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
October 14, 2015 in Editorials, Op-Eds, Politics, Smitty in the City by Mac Smiff
Smitty In the City: Hip Hop Day
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
December 17, 2014 in News, Politics by Mac Smiff
The 5th Annual Efryting Drive + Friendly Fire Battle
That Jessie Sponberg guy never quits. NEVER. As if endlessly organizing masses to march, rally and shut down bridges wasn’t enough, Sponberg still managed to put together his 5th annual Efryting Drive, an annual event he uses to attain an insane amount of items – primarily warm clothes and blankets – for the city’s large and
October 27, 2014 in Editorials, News, On..., Op-Eds, Politics by Bruce Poinsette
On: Measure 91 and the OLCC
Anyone who knows me knows I’m cynical about politics. And for good reason. That said, I’m a big proponent of politicking for your interests, which brings me to Measure 91. The bill would legalize weed for recreational use and retail in Oregon. It seems like a no-brainer, right? But I can’t get past one thing.
September 16, 2014 in Editorials, On..., Op-Eds, Politics by Bruce Poinsette
On: Economic Protest
This past weekend, a lot of us saw the video of Portland Police beating and tasing a 16-year-old. To make matters worse, this comes at time when there are anti-police brutality protests and discussions all around the city. Apparently the police still don’t give a fuck about Black people. While I’m not big on protests,
August 19, 2014 in Editorials, On..., Op-Eds, Politics by Bruce Poinsette
On: “Leaders”
Ever criticized a “Black leader?” Does this response sound familiar? “How dare you talk about me? At least I’m doing something?” Is it getting tired yet? Let’s be real. You can organize rallies. You can make speeches. You can get a new batch of kids, who don’t know your history, to parrot you every year.
July 24, 2014 in Editorials, On..., Op-Eds, Politics by Bruce Poinsette
On: Revolution in the Age of Reproduction
When we talk about great Black leaders, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. practically roll off the tongue. After all, they made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause. They are what many people aspire to be and some even model their lives after. But why? We know how the movie ends and yet, people