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send news tips to the editor: thevoice.fsu@gmail.com | www.issuu.com/fsuvoice | February 8, 2012 | ThE VOICE, For Students, By Students 11 Jay-Z and Fatherhood Courstey of mashaMe.eom By Shante' Denice Elliott Jay-Z makes fatherhood cool. Their relationship began with their collabo ration on “Bonnie and Clyde.” Amazingly, a song that told of a couple robbing banks, be ing passionately in love, and staying together through thick and thin, resulted in uniting the two on the song together; bringing about a five year courtship and a four year marriage. Unlike other celebrity couples, Jay-Z and Beyonce followed the nursery rhyme little girls recite growing up: they first found love, then got married, and lastly had the baby they will soon cany in a baby carriage, baby Blue Ivy Carter. Hours after her birth, proud father Jay-Z released “Glory,” a new song that featured the cries of his daughter as backgroimd music. It seems as if Jay-Z has permanently retired his fitted caps, basketball jerseys, and Air Force I’s, in for pampers, wipes and baby bottles. The release of “Glory” raises the question of if the public personality has changed his image from that of a gangster rapper, to one that advocates fatherhood. Facts revealing that black men abandon their children seem to never end. Reading facts that say; 82.3 percent of African Ameri can children bom since 1990 are raised with out their biological father, is no longer sur prising. But is Jay-Z playing an active role in his daughter’s life, helping create a change? Fayetteville State University sophomore, Tristin Rainey, says that Jay-Z is “not redefin ing fatherho^, but he is putting a new look on it.” In a November interview with GQ Maga zine, Jay-Z, who had an absentee father grow ing up, said that fatherhood is “being there — that’s more important.” In the interview, he said that children are “crying out for love.” Black men are needed by their children. Dwayne P. Patrick, a Fayetteville State 'The most beautiful-est thing in this world, is Daddy's little giri," - Jay-Z, “GIwy” University alumnus, feels that Jay-Z “has done nothing more than have a baby like millions of other proud fathers have done,” and that he “is not the face of fatherhood.” Patrick instead feels that those who “died for our freedom,” such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Booker T. Washington, both who were fathers, are befitting of such a title. No one can deny that Jay-Z is in heaven with the birth of his baby giri. In “Glory” he says: “Words can’t describe what I’m feel ing for real / baby, I paint the sky blue, / My greatest creation was you.” Nonetheless, Jay-Z is not the only man in hip hop that has accepted their duties as fathers. Sean Combs (P.Diddy) has five chil dren, James Smith (LL Cool J) and his wife have two, and Calvin Broadus (Snopp Dogg) and his wife have three. Jay-Z and Beyonc^ have remained very private about their life together, only sharing the intimate details they choose. Surprisingly, the couple showed Blue Ivy Carter to the world on Feb. 10, in their own way. The couple posted several pictures of their bundle of joy on Jay-Z’s website. One photo was of Jay-Z smiling, looking into Blue Ivy’s eyes as he held her; showing everyone why he was smiling from ear to ear. Beyonce has already declared that she has found her "Love On Top". One can only as sume that Jay-Z has found his, in Blue Ivy. Female Role Models: Do black women lack black female role models? By Shante' Denice Elliott The conclusion of Black History Month, introduces a new month that continues celebrating those that have made great strides in over coming life struggles. The month of March is Women’s History Month. Since President Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech in 2009 First Lady, Michelle Obama has been given the title as the num ber one role model for black women. Essence Magazine Fash ion Editor, Mikki Taylor’s book, "Commander in Chic" highlights the First Lady’s excellent clothing choices. Author Sophia Nel son began her book, "Black Woman" Redefined with a letter saluting Mrs. Obama; [jlSCK placing the First Lady in the forefront for all black wom en to admire. With six black women having an Acad emy Award, hundreds of black women in award-winning films, on the top of music charts, is Mrs. Obama the only black wom an with a clean history that the younger generation of black women can look up to? Although reality television paints the image that there are no black female role models, in essence there are. The problem with today’s generation is that the positive role models are not idolized. Instead of ad miring the black C.E.O. of a Fortune 500 Company, or the successful entrepreneur, attorney or doctor, young black women of today instead look to TV shows like, "Bas ketball Wives", "Love & Hip Hop", and racy rap artist in admiration. The negative effects of this can last a lifetime. Black women now know more lyrics from “Super Bass” than the Negro Anthem. Who’s to blame? Bre Holloway, a Fayetteville State Uni versity freshman, feels that more black women need to “be active” in the lives of younger black women. Women in our gen eration want someone to look up to, but if we only see women rappers on TV, then that’s who were going to look to; Hollo way said. Tulane University Professor Melissa V. Harris-Perry, said in a January 2012 inter view with MSNBC, that she is not “a huge fan of the role model theory.” She says that what she finds “extraordinary about black MISSING Female Role Models history in America has been the ability to imagine freedom, equality, and full human ity even when there was no living model.” On one hand, black women take their own fate into their own hands with what they choose to consume. Producers create television shows that show black women in a negative light, but still black women choose to boost their ratings by watch ing their shows. Although rappers like Nicki Minaj, Lil’Kim and Trina wear the most revealing clothing, black women still choose the “hot pants” over the modest dress, worn by Michelle Obama. “Each woman should know right from wrong,” Symone Lunsford, an FSU fresh man said. If a woman knows that what she sees is wrong, she should want to do op posite, it’s a personal decision. We control our own fate, Lunsford added. In her book. Professor Melissa V. Har ris-Perry, says that "black women attempt to stand upright in a room made by the crooked stereotypes." Black women have shaped their place in history thus far. Showing that there they may not be a lack of role models, but in stead, there may be a lack of black women rescuing themselves from the patterns of selective history.
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