Social media, for all intents and purposes, is a way to connect with people, but also a way to chronicle the past. Too often people use social media sites like Instagram, TikTok and other sites for gossip and laughs, but now and then you stumble on a page that makes it all worth it. Over the course of the last year, black influencers and creators have done the work of presenting us with facts and nuggets of black history our teachers and society forgot to tell us.

One of the most helpful pages myself and others have stumbled across without…

Since rap became an integral part of society, we’ve fought as fans to keep the culture protected and safe from outsiders who only want to profit from it. In the past, we relied on publications to inform us and later blogs and podcasters. Now, thanks to professors like Dr. Regina Bradley, Bun B, and 9th Wonder, we can acknowledge the culture and its subtleties. What makes 9th Wonder special is how he takes the information he shares with students and gives it to the world in 140 characters.

In a time where the loudest voices ring…

Adversity reveals and conceals. For some people, it shows their character as they rise above circumstances that would have broken lesser individuals. For others, adversity reinforces their protective shield, which makes it hard for others to connect with them. Heem the Artist is someone who didn’t allow his adversity to break him, nor did he hide his pain from his listeners.

Akron, Ohio is a lot like other smaller towns in the country: Lodged amid its unassuming environment are the trappings of crime, poverty, and drugs. …

Rap’s job is to raise the culture’s consciousness. Since its inception, it has served as a conduit for important cultural movements and conversations, sometimes done calmly and sometimes aggressively. Often people associate rap’s biggest movements like the Stop the Violence movement with male emcees, but rap’s female emcees have never shied away from delivering thoughtful and challenging content. Queen Latifah’s “UNITY” and Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop That Thing”, come to mind, as well as Eve’s “Love is Blind”.

Music streams and metrics are influencing artists now more than ever to compromise value for money. ENNY isn’t one of them. Ever…

Music gives its listeners and performers powers they normally wouldn’t have. Fans become gods in their cars and at concerts. Musicians perform and become the human embodiment of their fan’s dreams and wishes. Whether people sing their praises on Mt Olympus or in their private circles, it’s important for the artist to know that their music and life are important to others.

“I want people to respect me. I want people to respect my music and know it’s not no bullshit.”

Jeray Mills, known professionally as Hercc, wants the same thing. Drawing his name from the Greek god, Hercules, Mills…

Rap disses used to be viewed as necessary parts of the culture, dating all the way back from BDP and the Juice Crew. Over time, as more and more street individuals permeated the culture, the records shifted away from the artistry towards more overt threats and displays of violence. Beef and diss records remain a major part of rap despite the casualties and risk involved and yet as time progresses we see examples of rappers moving their beef aside to help the culture advance.

Seeing Jay-Z and Nas, T.I. and Ludacris, and Meek Mill and Drake solve their issues was…

Memorial Drive is one of Atlanta’s most important streets. The west end of the street takes you downtown towards State Farm Arena, the Coca-Cola factory, and Georgia State’s campus. The other end takes you all the way into the heart of the Eastside as far as Stone Mountain. If you lived on the Eastside of Memorial Drive, you know that the areas aren’t the same even though it’s the same side of town. The Eastside has been a part of Atlanta rap history from Ghetto Mafia to the YoungBloodz and Baby D.

Still, for people who lived in East Atlanta…

As time goes by, more and more people accept the similarities between sports and music. Rappers and ballplayers cross paths frequently but rarely do you find people who can do both well. RJ and Mal of Atlanta hope to be the exception.

Born and raised in Southwest Atlanta, they used sports to help them rise out of their challenges, earning Division 1 football scholarships to the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. Talented on the field, their goal is to showcase their talent and passion for music with the hopes of it changing their lives.