Cassius Life •

Getting To 'Savor The City' With Chef Jernard Wells

The world of African-American cuisine is one that still has so much to be explored, precisely because it is a foundation for American cuisine. Among the many personalities that are showcasing Black food history in an engaging and lively way is Chef Jernard Wells. Wells’ rise as a chef is buoyed by his love of cooking, fueled by his family upbringing in Chicago and then Mississippi. That passion propelled the Atlanta-area resident into jobs with Tyler Perry, and appearances on the Food Network be...
Hip-Hop Wired •

Exclusive: dead prez On 'Let's Get Free's' 25 Year Impact

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Let’s Get Free, the highly celebrated debut album of Hip-Hop duo dead prez. Consisting of Stic (Khnum Ibomu) and M-1 (Mutulu Olugbala), dead prez burst onto the scene with politically conscious music that thoroughly engaged Hip-Hop fans in a parallel to the rap artists whose focus on luxury and materialism contributed to the rise of “the Bling Era.” The album, fueled by the electric single “Hip-Hop,” would touch upon multiple issues affecting Black...
PUBLIC SQUARE •

Black Press turns 197 and it’s more critical now than ever — PUBLIC SQUARE

Sunday marks the 197th anniversary of the first Black-owned and operated newspaper in the United States, the origin of today’s Black Press. That paper, The Freedom Journal, was published and distributed on March 16, 1827 from its offices in what is now the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. Its co-founders, John B. Russwurm and the Reverend Samuel Cornish wrote in the inaugural issue, “We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us.”  Their mission was to be an outlet for...
NJ Mosaic - mosaic.nj.com •

Doro wat, the pride of Ethiopian cuisine

To be regarded as part of a country’s culinary pride, a dish must have a history as rich as its taste. The stew known as doro wat fulfills that role for the nation of Ethiopia, and it’s fast becoming a favorite on New Jersey’s culinary scene.“It’s a good dish with a lot of flavor,” said Tsigereda Lemlemayhu, the owner of Dashen Ethiopian Restaurant in New Brunswick, who offers it on the menu. “I’m showing New Brunswick the real, authentic Ethiopian signature dish of doro wat.”The key to doro wat...
Mosaic •

Embracing the fall with bulalo, the Filipino stew

As fall arrives, people tend to be drawn to dishes that satisfy their hunger and keep them warm. Bulalo, a beloved dish from the Philippines, is one of them. Bulalo is a hearty stew made with beef shank — bulalo in Tagalog — and bone marrow. The bone marrow and beef are cooked in a pot for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, various vegetables like corn, bak choy, cabbage, and ginger are combined with patis or fish sauce and added to the pot. The stew is then cooked for two and a half hours until the marr...
Hip-Hop Wired •

NFL’s Marquise “Hollywood” Brown Talks The Thrills of Being a GM in ‘NFL Rivals: Year 2’

In an exclusive interview, HipHopWired spoke with Kansas City Chiefs receiver Hollywood Brown about his partnership with the hit NFL Rivals game. On Thursday (September 5), the National Football League kicked off its 2024-2025 season with a highly anticipated rematch between the Baltimore Ravens and the defending Super Bowl LVIII Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The day will also see the release of the second season of the officially licensed mobile video game from Mythical Games, NFL Rivals....
Hip-Hop Wired •

UVA Professor Dr. A.D. Carson On Hip-Hop & Academia For The People

HipHopWired got to interview Dr. A.D. Carson, the renowned University of Virginia professor and author who is building bridges between Hip-Hop culture and academia. Hip-Hop has always been about education in various forms. It’s become a fixture on college campuses due in part to pioneering work done at The University of Virginia by Dr. Kyra Gaunt, and the establishment of the Hiphop Archive and Research Institute at Harvard University by Marcyliena Morgan in 2002. These days, artists such as 9...
Mosaic •

Lomo saltado, immigration in a dish Peruvian-style

One dish that embodies the spirit of Peruvian cuisine and its people is the hearty lomo saltado. The meal has grown to represent the best of Peru’s cuisine and its seamless blending of Spanish, indigenous, and Chinese cultures in the South American nation. “This is a dish that has a lot of immigration in it,” said Baby Brasa restaurateur Franco Noriega, referring to the international mélange of flavors in the dish he cooked for Vice President Kamala Harris. Lomo saltado is a stir-fry dish feat...
Hip-Hop Wired •

Breaking Debuts At The Olympics, Xitter Had Praise & Jokes

Breaking made its official debut at the Olympic Games, and social media had praise and jokes for it in equal amounts. On Friday (August 9), the art of breaking officially became a sport at the Olympic Games being held in Paris, France. Snoop Dogg opened up the event walking into the venue to his hit, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” which got the packed crowd hyped up. The much-anticipated competition began with the B-girls facing off against each other beginning with a pre-qualifying round featuring Ind...
Mosaic •

Pho soup fortifies the soul no matter the season

If you’ve ever come across a Vietnamese restaurant, it’s guaranteed that pho will be one of the first dishes you see on the menu. The highly nourishing and robust noodle soup is one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most beloved dishes. Its mark on the culinary scene in New Jersey dates back to the first restaurants opened by Vietnamese immigrants in the 1970s and 1980s.Today, finding a great pho spot is easier with more Vietnamese and Thai restaurants offering their versions to the public. At f...
Hip-Hop Wired •

Phylicia Fant: The Power Of "The Pivot"

In an exclusive interview with Amazon Music’s Phylicia Fant, HipHopWired got to talk about her love of music, her career journey and her motivation. As Black Music Month is underway, we have an appreciation of the artists who bring us the music that we remember as well as those who’ve worked to support those artists in their careers through their own visionary efforts. Phylicia Fant, who is currently serving as the head of music industry partnerships at Amazon Music, is definitely one of those
Hip-Hop Wired •

Behind The Making of "Tale of The Tape" Documentary

HipHopWired got to exclusively chat with the director and producer of Tale Of The Tape, a new documentary detailing the creation and history of mixtapes in Hip-Hop culture. The mixtape is a vital component of Hip-Hop culture, and as Hip-Hop has recently celebrated its 50th year of existence, the history of how mixtapes originated is getting its time in the spotlight thanks to a new documentary. Tale of The Tape is a new film that shows the rise of mixtapes and their impact, with Royce Da 5″9′ n
Mosaic •

Honoring mothers with music and love — Mexican style

One of the most vibrant and cherished traditions surrounding Mother’s Day originates from Mexico. While many honor their matriarchs in various ways, the serenata takes center stage on this special day. Mariachi bands, adorned in their striking sombreros and traje de charro (rancher-inspired suits), showcase this heartfelt tradition across the U.S. and Mexico. • Don’t miss an issue of our FREE Mosaic newsletter! Get it delivered each Tuesday right into your inbox. Originating in the western fro
Hip-Hop Wired •

Fresh, Bold & So Def Symposium Celebrates Women In Hip-Hop

HipHopWired had the opportunity to speak with Martha Diaz about the symposium held at Lincoln Center celebrating the contributions of women in Hip-Hop. On Friday (April 5), the Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City was home to a groundbreaking event that focused on the numerous contributions that women have made to the culture of Hip-Hop. The Fresh, Bold & So Def Symposium came together as an initiative to highlight the trailblazing women who lent their abundant talent and style t
Hip-Hop Wired •

Big Daddy Kane & Ghostface Killah Shine On "I Got Questions"

The newest episode of the acclaimed I Got Questions series features the Juice Crew’s Big Daddy Kane and Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah reflecting on Hip-Hop culture and their careers. The streets have been asking for it, so it’s only right that as Hip-Hop is enjoying 50 years of life as a culture, the pivotal interview series I Got Questions makes its return with two of the greatest MCs in Hip-Hop—Big Daddy Kane and Ghostface Killah. The two artists sit across from each other in a plush loung
Mosaic •

Indulge in the exquisite flavor of lamb korma

The onset of spring can be a bit confusing for the senses, as it will be warm one day and briskly cold the next. If you’re searching for a dish that will give you satisfying comfort throughout these changes, you need to acquaint yourself with lamb korma. The popular staple from Indian cuisine made with lamb has delighted many for centuries and with Eid-al-Fitr, the ending of the Islamic observation of Ramadan taking place recently, it’s a fixture among the dishes that commemorate the “festival
Mosaic •

Oxtail: love at first bite

Oxtail is a beloved dish from Jamaican cuisine that many love at first bite. The savory and hearty stew has seen its popularity explode within the last decade, resulting in numerous chefs adding their twist to the dish and placing it on their menus for a bit of exotic flavor. For those who’ve grown up with Jamaican oxtail, they know that the best option outside of having it home-cooked is to go to their local Caribbean restaurant. • Don’t miss an issue of our FREE Mosaic newsletter! Get it deli
Cassius Life •

Exclusive: The Melodic Genius of Phillip Johnson Richardson

Cassius got the opportunity to chat with rising star Phillip Johnson Richardson ahead of his Broadway debut in THE WIZ revival and the release of his debut EP. When it comes to channeling one’s energy to shine through, Phillip Johnson Richardson is becoming one of the newest examples of how to do it. The Charlotte, North Carolina native has parlayed his talents, honed at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, into a burgeoning career. It began as he joined the Chicago compa
Mosaic •

No longer just a Ramadan treat, Knafeh’s popularity has grown

When you think of desserts and New Jersey, it’s not far-fetched to have the iconic Italian cannoli come to mind. But there’s one sweet treat that is carving out a place of prominence in the hearts of some citizens of the state who hail from the Middle East, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. At first glance, one might compare it to another dessert from the region, baklava. But knafeh stands apart because of its origins and the variations of the dish that can be had. Knafeh (which can
Hip-Hop Wired •

The Urgency Of The “As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial” Film

HipHopWired sat down and talked with the director and star of the Paramount Plus documentary As We Speak: Rap Music On Trial. One of the more pressing situations affecting Hip-Hop culture and the communities who love it is the persistent weaponization of rap lyrics in criminal cases throughout the United States and abroad. The most vivid example is the current RICO trial being brought against Young Thug by Fulton County prosecutors in Georgia. Sadly, the general public is still unaware of the s
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