Oakland’s First Poet Laureate Finds A Home For City’s Oldest Black Theater Company
“To erase what came before is not being with nature,” Oakland’s first poet laureate, Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, once said. “The archeology of natural change is kind because it encompasses everything that came before.”
Change has come for the Black arts community in downtown Oakland, and after a dismal season of business closures, another blooms opportunity. There’s a new cultural center and theater on the block, dubbed The Bam House.
At 1540 Broadway, wanderers and community members alike can see BAM’s vibrant logo adorned on a black, red, and green storefront canvas. PianoFight Oakland, the 100-seat downtown theater previously known as the Flight Deck, closed its doors in March, per an Oaklandside news report. Now, a new season is here for the culture-making Black Arts Movement Business District Community Development Corporation to make a home for Oakland’s oldest Black theater company.
“This is about more than just having a new home for Black art,” said Nzinga, founder and director of both BAMBD CDC and Lower Bottom Playaz. “Oakland elected and appointed officials pay good lip service to the importance of art in the cultural fabric of Oakland. They have consistently failed to make a substantive investment in ensuring that art—particularly Black art—has sufficient places to thrive, cultural kitchens if you will.”
Nzinga is the mastermind behind the homecoming. She told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I make things rather than admit to being broken or imperiled or grieving.”
She is an actress, producing director, playwright, poet, dramaturg, performance consultant, educator, and community advocate. Nzinga created the development corporation in 2016 after downtown’s 14th Street corridor was named the city’s official Black Arts Movement And Business District. Since 1999, Lower Bottom Playaz has been advocating for the community through art. The theater troupe is also the first theater troupe in the world to complete the August Wilson Century Cycle chronologically.
A legacy of hosting a wealth of community-building activities and continuing advocacy for Oakland’s artists and culture makers continues.
“I founded BAMBD CDC to prevent further displacement of artists of color who at one time permeated West Oakland,” Dr. Nzinga stated in a press release. “The acquisition of this space is a crucial move to preserve art-making space in the Black Arts district and to sustain Oakland’s oldest Black theater company.”
According to the release, the space’s official and public relaunching takes place during the 2023 BAMBDFEST. The new space will bring the fourth rendition of the BAMBDFEST International Biennial. It is a month-long arts and cultural festival offering Monday night readings of new works by Black artists, cultural exchanges, conversations with Black artists across the diaspora, and August Wilson’s Radio Golf.
Nzinga secured a renewable three-year lease thanks to funding from Tao Rising and Vanguard Charitable for programming, the Hewlett Foundation for general operating support, and the Mellon Foundation for staffing. She now has a full-time crew of 10.
Beyoncé Continues To Be Her Only Competition As The Renaissance World Tour Heads Towards $500M
Beyoncé has spent the last month reminding us why she is the undisputed Queen of music, and now it seems she’s about to break her own record.
As the Renaissance World Tour continues to sell out arenas across the country, the 41-year-old pop megastar is heading for a $500 million payday, making it the highest-grossing tour by any R&B artist—second to only her own Formation World Tour.
According to Billboard, the success of the global leg of the tour played a significant role in helping the “Break My Soul” singer cement yet another place in history books. The European leg of Renaissance brought in over $150 million alone.
“In exceeding the gross of her own two previous tours, the Renaissance World Tour resets the record for the highest grossing tour by an R&B artist, or any Black artist in Boxscore history,” the outlet reports.
The European concerts for the Formation World Tour and On The Run II, which she co-headlined with husband and rapper Jay-Z, brought in $87 million, making her recent successes more than double her last two.
In May 2023, Forbes estimated that the Renaissance World Tour would sell out all of its dates and have the potential to bring in close to $2 billion in revenue due to soaring ticket prices and outstanding demand to see the singer perform the album live.
“Ticket prices are only going up,” Armen Shaomian, an associate professor of entertainment management at the University of South Carolina, said at the time.
“There are large sections of tickets on Beyoncé’s tour dedicated as B-Hive and Club Renaissance close to the stage, along with some shows where the entire floor level is a standing-room club setting (Stockholm, for example). Such tickets are all sold at a premium. Think of it as a flight having more first and business class seats that are sold at a premium, which pushes up the average fare.”
Hustle & Flow: 15 Hip-Hop Songs That Spark Hustling Spirit
Hip-hop is 50 years old. Since the beginning of hip-hop culture, rap artists’ lyrics have always touched on making something out of nothing, making a dollar out of 15 cents, and manifesting—often by any means necessary—for a better life and lifestyle than the one they’ve known.
The desire for financial wealth is something many people can relate to. The want for financial stability and the ambition to achieve it is a common narrative across many businesses and industries, including hip-hop. BLACK ENTERPRISE has selected 15 hip-hop songs that ignite the hustle spirit and serve as motivation to make many of us “get up, get out, and get something.”
1) Dollar And A Dream 3 | J – Cole
In 2011, Jermaine Cole—better known by his stage name J. Cole—had “a dollar and a dream.” In the song that became a classic, Cole rapped about being in a place where your back is against the wall and striving toward success. The North Carolina rapper gave a pep talk to listeners who could relate to the ebb and flow of chasing one’s dream.
2) Juicy | Notorious B. I. G.
This debut single was made by the late great Christopher Wallace, also known as Biggie Smalls and better known as Notorious B. I. G. The Brooklyn-bred rapper raps about his upbringing and passion for hip-hop. This rags-to-riches tale highlights his ascension and success through hustling his lyricism: “Now I’m in the limelight ’cause I rhyme tight,” Biggie rapped. He emphasized satisfaction with the outcome of his grind, “Damn right I like the life I live ’cause I went from negative to positive.”
3) Hustler Musik | Lil Wayne
Hustler Musik by Dwayne Carter Jr., professionally known as Lil’ Wayne, embodies the hip-hop hustler vibe and spirit of the mid-2000s when Wayne was grinding to become the megastar he is today:
“Money is the motivation, facing the avenue, back touching the wall” describes the pressure to make money metaphorically and literally.
4) I Get Money | 50 Cent
South Jamaica Queens’ very own Curtis Jackson, known as 50 Cent, lyrically spotlights his savvy hip-hop hustle moves on this track: “I took quarter-water sold it in bottles for 2 bucks. Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions what the f—k?”
50 Cent also raps about how his hustle provided his lavish lifestyle. The infectious hook borrowed from Milk D, “I get money- money I got” is quite motivating.
5) F—k Up Some Commas | Future
F*ck Up Some Commas made by Atlanta’s Nayvadius Wilburn, better known as Future. The title alone motivates hustle, as he raps about stacking that money: “40 thou’ to 100 thou’ 100 thou’ another 100 thou’ 300 thou’ to 500 thou’ a million lets have a money shower.” The bass and the hook make you want to boss up STAT.
6) C. R. E. A. M. | Wu Tang Clan
C. R. E. A. M. is a legendary track by the legendary hip-hop rap group the Wu-Tang Clan. Raekwon and Inspectah Deck give listeners an introspective view on struggling and getting into hustle mode:
“I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side stayin’ alive was no jive,” Raekwon spits.
Similarly, Inspectah Deck raps, “It’s been 22 long, hard years, i’m still struggling, survival got me buggin.” Method man is on the song’s chorus encouraging hustlers’ ambition: “Cash rules everything around me—C. R. E. A. M.—get the money dollar dollar bill y’all.”
7) Hustlin’ | Rick Ross
Is there even a better anthem than William “Rick Ross” Roberts’s break-out song? This joint encourages entrepreneurs to get that bag daily with its straight-to-the-point chorus, “Everyday I’m hustlin.’”
8) 1st Of The Month | Bone Thugs N Harmony
Ohio’s Bone Thugs N Harmony created the perfect song to spark that hustling initiative. The first of the month is known nationally as bill day. Bone Thugs N Harmony harmonizes on the chorus encouraging folks to “Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up (it’s the first of the month). So get up, get up, get up, get up, get up (so cash your checks and come up).” This hit makes folks want to get money to take care of their responsibilities.
9) Rubber Band Man | T. I.
Rubber band Man, made by Atlanta’s self-proclaimed king, Clifford Harris Jr., affectionately known as T. I. or Tip, raps about keeping money in his pocket and about his dedication to his hip-hop hustle, “Got the mind and the muscle stay down on his grind put the crown on the hustle/ Hey, I could show ya how to juggle anything and make it double.”
10) Can’t Knock The Hustle| Jay-Z
Can’t Knock The Hustle by the icon Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. Beyoncé’s other half celebrates his hustle spirit as he chronicles his success with full flex, “Yo, I’m making short-term goals, when the weather folds, just put away the leathers and put ice on the gold.”
11) And Then What| Young Jeezy
“And Then What” by Jay Wayne Jenkins, better known as Young Jeezy, is a hip-hop call-and-response bop between the Georgia-born rapper and New Orleans producer Mannie Fresh: “First I’m gone stack my flo,’ then I’m gone stack some mo.” Jeezy drops morning mirror motivation to get your money and stack it.
12) Duffle Bag Boy| Playaz Circle
Duffle Bag Boy includes Playaz Circle and Lil’ Wayne on a track that still sparks the hustler’s spirit today. Lil’ Wayne motivates on the song’s hook by rapping, “If i don’t do nothing I’mma ball, i’m countin’ all day like a clock on the wall, now go and get your money little duffle bag boy.” Tity Boi, now 2Chainz, flexes and raps about the spoils of hustling: “Walk into the Gucci store, honey i’m home.” while Dolla Boy raps about being a boss in his hip-hop hustle, “Ain’t nothing to a boss, we balling when they see us.”
13) Money Trees| Kendrick Lamar
“Money Trees” by Compton’s Kendrick Lamar is a relatable and inspiring song that details his upbringing while showing the reality and correlation between gangbanging, crime, and poverty. Lamar understands money can change his life. The West Coast hip-hop artist raps, “And I been hustling all day, this-a-way, that-a-way. Through canals and alleyways, just to say Money trees is the perfect place for shade and that’s just how I feel.”
14) It’s All About The Benjamins | Puff Daddy
The iconic line that triggers this money-making turn-up is prompted by Puff’s questions “What you wanna do? Wanna be ballers? Shot callers?” It’s All About The Benjamins features Notorious B. I. G., The Lox, and Lil Kim. Puff lays down lyrics about the lavish life and ultimately tells us why he hustles so hard and why we should too.
15) Major | Young Dolph
“Major” by the late Adolph Thornton Jr., better known as Young Dolph, is another hustler’s anthem. Young Dolph motivates people that come from the bottom, rapping, “Millions on the table, that’s major, I turned dirt into diamonds, that’s major.”
Digging these tracks? Download BLACK ENTERPRISEHustle & Flow Playlist
Jamie Foxx Plays Pickleball After Health Scare And Anti-Semitic Accusations
Amid all the drama and chatter surrounding Jamie Foxx’s life in recent months, the actor is showing the one thing that makes him happy is a good ole game of pickleball.
The Academy Award-winning actor reposted a video to his Instagram Story on Wednesday, Aug. 9, showing off his pickleball skills during a match against Olympic volleyball star Casey Patterson, Fox News reports.
“That Jamie Foxx spin will get ya…” Patterson wrote over the video he initially shared on his page.
Another video captured by TMZ provided a different angle that showed Foxx’s face.
“I got dead balls out here, dead balls,” Foxx can be heard saying about their pickleball match.
“For all the comments who say @iamjamiefoxx didn’t hit that ball,” he wrote in his caption.
The pickleball video comes weeks after Foxx finally broke his silence in a video posted to his Instagram page, updating fans on his health after he was hospitalized in April for an undisclosed medical emergency.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me and how it brought me back,” he said in part. “I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through.”
Most recently, the Ray star deleted a message that called out fake friends but referenced the murder of Jesus Christ.
“THEY KILLED THIS DUDE NAME JESUS… WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY’LL DO TO YOU???!” the message read along with hashtags calling out “#fakefriends” and “#fakelove.”
Many on social media assumed Foxx’s words had an antisemitic meaning and attributed his use of “they” as a reference to the Jewish people. Friends star Jennifer Aniston was one of them and faced backlash after calling out Foxx for the alleged antisemitism.
Foxx removed the post and followed up with an apology to any who were offended.
Black Women Arrested After Violent ‘Dine And Dash’ Incident With Taco Vendor
The Los Angeles Police Department identified a Black woman who allegedly went on a rampage after a taco vendor asked her to pay for her order, KTLA reports.
Renee Latrice Hines was arrested after she was seen on video attacking Joanna Vasquez, a worker at the Ortiz Tacos stand. A police report alleges Hines “punched and pepper sprayed the victim when the victim asked the suspect to pay for the tacos she had consumed.”
She was said to be visibly angry and threw a sign at a bystander when they started to record her leaving the scene in her attention-grabbing purple 2007 Lexus.
“When she finished spraying me, she started throwing everything, and then she grabbed me and started to hit me,” Vasquez said.
“She pulled my hair and then punched me in my shoulders. She punched me in the face. She unloaded on me and then let me go.”
The incident went viral, with people disagreeing with Hines’s actions. “On Behalf of the Black community, we do not condone or agree with this behavior,” one user wrote on Instagram. Another user defended the taco stand vendor, highlighting that most vendors are just there to get paid and don’t bother anyone.
“Send her [to] jail cause the taco vendors don’t mess with anybody and they’re just tryna make it out there too,” a user named foxyroxhair said.
MARTA Prepares To Transport Massive Atlanta Crowd To And From Beyoncé Shows
The Renaissance World Tour has arrived in the ATL, and the crowds are expected to be massive.
To help transport the Bey Hive this weekend, the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority announced that additional rail and bus services will be available to and from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I’m telling everybody, Everybody, EVERYBODY” that MARTA is the easiest way to travel to @MBStadium to see @Beyonce at the #RenaissanceWorldTour this weekend,” the transit company wrote on Twitter. “Bypass traffic by parking at a rail station & ride with us to the concert!”
According to WSB-TV, fans can access a dedicated train shuttle two hours before the concert. The shuttle will transport concert attendees between Five Points Station and Mercedes-Benz Stadium Station.
After the concert, fans are encouraged to exit the stadium immediately and locate the Mercedes-Benz or Vine City Stations to catch a ride. Bus shuttles will await those traveling southbound from the concert, from Vine City to West End Stations. To ensure the Bey Hive buzzes to their correct destinations safely, Transit Ambassadors and MARTA Police will be posted up throughout the rail stations to assist all riders.
Companies have made necessary transportation accommodations for the Bey Hive during the Renaissance World Tour. As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Metro extended their train schedule by an hour following a delay in Queen Bey’s D.C. show earlier this month. Fans were forced to take shelter in place due to severe weather.
Earlier this year, MARTA hauled over 100,000 riders for Taylor Swift and Janet Jackson concerts.
Fox5 reported that MARTA is the fastest and easiest way to get to the stadium this weekend to see Beyoncé. However, parking is also available to purchase in advance.
The Renaissance Tour stops in downtown Atlanta on Aug. 11, 12, and 14. Concerts are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., and gates will open at 6 p.m.
Capital Readiness Program Grant Goes Toward Minority Business Enterprise Center For Accelerated Growth and Innovation
The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) has received a multi-year $3 million Capital Readiness Program grant from the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to launch the MBE Center for Accelerated Growth and Innovation.
According to an NMSDC release, with the support of the MBDA, the NMSDC will launch the center to scale historically underrepresented certified socially economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDIs) and focus on minority business enterprises (MBEs).
The NMSDC is well positioned to help SEDIs scale their businesses to meet the needs of the growing U.S. economy through its partnerships with the nation’s top Fortune 500 corporations and its experience with state/local governments. Additionally, the NMSDC is well suited to help their businesses participate in the federal contracting opportunities created by legislation, including the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and CHIPS and Science Act.
“We find ourselves at an unprecedented moment in history, despite the progress that has been
made in supplier and business diversity, we know that we still have a long way to go if we are
going to create the thriving, equitable business environment that is the key to not only achieving
generational wealth for communities of color but also for the long-term growth and sustainability of our nation’s economy,” NMSDC CEO and President Ying McGuire said in a statement.
“We are incredibly grateful for MBDA’s support of the MBE Center for Accelerated Growth and Innovation and look forward to the enormous impact it will have on MBE growth in the coming years.”
The MBE Center for Accelerated Growth and Innovation will focus its work on three pillar
programs:
Contract Readiness: This capacity-building initiative will prepare certified MBEs for
doing business with the federal government and national/global corporations.
Capital Connection Program and Platform: This effort will cultivate a powerful network
of capital options for certified MBEs, both private and State Small Business Credit
Initiative (SSBCI) programs.
NMSDC Matchmaking and Marketplace Tool and Opportunity Connections: This
tool will integrate with NMSDC’s customer relationship management and certification tool
to bring certified MBE profiles to an open, online marketplace, connecting them to
corporate members and government entities actively seeking suppliers and sourcing
solutions.
Forty-three organizations received MBDA Capital Readiness Program grants, including NMSDC regional
affiliate council the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC), and
strategic partners U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), the United States Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce (USHCC) and the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce
& Entrepreneurship (National ACE).
Applications For Black Farmers Equity Initiative Are Now Open
The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and Cargill have announced they’re taking applications for the second cohort of their Acres: Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture Initiative.
According to an NMSDC press release, the program held its first cohort last year and is now working to develop more Black farmers annually. The program will consist of two elements, a learning program and strategic business support.
The initiative is part of the Black Farmers Equity Initiative, a collaboration between the NMSDC and Cargill to create a pathway for emerging Black farmers to achieve parity in the agriculture industry with learning solutions, certification, lending, networking, and new contracts.
According to McKinsey & Co., less than 2% of U.S. farmers identify as Black or mixed race. A significant drop from 14% a century ago. Additionally, these farmers represent less than 1% of total U.S. farm sales.
Participants in the second cohort will complete a 12-week course focused on growing their capacity to take on major national contracts with corporate members.
NMSDC
The course will work with Black farmers to ensure they can:
Get certified as a minority business enterprise (MBE) and how it can open opportunities for Black farmers.
Access capital, get capital ready, and leverage micro-loans.
Address issues of growth such as storage, putting acreage into production and equipment management.
Building negotiation skills.
Develop a plan for and manage growth.
Review opportunities and challenges shared by corporate members.
The strategic business support portion of the program will cover:
Being connected through a customized online learning community so they can network and build relationships with each other.
Receiving assistance in completing the certification process with NMSDC, with certification fees covered by this program.
Having the opportunity to apply for growth-oriented micro-loans through a Business Consortium Fund opportunity specifically for farmers in the program.
Participating in mentoring and matchmaking sessions with participating corporate members assisting to create direct relationship-building and contract opportunities.
Mentoring will focus on navigating the procurement process and responding effectively to requests for proposals.
Those interested in the program can apply here. The application deadline is Oct. 30, 2023.
Former Raiders Player Charles Woodson Becomes First Former NFL Player To Partner With NFL Team As Spirits Sponsor
A groundbreaking business collaboration involving a former NFL player and his former football team has emerged.
The Las Vegas Raiders have partnered with ex-Raiders player and NFL Hall of Famer Charles Woodson, who founded the award-winning spirits brand Woodson Bourbon Whiskey. The former Raiders defensive player announced a partnership with the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium, marking the first time in Raider and NFL history a former professional player’s company has been named the official spirits sponsor of an NFL franchise.
“I used to jokingly say that Woodson Bourbon Whiskey was the official bourbon of Raider Nation but now I can say it with my chest. Woodson Bourbon Whiskey is the official bourbon of the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium,” said Woodson in a written statement. “I want to thank Mark Davis, Sandra Douglass Morgan, the Raiders partnership team, and the entire Raiders organization for giving Woodson Bourbon Whiskey the opportunity to be great! Go Raiders!”
With the collaboration, there will be major signage and visibility for Woodson Bourbon Whiskey at the Raiders’ home playing field, Allegiant Stadium. This also includes a branded stadium bar located inside the Shift4 Club. Two featured specialty cocktails will be created by Allegiant Stadium’s “Modern Mixologist,” Tony Abou Ganim. The signature drinks will also be featured at the Raiders’ home stadium, including a Woodson signature cocktail featuring bourbon, bitters, and ginger.
“We are elated to partner with Charles Woodson and Woodson Whiskey,” said Las Vegas Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan. “Charles is a Raiders legend, and we’re looking forward to bringing Woodson Bourbon Whiskey to Raider Nation and our guests at Allegiant Stadium.”
After being selected in the first round of the 1998 draft, Woodson played for the franchise from 1998-2005. He went on to play seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers before returning in 2013 until 2015. His achievements include being tied for the NFL record for 13 defensive touchdowns. He is also the first player in NFL history to record 60 interceptions and 20 sacks.
Belfast Unveils A Frederick Douglass Statue In Europe
A life-size statue of famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass was recently unveiled in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. With the unveiling, the city has become the first in Europe to bestow the former American slave with a statue.
According to BBC News, the statue of Douglass is located on Rosemary Street, close to where he addressed crowds back in 1845. Douglass visited Belfast several times after being invited there by the Belfast Anti Slavery Society in the 1840s.
The unveiling took place last month. Historian and professor Christine Kinealy said that Douglass, who’d gone to Ireland to escape recapture and a return to slavery in the United States, loved Northern Ireland and Belfast in particular. In one of his speeches he stated, “Whenever else I feel myself to be stranger, I will remember I have a home in Belfast.”
Ryan Murphy, lord mayor of Belfast, said that showcasing the statue of Douglass is a “positive news story for the city.”
“His writings and his values are just as relevant today as they were in the 19th century, when he was touring Ireland,” Murphy said.
Tom Thorpe, a historian and tour guide in the city, said that having the statue there was a good thing, as Belfast was an “anti-slavery city.” “Many people in Belfast did own slaves,” he qualified, but when some tried to set up a slave ship company in the city in 1786, the city opposed it, and it never came to pass.
“The anti-slavery cause was followed by people from across the political divide, unionists and nationalists, but also from the Catholic and Presbyterian communities,” said Thorpe.
