Mavis Britwum

As I mentioned in my first blog I am going to feed your “starving repertoire” and what better way than to start with dessert, Cookies or Comas. No, comas are not a foreign pastry. The unambiguous title is the latest mixtape from Brooklyn rapper Jean Grae. Not exactly the X-Men comic character, of course, but in the realm of hip-hop Grae is definitely considered Omega level.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Grae, real name Tsidi Ibrahim, is the daughter of two of the country’s celebrated jazz musicians, Abdullah Ibrahim and Sathima Bea Benjamin. Grae was constantly surrounded by music as a child and understood the grips of the business long before she herself became immersed in the scene. Today Grae is signed under Blacksmith Records, a label comprised of some of Hip-Hop’s purest and true to the art rappers such as Talib Kweli.

Her rapping style is full of quick and witty metaphors. She is not afraid to un-rhyme sometimes and spits phrases and lines that many agree make her one of today’s best lyricists, period. I often abuse the replay button in hopes to catch the full meaning of her songs. She’s made guest appearances on numerous records with artist such as Immortal Technique, Joell Ortiz and Wale.

It's been done in Amsterdam, New York City, and London. Now it is TCNJ's turn to sound off on what we are listening to. Keep an eye out for Mavis and Gabby this month, as they accost students for our next edition of "What Are You Listening To?"

Hey you! Still haven’t found time out of your bustling college schedule to follow the presidential elections? Of course, we’re all so busy. But can you tell me the last thing Kim Kardashian tweeted?

Hope you’re registered to vote, but, if not, you better get a move on it. This year’s presidential elections are hitting the ground fast, and November will be here sooner than you think. Who are you voting for? Here’s some info about the two Republican runner-ups.

Name: Mitt Romney
Alias: Mr. Good Hair and Big Buck$
Birthplace/Age: Detroit, Illinois/64
Previous Political Occupation: Governor of Massachusetts
Political Views:

Healthcare: Plans to revise Medicare to reform it as a premium support system. Lower income seniors will receive more support to afford coverage.

Spending: Requires spending cuts of approximately $500 billion per year in 2016, assuming robust economic recovery with 4% annual growth, and reversal of irresponsible Obama-era defense cuts.

Labor: Ensure that the labor laws create a stable ground on which businesses can fairly operate.

Recent wins/losses: Came out first in the Maine caucuses and the straw poll held at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Super PAC: Restore Our Future

Interesting Quote: "From my first day in office, my No. 1 job will be to see that America once again is No. 1 in job creation." Romney announces presidential campaign, June 3, 2011.

I thought to myself after I wrote my last blog, losing sleep and skipping meals, mind spinning against countless hours of chalkboard calculations way into the creeping emergence of twilight. I traveled the world in search of guarded books of unusual knowledge burrowed deep in the dusty ruins of old libraries and candlelit caverns of medieval cathedrals; storing history’s untold stories written in ancient and forgotten scribe, all hell-bent in debunking the obscurities of Hip-Hop. I did this for you, reader.

Okay, so I may have stretched the truth a little beyond the first comma of that last sentence. But seriously, what is Hip-Hop? Believe it or not, the culture is infused into almost everything we do today. Hip-Hop is political, inspirational and educational. Ultimately, it is an anthology of stories told by peoples of every walk of life whose voices have been silenced or erased from history.

Hip-hop unarguably consists of four major components: DJing, Break dancing, Graffiti, and MCing. In comparison, it is the contemporary day Renaissance in which the re-construction of music, dance, art, and literature were spawned from the dark crevices of city life and creatively brought to light.

Of the notable names in Hip-Hop history, DJ Kool Herc is known to be one of the founding fathers. This house party DJ was king and 1520 Sedgewick Ave in the Bronx was his empire, unequivocally marking the apartment building as the official birthplace of Hip-Hop.