Entries by Jeffrey Ian Ross

Whose Version of “The Sky is Crying” is the Best?

In 1959, blues musician Elmore James wrote and released the song “The Sky is Crying.” This piece quickly became a blues standard, celebrated for James’s soulful slide guitar and heartfelt vocals. The song’s melancholic message, conveyed through a deeply engaging tune, captures the essence of the blues and resonated with many listeners. “The Sky is […]

Enabling graffiti and street art in these crazy times?

Over the past fifty years, graffiti and street art have emerged as significant movements in public art and street culture, visible on all manner of surfaces throughout urban environments worldwide. Predictably, this activity has elicited diverse responses from individuals and groups, ranging from admiration to condemnation. Undoubtedly attention from different stakeholders influences the prevalence of […]

Embracing Familiarity Versus Taking a Chance on Something New

Every day, we make numerous choices—what to wear, what to eat, which route to take. But why do we lean towards the familiar, and what motivates us to try something new? Driven by habit or a preference for spontaneity over deliberate planning, many of us navigate these decisions on autopilot. We often face a fundamental […]

The “Hip-ocrisy” of  Streetwear

Hip Hop, an influential artistic, cultural, political, and social movement rooted in 1970s street culture, is associated with four key pillars: MCing (rapping), DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing. Hip hop has also fostered core values and principles that continue to shape its evolution and impact. These include: * The promotion of Expression and Authenticity * Enabling […]

Ways of Knowing the City

If you spend the majority of your waking hours inside, rarely go out, or hardly leave your neighborhood, then your life is going to be pretty dull and boring. But if you do venture outside of your familiar surroundings, then you’ll eventually have to decide how you’re going to get around town. Most people are […]