The 44 percent: Rap lyrics as street names, Black school closing, Jazz in the Gardens

I remember the first time I heard Angie Stone. No, it wasn’t the “No More Rain (In This Cloud),” which samples Gladys Knight and The Pips’ “Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye).” It was, of course, on “106th & Park” and the video for “Brotha,” a song that conveys love and support to Black men, aired. The video showed prominent Black male activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and featured cameos from Luther Vandross and Will Smith among other entertainers.

The song and the follow-up single, “Wish I Didn’t Miss You,” were peak neo-soul. Perhaps a precursor to neo-soul is embedded in the smooth tunes of Roy Ayers, the legendary jazz artist whose work has been sampled by Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and A Tribe Called Quest to name a few. If I play Angie for 2000s nostalgia, I play Roy to mellow out, reflect or to seek some form of joy.

That’s why losing them both in the same week is hard. They knew how to tug at your heart strings in times of despair or worry.

INSIDE THE 305:

Will Grind with Me Terrace come to Miami-Dade? Proposal puts rap lyrics on the map

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon wants to name about a dozen streets in Liberty City after song lyrics by prominent Miami rappers such as Mike Smiff and Trick Daddy.

As Miami-Dade County government reporter Doug Hanks writes: The longest and most heated debate for Miami-Dade County commissioners on Tuesday came down to the question of creating Grind with Me Terrace, Peace in Da Hood Street and Big Money Baller Street.

Those were some of the names proposed by a commissioner who wants to bring buzz to a downtrodden area north of Miami with a cluster of street signs bearing lyrics of rap and hip-hop songs made famous by local artists who made it big. “If you’re from Miami, you know these famous songs and these sayings,” Commissioner Keon Hardemon, the sponsor, told board members. “For those of you who may be a little uncomfortable, I ask you to support me and my community.”

‘It’s not right’: Parents and activists push for new plan at Broward school set to close

Broward Estates Elementary School, a predominantly Black school in Lauderhill, is closing even as parents and activists pushed for a new plan for the Broward County school.

As Broward County reporter Amanda Rosa writes: Parents who had not followed the school board’s plans closely were shocked and confused. Members of Lauderhill’s predominately Black community felt slighted since Broward Estates, the only school left on the chopping block, has an over 92 percent Black student population.

And for those who don’t have children who currently attend Broward Estates, the stakes feel just as high. Longtime Lauderhill residents say defending Broward Estates is about more than saving one school, its about the future of the community.

OUTSIDE THE 305:

D.C. mayor to remove Black Lives Matter Plaza amid pressure from White House

In 2020 and in the wake of George Floyd’s death by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, D.C. painted “Black Lives Matter” on a two-block stretch of 16th Street near the White House. Now, what has been called Black Lives Matter Plaza is set to be painted over after Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde introduced legislation earlier this week that would force the plaza to be renamed or D.C. loses funding, NBC BLK reported.

60 years after Bloody Sunday, activists remember the Black women behind the curtain

In interviews with The 19th, a women-led and centered news outlet, activists recounted the 60th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge led by young John Lewis.

HIGH CULTURE:

Florida’s own Doechii performs at Jazz in The Gardens

As listeners groove to the smooth tunes of R&B and jazz, they will also get a taste of Tampa-native and Grammy-winning rapper Doechii who will grace the stage Saturday night alongside Lauryn Hill, Busta Rhymes and Florida legends Uncle Luke and 69 Boyz.

Where does “The 44 Percent” name come from? Click here to find out how Miami history influenced the newsletter’s title.

Raisa Habersham

Miami Herald

Raisa Habersham is the race and culture reporter for the Miami Herald. She previously covered Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale for the Herald with a focus on housing and affordability. Habersham is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She joined the Herald in 2022.