Intellectual Ink Editor in Chief
Julia Press Simmons
Creative Director
Charlotte Young-Foye
Arts & Entertainment Opinion Columnist
Haikeem Stokes Erick S. Gray
Book Reviews
Diane P. Rembert
Graphic Design
Lamont Press
Flash Fiction ~ Contemporary
Braheim Gibbs
Health & Wellness
Shonda Mayes
Events
Author Untamed
Cultural
Karen E. Quinones Miller
Song of the Shadows The Creative Corner
Phoenix Kabali JB Favour
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ONLINE ISSN 2833-7220 Julia Press Simmons ~ Julia@IntellectualInk.com Charlotte's Closet ~ Charlotte@IntellectualInk.com Haikeem Stokes ~ Haikeem@IntellectualInk.com Diamond Literary Reviews ~ DLR@IntellectualInk.com Erick S. Gray ~ Erick@IntellectualInk.com Karen E. Quinones Miller ~ Karen@IntellectualInk.com Phoenix@IntellectualInk.com GhostwriterJB@IntellectualInk.com Submissions ~ Submit@IntellectualInk.com PHILADELPHIA, PA. INTELLECTUALINK.COM
Editors' note Dear Readers, Welcome to the 25th issue of Intellectual Ink Magazine, a literary haven for avid readers and prolific writers alike. In this issue, Charlotte's Closet celebrates HipHop's 50th anniversary and takes a look at its worldwide impact on fashion, culture, and the music industry as a whole. We explore the Hip Hop Museum and "The Book Of Hov," a tribute exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch. In "#writenews," we spotlight the insightful perspectives of author and publisher T.M. Jefferson, as well as the accomplished Loretta R. Walls. Their words remind us of the power of storytelling and the endless possibilities it offers. We delve deeper into the arts and entertainment world with our features on Ravi Coltrane, Real Music Records, and Thomas "Fats" Waller one of the funniest jazz pianists who ever lived. We welcome two new columnists Phoenix Kabali and JB Favour, and we are excited to share their extraordinary talents with our readership. Inside, you will find plenty of book recommendations, reviews, and spotlights to add to your library. Lastly, we confront critical issues in "Black Men and Mental Health: WTF is Going On?" acknowledging the importance of mental well-being and creating space for open discussions. As you immerse yourselves in the diverse tapestry of content within these pages, may you find inspiration, insight, and a renewed passion for both the written word and the world that surrounds us. Thank you for being a part of the Intellectual Ink Magazine community. Happy reading! Warm regards,
Julia Press Simmons EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Charlotte Young Foye CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Contents 2. EDITOR'S NOTE 4. UNIVERSAL HIP HOP MUSEUM 8. THE BOOK OF HOV 13.A&E ~ HEIR TO THE THRONE: THE MULTIFACETED RAVI COLTRANE 18. THOMAS “FATS” WALLER ~ ONE OF THE FUNNIEST JAZZ PIANISTS WHO EVER LIVED 23. CHASING PURPOSE AN ARTISTIC JOURNEY 29. REAL MUSIC RECORDS 31. CHARLOTTE'S CLOSET~ CELEBRATING TRENDSETTERS: FIVE DECADES OF HIP-HOP HOP FASHION 48. #WRITENEWS ~ AUTHOR/PUBLISHER T.M. JEFFERSON 52. #WRITENEWS ~ AUTHOR/ PUBLISHER LORETTA R. WALLS
38. HIP HOP TURNS FIFTY:A LOOK AT THE CULTURE THAT INFLUENCED THE WORLD 73. THE TRULY REMARKABLE TALE OF ROBERT SMALLS: FATHER, TRAILBLAZER, GANGSTA! 77. BLACK MEN AND MENTAL HEALTH: WTF IS GOING ON?
59. DISHONORABLE: A BOOK TO FILM PRODUCTION 64. BOSS UP ~ WITH LYTHEIA SMITH 70. BOOK REVIEWS ~ DESTINATION WEDDING 72. POETRY ~ TO THE ONE WHO TAUGHT ME LOVE (AN ODE TO MY FATHER)
21 The [R]Evolution of Hip Hop: A Groundbreaking Journey Through the Genre's History The [R]Evolution of Hip Hop exhibit is a mind-blowing collaboration between the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Microsoft, and the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality, taking us on an immersive journey through the history of this iconic genre.