Romania took hold of my heart in 2015 and since then has consumed my mind and soul. As with any genuine commitment, my relationship with this beautiful, complex country has grown and deepened over time as I have learned of its many tragedies, as well as its many triumphs. I have surrendered myself to Romania. [...] As I continue my Romanian journey, I marvel over the resiliency and fortitude of the people. I am fortunate to have developed close relationships, familial in many ways, with many Romanians. And I am eternally grateful to have been granted a Fulbright and honored to become part of this amazing community.
To Rap or Not to Rap
Keshawn Young, currently an English Teaching Assistant at “Ștefan cel Mare” University in Suceava, recently lectured to students of the Faculty of Letters at Transilvania University in Brașov under the title “On Rap: As American Literature and Orature.”
Reflecting on the aims of his lecture, Keshawn explained: “Rap is a genre that began in the United States, but has since exploded to global status. With this, have come many misunderstandings about the genre. I wanted to slow down and talk about what has always been at the genre’s heart, which isn’t so different from any other art forms, that being candid expression. Rappers, whether gangsters or public school teachers, never meant for their lyrics to be taken as commandments. The through-line of the lecture was about essentially the reductiveness that rap often endures, often due to stigma and an ever growing philistinism.”
Beginning with the intricacies of rap and working to dispel myths that continue to shape perceptions of the genre—and popular culture more broadly—the lecture evolved into a lively and respectful debate among nearly one hundred students. Discussions ranged from music and literature to manele, making the event an enriching experience for rap fans and non-rap fans alike.