Portland’s Glenn Waco gets educational on his new release, Assata, a feel-good ode to the life of Assata Shakur, the former Black Panther who’s famously avoided state capture since escaping from prison 37 years ago in 1979. On May 2nd, 2005, Assata was labeled a domestic terrorist, and there is a $2M reward for her capture. Since being
May 2, 2016 in Music, Politics, Rain Drops, Women by Mac Smiff
Glenn Waco – Assata ft. Neka (Prod. by Samarei)
April 21, 2016 in Music, Politics, Video by Mac Smiff
VIDEO: Sponberg For Mayor feat. Al-One, My-G, Prologic & Brown Caesar [Prod by Pale Soul]
“So get out and vote, before the water get bought up by Nestle and Coke. They already bought the hood up, raise the rent up some mo’, and police out here is tryna put my neck in the rope…” ~Al-One I ran into Jessie Sponberg last night, and the first thing the Eastside Portlander said to me (after,
February 1, 2016 in News, Politics by Mac Smiff
Sponberg For Mayor Campaign Kicks Off, Invites Candidates To Slumber Party
Jessie Sponberg is wasting no time. As his campaign officially starts today at the site of the same reservoir he famously fought to keep as our city’s water source, the outspoken candidate is expected to invite fellow mayoral candidates to spend a night at North Portland’s Hazelnut Grove, a makeshift community that houses people whom Sponberg refers
January 25, 2016 in News, Politics by Mac Smiff
Hip-Hop Activist Jessie Sponberg Leads All Candidates in KGW Poll
Maybe it was the declaration that “The City is on fire!” Or perhaps it was his Facebook call to put out a campaign mixtape with local rappers. Or perhaps his early campaigning at the Sanders rally. In any case, mayoral candidate and self-proclaimed front-runner Jessie Sponberg is torching all competition in a new KGW poll, taking
January 19, 2016 in News, Politics by Mac Smiff
PDX’s Worst Kept Secret: Rapper-Turned-Activist Jesse Sponberg Runs for Mayor
If you thought the upcoming mayoral election was set to be a snoozefest, WOHM has other news for you. Occasional local rapper and long time activist Jesse Sponberg is officially running for mayor, in a move many have expected for the last ten years. By throwing his name into the hat, the liberal progressive challenges the de facto frontrunners
October 14, 2015 in Editorials, Op-Eds, Politics, Smitty in the City by Mac Smiff
Smitty In the City: Hip Hop Day
They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth, but we all know what happened in Troy. For the better part of 3 weeks, I’ve been contemplating, discussing, writing and re-writing my thoughts about this Thurday’s upcoming first annual Hip Hop Day in Portland. A really simple concept, Hip Hop Day was announced
June 18, 2015 in Editorials, Op-Eds, Politics by Mac Smiff
The Gentrification of Blackness
In case you’ve never seen the highest grossing film of all time, it revolves around a hero who feels so sorry for the aliens whom he’s been assigned to infiltrate and obliterate that he chooses to live his life disguised as one of them, and is eventually discovered as a fraud before re-earning their trust
April 28, 2015 in Editorials, News, On..., Op-Eds, Politics by Bruce Poinsette
On: Baltimore, Cloaks, and Daggers
The word of the day is ruthless. It’s not a word I can use to describe Baltimore protesters. It’s the word that comes to mind when I see things like #bluelivesmatter. When you see people “rioting,” that’s anger. That’s desperation. Ruthless is the people who will do and say anything to hold on to power.
January 27, 2015 in Editorials, Politics, Smitty in the City by Mac Smiff
I Shot The Sheriff
At this point it’s common knowledge that American police shoot too many people. The Economist theorized last year that British citizens are 100 times less likely to be shot by a police officer than we are, and that was a conservative estimate. Yet and still, while only 3 police officers in all of Britain and
December 30, 2014 in Interviews, Music, News, Politics by Matty Almendinger
Macklemore Talks Race, White Privilege and Music
“For me, as a white rapper, I’m like, how do I get involved on a level where I’m not co-opting the movement, but also realizing the platform that I have and the reach that I have and doing it in an authentic, genuine way.” – Macklemore Following their massive success in 2013, Ben Haggerty (famously