During the month of February, BRTW ensemble members are selecting personal Black heroes to highlight everyday. These heroes may have spoken the magic words that first made them see their Black beauty, the people who inspired them to become artists, or even the person who taught them how to make proper mixed greens.

A graduate of Rutgers University, Sister Souljah earned a degree in American History and African Studies. She also attended the Cornell University Advanced Placement Study Program, and studied abroad in Europe at the University of Salamanca. Whip smart and adept at rapping, Sister Souljah has helped to transform the way in which we teach our children about their history. In America there hasn’t been a premium set on educating children of color about issues that directly affect them. Sister Souljah knows the power that Hip Hop and Rap has in influencing POC youth. She has used her music to speak to the many injustices facing black/brown people including police brutality, miseducation and social/economic disparity.

She became very well known when former President Bill Clinton decided to use her as a platform to advance his politics in his campaign for Presidency. Clinton used a quote of hers out of context and proceeded to compare her to David Duke, former grand wizard of the ku klux klan. The quote goes as follows:

“I mean, if Black people kill Black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people? You know what I’m saying?”

Yes, Sister Souljah, we do know. And rather than trying to speak for Sister I’ve uploaded the first half of an interview with Larry David responding to Clinton’s comment. As well as the video for her song, “Slavery’s back in effect.” She’s ferocious. Get ‘em girl!

 

-Jovan Davis

Producing/Ensemble Member