I eagerly opened up my VERBALISMS email so that I could read the issue. I look forward to this. I was elated when I received the email that VERBALISMS would be available as a tangible mag! So you might imagine my dismay when I began digesting the article authored by Deborah Magdalena entitled “Creative Passion Comes to Life”. Within the first paragraph – the first few sentences perhaps – she lost me and I was too irritated and bothered to continue. Why would a woman who publishes in a progressive, positive, hip-hop based magazine, set forth to empower women and move beyond all the misogyny, say something like that? She is obviously skilled with the language and was well experienced with all sorts of verbal endeavors, as I noticed on her website when I attempted to respond to her directly. The fact that she is so well learned puzzles me all the more as to her choice of wording. When I hit up her page, I saw another casualty of the social construct that is “woman”. She is lovely and talented but strewn across her page without a shirt and in one pose, just shown from the back, arms embracing a blackboard. I am for celebrating ones sexuality, do not misconstrue, but at what cost? Is it irony that the topic of “Sex Sells” is VERBALISMS stance this issue? Je ne sais pas. Let’s move beyond the dirty history of the language we share and get to a place where we can use our public platform to empower woman and create change. Thanks for your ear.

Peace,
Sonda

Hello. My name is Pla!n Jane and I just viewed your website. I am a female emcee in San Diego, CA. I don’t see too much out there on true hip-hop females. So I entered “female emcee” into Google and up came VERBALISMS…. nice. I read the reviews and saw the talent on the webpage and was happy to see Jean Grae rather then Lil Kim, who to me really isn’t very hip-hop. I just want to send you a decent thank you for the female support and I appreciate there being something out there dedicated to a female who can rock a show or two.

Pla!n Jane