As soon as the Orange Mound Block Party got underway, the Memphis Police Department showed up and began citing people for having alcohol or beer in the park. There is a city ordinance against beer in the parks, but the annoying thing is that usually whenever you drive past this park (or many others in Memphis) you see old bums drinking beer in the parks, and the police never do a thing. But as soon as there is a predominantly-Black community event, they show up ready to enforce the ordinance strictly.
Memphis rap
The Orange Mound Block Party got off to a slow start due to the excessive heat, but eventually people started to show up. Vendors did well, particularly anybody selling anything cold.
The Orange Mound Block Party got off to a slow start due to the excessive heat, but eventually people started to show up. Vendors did well, particularly anybody selling anything cold.
The 4th Annual Orange Mound Block Party was held Saturday July 30 at Lewis-Davis Park at Pendleton and Deadrick, right next to Melrose High School in the heart of Memphis’ Orange Mound neighborhood. It was a beautiful day, but hot, and ultimately a day that should have been fun for everybody turned tragic because of a string of fights and a shooting. It’s really sad, and all the more since the city will undoubtedly use what happened today as an excuse to not allow the event next year.
The 4th Annual Orange Mound Block Party was held Saturday July 30 at Lewis-Davis Park at Pendleton and Deadrick, right next to Melrose High School in the heart of Memphis’ Orange Mound neighborhood. It was a beautiful day, but hot, and ultimately a day that should have been fun for everybody turned tragic because of a string of fights and a shooting. It’s really sad, and all the more since the city will undoubtedly use what happened today as an excuse to not allow the event next year.
Big things going on this weekend. The Orange Mound Block Party kicks off at 2 PM Saturday at Melrose Park beside the new Melrose High School at Park and Pendleton, and there’s a pool party in Whitehaven on Millbranch at 3 PM Saturday.
Big things going on this weekend. The Orange Mound Block Party kicks off at 2 PM Saturday at Melrose Park beside the new Melrose High School at Park and Pendleton, and there’s a pool party in Whitehaven on Millbranch at 3 PM Saturday.
Memphians probably first noticed Teflon Don when he composed a song for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, but he goes far deeper, as evidenced by his debut album God, The Government, The Game, an album whose title seems to reflect the three ways that inner-city residents have historically tried to make their way. Although Teflon uses a traditional Memphis style of delivery and fairly standard beats, his lyrics come from a more positive direction, trying to warn young people to take advantage of opportunities (“God, The Government, The Game”) or reminding them about the struggles that African-Americans have faced in the past (“Let’s Talk About”), a song that was written for Black History Month. While God, The Government, The Game offers little that is unexpected, it is a credible debut album from a hard-working artist that sees rap as a way to improve the city of Memphis.
Celebrating DJ Bay’s birthday at the 2 For 1 Taste Bar and Grill on Winchester in Hickory Hill, July 9, 2011