Select Writings from AWKWORD
Cops Don’t Stop Mass Shooters, Community Investments Do
the antagonist
A mass shooter opened fire in a New York City subway on April 12, 2022, and suddenly, once again, it feels like everybody wants more police. Even though a Latin American immigrant — and not the police — solved the case. Meanwhile, NYC already has a budget bigger than entire nations’ military budgets — and thousands of cops, ostensibly on patrol to prevent this type of emergency. Einstein said it himself: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” So, I ask, even with the incessant copaganda, how does anyone think we should throw more cops at this problem?
NEW COALITION FORMS TO CREATE TEN DEMANDS FOR JUSTICE
Eleven Activists Unite to Develop a Roadmap to Police and Prison Abolition
Ten Demands for Justice envisions a new society in which prisons and police are no longer necessary, and communities are equipped to provide for their own health and safety. Ten Demands for Justice offers a roadmap for the defunding and then full abolition of police and prisons, beginning with immediate actions to end police violence as well as racism and classism in policing, prosecution and sentencing.
Songs are the soul of a movement: Fight for revolution with songs for good
An Interview with the Co-Creator of the Songs for Good Songwriting Contest
“Music has always been one of the most powerful forms of art because it caters to the emotions and motivates the listener,” says Madame Gandhi, an activist and artist who will collaborate with the Songs for Good contest winner. “Some of the biggest revolutions in history have happened because of the musicians of the time.” To learn more about what prompted the creation of the Songs for Good contest, I interviewed Nate Dewart, a Songs for Good co-creator.
Behind the Scenes of Andy Ngo’s Attacks on the New Portland DA
How one tweet led to Andy Ngo turning Mike Schmidt into the alt-right’s top target
This is a story about my “old buddy” Mike Schmidt, the new district attorney of Portland and Multnomah County. It’s also a story about using your privilege for good, fighting for justice from within, and the power of disinformation in today’s Black Mirror society. On July 21, 2020, I interviewed Mike for the first episode of my new youtube series AWKWORD INTERVIEWS. Two months before we spoke, on May 19 Mike won the election for district attorney with a record-breaking 77% of the vote.
Ramsey Orta Is Home. So, Now what?
An Interview with WeCopWatch
Don't read the June 8 Rolling Stone article on Ramsey Orta's return home after nearly four torturous years in New York prisons. Read this.
Leftist Strategy and Activism: BTS
An Interview with Adriel Hampton
“Gavin Newsom has been doing the career-track politician thing his whole life and… I don’t think I’m keeping him up at night, yet.”
Jay Electronica is Anti-Semitic. We Shouldn’t Ignore It.
I have a hard time calling any song dope in which an artist raps “And I bet you a Rothschild I get a bang for my dollar / The synagogue of Satan want me to hang by my collar.”
Hip Hop Educator Sammy Rigaud Talks Going Viral
Sammy Rigaud told his students that if you score 80% or higher on the weekly assessment, “you get a turn” freestyling on video. They went viral November 2019.
KONCEPT Talks Fame, Rappin Til He’s 50, and Sippin Soju in Korea
From Queens youth to Fat Beats employee, and from Brown Bag AllStar to solo success story, get to know Korea’s fastest rising rap star, KONCEPT.
HIP HOP/URBAN CULTURE JOURNALISM FOR ELEMENTAL MAGAZINE
3 articles
Not Guilty, but Still Stuck in Prison
An Interview with Temujin Kensu
No visits, no phone calls, no showers, forced to drink from the toilet, starved, poisoned... We cannot rise up, weighted down with heavy chains.
War for the Soul of Mankind
An Interview with a Formerly Incarcerated Person
He’s single, handsome, well spoken and endearing. You’d never know that four years ago he was homeless, and for the preceding two years he was incarcerated.
CELEBRATING LYRICISTS AND THE MAGIC THEY CREATE WITH RAP SEMINAR ROB
Rap Seminar enhances the understanding of the rap fanatic, and the lyricist. I interviewed the creator of Rap Seminar, Roberto Santos, about what led up to its creation, and what we can expect in the future.
The Top 20 Hip Hop Albums of 2019
The albums that made my 2019 top 20 list met certain criteria: cohesiveness, repeatability, songwriting, vocal fluidity, lyricism and musical quality. The best songs were compiled into a 58-song Spotify playlist.
RIP WHATZISFACE: AN INTERVIEW WITH THE RAPPER TURNED CHEF
Before there was Action Bronson there was Whatzisface, who now goes by his government but was once the best emcee I’d ever heard.
URBAN CULTURE JOURNALISM FOR MASS APPEAL MAGAZINE
1 article
Prisons Serve as COVID-19 Litmus Test
Slave Labor, Riots and Death, as Prisoner Rights Organizations Fight for Clemency
What's next for the millions of people incarcerated across the world?
On COVID-19 and Climate Change
Quarantine-Era Photos Illustrate the Cleaner World Climate Action Could Create
COVID-19 has taken us back in time. Will it inspire real climate action?
UFO FEV & STATIK SELEKTAH PIERCE THROUGH THE NOISE POLLUTION
UFO Fev brought the legendary Fat Joe to the Trill Statik studio session. Fast forward to 2020, and Fev has collaborated on his own LP with Statik. I interviewed the artist and reviewed the album for HipHopGoldenAge.
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SCHAMA NOEL OF RAPLIKE
I speak with Schama about RapLike, nearly beefing with Joey Badass, how to promote your music in the modern music industry, and much more.
EXPLORE THE RAP WORLD WITH GLOBE-TROTTING PRODUCER/DJ J HART
The producer behind UFO Fev’s Emigres album talks DJing in Tokyo, working with Sean Price, eating baklava with Brother Ali, and producing Off The Top.
MUSIC/CULTURE JOURNALISM FOR YRB MAGAZINE
2 articles