My favorite rapper is Rick Ross and my favorite color is aqua blue!

This is the real Rick Ross!

So, this past weekend I hung out with Cashmere Agency’s Ryan Ford (former Executive Editor of the Source), the League’s Fahiym Ratcliffe and Tarik Ross. Boy ol’ boy did I learn a lot about hip-hop. I mean, you guys might not know this, but I didn’t exactly grow up in a hot bed for rap music.

So in the spirit of sharing, I’ve documented the top 5 things I learned while hanging out with these cool boys.

1. Hip hop can be dead to you but not dead

Yes, lots of people think hip-hop sucks right now. But according to these hip-hop aficionados, the spirit of hip-hop is still alive, even if it’s not present in mainstream music. Young people are still motivated by the same need to express themselves.

2. Asking people who their favorite rapper is is like asking them their favorite color

I learned this one from Ryan Ford. There are so many rappers out these days, it’ hard to chose, and it’s not really all that important because next week another one will show up.

3. The Boss is really just a different Ross

We actually ran into the original Rick Ross, a former Los Angeles based drug dealer who the rapper Rick Ross named himself after. Apparently, the rapper Rick Ross’ whole image is contrived and based off another person. How weird is that?

4. A culture is more true without corporate intent

This one speaks for itself. According to these guys, rap music was a lot better before money got involved.

5. Outkast could be the new Marvin Gaye

As in they make classic music. 20 years from now, your kids are going to be listening to Outkast in the very same way that we we listen to Marvin Gay. Good music never dies.

Posted by:

Heather Box

Cash Warren and Tarik Ross Tackle Gang Violence

For decades, urban and gang violence has been a hands off issue for our national government.  We know why; the people in the White House didn’t see it as ‘their problem,’ and in the meantime there’s been a war in our streets that has cost thousands of our young lives and made it unsafe for us to go outside.

Now, we have an opportunity with the Obama Administration to push him to invest in new kinds of violence prevention programs, not just putting more cop cars and cameras on the streets.

Cash and Tarik are right…it is going to take serious investment in community based solutions, in programs like Amer-I-Can that have a track record of solving the problems from the ground up.

The League of Young Voters Education Fund is working in our communities to bring attention to local violence on a national level.  To get involved or speak your mind, email: theleague@99problems.org with your name and zip code.

Posted by:

Sam Patton