• Hip Hop's Influence on New York's Youth
  Comment: In a society where entertainment serves as a primary guardian, it is impossible to deny the significant amount of influence it has on not only children but grown folks as well. Unfortunately, there are numerous "grown folks" that have yet to mature and develop morals that will enforce proactive and overall civil behavior. It is forces such as the supposed "adult" population and booming music industry that condone superficial and violent attitudes transforming the focus of youth culture from constructive to detrimental. Many sources claim Hip Hop is not what it used to be. Once upon a time, Hip Hop was the remedy to lost hope in one's future due to social and economical oppression. The political potential was there because it empowered youth to do what they needed to do and reassured them that they were not alone. However, current-day Hip Hop artists and disciples have diminished their political potential via consistent sexual exploitation, condoning violence as a solution to conflict and method for attaining status. When the youth are able to connect with artists via common backgrounds or shared experiences, the influence becomes a lot greater, and with that supremacy comes power. I think a lot of these Hip Hop Artists are so busy testing our constitutional right to freedom of speech that they neglect to implement the essential power of fame in a productive manner. So at one point in time, the political potential was most definitely there in the culture of Hip Hop, however current artists have demolished that light on various levels. I don't mean to discredit any morally valuable artists or well-established youth out there, but it is the lack of moral consciousness in many so called "role models" like 50 Cent, LiL Wayne—and even parents--that perpetuate a missing link between today's youth and the concept of respect for themselves, women, and society as a whole.
  Posted on July 26, 2010

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  Posted on April 26, 2013
• Should NYC Citizens Be Lawmakers? by Olaf Bertram-Nothnagel
  Posted on April 25, 2013

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