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9 THE MAROON TIGER
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2003
ARTS
Ze yiah of ze Arts
Atlanta University Center organizations foster artistic expression of students
by Miltonette Craig
ARTS DESK
L’annee des arts. El ano
de las artes. L’anno delle arti.
Anyway you say it, this year
is shaping up to be exactly
what Dr. Massey has dubbed
it: The Year of the Arts. The
Atlanta University Center is
filled with many fascinating
clubs and organizations that
represent the liberal branch of
learning better known as the
Arts.
“Art is the glue that holds
all intellectual disciplines to
gether,” says the president of
the AUC-wide Diverge Art
Club, John Moore. The club
aspires to increase creativity
and expression in the AUC and
to support innovative thought
in all disciplines. Regular gen
eral body meetings are held on
Wednesdays, and drawing ses
sions begin at 7 p.m. at
Spelman following each meet
ing. Diverge opens doors to
new ways of freethinking and
liberalism. It also has a num
ber of events planned for this
school year, including the co
ordination of two AUC-wide
art exhibits, one per semester.
The club will also be hosting
artists coming from Africa as
part of its celebration of Afri
can Pride Week in the first
week of February. Don’t be
fooled into believing that Di
verge is exclusive to art ma
jors. Moore would like to see
the organization filled with
members from all majors who
want to freely express them
selves and nurture their cre
ativity.
The Spelman Philosophy
Society exudes the essence of
the arts. Its mission is to edu
cate students and inspire philo
sophical thought throughout
the AUC. Philosophy and the
arts go hand in hand, most im
portantly because philosophy
is “the beginning and end of
every discipline,” explained
Monica Chambers, the vice-
president of the Society. Al
though the chapter has been in
active for the past few years, it
has been re-chartered this
school year, and the officers
are enthusiastic about bolster
ing its popularity. The next
event sponsored by the
Spelman Philosophy Society is
the presentation of a paper en
titled “Pimpology,” followed
by a discussion and Q&A ses
sion on November 6 at 5:15
p.m. in the Cosby Academic
Center. The Society also plans
to host various roundtable dis
cussions, forums, and paper
and poetry presentations to
promote the understanding of
the discipline of philosophy. A
few of the long term goals that
Chambers envisions for the
Society include having all
members join the American
Philosophical Association, be
coming more active in the sur
rounding neighborhoods, and
spreading awareness in the
black community.
“Linking the black artists
of today with the artistic inno
vators of tomorrow” is the
motto for The Dark Tower
Project
(www.darktowerproject.org).
The organization, founded by
Charles Joseph and Mikael
Moore in November 2000, en
deavors to attract artists,
speakers, educators, and activ
ists to the AUC, to nourish the
dreams of new and promising
artists, and to promote artistic
events throughout the AUC.
The organization’s unique
name is an allusion to the Dark
Tower Literary Group formed
during the Harlem Renais
sance by A’lelia Walker, the
daughter of Madam CJ
Walker. The Dark Tower
Project places much emphasis
on community involvement.
Every month, members spon
sor a community outreach pro
gram, called StarChild, at
schools in the neighborhood.
One of the most anticipated
events coordinated by the Dark
Tower Project is the Def Po
etry Jam featuring HBO’s Def
Poets on Monday, October 27,
in Sale Hall at 7 p.m. as a part
of the Homecoming Week fes
tivities. Other occasions on the
Project’s agenda include a film
series in the spring and host
ing Congresswoman Maxine
Waters. Moore, the president
of the Dark Tower Project, has
an optimistic outlook for the
organization. He wants the
Project to become very inte
grated, to have fifty to sixty
chapters across the nation, to
expand to London, and to gain
worldwide recognition.
Make an effort to be a part
of the AUC’s Year of the Arts.
Support these featured
organizations and events, as
well as the many others in the
AUC, such as the Hip Hop
Collective, the Spriggs-
Burroughs Ensemble, the
CAU Art Galleries, the AUC
Film Club, and
Underground Live. Attend
their events, become a
member, or even start your
own organization to foster
freedom of expression and to
continue to allow artistic
voices to be heard.
POWERFUL MUSIC
by Sam Beresford
sam_beresford@maroontiger.net
SWING EDITOR
If any of you attentive music fans out there have noticed,
we’ve just come off an utterly forgettable, even comical last
few Tuesdays in rap, which have included such notable
releases as Scrappy Loco’s (who???) self-titled debut and the
highly anticipated (really???) sophomore effort from Gangsta
Boo, Enquiring Minds 2: Soap Opera. Can it get any worse?
Last Tuesday, which featured, among other things, the much-
heralded My Gift To The World from Mike D a.k.a. Bosshog
Corleone, had to be the lamest rap release day since.. .well,
since I started paying attention to rap release days. In light of
these events, today we’ll be discussing one emerging artist
and his upcoming release.
If any of you boys and girls out there in Musicland know
me at all, you probably know that I’m president of the Alpha
Chapter of the Kanye West Fan Club. Kanye’s been on the
team (first string) ever since I put my boys on to him
sophomore year, right before The Blueprint came out And if
you pay any attention to rap and/or appreciate superbly crafted
beats, you’d know that Mr. West was primarily responsible
for the sound and feel of that seminal work. Over the last two
years, Kanye has not only continuously fed us his patented
brand of lushly layered, ultra soulful boardwork, but he’s also
proven himself to be one of the game’s premier up-and-
coming MC’s - so it only makes sense that he’s far and away
the hottest producer-slash-rapper out And as if he needed
any more validation, he’s Roc-a-Fella Records’ latest signee.
How much more credibility do you need?
To hear him tell it though, he’s been hot since day one.
He has been on the production circuit for a minute now, but
up until this point, just a little lower on the radar. Hailing
proudly from the Chi, he was mentored by Windy City
production legend NO I.D.; he contributed tracks to efforts
by Mase and Da Brat, and on a recent freestyle, boasted of
ghost-producing tracks for Deric ‘D-Dot’ Angelettie, one of
Puff and Bad Boy’s original Hitmen production squad. But I
digress. Kanye’s debut, College Dropout, is being driven by
the lead single “Through the Wire,” which, regardless of your
opinion of the man or his music, must be recognized as quite
an achievement, if only for the fact that he wrote, produced,
and performed the entire song with his jaw wired shut Yes,
with his jaw wired shut. While recovering in a Chicago hospital
from a horrific car accident in Los Angeles, he was apparently
inspired by the Chaka Khan hit from the late 70’s, and
promptly crafted his latest masterpiece.
Even more impressive though, is his slate of songs that
have appeared on the mixtape scene in the last few moths.
While many of them may end up on his album, there’s no
way all of them will. His latest assault came primarily from
the Akademiks Jeanius Level Musik Volume 2 tape, which,
for all intents and purposes, could have been subtitled “The
Kanye West Extravaganza.” The intro features Miri-BenAri,
the hip-hop violinist who was recently signed to Universal
Records, after which he puts his own spin on Ludacris’ current
smash “Stand Up.” By now, I’m sure you can figure out
who produced that one. It only gets better from here,
though. Since the fact that his beats are consistently
impeccable has long since been established, the sidebar
to the left/right should provide you with a small bit of
evidence of the emerging excellence of his lyrical content.
Although he doesn’t have a date confirmed for his
album release, please believe and believe it please, the
day it drops, it’ll instantly be in the canon. As for me,
I’m clearing space in my PalmPilot for every Tuesday in
the next few months. So from me to you like Juelz
Santana, buy his album. As a matter of fact, when it does
come out, come see me — I’ll buy it for you. On second
thought.. .1 don’t know about all that, but please find a
way to get your hands on Kanye West’s College Dropout.
OPrinted on recycled paper
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