#afrocentric gifts

[ekamini]

CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS

Let’s stop talking about arcane for a second, although MEGA fan of JINX. But I just realised that Christmas is coming up and most of us “immigrants” (I don’t like that word it makes me feel like a bird) don’t have anything suitable to gift our relatives or to wear to New Year’s parties and family dinners. Well if any of this sounds familiar, I’ll be launching an African ready to wear store in 11 days {08/12/2025} with mostly one of one designs (so don’t worry about anyone copying your style, they are pretty rare). We have a lot of preorders specifically from Nigeria and Ghana so stock is already quite low till the next restock, but hey I’m accepting enquiries in forms messages on any of our platforms or email us at ekaminifashionstore@gmail.com

[freesamplesz]

Black Pride Hoodies on Etsy.

Check out more on FreeSamplesStore on Etsy

[miamimerchant]

Wild black and hair style, black hair style by Miami-Merchant

Black and white hair style with girl outline https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/161769726?asc=u

[8-rock]

I made TheGrio Holiday List! 🥰

[doviewingsstudio]

Positive Affirmations Key Fobs coming soon! Shop at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC or on my Etsy shop soon!

[trascapades]

🎨#ArtIsAWeapon

#Artwork: Ethiopia, 1921

#Artist: Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller

Information and images from @nmaahc - Born #OnThisDay [June 9] in 1877, Meta Vaux Warrick created art that drew heavily from Afrocentric themes. She was known primarily as a sculptor, but also wrote poetry and painted...

The exposition America’s Making ran for two weeks in 1921 in a New York City armory, intended to celebrate the contributions of the nation’s immigrants. W. E. B. Du Bois, the noted writer, philosopher, and editor, organized the “Americans of Negro Lineage” section of the exposition. He commissioned Fuller to create an artwork that would symbolize the musical and industrial contributions of African Americans to the development of the United States. Fuller, who had studied both in Paris and at the Pennsylvania Museum School of the Industrial Arts, opted to take a different conceptual direction with her allegorical sculpture Ethiopia (1921). Referring to African Americans, Fuller wrote, “Here was a group who had once made history and now after a long sleep was awaking, gradually unwinding the bandage of its mummied past and looking out on life again, expectant but unafraid and with at least a graceful gesture.” Created at the dawn of the Harlem Renaissance, Ethiopia is widely considered the first Pan-African American work of art...

Warrick’s work represented a new black identity that emerged during the Negro Renaissance. Follow the link in our bio to learn more. #HiddenHerstory #APeoplesJourney #ANationsStory

Image 1: 📸 Gift of the Fuller Family, Copyright Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller

Image 2: 📸 Courtesy of Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

#MetaVauxWarrick #BlackArtists #Sculpture #BlackWomenArtists #BlackGirlArtGeeks

MORE INFO ABOUT META VAUX WARRICK FULLER:

[cyarskaren52]

LIST

YOU SUCKAS: THE 25 DOPEST KRS-ONE SONGS

By Kiani Shabazz

Published Sat, August 28, 2021 at 6:00 PM EDT

Lawrence “Kris” Parker, better known as KRS-One, is one of the most groundbreaking emcees in Hip-Hop history. 

Known for his politically-charged raps, brash delivery, and ethos of promoting Afrocentrism and knowledge, KRS-One is one of the godfathers of political or conscious rap, but his influence doesn't stop there. KRS always incorporates patois and Jamaican toasting in his flow, connecting dancehall and Hip-Hop for anyone who may have forgotten how much the Caribbean helped forge this culture. And on Boogie Down Productions' classic debut Criminal Minded, his gritty street tales helped set the mold for what would later be called gangsta rap. 

His name is an abbreviation for Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone, and "The Teacha" never falls short of delivering a thought-provoking message with his gift of lyrical storytelling. KRS has a long catalog of tracks from his days with Boogie Down Productions and his solo career. Here are KRS-One’s 25 Dopest Songs. 

#26

“MAD IZM” - CHANNEL LIVE FEAT. KRS-ONE [BONUS SONG]

Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! KRS links up with New Jersey duo Channel Live over a hypnotizing loop as the emcees spit lyrics about smoking the finest tree.

#25

“HIP-HOP VS. RAP”

On this track KRS maps out the differences between hip-hop and rap. “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live,” the emcee explains. Kris shouts out a dozen or so other classic rap tracks on the song, which was a freestyle originally released as the B-side of 1994s "Sound Of Da Police."

#24

"AH YEAH"

One of the most incendiary tracks in a catalog that's about as unapologetic as it gets, KRS delivers this firebomb on his classic sophomore solo album, calling out white supremacy and racism on one of his most bombastic anthems.

#23

"A FRIEND"

KRS-One reflects on the qualities that people have to have in order for them to kick it with him. In true KRS fashion, the rapper has to drop some conscious bars about trustworthiness, hip-hop culture, and respect on the track about friendship and camaraderie. 

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#22

"FREE MUMIA"

While the track is dedicated to Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner, little is mentioned about him. It can be said that KRS-One used Mumia as a comparison: Mumia was arrested and convicted for political reasons, just like Hip-Hop was under trail and used as a scapegoat for political gain.

#21

"DUCK DOWN" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

One of KRS-One’s hardest tracks. Over a banging drum beat, KRS delivers another clear message to sucka emcees about who exactly holds the crown in Hip Hop. With a hard hitting breakbeat and horror movie type sample, this track is nothing short of a banger.

#20

"BLACK COP"

The version of “Black Cop” that appeared on "Return of the Boom Bap" was a remix produced by Kenny Parker and KRS-One. The original record, produced by Pal Joey, was scrapped. In fact, its first release on the "CB4" soundtrack lists Pal Joey as the producer and its rerelease on the "Return of the Boom Bap" lists KRS-One, clearly revealing that a mix up had occurred.

#19

“JIMMY” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

KRS-One gives us a safe-sex anthem with “Jimmy.” At the height of the AIDs epidemic, Teacha reminds all the “super hoes” to wrap it up before laying it down in the bedroom. The song is informative yet playful, the hook later being interpolated for Diddy and Pharell's 2001 collaboration “Diddy."

#18

"I CAN'T WAKE UP"

One of DJ Premier's most raucous beats is the backdrop for KRS to get off-the-wall; recounting a dream of being a blunt—that's getting passed among everybody in Hip-Hop, from Redman to Greg Nice to Yo-Yo. 

#17

"POETRY" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

The opening track to the classic Criminal Minded sets the tone for the rest of the album: hard, minimalistic beats and KRS’ intelligent lyricism. Revolutionary and hugely influential, Hip Hop in its purest form.

#16

"RAPPAZ R N DANJA"

This DJ Premier-produced banger is the perfect opener to KRS One’s underappreciated eponymous titled second solo album. KRS has a message for wack rappers – guess what: they are in danger.

#15

"CRIMINAL MINDED" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

The title track to Boogie Down Production’s 1987 album is the perfect introduction to KRS-One’s conscious rap style. The rapper was unmatched in his era. KRS flows effortlessly on the hard hitting beat as Scott La- Rock chops and scratches throughout the track. The perfect introduction to one of the best emcee’s of all time. 

#14

"YOU MUST LEARN" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

KRS-One addresses the American public school system and its obsession with teaching black kids nothing but ‘white history’. In this song the rapper takes it upon himself to teach his listeners the importance of African American history, name-dropping black history icons like Benjamin Banneker, Garrett Morgan, and Harriet Tubman. He makes it clear that young blacks should educate themselves on their history. They must learn!

#13

"WHY IS THAT?" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

Much like "Black Man In Effect" from "Edutainment," this song is signature KRS One. Thought-provoking, provocative, filled with knowledge and ultimately uplifting; this is one of the highlights of Boogie Down Productions’ "Ghetto Music: The Blueprint Of Hip-Hop."

#12

“STOP THE VIOLENCE” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

The song that kicked off the rapper’s Stop the Violence campaign, promoting peace and harmony in the hip-hop community. The campaign was kicked off after a fan was shot and killed outside of a Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy show. The track encourages listeners to change the narrative of hip-hop and street culture by putting an end to the violence, staying true to KRS-One’s ethos of positivity and black empowerment. 

#11

“9MM GOES BANG” - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

On this track, Blastmaster KRS tells us a story about his trusty 9mm pistol. Evidence of early KRS-One (before he fully adopted his "Teacha" persona), this Kris is not the one to fuck with. With some attempted robberies and beef over somebody’s girl KRS always keeps his gun on his side, always ready for the smoke. A prime example of how BDP helped lay the groundwork for gangsta rap, before the tragic murder of Scott La Rock set KRS on a more conscious path. 

#10

"SELF DESTRUCTION" (STOP THE VIOLENCE MOVEMENT)

“Self-Destruction” was released as a charity single for the National Urban Legue, a New York City civil rights organization that is dedicated to fighting racial discrimination. The song was made after several shootings in New York City’s Hip-Hop scene, including the one that killed his friend and Boogie Down Productions founder, Scott La Rock. 

#9

"OUTTA HERE"

KRS-One calls out all sucka MCs on the predecessor to his 1995 track, “Rappaz R N Danja”. The track warns one-hit wonder rappers and wack rappers to keep their eye on the clock because the time will come when they will be “Outta Here”.

#8

"LOVE’S GONNA GETCHA (MATERIAL LOVE)" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

The 8th track off of "Edutainment" released in 1990, this single was produced by Pal Joey, and features a music Video. Here KRS-One teaches us the dangers of materialism and falling in love with items and flashy things and value these items more than life itself.

#7

"I’M STILL #1" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

One of the stand-out tracks from the overall excellent By All Means Necessary album. As early as 1988 KRS proclaims with confidence he is still the GOAT and will still be always be. Thirty years later, not many have came to prove him wrong.

#6

"THE BRIDGE IS OVER" - BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

This single is one of the most iconic diss records of all time. A continuation of their song “South Bronx”, going even harder on the Juice Crew’s MC Shan, Marley Marl, Mr. Magic and Roxanne Shante. 

#5

"STEP INTO A WORLD (RAPTURE'S DELIGHT)"

This track is simply a banger! Taking a sample from Blondie’s, “Rapture”, on of the first songs that made hip-hop pop, was an anthem dedicated to the real emcees and hip-hop heads. KRS-One raps over one of the hardest beats in his career that is sure to get the club rockin.'

#4

"MC’S ACT LIKE THEY DON’T KNOW"

KRS- One and DJ Premier team up on the classic track “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know” to once again let listeners and rappers know who is at the top of the game. Not only is KRS the best battle rapper with the sharpest pen, he also rocks the crowd better than every emcee too. There’s no question that KRS-One is one of the most energetic rappers to blaze the stage. He is engaging and ruthless on the mic. 

#3

"SOUND OF DA POLICE"

Unfortunately, this track is just as relevant today as it was the day of the release decades ago. In this song KRS One addresses police brutality toward the black community, linking the days of slavery to the way police acts in these modern times. Comparing overseers to police officers, everyone should be scared of the sounds of the police. 

#2

"SOUTH BRONX"

In response to MC Shan’s “The Bridge”, KRS-One comes answers back with “South Bronx”, proving that hip-hop’s birthplace was still not to be fucked with! The iconic diss track is a staple of hip-hop history, officially firing back to Queensbridge rap group, The Juice Crew, kicking off the infamous Bridge Wars.

#1

"MY PHILOSOPHY"

KRS-One addresses the commercialization of hip-hop. He notices that the genre he grew up loving has become a marketing ploy and is losing the raw and genuine essence of hip-hop music. The song was ahead of its time, almost 30 years later the song is more relevant than ever. 

Sent from my iPhone

[blkaestheticsco]

Remembering Nina Simone

The lights must have blinded her at first. The glittering luminescent chandelier, the spotlight that set her figure aglow. Carnegie Hall's sparkling lights must have blinded Nina Simone as she strode across the stage and sat at her piano. Did she feel fear when she gazed out at a thousand faces that stared back at her expectantly? Knowing Nina, I think not.

This, her first solo concert at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall, would be punctuated by her performance of the damning and ironic protest song “Mississippi G—m.”

And it would be one of the first recordings of Nina Simone’s music that I would ever hear.

I was probably still in my teens and one of the only things I knew about the woman who was born Eunice Waymon was that she was cool enough for Lauryn Hill to reference in a Fugees song.

When an algorithm in some internet radio player selected and subsequently released a spry refrain of bass, guitar and drum cheerfully blended together, I was intrigued.

“The name of this tune is Mississippi G—m,” Nina said in her feminine tenor.

The audience laughed out loud.

“And I mean every word of it.”

The audience’s next response was a collective unsure chuckle.

I found that I was immediately enamored with Simone’s artistry. I loved the way she blended cheek with an anger evoked by oppression, making them the heart and soul of a protest song sung over what could have been the score of a Broadway musical.

I would fall in love with Simone’s work a second time as I watched my high school’s dance company undulate and leap to “Four Women.” The dancers were characters in the stories Nina told, their skin tones and movement matching the appearance and mood of the women in each vignette.

It was through “Four Women” that I truly began to comprehend the importance of Nina Simone.  With "Four Women" she had managed to encapsulate the struggles of black womankind in less than five minutes. 

Nina was the black woman’s lyrical historian, a bard who sang our history and archived our triumph and shame with sound.

That song spoke volumes to me about the triple consciousness of being black, female, and American in a way that no one else had perhaps other the first time I had heard The Mis-education of Lauryn Hill.

After that Nina Simone would become for me both muse and teacher representing a black femininity that was Afrocentric, sharply intelligent and ensconced in social consciousness. Her sculptured hair, her brazen denigration of racism and her belief in the beauty of blackness were all things I wanted to imitate.

Nina Simone’s throat was a revolver and her words were bullets that pierced prejudice. She sung truth and transmuted apathy into so many shards of glass with the machine gun of her voice.

As I consider who Nina Simone was and what she stood for in the year she would have turned 80, I believe that this is her legacy: truth and passion.

Perhaps in no other song was she more truthful or more passionate than in “Mississippi G—m.” That night in 1964 at Carnegie Hall Nina transitioned from entertainer to a human clarion call naming the sins of a segregated America. 

She artfully expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of social change by integrating elements of blues and gospel. During her performance Nina Simone sings the words “desegregation” and “mass participation” and male voices respond with “too slow,” embodying the collective voice of a righteously impatient black America.

To sing such a politically charged song in 1964 took incredible courage. It took a level of zeal and integrity that surpasses fear. 

That remarkable authenticity and ardor was Nina Simone’s genius and it was her gift to us.

Originally published on For Harriet

[nilemuzik]

[africanamericancalendars]

African American Expressions™ is the world’s largest black-owned gift and greeting-card company. Known for eye-catching designs and poignant art pieces, AAE™ offers America’s best selection of culturally authentic gifts such as black calendars, African-American Christmas cards, black figurines, afrocentric accessories and more.

Contact Us :-

Address: 10266 Rockingham Drive Sacramento, CA 95827

Email: info@black-gifts.com

Phone: 800.684.1555 African American Calendars Facebook Instagram Youtube

[urbanlifeapparel]

Check out this awesome 'Malcolm X - Pan African Colors' design on @TeePublic!

[ekamini]

Get Your Christmas Gifts While They Are Still On SALE!!!

We Are Now Available [link also available in bio]

[abwwia]

Maquette for Ethiopia (later known as Ethiopia Awakening) by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877–1968), 1921. Painted plaster; height 14 inches. Except as noted, the objects illustrated are in the Danforth Art Museum, Framingham State University, Massachusetts, gift of the Meta V. W. Fuller Trust. Except as noted, photographs are courtesy of the Danforth Art Museum.

Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller

https://www.themagazineantiques.com/article/the-sculpture-of-meta-vaux-warrick-fuller/

Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (/miːtə ˈvaʊ/ MEE-tə VOW; born Meta Vaux Warrick; June 9, 1877 – March 13, 1968) was an African-American artist who celebrated Afrocentric themes. At the fore of the Harlem Renaissance, Warrick was known for being a poet, painter, theater designer, and sculptor of the black American experience. At the turn of the 20th century, she achieved a reputation as the first black woman sculptor and was a well-known sculptor in Paris before returning to the United States. Via Wikipedia

[ausetkmt]

Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan, one of the world’s most pre-eminent and prolific scholars of African history, passed away early yesterday morning in New York City at the stunning age of 97.

It was only fitting that one of the most courageous and inspiring scholars of our time would live for nearly a century, paying personal witness to dramatic transformations in the lives of Black people across the globe. But more than anyone, Dr. Ben—as he was affectionally called by generations of his devoted followers—knew that a world transformed was not a world complete. Black people might have lifted themselves from widespread subjugation, but they still suffered and were far from the glorious civilizations in Africa about which Dr. Ben taught millions of eager charges.

One of his many specialties was the ancient civilization of Kemet in Egypt. He was one of the first true Egyptologists, before that title had even come into vogue. Dr. Ben was always a controversial figure because he had no interest in trying to placate white scholars or writers who were threatened by his claims about Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Because generations of white orthodoxy had moved the Western world to accept as fact questionable scholarship about the preeminence of European rulers and thinkers, Dr. Ben was always willing to take down these Western myths, one by one.

Dr. Ben turned 97 on New Year’s Eve and had plans to celebrate many more. But his friends took note of his diminishing appetite—though close colleagues like Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Prof. James Small were forced to go onto the Internet earlier this month to debunk rumors that he had already passed. At 3:30 am on Thursday morning, he bid his farewell.

“He was one of last great race men of his era,” Nayaba Arinde, Amsterdam News Editor, said on the Amsterdam News website. “He was a master teacher who just wanted to share our amazing African history. He was a man of the people. He was always amongst us, educating, and sharing. Sitting with him was a gift of tremendous proportions. He was loved, and he loved his people.”

He was like a library of African history onto himself, as if a wing of one of the world’s great research institutions had been poured into one brain and become ambulatory.

For those in the New York tri-state area in the 1970s and 1980s, he was a familiar presence and voice from his frequent appearances on Gil Noble’s weekly Black-focused television show “Like It Is” and on the Afrocentric radio station WLIB. It was an important time for him to spread his teachings about the glory of ancient African civilizations—coming out of the tumult of the Civil Rights Movement and the uplifting of the Black Power Movement, young Black people were eager to soak up his words, to extend their communion with their past far beyond the enraging lessons of slavery.

He often worked together with another legendary scholar, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, who died in 1998.

During his immense life, Dr. Ben journeyed from his birth in Ethiopia, to a Puerto Rican mother and an Ethiopian father, studying in institutions ranging from Puerto Rico to Cuba to Brazil to Spain. After earning a B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico, he went on to earn a Master’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Havana, Cuba and then doctoral degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Moorish History from the University of Havana and the University of Barcelona, Spain.

He taught many years at such institutions as City College in New York City and Cornell University.

His authorship extended to 49 books, many focusing on Egypt and the civilizations of the Nile Valley.

In 2002, Dr. Ben—who lived in Harlem his later years—donated to the Nation of Islam his personal library of more than 35,000 volumes, manuscripts and ancient scrolls.

“Of all our greats, Dr. Ben physically took tens of thousands of scholars, activists, students and associations to the Nile Valley to make the pages of his book more authentic,” said his colleague, Reggie Mabry. “We saw our own experiences of what he wrote… For that the Black world is indebted to this Black man of the Nile and his family.”

[dopeeeeeeshxt]

@ laviebyck

[kwanzaa-wakanda]

A Post About Kwanzaa Gifts

Gift giving during Kwanzaa is always a tricky thing. I think one of the few things that everyone knows about Kwanzaa is that, traditionally, gifts are supposed to be handmade and from the earth. However, that can be rather limiting criteria. I understand the motivations behind it; the goal is to affirm family, tradition, and heritage, and that can be difficult to do with something you buy from a department store. However, this isn’t the 1960s anymore, and even though shopping for such a gift is still hard it isn’t impossible.

For those of you that know me in real life, you probably noticed that I wear an ankh necklace all the time. This was a gift that my mother got for me for my first kwanzaa. I was seven years old, and we had just moved to Mississippi after the hurricane. She and my dad took my sister and I to a communal kwanzaa event, and there was a vendor there that was selling jewelry. I thought the ankh looked really cool, so I asked my mom for it. She didn’t have the money then, but later took me to the vendor’s store and bought it for me. And now I wear it anywhere, all the time.

I bring up this story to point out that the intent behind the kwanzaa gift model can still be followed even if a gift is purchased as opposed to hand-made. It’s my personal belief that while the hand-made, from the earth gift model isn’t necessarily bad, it limits gift exchange through the holiday and in the process, actively prevents one of the principles (Ujamaa) from being practiced to its fullest extent throughout the holiday season. For that reason, I practice a different gift-giving model during Kwanzaa: one that still reinforces the central themes but also allows me more options for gift ideas.

So first a general rule: We are Black. We are Africans. We some Negroes. Food is ALWAYS an acceptable gift as long as it’s good food. Having trouble thinking of what to get someone for Kwanzaa? A plate would be nice.

Moving on. The most important criteria I think should always be followed with a Kwanzaa gift is that it supports Black economics, if bought, reaffirms the African heritage in all its shapes and forms, and is personal. This doesn’t just mean Continental African heritage, but also Diasporic African heritage as well. So if you want to get your friend all the Spike Lee movies on DVD and Blu Ray? Go ahead, that counts. You want to get your cousin a nice afro-print dress off WeBuyBlack or Etsy? Go ahead, just triple check that the vendor is Black. Now, Children’s gifts have to include a book of some kind, to support literacy among our children. That doesn’t mean children can only receive books (I wish it did), it just means that along with whatever else you give a child, you must also give them a book.

Now, this still means that certain kinds of gifts are better left being Christmas or birthday presents. An Xbox for a gamer can be a thoughtful gift, but as it doesn’t really invoke the themes of Kwanzaa, it isn’t a kwanzaa present. If there were a gaming system that had a Black manufacturer, then it could be, but there isn’t. I know Black people love Nikes and sneakers are a huge part of our culture now, but sneakers don’t count if they aren’t made by a Black business (I personally argue that Jordans would, but only if MJ still owns the label). I know that the Black economics rule is still limiting, but it’s less limiting than the “handmade from the earth” rule. One of the key points of kwanzaa is that it should not fall into the trap of Christmas’s commercialism, and that’s going to be difficult to do if we’re buying impersonal, expensive gifts that don’t affirm our culture and heritage. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy your friend an Xbox, some Nikes, or a gift-card to Sephora. But if you do, exchange it on Christmas instead of Kwanzaa.

Finally, for those of you that are maybe having difficulty finding kwanzaa gift, I recommend using We Buy Black for your online shopping, and Official Black Wallstreet for a list of brick-and mortar Black-owned businesses in your area.

Kwanzaa gifts are a bit of a challenge as opposed to Christmas gifts, because consumerist culture hasn’t yet spread to Kwanzaa to make us buy any and everything and consider it a gift. Kwanzaa is hard work, but the work is worth it. By putting in a bit more effort to giving a kwanzaa gift than anything else, we can ensure that our businesses are supported and that our people maintain a sense of pride in their heritage.