s Theatre Department. It was enjoyable for all ages and as I mentioned before, very interactive.

It seemed like everyone on the cast and crew put their best efforts into executing a practically flawless production.

The cast seemed to involve the audience’s reactions and side comments to their advantage and personally I think that this enhanced the quality of the show. I give the play two thumbs up and a five-star review.

Lil Yachty’s new album tops rock and alternative music charts

Antonio Jackson Staff Writer

Lil Yachty made his way back into the public’s eye and released his newest project, “Let’s Start Here” on Jan. 27, 2023. Unlike his previous albums, Yachty took a different approach than your typical rap album. With features from artists like Daniel Caesar, Diana Gordon, and Teezo Touchdown, the album easily falls into the alternative rock genre.

The album created a sound that I was surprised by coming from Yachty. He delivered a completely different sound that fans aren’t used to hearing from him.

The initial track, “the BLACK seminole”, did a great job at grabbing my attention because of its length (six minutes) and it’s the longest song of the album. I looked at it like he made a statement for what he wanted his album to represent.

The album did really well with pacing and I think Yachty managed to

Tyre

keep the same energy for the next few songs, “The Ride”, “Running Out of Time”, and “pRETTy”. This created a slight issue for me in the interlude, “:(failure(:”. I completely understand that interludes are meant to bring a sense of continuity to albums and it adds an overall story. But if there was a story, it was not clear on this interlude.

However, the next song “The Alchemist”, helped the album pick right back, so this slight delay can be overlooked. He drew me right back in before closing out the album with “REACH THE SUNSHINE.”

This track I feel did well in bringing the album to a close because it left me feeling fulfilled and satisfied in completing the audio journey that album provided.

One thing that I appreciated about “Let’s Start Here”, is its production. A nice touch that was added were the seamless transitions between each track. This gave the effect that the entire album could be connected as one huge song rather than individual tracks.

It’s easy to tell that every aspect

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of each track, from the vocals to the beats, has been tweaked to perfection in order to make the perfect listening experience. Throughout the album, you can tell that a lot of influence came from other alternative rock figures like Gorillaz and Nirvana. I do believe that if “Let’s Start Here”

is your first impression of Lil Yachty, then you may have a hard time getting into his older music. However, I will recommend this album for everyone to enjoy.

According to Billboard’s Chartbeat, Yachty’s foray into the rock world debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top

Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts.

Overall, I feel the album was a phenomenal project that came with an appreciation of how Yachty was willing to step out of his comfort zone and expand on his talent as an artist.

Nichols, Joe Biden, and Wendy Williams top trending topics

Hunter’s claim centered around his inability to manage his bill payments on time after the alimony checks stopped. It was reported that he stopped receiving money a year ago in Feb. 2022.

Beyoncé Renaissance Tour

Tatyana Ross

Editor-in-Chief

Tyre Nichols case update

More discoveries have been made in the incident involving the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols’ during a “routine traffic stop involving five black officers from the Memphis Police Department on Jan.7, 2023. According to CNN, it was proven that Demetrius Haley, one of five officers involved and charged with murder. Haley sent photos of Nichols after assaulting him to two other Memphis police officers and an unidentified female acquaintance.

President Joe Biden State of the Union Address

According to CNBC, there were a few main points addressed in President Biden’s State of the Union Address on Feb. 7, 2023. It was reported that Biden has been upbeat on his economic policies after recent reports showed near-record low unemployment and strong job growth, but his speech showed he has broader ambitions to reshape the economy.

He also called for increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans in addition to curbing anticompetitive practices

and increasing rights for workers.Ultimately in a divided Congress, it will be difficult for Biden to implement much of his plan the way he may hope to.

Turkey earthquake kills thousands

According to the BBC, two large earthquakes struck the southeastern region of Turkey near the border with Syria killing over 12 thousand people at press time. The first earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck at 4:17am and less than 12 hours later, a second magnitude 7.6 tremor struck the same

region. However, people across the region up to 621 miles away felt the tremors from the earthquake.

Wendy Williams relinquished of alimony payments

Wendy Williams, an American TV personality has been relieved of her responsibility of paying alimony to her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter. According to the Atlanta Black Star, in court documents exclusively accessed by The U.S. Sun, a New Jersey judge has denied Hunter’s demand for the former talk show host to continue her payments, which was a total of $250,000 per month.

Beyoncé announced that she will be going on tour on Feb. 8, 2023. After a hiatus, last summer, she released her most recent album, Renaissance. Songs, remixes, covers, and dance challenges were made from several songs on the album. Just a few days after the tour was announced fans started to speculate how much the ticket prices would be. Most guesses ranged from $1,000 to $2,000 and there were even comedic videos, tweets, and posts being made about the ticket prices. Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour tickets range from $62 and up.

The renaissance tour will be in the U.S. during July to Sept. 2023. eith Lee is a 26-year-old food critic based in Las Vegas, Nev., landed a deal with Good Morning America.

Kelsei Scott contributed to this article.

Photo by Jamall Morris

Graphic by Tatyana Ross

Scene from The Color Purple during the Black Broadway musical revue.

NRF projects Valentines Day spending to increase by $2 million

Amaya Baker Staff Writer

Valentine’s Day is a day to shower thos e you love with gifts, appreciation, gratitude, and affection on.

It is also a day where some spend a lot of time and money with the one they love. It can be a very expensive day for everyone but especially college students. There are many ways to save.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) about 52 percent of the population plan to celebrate while the other 28 percent do not celebrate the love day at all but sometimes still plan on marking the occasion somehow. On average consumers spend on average $192.80 on Valentine’s Day alone.

Consumers are expected to spend $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, up from $23.9 billion in 2022 and one of the highest spending years on record, the NRF projects.

NRF reports that standard V-Day gifts include candy, cards, flowers, going out, and jewelry. Candy is gifted the most by a whopping 57 percent of the population, cards are gifted by 40 percent, flowers follow slightly behind with 37 percent, 32 percent choose to treat their partners to a night out, and only

21 percent choose to buy their partners jewelry.

McKenzie Armstrong, a junior biology pre-med major from Nashville Tenn. said she has a special gift planned for her boyfriend.

“I plan on gifting my boyfriend an electric drum because he is a musician. This is not a cheap gift, but it’s him”. Other Jackson State students like to keep it simple because they simply cannot afford expensive gifts. Darren Smith, a junior

biology/pre-med major from Natchez, Miss said he wishes he could give his girl the world.

“Valentine’s Day is a day that feels very pressured because I obviously want to show how important this person is within my life,” Smith said.

Not all college students can afford to buy their partners expensive gifts for Valentine’s Day and that is okay. Here is a list of three inexpensive V-Day gifts college students can give to their partners for under $20.

1.

101 Reasons Why I Love

You: A Fill-In-The-Blank Love Journal For Couples - Cost range between $7.99 to $15 on average. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or just starting out, each prompt is carefully crafted, with a wide mixture of both light-hearted sentences and deep topics that ignite intimacy and strengthen your relationship.

2. Decorated Valentine’s Day Mug Date - Cost range between $5 to $10. This price covers all materials needed to

decorate the mugs. It’s creative, engaging and interactive. And it really shows your partner you want to spend time with them

3. A Romantic Picnic on a lawn - Cost ranges depend on the type of food or items gathered for a picnic. Get out and have fun play Frisbee, play catch, play badminton, kick the soccer ball around, fly a kite, or even teach your date how to throw a football

Stanley Powell, a sophomore theatre major from Crystal Springs Miss. said the best gift will always be chocolates and flowers because it’s simply the best gift to give.

“The gift does not have to be expensive because it’s supposed to show affection how much you love them rather than how much you are willing to spend on them.”

Alandria Jones, a sophomore childcare and family development major from Jackson, Miss., agreed with Powell and said she does not think gifts always have to be expensive but she believes the man should cater to his lady.

“Honestly, the perfect gift to give a girl for Valentine’s Day would be a date or outing in a nice setting filled with whatever the girl truly enjoys,” Jones said.

Valentine’s Day should be a day of love, regardless of the price tag of a gift. The real gift is the quality time spent with those you cherish the most.

You People deals with race and religion in a cringeworthy comedy

Matthew Adams Staff Writer

*SPOILER ALERT*

A new romantic comedy on Netflix has emerged onto the mainstream scene called “You People” and some viewers have mixed feelings about it.

The movie is directed by “Blackish” writer Kenya Barris and actor Jonah Hill. The star-studded cast includes: Eddie Murphy, Nia Long, Jonah Hill, and Lauren London, just to name a few of the myriad of great cast members.

I think this movie encompassed two highlighted worldviews that many would say don’t gel well together, race and religion.

The film follows the life of the main male character, Ezra. He is a Jewish podcaster, who is pursuing his dreams and created a podcast called “The Mo and E-Z Show” with his friend Mo. But even though he was chasing this dream, he was working every day in a job he did not want.

After leaving his day job, Ezra mistakes a black woman named Amira for his Uber driver and somehow this ignites a spark between the two and they end up in a relationship.

Generally, as relationships

grow, emotions grow stronger and eventually it is time to meet each other’s family. And this is where the issue arises: Ezra comes from a Jewish background while Amira comes a Muslim background. I believe the difference between their cultures helped the movie convey a lot of social issues addressed in today’s society.

Despite their differences, Ezra invited Amira to his parent’s house. This started a large number of culturally tone-deaf comments from Ezra’s family to Amira, the underlying theme of this movie.

The couple did not let this stop their relationship from growing deeper. Ezra decided to propose but culturally he had to get a blessing from Amira’s parents first.

He invited her parents to dinner at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles. Painting Ezra in a light not much different from how his family treated Amira in the early parts of the movie.

Ezra became a nervous wreck and tried hard to keep conversation going without offending the parents of his future wife. After enough nervous babbling, he ended the dinner but he did not get Amira’s parents blessing and Ezra returned home to Amira, shared his feelings and he still proposed.

With this crazy turn of events,

the couple plan their bachelor/ bachelorette parties in Las Vegas. Ezra boards the plane with his friend Mo and is encountered by Amira’s father, who does not see Ezra suitable to be in a relationship with Amira.

Amira and her group of confidants plan a trip to a resort and are plagued with Ezra’s mother’s presence and she makes these uncomfortable remarks and doesn’t mix well with the group of people.

Both Ezra or Amira seem to

leave bad impressions on each other’s parents throughout the whole trip. After the trip is over and their families are back in their respective places, the couple decided to push the envelope again and invite both sets of parents to a dinner.

This proved to be a terrible idea and it created a giant rift in the couple’s relationship and it led to both of them reaching their boiling points regarding the constant pressure of their parents.

Each has their own ending

experiences with their respective parent-in-law and the two end up calling the marriage off. But to their surprise, their parents seem to get over their differences to plan the couple a surprise wedding for all their friends and family to attend.

Overall, I think it was a good movie and I recommend it for people who enjoy cringe comedy because it will make you laugh. I also feel like it was a bit cliche and every scene was about race and that could have been dialed back a little bit.

The ideology of Malcolm X still inspires some today

Levon Campbell III Staff Writer

Malcolm X was a well-known Civil Rights Movement leader and supporter of Black Nationalism.

To this day, he is a celebrated figure for his accomplishments and all the work he did for African-Americans.

Malcolm X differed from some civil rights leaders of the time because he wanted black people to be segregated from their oppressors, but still have the same rights as white people.

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in 1925 in Omaha, Neb. According to www.history.com, his father, Earl Little, was a Baptist preacher and after the Ku Klux Klan threatened them, the family had to move to Lansing, Mich.

In 1931, Malcolm’s father was murdered and it was allegedly done by the Black Legionaries, a white supremacist group, but the authorities labeled his death an accident and denied his family benefits from his father’s death.

At the age of 6, Louise Little, Malcolm’s mother, had a nervous breakdown and Malcolm was sent to a foster home. Though Little was an intelligent student, he dropped out of school after the eighth grade and started selling

drugs and at 21. He was sent to prison for larceny.

According to www.pbs.org

American Experience, while in prison, Malcolm learned the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, head of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam, or Black Muslims, a nationalist group that identified white people as the devil.

Soon after Malcolm adopted the last name “X” to represent his rejection of his slave name and signify his lost ancestral surname.

Elijah Muhammad appointed Malcolm as the national representative of Islam, the second most powerful position in the Nation of Islam, during the 1950s and early 1960s.

As the principal spokesman for the NOI, Malcolm condemned whites for the oppression of African-Americans and he argued for black power, selfdefense, economic autonomy, and encouraged racial pride with his famous quote “by any means necessary”.

According to www.history. com, this advocacy put him on the opposite path of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s nonviolent approach to the growing Civil Rights Movement.

After King’s “I have a Dream” speech in 1963 in Washington, Malcolm remarked, “Whoever

heard of angry revolutionists all harmonizing ‘We Shall Overcome’ while tripping and swaying along arm-in-arm with the very people they were supposed to be angrily revolting against?”

According to www.pbs.org, in December of 1963 after X spoke on the death of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm left the Nation of Islam for good, questioning Elijah Muhammad’s leadership and his suspicions that the NOI was built on top of lies.

A few months later, Malcolm traveled to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where he underwent a spiritual transformation. According to PBS American Experience,

he stated: “There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the nonwhite.”

Malcolm returned to America and renounced the teachings of the NOI along with having a new name: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

In June of 1964, he founded the Organization of AfroAmerican Unity, which identified racism as the enemy, not the white race. His philosophy became more influential, especially among members of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated by three gunmen at an Organization of Afro-American Unity rally in New York City. It is believed that the assassins were from the Nation of Islam. His work would lay the groundwork for many Black Pride Movements, including the Black Panther Party, according to PBS American Experience. Jackson State students are

familiar with Malcolm X’s accomplishments and believe that his actions were not wrong and that his ways were to help black people more.

Kyan Cooks, a junior computer engineering major from Atlanta, Ga., believes that Malcolm X’s approach was right to help African Americans.

“Some of his actions were justified and sometimes problems can be solved from violence,” she stated.

Trinity Cupitt, a freshman sociology major from Atlanta, Ga., believes that Malcolm did what was right for AfricanAmericans at that time.

“He was trying his best for his people to be equal to white people and not settle for less,” Cupitt said.

In his autobiography, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” published posthumously in 1965, Malcolm predicted he would be more important in death than in life, and even foreshadowed his demise in his book according to www.history.com.

The book, made with the help of Alex Haley, author of the novel “Roots”, inspired many film adaptations, including Spike Lee’s 1992 film “Malcolm X” which starred Denzel Washington.

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T.C. Taylor formally announced as 22nd head coach

roster. Coach Taylor introduced multiple recruits from various backgrounds each mentioning their overwhelming excitement for the season and the new era of Jackson State history.

Sy’veon Wilkerson, a junior entrepreneurship major and member of last year’s team and key factor to their success, announced he will be returning to the squad.

The Chicago native emphasized his confidence in Coach Taylor and the future of the organization. “I feel like we can have an undefeated season under coach T.C.,” stated Wilkerson.

Another signee that was announced was Ahmad Miller, the brother of Aubrey Miller Jr. who was also a member of the team last year. Miller is a running back who will complement the offensive attack of Sy’veon Wilkerson.

Other Jackson State students who attended the event expressed great confidence in the future of Jackson State and the coaching staff.

On Feb. 1, 2023, Jackson State University’s newly appointed head coach T.C. Taylor, hosted a meet and greet welcoming recruits and returning members of the football team.

The Sonic Boom of the South, accompanied by the dazzling J-Settes, gave the crowd an emphatic performance of “Get Ready”, which served as an introduction to the event and the next era of Jackson State University Football.

The crowd loudly rejoiced as Ashley Robinson took the stage to formally announce the signing of JSU Alum and legend T.C. Taylor, as the 22nd head coach of the Jackson State Tigers Football team.

“In 19 games as a receiver he gained over 1800 yards, he knows how to make an immediate impact,” stated Robinson. “And now it is his time.” Although Coach

T.C. Taylor now joins the organization on the other side of the drawing board, he still displays great intensity to “Guard the Yard.”

As Coach Taylor approached the podium, the crowd silenced as the room began to fill with emotion for the former wide-receivers coach.

“The journey to get here took patience. It took poise,” stated Taylor. “But I always knew where I wanted to be, where was home.

Taylor welcomed Tiger fans by opening up about his childhood dreams of becoming a Jackson State Tiger.

“Growing up, my sister went to Jackson State so sitting in those stands as a kid, I knew then I wanted to play for Jackson State,” he stated.

Now he joins the organization as the head coach in a crucial time for Jackson State Football. Following the departure of former Head Coach Deion Sanders, there is a lot of pressure on Coach

Taylor, but he has never been one to shy away from a challenge. While Jackson State lost several members of the 202223 SWAC Championship roster, many key contributors have decided to continue and rep the blue and white.

Otis Riddley was announced as the new assistant head coach and tight end coordinator after five seasons with the organization.

Jeff Weeks was appointed senior defensive analyst and special team’s coordinator after his previous run as the defensive line head coach.

The final returning member of the coaching staff is Brandon Morton, serving as the running backs coach.

After introducing the returning members of the coaching staff, Taylor continued the event by announcing the new additions to the team.

New to the program are nine new staff members who will lead the Tigers to another dominant year in the SWAC.

Maurice Harris was appointed the offensive coordinator along with Jonathan Bradley who will serve as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.

Jason Onyebuagu was announced as the new cooffensive coordinator and offensive line, RJ Fleming was the new wide receivers head coach, Quinn Billerman was the coordinator for the quarterbacks. Tyquan Hammock will specialize in the linebackers unit.

Torenzo Quinn will lead the defensive back and defensive passing game coordinator. Jaylon Watson will take over the director of player personnel position and Jashell Mitchell was announced as the assistant athletic director of football operations.

Following the reveal of the coaching staff for the upcoming year, Coach Taylor began to prepare the ecstatic Tiger crowd for the announcement of the new additions to the 2023-24

Kennedy Hall, a junior biology/physical therapy major from Chicago, Ill., was taken back by the passion of Coach Taylor and the staff.

“I know the coaching staff will really develop our boys on and off the field. I see firsthand how passionate they are,” Hall stated. “This year’s team will bring even more positive energy to campus and Jackson, Miss.”

Jose Sanchez, a business major from Austin, Texas, is ecstatic about Jackson State adding several alumni to the roster.

“Alumni coaches always make a great impact on the athletic program,” stated Sanchez. “Their energy and enthusiasm will take us to the next level.”

The Tigers will open the highly anticipated season with a four-game home schedule in the W.C. Gorden Classic on Sept. 23 against SWAC rival Bethune-Cookman at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Men and women’s basketball teams victorious over UAPB

JSU Sports Media

Five Tigers scored at least 10 points and Jackson State defeated the UAPB Golden Lions 88-84 at home Monday.

The Tigers (7-17, 6-5) had five players score in double figures, led by Romelle Mansel, who had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Jamarcus Jones added 17 points off the bench and Ken Evans helped out with 15 points.

Zeke Cook pulled down four offensive rebounds to lead the Jackson State offense which grabbed 11 boards and turned them into 18 second chance points.

Jackson State forced 13 UAPB turnovers while committing 12 themselves in Monday’s game. The Tigers turned those takeaways into 18 points on the offensive end of the floor. Chase Adams’ three steals led the way for Jackson State.

How It Happened

After jumping out to a 14-12 advantage, Jackson State went on a 6-0 run with 10:27 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Adams, to increase its lead to 20-12. The Tigers then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 38-28 advantage. Jackson State relied on its threepoint shooting in the period, knocking down seven shots to account for 21 of its 38 points.

UAPB proceeded to take a 64-59 lead before Jackson State went on a 5-0 run to even the score at 64 all with seven seconds to go in the contest, Neither team was able to finish the game in regulation and the contest headed to overtime tied at 6464. Jackson State capitalized on four UAPB turnovers in the

period, collecting nine points off those turnovers.

UAPB then snagged an 8381 advantage with 1:57 left in the second overtime before Jackson State responded by going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Jones’ layup, to seize an 86-83 lead with 54 seconds to go in the period. The Tigers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 88-84 win Daphane White and Angel Jackson each recorded doubledoubles to help lead the Jackson

State women’s basketball team over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 88-53, at home Monday evening. The double-doubles by White, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Jackson, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds, led the Tigers in the contest. Jariyah Covington helped out with 12 points and four assists. Led by Jackson’s four offensive rebounds, Jackson State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 14 boards that resulted

in 20 second chance points. Jackson State disrupted UAPB’s shots in the contest, coming away with six blocks. Jackson’s five rejections led the way individually for the Tigers.

How It Happened Jackson State (13-8, 10-1) went on a 7-0 run with 8:05 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Covington, to increase its lead to 11-3.

• The Tigers then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 14-9 advantage. Jackson State kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 13-0 run starting at the 7:37 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Covington, to increase its lead to 31-16.

• The Tigers proceeded to tack on three points to that lead and enjoyed a 36-18 advantage heading into halftime.

• JSU forced five UAPB turnovers in the period and turned them into nine points.

• Jackson State continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 6-0 run to expand its lead further to 57-37 with 2:01 to go in the third.

• Before the third period was over, the Tigers added three points to that lead and entered the fourth quarter with a 63-40 edge.

• Jackson State’s bench made the most of its minutes in the period, as non-starters totaled 12 of the team’s 27 thirdquarter points.

• The Tigers started tacking on points in the fourth almost immediately, going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Ti’Ian Boler’s jumper, to grow the lead to 71-40 with 8:40 to go in the contest.

• JSU kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 88-53 win. Jackson State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 14 of its 25 points in the paint.

Inside the Numbers Jackson State got double-doubles from both Daphane White and Angel Jackson.

• The Tigers held the Lady Lions to only 33.9 percent shooting from the field.

• JSU never trailed after taking a 14-9 first quarter lead. Jackson State tallied 16 total assists in the game.

• The blue and white had a stellar day defensively, holding UAPB to 17 percent from beyond the arc on 12 attempts.

• Five Jackson State players scored 10 or more points. Jackson State had a 46-38 edge on the boards in the win.

• The Jackson State defense forced 13 turnovers.

• The Tigers were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording six blocks as a team.

Jackson State turned the ball over seven times while dishing out 16 assists.

• Jackson State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.

• Daphane White led the Tigers with 16 points.

Daphane White and Angel Jackson led Jackson State with 10 rebounds each.

Up Next

The Tigers will enter its Florida road trip with a stop at Florida A&M University Saturday. Tip off is set for 1 p.m. CT at the Al Lawson Center.

Cameron Adams Sports Editor

JSU Athletics Director Ashley Robinson formally announcing

T.C. Taylor as JSU’s 22nd Head Coach.

Photo by Matthew Adams

Ken Evans, Jr. during the basketball game against UAPB.