While kids around the city were giving Easter speeches in their new JCPenney and Macy's, puffy dresses with ruffled socks and patented leather shoes, youth at the New Olivet Baptist Church were performing their first production of the first Hip-Hop tale of the life and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
By Kirstin Cheers While kids around the city were giving Easter speeches in their new JCPenney and Macy's, puffy dresses with ruffled socks and patented leather shoes, youth at the New Olivet Baptist Church were performing their first production of the first Hip-Hop tale of the life and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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Christopher "Dumma Boy" Gholson is a well-known music producer from Memphis, Tenn. He has worked alongside top Hip Hop artist such as Young Jeezy, T.I. and Two Chainz. He is the founder of Drum Squad Foundation and an activist in his community. Recently, Drumma presented a grand opportunity for Shelby County School (SCS) students to participate in a contest and have a chance to win $2500. The "Dream Summit" was a competition that served as a way for Drumma to give back to his community and provide young entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their talents. The event was held Saturday, April 26, 2014 at the University of Memphis in the FedEx Institute of Technology. SCS students, parents and teachers attended the event to learn more about opportunities in the music and sports industries from a panel of industry leaders. Ron Highsmith, Executive Director of Drum Squad, detailed the importance of the event is to expose the youth to understanding curricular development and gain knowledge about the business side of multi-million dollar industries. "It is important to present more opportunities and careers they may not learn about in school," said Highsmith, "This is such a broad and diverse industry, and they will benefit tremendously from this summit." The objective for the contest required students to create and present a business plan of their choice, including branding, budgeting and other market strategies that strive to benefit the community. By Darnesha Cotton Rapper Preauxx, pronounced "Pro," has been busy perfecting his craft and making a name for himself since 2008. With a growing fan base and plenty of enthusiasm, he still has the ambitions of a new artist. His hard work has not gone unnoticed as the Student Activities Council asked him to perform at the first Spring Fling Music Festival opening up for Big Sean. Here is what he had to say about his fans, inspiration, music and the future of his career. Political rap artist Apache El promotes singles "Future Now Youth" through food drive at U of M4/22/2014 By Akilah Speaks In efforts to promote his new singles, "Leverage" and "Magnolia Trees," Apache demonstrated his political approach by giving back to the community and influencing the youth. Contributing donations to the Mid-South Food Bank, independent artist Apache El collected food donations from students at the U of M to feed families in need. "The future is now, we are the future" is the slogan for the campaign supporting the Future Now Youth food drive because he believes the youth control the changes needed to be made in society.
By: Dee Reneé Juicy Jim’s Pizzeria on South Highland Street is the go-to place for open mic on Tuesday nights. Jim Matson, owner of Juicy Jim’s Pizzeria, is originally from New Jersey, but moved to Memphis in 1992 and opened Juicy Jim’s in 2003. Matson got the name Juicy Jim when he was 16 and working at a place called Greasy Tony’s, where he impressed two young ladies with his “juicy” burgers. Toke Up Tuesday is the formal name for the open mic event hosted every Tuesday night, which started two years ago. It started when University of Memphis student Kenneth Hall asked Matson for the opportunity to make some money and get the restaurant exposure though the open mic night. Every Tuesday, Jim expects anywhere from 100 to 150 people to crowd his vintage bar for performances.
“I love coming to Juicy Jim’s on Tuesdays. I love to hear the good and bad performers. Some of the bad ones come back every Tuesday to try and redeem themselves,” Jamon Harvell said a junior engineering major at the university Throughout the night there are countless acts--some good, some bad. Some participants perform spoken word and others perform stand-up comedy. “I’m here every Tuesday getting on stage showing off my comedic talents,"said Darius Wilder, a junior at the U of M. "The first couple of times I was pretty nervous but now I’m something like a pro,” By Darnesha Cotton
Fashion Moguls Memphis (FMM), a newly formed University of Memphis organization, will host its debut fashion show, titled #reWERKd, on Monday, March 24, in the University Center Theatre at 7 p.m. “It’s a different approach to fashion; it’s not just able the labels. It’s about using what you’ve got and adding your flare to it,” said Christina Dang, Fashion Moguls Memphis president. Members of FMM collaborated with each other to redesign and create new garments to be modeled and sold during the show. Lena Ray, one of the stylists for the show, said she is anticipating the response of the audience to the shows approach towards fashion. “I look forward to seeing how the people react to the clothes that we created,” Ray said. “A lot of the clothing we reworked for the show were donated by students at the University of Memphis that they didn’t want.” FMM hosted a clothing drive at the university in December 2013 and January 2014. The clothing donated during the clothing drive that was not used in the show was donated to Clothes4Souls. Every model in the show will be wearing two #reWERKed garments partnered with clothing provided by local boutiques: Wish, Langford Market, Crazy Beautiful and Plato’s Closet. By Darnesha Cotton
The University of Memphis African Student Association will be making the world their runways. The student organization is using cultural fashions to unite students of different backgrounds and heritage. Senior film student Lawrence Shaw and Justin Brookes, a sophomore health and human performance major, are co-directors of the first Multicultural Fashion Show on campus. “We are trying to show the diversity of the world," Shaw said. "The best way to learn about a different culture is through their food or through their clothing." The show is set to occur in April during the University’s Multicultural Week, an annual celebration done by the University to honor the diversity of the students. “The vision is just to show everybody that although we are all from a different culture, we all of one body, we are all the same. We can celebrate each other’s diversity,” said Shaw, the creative half of the duo. Photos courtesy of Brittany Glover By Melissa Wray
For visiting assistant theatre/dance professor Tracey Bonner, the meaning behind New Voices, the University of Memphis' yearly fall dance concert, is an opportunity to showcase theatre and dance students at their best. "Right now, our dance program is split somewhat between the University College and the dance department," she said. "One of the reasons behind this concert is not only about giving students a platform to perform, but also to choreograph and support their artistic abilities so we can come together." U of M freshman dance student Rachael Arnwine, who is one of the performing students, said that she tried out for the concert because of her longtime love of dancing. "I have danced all my life," she said. "When I heard about New Voices, I immediately knew I wanted to do it." The concert, which will take place in the Michael D. Rose Theatre Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m., will consist of 11 performances, most of them including genres of the contemporary, jazz and hip-hop variety. One particular type of dancing will be absent from the lineup, according to Bonner. By Hassan Allawi Bhui is planning to produce his first album in February next year. The house in which he grew up, the place were his mother rests, and the Mississippi River, are places that inspire him. By Margot Pera
Halloween weekend will be an extravaganza to remember for Ben Jenkins, a University of Memphis math graduate student and techno DJ. Jenkins will begin his party binge Thursday, Oct. 31, at Mollie Fontaine Lounge and end at Mollies on Saturday around 3 a.m. Jenkins began his DJ vocation in 2008 after seeing some electronic music DJs play live at Voodoo Festival in New Orleans. “I went to Voodoo fest to see Rage Against the Machine, and I saw a couple of DJs there and kind of liked it,” Jenkins said. “My friends and I started researching electronic music and eventually I started discovering a bunch of underground artists I really liked.” Jenkins’ favorite type of techno music is house, which he says has a softer melody than other derivatives like dubstep and trance. “All of the electro genres, dubstep, trance, house, are derived from techno, which originated from disco,” Jenkins said. “Trance has a faster tempo and uplifting chords, and dubstep is basically a meditation on base.” |