By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information With Hiero Day 2021 having just passed, and Black Panther History Month coming up in October, it is a perfect time to talk to visual artist Shomari Smith about his new art/street exhibit, “Thank you”, dedicated to the … Continue readingVisual Artist Shomari Smith’s “Thank You” Exhibit Immortalizes Oakland Legends
By JR Valrey, The Minister of Information Many know Ms. Regina Jackson, as the director of the East Oakland Youth Development Center in deep East Oakland, but these same people do not know that she has another very important post in the town, as the … Continue readingOakland Police Commission Chairwoman Regina Jackson Speaks
By JR Valrey, the People’s Minister of Information After performing at a show in Nevada City on July 24, Steve “Zumbi” Gaines of the internationally known Hip Hop group Zion I, was recovering from Covid 19, that he contracted along with 30 other people that … Continue readingVaccination Assassination? Time Is Ticking on the Murder Investigation of Zumbi of Zion I at Alta Bates Hospital
By JR Valrey, The Minister of Information I love Bay Area Hip Hop, and music in general, because I am a big fan of musical innovation, passion, and great story-telling. With the exception of Mystic of Digital Underground, there hasn’t been any female MC’s that … Continue readingHunter’s Point Femcee, So Vicious Has Been Making Herself a Force to Reckon With
By JR Valrey, The Minister of Information The Oakland International Film Festival, one of the Bay Area’s premiere events, will take place this year from September 16-25, screening dozens of films created locally, nationally, and internationally. All of the films will be available online, and … Continue readingThe Oakland International Film Fest Sept 16-25, ‘21 Has Expanded Virtually
By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information JR Today is the first day of “full contact” schooling, for the Oakland Unified School Districts’ 2021/22 year, since pandemic restrictions were put into effect, in March of 2020. There is a mixed level of excitement to return … Continue readingThe First Day of Full Contact School in Oakland, After Lifting Covid Restrictions
By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information The first president of Ghana, the late great Kwame Nkrumah, once said that a man is not measured by where he is at, but by how far he has come. Benny Blessed is a successful local entrepreneur in … Continue readingFrom Depression to Development: The Story of West Oakland Marketing Guru Benny Blessed
By JR Valrey, The Minister of Information I’ve been the host for Small Stage Sesh, since it began. It is a live music showcase that happens every Monday at D’Wayne Wiggins’ Compound in East Oakland, and one of the perks of the job, is that … Continue readingLODDY DOLLY the Bay Area R&B Sensation Speaks
By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information Reminiscent of the great crooners like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway, Ty Astor is a very talented vocalist that I met at D. Wiggs’ Small Stage Sesh, on a Monday, in East Oakland. Ty Astor stood … Continue readingTy Astor is the Future Sound of RnB from the Bay
By JR Valrey Pharoah Powell has always inspired me as a renaissance man of media, in Oakland. He is a filmmaker, podcast host, author, comedian, the former road manager of the revolutionary rap group the Coup, and more. He is currently knee-deep in setting up … Continue readingThe Pharaoh of Hood Films: Oakland’s Renaissance Man of Media