There are so many ways to be and to be black at the same time, but we're finally seeing that full range expressed much more widely than before.

As I've submerged myself in news of the revolutions sweeping North Africa and the Middle East, I wanted desperately to feel part of what was going on. And then it hit me: This is what white people were doing to me after Obama was elected!

College is a safe space where it can be hard to truly fail. The institution is rooting for you because your failure makes them look bad, too. New York City has no such mandate. I've had to hone and sharpen and refine my work here at a pace which may not have happened in other cities.

Knowing that "me" is inextricably linked to blackness, [I try to enjoy] the process of expanding beyond the expected boundaries set by existing culture, norms and media.

As far as hip-hop is concerned, I'm no expert and rarely think consciously about how I "represent" hip-hop.

New York has been the best gift, in that the city pushes me to so many next levels.

There are so many ways to be and to be black at the same time, but we're finally seeing that full range expressed much more widely than before.