Mr. Happy

I stumbled on this video on accident. I wasn’t looking for it, so when I got a glimpse of Chance the Rapper’s face on a thumbnail of a Vice video, my jaw dropped from both confusion and excitement. To my surprise, on March 20th, Vice released a short film called “Mr. Happy”, which features Chano as a depressed and suicidal kid, who is ready to take the final step to his death. Chance’s genuine ability is beautifully showcased, and although it isn’t a full-length feature, he is able to offer at least a small dimension to his character. The storyline, although somewhat conventional, has quite a few unexpected turns, and enough intricate details and scenery that earned it a second watch in my book. The point is: watching one of my favorite musicians act was simply satisfying and comforting. I find solace knowing that in between those often depressing singles our man isn’t wallowing away in a studio, but finding other methods of expression that although are as, if not more, gruesome, reflect a healthy expressive process and creative development.   

It wasn’t until I already finished my first run through that I even made the connection between Chance and other rapper-actors like Childish Gambino, Kid Cudi, or Common. One after another, more and more musicians are taking roles on other creative expressive fronts, which paints in my mind a horizon filled with comprehensive artists that are multi-talented and faceted. This is something that as consumers and fans we should want, as those artists with experience in many mediums of creation can more wholly present new ideas and development. Art in all forms stimulates the mind, and promotes progression and creative process. I would rather have a Chance the Rapper who creates a variety of art, and is able to bring all of that experience outside of the music world back to the mic, than one who we as a population and consumer base, restrict to the music industry. It’s too static, and doesn’t properly reflect the culture we live in today where there is technology and social media that allows anybody to become anything. And while it seems as though it is out of our control as a population, it is our responsibility to remember that the industries that market art, music, and popular culture, do so to satiate our taste. When we show our support in these instances like Chance’s, more artists will be inspired and incentivized to step outside of the box, and seek that versatility that pop culture can have.  Enjoy the film.

Wiz Khalifa Covers 'Brick' Magazine Edition 01

Pittsburgh's pride and joy Wiz Khalifa has been making noise recently from his recent release "Decisions" and his featured work on compadre Juicy J's Blue Dream & Lean 2 mixtape. Today he is of note because he covers the inaugural issue of Brick, a hip-hop and lifestyle publication that places the music and culture at its forefront. Edition 01 features Wiz speaking on the importance of inspiration, as well fresh innovative artists like Tinashe who comments on her growth and independency regarding production and songwriting. Standouts T.I., ScHoolboy Q, and Cam'ron also make appearances in Brick's first magazine issue. Pre-order your copy here and preview it with the visuals above. In honor of Wiz listen to his new work now under OfficeVibes.

Kanye West's 2015 BET Honors Visionary Award Acceptance Speech

The Monday broadcast of the 2015 BET Honors, which took place in January, revealed Kanye West's acceptance speech for the Visionary Award.  Co-founder of Rocafella Records, and the now largely aloof Damon Dash presented the award to Yeezy, speaking at length about West's inspiration and courage stemming from his late mother.  In a nine minute speech, West spoke on a myriad of topics ranging from his polarizing wife, money, and slavery. Check out the clip of a humbled Kanye West below.

Life in Color: An Examination of Today's Contemporary, Black Archetypes Ed. II

At InTheRough, it is our job to discern the latests trends and developments in urban culture.  A large part of our content is news-based, but what makes us unique are the insights into the importance and understanding of what we write about and how it fits into the greater fabric of urban culture.  Cognizant of this need to inform and educate, as well as the celebration that is Black History Month, InTheRough presents Life in Color: An Examination of Today's Contemporary, Black Archetypes.  Over the span of this month, InTheRough will be creating a series of editorials showcasing black individuals who have assumed pioneering roles in varying industries or facets of society that lack or misinterpret the black experience.

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As New York Fashion Week is well underway, I found myself thinking about the black experience within fashion.  As I gathered my thoughts to create this piece, I could only name a few black individuals who have had significant involvement in the industry: Tracy Reese, founder of her eponymous label, has created looks for many celebrities including First Lady Michelle Obama; Shayne Oliver is the founder of the hyped label Hood By Air; Olivier Rousteing is the current creative director of Balmain; and Naomi Campbell, who needs no introduction, is one of the most iconic supermodels of the 20th century.  But past this, what is our history?  Do collections and fashion labels created by Jay Z, Diddy, and Kanye West count as viable fashion projects or are they merely market capitalizations on fame and popularity?

In fashion, the black aesthetic is largely misconstrued.  A lack of diversity on the runway with just 6% of last New York Fashion Week's looks being represented by people of color, as well as the lack of prominent black designers and tastemakers has pigeon-holed the black influence to streetwear and its connection with hip hop culture.  In a world where A.P.C.'s Jean Touitou can overstep and cite his relationship with Kanye West for an overtly racist design concept or where white models dawn black face as a form of artistic expression, Street Etiquette's refreshingly educational and informative take on style is vital for any change in rhetoric.

From its inception in 2008, Street Etiquette has occupied an entirely new space in the fashion industry.  Well groomed and well dressed black gentlemen had rarely been showcased, after all; the general consensus was that all we wore were baggy pants, hefty jewelry, and white tees.  But, by creating unique and thought provoking editorials, such as Slumflower, where 18 black individuals dressed in tailored suits are juxtaposed with the backdrop of urban decay, SE has showcased the fashionable, multi-faceted black man in ways that not only raise important societal questions, but that are largely neglected by mainstream voices.  Founded by Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs, Street Etiquette has changed the sartorial narrative surrounding black individuals.

In examining Street Etiquette and the scope of the business, I cannot definitively say that they are the only archetypes of fashion.  I cannot confidently articulate my beliefs that they are the influencers who are going to change and improve the corrupt foundation of the fashion industry.  The problems that have been prevalent since the 1990s--the lack of diversity and representation--are embedded in euro-centric beliefs that frankly have not changed.  Street Etiquette has circumvented these predicaments by presenting new perspectives of the black experience that the industry currently lacks. 

At the same time, though, what I have noticed is that black fashion in itself is an entire subculture of the fashion industry at large.  It is as such because of this constant neglect and misrepresentation.  Black fashion, whether it be through Tracy Reese's rise to prominence or through Shayne Oliver's immense impact on streetwear, has found a way to coexist and gain relevance in an adverse world.  These individuals and their establishments may be black, but they represent the multicultural experiences that continue to be ignored.  The black experience is not limited to high fashion and it is not bound by the parameters of hip hop culture.  To discuss one archetype as a symbol of this fashion subculture is to suppress its vast history and influences.

Life in Color: An Examination of Today's Contemporary, Black Archetypes

At InTheRough, it is our job to discern the latests trends and developments in urban culture.  A large part of our content is news-based, but what makes us unique are the insights into the importance and understanding of what we write about and how it fits into the greater fabric of urban culture.  Cognizant of this need to inform and educate, as well as the celebration that is Black History Month, InTheRough presents Life in Color: An Examination of Today's Contemporary, Black Archetypes.  Over the span of this month, InTheRough will be creating a series of editorials showcasing black individuals who have assumed pioneering roles in varying industries or facets of society that lack or misinterpret the black experience.

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There had been a sneaky suspicion that the workforce in the tech industry, and more specifically in Silicon Valley, had been severely skewed, favoring predominantly white and Asian male counterparts.  When statistics were reluctantly released by some of The Valley's tech giants back in August 2014, it was confirmed that blacks, hispanics, and even women are largely underrepresented.

Percentage of Black Employees 

While it is evident that there is still a prevailing lack of diversity across many industries, why has opportunity failed to be created in the technology sector? a place seemingly abundant with endless avenues of exploration.  To begin, the problem arises in early childhood education as their is  a void in STEM learning.  In an increasingly technological world, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics based education is the foundation of our future innovations and inventions that will catapult our society and economy to new heights.  Unfortunately, children in grade school are usually asked to memorize facts out of a book instead of satisfying their natural curiosity in experimenting and exploring.  This is magnified when inexperienced teachers fail to make learning fun and interesting.  Allen Gordon, who has been teaching in Oakland, California for ten years reiterates that "If math and science seem boring and of no use on a primary education level, who would want to pursue it while in college?"  In fact, just 7% of all STEM bachelor's degrees, 4% of master's degrees, and 2% of PHDs were received by black scholars, suggesting this disinterest in quantitative fields. 

Beyond the education though, there is little participation in STEM learning by the black population because there is no source of inspiration.  Look at other industries such as media, sports, and music.  Countless of African Americans have championed such fields and have inspired countless more to pursue their own aspirations within these realms.  In technology, there is no archetype for black children to look up to, but that is where Tristan Walker is attempting to make a change.

 At four years old, Tristan Walker's father was shot and killed.  His mother worked two jobs.  This is a common narrative for African Americans not just in New York, but across the nation, yet for Walker he did not let his circumstances define him.  After earning a degree in economics in three years from Stony Brook, working on Wall Street for two years for Lehman Bros. and JP Morgan, Walker set out for a new task enrolling in the Stanford Business School where an internship at Twitter revealed to him the world of technology.  

You probably haven't heard of the tech entrepreneur, but Walker is an emerging star in Silicon Valley.  Beginning his career as head of business development at Foursquare, the location-based "check-in" app, Walker quickly displayed his competency and creativity as he landed partnerships with companies such as American Express and BravoTV.  After elevating the visibility of Foursquare and his own likeness, Walker left for Andreessen Horrowitz, a venture capital firm, in which he waited to formulate his next big idea.  

The Stanford Business School graduate and founder and CEO of Walker & Company, has begun to tackle the diversity issue.  Named for the demographic trends that indicate "minorities" will make up the majority of the population in 2040,  Code 2040 is a nonprofit organization cofounded by Walker and Laura Weidman Powers with the goal of connecting black and latino engineers with tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Jawbone, and LinkedIn--all companies that have released statistics of underrepresented minorities.  The need for multicultural labor in the tech industry is evident because even for Walker, his inspiration, like many other African American boys, came from prominent sports figures; he hadn't heard of Silicon Valley until he moved there as an adult. 

To further connect the tech industry with black America, Walker's Walker & Company is dedicated to creating products that make health and beauty simpler for colored people.  "I couldn't find products that worked for me," says Walker in an interview with USA Today, "where I felt respected as a consumer, and I felt that needed to change."  Bevel, the only product the company currently produces, is a single-blade razor designed to attack the problem of razor bumps and skin irritation that affects up to 80% of African Americans who often have coarse and curly hair.

Through two vehicles, Walker is bridging the gap between an unknown industry and untapped potential.  Having been in operation for a little over a year, it remains to be seen if Walker is the next Zuckerberg, but his impact on the African American community has already been noted.  The only visible black man in Silicon Valley is solving the problems in an environment where social responsibility has been neglected.  An environment that is supposedly based on merit and creativity has struggled to provide opportunity for the nation's minorities, but the vision of Tristan Walker will hopefully provide a new avenue that young blacks and latinos can aspire to travel down.