In his latest collection of essays, local writer D. Watkins explores the experiences
of Black people in low income neighborhoods who are often discussed, but never heard from directly. He calls the assumptions and depictions of poor Black people in much of the media the product of a “drone-like” perspective, and he endeavors to dispel some of those assumptions, and bring voices from the hood, to the fore. The book is called We Speak for Ourselves: A Word from Forgotten Black America.
D. Watkins is an editor-at-large at Salon and a lecturer at the University of Baltimore’s Klein Family School of Communication Design. His work has been published in the New York Times and many other national publications. D. is the author of the New York Times Bestsellers, The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America, and The Cookup: A Crack Memoir.
The We Speak for Ourselves Playlist
- “Where I’m From,” Jay-Z
- “Street,” G Herbo
- “Jungle” H.E.R
- “FEAR,” Kendrick Lamar
- “WTF Is Black Girl Magic?,” Kondwani Fidel
- “ES Tales,” Jay Rock
- “Focus,” H.E.R
- “My Moment,” Tee Grizzley
- “Trust the Process,” Jay Wyse
- “Surviving the Times,” Nas
- “At Your Best (You Are Love),” Aaliyah
- “1985,” J. Cole
- “Sleep Walkin,” Mozzy
- “U Don’t Know,” Jay-Z
- “Gonna Love Me,” Teyana Taylor
- “4:44,” Jay-Z
- “Overdose,” YoungBoy Never Broke Again
- “Duckworth,” Kendrick Lamar
- “Smile,” Jay-Z
- “Redemption,” Jay Rock
- “Rose in Harlem,” Teyana Taylor
- “Marcy Me,” Jay-Z
- “Preach,” YoungBoy Never Broke Again
- “FMG Dez,” Autobiographic
- “If You Know You Know,” Pusha-T
- “Rap Memorial,” DonQ
- Blue Laces 2,” Nipsey Hussle
- “The Lady in My Life,” Michael Jackson
- “First Day Out,” Tee Grizzley
- “The Prelude,” Jay-Z
- “Up,” Dee Dave
- “Win,” Tee Grizzley
- “One on One,” Yo Gotti
