Blake Holmes

August Greene: Audio Cleansing

"Musicality in hip-hop is sort of a lost art, and Common always used real musicians. It’s keeping real music alive at a time where most people aren’t."

-Robert Glasper

Glasper, a rap icon, legendary pianist  and Common's new group mate  almost perfectly puts into words how some of us fell  in love with the intricacies of our favorite artist’s music, in conjunction with the way they deliver heartfelt lyrics.

Common has always been credited with delivering some of the most soulful and powerful music for the culture. So teaming up with longtime friends and legends in their own rights, Robert Glasper and drumming icon Karriem Riggins, was the perfect way to yet again breathe life into the artistry of rap and hip-hop.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Kid ‘N Play: Ain’t Gonna Hurt Nobody

The 1980’s was a very important time in the hip-hop, because this is when hip-hop made the transition from fad to pop culture. It went from being viewed as an underground counterculture, to thrusting its way into mainstream society. So many cultural icons gained their notoriety during that time, and the first House Party movie also served as a launching pad for several of these soon to be iconic figures in their respective fields, while introducing other legends to a younger generation. From the late Robin Harris, John "Pops" Witherspoon, and George Clinton, on to Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, and of course Kid ‘N Play, House Party helped to propel each of their careers  to even bigger heights. For Kid ‘N Play, it was a defining moment that led to the duo becoming Hip-hop and Pop icons.

The Kid ‘N Play duo consists of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Chris "Play" Martin who both hail from Queens, New York. As legendary as the first House Party was, could you imagine Kid ‘N Play not playing their respective roles? Well, that's what almost happened. I To their surprise they were still selected, but not so much because of their audition as much as it was the frenzy they stirred as they were leaving drawing crowds of fans and shifting the belief that the movie starring them could be very successful.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Michael Hollis: Higher Planes

Picture you're boarding your next flight and you immediately notice that there's something vastly different from the others that you've taken. The staff is very welcoming which is customary, but all of the seats are more spacious. You have a seat, strap in, and glance at the menu for the day's trip and notice that you're selecting between lamb chops or filet mignon. The good stuff. Now imagine this airline being black owned and operated. This was the vision of Michael Hollis, an extremely successful businessman who set out to create a black owned luxury airline. The late Michael Hollis of Atlanta Air was one of the first African Americans to realize how great of an opportunity it would be to pioneer a string of black owned airlines.

Hollis didn't get into the airline industry as a former pilot, nor did he have any experience in the aviation business. In fact, Hollis at the time was a lawyer and a very well-known and well-respected man. He became widely recognized at an early age due to his prominence in several youth based political groups. At only 15-years-old, he was named head of the Atlanta Youth Congress, and was later appointed to a community-relations commission that helped address race. Sam Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition and a former Atlanta mayor told The Atlanta Journal Constitution in a 2012 interview. “He was a boy wonder and helped us understand issues just surfacing in that arena.”

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Deontay Wilder: The Bronze Bomber

The heavyweight champion in boxing, has historically  always been one of the most prestigious titles in the sports arena. With the UFC becoming more and more of a draw, boxing has somewhat taken a backseat to the UFC. While boxing continues to try to regain its prominence, there's one guy who sits atop the heavyweight division and come second to none. His name is Deontay Wilder.

Wilder stepped into the ring late, he didn't start boxing until he was 19-years-old. Growing up Wilder was an all-around athlete, playing basketball, baseball, football, and he ran track as well in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

But it was a birth defect to his oldest daughter, Naeiya, that  led him to his true calling in the boxing ring. Naeiya was born with Spina Bifida, which is a birth defect where there is an incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. Wilder dropped out of college and took to the ring to be able to afford the proper care for his daughter.

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Everyone's path isn't always a straight line to get their dream job. In order to get there, many people have to go through the process of narrowing down interests, some even take the crappy jobs to make ends meet. I'm sure you know somebody who  took one of the good old fashioned commission based, door-to-door salesman positions, just to try to stay afloat financially. I worked several and only for one day, needless to say I never sold a thing! Others have avoided such fortunes or misfortunes, depending on how you view it. And as for artist Dave Kinsey, he was one of the people that wasn’t obligated to do so.

For those who may not know, Dave Kinsey is a Los Angeles based artist who hails from Pittsburgh, PA. Kinsey always had a unique passion for art and design, and was determined not to deter from his interests. After graduating from high school in 1989, he enrolled at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He also attended the Art Institute of Atlanta before making the move to California in 1994 and pursuing his dreams of becoming a designer, while being afforded the time to continue his work as a painter.

Sure, moving to the other side of the country is a huge adjustment, but when your dream job is at your fingertips, it's time to pack those bags! Besides, trading in those cold, Pennsylvania winters for Cali weather is never a bad look.

Kinsey was fortunate enough to have met a friend that taught him how to fully operate computer design programs. As prehistoric as it may sound to some of the younger readers, computer programs didn't always come equipped with the software that allowed graphic design. His ability to adapt so quickly from manual, hand drawn design to digital changed his fortune and value to those he would design for. In fact, for that time, Kinsey was completely ahead of the game.

You are unauthorized to view this page.