FORWARDEVER MEDIA CENTER
Writer Alex
Haley writing The Autobiography of Malcolm X with Brother Malcolm.
"The
media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make
the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power.
Because they control the minds of the masses."
- Malcolm X
Mission
The Forwardever Media Center is 100% committed to providing unconventional writing workshops and media literacy training to "at-risk" Black youth, particularly males, ages 14 through 24. Working in partnership with The Mentoring Center in Oakland, CA., the Center's writing workshops, website internship, and film forums, help students develop critical thinking skills and discover their creative talents. We recruit youth for our programs from the California Youth Authority (the state's largest prison for youth) as well as from universities and high schools. This cross-pollination of young minds creates dynamic shared experiences.
Programs
Whatchusay Cinema–A monthly film forum hosted at schools or community centers in Northern California that explores issues such as race, class, gender, and society. Students are joined by a panel of activists, educators, athletes, entrepreneurs, etc. to rate the films and convene roundtable discussions about corresponding relevant issues in society. For info about film screenings and schedules contact: cheo@whatchusay.com
Writing Workshops–We offer intensive seminars in journalism, creative writing, cultural criticism, new media, film production, etc. These seminars are taught at the center, located at 1224 Preservation Park, Oakland, CA, 94612. They are also available on location, at schools, community and detention centers, churches, etc. For info about class schedules contact: cheo@whatchusay.com
Internships–Whatchusay.com offers competitive internships to young writers who have clearly demonstrated a passion for the craft of writing or media production. The 3-month internship covers news writing and reporting, feature writing, creative writing, media literacy and new media. Working in partnership with community based organizations, universities and international and national media outlets, we produce a pipeline of informed journalists of color who will go on to create their own independent media organizations or work for major media organizations.
More...October 6, 2007 12:51 AM
As her song lyrics go in the performance opening of her third album "Lost & Found," Ledisi has "been here all the time, waiting on you." Far from the single "Alright," this Verve Records debut infuses contemporary jazz, R&B, and soul that satifies loyal fans and captures new ones.
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August 17, 2007 12:24 PM
By Pendarvis Harshaw
West Oakland, CA.- Beedas songs not only chronicle the times of the town - they chronicle the lives of many young town cats. Beeda - full gold grill, low Oakland As fitted, pushing the Night Blue 745 BMW that made the youngstas on the corner of Market and Mead put their lives on Tivo. Beeda Weeda wanted me to acknowledge the kids with my camera – these are the same wild ass youngstas he addresses in his music. Later while discussing career moves, he threw a hollow threat out there about wanting to be a politician one day, almost on que, when I asked him to identify his greatest nemesis, using the kids on the corner as his example - Beeda sincerely broke it down.
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July 9, 2007 7:54 PM
By Maya Pope-Chappell
In a strange and disappointing performance at the Paramount Theater in Oakland this past June, I witnessed the fall (literally) of one of hip hops most-prized MCs and singers, Ms. Lauryn Hill. From critical acclaim to a wounded woman with a raspy voice and music so outside the box, it is almost bizarre, Lauryn Hill has officially lost my long-standing support, ultimately leading me to this question: Where have all the female MCs gone?
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December 24, 2006 2:51 PM
Is Luda Ludicrous?
I went from ashy to classy, went from a, kiss on the cheek to doin the nasty
Reach your hand up in the air and you can play with the stars
It's not the hand that you're dealt but how you're playin your cards -- From "Grew Up a Screw Up"
On what may be the best song of the crop of new releases on his new album "Release Therapy," Luda teams up with fellow southern bred rapper Young Jeezy to ride on "Grew Up a Screw Up," a biggie sampled track. Whatchusay's Jahmelle Taylor delivers a podcast about this track and lets us know if the song is riding off of Big's "rap-tales" or if it is simply a honest tribute to the Notorious B.I.G..
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October 23, 2006 10:58 AM
By Maya J. Pope-Chappell
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Commemorating Janet's 20 years since her 1986 breakthrough album Control, 20 Y.O. shows a lighter, less serious side of Janet. With help from her man Jermaine Dupri and her legendary team of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Janet moves her music in a more playful, hip hop influenced direction equipped with pounding bass lines, synthesized melodies, and sexy lyrics.
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April 21, 2006 12:52 PM
By Maya J. Pope-Chappell
Opening the album with a funky guitar laid over synthesized sounds and a bangin beat that calls the listener to action, Boots Riley of The Coup bursts, "I'm a walking contradiction/ Like bullets and love mixin" as if to get you ready for what's to come. Pick a Bigger Weapon, which was released this week on Epitaph Records, tells stories of political strife, economics, and everyday life. One of Oakland's premiere underground rap groups, The Coup, made up of Boots Riley and DJ Pam the Funktress, are a unique duo that mesh backpack rap with funk to create that mid-tempo mob-music sound, which is distinct to the Bay Area.
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February 20, 2006 4:05 AM
To definition, the word: equanimity means an "evenness of mind; that calm temper or firmness of mind which is not easily elated or depressed." The Equanimity Project, a new cd by Bay Area spoken word artist and producer Diem Jones, reflects this through music that seeks sanctuary and calm. To be released March 1 on the Clear Vision label, The Equanimity Project is a mellifluous blend of spoken word, jazz and 21st century funk.
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August 11, 2005 8:05 AM
Review
Failing to live up to the billboard chart toppers for Mariah Carey, Usher, and Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri's Young Fly & Flashy Vol.1 features some of the Dirty South's best, minus the crunk. Featuring Pastor Troy, Bun B, Daz, and some of JD's So So Def labels up and coming acts, the CD simply lacks JD's hit-making touch. With its predictable hooks and contrived bass beats, the album is more like a left over sampler of closet hits. One of the hottest tracks on the album is the club banger "Gotta Getcha." However this song title should not be taken literally when it comes to buying this CD.
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July 25, 2005 9:35 AM
By Charlie Braxton
The first time I heard Frankie Beverly and Maze's self-titled debut album was during the winter of 1977. I was a sophomore in high school, a restless teenager with a fierce passion for good music and pretty girls. It was on a cold and windy Mississippi night when I was supposed to be sleeping, but, as usual, I wasn''t. Instead I was in bed with my ears glued to my little rinky-dink portable 8-track with AM/FM radio, listening to WXEL, a now defunct Black radio station located in Slidell, Louisiana, a small town just minutes away from New Orleans. I was waiting for my man Funky Larry Jones to play the album of the week, which was this new group called Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.
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July 25, 2005 8:34 AM
REVIEW
Never looking back/ or too far in front of me/ The present is a gift/ and I just want to be
Blessing the music scene with his sixth album "Be," the artist formerly known as Common Sense intertwines his sophisticated lyrics over hip hop and heavily jazz influenced beats. A hip hop veteran, Common remains true to his intelligent, politically conscious rhymes while delivering a fresh new sound with the help of Kanye West who produced all but two tracks on the album. The other two were produced by J Dilla who produced the majority of Common's last two albums. More...
July 24, 2005 5:35 AM
REVIEW
Sooner or later, every artist has gotta do it. Throw caution (and record sales) to the wind and drop an album for his peeps. Luckily, for Jean, this tribute album, which is sung almost entirely in his mother tongue of Haitian Creole, delivers. Jean raps and wails over traditional Creole beats like Konpa, Zouk and Rara while reinventing (a Creole "La Bamba"), rabble-rousing (the incendiary "President") and representing ("Lavi New York"). With cannon beats and hooky guitar licks, this is infectious music. Listen and try to sit still.
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July 24, 2005 5:17 AM
REVIEW
The Dirty South's most apt pupil to graduate from the Tupac Shakur School of Thug Life is back with another ode to the streets. On his sixth album, he's working the same two angles as in previous efforts: drum-machine backed, club-banging anthems jutted against 2 Live Crew-like lyrics. Still nasty, yes, but there's a measurable maturity this time out. Trick tells Southern street truths but ups the ante by delivering didactic and empowering lines on cuts like "Ain't a Thug" and "The Children's Song." Guess matrimony grows you up. More...
