Being a white artist in a predominantly Black art form, Vanilla Ice was under more scrutiny than his contemporaries. He’d been hounded for sampling Queen’s “Under Pressure”, which only contributed to a laundry list of alleged transgressions against hip-hop. From being a “musical…[and] economic phenomenon”, his fall was cemented after the airing of Jim Carrey’s “White, White Baby” and a brutal interview with Arsenio Hall in quick succession, which had called his blatant whiteness to attention.
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
