People get extremely addicted to drugs and can't operate without them

They would black mail in order to get what they wanted

There were people who would rat out people selling drugs or doing whatever

Sometimes right after it happened once it would happen again to the same people.

He remembers the exact type of guns they typically had.

Kids were inexperienced and didn't know the way this was typically done, so they would do drive-bys in broad daylight.

They start claiming areas, even though they are too young and don't know how to shoot a gun

Younger children are getting involved in these incidents compared to just the older people

Comments on how it was when he was younger was a lot different than it is now

These children had even less opportunities than he did

He shot up the building once his gun finally fixed

He was finally able to fix his backed up gun

Now that his gun isn't working, he is in danger of getting shot

The gun locked and he couldn't shoot even though he pulled the trigger

People were fearful and his arm shook from the gun and he couldn't look at what he did

Shooting people and making them shoot back from the bullets.

Warned his attackers and shot them

He ran away with the speed of a cheetah out of fear

He was caught off guard by other people and he dropped his gun

Trying to start a movement to fix these systemic issues

People are doing drive bys in these neighborhoods

Thinking about how people used to try to fix the issues, but it was a while ago

G- packs refer to packs of drugs typically sold on the street

Shows how people in this area are selling anything to make ends meet

He can be seen drinking on the stairway, or on the corner betting

He drinks out on the stairway of his building rather than inside his home

His true fans know what he is about without needing him to be on the radio

Hand a nine, which is referring to a gun, he is going to defeat the competition in the rap community.

Talking about living in street clothes which is typically associated with living a hard life, bullet holes in peepholes can be associated with drive-bys

Showing that he is serious and that is over the top

He is comparing himself to Scarface, who is a drug lord and amphetamines are mind altering drugs

His music and composition is like fighting with his words.

His rhythm is different than other rap so it would trip other people up.

Starting songs or any music is difficult to do

The "fake" rappers don't know where rap started from

Straight from where rap started (harlem, brooklyn, etc)

He confirms it is in fact time to release/rap this diss track towards whomever.

The person he is talking to is asking if it is really time to do this.

Referring to it's time for another diss track.

NY has places and if often associated with the rap and hip hop scene such as Brooklyn and Harlem.

he got the ball in and made a goal

he is quickly checking to see if he actually messed up the shot

players have a lot of love for the game they play

he made a motion, upset he fell and messed up the shot

he tripped and hit the floor, probably messing up the shot

even though he goes for the shot, he lost his balance and tripped

the ball goes against the back board during the shot

he tries to get in into the goal by himself now due to the incident

the ball goes forward, out of the player's hands into the air

this incident between the guard and the player doesn't distract them

even though the player tries to stop this teamwork, he goes for the wrong person and doesn't end up doing anything

someone finally decides to do something about the play

no one, not a single person is playing the ball solo, they are working as a team

they just keep passing the ball instead of only one person doing the play

teams are like family in how they have to work together and communicate

filling the lanes two by two while moving in the court to win

they are watching the play occur, when they should be doing things to help

they are both watching and ready to see what happens next

simile, the coach can be assumed to be drawing pictures that are meant to show motion, and can look like they are going in slow motion

when you are watching something important or you are stressed about, it goes in slow motion

he is standing in shock and is not doing anything to change it

gliding usually means whatever they are doing is going smoothly

the opponent has been confused by him and not understanding whats going on

completely shocked and stuck on the floor (nailed)

scissoring past is the motion he does to confuse his opponent and get around him

underhand pass, things underhand usually mean secretly given or passed on

A position in basketball, he is well prepared for this shot and throw

Spin to dodge while still getting the throw in

means he was grabbing it with a grip and like this was very important

orange jersey or uniform for basketball, grabbing it to push him out of the way

He is able to overcome this obstacle in this way for the 1st time

"For once" so this is the first time this has happened

The ball just sits on the rim and everything is in slow motion.

Hook shot refers to a type of shot in basketball.

A quick break maybe from stress or sadness?

3rd repetition of this line, the author is summoning the reader, reaching out for them to join this movement.

Once again, overcoming whatever is breaking you down, overcoming the struggles black people face in America.

Repetition again. Over is capitalized both times, bringing attention to it. I believe this means overcoming these struggles.

The author calls for victory over the strives towards equally and the movement. Wants to uplift those actions and help when they get backlash.

She's calling of the growth and eventual victory. Possibly referencing the eventual passing of civil rights for black people.

More repetition, once again calling for the black community / the audience. Maybe saying where it is dry, I call for you? Where it is safe I call for you? Where is it unsafe I call for you?

When a poet/author uses repetition it means they want you to pay attention to it. What is so important about this line?

Maybe where is it safe? Growing together in difficult times and where it is safe?

Paralysis is being stuck in one position or unable to move. So these two past lines of a theme of feeling trapped and feeling you are unable to do anything about it.

When you say someone is a wolf it usually means they are attacking you or somehow harming you (same with coyotes). This could reference the oppression black people face from white people and feeling trapped and unable to escape it. The "particular silences" can reference white people just standing by and not doing anything to help.

Vertigo is a spinning sensation. I think of maybe being trapped. If you are trapped you tend to circle and look around for a way out.

Using a planting, growing, gardening metaphor through her word choice. Since they are facing struggles they will grow together as a community.

I believe this is referencing the struggles she faces as a black American, therefore I believe this is her calling out to the black community to rise and strengthen together through the struggles they face.

Even though a lot of people saw her and her struggles, no one uplifted her or acknowledged her.

Even though she doesn't know what she's doing, she is still trying and doing her best.

She had many struggles because of her loss of guidance, They only wanted to see her once she was out of their lives.

Even though she didn't have all these privileges and help that other people did, she still did her best and worked hard for what she wanted.

She is thinking about all the accomplishments and goals she has and how she could've completed them if only she had some guidance growing up.

If she had this extra guidance and help she would be able to go further in life compared to where she is now.

Even though she struggles with this, she still has her good days where she can overtake anything.

She has no one to instruct her on how to do certain things in life. With no guidance she finds it life difficult compared to those who had guidance.

It feel it also depends on how you use it, plus which version. The hard R is known to be insulting no matter what race. The A ending is know to be more of a friendly banter thing.

What is wrong with this dude

This is clue use of the word in a derogatory way. Even by black people.

I see his point, but I see it more as reclaiming the word when used by the black community.

He believes that the black community have a huge impact on the use of this word. He believes their continual use of it is only driving division on this issue.

The erasure of history can have extremely terrible consequences. The word should not be erased from our history, however, non-black people should not use it.

It disagree with it being banned just because of the slur. However, I think if you are reading aloud the word shouldn't be used. These books have a good attempt at a message. Personally, I have a problem with To Kill a Mockingbird for a different reason. I personally have a issue with the white savor complex prevalent in it, but that's a different issue.

I disagree, its not minorities job to educate people. They are just trying to live their life without people being racist. It is our job as a individual in society to educate ourselves.

This doesn't sit right with me. It brings up the point of that last article where it's like why do some white people want to say it so badly?

I don't think that's what he meant. That's not the reason he doesn't think white people should say it, that's why he thinks white people can't accept not being allowed to say it.

He disagrees with the past article's point.

Restates the point of view and point of the past article.

This is true, white privilege is a thing and its still very prevalent in our society.

Yes exactly, the black community can say it because they are reclaiming it and changing the meaning. When white people say it, it comes with the 100s years of oppressive history.

The writer finds this situation as hypocritical and unfair. The writer believes it doesn't matter who says it, they believe the context is what matters.

This makes it clear who should and shouldn't say it. White people shouldn't say it because it brings with it the history of hatred and oppression towards black people. The black community uses it to reclaim the word.

This shows that the history was this word is meant as an insult and to oppress black people for 100s of years.

I agree, this is my stand point.

This goes back to white privilege. White people can do everyday normal things without even thinking. Meanwhile black people have to walk on eggshells during life to just survive normal everyday things.

This goes back to white privilege. White people can do things that black people can't because of fear of harm.

For some reason some white people just don't understand why they cannot say this word. The belief is the social norm makes it seem like white people should be able to say/do anything.

The social norm and society imprints the idea that everything belong to them (white people).

White privilege is something that white people like to pretend doesn't exist. In reality, it very much does exist, even if we don't realize it.

This shows that white people understand these social laws when it applies to many communities, however, they suddenly forget it when it applies to the black community. Maybe underlying racism?

This shows that people in those communities can use these words without it being insulting. It's that community's word to reclaim, no one else.

Exactly, that community can use it because it was used against them, therefore, they are taking the power away from it.

I wanted to point this out, that it also matters the reasoning behind it. Why do (some) white people want to use this word so badly? Especially when they know the history behind it?

This example shows that context, who you are talking to, etc truly does matter on whether something is appropriate to say or not.

White people like to take black culture and appropriate it, while not acknowledging the oppression black people face in our society.

She acknowledges the impact he has had on American life, including her own.

He actually appreciated black culture and art, when others would dismiss it solely because a black person made it.

It was almost like he was trying to help, but mostly came off as fake and racist.

We currently don't have this society that we are striving for. Hopefully at some point, systemic racism and racism in general will not be a part of our society.

Having the 1st Black President is a huge step towards this hope for a post-racial society. Not to mention he was also reelected.

This article was written in 2012 so it is talking about President Obama, not President Trump.

Even though this book is supposed to be praising and have a good outlook towards black people, he uses a racial slur in the title.

She wanted to focus on his relations with Harlem Renaissance leaders and his involvement in this movement. Instead of his personal scandals, she decided to write about his public beliefs and involvement.

Instead of writing about his overall life, she decided to write about his involvement in black culture and the Harlem Renaissance.

She felt a range of emotions towards Vechten. She agrees\likes some things about him and disagrees/dislikes some things about him.

Because of the stereotypes of black people, they wish to be separated from their identity. They want to separate from those harmful stereotypes.

They wish for their art and poetry to be separated from their identity.

He thinks it's odd to make people believe a group is less than, but still give them free will to fight back.

They don't care to understand the reasoning, they just believe it is wrong.

These punishments are made by god and we cannot question him according to Christianity.

Their punishments were never ending. Maybe comparable to the never ending fight for rights.

Sisyphus was punished for escaping death twice and was forced to push a boulder almost to the top of the hill over and over again.

In the bible, fruit tends to represent sex, which most people think of Adam and Eve. Maybe Cullen is tempted by his desire to be with a man but is afraid of the punishment of God.

Tantalus was punished for going against the Greek Gods and Goddess. His punishment was to be forever hungry and unable to get the nutrients. This could relate to the Christian belief that if you don't acknowledge God, you will not go to heaven. Tantalus's punishment could relate to the Christian belief that you will be unfulfilled if you don't look to God.

Humans who have the same shape that God is imagined to be like, will someday die unlike God.

The person who chooses to not believe in God is blind to God's good doings.

He could give all the reasons why God is good, and object to anything that implies God is not.

He believes that God is good and kind, and doesn't doubt it. To me this means he's gonna speak about something that possibly paints God in a bad light.

The repetition of this line in the beginning and now the end means the author wants you to pay attention to it. Putting it here after the last quote means a lot. It shows that Washington deep down has the same goals as DuBois for example. He wants the perfect picture too, he just wants to make sure they are doing it the right way.

I feel this is directed towards people who didn't believe in the gradual process of getting Civil Rights. He is pointing out that even if you get the best possible outcome with everything you wanted, it can be easily destroyed if it in not rooted/imbedded/started correctly.

Washington's plan was to compromise and accommodate for now so they could eventually get the equal rights they were looking for. He thought it was better to do it gradually so there would be less of an uproar.

A combination of hard work and a formal education might be the solution.

This tells me that the author liked him or saw Washington in a good light.

He believes that a education alone will not get black people out this oppression they have been put through. He thinks its better to focus on oneself rather than fighting political issues.

He believes that is strategy will not only help the individual, he believes it will help the entire black community by proving their worth.

This is almost word for word Washington's quote. His idea was to work from where you are in order to get to the top. He believed that if black people worked from the bottom, they would prove their worth to white people, which would get them rights.

He argues that it is important that the exceptional/educated people lead because they will have a better understanding of what needs to be done.

Making it the focus is that they are only the exceptional people, but true representation would be exceptional people, and not-so exceptional people.

The Talented Tenth is a group of leaders for a race.

If money making is the goal, yes you might make money makers, but their personal individual qualities will fade because those qualities have nothing to do with the goal.

By deciding that certain people are the best of their race, they may ignore the others and their struggle. They may see the uneducated black people as insignificant, which the last thing this movement needs is to not be unified.

Makes it seem like interracial relationships are only for a fling and experimental and after he is done he'll go back to what he knows.

Furthers the false implication that white people are just irresistible to black people.

Makes it seem that white men are irresistible to other cultures. It makes it seem that being with her is like a exotic and foreign thing.

Shows that this is a common stereotype or common thing shown in media.

This furthers his ideas that you have to take action and take it into your own hands.

He believes that art and beauty can be used to highlight and bring the truth to people's attention.

Because they have faced this harsh struggle, they are able to see the good as amazing.

The inequality back people face does not let them see the true beauty of life. Normal people get the ups and downs, but black people are forced to face more downs due to facing oppression.

Greek sculpture, one of the most famous Greek pieces of art

He wants all the good and bad that comes with a normal life. He wants the hard work and the pay off. However, he knows he can't have that until equal rights.

He knows that these materialistic desires is not what they truly want deep down.

He is asking them to look inside themselves and discovered what they truly want. He wants them to see that they truly not only want rights, but to be part of the American culture too.

He knows that they truly want to be a part of the American culture. They want to feel American rather than outsiders.

He is basically saying that Art is more important to the Civil Rights fight than they believe it is. They want more than just Civil Rights, they want their culture to be accepted, which they don't know they want due to the focus on Civil Rights.

Art is a different way to participate in the Civil Rights movement and may be more appealing that harsh fighting.

His thinking is that a lot of people won't see the importance of black art and how it effects this movement.

I personally think this is commentary on white privilege. Freeman doesn't see how difficult it is for Raquel, because he is born with a privilege that Raquel doesn't have.

This gives the writer an opportunity to talk about different events that have effected the black community.

Black culture became more and more a part of American culture. The social movements highly influenced American culture.

More education would mean more opportunities for black people to get involved in politics and law discussions.

This shows how as people do more research and look from different perspectives, their way of thinking can change.

It has been shown in history time and time again that the only way to get equal opportunities and rights is through protest, unrest, and fighting back.

He believed that in order for white people to get on the bandwagon of giving black people rights, they had to prove their effect on the economy.

He gave a new way of looking and thinking about this discourse.

Uses a different type of medium to confront the discourse between these two leaders.

They had very different ideas of how to solve the racial issues in America.

There were many ways Black Activists went about trying to fix this problem. Such as accommodating, fighting for equal rights, or just straight up leaving.

The Negro Problem refers to the separation of Black People from American Culture.