Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
Documentary Review: 'Truth to Power' Celebrates Art Changing the World
Though System of a Down became popular and relevant during a time when I should have taken notice of them, I somehow have managed to miss out on their career entirely. Where once I was plugged into nearly every music scene and every relevant popular band on those scenes, after September 11th, 2001, I fell out of love with any music that was not a comforting reminder of a pre-terrorism past.
Sean PatrickPublished 3 years ago in BeatThe Wisdom Of Black Privilege: 'Survival Ain’t That Beautiful I’ve Just Made It Look This Good For You'
Where can I begin with Miiesha’s (pronounced My-ee-sha) music? In a few simple lyrics, she has addressed centuries of bias. And, she has ‘only’ released one collection of nine songs.
Jasmine WolfePublished 3 years ago in BeatThe Little Black Book
Chapter 1 “An open Book” -One early Friday morning, The birds were singing with joy while Ginger looks out the foggy window of her school bus.
Jeremy WilsonPublished 3 years ago in Beat"There's a Science Fiction in the Space Between You and Me"
Dear Ms. Chapman, You were my true introduction to folk music/Americana music and it has become the background music to my slow living lifestyle. I only listen to Americana because I love the style and the way it makes me feel.
Dream SilasPublished 3 years ago in Beathow to write a hit song
well the best way to write a hit song is really complicated and yet also so simple. Im not going to get to technical here as the new song writer needs to just understand the very basics at first .
Stephen O'sheaPublished 3 years ago in BeatBlack women in music
Growing up as a kid in the 80's and as a pre-teen/adolescent in the 90's. I honestly can't point to one particular black female artist that made a impact on my life, but I can take you down a path through memory lane from the very first that did to the very last. The first black female singer I absolutely fell in love with was Whitney Houston. When I tell you this very day. I still get goosebumps whenever I listen to her songs(I'll Always Love You, my fav song from her) She had such an angelic voice. I literally can picture her in heaven playing the harp, just singing away. Janet Jackson most definitely make the list, but before we knew Janet the singer. We all fell in love with "Penny" her character in the sitcom "Good Times". She was Michael Jackson's baby sister , who made a name for herself with her own brilliance. As far as the title of princess. Janet was the first princess of pop and r&b. I thought she was just the Prettiest Young Thing. I still want to marry Janet lol. Favorite song from her is "Anytime, Any place" .Mariah Carey was another black female artist who I enjoyed listening to. She was literally the female version of Michael Jackson at the time. She set records as far as number 1's on the Billboard. I can play any of her albums with no skips in between. "My All" is my favorite song from her. Hey get your pen and paper now, because when I'm done writing this you gonna make a playlist from it. Keep in mind I'm not listing my personal top list. I'm listing based off the chronological order I first heard their music. The top list is for another story. Toni Braxton is next on my list. I just thought she was drop dead gorgeous. She has that sultry , sensual silk like voice. I really enjoyed her music because she didn't bite her tongue yet she was vulnerable. I remember listening to her songs and thinking I do not want to be the type of guy who she made the sad songs about. My favorite song from her is "unbreak my heart". I want to mention the female groups here, because TLC is the only group from the 90's I'm writing about, because if I wrote about SWV, Total, Xscape, EnVogue, Changing Faces, Salt-N-Pepa, 702, Blaque, Brownstone, Divine, Jade, Kut Klose . This would be a book instead of an article:) I'm just gone put this out there. Chili was my favorite out the group, but damn this group right here. Anytime there was a house party anywhere. TLC music was played. Didn't matter if the tempo was fast or a slow jam. Parties and dances were made memorable because of TLC. My favorite song from them is "Creep". As we exit one of the best decades of my lifetime, but before we do I can't leave without mentioning "Baby girl" Aaliyah was the Princess Of R&B for my generation. She was a classic beauty. A classy woman all around. You know the kind of girl that stands out in a crowd, make the toughest homeboyz fall deep in love. I cried when I heard she died. She was truly special. Anytime I see her in movies. I get that same feeling I get when I watch any 2pac movie. She wasn't your average star. She was a shooting star. You rarely see shooting stars. My favorite song from her is "The one I gave my heart to". Last but definitely not least is Destiny's Child closing out the 90's. This most definitely was the start of the independent woman. TLC set the stage for them to come out with the type of music they made and Destiny's Child took the torch and ran like Forrest Gump with it. My favorite song by them is "Emotion". The last artist I'm speaking on and it's other singers after her that's definitely worth mentioning, but she still the standard, at least to me. I'm getting goosebumps as I write this(omg)Ladies and gentlemen without further ado. I'd like to talk about the incomparable Alicia Keyes. My fantasy wife. The love I never experienced. Alicia is amazing. One can only be so lucky(swizz beats)I'm a band geek so the fact she plays the piano too is icing on the cake. She's such a younique talent. I'm not a star struck type of guy like I don't go crazy insane over celebrities, but if I could pick a celebrity I would like to meet. It's definitely Alicia, no doubt. She's a musical genius plus she's beautiful. The Most High definitely showed out when He created Alicia. I know I sound like a 15 year school girl talking about her crush, but the woman is phenomenal. Hell the "Girl is on fire" and "No One" can put her out. It's "Un-Thinkable" that I've "Fallen" for this beautiful woman through her music. She definitely made me appreciate "A Woman's Worth" and Alicia "You Don't Know My Name" but we have something "In Common" but I'll keep that a "Secret" . You are truly a "Superwoman" and I will continue to watch your videos "Like I'll Never See You Again" Keep living the way you want and I'm "So Done" with this article..
Matthew HaywoodPublished 3 years ago in BeatLiving Each Day in Spring Time
Like many kids, I had the silliest fears as a child. Sure enough as I grew older, shadows and mushrooms weren't so threatening. Living and growing older brought on an entirely different set of fears. Would I be successful? Could I make my parents proud? Will I ever pay back my student loans? Can I really make it thirty-four miles on one gallon of gas?
The First Lady
The woman who would one day be coined the “Ruff Ryders’ First Lady” grew up in the housing projects of Philadelphia. Eve Jeffers—or, more simply, Eve—began her career as a teenager, singing in a band called D.G.P, or the Dope Girl Posse.
Me, Myself and iTunes
The soundtrack of my life is filled with various playlists. It’s just that I have never considered an Anti-Valentine’s Day playlist—until now. The music that grabs me at the core includes symphonic, Rock&Roll, Jazz, R&B, Gregorian chants, country, soul. Well, you get it: five lines and four spaces with a verbal message or melodic message. You name it, I can like it—eventually.
Christine SmithPublished 3 years ago in BeatYrkDaRapper
Tell us about you: The day I was born was just another original day. My mother gave birth to me on January 5, 1998. She choose my name to be Brennan Thomas Martin.
Jason JamesPublished 3 years ago in BeatA colorful story about black female artists
Here’s a story today about black women in music. Let’s start off with the woman pictured first. Pictured with a pixie cut bob and black lipstick, is none other than Missy “Missdemeanor”Elliott, who was born in Portsmouth, Virginia . Missy Elliott just received her doctrine in music approximately 2-3 years ago from college. We have already beaten the odds with a college educated and a BLACK historical artist. So now I ask you the question ‘Is it worth it let me work it? I put my thang’[thing] down flip it and reverse it.....’ If you go on YouTube, YouTube music or back in the days, Yahoo! Music you’d be able to find these lyrics and if you bought the CD you might be lucky enough to come across the lyrics in the album art. What a time to be alive during the Missy Elliott era. She has many other hits as well as about 5+ albums and singles such as Get ur Freak on, Lose Control and Gossip Folks just to name a few, but that’s enough about this addictive woman. My next artist who I will be covering is Solange aka SOL-AN-GEL aka Camille, who also starred in Bring it on as the head cheerleader captain. Solange Knowles is the younger sister of Beyoncé Knowles. She is a mother of a young black son named Daniel. Solange originally was apart of Destiny’s Child, the girl group formed by Beyoncé, but Solange was only briefly in the music group as a backup dancer. However, Solange is a singer, actress and producer as well. Solange has four albums Solo Star, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, A Seat at the Table and When I get Home. She has hit singles such as T.O.N.Y, Almeda and Cranes in the Sky. Solange is a Grammy Award winning artist. She also directs music and mostly writes music for her big sis Beyoncé. That’s it for the Sol-Angel, Solange Knowles. Next up we have our favorite Erykah Badu. I can definitely relate to the Bag lady herself from both a physical and mental standpoint. Erykah Badu is an amazingly talented artist. She is what we would consider a neo-soul artist and she delivers every time. Whether we are packing light so we don’t hurt our backs or Calling Tyrone and telling him help him get his shhhh*t one black artist who we will never not be able to remember is Erykah Badu and the beauty of it is that she raps and writes as well. Erykah Badu has 5 studio albums, one live album and 2 mixtapes.
"Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain."
Singer, songwriter, legend: Billie Holiday was quite possibly the best American Jazz singer of all time. Born in Philadelphia on April 7th in 1915, her real name was Eleanora Fagan. There are some who speculate that Holiday, also known as Lady Day, was really born in Baltimore, however her early years, which were characterized by difficult times, were spent there, before she moved to Harlem and began singing in nightclubs as a young teen.