VOID Magazine: A Safe Space for Black Men

VOID

A SAFE SPACE FOR BLACK MEN

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https://www.voidmag.com/aprilissue2022.html - April 2022

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

JAMAL

V

ulnerability, PTSD, Trauma, pain and insecurities are all topics swept under the rug in the black male psyche. Through music media and history, the black male image has been misundertood to the largest extent.

I like to describe these three categories of coomunication as the “three-headed-beast”.

In regards to the stereotypes, stigmas, fears, judgements, and social biases this “ThreeHeaded-Beast” has produced a large amount of time, the pressure and confusion placed on the minds of African-American men in society is immense. I , Jamal Lateef Taylor Jr. , through testimony, poet expression, statistics, historical relevance, and authentic viewpoints want to unviel the struggles and reaons why black men struggle with their own self image.

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TAYLOR This also will give a voice to the many men that feel voiceless in their communities that expect them to “be a man”. This issue will tackle the controversial definition of what it truly means to be a man and the healthy extent of masculinity. As a kid that grew up in the inner cities of Bronx NY, I am well aware of all sides of the culture and the expectations that come with it. I’ve seen and heard many situations most only read about or listen to in the media. This project will be taking a deep dive into my own experiences as black man and the many obstcales I faced along the way.

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“Self-Mastery Is Key” —Jamal Taylor

VOICES FROM THE VOID “THE RAIN THAT NEVER CAME”

A quiet silence, Focused eyes watching violence; A tragic history, Seeing blacks die, Its drilling into me, I’m Bleeding spiritually; Ancestors shaken in my soul, Jumping from the slave ships, And death is the goal, I just want to know, How my people entered in this hole; A history controlled, By non-blacks foes, They find a statue, Clean the dust and shoot off the nose, All while kings and queens are sold; A road to freedom needed patience, Moving from the plantation, I’m seeing segregation, Methods used across the nation, Businesses remained in concentrations, Envious populations, Race wars, All ended in domination, Too much hatred, Black codes, Jim Crow, Willie Lynch operations. ­—Jamal Taylor Jr.

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CONSTEL 2.

LETTER

6.

MUSIC

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LLATIONS 12.

GALLERY

18.

ROOTS Of MASCULINITY https://www.voidmag.com/aprilissue2022.html - April 2022

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MUSIC THE INFLUENCE OF RAP & HIP-HOP

By Jamal Taylor

W

hy has it become normal for

resemble in the media. This has a cause

or group of lyricists expressing their

young African American males

and effect on the true meaning of black

emotions, thoughts or experiences of their

to embrace violent and hostile

masculinity.

reality of living. Rap music originated out

behaviors towards each other? Has the self

Hip hop being one the of the most

of Bronx, New York in New York City,

expression of Hip Hop embedded self-

widespread genres in the world and being

so it stems out of the African American

destructive ideas from the ghetto into black

that it glorifies the “hood” lifestyle, the

community. Black men tend to see

males’ values and morals in everyday life?

inevitable influence of rap’s sexualized

themselves in other black men within the

Rap music’s over emphasis on materialism

and violent lyrics would eventually reach

limelight and imitate their behaviors if

and womanizing influences young black

the black youth. Rap/Hip hop music is

they think it’s cool to do so. This is because

men to behave like the people they closely

the poetic and musical art form of self-

the other genres of music that get pushed

expression which consists of an individual

on mainstream radio don’t reflect the

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experiences, struggle, and livelihood of

listen to their songs. It’s not about which

young black men. It is important to see the

artists’ music are good or bad, it’s about

On the other hand, lyrical rappers tend to

correlation between the messages in hip

acknowledging the amount of power,

be for the more mature or older aged black

hop, poverty in the ghetto, the behavior of

consciously or unconsciously, each artist

men. This reason is because both target

the youth, and the fading wisdom transfer

has on their audience. For example, in

audiences prefer to emphasize different

from elder to youth. Every generation’s

rap music, there are two of three primary

things such as lyrics and delivery. This

youth has a rebellious nature but what

categories fans place artists in, mumble/

doesn’t apply to all but in a group sense it’s

makes the modern young black man vastly

trap rappers and lyrical rappers. Typically

a plausible observation. Lyrical rap fans

different from other generations before him

because of the age gap and differences in

enjoy the emphasis of “what” the artist is

is the heavy integration of technology.

experiences, mumble/trap rappers are the

saying and the deeper meanings behind the

more mainstream or popular artists that the

words, while mumble/ trap rap fans focus

majority of black youth prefer to listen to.

on the emphasis of “how” the artist says it.

and younger ages with no real boundaries.

For example, “What began as a lyrical

The artist J. Cole has a song called

It encapsulates our minds 24/7 , and we

movement in the South Bronx is now an

“Love Yourz ‘’ that directly combats the

rely on it for many everyday conveniences.

international phenomenon. Hip-hop is a

mainstream messages that influence black

Furthermore, Rap music as a genre is one

mélange of lyrical stimulation filled with

youth. This song talks about appreciating

of the most influential genres of music in

meticulous metaphors, tales from the

what you have already and counting

modern time due to its dynamic, expressive,

‘hood, and ruthless truth sayings about

your blessings. It dives into the different

adaptable, versatile, and entrancing

the social and economic injustices in the

perspectives of black men that chase money

characteristics. Specifically for black men,

“land of the free.” Hip-hop is a popular

and value material riches. The message

rap music has a heavy influence on their

music commodity for some, a creative

relates to those who want more out of their

community’s values, morals, and principles.

canon for many, whose names we will

life but chase the wrong things to get it.

Also, depending on the artist of choice, that

never know, whose stories we will never

individual can feel empowered or motivated

hear. However, these dedicated listeners

to enact on the behaviors portrayed by

find representations of themselves in the

that specific artist. These artists tend to be

music, so they listen and lean on what

idolized for what they present to the media

is familiar: the rhythms, the beats, the

for every way they present themselves to the

rhymes, the style, the stories from urban

fans and the world.

culture that make them feel relevant. There

The youth are getting exposed to technology and the internet at younger

is liberation in hip hop, in the sense that These celebrities in the media are

there is the freedom to tell one’s story in a

simultaneously influencing the people who

nonconventional way.” (Belle, Pg. 288).

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I

n J Cole’s song “Love Yourz”, “It’s beauty in the struggle, ugliness in the success/Hear my words or listen to my signal of distress/I grew up in the city and know sometimes we had less/Compared to some of my niggas down the block, man, we were blessed; Always gon’ be a bigger house somewhere, but n**** feel me/’Long as the people in that motherf**** love you dearly/ Always gon’ be a whip that’s better than the one you got/Always gon’ be some clothes that’s fresher than the one’s you rock/Always gon’ be a b**** that’s badder out there on the tours/But you ain’t never gon’ be happy ‘til you love yours”.

(J. Cole, “Love Yourz”, © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.). This song also explains the negative effects of chasing the stereotypical image of black men in the media, and how it could lead to a life of disappointment, unnecessary

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XXX

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1998-2018

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Too Dark To Be Seen,

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Too Bright To Fade,

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Life Ain’t What It Seems,

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Rather Hide In The Shade,

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Pray To God For Faith, Take Pain The Pain Away,

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If I Choke And Break, I’m The Face To Blame.

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Scared?

Don’t Be A Baby

Fight Back

Figure It Out

It Didn’t Hurt

NOBODY CARES Boys Don’t No Fears No Tears Cry

Man UP!

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By Maia Niguel Hoskin

https://www.forbes.com/sites/maiahoskin/2022/03/31/black-masculinity-and-mental-health-what-black-men-should-consider-about-their-emotional-and-mental-wellness/?sh=ee2ecdc78afe

BLACK MASCULINITY & MENTAL HEALTH

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B

lack men experience

must be willing to be vulnerable

other hand, are often frowned

unique challenges that

enough to admit that they need

upon and not socially acceptable,

other men don’t face

help and ask for it. And asking

sending a clear message to some

because of the attention placed

for help requires some Black men

Black men that to be accepted, they

on their looks and bodies — and

to deviate from expectations that

must fit a particular gender role

rarely on their mental or emotional

require them to be tough — which

in which strength and stoicism are

intelligence. Research suggests

itself can create significant inner

mandatory.

that in many spaces, Black men are

tension and conflict. Given the

expected to be strong and resilient

numerous negative impacts of Black

physically. They are encouraged to

masculinity, experts like Neal-

do well in athletics and to engage

Barnett wish the construct could be

and thrive in physical activities,

done away with entirely.

but not in activities that promote

men specifically are traditional masculinity roles and ideas across racial and ethnic backgrounds that have caused men to struggle

Researchers who examine how

with being vulnerable and sharing

Black masculinity and norms affect

their emotions — making them

help-seeking behavior among

even more reluctant to seek help.

The foundation of this Black

Black men have found negative

A growing body of research and

masculinity construct is laid early,

outcomes. In a study of Black men

commentary looks specifically at

with many Black men growing up

who were experiencing mental

how Black masculinity norms and

believing their psychological and

health challenges published in

presumptions affect mental health

emotional health and wellness do

the July–September 2016 issue of

among Black men.

not have an inherent or productive

Behavioral Medicine, notions about

value to other members of the

Black masculinity both exacerbated

Black community or to society

psychological and emotional

as a whole. Many Black men

challenges such as depression,

internalize the idea that their value

anxiety, and PTSD and prevented

lies in what they can contribute

the men from seeking help to

physically, such as through sports

address those challenges.

learning or emotional or mental growth.

or performing physical labor,

In the book “We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity”, the social and cultural critic bell hooks examined the impact on Black men of social expectations that they’ll behave in ways associated with Black masculinity, and described

Traditional media portrayals of

how the expectation to follow a

Black men haven’t helped. As a study

specific set of behaviors creates a

published in 2019 in the journal

toxic environment: Viewed inside a

Psychology of Men & Masculinities

stereotype, Black men can become

explains, we have been inundated

dehumanized and invisible, and

Self-examination may be seen as

with images in film, television, and

their psychological and emotional

not only pointless, but a sign of

social media that depict Black men

health suffers. In addition, the lack

weakness. According to Neal-

as overly masculine and, in some

of love and acceptance that many

Barnett, in order for Black men

cases, aggressive and hypersexual.

of them face can create a separate

to seek and receive help, they

Open displays of emotion, on the

emotional crisis.

and that discussing or exploring psychological or emotional concerns is in direct contradiction to societal expectations.

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Adding to these factors for Black

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More Black Men Are Exposing Vulnerabilities, Creating Space for Dialogue and Change

I

n 2018, the music

about his involvement

their efforts to increase

received by fans, and

mogul Jay-Z added

with Okayplayer’s

awareness among Black

GaTa later openly shared

to the conversation

PASSAGE: The Practice

men about mental

his real-life experiences

in an interview with Van

of Healing, a new

health; TV portrayals are with the diagnosis. And

Jones on CNN in which

wellness initiative for

also shifting.

he discussed his own

people of color, the hip-

experience with therapy

hop artist Big K.R.I.T.

and “the ridiculousness

talked about mental

of the stigma” attached

health and encouraged

to mental health issues;

the Black community to

he openly advocated for

seek counseling services

therapy in schools.

when needed.

More recently, in an

Members of the music

with bipolar disorder.

interview with Forbes

industry are not alone in

The episode was well

In a 2020 episode of FX’s Dave, GaTa — who plays a version of his real self on the show as hype man to Lil Dicky (Dave Burd) — reveals that he has been diagnosed

in season four of HBO’s Insecure, Issa’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Nathan confides in her that he, too, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder — an issue that’s also part of the plot in season five.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/maiahoskin/2022/03/31/black-masculinity-and-mental-health-what-black-men-should-consider-about-their-emotional-and-mental-wellness/?sh=ee2ecdc78afe

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HELPFUL TIPS

You have nothing to prove. Black men who are experiencing psychological and emotional health challenges have nothing to prove to anyone but themselves. Of course, there are obligations to loved ones that must be fulfilled, but prioritizing mental and physical wellness so that you can be more present for those who love and depend on you is essential.

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You can pick your mental health professional.

Sitting down and sharing your deepest and darkest secrets can be difficult for anyone, regardless of biological sex or racial or ethnic background. But one of the great things about seeking services is that, in most cases, you can select the professional with whom you feel oswald-elsaboath-Pvz4WTZ9PuM-unsplash

There is no shame in seeking treatment. You have probably heard this a million times, but it’s true. Neal-Barnett says sometimes the most courageous gesture we can make is to ask for help.

3.

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2.

Treatment, in all its forms, is entirely confidential. All counselors are ethically bound to maintain the confidentiality of their clients and are subject to losing licensure if they fail to do so. NealBarnett encourages Black men to not worry about those skeletons; they are safe with your therapist and psychiatrist.

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4.

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1.

5.

Counseling, therapy, and psychiatric treatment are not for “crazy” people. This is a stereotype that needs to be retired once and for all. Counseling is for anyone who wants to speak with a non-biased and objective professional in a confidential environment.

HEALING

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“ BEING

L

S T IS SO CLOSE

TO BEING FOUND

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”

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