Tag Archives: United States

14Aug/23

Hip-hop at 50: how the sights, sounds and moves of the music spread across the world

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

On August 11 1973, DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw the now legendary Back To School jam in the recreation room of 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in The Bronx, New York.

Herc’s party represented a coming together of music and the start of something new. The Bronx crowd did not want the dancehall sounds Herc had begun to play. They wanted soul and the tough percussion of funk. So, Herc changed up the sound and used the main switch for the lights like a strobe-light to add atmosphere. Little did they know, that his event would be commonly accepted by the hip-hop fraternity worldwide as the starting point of what was to become one of the most important creative movements of the last century.

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13Aug/23

Why is hip hop culture so strong in the philippines?

Aug 12 2023 — Alex Bruce is a 13-year-old Filipino rapper who is making waves in the hip hop scene. She is known for her unique style, her powerful lyrics, and her energetic live performances.

Alex Bruce started rapping at the age of 10. She quickly gained a following for her talent and her ability to connect with her audience. In 2022, she released her debut single, “Dime Girls.” The song was a commercial success and it helped to establish Alex Bruce as a major force in the Filipino hip hop scene. Continue reading

08Aug/23

England are one of the favorites to win the the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Tuesday, Aug 8 2023 – – The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has certainly produced some surprises so far, with teams like Morocco and New Zealand knocking out more fancied opponents. England have also progressed on slim margins, but they have shown that they have the quality to go all the way and win the tournament. Continue reading

03Aug/23

The most serious Trump indictment yet – a criminal law scholar explains the charges of using ‘dishonesty, fraud and deceit’ to cling to power

Gabriel J. Chin, University of California, Davis

The Justice Department announced its second federal indictment of former president Donald J. Trump on Aug. 1, 2023. The charges are groundbreaking and not just because a former president is facing multiple criminal charges.

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31Jul/23

Snowfall: The moral of the story

July 31, 2023 /Entertainment/ — The CIA’s involvement in the distribution of crack cocaine in the black community is a complex and controversial issue. There is no consensus on the extent of the CIA’s involvement, but some allegations have been made that the CIA either directly or indirectly facilitated the flow of crack cocaine into the United States. Continue reading

31Jul/23

The end of Twitter – how Elon Musk’s rebrand to X could foster the platform’s dark side

Leslie Hallam, Lancaster University

Alas, poor Twitter; we knew it well. Or, at least, we thought we did. Despite never occupying more than 10% of social media’s online presence, western audiences are very aware of the platform. That’s not least because of the way that the mass media echoes and amplifies the controversies and outrage born on Twitter.

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26Jul/23

São Paulo fights facial recognition

By Diana Baptista | Data Journalist

Digital rights groups in Brazil protested against Smart Sampa, a government program seeking to install 20,000 security cameras with facial recognition technology in São Paulo by 2024.

Using drones, the groups projected slogans like “No More Invasive Surveillance” and “Respect our Rights” on building walls. Continue reading

25Jul/23

Actors are really worried about the use of AI by movie studios – they may have a point

Dominic Lees, University of Reading

Film and television actors in the US came out on strike on July 14, causing Hollywood productions to shut down. The action has also had an impact on US films shooting in the UK: director Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 has “paused” and the production of Deadpool 3, filming at Pinewood Studios with stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, has been stood down.

The dispute is about remuneration for actors, very few of whom enjoy the high income of Hollywood stars. But an additional argument between the union, SAG-AFTRA, and film producers is about the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Actors are fearful of the impact of AI on their careers.

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18Jul/23

Kamala Harris grew up in Kamwala Town, Lusaka in Zambia

July 17, 2023 /Politics/ — Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, and Hakainde Hichilema was born in Monze, Zambia. However, they have both visited Zambia and have expressed an interest in the country. In March 2023, Kamala Harris visited Zambia as part of a tour of Africa. She met with President Hichilema and other officials to discuss issues of democracy, governance, and economic development. Hakainde Hichilema has also visited the United States on several occasions. In 2019, he met with then-Vice President Mike Pence to discuss trade and investment opportunities between the two countries. Continue reading