Paid Dues Wrap Up (2008)

I wrote and did photography for this

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.1076/title./p.1

Paid Dues Festival 2008 Wrap-Up

March 27th, 2008 | Author: Andreas Hale

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It was definitely a busy weekend for the bad guys. While half of the HipHopDX team were down in ATL for A3C, the other members of the DX family were here in the land where it never rains, Southern California, for Paid Dues. The sun was definitely out doing its job in San Bernardino California, thank god the main stage for Paid Dues was indoors.

Prior to the 12-hour plus day of work, HipHopDX erected a huge booth to promote its presence by giving away CDs, selling t-shirts and connecting with its readers. Other vendors also scurried about as final preparations would be made for an event that would find itself immersed in thousands of adoring Hip Hop fans burning to catch a glimpse of their favorite emcee.

Murs posted up as booths were being built outside. As many know by now, Murs is an integral part of the organization of Paid Dues, as well as the host. Unfortunately, pleasantries would be exchanged but the Living Legends member would find no time to sit down and give an interview.

The line began to grow outside and when the doors finally opened at 1pm, fans plowed through the gates and into the venue. Murs' protégé, Isiah, immediately took to the stage to warm the hundreds that filed into the building. Outside, fans scurried about looking for trinkets and t-shirts to purchase, while others raced off to the VIP area to indulge in alcoholic beverages.

Headliner Sage Francis made a surprise appearance during B Dolan’s set and encouraged the crowd to vibe with his newest find. Yak Ballz made his presence felt as he delivered treats from his recent outing Scifentology II [click here to read review...].

Back outside, the HipHopDX booth featured giveaways of the second round of Independent As F*ck mixtapes [click here to listen...]. Twenty-five hundred CDs were given out well before the day’s end. For those that missed out, there were still two style of t-shirts being sold: The popular “Hip Hop is Not Dead” & “Independent As F*ck.” While other booths hustled their designs for $20, DX pushed these beauties for the cost of $5 (that’s cheaper than the $7 pizza).

Some of DX’s faithful readers dropped by to give their two cents about their “favorite” website. One gentleman in particular professed his disdain for DX’s reviews (“they suck”) while giving a drunken thumbs up to the audio and Beauty & Brains sections [click here...] (go figure).

The back stage atmosphere resembled a family reunion of sorts as journalists, rappers and fans co-mingled with mutual respect. DJ Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz caught up with Fatlip (of Pharcyde fame) to give the now solo emcee props on his last solo release. In an era in which emcees and producers are quick to tear each other down, the moment was enough to elicit a smile from the hardest cat in the room.

Elsewhere, the entire Boot Camp Clik cooled out with bottles of Hennessey and snacks as they prepared for their stage show. Found nestled on the couch was Rock, who had just dealt with legal trouble [click here to read...] but back on the scene. “They only gave us 40 minutes,” said Dru Ha to DX, as Buckshot, Sean Price, Rock, Tek, Steele and Evil Dee strolled about. “But we’ll make it work.”

Back at the main stage, Busdriver was more than eager to show his eclecticism and progressive approach towards Hip Hop music. Armed with a beat machine and a trusty sideman playing live drums on the MPC player, the LA-based rapper kept the crowd pleasantly amused with rapid-fire poetics and otherworldly beats. Those in the audience who were schooled in west coast gangsta rap or east coast thug might not have found his “art schools-meets-street” performance at all endearing but it was quite obvious that the indie music heads were feeling his non-standard approach to rocking the mic.

Next up, P.O.S. leveled the crowd with lyrical dexterity and blessed those with numerous gems off of his previous endeavors. After hearing him perform songs like “Half-cocked Concepts” it becomes necessity to get your hands on his last album Audition [click here to read review...]. You can’t beat a performance from an artist whose shirt has a picture of Paris Hilton ready to take a shot in the mouth.

After getting a moment to exchange pleasantries with Kool Keith before he hit the stage Rapper Big Pooh (who also attended A3C) and DJ Flash emerged from their trailer. Tonight would be the night when DX’s newest addition, adult film star Sinnamon, would take LB to task for an interview unlike any other.

In the meanwhile, Phonte and Pooh wore their “sunglasses” disguise as they posted up at the DX booth – obviously making an attempt to look “incognegro” – as they greeted all the busy bees at the booth.
As expected, Kool Keith’s performance was in and of itself an anomaly. With the majority of the relatively young fans in a weird state of casual indifference, the cult-status hero remained undisturbed on-stage and performed with equal parts pride and humor. The Bronx-bred rhymesayer, along with his energetic hype-man and masked deejay, began the set with a quirky medley of hooks from the various personas he has embodied throughout his bugged-out career. He then proceeded to do a full song from each of them, including “Girl Let Me Touch You” (from the infamous Dr. Octagonecologyst album) and the boom-bap classic from the Ultramagnetic MC's, “Poppa Large.” With the maturity and wisdom of someone who has seen Hip Hop since the beginning, the veteran rapper quickly ended his short stage performance with a freestyle about today’s wack emcees but he was still able to do in a weird, strange and playful manner only he could pull off.

It was a special treat to see the Boot Camp Clik perform together at a west coast Hip Hop festival such as Paid Dues. The legendary crew from Brooklyn felt at home in San Bernardino and this was evidenced by their energetic performances. Smif-N-Wessun (aka Cocoa Brovaz) rocked the stage first, giving the audience of young and old rap fans a taste of the Brooklyn swagger with hits such as “Bucktown” and “Sound Boy Bureill.” Heltah Skeltah (featuring the indie rap favorite, Sean Price) blasted a few of their songs as a group and as individual artists. Their short but sweet set ended with Buckshot, the famed leader of the clique, giving his all by going through classics put out by Black Moon, including “How Many MC’s” and “Who Got the Props.” Even in 2007, heads ain’t ready for what the Boot Camp has to offer and what they offer the most is pure Hip Hop – raw and uncut.

After BCC, the show came back home to the west for three sets. First off was the live show pros, The Visionaries. If you haven’t seen a Visionaries performance this is definitely an act to check for if you want real Hip Hop live on stage. As the night wore on the crowd at Paid Dues reached capacity, and the inside of the venue was nearly shoulder to shoulder.

Hieroglyphics were definitely the crew that many of the Paid Dues attendees wanted to see perform and it was not hard to find their famed logo on just about every other t-shirt worn that day. No strangers to rocking the underground Hip Hop circuit, the Bay Area stalwarts kept the crowd in a frenzy through a bevy of hits, even without the skillful presence of A+ (from the Souls of Mischief) and their spiritual leader, Del The Funkee Homosapien. Thankfully, Opio stepped up and was the star that night, keeping the crowd positively focused with his admonishment for keeping the peace. Although he was more than proud to show the audience his allegiance to his No-Cal roots (with the bright yellow Oakland A’s logo emblazoned on his chest), it was obvious that love and unity were the overall themes that night.

Next up was the Living Legends. You know Murs wouldn’t do a Hip Hop festival without inviting his boys to perform. Unlike rappers who get on simply because their boy hooks them up, the Living Legends proved they belonged on the stage.

Paid Dues would then take a west coast break with Jedi Mind Tricks, as a lot of people were happy to see the performance. After Jedi Mind Tricks left, it was Dilated’s turn to take over the stage. They rocked classics like “Live on Stage” and newer tracks like “Kindness for Weakness.” As always, Ev and Rakaa gave Babu his chance to shine on the turntables. After Babs got his turn in the spotlight, it was Ev’s turn. He performed “Chase the Clouds Away” and of course “Mr. Slow Flow.” Dilated couldn’t leave without performing “Worst Comes to Worst.”

As the rest of the crowd stepped up to get closer for Little Brother, Supernatural took the stage. Supernatural freestyled, then he freestyled, then he freestyled some more. No preplanned rhymes. How do we know? Because the whole time he was on stage he constantly leaned over into the crowd to take items from fans to use in his rhymes (it has become his trademark). He took one cat’s class ring, and then said it was so small it looked like it should be on a female. He took another cat’s camera and started recording himself as he spit. Like many who took the stage before him, Supernatural killed it.

The backstage games officially began when porn stars Sinnamon and her sidekick for the day Kitten finally made it to the NOS Center. After being ushered to the backstage area, the duo was set to interview Little Brother for Sinnamon’s new DX column titled "Sex Love & Hip Hop." As part 1 of the interview took place, we knew it would be a steamy affair that could only translate correctly on video.

[For an excerpt of the interview before they hit the stage click here]

With time winding down backstage, LB rushed to the stage with their man D Brock and got straight to it. Their set was Get Back heavy. They performed “Sirens” “Extra Hard” “Dreams” and “When Everything is New.” They also went back to the Minstrel Show for “Say it Again” along with other songs. Pooh caught a lot of flak for his lyrics on earlier LB projects, but he deserves just as much credit for his stage presence. Add in D Brock on the vocals and Phonte next to Pooh, and an LB show is something to see.

Fresh off yet their invigorating performance, Dilated Peoples would be the next to be interviewed by the dynamic duo.

[For an excerpt of their interview click here]

Meanwhile, a game of chance was taking place backstage, as Sage Francis and Rich from Guerilla Union engaged in a quick game of poker. The outset of the game saw the Strange Famous Records artist down early in front of a crowd of journalists and performers. In an ending fit for a big screen feature, Sage emerged victorious on the game’s final hand, just in time to hit the stage and close the show.

As editor, photographer and porn stars wrapped up the second part of their interview with Little Brother (the video is coming soon) all headed back through the arena which resembled a warzone of Hip Hop, alcohol and good old fashion fun.

T-shirts? Sold in bunches. CDs? Gone before sun down. Staff? Burnt out from a long day of work.

Another job well done.

Until next year,
Management

Additional Reporting By Anthony Springer Jr, Brillyance and Remco Semaun
Photo Credit: Anthony Springer Jr & Nina Semaun

Rocko- Self Made (Review)

Rocko - Self Made

Friday, March 21, 2008 | Author: Anthony Springer Jr

A common misconception divides many of today’s Hip Hop fans. On one side of the aisle, there are those who believe that an artist has to be positive in order to be dope; the other side believing that big words and catchy metaphors about the lifestyles of the rich and famous make for a dope MC. The answer lies somewhere in the middle. All “positive” or “conscious” MCs are dope and all the dope boys aren’t whack. There are plenty of MCs on both sides of the spectrum that are great and others that are great and being terrible.

Unfortunately for Island Def Jam, there newest find, Rocko, falls in the latter category. To say that his major label debut, Self Made is an abomination is an insult to the word “abomination”. Backed by the radio friendly “Umma Do Me,” Rocko proceeds to tell the world what separates him from a number of unnamed persons. Granted, “You make it sprinkle/I make it tsunami/You get chump change/But I get money” aren’t going to fly in the ciphers, there’s still a standard of lyricism that should go into crafting certified “club songs.” In addition, “Umma Do Me”—from the delivery to the adlibs—sounds like a Young Jeezy throwaway. If swagger jacking was a crime, Rocko would get the death penalty.

Self Made boast production from many of the game’s current A-listers, including Cool and Dre, Jazze Pha, and DJ Toomp. In spite of the heavy hitters behind the boards, Rocko’s lyrical ineptness is impossible to ignore. The radio friendly “Busy” will be enough to replace “hustling” or “grinding” as the streets new buzz word for having a lot of shit to do. “I be busy in the trap, I be busy moving packs/I be busy handling business, I ain’t got time for all of that,” he raps. The song will without a doubt resonate with people who don’t know any better, while the more critically minded among the pack will be left wondering—or hoping— that the authorities will, for a moment forget about the First Amendment and start arresting rappers who assault the public with recycled rhymes about moving more keys than Frank Lucas.

From here, the album free falls into the abyss of all things cliché. There’s the requisite R&B singer singing about thugging track (“Hustle Fo” feat. Lloyd), the all the ladies want my guap song (“That’s My Money”), and the ghetto love hymnal (the Monica assisted “Thugs Need Love Too”). “Karma”—a tale of the pitfalls of betrayal—offers a glimmer of hope, but is not nearly enough to save this one from the round file, a computer recycle bin or from being tossed out of car windows across America.

To be fair, Rocko is another label head turned rapper, so some might give him a pass for his selection of beats. However, the rap game doesn’t have an affirmative action program for its artists and each must—or should— get on based on actual skill. The blame for Self Made rests squarely on the shoulders of label heads looking to capitalize on the latest trend and entourage yes men afraid to tell the folks signing the checks to leave the rapping to real rappers.

The Mis-Education Of Mumia Abu Jamal

March 21st, 2008 | Author: Anthony Springer Jr

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Once upon a time before mass consumption, globalization and the digital download, Hip Hop was a rebel with a cause. Hip Hop provided the soundtrack to a post civil rights generation that fought the power, the government, police brutality and other societal ills. Hip Hop has grown up since then, and with age, seems to have lost the rebellious spirit it once had, trading in the struggle for money, platinum ring tones and blood diamonds.

While commercial Hip Hop would like to forget its past, there are those who rose to prominence during Hip Hop’s early days who continue to struggle and never forget where they came from.

Mumia Abu-Jamal, journalist, father, activist and political prisoners is one of them.

For nearly 30 years, Abu-Jamal has resided on death row, convicted in 1982 for the murder of Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner during a traffic stop.

The story of Mumia Abu-Jamal ignited the country and subsequently, the world. Abu-Jamal’s supporters say he represents the worst of the American criminal justice system, one that unfairly rail roads, convicts and imprisons those who dare speak out against those in power. His detractors paint him as little more than a cold blooded cop killer who has pulled the wool over the eyes of millions and deserves not freedom, but death.

Hip Hop has been relatively silent on Abu-Jamal as of late, with much of his main stream support coming not from today’s chart topping rappers, but rock group Rage Against the Machine and several prominent Hollywood actors. Independent Hip Hop artist and member of the Arizona-Local Organizing Committee of the National Hip Hop Political Convention Grime, believes that today’s emcees aren’t speaking because of ignorance about Mumia’s case, but fear of corporate backlash.

“Rappers are afraid not because they don’t believe or afraid of alienating their, but a lot of rappers get corporate sponsors for tours and clothing lines and if they take on controversial issues, they risk losing corporate sponsors,” he says of the pressure rappers are under to conform to the mainstream. “Anytime you take on people’s money, you have restrictions and a lot of cats aren’t careful about whose money they take.”

On May 17, 2007, arguments for what could be Mumia’s last chance for appeal were heard by the Federal District Court in Philadelphia. The court’s decision is literally life or death for a man who gave his life to the struggle for equality.

But before we can look at what is, we have to look back at what was.

My Mind’s My Nine, My Pen’s My Mack Ten

Mumia Abu-Jamal was born Wesley Cook, on April 24, 1954 in Philadelphia, PA. His life of activism began at the young age of 14, when most teens today are more worried about a science test and 106th and Park’s Top Ten countdown. Ironically, his introduction to activism came at the hands of Philadelphia’s infamous police department.

Abu-Jamal and three friends participated in a protest for then presidential candidate George Wallace (who was a segregationist) on the cities north side. During the protest, Mumia and his friends were attacked by a mob of whites. When Mumia yelled to area police for help, the responding officer did the opposite and joined the mob in the beating.

Mumia never identified the officer, but gives thanks the officer for kicking him “straight into the Black Panther Party” in his book, Live from Death Row.

One year after the infamous police incident, Abu-Jamal co-founded and became the minister of the Philadelphia chapter of the Black Panther Party. Mumia’s involvement with the Panthers catapulted a teen that was not yet old enough to vote or join the military into the spotlight of the local media, police and even the FBI. This seemed to foreshadow Abu-Jamal’s ultimate fate as embattled political prisoner.

The Panthers also introduced Mumia to the world of journalism. In 1970, he spent his summer in Oakland, California working on the Panther’s newspaper. Honing his skills over the summer months, Abu-Jamal returned to Philadelphia after discovering the power of words. His life would never be the same.

As a journalist, Mumia earned the moniker “the voice of the voiceless.” In the '70s, he was one of a handful of journalists willing to cover MOVE, an organization that openly opposed the oppressive grip Philadelphia Police and government held on the black community at the time. While he had many detractors in the government and police, Mumia won the praise of several in the media. Philadelphia Magazine called him “one to watch” and the Philadelphia Enquirer branded him as “an eloquent activist not afraid to raise his voice.” The latter may have been the very thing that spelled the beginning of the end for Mumia’s freedom.

Things began to reach a boiling point in 1978 when Frank Rizzo former police chief and then mayor of Philadelphia erupted during a press conference. His target was what he called a “new breed” of journalists. In "The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal," which appeared in New York Newsday in 1995, writer Terry Bisson quoted part of Rizzo’s fiery outburst: "They [the people] believe what you write and what you say," he said, "and it's got to stop. One day--and I hope it's in my career--you're going to have to be held responsible and accountable for what you do."

Apparently, “new breed journalists” like Mumia were not the only ones with an eye on Frank Rizzo and the brutality in the name of “justice” carried out by the Philadelphia Police under his watch. In 1979, United States District Court asserted that “Rizzo and 18 other high-ranking city and police officials either committed or condoned ‘widespread and severe’ acts of police brutality.”

Rizzo’s second term as mayor ended in 1980, one year before Abu-Jamal’s life changed forever (he failed to change a city charter that would have allowed him to run for a third term). However, the culmination of his eight year run was not enough to stem the growing tide of anti-activist sentiments that brewed within the Philadelphia Police Department, justice system and government.

In the Still of the Night

For Mumia’s supporters and detractors, December 9, 1981 will go down in history as a day of infamy.

There are several different accounts of what took place in the early morning hours that day; however, there are several concrete facts. Officer Daniel Faulkner pulled over William Cook (Abu-Jamal’s brother) around 4:00 a.m. Mumia was in the vicinity in his cab (due to some of his views, he was unable to support himself fully as a journalist, thus, the cab driving job). Mumia intervened (or interfered) in the traffic stop. Officer Faulkner died of gunshot wounds to the face and back, Mumia was also shot.

What happened in between depends on the person relaying the story.

Mumia alleges that Faulkner beat his brother, which prompted his intervention. During the altercation, another man, shot and killed Faulkner before fleeing the scene.

The prosecution alleges that Mumia interfered with the traffic stop, shot and killed Faulkner, who wounded Mumia before dying.

When back up arrived at the scene, Faulkner was dead and Abu-Jamal lay on the concrete, in a pool of his own blood from a gun shot wound to the chest. Mumia was arrested and charged with the murder of Daniel Faulkner. His trial began in 1982.

Trial and Error?

Many would charge that in a justice system that is supposed to grant all U.S. citizens a right to a “fair” trial, Mumia never had a fighting chance. The Sixth Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right of counsel to all defendants in the court system. In numerous cases, the Supreme Court asserts that defendants have a right to represent themselves, the Court has also held that this right can only be denied by the trial judge if “the defendant simply lacks the competence to make a knowing or intelligent waiver of counsel or when his self-representation is so disruptive of orderly procedures that the judge may curtail it.”

The presiding judge, Albert Sabo (a retired police officer) denied Mumia the right of self representation on the grounds that his dread locks made jurors “nervous.” Mumia was then granted a court-appointed attorney, who according to the Bisson article was a “reluctant incompetent who was later disbarred.” Sabo also had a history of harsh decisions and in his time on the stand, sentencing 31 men to die (two were white) before being forced to retire.

With no money to hire an attorney of his choosing, no funds to effectively mount a defense, a biased judged and a police department determined to see him locked away for the murder of one of their own, Mumia didn’t stand a chance. In June of 1982, a jury of ten whites and two blacks found Abu-Jamal guilty of the murder of Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner.

He was sentenced to death.

Since the original trial, new pieces of evidence and allegations of questionable trial procedures and police conduct have surfaced. Two of the three eyewitnesses for the state initially told police that Faulkner’s killer fled the crime scene, but later changed their stories. The fatal bullets that struck and ultimately killed Faulkner came from a .44 caliber handgun, while Mumia’s gun (which he legally carried) was a .38. No ballistics tests were ever conducted on Abu-Jamal’s weapon and police claim to have lost the fragments from the crime scene.

According to an article on the Peace and Freedom web site, Judge Sabo allowed the state to read excerpts from old Black Panther pamphlets and newspapers in an effort to paint Mumia as “a violent hater of police who was just waiting on his chance to kill a cop.”

With so many allegations of police misconduct, bias from the judge and evidence not used during the trial, it may come as a surprise to some that the mainstream media (which prides itself on investigative reporting) has not taken a harder look at the claims of Mumia’s supporters. However, Hip Hop historian Davey D believes it’s no coincidence that pro-Mumia evidence has been ignored by the press.

“The press over the years have become totally dependent upon police to fill them in on crime, gangs and others criminal activities,” he says of the relationship between law enforcement and journalists.

“The end result of this symbiotic relationship has been the press not digging too deep on controversial topics, including ones like Mumia and other political prisoners. It’s the nature of the beast… The press usually lightens up in exchange for exclusive stories, leads and interviews later down the road,” he adds.

Life After Death (Row)

Since the 1982 conviction, the Free Mumia movement has crossed ethnic, economic and international grounds. A list of Abu-Jamal’s supporters reads like a who’s who of entertainment, academia and activism, including Rage Against the Machine, The Beastie Boys, Chuck D, Pam Africa, Maya Angelou, Cornel West, and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader.

Mumia himself has not said much about the case, or his own plight, opting instead to do what he’s done all along: use his platform to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves. He has written several books while in prison, spoken at several college commencement ceremonies and continues to take the government to task for questionable practices.

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

On February 19, another blow to Mumia’s efforts for a new trial took place. The Philadelphia Supreme Court rejected an additional appeal regarding the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). According to a report in Abu-Jamal-News.com, the court—in a ruling made by rejected the appeal on the grounds that it was not “timely.” The PCRA was filed based on an affidavit stating two key witnesses perjured themselves during the original trial.

The ruling did not come as a shock to any of Abu-Jamal’s closest supporters. “It comes as no surprise to hear that the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court has rejected yet another appeal by Mumia Abu-Jamal, the state's longest-surviving death row prisoner. The court, which is led by former Philadelphia D.A. Ron Castille (who helped fight Abu-Jamal's appeals in his role as DA and has yet to recuse himself from decisions involving this case), has never issued a ruling favorable to Abu-Jamal,” Dave Lindorff, author of 2003’s Killing Time: The Investigation into the Death Row Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal said of the outcome.

In a country that prides itself on the fairness of its justice system, it may come as a surprise that Mumia Abu-Jamal, now armed with a better defense team has been repeatedly denied appeals for a new trial. With supporters and detractors firmly believing in his innocence or guilt, a new trial will not only validate the case for or against Mumia, but take the weight off of a justice system that has long been accused, with good reason of railroading the poor, the unpopular, or in the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, those who speak out against it authority.

_{Sources:
A Life in the Balance: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal. 17 February 2000. Amnesty International. 17 June 2007.
Assistance of Counsel. FindLaw. 17 June 2007.
<>
Bisson, Terry. “The Case of Mumia Abu Jamal.” NewYork Newsday 1995.
17 June 2007.
Frank Rizzo. 17 June 2007.
Free Mumia Abu-Jamal: Free All Political Prisoners. 1999. Peace and Freedom Party.
17 June 2007.
Mumia Abu-Jamal. 17 June 2007 <>}

BIO

Hailing from the City of Sin, Las Vegas, NV, Anthony Springer Jr. came into the world with a pen in one hand and a microphone in the other March 28, 1984. He’s been recording since he could talk and began penning short stories on everything from comic book characters to horror once he properly learned to hold a writing utensil.

As the seed of two educators, he learned the power of knowledge and critical thinking early and lived on a steady diet of Black history via Roots, Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, early Egyptian culture, and Sam Cooke.

Anthony’s career in mass media began in 2000 during an internship at Las Vegas’ only Black radio station, Power 88, where he is known to the local community as A-Plus. He became a fixture at the station in 2001 after a successful stint doing the afternoon drive as a fill in. In 2001, he began hosting The Saturday Vibe and in 2008, was promoted to Saturday nights. From the public air waves, he uses the power of the microphone to talk about everything from community affairs, entertainment news, sports, and the evils of bad rap music.

2008 saw Anthony get serious about his various crafts, adding photography to his media arsenal. When he’s not writing or broadcasting, he can be found with a Canon in hand trying to “get the shot.”

His work has been seen on HipHopDX.com, DaveyD.com, and DailyFiasco.com.

Anthony is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Family Studies in 2006. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., the National Association of Black Journalists, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Welcome

Wake up world!

It seems like everyone has a blog these days, but I'm not simply joining the masses.

This is an online resume of sorts, a place where you can find some of my news articles, editorials, features and photos.

I'm a freelance journalist/photographer and a radio personality by night and an educator by day.

What you see and read may make you laugh out loud, become outraged or make you say "right on!"

But most important, it'll make you think (and hopefully keep me in mind for some future work).

Kick your feet up and enjoy your stay.

Welcome to Anthony Springer Jr.'s ONE Critical Mind