New series, where we highlight the contributions of Generation X. The purpose of this series is not to just cast a positive light on the contribution of this subset of the population, but also to document the social challenges that are concomitant with every era.
But, we will definitely get things started off on a very positive note… I happened to hear this song on XM this morning right after I dropped my youngest queen of at school and I immediately thought about what an incredibly impactful, insightful, empowering first line device Queen Latifah delivers here. After the beat hit me I must admit that a twinge of pride crept through when I thought about the fact that this was from my generation… no it wasn’t all good then, just like it isn’t all good now, but think about it for a minute… there was a time when a woman(and many other women emcees of that era) stated for the record (pun intended) what the boundaries were and the consequences were for crossing those boundaries. You. Must. Respect. That.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
