Alice Walker

Illmatic at 30: how Nas invented epistolary rap – and changed the hyper-masculine world of hip hop forever

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024
African Americans, Love, Pulitzer, Noise, Hate Me Now, Trauma, Hope, The Color Purple, Thought, Masculinity, Male, Alice Walker, Creativity, Dear Mama, Literature, Music, Imprisonment, Magic

At the time, these lines were seen as just another gem in a long line of highly sophisticated, literary Nas lyrics.

Key Points: 
  • At the time, these lines were seen as just another gem in a long line of highly sophisticated, literary Nas lyrics.
  • In many ways a verbal successor to Nas, Lamar controversially won an actual Pulitzer prize for music.
  • Like Lamar, Nas is as highly esteemed in the street as he is in academic circles.

One Love breaks new ground

  • The Illmatic track One Love (1994) introduced the “epistolary narrative”, or written letter technique, to the rap genre.
  • As journalist, educator and author Dax-Devlon Ross explains, One Love contains “a series of prison letters set to song”, which “effectively began the epistolary sub-genre” of rap.
  • Notable advocates of the technique include one-time rival of Nas, Tupac Shakur, releasing Dear Mama a year after One Love.

Illmatic’s legacy

  • Released two years after One Love, Xzibit utilised rap’s newly established epistolary sub-genre to pen an emotive open letter to his young son.
  • The Foundation addresses themes prevalent in the male African American experience, such as lineage, loyalty, masculinity and the paternal bond.

Nas today

  • In recent years, Nas has reached a purple patch of creativity, and released a flourish of well received albums, including both the King’s Disease (2020) and the Magic series.
  • When brought into the running of “top five dead or alive” rap debates, Nas is often quick to deflect from comparison, stating that there “ain’t no best”.
  • As Nas said himself in 2022: “I probably don’t need a therapist because I have music.” It’s hard to think of another rapper of his generation who has opened up so many doors for the artform.


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Paul Stephen Adey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Jackson State University preserves visual legacy thanks to Getty Images Grant

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 16, 2022
Centra, Getty Images, Software, University, Police, Tracy, Faculty, Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments, Doctor of Philosophy, Woman, Stand Together, Getty family, Publication, Name, Collection, Jackson State University, American Film Festival, Life, African, News, Photography, Archive, Advocate, Wilson, Historically black colleges and universities, Program, Library, History, Jane Ellen McAllister, Sonic Boom of the South, Student, Female, Friends, Sport, African Americans, Claflin University, Getty, Epson, Death, Freedom Summer, Alice Walker, Prairie View A&M University, Multimedia, Farish Street Neighborhood Historic District, Education, JSU, Jim Hill High School, View, Black Lives Matter, Television, Nightclub, Medical imaging, Public relations, Publishing, Online shopping, Medicine

JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The first image Jackson State University Archivist Darlita Ballard scanned as part of the inaugural Getty Images Photo Archives Grant for Historically Black Colleges was of royalty: A photo of a JSU queen.

Key Points: 
  • JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The first image Jackson State University Archivist Darlita Ballard scanned as part of the inaugural Getty Images Photo Archives Grant for Historically Black Colleges was of royalty: A photo of a JSU queen.
  • JSU is one of four recipients of the $500,000 Getty Images Photo Archives Grant made possible by the Getty Family and the philanthropic organization Stand Together.
  • The support extends to future images captured with camera equipment donated by Getty Images, a preeminent global visual content creator and marketplace.
  • Claflin University, North Carolina Centra University and Prairie View A&M University also received inaugural Getty Images Photo Archives Grant for Historically Black Colleges grants.

Crayola, Tra Publishing and Kids In Need Foundation Partner to Share Messages of Diversity and Inclusion in Underserved Schools with Colors of the World Crayons and Alice Walker's New Children's Book "Sweet People are Everywhere"

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
People, Kids In Need Foundation, National Network, Publishing, Alice Walker, Content, Partnership, Sweet People, Instagram, Walker, Interview, KINF, Student, Multimedia, History of Crayola crayons, Development, LinkedIn, Book, Twitter, School, Child, Upattinas School and Resource Center, Reading, Awareness, Creativity, Architecture, Color, Fuchsia (color), Organization, Imagination, Simon & Schuster, Toy

The new Alice Walker children's book focuses on the idea that "sweet people" can be found all over the world.

Key Points: 
  • The new Alice Walker children's book focuses on the idea that "sweet people" can be found all over the world.
  • The words are from a poem I wrote that celebrates good people, sweet people, who are found all over the world.
  • Attendees will also learn about how illustrator Quim Torres used Colors of the World throughout the children's book.
  • We are excited to further the message of inclusion and representation and give back to underserved school districts with Kids In Need Foundation."