Commanders Training Camp

Today I had the amazing opportunity to return back to the Washington Commanders Training Camp on August 3, 2023 and take pictures

More internship opportunities

As I released my work on instagram the Bowie State Athletics recognized my work and I recently this week had an interview to become a videographer/photographer for the Bowie State Athletics. My responsibilities will be to make instagram reels and take pictures at all sports activities on campus for the 2023-2024 athletic year.

Blog Post 4

What you are doing (actual duties) 

My duties are to capture NFL player Chase Young workouts and football camps

Whom you are working with and/or learning from

Im working with Chase Young and I had the pleasure to meet Klutch Sports photographer. He takes pictures for every athlete that is a member of Klutch Sports. He was there at the camp with me and taught me a few things. Is instagram is @graydientvisuals

New things you have learned or developed (in terms of skills, knowledge)

I learned some tips on editing in Lightroom from Kluch Sports photographer

projects (from class); readings, research websites as it relates to your career, portfolio, and networking

https://www.camkirkstudios.com my inspiration website 

Provide samples of images, photos, documentation, and/or examples of work from the internship. Place also on blog/portfolio and in dropbox).

Promo Video

Promo Video

Hip Hop Culture Outline

Outline

I. Introduction

           A. Quote

B. How artist make most of their money

C. Thesis: The Hip-Hop culture has changed and evolved over the years due to environmental changes. Early in the Hip-Hop industry all you had to worry about was the artist producing the music but now artist have a big impact on social media, their fashion trends are impacting people to dress hippy/up to style, and the evolution of dancing has evolved with so many different styles now.

II. Social Media Influence on Hip-Hop culture

           A. How social media is taking over people’s everyday routines

           B. The impact twitter, Instagram & other social media outlets helped Hip-Hip

III. The Fashion of Hip-Hop

           A. How artist influence people to dress

           B. How the attire has changed over the years

IV. Evolution of Dancing to Music

           A. Significant of dances to music

B. How block parties in Bronx, New York started trends

V. Conclusion

           A. Quote

B. How I feel about social media influence on hip-hop, the fashion of hip-hop, and the evolution of dancing

C. Thesis: The Hip-Hop culture has changed and evolved over the years due to environmental changes. Early in the Hip-Hop industry all you had to worry about was the artist producing the music but now artist have a big impact on social media, their fashion trends are impacting people to dress hippy/up to style, and the evolution of dancing has evolved with so many different styles now.

.

Hip Hop

References

Fox, Luke. How Social Media and Its Popular New Platforms Continue To Shape Hip-Hop. XXL Magazine, 19 May 2021.https://www.xxlmag.com/social-media-shapes-the-rap-game/

N.A. Hip-Hop Dancing: The Remarkable Black Beat. IvyPanda, 26 Oct. 2019.

https://ivypanda.com/essays/hip-hop-dancing-the-remarkable-black-beat/

N.A. Social Media Has Influenced Hip-Hop Culture a Lot. StudyMoose. N.D.

https://studymoose.com/social-media-has-influenced-hip-hop-culture-a-lot-essay

Rinaldi, Bruno. How Social Media Changed The Hip-Hop World. Medium. 19 Apr. 2018. https://medium.com/@bfrinaldi/how-social-media-changed-the-hip-hop-world-2bb9c6b57bc3

Queen MC’s

A lot of people overlook the talents of female MC’s just because their woman. These MC’s are so talented with coming up with beats and rhymes and some are even so talented to expand their talents and become actresses like Queen Latifah and other MC’s. One of the most famous MC’s who blew up when female MC’s were not accepted in the music industry, she was called “Mother of the Mic.” It amazes me how even though female MC’s were not accepted no MC let that faze them. These MC’s would still get the crowd rocking underground until they were given the respect they deserved.  And now that I reflect on songs that I have heard from female artist one lyric that pops up in my head that was standing up for woman was a song by Beyonce when she says, “Who run the world? GIRLS” Queen MC’s are influential to the culture and helped formed what is one of the most popular forms of music.

Start of essay

https://bsuonline.blackboard.com/webapps/assignment/uploadAssignment?content_id=_15821199_1&course_id=_55342_1&group_id=&mode=view#

Self-Harm, Self-Doubt & Ultimately Self-Love

After reading this article about Sa-Roc I found out that she was a very strong and courages woman. She put herself through too much just based off the bias thoughts of others and her own. She talked about her body weight shame and how she did not feel "beautiful." Throughall the thoughts and concerns on her body, she never talked about it with anyonce and that made her really depressed and and felt like she did not fit in which made her begin cutting up her wrist.

At age 37, Sa-Roc became more positive on her body weight and had the confidence to become a female MC. She made a song in 2018 titled "Forever" and in her song she talked about her experience and thought process when she was at her lowest. She gained a very strong fanbase and everytime a fan ran into her who has been through similar troubling times, their so excited to actaully meet her and have the time to show Sa-Rock some of their battle scars.

Sa-Roc said, "In order to heal together, she insists it’s time to stop perpetuating a false reality. In the age of social media and the seemingly endless pursuit of perfection" Sa-Roc was inspired by Funky 4 + 1’s sole female rapper, MC Sha-Rock.

SA-Roc wanted to leave an important message for all her fans and that was, "I’ve grown into a woman who isn’t controlled by what other people think of me and am able to express myself in a way that best represents who I am. But, I wanna encourage young girls and other women to do that as well. My music will continue to encourage and reflect that.”

Overall I feel that this article, the song "Forever" by SA-Roc, and Sa-Roc whole inspiration was powerful and was important for woman to keep pushing!

Return rap to its artistic roots

Chris Rock feels that Hip-Hop is not the same and is hard to define.

Chris Rock said this because he feels today’s rap music is inglorious. He feels as though today’s lyrics are not about knowledge and pride but instead is betraying the people of the culture before them. Also, black teens now are attached to the rap’s stigma and will be looked down upon

+    I agree, today’s rap industry music talks too much about guns, smoking and killing instead of using the lyrics to teach and make you think about the lyrics. Also, the generations have changed between hip-hop in the 90’s and current hip-hop. The music had to change to please the audience, so hip-hop fans of the 90’s and 80’s may not like today’s hip-hop taste of culture.

Artist like P. Diddy and Black Eyed Peas began to open up mainstream for hip-hop culture to get more recognition.

There was an article written by John McWhorter that was titled “How Rap Retards Black Success” which included “hip-hop creates nothing.

+     The African American culture is really looked down upon and people define our culture just by the music that we make, when there is a whole bunch of other things that builds our culture and makes us whole. People would hate on the success of the black industry music and was mad that it “elevated our collective existence.”

+      Hip-Hop is hated upon because people consider the music “gangsta” or “party” music instead of being looked at as political. A movement went on during the 1980’s Hip-Hop era and it was the “stop the violence” movement. The anthem was “Self-Destruction” and it was the collaborative effort of the culture to stay united, stay positive, to fight for what is right, and to destroy the stereotype on the culture

Rap music is bad for the health...

When reviewing this article, it opened my eyes because I viewed music the same as a motivation to its audience but after reading, I had a better understanding that not all people may not view the music I view it. The author said the artists Tupac, Nas, and Outkast helped him get through some hard times and that is how I view music; some of my artist who help me through hard times is Drake, Rod Wave, and Lil Baby. These three help me through a lot whether if its I’m looking to be uplifted, if im tired or if I just want to get lit. But the author was saying as time progressed white suburban kids glamorize everything that is wrong with our society. They use the lyrics that African American artist use to boast about a drug and alcoholic abusive lifestyle, where meaningless sex is praised and in which self-destruction is idolized.  “Hip-Hop/Rap artists have now become the spokesmen for narcissism and self-centeredness to the highest degree.  It’s now used to bring out the worst in our nature yet uses freedom of speech as a shield to protect itself from criticism.” Overall, the message that Matt G was trying to give off in these articles is that the message of every song is not used to help inspire the youth but is now used to bash the culture and the way white people viewed us. There’ just no more hope for the youth when it comes to being influenced by our music today.

Return art to its artistic roots...

TOPICS

Chris Rock feels that Hip-Hop is not the same and is hard to define.

Chris Rock said this because he feels today’s rap music is inglorious. He feels as though today’s lyrics are not about knowledge and pride but instead is betraying the people of the culture before them. Also, black teens now are attached to the rap’s stigma and will be looked down upon

+    I agree, today’s rap industry music talks too much about guns, smoking and killing instead of using the lyrics to teach and make you think about the lyrics. Also, the generations have changed between hip-hop in the 90’s and current hip-hop. The music had to change to please the audience, so hip-hop fans of the 90’s and 80’s may not like today’s hip-hop taste of culture.

Artist like P. Diddy and Black Eyed Peas began to open up mainstream for hip-hop culture to get more recognition.

There was an article written by John McWhorter that was titled “How Rap Retards Black Success” which included “hip-hop creates nothing.

+     The African American culture is really looked down upon and people define our culture just by the music that we make, when there is a whole bunch of other things that builds our culture and makes us whole. People would hate on the success of the black industry music and was mad that it “elevated our collective existence.”

+      Hip-Hop is hated upon because people consider the music “gangsta” or “party” music instead of being looked at as political. A movement went on during the 1980’s Hip-Hop era and it was the “stop the violence” movement. The anthem was “Self-Destruction” and it was the collaborative effort of the culture to stay united, stay positive, to fight for what is right, and to destroy the stereotype on the culture

KRS-One speaks on Hip-hop...

Before reviewing what KRS talked about hip hop my analysis on hip-hop was just strictly on the music, the beats, and the culture/clothing, After hearing what KRS talked about I fully understood that Hip-Hop was more than just the music and beats it also includes elements of dance (Made to the beats), sign language, utter and Graffiti art. Graffiti art was used by cavemen. One thing that really caught my eye since I am an artist is that how when you hand a child a marker or pen, they don’t look for a paper, they run straight to the wall and scribble. After reading this Hip-Hop has evolved a lot and still has a lot of evolving to do due to culture changes over the next few years.

When I fell in love with Hip-hop...

Growing up when I was in early high school and some middle school I would rush home because my favorite tv show is on "BET" Channel. So everyday at about six oclock this show called "106&park" would always come on at the same exact time and on that show they would just talk about hip-hip the entirr show, like what new songs/albums came out and how the new music videos that dropped.

When I would hear a new song on the show I would always go to the apple store and download the song on my apple Ipod or I would search the song up on youtube and would be singing it for the next few days. Music to me is a way to express yourself as each artist tells about their life story or something that is going on in the world you feel like you may relate because at the time you may be going to through something similar as the artist but just hearing the beat and the flow hits different when you understand the song and see the point of view of the artist.

Now music is apart of my everyday life. Where I go I need some music bumping in my ears. Whether im in the car, just waking up in bed, working out, grocery shoppping, or even studying. Music can be extremely helpful and relaxing at times and that is why I feel like I have been leaning on good Hip-Hop music ever since I was younger.

What is Hip-Hop to me?

MA Hip-hop to me is_.docx

This is “My Soundtrack” song that I have decided to choose. This song is motivational to me as the artist talks about stay down through all the accomplishments you have and stacking my money to help take care of my mother who has been doing so for me.