Blog

Hip-Hop Lab: Earshot Fresh Summer Sounds recap Celebrating Black Music Month and Looking Ahead to the Future of Black MusicEvery June, Black Music Month gives us an opportunity to recognize a truth that has shaped the sound of America and influenced cultures around the world: Black music is one of the most powerful creative forces in human history. From spirituals and blues to jazz, gospel, soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B, house, and countless other genres, Black artists have consistently transformed music, storytelling, language, fashion, and culture. The songs featured in this last week's edition of Hip-Hop Lab: Earshot

Hip-Hop Lab Earshot Blog The Silence We Inherit: Black Men's Mental Health MattersThere is a silence that too many Black men learn early in life. It's the silence that says, "Be strong." The silence that whispers, "Handle it yourself." The silence that convinces men that vulnerability is weakness and that asking for help somehow diminishes their masculinity. That silence is costing lives.As someone who experiences seasonal depression, I know firsthand that mental health doesn't always announce itself in obvious ways. Sometimes it arrives quietly. For me, there are seasons whe

Hip-Hop Lab Earshot America’s 250 Fallout: Why We’re Celebrating a Milestone While Avoiding the MirrorA Soul Makeover for this Nation Is Long Overdue! America’s 250th anniversary celebrations are coming, and with them comes the announcement of a hodgepodge of yesteryear's artists who mostly bowed out because it just doesn't feel right. Our celebrations should reflect the genuine, diverse, curated nostalgia, highlight reels of progress stitched together as if the country has been moving forward. I believe our differences make us stronger. But the fallout isn’t in the celebration itself, it’s in t

Hip-Hop Earshot Blog: The Underrated Force of Big K.R.I.T.Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always felt like Big K.R.I.T. doesn’t get enough shine. The Mississippi emcee has spent years crafting a sound that feels deeply rooted in Southern rap tradition while still reaching toward something cosmic and personal. His music carries the spirit of the Dungeon Family: soulful, reflective, heavy on live-feeling instrumentation, but filtered through K.R.I.T.’s own country storytelling and trunk-rattling perspective. His beats feel like they’re kissing galaxies whil

Hip-Hop Lab Earshot Blog: Drake Missed the Mark..... And It ShowsDrake definitely missed his mark on this one, and somebody in his camp needs to tell him to lose the chip on his shoulder. Across the three albums he dropped overnight, it feels like he’s stuck in a cycle of bitterness, flexing, and emotional misfires in an era where most people can barely afford gas and need something to genuinely vibe to. Kendrick really might’ve knocked Drizzy off balance. At one point, Drake felt semi-relatable. Even when he was at his most arrogant, there was still a human

Hip-Hop Lab Earshot Blog : Kevin Hart’s Netflix Roast Left Me Laughing Less and Thinking More A.K.A : Cooning in the New Jim Crow.Kevin Hart is one of comedy’s brightest stars, with one of the most inspiring meteoric rises in entertainment. He’s undeniably gifted and has consistently pushed comedy forward with his energetic, relatable brand of humor. But while watching Netflix’s roast honoring him Sunday night, something didn’t sit right with me. I tried to push through it because I love roasts. I’ve been watching them since I was a teenager. I believe deeply in freedom of speech, and in many ways, I consider myself a stud

Hip-Hop Earshot Blog PSA: Date in Private, Heal in Private By: Harvest BlaqueRelationships used to belong to the people in them. Now they’re often played out in online arguments that become posts. It increasingly seems to me that we live in a fast food society and dating is no exception. Breakups become content, and strangers become judges. That isn’t transparency. It’s performance. We see this often and it is nothing new but the current breakup between Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson is another example of why we should really examine the importance of calming the

Harvest Blaque Earshot Blog: "In the Season of the Doers"I love this country but the leadership, or lack thereof, is on a path of implosion. We say we love winners, but there’s a big difference between truly winning and simply looking good while losing. We’re often captivated by shock and awe, but real change starts in our own neighborhoods. Political rhetoric has overstayed its welcome. This is the season of the doers.For too long, we’ve been oversaturated with fluff, empty promises, and talk meant for deaf ears. If we’re all made in God’s image, the

The Hip-Hop Lab Earshot Blog: Women in Hip-Hop: Voices That Refuse to WhisperHip-hop was never meant to be quiet. It was born to grow, maximizing stories, rattling walls with rhythmic sounds and voices determined to be heard. And from the very beginning, women have been part of that sound, even when the culture didn’t always give them the room they deserved. For this special edition of Hip-Hop Lab on Earshot, we’re celebrating women in hip-hop not as a side story, but as architects of the culture. As a male host, I want to be clear that last Saturday's episode wasn't abo

Harvest Blaque Earshot Blog: Respecting The PastLil Yachty recently called The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” “weak as hell.” And while everyone is entitled to an opinion, the real question isn’t whether he likes the song , it’s whether he would even have a voice without it. Rapper’s Delight wasn’t about lyrical acrobatics or modern production value. It was proof of concept. It was one of the first rap records to break into mainstream radio and prove that hip-hop could sell, travel, and live beyond the block. My message is clear, respect

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse