Amazon's Newest Competition is Marijuana

Marijuana has had a bad reputation. People only think of it as a drug influencing the young and damaging the old. Which is highly untrue. However, over recent years weed and other medicinal/recreational herbs have steadily changed in the public's and governments perspective. Its legalization in many states across America has opened new opportunities for wide spread consummation of the plant. We can even start to see marijuana's growth in the industry and market as it becomes easier to access. So easy in fact that a recent article shows marijuana's online distribution is legally more efficient then accessing it from your doctor. The effect to this is wider appeal to users as well as others who may have negative thoughts on weed consumption. There are already marijuana distributors locally like Kush Gods which allow the product to be sold in DC on wheels. 

The increase in marijuana being sold in America especially online where it can be shipped nationwide is quite frankly exciting. Moreover, this can be a huge step for the increase in marijuana being legalized in all states. It allows the economy to increase based on private industry marijuana distributors selling online. For the most part this all seems legit. Make an order online, place a payment and the plant shows up to your doorstep in the next few days. However, a huge downfall for buyers is trusting what is being sold to you through the mail. Factors such as ineffective marijuana, less weed than you asked for and also what the distributor may have mixed in with the plant are huge con factors. This can lead to distrust for the online marijuana industry. However, this breakthrough is just scratching the surface for ganja users. It can also be a product in the future that is sold on the global market. We’ll truly just have to wait and see just how effectively this online selling of herb plays out. This can either be good in a sense where more states open up to marijuana usage, or horribly bad where people might even be, drugged. But on the bright side, this breakthrough is a unique opportunity pushing America to change its perception on such a thing. 

Why'd They Stop the Funk?

If there is one thing that keeps people together, its music. The 20th century saw an increase in popular music and its rapid spread through radio and television. White America began to integrate the African-American sounds from the day such as ragtime, jazz, rhythm and blues and doo-wop. Motown allowed a large number of African-Americans to orchestrate music and create records which led to pioneering sounds in music that would influence later decades. It wasn't until the 1960's however where African-American soul music would soar. It was also during these times where a new genre would emerge from this era that would change the landscape of music culture and that was the Funk.

Most credit for the birth  of funk can be given to James Brown. The sound of funk was different then other genres at the time because the beat had a unique groove. Evidently, this sound was enjoyed and most identified with lower class urban African-Americans. Funk was also associated with the black power movements in the 60's and 70's as well which gave it a powerful image. This unique sound had transformed the 60's from the old soul, jazz and gospel sounds to a more Afrocentric upbeat style of culture.

As the Funk grew so did its style and sound. Bootsy Collins who was a bassist for James Brown separated from Brown and ultimately ended up in the Parliament-Funkadelic group with funk master George Clinton. This group which formed in the 70's revolutionized the genre and gave it an Afro-futuristic upgrade. George Clinton moved away from the traditional band uniform (suits and ties) and drew influence from rock and roll bands and there outrageous looks. The groove became deeper as Bootsy and George experimented with unique sounds in which they created, the P-funk.

By the late 1970's, funk culture was already at its full bloom. Stevie Wonder, the Jackson's, Earth, Wind and Fire and others helped put funk on the charts. However, there was a new movement which would both help and harm the funk. Hip-Hop and rap was emerging and already becoming a rapidly increasing sound well into the 80's. Early hip-hop artists like Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and Kurtis Blow utilized Funk and changed the vocal aspect of the sound giving it a hip new groove. Hip-Hop would carry funk well into the 90's with the help of a new sound called New Jack Swing. Well into the 90's, rap artist sampled old school records which would persevere the funk culture and sound. Dr. Dre, Tupac and other mainline rap artist would loop these records and provide a more modern hip-hop beat to the sample.

Heading into the 2000's however, funk saw less popularity in mainstream music as pop and rap transformed into its on sound. Gangster and thug rap was well taking over the hip-hop industry which led to a decline in the funkier sounds rap provided. Even today we hear less about the genre, but the music will still continue to influence and transform American pop culture.

Yeezy Yeezy Yeezy Just Jumped Over Jumpman

Kanye West: an architecture of music, creativity and style. His idealism has been however criticized for being overwhelmingly outlandish in the media and public's opinion. West latest YEEZY, collection has been critically acclaimed for being overpriced while supposedly appearing bland, unfashionable and unappealing to some eyes. The collection features faded tones reminiscent of fall colors with pieces that draw from styles ranging from military to high-end mixed in with rising trends in the fashion industry. A combination of clothing and shoes provide a diverse marketing strategy as West latest YEEZY footwear gaining recent attention also.                                                               Zooming past opinions and criticism is a much larger
picture in Kanye's approach to his collection. West was
only pushing the boundaries of the fashion industry which is exactly what the art is meant to do. Though some may think Kanye is way over his head, the collection itself may be observed as a catalyst for the progression and future of fashion. Here are just a few reasons why.

The Hip-Hop industry is continuously finding new outlets and approaches to there image. From full on track-suits to baggy fit clothing to fitted styles, Kanye is just another bridge in the progression of the Hip-Hop look. The YEEZY collection is the "New Hip Hop Look" essentially as it influences other brands to look for similar style trends they see within West's brand. It has already sparked a movement in which stores such as H&M and Zara have begun to shift towards these concepts that the YEEZY collection give off.

West brand also is one of those things that voices a generation. People will look back at these times and realize that the YEEZY collection contributed to the pop culture essence of our era, and we won't realize it until years away.