Community

Nipsey Hussle had a true marathon of journey vision and it was based on community, starting with his own. The Crenshaw hood community began with an artists and a vision, a store, and helping out many people who truly needed it!

RIP Mr. Nipsey Hussle

Here is a sad story of a true black radical. Ermias Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper and songwriter from Los Angeles, California.

Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle initially became known for his numerous mixtapes, including his Bullets Ain’t Got No Name series, The Marathon, The Marathon Continues and Crenshaw, the last of which rapper Jay-Z bought 100 copies of for $100 each.

The Life of Nipsey Hussle

After much delay, his debut studio album Victory Lap was released in February 2018 to critical acclaim. Nipsey’s commercial success was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019.

Asghedom was born on August 15, 1985, and raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Los Angeles. His father is a refugee from Eritrea to the U.S. who escaped the ongoing war in his homeland. His mother is African American from LA.

the late Mr. Nipsey Hussle

When asked about his background during an interview, Asghedom stated, “I was raised in L.A. by my mom, you know my mom’s family is black American.” I always knew my heritage from my dad but I never met my family. My dad was the only one in America – everybody else was back home. So when I went out there [Eritrea] it educated me to the other side”.

Hussle was also a member of the local Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips gang. His stage name, a play on the name of comic Nipsey Russell, originated as a nickname, given to Asghedom by a friend while in his teens.

Hussle was murdered outside his store, Marathon Clothing, in South Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.

#blackradical

the Life of Aretha Louise Franklin

Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American vocalist and lyricist. She started her profession as a youngster singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her dad, C. L. Franklin, was served.

In 1960, at 18 years old, she set out on a common profession, recording for Columbia Records yet just making humble progress. Following her marking to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin made business praise and progress with tunes, for example, “Regard”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, “Spanish Harlem” and “Think”. Before the finish of the 1960s, she had picked up the title “The Queen of Soul”.

Franklin recorded acclaimed collections, for example, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Lady Soul (1968), Young, Gifted and Black (1972) and Amazing Grace (1972) preceding encountering issues with her record organization by the mid-1970s.

Tragedy and Rebound

After her dad was shot in 1979, Franklin left Atlantic and joined with Arista Records, discovering accomplishments with the collections Jump to It (1982) and Who’s Zoomin’ Who? (1985), and her part in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.

In 1998, Franklin got universal approval for singing the musical drama aria “Nessun Dorma” at the Grammys of that year, supplanting Luciano Pavarotti. Soon thereafter, she scored her last Top 40 melody with “A Rose Is Still a Rose”.

Franklin, in the long run, recorded an aggregate of 112 diagrammed singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 passages, 17 top ten pop singles, 100 R&B sections and 20 number-one R&B singles, turning into the most outlined female craftsman in the graphs history.

The Queen of Soul Won 18 Grammys

Franklin’s other mainstream and surely understood hits incorporate “Shake Steady”, “Bounce to It”, “Interstate of Love”, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Until the point that You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”, “Something He Can Feel”, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (with George Michael), and a change of The Rolling Stones melody “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”.

Franklin has won an aggregate of 18 Grammy Awards. She is outstanding amongst other offering melodic craftsmen ever, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Franklin has been respected all through her vocation. In 1987, Aretha gained acceptance into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She became the principal female entertainer to be drafted.

Aretha Louise Franklin

She was enlisted to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In August 2012, Franklin was accepted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Franklin is recorded in no less than two unequaled records on Rolling Stone magazine. This included the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

#blackradicals #arethafranklin #rip

 

America Brands Itself Better Than Africa

Senegalese rapper, songwriter, founder of Lady Gaga, and businessman talks at the Youth Connekt in Kigali in Rwanda. He tells a brief but fitting storyline of how America is great because they have been great at branding and marketing (themselves).

America brands itself better than Africa has, primarily because of technology and creative educating methods in film production. Akon talks about this brilliantly in the video above. For years, I’ve attempted to get black Americans to understand the richness of what they have on the African continent.

For years, I could not penetrate to express to them what is really there. The images coming from the television were too overpowering for them. Those images included zebras, elephants, jungles, out of control thuggery, genocides, and other wildlife things people are not used to.

Akon Stresses Control the Narrative

Being from there, I knew better, but I’m glad many others are now going there and visiting to get their own perspective and experience. Share this with others so they also can under the strength in their ignorance.

We all must understand the strength in America’s branding and marketing, and how African authors, marketers, filmmakers, and journalist, need to control the narrative! Akon, black radical!

America Brands Itself Better Than Africa Akon

#blackradicals