Jay Z Performs In Brick City But What About Trenton

TRENTON-- As hip hop mogul Jay Z Shawn Carter goes on tour to showcase his new album, Magna Carta...Holy Grail, in the new year, one can't but help take note that he has found some time in his busy schedule to perform in the tri-state area i.e. New York, Pennsylvania, and of course New Jersey.

Needless to say, this is good news for the local economies of Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Newark. Jay Z's mainstream appeal will undoubtedly attract a great deal of attention and consumer spending in these areas.

Even as one celebrates Jay Z's tremendous success and upcoming tour, one has to raise serious concerns about his decision to perform in Brick City but not in Trenton. 

Now don't get me wrong ladies and gentlemen, I recognize that, yes, Mr. Carter has come a mighty long way since roaming the gritty streets of his beloved Bedstuy Brooklyn neighborhood to now being an internationally known hip hop icon. This man went from selling his music outside the trunk of his car to being a veritable household name. Indeed, Jay Z's success and prosperity is nothing to sneeze at or overlook. Even I have to admit that I, too, am a personal fan of Mr. Carter. 

Lo and behold, I vividly recall listening to many of Jigga's classic LPs, Reasonable Doubt, The Black Album, The Life and Times Of Shawn Carter, etc during my younger years and even to this day. To put it simply, the man's record speaks for itself. 

However, I do take issue with Mr. Carter deciding not to take a pit stop in Jersey's State Capital, yeah I said it, "why can't Jay Z perform right here in Trenton, New Jersey, a place he says "grew him" on his vintage Blueprint album. (Disclosure: Jay Z actually says that it was East Trenton that raised him).

Granted, both the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and the Prudential Center in Newark are larger than Trenton's Sun National Bank Arena, but hey, there's still money to be made here in the State's Capital, don't let the naysayers tell you otherwise. Even though we face a record number of homicides this year along with a failing school system, and high property taxes, Trenton still has a lot to offer.

As a resident of this city, I can definitely attest to its strengths and virtues, not simply its weaknesses. Now of course, I know what you maybe saying to your self, dear reader, "what's this guy smokin...doesn't he know that Trenton is simply bad news, you got you're mayor under federal investigation and to top it all off when you go to the public library, you have to ask for toilet paper to use the restroom", but hear me out for a moment.

Most people may not know this, but Trenton is home to a deep and rich history. Just this past weekend, I was reminded of this history as Trenton Police required residents like myself on Warren Street to move their vehicles so that the yearly reenactment of the Battle of Trenton March could take place. For those that don't already know, in 1776, General George Washington and his army crossed over the Delaware River and defeated Hessian mercernaries in what became known as the Battle of Trenton according to the History Channel. 

Along with this rich history, Trenton is home to a number of really good people and organizations that are doing positive things, now as we speak. People like Rev. Simeon Spencer at Union Baptist Church, filmmaker and author Will Foskey, Educator Baye Kemit of the Garvey School, Special Parents Advocate Nicole Whitfield, Hip Hop Recording Artist Big Ooh, and entrepreneur Tracey Syphax are just to name a few. The efforts of these individuals may get overlooked in the mainstream press, but trust me they are moving and shaking things up here in the city. 

So I challenge and invite you Mr. Carter to take a trip to Trenton and 'show some love' to a place that helped in your own words grow you. Even though others may have written off the city doesn't mean you have to...Come back home Hov and I promise you, Trenton will show you some love...

Trenton Entrepreneurship

TRENTON--A big part of what I want to do with this blog is share insights about topics that have piqued my interest over time. One of those interests include entrepreneurship and the unique world of small business. You maybe wondering what makes this topic so interesting to me. Well, I'm glad you asked, allow me to elaborate.

Since moving to Trenton, New Jersey in 2005, I have found that entrepreneurship and small business creation is very much needed in this community since this city is saddled with entrenched poverty and joblessness. All one needs to do is look at some of the recent closings of small businesses like Cafe International, Can Do Errands, Delorenzos, and historic Amefikas to see what I am getting at here. All of these individual entrepreneurs gave people a nice place to go to, quality products and services, and most importantly, they created jobs that people in the city could possibly take.

Now lets be quite clear, entrepreneurs do a number of things, but I want to focus one of the main things they do, that is, create jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, entrepreneurship and small business play a vital role in the US economy. And looking at Trenton's staggering 10.8% unemployment rate, it seems quite evident that entrepreneurship and small business creation can do our city some good.

According to Google, an entrepreneur is an individual that "takes the initiative to create a product or establish a business for profit". Indeed, the city of Trenton needs more initiative, and less complaint. Instead of moaning and groaning about all the potholes in Trenton, why not create a small businesses that specializes in paving streets? Instead of criticizing Trenton Mayor Tony Mack and the failing public school system, why not do what individuals like Baye Kemit did when he created an African-centered school that sought to address the problems facing public schools?

These examples strike me as the heart and soul of the entrepreneurial mindset. This type of mentality constantly seeks to solve issues instead of complaining or criticizing the powers that be. In short, entrepreneurs don't see problems, they see opportunities.

So I invite everyone to take something from the playbook of entrepreneurs by first of all being creative. Think outside of the box. Take calculated risks and step outside the comfort zone. The best entrepreneurs don't settle for the routine and get complacent. They push the envelope.

However, don't get me wrong, I am not saying that one should go stark-raving crazy by making reckless decisions. Rather the idea is to take moderate well-informed risks and be creative when looking at the stark realities that face communities like Trenton. Instead of seeing hopelessness and desolation, why not see promise and possibility? That's the question I wrestle with everyday and leave with you to ponder.

Hometown Blogger Sparks Discussion At Trenton Library

TRENTON-- Marcus Garvey once said that a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots. It was in this tradition that area residents and activists alike met at the Trenton Public Library Wednesday night for Anwar's Reflections First Ever Black History Panel Discussion.

During the nearly two hour discussion, a variety of topics were explored and addressed. Members of the audience were invited to ask questions as well.

From education to black leadership, to President Obama and social problems afflicting communities in Black America, the panel covered a lot of ground.

Panel members included hip hop artist Big OOH, businessman Tracey Syphax, New Black Panther Party spokesman Divine Allah, Garvey School principal Baye Kemit, community activist Darren 'Freedom' Green, and Today's News NJ's Daryl Brooks.

Baye Kemit said that leadership does not have to be monolithic, it does not have to be one person, our leaders are our parents and grandparents. Darren Freedom Green said that President Barack Obama needs to 'stand up and just be a man on some issues' as it relates to problems afflicting the black community. In his analysis of President Obama, Daryl Brooks said that the president has bailed out Wall Street but failed to mention the word poverty in any of his State of the Union speeches.

As a blogger or citizen journalist, I thought it was important to carry on the tradition of the words of the Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing, by inviting a variety of different community leaders and activists to come to the table and have a discussion that would illustrate the diversity of Black America on a local level here in Trenton, New Jersey.

As a viewer and reader, I invite you to determine if the discussion reached that goal.

Please see footage of the event below:

Garvey School Requests Help From The Community

TRENTON-- Local independent private school finds itself still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Irene.

The city's Garvey School was left with significant damage after the east coast hurricane swooped through town just weeks ago. From observing the school's basement, many items were damaged and in need of repair or clean up. From daycare equipment to a damaged water heater, the Garvey School has seen its better days since opening in 2003.


The damage can be readily seen at the school's Taylor Street location in North Trenton.

Over the last few weeks, this small African-centered private school, that was originally located on South Warren Street downtown for the first three years of its existence along with two other locations, has sought to drum up financial support from area residents and philanthropists to repair the damages. Up to now, the school has raised around $2,500 in cash from area residents and received significant help from YouthCorps, a volunteer program for young adults, and 5 Brothers Grim, a local flooring company.

Yet more needs to be done according to the school's principal, Baye Kemit. In an interview, he said, "the basement still needs a new floor, we have to continue with our hazmat clean-up, we also need new carpet". According to Kemit, the school's insurance company is unable to take care of many of the damages because they do not cover flood related problems. So he is calling on members of the community to step up and help out not simply with their wallets but also with their time and manpower.

Kemit reports that the school is still awaiting insurance claims and have since rearranged their classes to ensure day to day school functions continue as scheduled despite the damage wrought by Hurricane Irene.

To help raise funds to repair damages, the Garvey School is sponsoring a magic show that is scheduled for Saturday, October 29th from 1 to 3 pm. The show will be held at the New Jersey State Museum Auditorium located at 205 W. State Street, Downtown Trenton. For more information on how to get involved, contact the Garvey School at 609-792-9038 or visit their website www.thegarveyschool.org/.

Please see video below of the facility and a brief interview with the school's principal, Baye Kemit: