THE SENTINEL OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT NC STATE UNIVERSITY
NUBIAN MESSAGE HBCU Braid Ban Revisited Kierra Leggett | Editor-in-Chief In 2001, Hampton University banned all male students enrolled in the University’s five-year M.B.A. program from wearing their hair in cornrows or dreadlocks. Eleven years later, the controversial ban set in place at the private and historically black university is making headlines yet again.
Harambee
RALEIGH, NC n VOL. XI, ISSUE 3 n THENUBIANMESSAGE.COM n AUGUST 29th, 2012
A Swahili Term for ‘Come Together’
2012
On Friday, Aug.24, blackamericaweb.com ran an article headlined, “Hampton University Business School Bans Locks, Cornrows” that discussed the merits of the policy. Almost immediately the story went viral with black americans taking to Twitter and the Web to voice their opinions. Among those reacting to the 2001 ban, Shiona Turini, former Teen Vogue Accessories Director and Hampton University alumna tweeted, “Love Hampton, but this is all kinds of stupid.” Despite the criticism surrounding the policy, Sid Credle, dean of Hampton University Business School, and also the man behind the polcy, defended it. “ All we’re trying to do is make sure our students get into the job, what they do there after is their business.”
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Artisit Yuko Taylor discusses artwork during reception held at Harambee
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Jordan Moore
Kierra Leggett | Editor-in-Chief
apanese American artist Yuko Taylor received a warm welcome at this year’s Harambee celebration, where a reception was held in her honor Wednesday, Aug. 22. Taylor, whose artwork will remain on display in the African American Cultural Center Art
Gallery until Aug. 31, came to of everyday life for enslaved America after meeting and falling African-Americans. in love with her husband, Thomas Fascinated by the “rhythm, Taylor in Tokyo, Japan. soul,” and even the “tone of the Infused with elements of muscle, ” of African-American her native land, Taylor’s exhibit, people, Taylor became especially “Majesty Incognito: East Meets interested in African-American West” vividly depicts the struggles history after the birth of her
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Student Organizations Encourage Voter Registration has several upcoming projects and ideas.
ing politically in a global nature. From the 2008 Presidential Election in the United States, to the Chelsea Gardner | Managing Editor On Tuesday, the organization gave out infor- 2011 Revolution in Cairo, we clearly have the With Oct. 12, the last day to register to vote mation on voter registration to all current and power to evoke change, but the only way for us quickly approaching, voter registration is high prospective members. For Aleiah Miller, Presi- to preserve our progression is by staying knowlon the priority lists for various organizations on dent of the N.C. State Chapter of the NAACP, edgeable and utilizing the polls every chance we campus. This also explains why when walking the goal is to make sure that every student has an get,” said Miller. through the Brickyard, N.C. State students are opportunity to register at the first general body “The ultimate goal of voter registration and asked the question, “Are you registered to vote?” meeting, Tuesday, Sep. 4. voting in general, is to make sure we maintain multiple times a day. “It is vital that all students register to vote, be- ‘…liberty and justice for all’. With the forefront cause it is our duty to ensure that our voice is of this election, it is imperative that everyone In an effort to increase voter turnout, N.C. State’s chapter of the National Association for heard on a political front. Over the course of the who can, does vote,” said Miller. the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP) last four years, our generation has been evolvVoting continued on page 3
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Voting continued from page 1
Rashaad Hamilton, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, agrees. As an active member in College Democrats of N.C. State and Obama for America, his face is familiar one, and can be seen Monday through Friday in the brickyard. “The youth vote is at the top of the list for importance. A chief factor in the upcoming election will be the African-American vote, especially in our district,” said Hamilton.
Like the NAACP, many organizations find it necessary to keep people informed and aware on campus. Shaquila Jones, a sophomore majoring in Political Science, is hoping encouragement will increase voter turnout in this year’s election. As Vice President of College Democrats of N.C. State, she knows firsthand how critical voter registration is for this election. “To make a difference, like in 2008, voter registration should inform the misinformed and
captivate all young adults eligible to vote,” said are also taking a role in helping with voter regisJones. tration and keeping their peers prepared for Nov. 6th. Alex Parker, President of Students for Obama is also very prepared and ready to work this “Many, of our organizations have involved semester. “Students for Barack Obama will be themselves and plan to still actively be involved working to help educate students about their in getting African-American students registered right to vote and help them vote at Talley Stu- to vote while also trying to get them educated,” dent Center during the Early Voting period,” said Braxton Jackson, President of N.C. State’s said Parker. National Pan-Hellenic Council. With the Gallup polls currently showing Barack Obama and Mitt Though many students are registered to vote Romney at a tie of 46 percent (state population), in their home counties, Parker said, “We are it is clear that this election is certainly going to encouraging people to register to vote in Wake be an interesting one. County, making sure their registration is up to date and getting out to vote at Talley! We are There are a variety of ways for N.C. State stugoing to go student group to student group mak- dents to stay politically involved and aware this ing speeches about the importance of voting and fall semester. With this in mind, students can exhow to vote.” pect to see more information on programs and events in the coming weeks. Many of the Greek organizations on campus
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Solange, Face of Madwell
children, who are biracial.
Joelle Purifoy | Correspondent
Brooklyn-based songstress and DJ Solange Knowles will star in Madewell’s fall 2012 campaign, “Mix Well. Madewell.” Already the face of Carol’s Daughter and Rimmel London, this is Knowles’ first major clothing campaign with the contemporary store. Knowles served as “brand ambassador” for Armani jeans in 2008 and appeared with Anna Lynne McCord, Sophia Bush, Joel Madden, Brody Jenner, Cody Linley, and Bow Wow in ads for OP, a junior’s line sold at Wal-Mart. Madewell, J.Crew’s sister store, has 41 locations across the country selling hipster-chic clothes at moderate prices and with high quality standards. The store’s “Mix Well. Madewell” campaign encourages customers to pair unexpected clothing to achieve a fresh, cool look.
On the store’s website (www.madewell. com), you can click on the “How to Mix Well” link to learn tips from a stylist on how to mix different colored and sized stripes, how to dress down a pencil skirt, and more. On why it decided on Knowles as the face of their fall campaign, Madewell said, “Solange’s great style mix-matched perfectly with Madewell’s aesthetic.” A style icon in her own right, Knowles has brought quite a bit of attention to the brand. She’s taking more steps out from under her superstar sister Beyonce’s shadow and making her name known to all.
While finding similarities between African-American culture and Japanese culture could prove to be a stretch for some, this is not the case for Taylor. “To me, the cultures parallel. They both represent dignity and humanity.” During Harambee, Taylor answered many questions from students and faculty about her artwork, and her husband, along with his band, the Thomas Taylor Trio, entertained the crowd with smooth tunes. Toni Maynor, a junior
majoring in social work attended Harambee for the first time this year, and it will not soon be an experience she forgets, “ Harambee was very informative and introduced me to all the organizations led by the black community,” said Maynor.
Nubian Message KIERRA LEGGETT | EDITOR - IN - CHIEF CHELSEA GARDNER | MANAGIING EDITOR
Toni ‘Mama’ Thorpe and Deb Luckadoo dance during Harambee
Jordan Moore
Students enjoy refreshments
Jordan Moore
Inconsistences in Chavis Carter Death Jasmyn Morere | Staff Writer For most people, the word “police,” evokes concepts like integrity, protection, honesty, and a dedication to the law. This may not fit the bill in the baffling case of Chavis Carter, a 21-year -old man who is said to have committed suicide while handcuffed in the back of a police car.
STAFF WRITERS: JOELLE PURIFOY JASMYN MORERE RYAN BARNES AUSTIN GREEN ALEXIS TEASDELL CHRISTOPHER LYNN DESTINY DIAMOND ROBERT MARSHALL JESSICA JOHNSON MATTHEW JOHNSON D’ANDRA TROY DEERRICKA GREEN TORISHA DOZIER
Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of the Nubian Message. Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan: Dr. John Henrik Clark: Dr. Leonard Jeffries: The Black Panther Party: Mumia A. Jamal: Geronimo Pratt: Tony Williamson: Dr. Lawrence Clark: Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon: Dr. Wandra P. Hill: Mr. Kyran Anderson: Dr. Lathan Turner: Dr. M. Iyailu Moses: Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are STILL on the journey to true consciousness. COPYRIGHT 2011 BY NORTH CAROLINA STATE STUDENT MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Locations Avent Ferry Complex Brooks Hall Caldwell Hall Harrelson Hall DH HILL LIBRARY Witherspoon Student Center Wolf Village Apartments
Jordan Moore
As is tradition, N.C. State’s annual Harambee celebration closed with Toni ‘Mama’ Thorpe, leading the crowd in the “Harambee call.” Everyone in the room linked hands while standing in a circle, and shouted “Harambee” seven times. The seventh time, attendees held the ending syllable for as long as possible with their arms extended in the air.
Sentinel of the African-American Community at North Carolina State University
Dr. Sheila Smith- McKoy and her mother admire Taylor’s artwork
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According to an article by the Associated Press, “Police staged a reenactment of the shooting to prove that Carter could have killed himself, even while handcuffed.” This proves that the suicide was physically possible, but there are still a few holes in this case. Another issue raised by ruling Carter’s death as a suicide is the reality that the police didn’t find the gun at the time of his arrest, even after patting Carter down. Twice. After further investigation, this loophole in the initial suicide ruling was chalked up as a mistake, meaning the officers must have missed the gun, as detailed in the ABC news coverage from Jonesboro, Ark. The issue of race has also been taken into consideration with this case. Carter was an African-
American man, and the two police officers were Caucasian. This is another angle that was given a bit of consideration, as pointed out by the Huffington Post’s “Power and Politics.”
gun illegally tucked in his waistband, he might have just been struggling to get the gun out of his waistband to throw it on the floor of the of the police cruiser so it wouldn’t be associated with him.”
Despite elements that point to foul play, there is substantial evidence in favor of suicide, or even an accidental self-shooting. Forensic studies turned up some questionable facts during Carter’s autopsy, such as traces of meth, oxycodone, and marijuana in his system at the time of death. Jonesboro’s ABC News considers this a significant piece in the puzzle, since being under the influence of any drug can increase a person’s likelihood to act in ways that are considered harmful to themselves or others.
Autopsies have ruled his death as a suicide, clearing the two officers involved of any accusations. In the end, though, Chavis Carter may be the only one who knows exactly what happened on the night of July 28, 2012.
There is a recorded phone call that Carter made to his girlfriend, telling her that he did have a gun, that he was handcuffed in the back of the police car, and that he was scared. The question on the forefront of everyone’s mind seems to be the same: What was Chavis Carter afraid of? CNN reporter Paul Callan likes to believe, “There’s another possibility too: that if he had the
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Perspectives
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Perspectives
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Restaurant Review: Dame’s Chicken & Waffles
Cheating: The New Generation’s Definition
Ryan Barnes | Staff Writer Those Instagrams didn’t do Dame’s any justice. I ordered the “What a Classy Hen?”a basic combo that includes a classic waffle topped with a chicken breast cutlet. Every entrée also comes with one side and a shmear, which is like a flavored butter. I ordered a side of triple cheese and macaroni and the vanilla-almond shmear.
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Destiny Diamond | Staff Writer Austin Green | Staff Writer Sophomore couple, Austin Green and Destiny Diamond
When the waitress brought my plate to the table, I didn’t really know where to start. I wasn’t sure if I should eat the chicken and waffle separately or together. The idea of mixing chicken, butter, waffles and syrup seemed like a stomachache in the making. However, after some not-so-careful consideration I ended up having a “you only live once” (YOLO) moment and drizzled the entire plate in syrup anyway. The first bite, and every bite after that, touched my soul. The people at the next table were probably giving me the side eye because I was putting in work on that plate like I hadn’t eaten all week.
Disclaimer: To insure that this column remains balanced, Austin Green, my boyfriend, will contribute.
Ryan’s order of Chicken and Waffles
a 25-30 minute drive from N.C. State’s campus, but it will be worth the gas!
For those who live in the Greensboro area, a In the aftermath of my savagery I still had Dame’s Chicken and Waffles recently opened Outside Dame’s Chicken and Waffles Restaurant in Durham, N.C. a lot of food left over, so I boxed it up and near you! The new location can be found at 301 took it back to campus. I had reheated chicken Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Upperclassmen know the woes of on-campus and waffles for breakfast before class the next dining and freshmen are quickly learning. The morning. Judge me if you wish! first full week of classes is over and Fountain is probably on your list of places to avoid. If you aren’t an athlete, Case-where rumor has it Overall, my dining experience at Dame’s was they serve steak, lobster, and sushi on occasionexcellent. The food was amazing and the is off limits after lunch. Clark…we won’t even service was great. The portion sizes were very discuss Clark. generous (the waffle was almost bigger than the plate!), and everything came out hot and fresh. So next week you are probably going to resort to frivolously spending those board bucks- exI would definitely visit Dame’s again in the cuse me, “Dining Dollars” at every other place future, and I would recommend them to anyone on campus. Port City Java, Wolf Pack Subs, curious enough to try chicken and waffles toThe Wolves Den, Chick-Fil-A, and Taco Bell... gether. You won’t be disappointed! did I miss anything? When those dining dollars start running low, however, that’s when the raFor those not interested in chicken and wafmen noodle struggle begins. fles, Dame’s offers other options like salmon, grilled chicken dishes, shrimp n’ grits, and sevHowever, if you’re looking to add a little vari- eral gourmet salads. There is also a stocked bar ety to your dinning experience, look no further for the 21 -and-up crowd to enjoy. than Dame’s Chicken and Waffles! Dame’s Chicken & Waffles is located at 317 In 2012 Dame’s Chicken and Waffles was W. Main St. in Durham. It’s phone number is named “Best in The Triangle” for comfort food (919)682-9235, call and make a reservation for by The Independent Weekly. I learned about you and your friends! Dame’s through a N.C. State student’s Instagram posts. The food looked amazing. So, I deYou can also visit their website (www.dameRyan ready to feast on Chicken and Waffles cided to make a trip down Highway 40 to see if schickenwaffles.com) to see a full menu, picthe food tasted as good as it looked. tures, and their operating hours. Dame’s is like
Would you like to see a restuarant featured in the Nubian Message? Tweet us @NubianMessage to let us know! Ryan’s beautiful artwork
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Now while the seriousness of “flirting cheating” varies from couple to couple, overall we feel that flirting cheating is doing anything extra in a conversation that a person wouldn’t Relationships are all about commitment, and normally do to get attention, also known as, with commitment, comes trust. Austin and I “doing the most.” It should not be tolerated. know this firsthand. Without trust, a relationship cannot work. So why is cheating still a hot The second level of cheating is intimate topic? Earlier this week Austin and I sat down touching or hugging. We have all been in this with a group of friends and threw out ideas and situation before, and we all know the differdifferent thoughts about cheating. Obviously ence, between the “friend hug” and the “I want cheating is wrong and it shouldn’t happen, but you” hug. The friend hug usually last for about what else? Is there another side to cheating? a second and is over and done with before you Is it ever ok? Do guys view it differently than know it. It can also be a side hug. Whether from girls? How would we define cheating as a new the side or the front, there is a noticeable disgeneration? tance between the two people during the hug. For the sake of this conversation, let’s have a common understanding of what cheating is. Cheating is acting on physical or emotional feelings for anyone who is not your significant other. Also cheating can vary into different categories, three different categories to be exact. The first level of cheating is flirting. Now let’s be real, flirting happens all the time but that doesn’t mean it’s always OK. Really, it depends on who you are flirting with and how you are doing it. Let’s just say you see an ex in the learning commons, you two stop and have an innocent conversation about life, simply catching up on how one another is doing—so far so good, right? Well, it would be if that case was 100 percent accurate, but how many times does the situation that we just explained go exactly as described?
The “I want you” hug is a mini-caressing of the body, and don’t act like you don’t know what it is. The girl generally has her arms around the guy’s neck, while the guy has his arms around the girl’s waist. Not only is this hug a lot longer, but the departure is very different than the “friend hug.” Guys slowly graze their hands around a girl’s waist until their hands come around to the front of her stomach at her belly button, where he has to let go. Girls take their time, sliding their hands around boys’ neck, then down the top of his chest to let go. Other intimate touching can be flirtatious slaps on the opposite person, a hand on a knee, things like that. But just like flirting, intimate touching has to be determined between the two people in the relationship.
the female point of view. Surprisingly, girls didn’t have that much to say about cheating but it seems as though it’s because they believe there are no if ands or buts about the topic, in their eyes: cheating is wrong. When asked about physical versus emotional cheating, Selena Amatya, a sophomore majoring in international studies said “Physical cheating can be forgiven, but emotional cheating cannot.” Janell Miller, a senior majoring in English, said “Cheating is never acceptable, emotional cheating is the worst and the hardest to recover from. Flirting isn’t cheating if it is natural, because there is a difference between natural cheating and intentional cheating.” Guys had a different take on the matter. Marcus Zeigler, a sophomore majoring in Textile Engineering, was asked to give his thoughts on whether or not he thought provocative dancing or “twerking” is considered cheating. “Twerking doesn’t matter and isn’t considerd cheating. If I came into the relationship knowing she was a twerker, I [would also] know at the end of the night, she’s coming home to me.” When asked about his girlfriend going to see an ex, Alfred Anderson, a sophomore majoring in Communication, said, “My girlfriend wouldn’t be able to go see an ex, but really it depends on the dude. If he is my one of my boys, I wouldn’t care. I feel like my game is tight, so there is no need to worry.”
As you can see, cheating is a touchy subject. Males and females have different views The last level of cheating and the worst of- on the subject but at the end of the day, everyfense is sex. No detailed description is needed, one agreed that cheating is unacceptable. If you If there was any forced laughter to try and yet boys and girls still seem to have varying have to cheat, then you shouldn’t be with that look cute, or asking pointless questions simply outlooks on this offense. To get a better idea person. for the purpose of spending more time together, of these varying views, Austin and I decided to both parties were in violation of the cheating do a little investigative reporting. Austin went Disagree with anything that was said in this column? Tweet us @ commandments. looking for the male perspective, while I got nubianmessage or, send a letter to editor at ncsu.nubian@gmail.com
The Haute Seat Christopher Lynn Campus Style Correspondent
This week’s installment of the Haute Seat is a special one. All students in the surrounding areas and colleges know about N.C. State’s infamous Talley parties. Students from Shaw University, St. Augustine, Meredith College, William-Peace University, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, North Carolina Central and even East Carolina University, all come to party here with us. With this wide array of characters, there was destined to be a night full of rachetness at Friday night’s Talley party; and plenty there was. For those new to NC State, a Talley party is a party hosted by a specific group or organization on campus that is held in Talley Student Center. Open to all students near and far, there is always a big turnout. Whenever a Talley Party is scheduled, it is always the talk of the town for the entire week. Also, the secrecy and limited availability of tickets increases the “it” factor. If you consider yourself a “somebody” on campus, it’s imperative that you’re in attendance at any and every Talley Party.
Enough of the generalities: let’s get to the issue at hand. Talley parties are all fun and games, until someone becomes the topic of everyone’s conversation. There is always a theme to every Talley party, and the first of this year was “Flight 1911 First Klass.” No disrespect to the Kappas, but there was little “klass” to this party. This was no fault of theirs. Looking at some of the females and their attire at this event gave me symptoms of jet lag: headaches, fatigue, disorientation, and mild depression. According to one freshman who decided to remain anonymous, “Bellies were out in full view, Spanx was showing through cutout dresses, and (some people) couldn’t walk in heels.” I could not have said it any better myself. Congratulations! This week’s edition goes out to those too poochy to wear bandeaus, which for the night I referred to as “ban-don’ts.” For those who had the courage to wear Cowardly Lion lacefront wigs, and to those who looked like newborn “Bambis” trying to walk in six-inch heels, you all have just been placed in the Haute Seat.
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Lifestyles
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A Case of ‘Legitimate Rape’ Robert Marshall | Staff Writer
On the other side lies the Republican Party’s perceived war on women. The term “legitimate rape” comes from many Republican policies that would restrict women’s access to taxpayer-funded women’s health initiatives. Even Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has added his own fuel to the fire with promises to end federal funding of Planned Parenthood, an organization that offers services such as contraceptives, breast cancer screening, pregnancy testing, and abortion, among others. These are the two parts of a combustible formula. When Todd Akin, a Republican Senate candidate from Missouri, stated in an interview that “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down” when asked about women getting pregnant from rape, the match was struck and the Republican Party was again clamoring to put out the flame.
According to RAINN pproximately 5 percent of pregnancies come from one-time unprotected sexual intercourse. The numbers for rape victims may be slightly skewed by the victims who may be on birth control or attackers who wear condoms to protect themselves from D.N.A. identification, but the numbers of pregnancy for raped and non-raped victims are still very close. One in six women has been raped or has been the victim of an attempt. This means that rape is a prevalent issue and one that should be taken seriously and that our elected officials and candidates should be very comfortable talking about. How could something like this could even happen? How could someone who was elected to help lead our country in decisions that affect us all, be so ignorant to the facts? How easy could it be to fool the American public into believing that our candidates are people who are truly educated on the topics that shape the country we live in? How many more ignorant yet unspoken feelings and opinions mark the landscape of the political arena?
As we head toward election time and are deciding who will lead our country through the next four years, it warrants some true reflection and research to decide who truly embodies and supports the ideals that you hold close to your heart. At times we can get bogged down with political parties and opinions of those around us, but it is important to focus on the Romney quickly tried to distance himself from issues, not race, not party, not public opinion but the the political blunder by stating that the “remark was real issues that affect us. So take the time, do your “terrible” and saying that he asked Akin to quit the research, and make an informed decision. Your vote will affect the crucial next four years of your life. race, according to Fox News.
Alpha Corner D’Andra Troy | Campus Style Correspondent
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Behind the Music
Braids continued from page 1
Addressing Todd Akin’s controverial statements on rape
On one side you have rape. Rape is one of the most devastating and life-changing things that can happen in a woman’s life. It can leave a woman scarred physically and mentally broken. According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN, rape victims are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs and four times more likely to contemplate suicide. Therefore, to have it undermined its effects questioned is a dangerous road to travel.
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For Malcolm Brown, a N.C. State junior majoring in Communication, the University’s policy is a bit much. “I think the ban is really stupid and closedminded.” When asked if he would ever cut his hair, Brown, who has worn his hair in dreadlocks for five years, said, “No, not for a degree.”
ABdabestRizio
Kayloni Witherspoon, a senior majoring in Design Studies, made the decision to transition from relaxed to natural hair two years ago. Witherspoon said this of the cornrows and dreadlocks ban at Hampton: “I can understand what they were trying to do as far as encouraging students to maintain a professional persona, but requiring students to cut off their hair is extreme. They could have instead established guidelines for students on how to keep them [their braids and dreadlocks] up.” Thus far, 99 percent of graduates from the University’s program have been placed into jobs; further grounding Credle in his stance on the policy. “I mean Charles Drew didn’t wear it, Muhammad Ali didn’t wear it. Martin Luther King didn’t wear it,” said Credle. Hip-hop and R&B group ABdabestRizio
As students here at N.C. State we all know about the many struggles of our college lifestyle. Oodles of Noodles for dinner, arriving at the club after “free before eleven, ‘balling out’ the week you get your refund check, then being broke for the rest of the semester. These are all big struggles, but the biggest of them all has to be getting out of bed on a dreary, rainy day and getting fashionably dressed. A rainy week at State could easily result in eyesores for a fashion- scout like myself. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how the Pack decided to express their sense of fashion, even in the rain. Reigning Alpha this week were these zebraprinted galoshes. These boots, along with many other pairs, graced our bricks this week on campus. Everyone who wore a pair of fashionable rain boots made a stylish stomp through the infinite amount of rain puddles. So if you had some on this is section is dedicated to you, give yourself a round of applause. There may not be one “Alpha” this week, but that is only because
the boot game was definitely haute. The wearer of the boots shown had but one comment to say on her shoe game: “It’s like a foot safari.” If you missed out on the trend, I guarantee that there will be more rainy days here on campus. Rain boots are fashionable and, they look better in rain than soggy canvas shoes like Toms or Vans. Being the “penny pincher” that I am, I realize that a refund check is not the equivalent of hitting the Lotto therefore, I found some rain boots that are excellent prices for the fashionable person on a budget. Target has a large selection of boots ranging from $14.99 to $34.99. With prices so low, it is a wonder why every wolf in the Pack did not have a pair. Keep in mind that a rainy week is not a free pass to be lazy and not get fully dressed. Get back on your grind and parade your fashion for the world to see. Congratulations to the alpha wolves that led the Pack over the wet bricks last week!
Your Voice: Should Colleges and Universities be able to ban students from wearing certain hairstyles? Gabrielle Roseboro Freshman, Computer Science "No because its your own free expresion and your university shouldn't be able to tell you how to look or dress."
Ryan King Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering "No, college should be a time where you get to express yourself in any way you want to. The university should be able to support that decision."
Olivia Campbell Freshman, Human Biology "No, its college! There are so many different styles and diverse people. I think that's discrimination." Photos by Jasmin Jack
Deja Williams | Contributer Kierra Leggett | Editor-in-Chief
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ip-hop and R&B artists Maurizo ‘Rizio’ Lewis and Adrian ‘Da Best’ Bynum performed at Packapalooza Saturday, Aug.18 bringing to a close Wolfpack Welcome Week. Both majoring in Communication, Lewis and Bynum, 19, have worked as a collaborative team since their sophomore year at Southeast Raleigh Magnet high school. While music is a passion for both Lewis a sophomore here at N.C. State, and Bynum a sophomore at neighboring North Carolina Central University, in Durham, school remains their biggest priority. On the balance of school and music, Lewis said, “It’s a challenge. We are still getting the balance down so we wouldn’t say we have it totally under control yet, but it’s a work in progress.” Though they have already opened for artists such as The Party Boyz, Ricco Barinno, and Ernest Pugh, ABdabestRizio are “looking forward to being on large scale stages and arenas, and performing all over the world.” However, their dream performance would be at the Olympics. “We have joked about performing at the Olympics for the opening ceremonies. We would love that opportunity but we know we have a long way to go in order for that to be in the realm of possibilities,” said Lewis. Inspired by many different genres and time periods, ABdabestRizio does not have a specific music idol or icon that they look up to. “We try to keep an open mind about music and we try not to idolize specific artists because we do not want to be influenced by their sound.
two separate bodies of people and resources. This helps us build up a larger following for our cause and also reach out to different demographics.”
Adrian ‘Da Best’ Bynum , 19
Maurizo ‘Rizio’ Lewis, 19 We are trying to achieve our own unique and original sound,” said Bynum. Along with the challenges of balancing school, their music careers, and social lives, ABdabestRizio has had to find a way to deal with attending two schools in different cities. “It is stressful to have to travel back and forth and it also makes communication difficult but being at different schools is also a huge advantage,” said Lewis. “We have the opportunity to be in two different places with
While ABdabestRizio has invested a lot of time, effort, and money into their music careers, they aren’t looking to become, “the next big thing.” “We aren’t looking to be famous. We just want to be able to be in the industry and support our families by doing what we love to do,” said Lewis. Though ABdabestRizio has a long way to go before they reach the levels of success that they would like to achieve, they are very satisfied with the direction their career is headed. “We still have a long way to go but we have come a long way from making music in a garage to where we are right now. It has truly been a blessing to be able to do shows and go to different places. We won a Carolina Music Award last year and we were nominated for one this year but we didn’t win. Even though we didn’t win, just to be nominated two years in a row was huge for us [especially] considering the people we went up against. We are by far two of the youngest artists that have been nominated so it is always awesome to be recognized and placed beside artists who have been making music a lot longer than you,” said Lewis. ABdabestRizio music can be found on YouTube on their YouTube channel, MajorImpactTV or via Twitter @ ABdaBestRizio.
8 |August 29th, 2012
Arts & Entertainment
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Where the Hatred Is : A Review of Toni Morrison’s Home DeErricka Green | Staff Writer
“Small packages often contain valuable things,” or so the proverb goes. Toni Morrison’s latest work, Home, is no exception. Morrison, born Chloe Wofford, is arguably the most celebrated African-American novelist of our time. Her novels are renowned for their spectral themes, spirituality and ornate characters. Her repertoire includes greats such as The Bluest Eye (penned while Morrison was teaching at Howard University), Sula, Song of Solomon, and Beloved (which was filmed and starred Oprah Winfrey). In 2008 her literary organization, the Toni Morrison Society, began installing benches at significant sites in the history of American slavery as tribute to those enslaved. She has been honored with such awards as the Pulitzer Prize (for Beloved), the Nobel Prize for Literature (for “novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import,” according to the official Web site of the Nobel Prize), and most recently, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. To put it simply: Toni Morrison got swag. Her
newest publication, despite its size, only reaffirms this.
most lyrical performance so far,” Home has also been celebrated around campus.
As the years have passed, Morrison’s novels have jumped on the diet wagon, slimming considerably since her early years. Accordingly, readers may note that Home is a compact novel. In fact, it’s just shy of the 150 page mark. Compared to some of her famed novels, Home is a tiny little thing. However, though Morrison’s novels have dropped a few dress sizes, it seems they couldn’t be any better.
Dr. Denise Heinze, Teaching Assistant Professor in the English Department at N.C. State and a Toni Morrison scholar, considers Morrison a “must read’ author.” “Any time she publishes a novel it’s an important literary event,” said Heinze. In Heinze’s opinion, “Home is similar to Morrison’s other novels in its desire to convey the horrific effects of a violent and racist world in prose that is often lyrical and haunting.”
In an interview with PBS, Morrison said that Home was “a very stripped-down form of storytelling” and required a conscious effort. Morrison omitted much of the extraneous action and detail found in most novels, instead boiling Home down to slender perfection. “More [is not] better.” She said. “I can write forever about anything of a character. But I wanted this to be...it’s harder to write less to make it more. And that’s what was engaging to me when I was writing this book.”
Despite Heinze’s admiration of the novel, she did offer her opinion of the shortcomings of the work. “While I found much to admire in Home, I would not put it in the same league as Beloved or Song of Solomon. It lacked, for me, the complex machinations of plot that Morrison is known for, and the unforgettable, fully realized characters of her earlier novels. In addition, her prose was not as consistently brilliant as I have come to expect.”
A reading of Home was held at the Cameron The novel tells a story of Frank Money, an Village Library on Aug. 23. This event was African-American man in the late 1950s mak- a part of “Read Smart,” a discussion series of ing his way across the country to his childhood popular books moderated by N.C. State profeshome in Georgia. Frank was discharged from the sors. The discussion was presented by Dr. Sheila conflict known as the Korean War and was one Smith-McKoy, director of N.C. State’s African of the first to fight in an integrated United States American Cultural Center and Africana StudArmy. Upon his return home, however, he finds ies Program and associate professor of English. the faces of racist America staring back at him. Smith-McKoy has also included Home in the Integration hasn’t been embraced with open lesson plan for her “African American Literaarms, even in the North. He heads toward Geor- ture” course, offered to those of junior standing gia to be with his sister -one of few remaining or above. relatives. As he journeys throughout the country, Frank leads readers on a voyage through his own Since her first novel about a black girl who thoughts and memories. He’s bitter, self-loath- longs for blue eyes and white skin, to her pering, and finds himself with more invisible scars petually decorated Beloved, Morrison has nevthan physical ones when he returns to America. er failed to dazzle readers young and old. Like The memories of his childhood, his life on the Heinze, some readers may find that the novel has battlefield and the violence he has experienced some weaknesses. Due to its brevity, some may because of his race, muddle around in his lethar- find that they walk away with questions unangic mind, leaving Frank questioning his sense swered by the end. However, Home is still filled of self, his black manhood, and the bittersweet with elements of Morrison’s signature stylemeaning of home. witty, flowing prose, animated and sometimes eerie storytelling. Home is in no way a failed efVoted one of Amazon’s Best Books of the fort. This novel, no matter how tiny, makes a big Month in May, where it has been called “master- splash and is well worth the read. ful,” “eerie in its timeliness,” and “Morrison’s
Nicki Minaj Rumored to Join Idol Judge’s Panel Torisha Dozier | Staff Writer American Idol has been in search for new judges since the departure of former judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, and recent reports suggest that rapper Nicki Minaj will fill one of the position, for all of her “Barbs” and “Ken Barbs” to watch her next January. Minaj, 29 rose to fame after joining Young Money Cash Money, led by rapper Lil Wayne. Often accused of copying female rapper, Lil Kim’s style, Minaj caught the attention of the public not only with her risqué verses, but also her personal style, multiple personalities, creative wigs and costume. A concern for many American Idol
competition,” asked Willis.
viewers is, “How will a rapper be capable of judging a singing competition?” In the entertainment business what truly matters is the public opinion, considering the fact that it will be the ones tuning in to watch the show. Meredith Willis, a freshman majoring in Chemistry feels outraged that American Idol would select Minaj to take the conspired position. “How can a rapper judge a singing
On the contrary, an anonymous source felt differently on the subject. “Nick Minaj would definitely spice up the Idol stage with her contagious personality. I, along with other excited viewers, can’t wait to see what different elements she will bring to the table.” At the end of the day, entertainment is meant to entertain the viewers. Whether one is optimistic about Minaj’s role as a judge on Idol or outraged on the artist’s new career endeavor, one thing that can be done is to wait and see what happens!