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At Brucee’s we offer the finest baked products including cakes for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and more. Catering made to order with 48 hours notice Gourmet handmade Beef, Chicken, Vegetable, Salmon and Ackee Patties available. Bring this AD for your special discount or mention WhereItzAt. Offer June 30,2013 2013 OffersExpires Expire August 31th,
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NEWS CONTENTS PAGE
CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER PRESIDENT & ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTANT EDITOR SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR ASSISTANT TO CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER ART DIRECTOR PHOTO JOURNALIST NEW MEDIA INITIATIVES CONTROLLER LEGAL COUNSELOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CLIVE WILLIAMS CHRISTOPHER C. WILLIAMS ANNETTE GORDON ADIKA BUTLER SHALEA HARRIS DANIQUE ROBINSON ONISSA SANCHO KINGS MEDIA INC. MARJORIE FLASH ROCKSTONE MEDIA GROUP MICHELLE WILLIAMS GARNETT H. SULLIVAN, ESQ ADIKA BUTLER - MARJORIE FLASH CHRIS GODFREY - SHALEA HARRIS REUBEN JAMES - DANIQUE ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHERS CHAMPION HAMILTON OF CHAMPION EYE MEDIA - SHALEA HARRIS AND MARJORIE FLASH OF MY FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE COVER IMAGE MORGAN HERITAGE
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Publisher’s Vibe - A Big Thank You......................................................... 6 Editor’s Desk & Voicemail....................................................................... 8 Lifestyle - Food for Thought ................................................................ 10 Caribbean Nationals and the “N” Word ............................................... 12 Restaurant Review - Not Your Average “Patty” Shop............................ 14 Minding You Business ......................................................................... 16 Cover Story - Throne of Hearts - Morgan Heritage .........................18-19 Miley Cyrus, Stop Disrespecting What ‘Feels Black’ ............................. 20 Bunji Garlin’s Latest Anthem “Differentology” Makes Waves................ 21 Groovin’ On A Sunday Afternoon......................................................... 24 Say What – Sponsored By The Door Restaurant .................................. 26 Social Network - Photo Gallery ......................................................28-31 Paid in Full.......................................................................................... 32 Paula Deen, Microaggressions, and Why the N-Word.......................... 34 Corruption in Politics - Bishop Norris’s Letter ...................................... 36 Joan Flowers - Petition the Road to Candidacy.................................... 38 WhereItzAt Magazine is published monthly by WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved. WhereItzAt Magazine is a registered trademark of WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent is prohibited. Views of editorial content do not necessarily reflect the views of WhereItzAt Magazine, WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. or its advertisers. WhereItzAt Media Group Inc. 219-10 S. Conduit Avenue Springfield Gardens, NY 11413
For questions, comments and concerns address your letters to: WhereItzAt Magazine • 219-10 S. Conduit Avenue • Springfield Gardens, NY 11413 or email: editors@whereitzatmag.com
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Our Results have been featured in New York Magazine, Newsday, and Verdict Search’s Top New York Verdict 2009, 2010 , 2011 and 2012. “Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the New York State Trial Lawyers the Top Trial Lawyers in America” “New York States 6th winningest law firm for 2012” as determined by Verdict Search.
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Publisher’s Vibe
A BigThank You night.” As we learn in economics 101 the foundation of any free market or capitalist society is its small businesses.
Clive Williams, CEO/ Publisher _________________________ On Friday June 28th, WhereItzAt Magazine, along with our advertisers, sponsors, readers and friends achieved a new milestone in establishing the inaugural “Business Innovators and Game-Changers Awards” (The B.I.G. Awards) held at the Adria Hotel and Conference Center in Bayside, Queens. As the host, I must be cautious, humble and objective in my analysis of the outcome of the event, so I decided to seek the opinion and advice of the many attendees, sponsors and friends. The response I got substantiated my own judgment, that the event was a resounding and unparalleled success, due to the outstanding quality of the honorees and the foresight and big vision of our sponsors. In order to fully appreciate the gratification and sense of accomplishment we share with our honorees, we must share with you the concept of the Business Innovators and Game-Changers Awards. We took a careful look at the business and professional landscape of New York, with an eye on the emerging immigrant community. What we saw contrary to the prevailing opinion was a growing cadre of Caribbean-American entrepreneurs and business professionals who were making a name for themselves while serving their communities in various capacities as mentors, facilitators, educators and service providers. As I write these words I readily recall the life and work of my own father who provided a valuable business service to his community as a baker, while my mother did so as a shopkeeper. They both provided unstinting and caring service to the community in which they lived, yet at no time did they ever receive the recognition the awards or accolades their hard labor and loving service deserved. It’s been on my mind for a long time to recognize, applaud and esteem those people “who while their companions slept were toiling upward through the
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Entrepreneurs are those who risk their resources in order to make a profit and by so doing create not only products and services but employment as well. They are a rare breed, they are highly motivated, success oriented and focused on the big picture. Far too often these people are viewed as strong, independent and resilient often without need of support and understanding. In fact these people are all as human as everyone else, and although many might not seek the limelight, everyone deep down, craves the approval and recognition especially of his peers. Somehow I managed to convey to my son over 20 years ago the importance of recognizing and celebrating the amazing innovation, talent and dedication of our immigrant brothers and sisters, until we both shared the passion to make that a reality, joined by our partner Annette Gordon we began the process of masterminding a program that would best esteem and reward those entrepreneurs, promoters and small business people serving our immigrant communities. We didn’t do this alone; we empanelled a focus group to identify how best we could do this taking into account the many categories of business services and professionals who are an active part of this immigrant community. Our vision also includes those who serve our immigrant communities in a way that improves our overall quality of life. The B.I.G. Awards is there, unrestricted and open to those with a record of service, to all communities of all religious persuasions and ethnicities. Our mission is Promoting Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development as we inspire them to “Think Big, Achieve Big and Realize Big Rewards.” Passion and inspiration enhances vision. Vision in turn promotes decision and it is those entrepreneurs and small business people who make the decision to assume risk in order to receive rewards that we commend in this column. It is through this vision and this decision on the part of our sponsors that made this event possible. The vision of our premier sponsor Phillip Feurtado of Feurtado Shipping, along with that of our co-sponsors, Dr. Marlene Reynolds-Cox of Rochdale Dental Care, and Desmond Lynch of DLE Lynch Financial Services, has provided the foundation on which to build probably the most recent and relevant recognition and awards gala in our community. Our sponsors have assured themselves a place in history as years from now they will be proudly remembered as the entrepreneurs who took the risk to make this event possible. If our sponsors are committed to your success we should be likewise committed to their success. It is my humble request that you look carefully for the ads representing Feurtado Shipping, Rochdale Dental Care,
and DLE Lynch Financial Services and recommend and refer them to friends and families. Let me hasten to thank our honorees, (see them on line at www.gowhereitzat.com), The Urban League of Long Island Young Professionals, Mr. Linval Cox; Father Audley Donaldson whose inspirational prayer set the tone and captured the spirit of both the event and the evening, Dep. Insp. Mike Coyle commander of the 105 precinct who came early and stayed late; our awards presenters, Kevin Miller the graphics guru who came through BIG-TIME, Ms. Marcia Parks of TJS Occasion Planners & Catering Services, Shawn Davis, owner and videographer of Xquizit Productions, Talia Tyree & Anissa Mann of Trinket Rocks, Tilsa Wright of Sym Magazine, Terrence Cooper of the Adria Hotel, DJ’s Ruben and Mike and the incredible and entertaining singer/violinist Joya Bravo. Kudos must go to the other members of the WhereItzAt team: Annette, Michelle, Adika, Onissa and Maxine Greaves you guys rock!!! My son Christopher Williams demonstrated his wit, wise-cracks and wisdom as the co- Host/MC for the evening, leaving many to believe that his dad is not only partially deaf, but certainly not as bright as many believed. He was a riot, but I promise you Chris, when the dust settles I’ll be the one laughing. Look out for updates on our awardees and their activities in the B.I.G. news feature coming soon. Get ready for B.I.G Awards Sat. June 21st 2014 at the Adria Hotel in Bayside Queens.
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editor’s desk Where We Must Go From Here by:Adika Butler , Editor in Chief
Photograph by Damion Reid Very often we hear the lie that our people don’t support one another with progressive business endeavors. It’s part of a divide and conquer tactic that has plagued us for a very long time. However after 10 years of helping to show my community “WhereItzAt,” I am truly grateful for the support that my business partners and I have received from people who look just like us. I would like to give a special shout-out to every individual who took time out of their busy schedule to attend the first annual B.I.G. Awards and to all of the friends and family members who continue to lend us
their prestigious support. We can continue to strive want to be “down” with everyone. without you, but we can only succeed with you. . Much respect due. In America, all of Michael Vick’s dogs go to heaven, but if you’re a young Black man, then you can pretty much A sense of community and economic solidarity will go to hell. There is a prevalent misconception that one be critical elements to our survival in “post-racial day we’re all going to be accepted by the larger society America.” It sounds funny when I use the term and live happily ever after. You will never be accepted. “post-racial America,” after the Trayvon Martin trial At best, you will only be tolerated, and even then, your verdict, doesn’t it? I usually laugh at black folks who days of being tolerated are numbered. All we have is parrot that term to me with a straight face. I usually each other. We must continue to support each other keep these kinds of people away from me because emotionally, spiritually and economically with our enno Black man or woman of integrity and sound deavors. mental health genuinely believes that we live in a “post-racial society.” Culturally, Blacks in America Love that is expressed in a proactive manner is stronshare more in common with other groups of people ger, and more genuine, than love that is expressed as than they ever have, but that’s only because many the result of a circumstantial reaction. If we’ve got love of us have lost our way. Many Black people would for each other, then we must cultivate a spirit of inrather fade into the background of racial ambigu- terdependence. Before Blacks in America can convincity, than proudly move forward into the future ac- ingly address racism on a national level we have to do a knowledging the fact that they are distinctly differ- better job of loving and supporting each other. If Black ent from other races. people don’t place Black life back on the gold standard, Too many of us have “down” syndrome. We just then who else will?
voicemail Letter’s to the editor to have something for our local community that our children can see and have easy access to. I showed this issue to my daughter and read it with her. I would love to see more stories and in depth profiles on business and community leaders like this. There are a number of outstanding business owners in my Brooklyn neighborhood and I would be happy to share names and more with you.
Don T. - Brooklyn, NY
B.I.G. Things
Much respect to WhereItzAt for featuring black entrepreneurs; male and female, on your cover. While there are other magazines, like Black Enterprise and The Network Journal; that focus on this, it is great
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Thanks so much for your feedback Don. We are happy to hear that we have had this kind of impact on you and that you were compelled to share our publication with your daughter. We would certainly like to hear from you and all our readers regarding business owners deserving of praise and a feature in WhereItzAt. We also want to hear from you regarding any outstanding community leaders or activists making a difference in your community. Your feedback is always welcome and can be sent via email to
editors@whereitzatmag.com or by commenting on articles on our website at www.gowhereitzat.com.
Chris Williams - Associate Publisher
Celebrating our Heritage
I wish there was more time to celebrate Caribbean Heritage month, but as a reader, I appreciate the article you guys did on Outstanding Caribbean-Americans Past & Present. Would it be possible to continue featuring some people like this who made history or had a huge influence as a Caribbean-American? As a young second generation Trinidadian American, I am still learning more about my heritage, so being able to read it in WhereItzAt or on your website would be helpful. Thanks again.
Tonya M. - Baldwin, NY
Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Email: editors@whereitzatmag.com
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lifestyle
Food For Thought
a daily basis; some of us abuse ourselves due to lack of knowledge. Yet still through cosmic intervention we keep rising and moving forward. As things are we put the best fuel in our motor vehicles for maximum performance and we maintain a clean household, so why do we continue to abuse our system with inferior food products? Is this a true indication of our moral integrity? It is imperative that we seek out the highest quality raw and organic foods that bear seeds and have the ability to replenish itself, as a major source of our food consumption. We must eat to live and let food be our medicine and be vigilante and strive to maintain balance to our body.
Tenayastalign - Blessed Love to All I feel compelled to submit this article, to address the growing challenges we face as a group, in providing safe and healthy food for ourselves and our families to consume…. This zip code and many other surrounding neighborhoods are inundated with grade C food supply. Since we live in a concrete jungle, we are vulnerable, susceptible and limited to the options we have. For those of us who have access to a higher grade and better quality products should consume as much raw and organic foods with seeds that are available.
A standard point of reasoning I get from members of the community, in particular the elderly, that eat flesh (meat,) is that “we have eaten everything available to us while growing up and we have survived to our 60’S, 70’S 80’S and beyond and are still going strong.” My response to that is, without supporting the consumption of flesh, we are eating a different animal today than we did 30 40 or 50 years ago. When asked of them would they eat a cow horse, pig, chicken, goat etc. if it were alive, the answer is always in the negative. So then, what is it in your brilliant mind that lulls you into thinking that, after killing an animal there is some nutritional benefit to be gained? The very fact that you are contaminating your blood with that of a lower animal negatively interferes with your spiritual vibration. Do not be a slave to your taste buds, strengthen your will, elevate your consciousness and be creative and resilient.
My perspective is that the Creator endowed every one of us with a vehicle (the body) with which to tread the earth. The least we can do to show our gratitude is to honor that body by consuming the best available foods to us to nourMoving forward, it is unrealistic to continue to ish our bodies and cultivate positive thoughts to fool ourselves into thinking that our daily con- keep our spirit clean and vibrant. sumption of food does not have a significant The human anatomy is indeed an amazing and dynamic effect on our health, whether it is specimen. We are exposed to various toxins on negative or positive. 10 | www.gowhereitzat.com
One thing to be cognizant of is the time it takes to recover from simple ailments, hence the reasoning to make allowances to facilitate the natural flow of essential elements. LIVE GOOD, EAT HEALTHY, CULTIVATEPOSITIVE THOUGHTS AND MAINTAIN COSMIC BALANCE…. GIVE THANKS FOR LIFE, HEALTH AND STRENGTH. GIVE ISES (PRAISES) TO ETERNAL CONCIOUSNESS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DIVINE POWER OF THE TRINITY…HISIMPERIAL MAJESTY. PEACE, BLESINGS, GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION. RAS IMANDE Vital Health Foods 194-14 Linden Blvd., St Albans 11412 PH 718-5250992
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NEWS
Caribbean Nationals and the “N” Word By Felicia Persaud Comedian Richard Pryor used it in a 1974 performance of “That Nigga’s Crazy.” In the late 1980s, rap group “Niggas With Attitude (NWA)” hit the rap scene. In 1993 Tupac Shakur released his second album entitled, “Strictly for my N.I.G.G.A.z,” an anthem about the ghetto. 50 Cents recorded “To All My Niggas” with an intro that stated: “I love niggas! I love niggas! Cause niggas are me! And I should only love that ‘presents me I love to see niggas go through changes (Whoooo!!) I love to see niggas shoot through shit (Did it again) And to all niggas that do it I love.”
Paula Deen’s admitted “N” word slips have cost her several lucrative contracts. (NBC Today image) The “N” word! It’s a word derived from the Latin expression for the color black which evolved into a derogatory noun and common ethnic slur directed at dark-skinned people or blacks of Sub-Saharan African descent. The term “nigger” was used to denigrate, psychologically subjugate, and to mentally scar the individual identities of black people. But today, usage of the “nigga” or “niggah” version of the term has become widespread in the black and among the younger Hip Hop loving generation of all races, because of rappers and some comedians, making it more acceptable in some quarters even though it comes down to whose using it. The most common use of the word “nigga” is the “term of endearment” a shout out, a greeting to a friend. Rappers almost always used the word “nigga” in a casual way and its adopted by all races of hip hop fans. On a street corner in Forest Hills, high schoolers – black, White and Latinos, use it to refer to each other. “Whatz Up my niggah,” said a white youth recently to his Latino friend of black heritage. “Yo nigga, Whatz up?,” was the retort. Given the furor over Paula Deen’s use of the “N” word, this week News Americas decided to ask Caribbean nationals and Caribbean Americans from across different generations on social media for their reaction to the word. Many in the Caribbean of the younger Hip Hop generation like Jeremy Stephen of Damoola Inc., said the word is used in the region mainly with the “ah” instead of the “er” as used by American rappers, for those “trying to be American.”
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But the older Caribbean nationals, from 30 plus up, the more they agreed that both versions were just plain wrong and many blamed the rap industry for promulgating the term. Elder Menes De Griot of Guyana said any form of the word “is very disturbing” given the historical context in which the word was used to disrespect the “ancestors.” He blamed the widespread use of the “ah” ending by the younger generation, including rappers, on a lack of knowledge of their history. Mark Jacobs, author of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,” was more direct. He called usage of the word plain “ignorance.” “I think its ignorance on the part of black people to be using and justifying the use of it. I don’t use it under any circumstances,” Jacobs said. “I think the youth and others using it are just lost and do not have a full understanding of their history coupled with some self-hate.” Ron Bobb, host on the Uhuru Radio Network, said he never uses any form of the word casually and called it “unfortunate” that many youth, including Caribbean nationals use the word so freely. This is blamed on the lack of knowledge of the “pain that it caused many in the 1960’s and prior.” Chris Williams of WhereItzAt Magazine also insisted he does not use any form of the word. “I think that word still carries a great deal of pain and it’s not acceptable to me that our people, particularly the hip-hop and dancehall world, think that the word is okay to use,” Williams said. “While I agree that there is a difference in meaning when a person of color, particularly a black person, uses it, the word still packs a punch if that person applies it in a certain context.” He, like all others, blamed the usage of the term on “selfhatred and ignorance.”
“Our young people are not being educated regarding the history of the word and how we as a people were affected by it and occasionally some supposedly educated folks try to imply that by us using it we are lessening the word’s power,” said Williams. “That to me is a cop out and an avoidance of responsibility. If we continue this widespread use all we are really saying is that we accept and embrace the word and we are giving others: Latinos, whites, etc., permission to use the word.” Allison Skeete, of Guyana, too lamented the widespread usage of the word in the black community today, blaming it on education of the history of the term and lack of respect for knowledge of the past. Shaun Walsh, producer of Whatz Up TV, admitted he once used it to “describe a black person who was behaving in a manner that was so disgusting that he only could use that word to describe the behavior.” “I know the meaning of the word and it’s not a term of endearment,” said Walsh. “Like curse words I can excuse someone if its slips when they are upset but some people curse all the time, same way some people use the word all the time, as far as its wide spread use, I believe a lot of black folks don’t love themselves, that’s why we commit so many murders, … over 90% of the murders in NYC are committed by men of color between 18-25 years old, that’s probably the same age group that uses the word more than any other.” Tilsa Wright, the Jamaica-born author of “Star Boy,” also admitted she’s used the word in the past “when upset and in a heated argument.” But she admitted that there is no excuse for using it even though “lack of education, lack of respect for our past, present and future” still ensures widespread usage. Still all did agree that the “ah” ending to the word is the more acceptable version than the “er”… with younger Caribbean Americans saying the “ah” version takes away the power from the word, a rap argument. But the caveat still came down to who was using it. If it is someone of the Caucasian race, all agreed that neither version is acceptable. However, many in the teenage hip hop generation crowd said if it was one of their white peers using the “ah” ending as a greeting that was prefaced by “Whatz up…” then it was fine. Usage by older Americans like Deen, however, in any form, got the thumbs down! Courtesy Newsamericasnow.com
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Restaurant Review
Not Your Average “Patty Shop” The Original Brucee’s Patties ers, one that looks like Louis V bag and the list goes on. What else you ask? Oh the bread. I never knew bread could melt in your mouth like this until I had their “Butter Bread”. This bread is such a hot commodity there will be lines outside the store to get a loaf.
By Chris Godfrey Patties - Beef, Chicken, Vegetable and of course you must get one of these delectable delights with Coco Bread. can you taste it? Well trust me; you have no idea what it really tastes like until you head over to 9509 Church Avenue for one of The Original Brucee’s Patties. I’m telling you, this place is not your average “Patty Shop”. They are serious about their patties. So serious that they are handmade; the meat, is expertly seasoned by hand (no machines here) and the crust, well that oh so golden crust will leave you wanting more. To make it even better, the Brucee’s team serves up a variety of patties, including Salmon and Ackee patties to go along with the usual Beef, Chicken and Veggie. So maybe patties are not your thing, well don’t know why it wouldn’t be, but if it isn’t, then you might just want to try some of their great pastries - sweet buns, cookies, cupcakes and very special cakes that can be made to suit your needs. I have seen a cake that looks like Adidas sneak14 | www.gowhereitzat.com
What I’m saying is, if you want a place that can satisfy your sweet tooth, cater your birthday, office or anniversary party or just a place to get some great baked goodies, then The Original Brucee’s Patties is the place for you. Just leave some for me okay. The Original Brucee’s Patties is located at: 9509 Church Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11212 Phone: (718) 922-CAKE (2253)
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Feature
Throne of Hearts
MORGAN HERITAGE RETURNS WITH YET ANOTHER CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT
By JASMINE SCOTT If the mind ever governed the heart, love would no longer be absolute. It would be a maximum-security, self-contained prison of possession over everything, selfish in nature, and forever at odds with its true identity. Unfortunately, this is where we are presently. The phrase “Mind over Matter” has become the renunciation of our kingdom of Earth. But the issues aren’t how to love, telling the truth, or even believing that blood is thicker than water. These things are as evident as the sun that stalks the back of your neck in the summertime. Recording artist and songwriter Gramps from the reggae group, Morgan Heritage, realizes this. He and his siblings understand the absoluteness of love, which is why Morgan Heritage is only capable of producing the soulful, sonic, soundscapes that confirm its very reality. Gramps’ example of love may sound like some newly discovered phenomenon ready to be quoted by a one-day-famous-nobody, but it’s actually a rather simple observation to pick up on in the stillness of a moment. It would be some time before the group united again, but patience is a virtue as confirmed later on in the interview with Gramps. On Heritage’s latest album Here Comes the Kings the mood is slightly different, but not unusual in its personality like the other albums. There aren’t many other reggae groups bound by a familial bond that have created a reverberation of tribal sound. Morgan Heritage’s music is that of
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a watchful eye, stoic in prayer and self-conscious. The group holds firm to the testament “I am my brother’s keeper.” “Holla” wasn’t an outcry, but a declaration of truth. The sentiments are in the words. The irie feeling is always expounded on in reggae, particularly conscious reggae. Gramps described the album as “an island experience, to feel irie under the sun, to know that it’s cool to be conscious and embrace positivity.” However to describe Heritages’ music as simply irie is too modest for my taste. Goliath was bigger than David, much bigger, but defeat wasn’t a condition that had to be overcome, it just had to be perceived differently. Heritages’ music is David, not combative in nature but obstructs any feeling of fear. However interesting, Gramps’ perception of fear is almost a good thing under certain conditions. “Fear is an emotion, and yes it is a choice,” he reasons during a telephone interview with WhereItzAt. “It only becomes real when you believe it is real, but fear is sometimes a good thing. The Bible states that we should be fearful of God, not literally, but out of reverence to a supernatural power. Therefore on those terms love and fear are interchangeable. It is balanced.” If conspiracy theories are real in the world of reggae I’d say Morgan Heritage is insinuating that Black people are the cho-
Feature sen ones. Hey, I’m just saying. “I’ve envisioned our ancestors,” Gramps mystically reveals. “They are present and we must realize that. I believe it is our ancestors that will lead the way for our unification. As of now, there’s no unity amongst Blacks in the Western hemisphere or the world for that matter and that’s our main downfall. I respect artists like Jay-Z and Baby from “Cash Money” for trying to establish some form of camaraderie in the community and giving back, though I wish Jay would share more of what he’s doing.” Music is not only sound to be manipulated to make you feel good. It is a tool that can only be put to use by a conscious farmer. Those farmers who are asleep on their porches have dying crops, no offspring, and a herd of disheveled sheep. Thankfully we aren’t as unlucky as we may think. Heritage has the proper resolution to ease all dis-ease. “Don’t play with music unless you’ll die young.” Wise words from Fela Kuti. In order to be as successful as Morgan Heritage has been, ego must be relinquished and the source of your inspiration must be aligned with a greater power. Maybe it’s God, love, or you, for that matter. Nevertheless, it must be created out of pureness so people can experience love in its many forms. Gramps said something that stuck with me long after our interview. “We learn what love is just through the conception of birth,” he explained. “Love is there. You don’t have to teach love, but it has to be nurtured.” Conditional love will betray you every time. So will anything that’s temperamental. It’s selfish. “Man Has Forgotten” is the first song on the album, and arguably, the best. Still, its inspiration is more touching than the song itself.
interaction with God, meaning praise is only due in the time of need and when that need has been miraculously granted. It’s best we start loving with our hearts rather than trying with our minds.”
“Man Has Forgotten is a song saying man has forgotten about God,” says Gramps. “Our reverence is no longer to God alone. People have become very temperamental with their
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Entertainment
Miley Cyrus Stop Disrespecting What “ Feels Black” Dear Ms. Miley Cyrus, Growing up, I was a huge fan of your hit television show Hannah Montana and some of the catchy songs you performed on the Disney Channel. Most of the themes reflected in your music revealed the life you lived as a teen in Hollywood with privilege and excess. Being then a young black middle-class teenager, I never found the dichotomy to be a barrier between me as the fan and you as the celebrity. I found your personality to be entertaining and respected that you were being yourself and singing about situations that you can relate to. This is not the case anymore. Given that we have both grown up now (you: age 20, I’m 21), the squeaky clean youthful image we all want to let go of in our twenties is normal. It makes perfect sense. With all things in life, we want to show our maturation and express rebellion to picture-perfect perceptions. But perhaps your recent direction is not only disrespectful and ignorant, but also racially insensitive. Lately, I can’t help but hear about your recent fetish for “twerking” and your new-found interest in showcasing it for the likes of rapper Juicy J while performing his street rap anthem entitled “Bandz Will Make Her Dance.” Has Miley Cyrus gone hip-hop? I first wondered. But perhaps you took it too far. “I want urban, I just want something that just feels black,” you were said to have told hit songwriting brothers Timothy and Theron Thomas for your new racy song “We Can’t Stop.” And to take it a step further, you express what “feels black” in the music video to the song as a portrayal of you “twerking” (rather badly if you are actually trying to master the craft) with a group of black women enticing you on. So I guess you were referring to the “homegirls with the big butts, shaking it like we’re at a strip club” during that clip. I also take it that in addi20 | www.gowhereitzat.com
tion to the tatted black guy with the gold chain in the back with you wearing your custom made grill... you now feel a temporary sense of blackness from that as well? Go take a seat, or better yet, take a course on race, Ms. Cyrus. In case you were not aware, artists like you continue to contribute to an ever growing problem in the entertainment industry that I like to call “manufacturing race.” Often low-key and subtle, but never appropriate, individuals such as you consider using racial stereotypes as a way of accessorizing a new look or change in self-image. Don’t believe me, just ask Ke$ha. It is one of the most micro aggressive and disrespectful ways of implying, “Hey, I want to act out of character... let’s mimic the perception of this group of people.” To you, feeling “black” is a way to act like the white girl that you feel you obviously can’t be which is problematic within itself. Your totally off-putting interpretation of what “feels black” is very narrow-minded in scope. In your case, shaking your backside like a stripper makes you feel like you have embraced what it feels like to be black in America. Or did you feel that the gold grill in your mouth and the gangsta like posture at the end of your music video make you feel somewhat connected to a specific “urban” feel you were trying to portray? Ms. Cyrus, if you have infatuations with acting like a thug or dancing like a stripper that is fine... but with all due respect, don’t make such a correlation of it to any race. Stop associating your fixation for “twerking” as a chance to feel black to your millions of white, Asian, and other non-black fans that don’t have the luxury to hide under the veil of your wealthy privilege and bigotry. Stop capitalizing off of racial stereotypes as a way to shape your image, how about just be your own damn self and embrace that. And stop perpetuating the constant industrial disgust of black exploitation in the sake of entertainment.
You never have been nor ever will be about that life, Ms. Cyrus. What “feels black” is as versatile and subjective as the number of outfits, hairstyles, and jewels you use to cover up your identity, Miley Cyrus. It ranges in the empowerment that comes from overcoming many racial minstrel based stunts that is stigmatized in your banter of twerking and gold chains, to the pain that is felt when watching your music video in 2013 continue it. Blackness is not a trend or a fad; it is the connection between a group of people bounded by a heritage that your ancestry has had a historical role in negatively impacting. You won’t ever desire what that “feels” like, nor would I encourage you to. At the end of the day, being young and artistically rebellious is understandable. No one wants to hold on to the same image forever, but that doesn’t mean offensively perpetuating stereotypes about a particular race of people. I know that in your lead single to this new album of yours (that I won’t be buying, obviously) you declare “we can’t stop... and we won’t stop.” But in matters related to the disrespect of my culture and race, I’m going to request that you do so immediately.
Sincerely, Ernest Owens Someone who is no longer a fan of Miley (trying to feel black) Cyrus
Entertainment
Bunji Garlin’s Latest Anthem “Differentology” Makes Waves Beyond the Caribbean and Gains Global Attention
THE “ESSENTIAL SUMMER JAM” (THE GUARDIAN) FEATURES MAJOR LAZER REMIX, NEW VIDEO AND NEARLY 1 MILLION YOUTUBE SONG VIEWS THE SOCA STAR IS RECORDING NEW ALBUM ON VP RECORDS AND TOURING THIS SUMMER
Soca sensation Bunji Garlin has already established “Differentology” as the biggest hit of the 2013 Caribbean Carnival season. Now with a stellar video, a blazing Major Lazer remix and nearly a million YouTube song views later, it is evident that “Differentology” is likely to become a global hit for the Trinidadian artist, who is currently recording his new studio album on VP Records.
competition in both 2000 and 2001, the Young King title in 2001, the coveted title of International Soca Monarch in 2002 and then reclaimed this title for three more years. Bunji Garlin is currently in the studio working on his new album, set to be released on VP Records. The upcoming release will be his first full-length album on the label since 2007’s Global.
“Differentology,” which is featured on Soca Gold 2013 (VP) and available now on iTunes, has been picking up momentum on YouTube. The track alone has garnered an accumulation of nearly a million views, since it was unleashed in February 2013 at the beginning of the Carnival season. In addition, the song’s colorful eye-popping music video, directed by Nigel Thompson, has been circulating the blogosphere and causing quite the frenzy.
Throughout July and August, Bunji Garlin will perform at select cities across the Caribbean, Canada and United States. See full tour schedule below.
The Guardian (UK) is already calling it 2013’s “essential summer jam,” raving that “Differentology is a carnival, a street party, a beach rave: it’s every one of your perfect summers distilled into four minutes and 20 seconds.” The genre-bending song also caught the attention of Major Lazer, who immediately jumped on the remix. The song (which is featured on Major Lazer’s SoundCloud) is currently the DJ supergroup’s go-to track to open all their live shows and has helped fuel the buzz to a crossover audience. Born Ian Anthony Alvarez, Bunji Garlin is a Trinidadian artist and international soca royalty known for his high-energy stage shows and lyrical confidence and eloquence. He is both a composer and performer of soca and ragga soca. The latter is a blend of soca with dancehall music that he made his own during the start of his career in the late ‘90s. He has won the “Ragga Soca Monarch”
https://twitter.com/BUNJIGARLIN / https://www.facebook.com/Bunji.Asylum Tour Dates: Fri, Jul 12th @ Sat, Jul 14th @ Sat, Jul 20th @ Sun, Jul 21st @ Sat, Jul 27th @ Fri, Aug 2nd @ Sat, Aug 3rd @ Sun, Aug 4th @ Fri, Aug 9th @ Sat, Aug 10th @ Sun, Aug 11th @ Fri, Aug 16th @
Gatey in St. Lucia Celebration Square in Mississauga (Irie Music Festival) Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua Farley Hill in Barbados Russell Auditorium in Boston, MA Tiger Bay in Bermuda Wild Water Kingdom in Toronto, Canada Sound Academy in Toronto, Canada Vinyl Dance Lounge in Calgary, Canada Encore in Edmonton, Canada Six Flags in Jackson, New Jersey Sports Dock in Cayman Islands
Courtesy of Tiffany Mea for VP Records
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Entertainment
Groovin’ on a Sunday Afternoon
By Sheron Hamilton-Pearson The buzz, which had been building over the preceding weeks with the staged release of the artist line-up for the 2013 Groovin’ in the Park event at Roy Wilkins Park, came to a head on Sunday June 30. The day dawned overcast with promised showers and humidity that caused clammy rivulets of sweat – none of which could deter the crowds making their way in droves for the prompt 2:00 pm start. Starting with a segment of up and coming local artists, some of the names that spring readily to mind are Culture Wise, Princess Menen and Mr. Glamarus. First of the headline acts introduced by Jamaican Radio Host Richie B; Half Pint, a last minute replacement for the previously advertised Cocoa Tea who was not able to travel because of work related visa issues. As this writer approached the park, Half Pint’s easily recognizable anthem “Greetings” seemed a more than fitting kick off for the first major New York park event of the Summer. Clad in a red brocade jacket and white dress shirt, a diminutive figure belied his powerful voice, which although a tad hoarse, did not stint on a powerful delivery of his songs. Next up on stage came the man Barrington Levy, still performing, still relevant and looking slimmer and trimmer than he has done for some time. It was a delight to listen to songs of yesteryear that still resonate and evoke such sweet memories, “Under Mi Sensi”, “Black Roses”, “Too Experienced” and the ever popular crowd pleaser “Murderer”. Barrington’s re-working of “Here I Come” definitely got the younger fans bobbing heads and swaying to the pulsating rhythms, but his all too short set left many wishing for a lengthier performance as did Barrington himself! Many in the crowd were looking forward with anticipation to the artist sometimes called “The Fyah Mumah” otherwise known as Queen Ifrica and she certainly did not disappoint. Performing barefooted, she braved the rain as the heavens opened and delivered a fierce downpour. Taking all of this in her stride, her interaction with the crowd was certainly one of the highlights of the show, as she exalted, the audience indicated their pleasure by raising their umbrellas in a salute to her lyrical and musical prowess. Looking out into the crowd during Ifrica’s set, the visual of a virtual sea of undulating umbrellas was indeed a sight. As the crowd ac-
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knowledged the Queen, she unleashed a rapid succession of hits. Always delivering biting social commentary, she left no stone unturned ending her set with the poignant “Daddy don’t Touch me There”. Queen Ifrica was the only artist to receive a resounding encore, a testament of her stellar performance. Sanchez must have been wondering how he would follow that act, but in true Sanchez form, he did, pulling out all stops as he not only delivered a secular set of his usual standards, but also provided music for the soul in his gospel renditions. Classic among them of course was “Amazing Grace”. Red seemed to be the color of the day as Sanchez appeared casually dressed in red shirt and blue jeans. His voice could be clearly heard at the far reaches of the park where food vendors were busy selling their wares and where I found some very tasty treats to satisfy my palate and assuage my hunger. It was clear that the anticipation was building as the day wore on and next up on stage was British group, the internationally acclaimed Steel Pulse (added to the roster in place of Toots injured from a bottle thrown by an overzealous fan!) headed by frontman David Hinds resplendent in his multi-colored raiment had the crowd buzzing. Steel Pulse has always enjoyed massive international success and support, but somehow that did not seem to translate in this Queens park setting. After spatterings of applause, they seemed to lose the crowd, as their set continued for over an hour. Dusk was drawing in, the rain had ceased and everyone was waiting for one of the headline acts, Ms. Patti Labelle! Introduced by Shayla of 107.5 WBLS, Ms. Patti as she is affectionately known sashayed on stage in an exquisite light blue ensemble. For a woman who recently celebrated her 69th birthday, The Diva looks the picture of health. Of course she has drastically cut back on her on stage antics, but she still has the change of shoes, strategically placed on top of the grand piano. Whipping out her mirror she quipped that she just wanted to ensure “that everything was in place and nothing had fallen”. Her performance was in a word “magical”. The crowd was spellbound, you could hear a pin drop as she mesmerized all within earshot, dropping classic after classic. My personal favorite - “If Only You Knew”, delivered with exactly the same pathos as when the song was first recorded. After
Patti, I’m sorry to say everything else was anti-climactic. TGT, Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese performed for the ladies, but I was fully satisfied after seeing the Diva up close and personal.
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SayWhat.?
BY LADY ANN D.A. COVER Greetings dear friends. I’m so pumped up because this is going to be an exciting and sizzling summer! First up this month was the WhereItzAt Magazine’s first annual Business Innovators and Game Changers (B.I.G) Awards Gala held at the Adria Hotel in Queens on June 28th. Our network of business leaders and entrepreneurs along with sponsors and supporters came out for an exciting and festive night to witness the B.I.G Awardees receive well-deserved acclamation for commitment and dedication to community. A couple days later followed the Groovin’ in the Park extravaganza with an impressive lineup of R&B crooners and topnotch Reggae singers. The fun-filled family oriented day kicked off the show with a blessing from foundation reggae singer Cherry Rock followed by a segment of up-and-coming local artists. The next segment of the show presented a world-class lineup of reggae singers; Half Pint, Barrington Levy, Queen Ifrica, and Sanchez who performed their most popular hits with plenty of crowd participation. Although rain came down during Queen Ifrica’s act, it did little to dampen the well-prepared crowd who pulled out rain slickers and umbrellas. It was nice to note that one of the sponsors TD Bank also came prepared for rain and
provided the crowd with TD Bank rain slickers; good looking out TD Bank! The Grammy award winning British roots reggae group Steel Pulse did a fabulous set providing plenty of entertainment for all to enjoy. While, I heard remarks that they were on “too long”, if you’re a true Steel Pulse fan like I am then it was just fantastic, but then again I’m a British gal!!
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Entertainment
The headliner of the show featured the soul diva Patti Labelle who, as usual, was a class-act in every way. She sang great, looked fabulous and encouraged crowd participation as she brought fans on stage to join her in song and dance. R&B sensations Tank Ginuwine Tyrese (TGT) closed out the show but as Tyrese complained, they did not have much time to do their complete performance as the show was already running way over time. Needless to say the women in the crowd couldn’t get enough of them and loved every minute of their sets. It was a very good show and the crowd came out in droves, even in rain, to an enjoyable day of entertainment. It’s sad that Jamaica’s finest sprinters’ reputation was cast into shadow this month after confirmation that the island’s most successful female sprinter has failed a drugs test. Two times Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, the first Jamaican to win a global 100m title, was provisionally suspended by the national federation after a positive test for a possible masking agent. The news followed Jamaican 400m runner Dominique Blake’s six-year ban last week for a second doping offence and world 4x100m gold medalist Steve Mullings losing his appeal in March against a lifetime ban from athletics. Officials said a dozen Jamaican athletes had received sanctions ranging from three months to life for doping violation in the past five years. Suspicion over the island’s sprint dominance has grown since the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Jamaica won five gold and Usain Bolt stole the show with his dazzling world records in the 100 and 200 meters. Jamaicans have won 18 Olympic and world championship gold medals since 2008 over 100, 200 and 4x100m out of a possible 24. “There is a perception that perhaps the Jamaicans are too good to be true especially after their domination of both men’s and women’s sprinting” said former World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Dick Pound. Pound, felt performances from other Jamaican sprinters could now attract more scrutiny, “a positive test on the part of any star athlete will tend to reinforce that perception,” he said, adding the recent positives “undoubtedly” called into question Jamaica’s anti-doping program. “I do not think anyone will proceed automatically from suspicion to declaration of guilt in the absence of evidence against any particular athlete, but it will sharpen the focus on their accomplishments and probably lead to far more testing of them,” he said. Six-time Olympic champion Bolt has never failed a drugs test and has vehemently spoken out in defense of his country’s outstanding performances. Samples from doping tests in Jamaica are currently processed in other countries, including the World AntiDoping Agency accredited laboratory in Montreal. Blake was one of five Jamaican athletes to test positive for methyl xanthine in 2009. He was cleared by a disciplinary panel because
at the time the stimulant was not on the WADA banned list but was later given a three-month ban by the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission on the basis it was similar to another banned substance. Twice Olympic 100m Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was given a six-month ban in 2010 after a positive test for Oxycodone, a synthetic opiate which she admitted taking to alleviate toothache. Clearly this perception is going to have negative impact on Jamaica’s track stars who have to be extra careful on the ban substance list as any substance that you take could be contaminated. So, are they now saying it’s not the “Tre-
lawney yam a mek dem run so fast?” Finally it seems that The Queen of Dancehall Lady Saw aka Marion Hall has sent her unfaithful man of over 17 years packing. Last year Lady Saw revealed that Lloyd John John James had impregnated several other females including her hairdresser and one of her neighbors, reports Urban Islandz. “Being me is no easy task not a day go by without someone trying to destroy me but the heavenly father I serve never fails me,” she stated. Lady Saw took to tweeting her breakup with John John calling him “an ungrateful brute” and that she wasn’t loved until the money started rolling in. Poor Lady Saw it took a long time for her to make the right moves, but now the dancehall queen might have finally seen the light, especially since she has found Jesus. Nothing happens before its time. Congrats to Kim and Kanye, they are the proud parents of a baby girl. However, the baby’s name is causing people to contemplate how sane these two people are; North West. Really……I’m just saying.
Well folks, until next time, walk good!
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Social network
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THE B.I.G AWARDS
(BUSINESS INNOVATORS AND GAME-CHANGERS) “Promoting Entrepreneurship and Small Business development.” The B.I.G Awards is looking for you; have you built a business you are proud of? Then tell us your story and you could become the recipient of the next B.I.G Award, on Saturday June 21st, 2014 at the Adria Hotel, 221-17 Northern Blvd. Bayside Queens “THINK BIG ACHIEVE BIG AND REALIZE BIG REWARDS”
Go to the B.I.G Awards link at
www.go
.com
For more information contact Clive Williams at 917.749.7613
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Grooving
Social network
Breakfast
at the Door
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entertainment
P a i d i n F u l l The business relationship between privatized prisons and the mainstream Hip Hop industry
cast in a leading role in a film that, when pulled from theaters, will be put into rotation first on premium, then on basic cable.
By HOMEBOY SANDMAN GoldenUndergroundTV recently released an interview I did with them late last year. I got a bit animated at the end. Only so many interviews in a row I could handle being asked about Chief Keef. My tirade wasn’t really about Chief Keef. It wasn’t about Gucci Mane or Wocka Flocka or any of the acts spontaneously catapulted into stardom by synchronized mass media coverage despite seemingly universal indifference regarding their talent. Their arrest records, involvement in underaged pregnancies, concert shootouts, and facial tattoos, dominate conversation for weeks at a time, with their actual music a mere afterthought, if thought of at all. My tirade was about marketing. It was about media powers seeking out the biggest pretend criminal kingpins they can find and exalting them as the poster children for a culture. It was about an art form reduced to product placement, the selling of a lifestyle, and ultimately, a huge ad for imprisonment. This is not my opinion that I’m sharing with you. It is an absolute fact. Last year Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the biggest name in the private prison industry, contacted 48 states offering to buy their prisons. One stipulation of eligibility for the deal was particularly bizarre: “an assurance by the agency partner that the agency has sufficient inmate population to maintain a minimum 90 percent occupancy rate over the term of the contract. What kind of legitimate and ethical measures could possibly be taken to ensure the maintenance of a 90 percent prison occupancy rate? Two months later an anonymous email was sent out to various members of the music and publishing industries giving an account of a meeting where it was determined that hip-hop music would be manipulated to drive up privatized prison profits. Its author, despite claiming to be a former industry insider, did not provide the names of anyone involved in the plot, nor did he specify by which company he himself was employed. As such, the letter was largely regarded as a fraud for lack of facts. Here are facts:
Without any consideration to the music whatsoever, the artist will already be a star, though such monopolies also extend into radio stations and networks that air music videos. For consumers, choice is often illusory. Both BET and MTV are owned to Viacom. While Hot 97, NYC’s top hip hop station, is owned by Emmis Communications, online streaming is controlled by Clear Channel, who also owns rival station Power 105. None of this is exactly breaking news, but when ownership of these media conglomerates is cross checked with ownership of the biggest names in prison privatization, interesting new facts emerge. According to public analysis from Bloomberg, the largest holder in Corrections Corporation of America is Vanguard Group Incorporated. Interestingly enough, Vanguard also holds considerable stake in the media giants determining this country’s culture. In fact, Vanguard is the third largest holder in both Viacom and Time Warner. Vanguard is also the third largest holder in the GEO Group, whose correctional, detention and community reentry services boast 101 facilities, approximately 73,000 beds and 18,000 employees. Second nationally only to Corrections Corporation of America, GEO’s facilities are located not only in the United States, but in the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. You may be thinking, “Well, Vanguard is only the third largest holder in those
Add to this well-documented statistics proving that the so-called “war on drugs” has been waged almost entirely on low-income communities of color, where up until just two years ago, cocaine sold in crack form fetched sentences 100 times as lengthy as the exact same amount of cocaine sold in powdered form, which is much more common in cocaine arrests in affluent communities. In July 2010, the oddly named Fair Sentencing Act was adopted, which, rather than reducing the crack/powder disparity from 100-to-1 to 1-to-1, reduced it to 18-to-1, which is still grossly unfair. This is not to suggest that the crack/powder disparity represents the extent of the racism rampant within the incarceration industry. The U.S. Sentencing Commission reported in March 2010 that in the federal prison system, even when convicted for the exact same crimes, people of color received prison sentences 10 percent longer. Where convictions are identical, mandatory minimum sentences are also 21% more likely for people of color.
media conglomerates, which is no guarantee that they’re calling any shots.” Well, the number-one holder of both Viacom and Time Warner is a company called Blackrock. Blackrock is the second largest holder in Corrections Corporation of America, second only to Vanguard, and the sixth largest holder in the GEO Group. There are many other startling overlaps in private-prison/mass-media ownership, but two underlying facts become clear very quickly: The people who own the media are the same people who own private prisons—the EXACT same people—and using one to promote the other is very lucrative.
Ninety percent of what Americans read, watch and listen to is controlled by only six media companies. PBS’s Frontline has described the conglomerates that determine what information is disseminated to the public as a “web of business relationships that now defines America’s media and culture.” Business relationships. Last year a mere 232 media executives were responsible for the intake of 277 million Americans, controlling all the avenues necessary to manufacture any celebrity and incite any trend.
Such a scheme would serve some very greedy, very racist people. There are facts to back that up, too. Prison industry lobbyists developing and encouraging criminal justice policies to advance financial interests have been well-documented. The most notorious example is the Washington-based American Legislative Council, a policy organization funded by CCA and GEO, which successfully championed the incarceration-promoting “truth in sentencing” and “three-strikes” sentencing laws. If the motive of the private prison industry were the goodhearted desire to get hold of inmates as quickly as possible for the purpose of sooner successfully rehabilitating them, maintenance of a 90 percent occupancy rate would be considered a huge failure, not a functioning prerequisite.
Time Warner, as owner of Warner Bros Records—among many other record labels—can not only sign an artist to a recording contract but, as the owner of Entertainment Weekly, can see to it that they get next week’s cover. Also the owner of New Line Cinemas, HBO and TNT, they can have their artist
Likewise, the largest rise in incarceration that this country has ever seen correlates precisely with early-’80s prison privatization. This is despite the fact that crime rates actually declined since this time. This decreasing crime rate was pointed out enthusiastically by skeptics eager to debunk last
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year’s anonymous industry insider, who painted a picture of popularized hip-hop as a tool for imprisoning masses. What wasn’t pointed out was that despite crime rates going down, incarceration rates have skyrocketed. While the size of the prison population changed dramatically, so did its complexion. In his book All Eyez on Me: America’s War on Drugs and the Prison-Industrial Complex, Andre Douglas Pond Cummings documents the obvious truth that “the vast majority of the prisoner increase in the United States has come from African-American and Latino citizen drug arrests.”
Finally, let us not forget the wealth of evidence to support the notion that crime, drug and prison-glorifying hip-hop only outsells other hip-hop because it receives so much more exposure and financial backing, and that when given equal exposure, talent is a much more reliable indicator of success than content. Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) put it best when he said “‘hip-hop” is just shorthand for ‘black people.’” Before our eyes and ears, a “web of business relationships that now defines America’s media and culture” has one particular business raking in billions of dollars while another defines the culture of a specific demographic as criminal. Both business are owned by the same people. The mainstream media continues to endorse hip-hop that glorifies criminality, and private prison interests, long since proven to value profits over human rights, usher in inmates of color to meet capacity quotas. The same people disproportionately incarcerated when exposed to the criminal justice system are at every turn inundated with media normalizing incarceration to the point that wherever there is mainstream hip-hop music, reference to imprisonment as an ordinary, even expected, component of life is sure to follow. Conspiracy theorists get a lot of flak for daring to entertain the simple notion that people will do evil things for money. Historical atrocities like slavery and the Holocaust are universally acknowledged, yet simultaneously adopted is the contradictory position that there can’t possibly be any human beings around intelligent enough and immoral enough to perpetrate such things today. Even in the midst of the Europe-wide beef that was actually a horsemeat fiasco, and the release of real-life nightmare documenting films like Sunshine and Oranges, there is an abundance of people content to believe that the only conspiracies that ever existed are those that have successfully been exposed.
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NEWs
PAULA DEEN,
M i c ro a g g re s si on s
& Why the N-Word Isn’t Even the Major Issue By Ernest Owens I remember the first day I attended the University of Pennsylvania. Being then an 18-year old black male from an inner city public school from the South, this was my first time experiencing life on the East Coast. I was the only black guy in the lecture hall that day and it didn’t bother me; I had already gotten used to hearing about the low percentages of blacks in Ivy League institutions. In other words, I knew what I was signing up for. I sat in the middle of the lecture between two white peers and we started to become acquainted. The initial discussions became more about our academic interests and where we came from. And then, I began to get the more “interesting questions”: What was your SAT score? What was your class rank? I don’t mean to be rude, but if you don’t mind sharing your opinion... how much do you think affirmative action plays into college admissions here at Penn? What became a small discussion that I initially thought would be a friendly introduction to new friends actually became a subtle way of trying to question my merit and acceptance into college. The other white and Asian peers in that lecture room did not get such a badgering of questions because I guess it was implied that they already belonged there. Say whatever you like, but I received that interrogation because I was a black male in a college where people love to use affirmative action as a scapegoat for the actual hard work I did to make it in. That experience ladies and gentleman is an example of a microaggression. That is what Paula Deen did to her employees and that is what many of us try to ignore within ourselves as being racially charged. I have gotten annoyed with seeing much of the discussion of Ms. Deen’s demise focus primarily on her admission of the
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N-Word during her deposition. Under the context in which she admitted using it was in the past and under debatable circumstances, I’m not fixated on that much. Let’s face it, we all know that either we have used it or knew someone that did use it (whether meant to be offensive or not)... and within that context, none of us should really point the finger.
However, given the context of the other racially insensitive things said by Ms. Deen, that is where the real focus should actually be on. Paula Deen admitted to wanting to put on a wedding that would feature black male servers dressed as groomed plantation slaves that complimented the Confederate days of the South. Perhaps her thoughts were not intentionally showing a direct hatred for blacks as many people are trying hard to make it appear as such, but it was still disrespectful and needed to be addressed. The conversation should not be fixated under the debate of whether or not Ms. Deen is a racist, but more in terms of the use of microagressions in this country. Microaggressions are demeaning or subtle insults against minorities that can be verbal, behavioral, or environmental but either intentional or unintentional. In my opinion, Paula Deen is guilty of being microaggressive, not a flat out racist. The two white boys at my college that were interrogating me were being microaggressive. So was the Asian woman who automatically clutched her purse when she saw my friends and me crossing the street in broad daylight. So was singer Miley Cyrus when interpreting what “feels black” as an opportunity for her to wear gold chains and “twerk.” And that school in Ohio who recently attempted to ban “afro-puffs and small twisted braids” was definitely being microaggressive. Paula Deen deserves the flack she is receiving for being a businesswoman that was irresponsible for representing the brand of other major companies and failing to conduct herself in the upmost appropriate manner. At the end of the day, she was unprofessional and proved herself to be a liability for the respect of the many brands and industries she was paid to attract, not
distract, people in consuming. Her own failure to check her microaggression at the door with employees who recognize such behavior in their lives everyday is what cost her reputation... not just simply admitting to using the N-word. One of the major problems with our society is very apparent: we love to portray an issue as being black or white while also defining behavior as being such also. The media and many commentators on both sides of the issue have tried to make the N-word be the focal point because of their own blindness of discussing their own microagressions. What people has considered racist is the usage of the N-word and other such bold slurs because they know that such insults are very visible indicators. But with the attempted culture reshaping of such slurs in society, many people begin to ignore the other forms of racism that can be taking place when we don’t even recognize it.
For those who want to make the argument that “black people use the N-word too so Ms. Deen shouldn’t be fired”... please read the rest of that deposition and then learn to stop creating petty scapegoats for unacceptable behavior. I personally don’t prefer the usage of the N-word by anyone and despite hip-hop’s admission of it (along with other homophobic, misogynist, and taboo references) that will never be my excuse to find it relevant in my vernacular. As elementary as this might sound but must be reiterated: racism is not just only under the scope of calling someone the Nword, a racial slur, or just publicly being an outlandish bigot. It can be that time you raised your nose up when you saw an interracial couple on a date or that time your friends hysterically mocked the accent of a foreigner. At a time when this country is becoming more diverse each and every day, it is more important that we understand what it means to actually be racially offensive and check ourselves when we notice we are. The fall of Paula Deen’s empire should stand as a primary example of how what you saycan actually affect what you do.
An Urgent Appeal We need $5 M to purchase A Linear Accelerator Machine for Jamaica
I
am appealing to everyone especially our Caribbean brothers and sisters. I have been asked to purchase a Linear Accelerator Machine for Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica costing approximately US $5 Million. I met with the Minister of Health, Dr. Fenton Ferguson a few weeks ago. He asked if I can purchase two machines as Kingston needs one also. If 500,000 people give a one-time donation of $10, we will be closer to our goal.
Please send donations to Vincent HoSang Family Foundation (VHFF), 117 Route 303, Suite B, Tappan, NY 10983. Your donation is tax deductible. Thanks for your kind support Vincent HoSang Chairman, Caribbean Food Delights 117 Route 303, Suite B, Tappan, NY 10983 Phone: 845-398-3000 • Fax: 845-398-3001
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www.fountainoil.com 866-223-2414 www. gowhereitzat.com | 35
Corruption in Politics
Letter to the Editor Bishop Charles L. Norris Sr. 120-41 200 Street St. Albans, N.Y 11412 Phone: 718-527-1170/ Cell: 347-526-3869 June 10, 2013
To Whom It May Concern: There have been some terrible mistakes made by our elected officials in Albany and it does not seem to be getting any better. In fact as you follow the daily papers, radio and T.V programs it seems to be getting worse. Queens Senator Malcolm Smith, Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson, Brooklyn Assemblyman William Boyland Jr., Bronx Assemblyman Nelson Castro and Senator Shirley Huntley all have some skeletons they wish had stayed in the closet. Then there is the powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has been accused of mishandling complaints of sexual harassment made by two women staff members against then Assemblyman Vito Lopez of Brooklyn. Of course he has resigned his Assembly seat and seems to be readying a run for the City Council. How egotistical can one be? So far Mr. Silver has apologized for his actions and has agreed to a $103,000 settlement with the victims, rather than following the rules and referring the matter to the Chamber’s Ethics Committee. And I believe Mr. Lopez kicked in $25,000 of his own money to sweeten the pot for the women he is accused of sexually harassing. For a man who has been speaker since 1994 it is inconceivable how his colleagues could let him off the hook for such a stupid mistake; unless this is the usual process in caring for your “friends” when they have been caught in a bind. How long have people in high places been protecting their “friends” at the expense of the tax payers of our great Empire State? It may be much too long. And now it is time to address the issue. Government watch dogs have ripped the state’s Ethics Commission for omitting documents highly embarrassing to speaker Silver from its report on the Vito Lopez scandal. Here again this may be an indication of people in high places protecting their no good “friends.” It seems unbelievable to me that no one has mentioned the part played in this decision by the State Comptroller or the State Attorney General. Wouldn’t the comptroller or the Attorney General have to sign the checks for the women to receive it? Those two high officials are, in my estimation, just as culpable as the speaker; yet at no time are they mentioned. One article I read indicated that Assemblyman Keith Wright would have a 10-1 chance in replacing Mr. Silver. And Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubrey; “Big Jeff” my friend is a 20 to 1 shot for the speaker’s job. I am sure there are others 2 to 1, 7 to 1 and 25 to 1 who may be considered a replacement for speaker Silver. If Assemblyman Wright is anything like his father, the late Judge Bruce Wright careful and favorable consideration should be given to him. In my hope for some sanity to come to this longstanding cesspool situation in the capital of our state, I wonder if the following suggestion would be a deterrent to those who misuse their office for personal gain: ---------For those who are convicted of a felony, aside from losing their seat in the senate, assembly or the council they should also lose their pension. Think of the many thieves who have gone to jail, did their time and are now living on their pension with health care paid by the state and or city as the case may be. It is time we drastically do something to those who violate the law for personal gain or take advantage of constituents who elected them to do one thing and they did something else. We need a law in the city, the state, and maybe the federal government to rid us of these thieves and take their pension and health insurance so they can’t live like kings or queens when released from the “big house”.
Sincerely, Bishop Charles L. Norris, Sr. Cc: Concerned Leaders Assorted Media
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B.I.G Awards cont’d - Social network
www.go
.com
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politics
Petition The Road to
Candidacy
JOAN FLOWERS WITH GOV. DAVID PATERSON AFTER RECEIVING HIS ENDORSEMENT
By Onissa Sancho This September local government elections for city council members will be conducted throughout New York City. In order for an individual to be recognized as a candidate for a seat in local government, they must first obtain the support of the community in which they choose to run for office; this is called the petition process. Having a potential candidate without the support of the public is like having a car without tires, you simply can’t go anywhere. Receiving a certain amount of signatures from members of the community, who are registered voters is mandatory for each candidate, to promote the petition process. A few years ago paper petition, was the only way to obtain these signatures. Now thanks to technology, e-petition, which is using the internet is another form of acquiring signatures. To better understand the petition process let’s relate it to something familiar, like credit cards. Who would sign a credit card receipt without knowing what was purchased under their name? Not many people. The proof of a signed credit card receipt confirms to the collection company, that this individual agrees with the repayment amount on the credit card receipt for the business contracted. Likewise every name on a petition gives the powers that be an understanding that each person, who signed the petition agrees with the viewpoint of the potential candidate, and would like that person to represent them as a community in the local government elections. I spoke with one such candidate, Attorney Joan Flowers. She understands and is seri-
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ous about the laws implemented to give each individual a fair chance at running for the office of city council. Mrs. Flowers lives by a Margaret Thatcher quote, which says “Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country.” After taking a look at Flowers’ background this saying fits her just right. She has been married to a physical therapist for 44 years. Together they raised three professionally successful men, a doctor, lawyer and physical therapist. Mrs. Flowers has successfully managed and ran several small businesses; all while attending St John’s University School of Law. She also volunteers with the Queens County Bar Association and gives advice to seniors on legal matters. As you can see, if this candidate’s household was the district in which she is running for office (district 27), the future will be bright.. City Council member candidates come from a variety of backgrounds, which Flowers is aware of. The council member hopeful says, “In my unique position as an attorney, I know what the legal remedies are for most issues.” As an advocate, she is aware of the issues in the community. Her focus will be on women, youth, education and jobs. Thanks to the petition process the public can actively choose to vote for Joan Flowers or decide on a different individual as a council member candidate. Visit the Board of Elections in the City of New York at www.vote.nyc.ny.us to find your designated voting site.
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