Outreach

Nubian News Volume One, Issue Three
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Hip-Hop Journalism Has Its Message

Melissa Crum
OSU-CSTW Summer Outreach
Consultant

This week the young journalists learned about creative ways people have dispersed important information to semi-literate or illiterate masses. A common way in both the United States and in many parts of Africa was through music. In America, hiphop is a popular genre that told the pros and cons of being Black in the United States dating back to the 1970s. Taking into account this genre, after writing their stories, we asked the students to think of a creative way to transform their narratives into a shortened message.

During this third week of the program, the students listened (while reading the lyrics) to both African and African American political hip-hop geared toward informing lay people of complex governmental and social issues in their communities.

In this issue of The Nubians Info, you will read student poems and expressed prose that follow the same informative and creative concepts as the hip-hop examples used in class.

This week's topic opened a space where the students began to think of new and innovative ways of informing the public. They successfully conveyed ideas of self-expression, community solidarity, and critical thinking. The students did a great job so we know you will enjoy!

Issues in This World

Andre Williams, 7th grade

Hey I'm Andre, a.k.a. Baby Dre,
This song might be disrespectful but I have to get out a point
George Bush killing all these troops but he doesn't care,
But I do and I'm happy my uncle's still here.

Living in this world is very very hard, living on welfare or
even in your car
So just look up and pray to God for help all through the way.
People are dying every single day and I can't save them
all so I have to pray.
Pray on my knees for all the poor and hope that they can go to the store.
They just don't believe in themselves all day so they hang themselves by the way.
They never had Christmases like me and you so just don't
look at them crazy in the eyes or you'll wish you would die.

Living in this world is very very hard,
living on welfare or even in your car
So just look up and pray to God for help all through the way.

Living in this world and being black is like putting a
knife in your back.
Being stereotyped every single day they think that you're just a number.
They expect you to fail and not do anything, and be lazy.
They think that we're all bad and we shoot when were mad.
Finally all of these rappers want to be gangsters and sell dope but they don't know anything about our ancestors on the ropes.
Living in this world is very very hard, living on welfare
or even in your car So just look up and pray to God for help all through the way.

Finally I have to get a shout out to my mom, Gloria Eaton,
and my brothers and sisters
And my dad, Andre Williams,
and my grandma, because
I wouldn't be here without her.

What Does It Take To Change Gas Prices?

Jaiilyn Alexander, 8th grade

We have to drive; we have to get to school
But this is just the society and the rules.
Gas is so much now-a-days,
People spend their money because they have to pay.
Why aren't prices going down?
Just to let whoever knows that this
is ruining our town.
Being broke just isn't fair! Because people have to spend their money to go everywhere
Maybe we can walk or ride a bike?
I guess getting on the COTA bus is alright.
But still all it takes is one slightly changed touch,
To put some gas in your car shouldn't be that much.

Saggin' Aren't Real Men

David Silver, 8th grade

You see all these boys on the street, their pants sagging down to their knees.
They think it's tight, people think it's an unpleasant sight, the button pops off when
you sag down too tight.

The only people that you see hanging out by the store are the people that have a low
IQ score. They probably flunked in school 'cause they didn't use their brain as their
tool—that's not cool.

I want to have a job, instead of being on the street getting mobbed.

Saggin' aren't real men, it's not hard to
be a man
Saggin' aren't real men, it's not hard to
be a man

Moms having to take care of the baby,
while their kids are thinking 'please
save me."
Why do these boys have to sag? Don't
you think that makes Martin Luther King mad?
Or even make Malcolm X sad to believe that these men are black?

Saggin' aren't real men, it's not hard to be a man
Saggin' aren't real men, it's not hard to be a man

The Black Struggle

Kaysha Prunty, 8th grade

A black man is trying to become
President,
Because Hillary Clinton, we don't
know where she went.
Obama for healthcare, to help you
out with welfare
So the Elders will be well,
So grandma won't be in the
hospital wondering how she fell.
So if history is made,
and we end up being played,
Then we end up being fools, like we
didn't go to school.
But homie that ain't cool, so you
should stick to your rules, and
follow number one,
cuz when you do that, you know
that your victory is won.

How could you possibly think
about a person dying?
I couldn't sleep a wink. How
could you say, you don't have a voice,
When people are very sick out
there, don't really have a choice,
don't really have a choice,
To live or die, havin' sad family
members wonderin' why?

Struggle for Life

Stacey Holland, 6th grade

This is Stacey talking about the
black community.
You think we have harmony and unity.
We don't have anything but guns,
shootouts, and fighting. This is
why we are . . .

. . . in the struggle, struggle, struggle
for life; how are we going to
help others if we can't help ourselves.

How are we going to buy food for
one person, but can't buy food for
ourselves? How are we going to
take care of someone else's kids,
but can't take care of our own
kids. This is ...

. . .the reason
why we are in
the struggle,
struggle, struggle
for life.
How are we going to help others if we
can't help ourselves.

Words to Lyrics

Lanees Moore, 7th grade

In my world, all you could ever think of is violence.
There is nothing else to think about, other
than if your world could end in a straight second.
One second you could be here, the next
you could be blown up in the air.
There is no surprise when you look at it
through my eyes.
The only time I have peace is
when I'm at school, doing
what I do.
By that I mean
not having any influence of what I've been through.

The Black Man Feels No Pain!

Le'Sandra Simmons, 8th grade

The black man feels no pain.
Walkin' hard down the street, speakin'
his slang.

He felt he did right
getting' in that gang.

'Cause the black man
feels no pain.

He says he'll do anything
for his family.
Whatever it takes he
says, "Imma do me".

'Cause the black
man feels no pain.

He wears his pants
saggin' to the floor.
He doesn't care
what you think no more.

'Cause the black man
feels no pain.

Words to Lyrics

Lanees Moore, 7th grade

In my world, all you could ever think of is
violence.
There is nothing else to think about, other
than if your world could end in a straight second.

One second you could be here, the next
you could be blown up in the air.
There is no surprise when you look at it
through my eyes.

The only time I have peace is
when I'm at school, doing
what I do.
By that I mean
not having any influence of what I've
been through.

TRUE FRIENDS

Elisha Muhammad, 6th grade

Friend, the word we use every day, but
don't know the meaning of.
When you go home after school, your
"friends" are talking behind your back.
They don't tell you their secrets but you
pour them out to them.

If you have true friends you
don't have to worry about fights
or someone telling secrets.
Real friends have your back.

The next day you come in and everybody
is laughing at you,
Your "friend" comes up laughing too.
She says "I'm not your true friend after
all."

It makes you want to fall after all.

S.A.F.E

Jonetta Parker, 8th grade

Feeling safe in your community,
Yeah, you know what I'm talking about,

But we all known how it should be,
These little fast girls keep running their mouth,

Police riding by not paying attention,
Drivers not stopping at the stop signs
and making U-turns,

It's too much to mention,
Soliciting and using foul language is
so stern,

S.A.F.E. S is for Social, A is for
Arranged, F is for Friendly, and E is
for Environment Change. SAFE,
SAFE, we need to be Safe.

These teenagers need to stop the beef,
And increase the peace,
Cause all you wanna do is shoot or fight,
You need the best way and that way wasn't right,

You can call it what you want,
But you need to quit the front.
I hope you get the message that I'm trying to get to you,
I would never lie to you and you know it's true.

S.A.F.E. S is for Social, A is for
Arranged, F is for Friendly, and E is
for Environment Change. SAFE,
SAFE, we need to be Safe.
Yeah we all need to be Safe!!!

Mykaila Johnson's View of Things

Mykaila Johnson, 7th grade

In my neighborhood, all I see is straight up violence,
Everybody wants to blow up things and cause people to scream--
At least that's what I see in my eyes.
That is what this world is to be,
Thugs and drug dealers are around every corner,

They always want to hate.
So many teenagers are dropping out of school,
It causes so many parents to feel fate.

All of these wars are just making me sick,
Can't we all just get along with other countries?

THIS IS THE WORLD

Chamar Harrison, 6th grade

Out in the world is so cold. People are dying so old.
Guns are poppin' and nobody can stop them.

Mama is crying and daddy ain't around mama started to break down.
This is the world boys and girls no one can be around when you're down.
Kids sellin' drugs in the street they're not where they're supposed to be.
THIS IS THE WORLD.

Speak as We See

Shavianna Black, 8th Grade

We see those walking down the street
and we ask ourselves why they look so weak.
We say to ourselves, "I'm not gonna look like that."
But then one day you find yourself holding out a hat.
You are holding out a hat and no one is putting money in.
You are now so thin and have no money to spend.

Sometimes you wish you hadn't
talked about that person, because now
you ARE that person.
People are walking down the street
and laughing at you.
You curse them out because you look like a fool.
A white man calls you a "broke down
N_ _ _ _ _ " and then pulls the trigger.

You are now six feet under and now
you wonder.
You should have thought about what
you said, but now you DEAD.
You, the reader should know now what
I'm talking about: A poor homeless person.

We're Here to Help

Devante Jackson, aka D-Dude, 6th grade
Michael Hartway, aka M11, 6th grade
Gabriel Jackson, aka G-man, 6th grade

(D-Dude)
Have you ever heard of it man it's real it's life,
The human body can't deal with the strife.
When did you last drop a tear? When your grandma passed.
Just don't think about it. She's in your heart.
Don't let life pass all fast like a thrown dart.
D-Dude is here to help you out; he don't wanna see the pain.
Keep it inside it will make you feel the same way.
Here comes M11 to help you with the anger
'Cause it's only one letter away from danger.
You're acting mad but inside you're sad. Your mom is poppin'
caps while your dad is tryin' to sag.

(M11)
You get all Fs in every class, if school was track
you'd probably be last.
You watch BET and act like you're lazy and
when your teacher gets on you
You act like you're crazy.
This is ridiculous I shouldn't be talking to YOU,
But instead of listening, you act like a fool.
You're acting mad but inside you're sad. Your
mom is poppin' caps while your dad is tryin' to sag.

(G-man)
School is real. Home is life.

Go for school and leave the mess at home.

If you can't make it there you won't make it anywhere.

Show what you can do and, give it your best shot.

Don't waste your time with so much crime,

Just listen to this rhyme and you'll be fine.

If you need help I could help you out,

But don't just sit there and continuously pout.

Life is hard I know that, it really stinks

But focus when you listen, just sit there and think.

Listen

Jami Muhammad, 8th grade

Listen, Listen
Listen to the people holding crying and
whining little children who are afraid of dying.
Listen to the rain drops hit the street;
listen to the beat beneath my feet.
Listen to my ancestors and elders
speak. Are you listening to me?

Listen, Listen
Have faith and believe in what you say.
Who cares about other's feelings anyway?
I do, I give praise when people say
they're having a good day.
I am relieved to see my people grow
more freely.

Listen, Listen
Haters are always coming my way, but
I must block them out of my face.
They're always coming around
trying to bring people's feelings down!

Oh, but not me!
I shall be free, Imma do me.
I'll do GREAT things, you'll see.

Listen, Listen
Lives gone by drive-bys, the truth has died.
Lies made by "the man".
Don't you understand?
Bigger and bigger lies make us wanna
pull the trigger every time.
They called us nigger, we pull the trigger.
Now, you can't see your kid until they
get out of that cage, rage is going to go
with them on that day.

Listen, Listen
Lives ruined.
People take this as amusement.
This is the greatest generation, now it's
time for us to stand up and become a nation.