October 2008 issue

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In the Booth with R.E.U.B.

Financial Crisis’ Effects on Sports

The World Bank Political Protest & Economics 101 My Time at a Predominantly

Black High School

October, 2008 ———————————‐ Vol I. Issue II.

The New Era of Journalism For GW Students, By GW Students.

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Editor’s Note Dear Reader, Welcome as we continue this journey known as The Ace. This issue is bigger and better as

more of your peers discuss issues important to the college stu‐dent. Read EVERYTHING but also start discourse among your peers and also with the staff. Do not be afraid to go onto thenwace.blogspot.com to express your opinion about what you read in this issue or about things that concern you as a citizen of the world. As journalists, we are here to serve your interests so make us work hard! Thank you for the continuous support. The only way to go is

up so expect nothing less from us. ‐ Samuel Collins, Jr.

The Ace Editorial Staff

EDITOR IN CHIEF Samuel Collins Jr.

ASSISTANT EDITOR IN CHIEF Kwasi Agyeman LAYOUT EDITORS Kerry Watson Tiana Ottley

Benson Mensah‐Bonsu POLITICS EDITOR Andrew Cooper

BUSINESS EDITOR Joshua Joseph MUSIC EDITOR Jamie Benson

HEALTH EDITOR Amanda Holder

SPORTS COMMENTATOR Adam L. Layne PHOTO EDITOR Ebele Okonkwo

CONTENTS

http://thenewace.blogspot.com

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ADVICE ……………….....………..…..2

WRITERS’ BLOCK ……………......19

MUSIC………...…....………………..11

POLITICS………..……………………...5

BUSINESS…………………………….…3

Financial Crisis and Golf …………………………….…..3

Financial Crisis hurts Soccer…………………………....4

The World Bank……………………………….………5

Sarah Palin……………………………………...…….…7

The World Bank…………………………………..……9

In The Booth……..…………………………………...11

Album Reviews…………………………………......13

AROUND CAMPUS…………….…17

REP YOUR CITY.…………………..25

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ADVICE

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Hindsight is 20/20 and foresight is always better. It’s just too bad we only realize the latter by doing something that proves the former. Maybe you took that fifth shot of Goose when you know your limit is four. Maybe you wore that dress that was more than a few inches shorter than your mother would like, or maybe you participated in that not‐so‐secret sexual act that your boyfriend or girlfriend would not appreciate finding out about. Time and time again we’ve all made them. I like to call them PLD’s, Poor Life Decisions. I know from personal ex‐perience that college, especially GW, provides many opportunities for PLD’s to be made. Young adults away from parental influence surrounded by alcohol, constant parties, and members of the opposite sex create a dangerous atmosphere: a PLD breeding ground. Getting so drunk that you cannot even stand up during a Marvin Center party, having unprotected sex with ANYONE for any reason but especially having casual, unprotected sex, posting face down, butt up pictures on Facebook, and viewing class as truly optional and constantly opting not to go are PLD’s that are all too familiar. Sure it’s fun and we might think it’s cute now, but our choices shape our future. When making these decisions we lack the foresight and the maturity to realize me might be jeopardizing who we are and how other perceive us. We have to be better. We have to start by being accountable for our actions and really weighing the costs be‐fore act. We must take personal ownership of every action and every decision, and by doing so we will constantly be forced to think before we act. Thinking: it’s a factor that’s usually not involved in PLD’s, but just a little thought can change the outcome of many unfortunate and un‐necessary situations. By stopping to think, we give ourselves the opportunity to become ra‐tional, critical, and make a better choice. PLD’s are born out of spontaneous moments where one fails to consider the implications of actions, leaves no time for intelligent consideration, and makes a rushed decision using faulty judgment. Not only is it important to think before we act, but also it is essential that we are analyzing what we are giving and what is too be gained in every life decision we make. If the costs are more than the benefits, it’s not worth it. If you are doing the most you can possibly do in a situation and you are gaining nothing, reevaluate and put a stop to your actions. If you think you will look back and be embarrassed about, it usually won’t improve your life. If you have to even question it, it’s most likely is wrong. Understanding this is the first step to stopping our PLD’s so in retrospect we won’t have regrets.

Hello Ace Readers! Our very own Shaterra Lee an‐swers YOUR questions! Email any questions you

might have to [email protected] and have them

answered by Shaterra in next month’s issue of the ACE!

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FINANCIAL CRISIS AND GOLF ALI SAADAT

The recent financial crisis may stem from irresponsible lending in the Wall Street banking sector, but now it is clear that the crisis has permeated to almost all aspects of American society. The lack of confidence in our economy is driving countless major companies and banks out of business and killing any hope of retaining capital and experiencing growth. Small businesses are getting hit hard, hundreds of thousands have lost jobs, and with no extra capital floating around in our economy, it leaves one more question to ask: How will we be entertained? The entertainment and sporting industries in the United States are responsible for a majority of the yearly U.S. GDP, and it is hard to say what is going to happen next. Specifically, golf is expected to take a huge blow in the upcoming years, since it has been indeed big businesses, financial institu‐tions and automakers that fund partners with the PGA Tour for many years now. In an article by Golf Stuff Review entitled “How the Financial Crisis ‘May’ Affect the PGA Tour,” the PGA Tour Commis‐sioner stated that "We are impacted by the economy and the economic challenges like everybody else.” Tim Finchem later said that: “We have a lot of customers and sponsors in economic sectors that are impacted negatively by the volatility in the economy. Thus far, we have not suffered any major damage. But clearly, if the insta‐bility were to continue for a sustained period of time, we will have real challenges.”

Jon Show and John Ourand of The Sports Business Journal recently stated that “nearly one‐third of all events sanctioned by the PGA Tour are sponsored by banks, investment firms, credit card distributors.

Now, banks are crumbling by the hour, have government assistance, or just do not have the time or money to waste on matters that do not regard the financial balance sheet, even events such as the PGA Tour that generate a huge amount of capital and profits. Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Wachovia are just a few of many major banking companies who alter their strong history and passion for golf in order to keep their names alive. With the financial crisis on Wall Street spreading to Main Street, it is inevitable that our entertainment and sporting sectors of our U.S. economy will be drastically affected in the upcoming years of recession.

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BUSINESS


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FINANCIAL CRISIS HURTS SOCCER DANIEL SILBERSTEIN

The credit crunch hits everything, from a loaf of bread to the appearance of soccer jerseys. West Brom v West Ham was the first premiership match that featured two unspon‐sored teams in decades. West Brom was not able to get a shirt deal for this season and West Ham's sponsor XL Holidays collapsed earlier in September. Another sponsorship that is dan‐gling is the Newcastle United Northern Rock Sponsorship, which nearly went bankrupt last year. Are we heading towards sponsor‐less soccer? It is definitely true it is going to be harder for smaller soccer teams to secure sponsorship deals.

Unsponsored shirts ‐ West Brom, vs. West Ham

(image from official West Brom website) An alternative is to support charity organization. FC Barcelona (UNICEF) or Aston Villa (Acorns) have both followed this path. This does not improve the clubs economical status, but it certainly looks better than supporting a gambling site, (Madrid with BWin, Sevilla with 888.com). In fact FC Barcelona, under the partnership launched at the United Nations in New York on September 7, 2006, will donate $1.9 million per year to UNICEF for the next 5 years and has agreed to feature the UNICEF logo on its jersey making it the first logo placement in the club’s 108‐year history. I must say it is admirable that under the current economical situa‐tion FC Barcelona has established such a partnership. As one of the most storied teams of the world, Barcelona could settle for much more. Much more meaning over $20 million in revenue increase per year. Some teams have too much marketing value to be laid off by their sponsors. Manchester United, current victor of the Champions League, is sponsored by AIG, injecting a mind baffling £14.125 million ($24.615 million). Some still wonder why they decided not to transfer Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for €125 million ($170 million).

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BUSINESS


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The World Bank Political Protest and Economics 101

Andrew Cooper GW students stand at the crossroads of national and international politics. Some of the most impressive governmental and nongovernmental organizations operate their headquarters in Washington like the U.S. Department of State and the Red Cross. There are other reasons Wash‐ington, DC is the foremost location to study. Money. Washington’s less prominent but equally powerful counterbalance to the political machines and policy organizations of K Street are the influential banking, regulatory, and financial institutions that keep the domestic and global economy churning. Among these organizations, one global financial institution stands out as a bastion of good to some and a member of the ‘unholy trinity’ to others. This well known but utterly opaque organization is the World Bank. The World Bank is just that, a bank. Like most financial institutions it operates in asset and securities markets, its manages funds, and most importantly, it loans money to clients. The only difference is, the World bank’s clients are developing countries and their interest rates are re‐duced rates with the aim of curtailing poverty in said countries. Some of the most significant work done by the World Bank occurs in the area of stabilizing struggling economies, rebuilding failed banking systems, and serving as a ‘bank of last resort’ for lines of credit in the developing world. The bank, however, is not without a political tinge. The political muscle exerted by the World Bank can be better understood by a saying my mother would always tell me, “Son, if you want to understand the politics son follow the money!” In the case of the World Bank, there is lots of it.

POLITICS


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Yearly, protestors from all over the world descend upon Washington and GW’s campus to decry the institution. Why? For many reasons; some believe that the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organizations are tools of the western world. Specifically, the World Bank is criticized by semi‐periphery and periphery powers as the central device of hegemonic western democracies. Basically, they feel the world bank withholds funds from countries in need and gives to others based on politics. Or, they be‐lieve the World Bank’s decisions are influenced by players like the U.S., EU, and Russia to exact political revenge or extract political patronage from less powerful nations. Essen‐tially, the process for receiving aid from the World Bank is laced with political posturing, power relationships, and other less reputable practices. According to worldbank.org, however, the bank is owned by 185 member countries including but not limited to countries in the Southern and Eastern hemispheric regions of the globe. Nevertheless, critiques on the bank’s practices have overwhelming followed the following logic: (1) the institution’s financial resources are used in a way that promotes inequality (political disagreements), (2) the institution distorts natural economic develop‐ment (philosophical disagreements), and finally, the institution causes poverty in some de‐veloping countries (empirical disagreements)! So the next time you see protestors hanging out on the corner of 18th and H Streets, you’ll have some idea what their screaming about. Check out www.worldbank.org to find out more about the organization. Also Google is a great resource for learning alternative viewpoints of the World Bank. I found http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/item.shtml?x=320869 to be helpful in learning about the reasons people hate and love the World Bank. Heck, you may find out that it’s worth joining the protestors while they try to impale the Gucci‐clad diplomats and finance ministers with tomato paste. Or not.

POLITICS


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It was a historical election and the idea of a major party running a woman for vice president was gaining major traction. She was picked to help an older male candidate – who was quickly becoming an underdog – by providing a desperately needed jolt of electoral energy. It was a risky move, in‐tended to prove the progressive intentions of the campaign and win over large numbers of female voters who were ready for a change. Unless you’ve made it a point to completely insulate yourself from everything political, this sce‐nario must sound very familiar. Only the events I just described don’t apply to John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate for the upcoming 2008 election. They happened before most of us were born, back in 1984, when Geraldine Ferraro was selected by Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale to be the first woman vice‐presidential candidate ever on a major party ticket. However despite the striking similarities that can be drawn between these two historic selections, there are major differences between Palin and Ferraro’s careers and candidacies; differences that expose some fine, but noticeable, cracks in the glass ceiling of female political participation. After college, Ferraro became an elementary school teacher and earned her law degree by taking night classes at Fordham. She was only one of two women at her law school graduation. After prac‐ticing law for 13 years, Ferraro started her political career as the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the Special Victims Unit for Queens County, New York, which at the time had a population of about two million. Despite being a Democrat, she used her tough‐on‐crime credentials to get elected as the U.S. Representative from New York’s conservative 9th Congressional District. When she arrived at the House, Ferraro quickly rose in prominence, serving on the Steering and Policy, House Budget, Public Works and Transportation and Post Office and Civil Service Committees. Ferraro was also an active leader within the Democratic Party hierarchy prior to her selection. She was a Deputy Chair for the Carter‐Mondale campaign in 1980 and was Chairwoman of the Platform Committee for the 1984 De‐mocratic National Convention.

Sarah Palin: Is the Glass Ceiling Cracking?

Ben Cole

POLITICS


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PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2008 RESULTS

In a Presidential election, a candidate must gain 270 electoral votes in order to win the Presidency

Barack Obama– 349 Electoral Votes John McCain– 163 Electoral Votes

Congratulations President-Elect Obama!!!!

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Palin’s curriculum vitae reads much differently. She attended four different colleges before graduating and holds no advanced degrees. Before beginning her political career, Palin was a sports reporter for an NBC affiliate in Anchorage. She spent four years on the City Council of Wasilla, Alaska prior to her election as mayor in 1996. During her tenure, Palin built a community recrea‐tion center, renovated Wasilla’s sewer system and hired a city administrator to help her with the difficult task of managing a town of about 6,000 residents. Later on as governor, Palin attempted to create an image for herself as a reformer by passing ethics legislation requiring more complete dis‐closure of lobbyist spending, among other things. Recently, however, a Republic‐led ethics investi‐gation found her to have abused her power by pressuring her subordinates to fire a state trooper over a personal dispute. So as the current female vice president runs her campaign with particular emphasis on her gen‐der, let’s not forget Ferraro, and the immensity of her qualifications in comparison to Palin’s. In one sense, we as Americans should be proud: Ferraro was so scrutinized because of her gender that she could not have had anything less than a flawless resume, while Palin’s resume has been judged by standards equal to those of her male counterparts, if not even more lenient. The hint of equal stan‐dards is promising: no woman has yet cracked the ceiling between her and the vice‐presidency, but the case of Sarah Palin shows definite cracks in the glass. I only hope that the woman who finally breaks through is a little bit more qualified.

POLITICS


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I didn’t know what to expect when I learned that I was going to be spending every Tuesday and Thursday at Theodore Roosevelt High school from now until the end of the semester. As I ad‐mired the bright colors of the trees in the Rock Creek Parkway, I didn’t know what waited for me. As I got closer and closer to the school, the neighborhood quickly seemed to change. There were small storefronts with bars on all the windows. There were several hair places with signs that boasted of their “ethnic” hair talent. Small convenience stores were squeezed between small restaurants that served fried chicken and other “soul food.” From the safety and warmth of my car, I observed men talking on the street which seemed to be the only thing they had to do that day. I quickly learned that the Georgia Avenue Petworth Neighborhood was not a place one would want to find himself after dark.

Once I got into the school, I was welcomed by a metal detector and an x‐ray machine. I was

taken down a hall, and passed rows of lockers that had been defaced over the years. As I passed the atrium one could tell that once Roosevelt High School had been a grand building, with its crown mold‐ing and paintings of former white principles. Now, just as with the crown molding, the school itself seemed to be rotting away. As I continued down the hallway, I was taken into a staircase. Our only choice was to go down due to a large cage that prevented us from going up. As I descended into the basement, apparently where the media classes were taught, the smell of urine permeated my nos‐trils. I was taken to a large room with two concrete walls that did not reach the top of the ceiling. I was later told that this was an idea the school was trying to increase fluidity in learning. While it re‐mained to be seen if it increased learning fluidity, it did increase the noise pollution, as teachers would compete to be heard over other teachers, and classes. Once I finally got to the classroom, I was introduced as Colby, an intern from the George Washington University. The name didn’t make that much of an impression; for weeks I was known as “that white boy.” I thought it was going to be a long four months.

While I was there to help teach media to the students, lots of time the class did not focus

around radio or TV. As often as not, the class discussion would relate to race. The teacher would speak about how black people need to go to college and the statistics say they could not do it, but she knew that they could. She told students over and over that the District would pay for them to go to college if only they could graduate and get into a college.

My Time at a Predominantly

Black High School in the District

By Colby Anderson

POLITICS


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Her encouragement seemed to fall on deaf ears as the class would sit there, some asleep, pretending to listen to her. Some would not even pretend to be listening. It was not uncommon for a student to get up and walk around the classroom, or simply leave and not return. This was toler‐ated if not accepted by the teachers, and it seemed the administration.

Nearly all of the students I encountered would say that they were planning on going to col‐

lege after high school. However after a deeper probe, one would see this type of college planning involved not coming to school for 50 days of the semester, and getting a 1.9 GPA. After I spent an afternoon with a student in this situation looking over college books to see what community college would accept him, there were a very few that would actually consider him. It was clear that he was not worried. I finally asked him if he understood that he needed to work hard his last year in high school and his options would open greatly. He told me that he was just going to graduate early un‐der the DC “Fast Track” option, and head down to the dirty south. Being a southerner myself, I was confused to where the “dirty south” was located. He told me it was in Atlanta, where all the new rappers were coming out. His plan was to relocate to Atlanta, “lay down some rap tracks” , hand them out to producers, and then he figured his rap career would take off. After asking him about how he would pay for his living arrangements, he informed me his family would pay for a room. He did not know where that money was coming from. After a few more hours of pleading with him to stay in school another year, I realized there was nothing I could say to keep this 17 year old man from graduating a year early, and going to Atlanta instead of college.

As I walked by horrifying poverty on the way to the Metro station, I usually felt dejected and cynical. I would chide myself for ever thinking that I could do something to help stop this cycle of poverty. After working with numerous students trying to convince them to go to college, many of them were just as sure that their rap careers were just about to take off. Even the stars of the school that the teacher would parade for me didn’t have the SAT scores to get into a top 100 col‐lege. I was hoping to make a difference at Roosevelt. I don’t think that I did, but at least I tried.

I don’t know what the politicians can do about this program. Already, anyone who gradu‐ates from a public school in the District of Columbia can go to any state school they are admitted for free. That is a very large incentive if the correct emphasis is placed on education. There are after school activities that students can participate in. There are tutoring programs available and there are amazing teachers that are willing to help if asked. But I am worried. I am worried that the prob‐lem lies deeper, the problem lies in the fact that these high‐schoolers must take the initiative and graduate from high school, or go to the after school programs, and ask for help. I say this as a de‐mocrat as I type these words. The government has the programs in place, and yes they could be better funded, but the government has reached out to these kids, it’s time that they reach back and meet the opportunities half way.

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In the Booth with R.E.U.B. http://myspace.com/reubmuzik1

Words by Jamie Benson I recently had a chance to sit down with one of Virginia’s most promising hip‐hop artists, and to a put in electoral terms, a viable candidate for a spot in the music industry. R.E.U.B. (pronounced Reub) began his career several years ago, but with his new single “Overdrive” from his upcoming album The Black Rapper Show burning up the airwaves in the DC area, he is poised to capture a wider fan base. We asked him all about his beginnings in rap, his remix album The Billboard In‐surgence, and his description of the DC/MD/VA hip‐hop community as a whole.

First off, I have to ask about the name. For those who haven’t been following you since you began your career, why all caps and periods?

My real name is Reuben, so I wanted to make sure I stuck with my name. Based on the artists I grew up listening to; cats like Bob Marley, Al Green, Tupac, or Nas, they all used their direct names or variations of their names. I was drawn to doing that because I rap about things that relate directly to my life and the lives of people that are similar to me, so I don’t need an alias or such. As far as the acronym goes, people just started calling me Big Reub all the time in the neighborhood, but I didn’t want to be “Big” anything. My man came up with the [idea of an] acro‐nym and we started making up different names. The first name [my friends] came up with was “real educated urban brother,” which fit, but I didn’t like it for a name.

Welcome to the October edition of The Ace’s Music Section. It’s your editor and host, Jamie Benson. It’s been a great month for hip‐hop and we were able to recap some of the biggest albums of the year with our newest collection of reviews. We’ll also take you across DC for a preview of October’s live hip‐hop shows, along with a special con‐cert review from last month. Don’t forget to check for our monthly top ten list and this month’s exclusive interview with Virginia artist R.E.U.B., presented by WRGW’s Funka‐

delic Freestyles.

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The name I ended up coining, and now using, is “real entrepreneur underground business.” I think it’s fitting because although I’m all about the lyrics, I’ve always been on the business side, too.

You pride yourself on being the “atypical” hip‐hop artist. How does your unique perspec‐tive on the industry translate into your music?

I don’t wanna say the cliché thing, but I just do me. I don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about what I should be doing. I don’t look at the hottest record out and say, “oh, I should do that.” If I like something, I try it and I put my little swing on it. If I don’t like something, I just stay away from it. I feel like I don’t have to worry about what’s current, what has been done, what’s old school, and so on. Reviewers, interviewers, critics, [they] can decide how you should categorize [my music].

If somebody says I’m atypical, then okay, I’m atypical. If somebody says my single “Overdrive” is catchy and mainstream, then okay, it’s catchy and mainstream. As far as I’m concerned, I’m going to rhyme and I’m going to do my best to make sure I’m actually deliver‐ing good rhymes on everything I put out.

You’ve got a new album coming out very soon called The Black Rapper Show. Tell us about the title, what it means, and what kind of sound can we expect from the record?

The title of the album is a sort of a spoof off VH1’s The White Rapper Show. I have some cats that I know who are white rappers that were at first somewhat offended by that show, they felt like it was kind of making fun of white rappers. I don’t really think it was in the end, but with their initial reaction I started to think about how with black rappers, there are sev‐eral characters that make fun of what it means to be a black rapper. I loosely took some of those ideas for the album, but I didn’t want it to be all on one track. Basically, it just gave me a canvas to paint a whole lot of pictures of what it means to be a black person who is doing music. As far as the sound of the album goes, it’s not sample‐heavy because we play a lot of stuff, too. We’ve got some super‐hard joints on the album, but we’ve also got very personal and emotional tracks that tell a lot about who I am. It’s kind of like having my first album, Pair‐a‐dice, all over again. It’s been so long since I dropped that album, it’s like I’m a whole differ‐ent person since when it first came out.

Before I let you go, let me ask you a regional question. If you had to describe the DC/MD/VA hip‐hop community to a naïve music fan, what would you say? I would have to make an analogy because I know it would take me a long time to actually talk about, since there are so many things in one. I would say it’s like having a cupcake upside‐down on top of a brownie in a bowl of ice cream with pancake syrup poured all over the top of it and heated up. It’s crazy; there’s so much stuff going on here and so many different things happening in the same place. Every single that’s get put in there, it’s something that you would want.

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Album Reviews

DJ Revolution ‐ King of The Decks Duck Down

The role of the DJ , one of the key elements of hip‐hop has shrunken over time, but underground West Coast sensation DJ Revolution sets out to reconnect the DJ to the emcee on his new LP “King Of The Decks.” Rev packs the lengthy album with underground staples and his fellow Duck Down colleagues. Boot Camp Clik is on the excellent “Start the Revolution while the fight‐starting “Damage” features Blaq Poet and Bumpy Knuckles. The skits are well placed and effective, like the humorous “Scratch Nerds,” making fun of DJ fanatics. Even Sway and his inexplicable headpiece make an ap‐pearance commentating on the DJ Revolution/DJ Spinbad battle, “The Showdown” . The track is a mind‐blowing clash between titans that is truly a gem. “King Of The Decks” is a solid album. The overall boom‐bap sound is consistent, Rev performs insane scratch solos, and the guests bring the heat on nearly every track. There are a few misses, like “Funky Piano” and “Blow Da Spot”. KRS‐One dictates the role of the DJ over the sinister sounding, “The DJ.” Though it’s classic KRS, he ends up sounding preachy by the last verse. Overall, DJ Revolution delivers on his latest LP with enough classic bangers to keep it in your rotation for quite a while. ~AP

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Murs—Murs For President Warner Bros. Records

The inevitable thought of “what a wonderful way to capitalize off the election section” has to pop up after catching the title of underground LA rapper Murs’ newest album, “Murs for Presi‐dent.” Even though Murs has spent the majority of his promotional tour in a suit and tie, preach‐ing to the hip‐hop population., his democratic aim is not completely clear, nor is the album title. Regardless, this is Murs’ first major label effort, a crowning achievement for an emcee who truly deserves a coveted spot in the industry. In 2004, Murs released “Murs 3:16 The 9th Edition”. “Murs For President,” is quite different. It releases that ugly smell of record executives, while simultaneously maintaining the under‐ground edge that makes Murs likable. It should also be mentioned that the entire project was mixed by California legend DJ Quik. “The Science” is a five‐minute sample‐less odyssey driven by drums, a flute, and a turntable. It tells the story of the evolution of hip‐hop and stands alone as the smartest song on the album. “Lookin’ Fly” is the bass‐heavy “club track” featuring will.i.am and while it’s fun, it’s a clear de‐parture from Murs’ signature style. The most notable cameo on “Murs For President” is the infa‐mous Snoop Dogg, who coats the soulful “Time Is Now” with his familiar slow‐flow. Independent hip‐hop fans; do not fear. 9th Wonder makes a few appearances on the album including the Honey Cone‐sampled “I’m Innocent” and the last record, “Breakthrough.” With all the help from his friends, Murs delivers his first major label effort with presidential gusto, although he’s cer‐tainly no Barack Obama. ~JB

Robin Thicke—Something Else Star Trak/Interscope

Vibe magazine called him “the white boy who turned you out.” But I think, he is so much more. Robin Thicke is soul and R&B at its finest. He never fails to do what soul/R&B is supposed to do – make you feel and think. I was walking into my friend's room and they had “Something Else” on in the background, and my first thought was – this song was not on “The Evolution of Robin Thicke,” but I know its Robin! This album is defining for Thicke – most people take this effort to be his sophomore release . which is a huge determinant in an artist's career. Always in touch with his feelings, he tackles world issues on “Dreamworld,'” and the separate issue of one sided lovin' on “Sidestep.” The loving man he is, Paula Patton stars as the lucky leading lady, she will pop up in most people's mind while listening to “The Sweetest Love.” For any guy looking to score points with his loved one, Robin's got you covered with “Loverman.” If this seemingly sophomore effort is to define Thicke, he is here to stay! ~JR

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Termanology– Politics as Usual Nature Sounds

The younger generation often gets a lot of heat in hip‐hop. The OG’s say that there’s no respect for the legends, but every once in a while you get someone to prove them wrong. Enlisting an all‐star list of boom‐bap producers, Termanology debuts “Politics As Usual.” Patiently waiting for five years, Term wastes no time making a grand entrance, announcing that he’s the “holy resurrection of Pun” on “Watch How It Go Down.” Term shines on street records like “Hood Sh*t” with an excellent verse from Prodigy; “Drugs, Crime, Gorillaz”, a dark Nottz track with Sheek Louch and Freeway; and the minimalist sounding “How We Rock,” which Bun B kills. The album, though looking good on paper, does not live up to its full hype. Overall, production on the album sounds like throwaway beats as Hi‐Tek, Pete Rock, and Nottz disappoint with lackluster sound‐scapes. You can hear the hunger in Term’s voice; he seems to spend a lot of time saying he’s one of the best to ever come up, but he does not have the consistency to prove it. There are a few misses, like the God‐awful smooth gangsta persona attempt “Please Don’t Go.” The album just doesn’t pack enough punch as a whole to elevate Termanology to the level of Pun. ~AP

Show Review: The Beast By Jameise Roizer

Music can, and I would argue, should have the power to take you away. Perhaps it takes you to a place where the words are so pertinent to your life, like a personal soundtrack, or in a zone, a world a little sweeter than where you really are. Artmosphere Café (artmospherecafe.com), just out‐side of the District in Mt. Rainer MD, is a café by day, venue by night. Thank goodness for the 6 Degrees of Separation, or else I would have missed out on this enchanting evening. A good friend of mine is the godsister of the lead singer. The night started with poetry, and then a “poet with a hip hop style,” Bo‐mani D'mite, who set the positive vibes for the feature band, The Beast. The Beast is a group formed in North Carolina. The band is comprised of a lead singer, or as he calls himself MC, Pierce, and 3 band members – Eric Hirsh on keys, Stephen Coffman on drums, and Pete Kimosh on the bass. Think The Roots but a little more relaxed. Their set was about an hour long, and from beginning to end Pierce engaged the audience. Each and every one of the words that filled each carefully crafted and consciously backed set of lyrics rang loud and hit the small crowd of about 40. By the end, we were all standing and dancing, feeling the beat of Coffman on the drums. This group of young men did not put on a show; they deliv‐ered an experience. Check out their MySpace (myspace.com/thebeastreality) music page, and get a tiny taste of their flavor! JR

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Jake One – White Van Music Rhymesayers

Jake One is the best producers you’ve never heard of. His discography ranges from G‐Unit to MF DOOM to E‐40, yet his sound is consistent. Citing DJ Premier, Marley Marl, and Pete Rock as his influ‐ences, Jake One brings his boom‐bap roots while maintaining a flashy edge. His debut LP from Rhyme‐sayers, White Van Music, provides a platform for him to showcase his diverse client list. His first single, which he is releasing for free off his MySpace, brings together Roc‐a‐Fella star Freeway and under‐ground monster Brother Ali over a soulful sound bed of blending horns, strings, and vocals. Other guests include Little Brother, Young Buck, Blueprint, M.O.P., and many others. ~AP

TOP 10: The Greatest Hip‐Hop Albums of All Time By Justin Alexander

1. Illmatic ‐ Nas (1994): Take the 4 major producers of the time and add that to the poetic narratives of inner city life by Nas and you have the greatest album ever made. 2. The Score ‐The Fugees (1996): An intelligent, clever, and distinctive rap album that provided a forum for Lauryn Hill to showcase her superior lyricism. 3. Paid In Full ‐ Eric B. & Rakim (1987): Possibly the most influential album, Eric B. and Rakim lay down the blueprint for a classic rap album. 4. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ‐ Raekwon (1995): Such a vivid and dark musical tale of the life of a drug dealer, Ghostface definitely earned himself a best supporting rapper nomination on this album. 5. The Low End Theory ‐ A Tribe Called Quest (1991): A Tribe pioneered the art of fusing rap and jazz, the results can be heard on their best album, The Low End Theory. 6. Paul’s Boutique ‐ The Beastie Boys (1987): One could argue this is the most unique rap album on wax, songs such as 3 Minute Rule, Car Thief and B‐Boy Bouillabaisse provide evidence for the argu‐ment. 7. The Chronic ‐ Dr. Dre (1992): A west coast staple that is considered by most to be the greatest funk/gangsta album to date. 8. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik ‐ Outkast (1994) ‐‐‐ In most rap duos, it’s common that one MC is more talented than the other, yet Andre and Big Boi defy that as they both bring skills to the mic as seen on their debut album. 9. Whut? Thee Album ‐ Redman (1992): If you stumble upon someone who does not acknowledge the MC skills of Redman, pass them a copy of this. 10. Do You Want More?!!!??! ‐ The Roots (1995): One of the illest bands period, The Roots composed a different sound to the rap game with their first album.

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Latino Heritage Celebration 2008: "Nuestra America: Our People. Our Country. Our Legacy" has been a month long celebration intended to bring Latino culture to GW's community. With events ranging from the political to community service to social, the Organization of La‐tino American Students wanted to bring Latino culture into the dialogue in a broader context then most people ex‐perience. Latinos today are the fastest growing population in the United States and currently are the largest minority group. If we are an integral part of Amer‐ica's identity, then why does the conver‐sation always lead back to immigration, gang violence or drugs? Our culture has more to offer than these stigmas and it has been our mission to allow GW to see the beyond them. If you attended our LatinoVotes panel…you partook in a con‐versation about the political activism of Latinos…understanding that we don't all follow the same political affiliations and that our vote can change the political spectrum.

At Parade of Flags, you were able to dance along to live salsa music while enjoying authentic Latino food all under a beautiful Sunday in Kogan Plaza. You also may have gotten the chance to play piñata! We are a diverse group of people from various coun‐tries residing in many states, but we are able to come together to celebrate the accomplishments of our people and the heritage that has influenced our lives. At the same time…we clearly understand it's not always going to be about the beau‐tiful aspects of our culture. We need to address those issues that plague our com‐munities and work towards a solution. We are constantly fighting as a minority group in the US, demanding equal opportunities and the right to not be judged by our bro‐ken English or our tan skin. But OLAS’ hope has always been that by allowing our fel‐low students to see the beauty and the struggles of our culture, we will be able to work together and create a unified front because our people and our problems aren't all that different.

Nuestra America: Our People. Our Country.

Our Legacy

Andrea Criollo President, OLAS

(Organization of Latin American Students)

"We should acknowledge difference; we should greet difference, until differ‐ence makes no difference anymore." –Dr. Adela A. Allen

AROUND CAMPUS


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THE NOW WHAT FORUM

Come Find Out November 19,2008 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

1957 E St, Room 113

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States but

where do we go from here?

AROUND CAMPUS


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Our Columnists Share Their Thoughts, Insights, Ideas, and Opinions...

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Ole Talk Family Portrait

Daria – Ann Martineau

College students often talk about the future and I think it is safe to assume that every one has, at one point, been asked the question “How many children do you want?” For me, this conversation always leads to the same place. I say “none,” which elicits the re‐sponse, “What? Why?!” and my conversation partners seem to get down‐right offended. I start rattling off my preset list of reasons be‐cause I know a simple “I just don’t” will not suffice. Still, they manage to argue until they have painted me as a traitor to the human race. Caribbean people, I have found, are es‐pecially good at this. When you come from a small country, family is everything and if you don’t create one of your own, you run the risk social criticism, and being labelled “Un‐ Carib‐bean”.

Caribbean people are basically raised by the commandment “honour thy father and thy mother” so naturally, many of us aspire to be in that exalted position of noble caregiver and strong provider. Many of us want that pride and that legacy. Chil‐dren are, in any culture, a reflection of their parents. But this is especially true in cultures where the communities are small and peo‐ple are more likely to know you in terms of your family. The legacy aspect is especially im‐portant for men. After all, their names are the ones that get carried down the blood‐lines. I cannot count the number of times I have been introduced to other Trinidadians as “Russell Martineau’s daughter” and it amazes me that, even in his absence, his identity eclipses my own. This just shows the strong connection between family and iden‐tity. Of course, this only happens when I am among Trinidadians because of the size of our community. In the more individualist America, I am free to be “just Daria.” The point is many Caribbean men want children for the simple fact that it adds to their name and gives them a source of pride. Women too, are defined in terms of their families. A family’s happiness is seen as her handiwork. In her book Working with West Indian Families, Sharon‐Ann Gopaul‐McNicol writes “Although there has been an increase in the number of working women since the 1980’s, a West Indian woman’s primary responsibility is still childrearing...

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as a result, matters involving the chil‐dren reflect upon her self‐esteem.” In my cul‐ture, when a child misbehaves; this is attributed to lack of “broughtupsy” or home training and thus a reflection on the mother. By the same token, when a child does well, the mother is often there, beaming at his side, receiving just as much praise. The mother is a key contribu‐tor to the child’s development and thus, to a society’s future. Motherhood is one of the most recognized and revered roles in any culture and fulfilling it would make most women proud. It would be superficial and unfair of me, however, to reduce the role of family life to a parent’s “ego booster.” Of course there are practical reasons for having children: having someone to care for you when you are old or simply having an heir. There are also deeper reasons. Human beings are social creatures; we evolved in packs and we need each other to survive. There is nothing like the love of a good family and the comfort of knowing that no mat‐ter what, these people will always love you and be there for you. One might think that because of my views on having children, I did not come from a good home environment. On the con‐trary: I have three crazy, hilarious, deeply caring siblings whom I love dearly. My parents are wonderful people who recently celebrated their thirty‐third year of marriage. My views, diver‐gent as they may be, are simply personal. I have witnessed the rewards of family life first hand and understand its importance.

Caribbean people in general are much attuned to it. We take the adage “it takes a village to raise a child” very seriously. Our “villages” typically consist of family friends, church members and school offi‐cials who offer advice, watch us, guide us and love us regardless of if there is any true blood connection. Our small commu‐nities allow us to stay in closer contact and build up stronger, more lasting bonds and we come to value closeness more deeply. Family is very much at the heart of Caribbean culture. So why then would I choose not to be part of the great Caribbean tradi‐tion? Why would I not want all the pride and joy of family life? Here is my list: First of all, I am not a fan of children. Being the youngest child means I have always en‐joyed the company of older, wiser, more complex people. Also, being the youngest has made me prefer being the spoil‐ee to the spoiler. I do not want the burden of being responsible for another human life. Plus, the way this world is going, I would not want to raise an innocent child in it, especially with all the crime happening in my beloved Trinidad. Most importantly, my mother, loving and caring as she is, has never made it seem that she needs us to make her a complete and happy per‐son. So there you have it: my justifica‐tions to everyone. If the good people of Trinidad, the Caribbean or anywhere want to crucify me for it, they can. It’s still my decision, “Un‐Caribbean” or not.

WRITERS’ BLOCK


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Move‐in weekend, my mom and I were trying to find something interesting to do before she left the next day. Our hotel room was accommodated with a menu of restaurants in the area; all of them sounded good, but only one sounded interesting. Marrakesh. There wasn’t much information other than it was a Moroccan eatery where you dined upon rugs. Oh, and there’s nightly entertain‐ment. We made the reservation for 9 p.m., mostly because we needed to time to get ready. As we stepped out of the cab we were greeted by a man who told us to knock on the entrance door. We got a lit‐tle nervous, but mostly excited, knowing this was going to be a very unique meal. Knock Knock!!

A little woman dressed in tradi‐tional Moroccan garb escorted us in, but we did not expect what we found inside. The ceiling was painted in blue, orange, and red in various intricate patterns, a dazzling sight accentuated by dim lighting and candles. We sat on stacks of what looked like traditional hand‐woven rugs. It didn’t feel like we were just being seated, we were being catered to. All of the waiters wore the same traditional uniform—fez and all. Ours ex‐plained to us how this whole operation was going to work. The menu is fixed and there is a flat rate of $30, not including alcoholic beverages, of course. The meal had seven courses. And the only utensil we could use was our hands; no worries you germ freaks, they wash your hands for you at the table! The key to the every course was a balance between simple, clean flavors and something a little unexpected. First was the Three‐Salad Platter: cooked eggplants in tomato sauce, cucumbers and bell pep‐pers in Mediterranean seasoning, and oa‐sis carrots with coriander. It was so good that my mom and I finished all of it, some‐what forgetting we had six courses to go.

A Carpet Ride to Fine Dining

Ashley Norred


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Next was the B’Stella, a dish I could never imagine being good if I saw it on paper. decision to make for the fourth course be‐tween beef shish kabobs and lamb with al‐monds and honey—a pretty easy and obvious decision if you ask me. Minced chicken, eggs, almonds, and onions encased in a delicate pas‐try—here’s the unexpected part—topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon. We also fin‐ished that. For the third course there’s a choice and we chose the chicken with lemon and olives. Chicken can get boring sometimes, but this will remind you of just how great it can be. We had another Here’s where things got really good, though. All of the lights went out and the background music came to the forefront as a beautiful young woman walked through the restaurant and climbed atop the center table. She put Shakira’s hips to shame. Her routine was beautiful and sexy and lasted a full five songs. During that time she had entranced the entire room, and many diners couldn’t help but tip her, while I could not help but wish I could do what she did. That lovely distraction gave us a few minutes to digest the food we had been steadily consuming for over an hour. The next two courses, couscous topped with vegetables and raisins and a bas‐ket of fruit, were very tasty, but we were so full that we were not able to enjoy them to the fullest. Note to reader: go in a party of more than two people so you can actually breathe by the end of the meal. On the taxi ride there, the one thing our driver said to us was to try the mint tea.

Well, the seventh course was a cup of that mint tea, whose aroma had filled the air over the course of the night, and a piece of baklava. Baklava is good and all, but that tea was orgasmic.. Almost two hours after we arrived, the feasting was over. On the way to the mandatory ladies’ room stop, I was stopped in my tracks by the hundreds of pic‐tures that lined the hallway: the owner had posed with the likes of President Clinton, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, and George Harrison over the decades. He was the same man who was at the restaurant that night, making sure our experience was unforgetta‐ble, as it was. Marrakesh Restaurant is located at 617 New York Ave., just three blocks from the Chinatown metro stop. If you can’t reason spending the money on this place, you are out of your mind. It’s a great alternative to cab‐bing it to a club with long lines and high cover charges, not to mention the cost of alcohol you consume before you go and while you are there. Escape for a girls night, celebrate a birthday, or go for a special date (just make sure you pace your eating). Guaranteed satis‐faction!


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This historical election has created many topics for conversation from race to the war in Iraq and the economy. But, what about hair, yes hair! Michelle Obama or Michelle O as some like to call her has become a source/point of hair envy for many a sister. Her style has been the sub‐ject of media attention as well. Who can forget Michelle in Vogue, FIERCE! To illus‐trate my point, you may have heard the compliment “your hair is soooo Michelle O.” All this attention on Mrs. Obama and her personal style may be leading other women to pay closer attention to their own even if it’s just discovering what that is. Among the ladies I know, this focus on personal style has been on hair and in par‐ticular on finding a good salon. Trying to find someone/someplace to relax, braid, or take care of natural hair can be like pulling teeth and for some can be just as painful.

I have a friend who has had con‐siderable damage done emotionally and physically in her quest for that Michelle O hair. Over the summer I took “me time” to get my hair in shape by getting to know it on a personal level its likes, dislikes and favorites. However, when school started there was a realization that “getting to know your hair” can be difficult when you’re away from home. Since I’m from the DC area, I wanted to help those who don’t call this city home by giving you a list of some of my favorite salons and beauty sup‐ply stores. The following are the top three places I like to go directly followed by gen‐eral areas that you might want to check out because they are plentiful in hair taming action. I hope this list is helpful and if you know of any places that have been good to you make sure you share the news. Happy hunting!

H A I R Mindi Schools


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MINDI’S SUGGESTIONS

Judy’s Beauty & Hair Supply Rhode Island Avenue Shopping Center 520 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 832‐1300 On the red line in the direction of Glenmont, get off at Rhode Island Avenue. I love this place and highly recommend it. I get abso‐lutely everything here plus they have a salon in the back. Ulta 914 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 588‐8744 On the red line and get off at Silver Spring, walk up about 2 or 3 blocks and your there. You can get anything here, beauty wise, make‐up, perfume, etc. They also have a sa‐lon.

Bo 26 Hair Studio 1738 14th Street, NW (202) 234‐7575 Ask for Marcus On the green line get off at the U Street Cardozo stop. Georgia Avenue in general Take the green line to the Georgia Avenue stop. Walk or bus in either direction, there are plenty of places. Columbia Heights (14th street area) On the green line the Columbia Heights stop. Around City Place Mall in Silver Spring On the red line at the Silver Spring stop.

S h o w s I n Y o u r A r e a 11.1.08

Murs w/ Kidz in the Hall @ Rock and Roll Hotel

11.5.08 Brother Ali, Educated Consumers, & Mr. Lif @ Rock and Roll Hotel

11.12.08

Diplo @ Black Cat


PLACES 2 GO, PEOPLE TO SEE...

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What do The Notorious B.I.G., Jay‐Z, Michael Jordan, Spike Lee, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, and Chris Rock and Ryan Mitchell have in common? Aside from their extraordinary talent and amazing senses of humor—these men all hail from the legendary Brooklyn, New York. And while it is notable residents like these that have helped put Brooklyn on the map, it is a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures and a rich multilateral history that have helped keep it there. The name Brooklyn comes from the original dutch name for the area comprising southwestern Long Island, “Breukelen.” Formerly its own independent city district, the residents of the City of Brooklyn (also known as Kings County) voted in 1894 to incorporate the city as one of the five boroughs, along with Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, that comprise the Greater New York City. Since its incorporation over a hundred years ago, Brooklyn has still managed to maintain a feel and a culture all its own, still feeling more like a city within a city. Though resting in the shadow of the [slightly more well‐known] borough of Manhattan, only a bridge away from the lights and frills, Brooklyn has still managed to stand firm on its own two feet.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS…

By Ryan L.R. Mitchell

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Even as a child growing up in the mostly West Indian neighborhood of East Flatbush and spending most of my time in the neighboring Flatbush, I was aware of the multitude of cultures that surrounded me; from little Russia in Brighton Beach to once majority Jewish neighborhood of Flat‐bush to the Italian and Asian community of Bensonhurst, the 2.5 million residents of Brooklyn are colors on a grand cultural palette. I have had the benefit of having friends of all ethnicities and cul‐tures, from many walks of life, all before I ever set foot out of my native birthplace, an opportunity few can say they have. Many my age choose only to credit Brooklyn with the enormous contribution it has made to the world of hip‐hop (which is an article in and of itself), but it is so much more than that. Brooklyn is the pristine view out on the waterfront that made notable Brooklyn resident Walt Whitman pen the classic letter Crossing Brooklyn Ferry; Brooklyn is the urban commercial center that is down‐town Brooklyn, and the famous (and now defunct) Ebbet’s Field where Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers so long ago, Brooklyn is the annual Labor Day Parade out on Eastern Parkway where the borough’s half million west Indian residents showcase their national pride, Brooklyn is the gleaming white watchtower clock of the world‐famous Brooklyn College, Brooklyn is the Cyclone and The Wonder Wheel that helped make Coney Island famous; Brooklyn is the brownstones of Bed Stuy and the walkways of Park Slope, it is the soul of the films of Spike Lee and the punch line standup routine of Chris Rock, it is the inspiration behind the words that penned A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as well as the reason Biggie Smalls first spit the timeless rap classic, “Juicy”. Anyone that knows me knows that I am a proud Brooklynite and not a day goes by where I will let anyone forget it, but Brooklyn is more than just my home. It is home over two million other peo‐ple who are just as much a part of the American Dream as anyone else across this great country. Whether you come for the best bagels and pizza the world over, an exclusive pair of kicks, or just for a long overdue visit to the fable Coney Island, “America’s amusement park,” welcome to my home, a cultural melting pot like no other. Welcome to Little America, USA…Welcome to Brooklyn!

B R O O K L Y N

REP YOUR CITY!


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October 2008 issue

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