In this conversation, Free from Power 105.1 in New York speaks with me about African Americans, capitalism, and how you can best navigate your financial future. We discuss love and money, hip hop, and why African Americans find themselves to be victims of financial enslavement.
Other questions we answer during this interview are:
- What mistakes do couples make when it comes to money and relationships?
- Why do black people tend to have trouble managing money?
- Why are hip hop artists taken advantage of by the entertainment industry?
- Why is ownership an important part of black wealth building?
- How is black wealth building an important part of black spiritual liberation?
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of "Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good." To have Dr Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
Birth name: Dana Elaine Owens
Origin: Newark, New Jersey
Affiliation: Naughty By Nature, Zhane
Hot Track: 'U.N.I.T.Y.'
Factoid: The first female solo rapper to win a Grammy Award, Latifah was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the blockbuster musical 'Chicago,' and has recorded to critically-acclaimed jazz albums. She's a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and Cover Girl cosmetics.
Sisters in the Name of Rap
Queen Latifah
Birth name: Dana Elaine Owens
Origin: Newark, New Jersey
Affiliation: Naughty By Nature, Zhane
Hot Track: 'U.N.I.T.Y.'
Factoid: The first female solo rapper to win a Grammy Award, Latifah was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the blockbuster musical 'Chicago,' and has recorded to critically-acclaimed jazz albums. She's a spokesperson for Jenny Craig and Cover Girl cosmetics.
Vector
Sister Souljah
Birth name: Lisa Williamson
Origin: Bronx, New York
Affiliation: Public Enemy
Hot Track: 'The Hate That Hate Produced'
Factoid: In 1992, Sister Souljah released her only album, '360 Degrees of Power,' via Epic Records. Both of her videos, "The Final Solution: Slavery's Back in Effect" and "The Hate that Hate Produced," were banned by MTV because of their inflammatory imagery. She garnered international attention when then presidential candidate Bill Clinton criticized her remarks about race in the United States during his campaign. Clinton's well-known repudiation of her comments led to what is now known in politics as a Sister Souljah moment.
Simon & Schuster
Lauryn Hill
Birthname: Lauryn Noel Hill
Origin: South Orange, New Jersey
Affiliation: The Fugees
Hot Track: 'Do Wop (That Thing)'
Factoid: Before she made history as the front-woman of The Fugees, Lauryn starred in the hit movie, 'Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit.'
Columbia
Yo Yo
Birthname: Yolanda Whitaker
Origin: Los Angeles, CA
Affiliation: Ice Cube
Hot Track: 'You Can't Play With My Yo Yo'
Factoid: Yo-Yo is an on-air personality for the Los Angeles hip-hop radio station KDAY.
Cool Vision
Lil' Kim
Birthname: Kimberly Denise Jones
Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Affiliation: The Notorious B.I.G., Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Hot Track: 'Not Tonight'
Factoid: The reality show 'Lil Kim: Countdown to Lockdown,' which was filmed before Kim headed to jail, became the highest rated premiere in BET history at the time, with 1.7 million viewers.
Atlantic
Nikki D
Birth name: Nichelle Strong
Origin: New Jersey
Affiliation: Queen Latifah
Hot Track: 'Daddy's Little Girl'
Factoid: Nikki D was the first female rapper signed to Def Jam Records.
Def Jam
Salt-N-Pepa
Birth name (s): Cheryl James, Sandra Denton
Origin: Queens, New York
Affiliation: Kid-N-Play
Hot Track: 'Push It'
Factoid: In 1995, Salt-N-Pepa won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for the single 'None Of Your Business,' making them the first female rap group to win a prestigious honor.
VH1
Bytches With Problems (BWP)
Birth name(s): Lyndah McCaskill, Tanisha Michele Morgan
Origin: Queens, NY
Affiliation: Marc Sexx
Hot Track: 'Two Minute Brother'
Factoid: Reinventing herself as an actress, Morgan has starred in films such as 'New Jersey Drive' and 'Bulworth.'
Rasheeda
Birth name: Rasheeda Buckner
Origin: Decatur, Illinois
Affiliation: Lil' Jon and The Eastside Boyz
Hot Track: '(Got That Good) My Bubble Gum'
Factoid: She started out as a member of the teenage hip-hop trio, Da Kaperz; which led to her signing a solo deal with Motown Records, who released her debut, 'Dirty South,' in 2001
Leo Marshall
Roxanne Shante
Birth name: Lolita Gooden
Origin: Long Island, New York
Affiliation: The Juice Crew, Marley Marl
Hot Track: 'Roxanne's Revenge'
Factoid: Shanté retired from rap when she was 25 she went on to receive a Ph.D. in psychology, eventually running her own practice in New York.
