Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons took some time today (November 27) to reflect on his admiration toward Kanye West and detailed just how much of a positive contribution he makes to society.


Reports Sohh:

According to Simmons, they recently spoke face-to-face and he realized just how passionate Ye is about making a difference in the world.

“I recently sat down with Ye in New York and got the chance to hear about his hopes and ambitions, his frustrations and contradictions, his happiness and his anger. But through it all, what I felt from Kanye was an artist who desperately wants to leave his imprint in the history books. What’s often times misunderstood about Kanye is that people believe he wants all of this for himself, in fact, quite the opposite, he wants all of this for the rest of us. He wants to destroy the glass ceiling with 808?s and crack music…so one day WE have the power to see all of the lights. Certainly he wants a piece for himself…everybody would, but at his core, at the bottom of his heart, lies an inner-truth that has led to an external battle to make this world a bit easier for those who have been dealt a hand of struggle, by showing them a glimmer of hope through his art.” (Global Grind)

In Simmons’ opinion, Mr. West has the power to lead masses into a new generation of advancement.

“We will no longer be lost in the world and we will survive in this America. I believe these truths to be self-evident. That is what Kanye West told me on a cold morning in New York City just seven days ago. It is his genius, his tenacity, his creativity, his relentlessness and his madness, that will allow us all to one day have the ability to touch the sky.” (Global Grind)

Shortly after Russell posted his blog entry, Kanye jumped at the opportunity to respond.

“Thank you Russel for these kind insightful words, I appreciate your mentorship.,” Kanye tweeted November 27. (Kanye West’s Twitter)

Posted: 11/08/2013 5:06 pm EST

The black students at University of California, Los Angeles, sent a strong message about diversity at their school. Namely, the fact that there isn't much when it comes to African-American males, a troubling fact for one of the state's most elite institutions.

A group of students, led by Sy Stokes, posted a video voicing their concerns about the number of black students on campus, and their message is hard to ignore. Stokes, a third-year Afro-American studies student who identifies as black, Cherokee and Chinese, recites a spoken word poem in the video, citing blaring statistics about the university's diversity issue.

According to the school's enrollment statistics, African-Americans make up 3.8 percent of the student population. In the video, Stokes points out that black males make up 3.3 percent of the male student population, and that 65 percent of those black males are undergraduate athletes. Of the incoming men in the freshmen class, only 1.9 percent of them were black.

In an interview with the Daily Bruin, Stokes said he almost dropped out of UCLA during his first year because he felt isolated and uncomfortable. Although he eventually found his niche in the minority community, he said he wanted to raise awareness about the school's lack of diversity before the university's application deadline on Nov. 30.

“We had to do something to put our issues on the map,” Stokes said.

In an email statement to the school paper, Janina Montero, vice chancellor of student affairs, said administrators acknowledge the need for more diversity and are attempting to work within the state's admission parameters.

“We certainly recognize that the low numbers of African Americans and other underrepresented students on campus does lead to a sense of isolation and invisibility,” Montero said in her email statement. “It is difficult to eliminate this painful imbalance without considering race in the admissions process.”

The state of California voted down affirmative action in 1996 and passed Proposition 209, which banned state schools from considering race, gender, ethnicity or national origins in their admissions processes. Black student enrollment has severely decreased since that provision and critics are saying that has to change.

The students' video adds to the ongoing affirmative action debate both inside and outside of the state, raising awareness about diversity at institutions around the country. Stokes said he feels responsible for spreading the word about the unknown challenges of being a minority student at UCLA and the ongoing lack of diversity on campus.

"Being the cousin of Arthur Ashe, I feel as though it is my responsibility to uphold the strong voices of the Black Bruin community," he said. This school has experienced unacceptable instances of injustice recently, and many people are not aware of what is happening at this university."

Excelsior! Ms. Marvel Reborn as Muslim-American TeenagerBy Bryan Enk

Here's a strong candidate for the key recruit in "Marvel's The Avengers 3" ... or, dare we say it, the star of her own stand-alone film?

One of Marvel's most popular characters is getting a major makeover as a brand-new interpretation of Ms. Marvel will be hitting comic book stands next month. And emphasis on the "brand-new," as our new female superhero bears little to no resemblance to her predecessor.

The new Ms. Marvel is Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Muslim-American teenager living in Jersey City and struggling with her parents' high expectations regarding a future she has little interest in. Then, one day, she's suddenly bestowed with super-powers and, well, that pretty much changes everything.

This is a far cry from the original blonde-and-blue-eyed Ms. Marvel, a "bold new super-heroine in the senses-stunning tradition of Spider-Man," as described on the cover of "Ms. Marvel" No. 1 (January 1977). The first Ms. Marvel was Carol Danvers, a highly skilled Air Force major and CIA operative who gained super-powers after an accident with an alien Kree device left her as a perfect hybrid of Kree and human genes. She was a creation of writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan, first introduced in "Marvel Super-Heroes" No. 13 (March 1968).

The old version of Ms. Marvel has been a fixture on TV cartoons, including "Super Hero Squad," in which she was a featured player, as well as appearances in "The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" and "Ultimate Spider-Man."

The new Ms. Marvel looks to expand the ethnic boundaries of the Marvel universe, though without any specific political or cultural agenda.

"The inspiration for the new 'Ms. Marvel' series stemmed out of a desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective and yet, this story isn't about what it means to be a Muslim, Pakistani or American," says "Ms. Marvel" series editor Sana Amanat. "Those are just cultural touchstones that reflect the ever-changing world we live in today. This is ultimately a tale about what it means to be young, lost amidst the expectations bestowed upon you, and what happens when you get to choose."

The new Ms. Marvel may have also been partly inspired by "Persepolis," the acclaimed black-and-white French language graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi depicting her childhood up to her early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution. Originally published in 2000, it was later adapted into an animated feature film in 2007 and received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.





No matter what her creative origins might be, the new Ms. Marvel looks to already be a hit, as social media reactions have been extremely positive:

Congrats @Marvel & @MiniB622 for pushing boundaries with the new #MsMarvel. Looking fwd to picking up issues in Feb!

Kamala Khan will first appear in January 2014 in an All-New Marvel NOW! Point One comic book before headlining her own "Ms. Marvel" title beginning in February.

The creative team consists of G. Willow Wilson ("Air," "Mystic," "Alif the Unseen"), an acclaimed novelist and multi-Eisner nominee whose writings about modern religion have appeared in such outlets as New York Times Magazine and The Atlantic; and artist Adrian Alphone ("Runaways," "Uncanny X-Force").

Back in May, in a passing reference, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Marvel had a script banked for a Ms. Marvel film. But, based on the chrononology, it would seem that treatment involved the character's original incarnation.

So ... how long before we see the rebooted character as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We have a feeling Joss Whedon raised an eyebrow or two this morning. Let the casting speculation commence.



http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/excelsior-ms-marvel-reborn-muslim-american-teenager-183043776.html