Sutherland State of Mind

                                                                       N.W.A. Photo by  By Eric Poppleton Hip-Hop: More than Music, It’s a Movement Hip-hop has always been more than beats and rhymes. It’s a lifestyle. Living out here in the West Coast, we’ve always had our own sound, stories, and our own style. Hip-hop has always been a way to speak the truth when people chose to not listen. From gangsta rappers like N.W.A . to more conscious rappers like Kendrick , it’s more than just entertainment. Hip-hop is about survival, resistance, and self-expression.                                                        ...

  This is the cover art for "Keep Ya Head Up" by the artist Tupac Shakur. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Interscope Records, or the graphic artist(s). “Through every dark night, there’s a bright day afterthat” (“Keep Ya Head Up,” 1993) - Tupac   My blog topic will be about hip-hop culture and the black community. Hip-hop for me as always been more than just music, it’s been my voice, a mirror to reflect on, and on certain occasions, even therapy. I grew up in a household with a struggling single mother looking to make ends meet. I grew up in El Cajon, California. Hip-hop was the soundtrack to my life. I still remember riding around in my cousin’s beat up 1984 Toyota Corolla with the speakers blasting, listening to rappers speak about the situations that were happening in my neighborhood. I remember the first time listening to Tupac say things that made me feel like no matter what, there was hope in the struggle. This is the cover art for Illma...

Me, taken by me.  Hello world, My name is Mr. Wes. I go by “Mr. Wes” mostly because I grew up listening to way too much of my favorite Kanye West album Late Registration , way before he went coo-coo. I live in the city of El Cajon in sunny San Diego. I’ve been here my whole life and honestly have never thought about leaving. My life is here – my family, my friends, my amazing wife, and my two beautiful daughters, 18 and 9. Kanye West: Late Registration CD Cover Morning Breath, Inc was responsible for the design, with creative direction from Louis Marino. Both my daughters experienced life very differently. When I had my first daughter, I wasn’t exactly in the best place in life. I had to rebuild myself for my future. I was able to do that with the help of my wife who has always supported me. A few years after putting myself in a good position, we welcomed our youngest. Watching them grow has been one of my favorite things in life. My kids! I work for the Federal Governme...