AltWeeklies Wire
I Officially Denounce Flavor Flavnew

I simply cannot overemphasize how important Public Enemy has been to my life. Frankly, that's why I've never publically addressed the post-Public Enemy phenomenon of Flavor Flav's fame. But between Flavor of Love, I Love New York, and Charm School, he continues to rule over a televised empire based on ignorance, and I can stay silent no longer.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
05-06-2008 |
Commentary
On Race and Rumorsnew
These urban myths and 21st-century chain letters are important, because under the cover of internet anonymity, people expose their fears and prejudices in a manner that they never would in the light of day.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
03-11-2008 |
Commentary
The Meat of the Matternew
The quality and nature of food should not be parsed and bogged down in semantics and technicalities.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
01-29-2008 |
Food+Drink
Tags: cloning
Color-Codednew
Like many issues left over from slavery, we've never honestly addressed the so-called color line in black America.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
11-06-2007 |
Commentary
New Orleans Reduxnew
The sad truth is, now that the news cameras are gone, most of us have no real idea of what's happening in the city.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
10-23-2007 |
Commentary
Protesting Too Much?new
At what point could the time spent on cultural activism be better spent on some type of pragmatic movement?
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
07-03-2007 |
Commentary
Social Studies: Cultural Baggagenew

Sure enough, my new messenger bag says, "To Serve the People," and, sure enough, it is a Mao quote, but beyond the striking iconography of the red star and the script, I have to wonder what all I am saying with it, and is that really the baggage I want to carry around with me?
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
05-15-2007 |
Commentary
'Ho' Downnew
While the term "nappy-headed hos" and hip-hop lyrics are currently under the spotlight, the overarching issues behind the present controversies are as old as African-American art -- and the problem isn't bad images; the problem is bad art.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
05-01-2007 |
Commentary
Tags: imus
Ice Cube's Transformative Potentialnew
It looks to me that this is the way America is supposed to work -- because if Ice Cube can successfully make a public journey from one place to another, who knows how far we can all go in our private journeys?
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
04-17-2007 |
Commentary
Good Godnew
How important was James Brown to black America?
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
01-03-2007 |
Commentary
Cover Menew
After listening almost exclusively to cover albums over the past couple of months, I've come to realize that a good cover of a song is ultimately a credit to the original artist.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
12-07-2006 |
Commentary
Tags: Radiohead, cover albums
Blackface Black Eyenew

Television helped build a generation's moral compass.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
11-16-2006 |
Commentary
A Seat at the Tablenew
In some ways, the whole kitchen/dining room contrast is just a reflection of the world we live in.
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
08-21-2006 |
Commentary
Black Like Who?new
Black folks are the only ones who equate "acting white" with, frankly, "being civilized."
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
07-19-2006 |
Commentary
Down the Tubesnew
Is childhood the privilege of the privileged?
Baltimore City Paper |
Vincent Williams |
05-03-2006 |
Commentary