 What do you do when you’re the king of the music industry? When you’ve slayed most of your enemies? When you’ve reached the pinnacle of what success looks like? And last but not least, when you have stayed on top of the game consistently for a decade? For Drake, this means looking to his son Adonis. If Drake is the king, then Adonis is the heir to the throne. Let’s see what the king has to say. So, Adonis. Who is he? He’s the son of Drake who was pulled from the shadows into the middle of a rap beef. And since he has been seen on everything from tabloids to blogs, to Drake’s social media timeline. Fast forward to today, Adonis has been put into the limelight again but this time it was his art, as seen in the 8 Am in Charolotte video. The video featured Adonis and Drake talking about his drawing. which would become the cover of “For All My Dogs”. Anyone who has heard the 23-track album realized that on “Daylight”, Adonis would make his first album feature as he dropped 8 bars. The internet went crazy. It was actually one of the best features of the album. It was becoming clear that “For All My Dogs” was quickly becoming “For Adonis” as following up the release of the album was Adonis’s debut music video called “My Man’s Freestyle”. Disclaimer: Now let’s be clear. Adonis is only 6 years old. But we have to hold him to a high lyrical degree being that his father is Drake. It’s unfair. But that’s life. So, let’s get into the video. Let’s start with the beat. I was very surprised with the beat selection. Mostly because you would expect some high-tempo drill beat that the new school rappers usually recycle. But this beat is unexpected because It’s got roots in more of a Boom Bap old-school New York-style production, with just enough synth on it to give it a more updated feel or maybe RZA feel. The eerie strings stretch around each bar clearing for a soft landing for Adonis to have fun with the track. The video. I liked the video. It was Adonis with his friends, most likely the basketball team, and the whole team was having fun. It was dope to see Drake also in the video supporting his son and putting a battery in his son’s back. There’s even a part that reminds me of his dad’s videos where the video breaks and Adonis goes into a monologue about how to win the game. That’s classic Drake. It was a posse type of vibe and Adonis was the star. Now let’s get to the bars. The meat and potatoes. Adonis’s pen…. What I liked: I liked that the song was about a kid having fun with his friends. It wasn’t about sliding, it wasn’t about the opps, and it wasn’t some oversexualized video of him chasing grown women. It reminded me of when hip-hop was just fun. When people used to do it for the fun of it and not for the fame of it or for a quick check. What I didn’t like: There wasn’t a lot of substance or metaphors or double entendre's. Some would say that’s OK for a six-year-old who probably has a trust fund larger than what some people will ever make in their lives. But I digress, for Drake standards, I need to see more. On top of that, I would argue that his dad should’ve shown him some type of song structure as some of the bars were repetitive chants instead of the carefully crafted bars we’ve come to know from Drake. He’s six. I understand that the ability to write a compound sentence may be an advanced tool, but hey, he could’ve been given some guidance. But then again, it’s a fun song, and his first song, so maybe the point is he has time to build. The best part of the song by far was the hook. This is the part he obviously gets from his dad. His father has always had a knack for making catchy hooks, and that’s what has always sold records. So, there you have it. Adonis’s song “My Man Freestyle”. He’s officially in the game. It will be interesting to see what happens next with his music career. Also, how will his skills develop as a rapper? The heir to the throne. Just know that heavy is the crown that wears the crown. Let us know what you think of “My Man Freestyle”.
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 Brian Slattery, Kelefa Sanneh, Hannah Goldfield, and Jazmine Hughes I’ve always heard about the life of a writer, but I never saw it as an actual career that you could live off of. When you hear the term “starving artists”, this category often includes writers. Many of which, didn’t get their name in bright lights until well after their deaths. Even if they did get their flowers, oftentimes writers had to go through some period of substance abuse like chain smoking or drinking themselves to death as they literally poured out their souls on each page. So, naturally, I thought, there’s no way a writer can make a living from solely writing. That’s until I got invited to go to New Haven, Connecticut for a meetup with some amazing writers and a secret writer panel. First, let's talk about the opportunity. Over the past 3 months, I’ve had the opportunity to write for the Independent Review Crew which is a crew of writers from all over the country like; LA, NYC, Boston, and of course, Tulsa. The Independent Crew is supported by the nonprofit Online Journalism Project. Formed in 2005, The Online Journalism Project's mission is “to encourage the development of professional-quality hyperlocal and issue-oriented online news websites. Sites like this one. We also assist others undertaking online journalism initiatives.” What do we write about? Local events. The arts. Because if we don’t tell you why you should go, then why would you go? And I’ve gotten to write about some amazing events all the while showcasing the great art that is going on in Tulsa. My editor Alicia Chesser, has really helped me grow as a writer. I still dread the red marker. But it’s only there to help me get better, so I trust the process. So, in working with The Independent Crew I got the opportunity to go to New Haven and meet up with the writers and the organizers of the Independent Review Crew. League Of Extraordinary WritersNot every hero wears a cape. Well also, not every writer knew that they were destined to be a writer. As I started to meet the different writers, I started to notice that some of us didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a writer. What does that mean? We weren’t English majors. We never worked or interned for a news publication. And last but not least, we were never English teachers. What we were, were people who had regular jobs who happened to love the arts and felt the need to shout or rather write it from the rooftops. Did It All Without A PenPens are cool. But I’m not gonna lie. I only use them as a last resort. A computer has been my sanctuary. But pen or not, I never really thought words could provide a livable wage in 2023. Not with the slow death of the newspaper. All that changed when I met the panel of writers. The panel consisted of Independent and Review Crew Arts Editor Brian Slattery, New Yorker music writer Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker food critic Hannah Goldfield, and profile writer Jazmine Hughes of The New York Times Magazine. Most of them started their careers in New Haven and then decided to make the leap to New York. What really caught my ear about this discussion is that writing was their only job!!!! And it wasn’t a job. Writing still seemed to give them that same passion that they had when they first decided to write. Also, 2 of them were black. So I saw myself in them. Probably something that if I had seen earlier in life, would’ve led me to becoming a writer sooner. Because you’re influenced by what you see and how close you are to what you dream. Sometimes when you start off on a new adventure you get to second-guessing yourself. Many people usually call it Imposter Syndrome. It’s not until you realize that you’re already doing the things that you’re worried about. For me, that meant I’ve always written, whether that was writing 10-page papers at the last minute, and still getting an A. That meant writing poems and raps. Side note: One time I turned in a rap to my English class on accident, but that’s a story for another day. The point is. I am a writer, and I’ve been writing my whole life. So I left New Haven with that confidence. The same confidence I saw from Kelefa Sanneh during the panel discussion. I think my only regret from the trip would be not being able to ask him how to become a better writer. But with an editor like Alicia, I feel like I’m right where I need to be. Until next time New Haven. This is Ryan Anderson, The WRITER! Hoping to see you soon.  The Book Of Hov art installation at the Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza. Brooklyn, NY 11238 If you know Jay-Z, then you know that he’s had one of the longest-running careers of any hip-hop artist. You also know that he’s had countless crossover hits. Jay-Z is truly an artist that both the culture has celebrated by winning multiple BET and urban outlet awards, as well as with the industry with awards such as Grammy’s and being inducted into both the Rock & Roll and the Writer’s Hall Of Fame. And he did it without a pen I might add. He’s even been a guest and performer at the White House. There’s no doubt that Jay-Z has been celebrated around the world. But to be celebrated in your own home. I would have to think that’s a whole other feeling, because few people are celebrated in their own city, much less, get to come back home a hero. But that’s just what is happening with the new exhibit at the Brooklyn Public Library called “The Book of Hov: A celebration of the life and work of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter”. We got a first chance look at the exhibit.  The Book Of Hov exhibit, entrance features Jay-Z album covers The Pictures Book Of Hov art exhibit pictures with Nipsey and other artists The exhibit was not just put together by the good people of Brooklyn. No. This was a curated art installation that the Brooklyn Central Library partnered with Roc Nation in order to create some truly personal and interactive experiences between Jay-Z and visitors. I found myself lost in the memories of photographs that lived as artifacts like cave drawings, yet these pictures were plastered on wooden blank canvases. The interesting part is that these photos never seemed to show a particular chronological order, but more a less a collage of Jay-Z memories, maybe how his mind has mapped them out. Either way, each picture captured a moment in time. Some of these moments I remembered. Some of them I wish I could’ve been there to experience. The pictures themselves seemed to capture a thousand lifetimes.  Book Of Hov art exhibit pictures with Drake and others MemorabiliaWhen you talk about Hov. You gotta think that there has to be a crazy amount of memorabilia. This installation confirmed that. It was amazing to see Jay-Z’s setlist or his track list written in his own handwritting. There were rooms you would go in and encapsulated behind plexiglass would be items like the Che Guevara t-shirt he wore during his famous MTV Unplugged concert. Or the guitar he played when he headlined the Wonderwall rock festival. Let’s not talk about the concerts. He literally had a box of backstage passes to concerts that he had either performed at or probably was invited to. I was amazed also to see some of the awards that he had put on display there. Obviously, none of his Grammy awards were there, but there were still the Academy Awards and the NCAAP award on display that are all quite impressive just to have one. He has multiple. We all love a good magazine. What magazine cover has he not been on? There were many of the most prestigious magazines around that had featured Jay-Z. From GQ, to Life, to even the Cigar Aficionado magazine. I was also amazed to see that Jay-Z even had some of his masters on display like the one for his Carnegie Hall Live Performance or the negatives for the Streets Is Watching movie. Baseline Studios Book Of Hov exhibit, Baseline Studios wide view If you want to know how Jay-Z became Hov, then you gotta know about Baseline Studios. The art installation featured a fully functional analog studio that was designed to resemble the actual Baseline Studios which was on 127 West 26th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, where Jay-Z made some of his greatest pieces of work, such as “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album”. Both pieces are featured on the walls of the exhibit showing their platinum status and sales in an age where fans literally had to get out of the house and go to a store to buy a CD. This was also where the documentary “Fade To Black” was filmed. Who could forget when Jay-Z took of his bucket hat and put it over his face when a young Kanye West played the “Lucifer” beat. This is Hov’s workplace. This is where he continued getting in the reps that helped him become the One.  Book Of Hov exhibit, Baseline Studios analog board view The Library CarDWhen it comes to going to see any memorable moment. What do you want the most? Of course, you want some type of souvenir. Right? Well officially for The Book Of Hov art installation, there is none. Because of course this is a library, and aside from pictures and the “The Book Of Hov” installation guide, there wasn’t anything to truly help you remember this moment. But if are a resident of New York, then there is something. For every resident of New York there was a limited-edition library card that you could get, that features one of Jay-Z’s albums. Each library location would have a different card that featured a different Jay-Z cover, as seen here. I guess that sucks for someone from Tulsa. Right? You’re left out. But they say, "If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.". And Tulsans say, "where there’s a will, there’s a way.". Side story: So, I’m from Tulsa. I walk in the library. There's this Black dude sitting behind the desk. He had to be no older than 34. I ask him, “Can I get a Jay-Z library card?”. He says,” Are you a resident of New York?”. I say, “No I’m not. But come on. Help a brother out.” And of course, he is acting like he gonna get fired for giving out one card, or he gonna be missing out on some sales commission for not signing up someone for a library card. I even offered him $20. Come on. You not gonna take $20 when nobody will know either way. But like I said, “I’m from Tulsa, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I continue going walking around the exhibit. Maybe like an hour in, and it’s almost time for me to go. That’s when the homie is like, "How they gonna know you don’t live here? What about the hotel?" It then hits me. Ohh, shit, the hotel is a Brooklyn address. So, I go on the Brooklyn Public Library website, and I sign up for a library card using the hotel’s address. Success. I get a code. Now I ain’t taking this to the same hating ass library worker. Naw, I’m going to the other desk. It was someone else sitting at the desk. They asked me for the code, I gave it. Then they asked, “Can I see your Id?”. Of course, my ID from Tulsa. Then they ask, “Can I see something showing your name and the address of this place?”. So, I hand them my phone that has the hotel agreement with my name and address on it. They peeped game. What went on was a one-minute back and forth about what constitutes as being a livable dwelling in New York. (which I still think that being in a hotel is a legal short-term lease agreement that holds statues as being a resident of place) But they admired my hustle. The same hustle they probably have and would’ve used in my predicament. So, in the end, they said, "Don’t tell nobody you got this from me.” As they proceeded to hand me the library card. My souvenir. Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life  The Book Of Hov library card, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life cover So, there you have it, The Book Of Hov art installation in Brooklyn. If you have a chance, I suggest you go see it. You won’t be disappointed. And Brooklyn is a dope city. Maybe I’ll tell you about some of my other adventures another time. Until then. Hov Did! |
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