Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
Prentiss Banks on Mentorship, Accountability, and Guiding the Next Generation
Purpose can emerge from the most unexpected places. For Prentiss Banks, decades spent behind prison walls have become the foundation for a powerful mission centered on mentorship, youth development, and community awareness. Banks has spent more than thirty years reflecting on the decisions that changed his life and the lessons he believes young people should hear before it is too late.
By Tammy Reese3 days ago in Beat
“I Got Blacker”: Jack Harlow’s Statement We Need to Talk About by NWO Sparrow
Jack Harlow “Got Blacker” and Still Didn’t Leave Hip-Hop Behind by NWO Sparrow Jack Harlow said it himself on the Times Popcast this week: “I got blacker.” He was talking about his new R&B-leaning album Monica, and how he approaches music that’s traditionally rooted in Black culture. I get what he was trying to say, even if the phrasing landed awkwardly. I know he didn’t mean to minimize anyone’s experience or make it sound like he can claim some kind of cultural badge. Still, the words themselves were striking, bold enough to make you pause.
By NWO SPARROW3 days ago in Beat
Jack Harlow Thinks His Music “Got Blacker” After He Recorded An R&B Album
If August Wilson were still alive, he’d probably say Jack Harlow was pretending. His new neo-soul album Monica is a departure from another black incarnation, hip hop from which he spawned a career.
By Skyler Saunders3 days ago in Beat
The Shot That Changed Everything
On the evening of May 25, 2020, a routine police call in the city of Minneapolis unexpectedly turned into a tragic event that would soon dominate global headlines and ignite one of the largest waves of social protest in modern history. A 46-year-old man named George Floyd had been detained by officers from the Minneapolis Police Department after a local store employee reported that a customer had allegedly used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. What initially appeared to be a minor investigation rapidly escalated into a deadly confrontation that was captured on video by bystanders standing nearby on the street.
By The Curious Writer3 days ago in Beat
Why So Many Artists Feel Helpless Right Now
For decades, the dream of becoming an artist followed a relatively clear path. Musicians wrote songs, played local shows, and hoped to eventually be discovered by a record label that would invest in developing their talent.
By Navigating the World4 days ago in Beat
