Sit with me as I take the moment to do my infamous braid out and share a little bit of Doc’s Caste Media history.
In 2018, Doc’s Castle Media lost its URL for www.docscastlemedia.com due to some unfortunate events and spam activity that caused the website to crash. I lost access to Doc’s Castle Media for 6 months! Readers caught on to my absence slightly before that 6 month period, and I was frequently asked questions about what I planned to do with my blog.
In a new vlog series What’s Up Doc, I’ll share more personal ideas and plans I have for my blog and also share a few personal things going on with Doc. Readers will have more opportunities to hear my voice and get to know me beyond just writing about what’s happening around me. This comes as an idea after two years of starting an art blog on IG. When creating my art blog, I had no idea anyone would follow my page. I did not start with the idea to share art with people that I knew. Instead, I let my art following build organically and I hope to do the same with my vlogging series geared to sharing more about what I take personal interests in.
My 1st episode is a podcast style recording giving a little background insight on Doc’s Castle Media. Readers can find out some history about the Doc’s Castle, LLC brand, what I was up to during my year-long hiatus between 2018 and 2019, and what new things are coming for the blog. I do this all while styling my hair into my go-to hairdo.
If you can leave the correct year Doc’s Castle Media launched in the comments of the video or this blog page, you enter yourself into a drawing for some Tipsy Decòr.The winner will be contacted through direct message. Do you know?
Special Note: This post will be my least uniformed blog post due to the built up emotions from recent events caused by the death of Baltimore black man, Freddie Gray. It’s my duty as a Baltimore writer to talk about this the way mainstream media does not want us to. PLEASE KNOW THIS FIRST WHILE YOU READ THIS: I AM NOT A JOURNALIST, now. I AM WRITING AS A BLACK WOMAN FROM THE CITY OF BALTIMORE!
Words pour onto paper as I’ve become a part of American history today while I write about what my eyes have witness on April 25, 2015, a day which I thought I would never see my city be the forefront of America for something so severe and extremely civil. I thought it was a part of mankind’s inhumane struggle that Black people conquered, or at least scratched the surface of overcoming. But we haven’t and it’s obvious to the world now.
America is governed by a system corrupt that uses the very people who help build this very nation as a stepping stool to bringing the world back to square one by embarrassing my whole race through provoking us to move; by tormenting Blacks unfairly.
As a Black woman, myself, and a blogger who lives in Baltimore, it is my duty to talk about the problems my city faces in the eyes of millions, nationally and internationally, who are watching my town react to police brutality towards yet another African-American male, who met his end in the most unfortunate and unfair manner society could ever grant, death by the very people meant to protect him.
Who is Freddie Gray?
If you don’t know by now, get the fuck off my blog. You don’t care enough. This post isn’t for those who rather sit in their ignorance while we are at war. This post isn’t for the people seeking to view how “ratchet” and “routy” my city is to confirm our “home of The Wire” reputation. This post is not for people who go on major media outlets social media pages to read and participate in the racist comments. This post is to wake you the fuck up! This post is meant to make you realize from the eyes of a Baltimore writer that something really messed up is going on. So open your eyes.
Baltimore, what are we doing? No, let me redirect my concerns to the correct group of individuals… America, what are we doing? No, no, no. WORLD, what the fuck is going on?!
These last two years of my life has been about watching a massacre of black men, AND black women, being slaughtered by a system who prays on a culture who isn’t united and hasn’t been since we were active in the 1960s US Civil rights movement. The way that I feel about it, I have no words for what’s going on in my heart. I have no words for how I see my country being portrayed. I have no words for how my race is being treated. I only feel a fire burning within me from how close to home Freddie Gray’s death has hit thousands and thousands of hearts around this country, and I’m in awe because I would have never thought something this relentless happening in front of billions of people watching is happening in my very own backyard.
I CANNOT BELIEVE MY EYES! This shit happens everywhere else, not in my home.
As each month unfolds since the death of Trayvon Martin, I started to view my country as the ultimate hypocrite and bully. I use to watch and read about the United States in international affairs while growing up, thinking how phoney we must be to walk into other countries, like Liberia and South Africa, trying to assist with their racial issues when in neighborhoods where I live didn’t match up to the persona America tries to paint for the world to see. It is here, the media hides what’s really happening between blacks and whites, until now. Why? Our country’s own racism was hidden and blocked from mainstream media and majority of this country’s citizen for so long, so we could believe we were past oppression; to make us feel like we could give a helping hand to other cultures around the world. America needed us on the same page so we could be viewed by countries around us as “land of the free” and “home of the brave.”
Black people have fallen by the arms of police officers since forever ago, and white people, and even black people, still want to yell out one of the most irrelevant and most repeated statements recited in recent years as if it’s an excuse for why we shouldn’t make a difference in our law enforcers policies. “Blacks kill blacks all the time.” WE KNOW THIS! WTF DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH POLICE KILLING US TOO!?
Black people I need you to listen! I need you to open your eyes because this is what’s real.
Do you know we are being manipulated by national news? Of all things to capture and broadcast to the world, they choose the most uncalled for and offensive images to represent our race at such a delicate moment in our history because they know it will make our uneducated youth move and take an opportunity like protesting as an excuse to “show out” and express their anger, when they don’t even know what to be angry about. Do you know we are being made to have opinions that we’re unsure of because the media knows this will make us angry and ready for a revolution? And why is it that our own news stations WJZ and WBAL are taking a different approach in reporting about Freddie Gray than stations like CNN and the Huffington Post? Nothing’s making sense. This isn’t adding up.
Do you realize the media’s power, now? LISTEN!
Though we are made to believe the media is not bias, people of Baltimore and black people around the world, we do not have control of the media’s motivation to stay unbiased. Even I am being bias now (and I encourage you to continue to have your own opinions during this time. All I ask is that you realize and watch everything going on)! The media is what’s making police brutality the fuel of our anger ; it’s turning it into something bigger than expected. The media, which is funded by BIG corporations who bank on black people’s money, are making my culture out to be unruly savages and it does not sit well with me. It makes me angry. It’s what made me step up and write how I feel today. Black people I don’t blame you at all. We have a right to be mad, but it is unwise to be so turbulent.
To me, this is beyond race. Racism is being used as a tool to push a bigger motive because it’s the only way to get large bodies of people to move. We have to be wiser. We have to be smarter in our decisions because 10 years ago, we lived in a better peace. But with the media suddenly pushing stories about police brutality incorrectly more often, seems every couple of weeks to days, it’s also corporations that are funding the media’s weapon to wither our peace away and box us in for something we don’t fully understand yet.
So what is real? What is true? We can’t rely on our reporters to be honest and staying away from these stereotypes we’re fighting about.
To all the kids who are reading this, you must choose now to learn your history. You need not act before you are educated. Do you see how dangerous it is to go through this? This entire ordeal isn’t transparent enough, and this anger escalating within us is not good, especially coming from a group like us who can’t get past light skin and dark skin.
Peace, love, joy. Peace, love, joy, everyone.
Why is it that America decides to use my backyard as a war zone this week? America decides to take the city that I’ve spent the last 3 years trying to help put on the map, positively, as a target and guinea pig for a bigger agenda. Can you image how I feel right now? For someone who spends all her spare time trying to help the city become angry with her fellow Baltimoreans. They don’t see the bigger picture, and rather dig a bigger hole for us to climb out of? I’m so disappointed and proud at the same time. This is why I have no words. I’m so all over the place.
I doubt this will be my last post on this. I’ve been awakened.
I ask that anyone who lives outside of my city to turn to the World Wide Web for real accounts of what my city is doing in honor of Freddie Gray and not CNN. I ask you to read about what we are really going through from us. I ask that you empathize for us. I ask that you pray.
#PrayForBaltimore #PrayForMyCity
Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath. -Proverbs 28:9
Baltimore is full of talent in all genres. I still wonder why this city lacks attention from the rest of the world when it comes to the arts. We definitely deserve some kind of credit, right?
So what do you think? Is this film worthy of the big screen?
Definitely! For “Who You Gonna Call?” to be independent and locally based, I see potential beyond what it deserves. The plot could possibly be used for a sequel some day. I’d go see it, and I see it doing wonders for feminist if it were to actually become a full film.
“Who Ya Gonna Call?” was found on “Charm City Finest” YouTube channel Zoar Films. Cisco Davis, Jr., the creator of this short film, created it as a project for local film competition 29 Day’s Later Project, and as a celebration for Ghostbusters’ 30th anniversary.
While scrolling through the newly found YouTube channel, I’ve found some more interesting films. Majority of which were short movies and parodies of fan favorite films, like Ghostbusters and Power Rangers. I urge you all to go check them out if you’re into “scifi” goodies.
Would you go see this one the big screen if this was made from a big movie production company? Leave your comments below.
It’s here. After the wait, I can no longer say “Sorry for the Wait” like I’m Mr. Weezy F. Baby, himself. My first EP is here for you to take a listen to. It’s about time!
As part of my list of tasks to complete on my bucket list, I can say this is one of the most lengthy projects I completed thus far. However I caught myself not wanting to finish it a few times, and the production process was bumpy along the way. Anyway, I said “eff it” to my woes and decided to drop what I had anyway. It’s the first of what I hope will be more music projects, so I won’t beat myself up for how it sounds. I know I’ll produce way better material in the future. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to do something like this. Writing music has become one of the many creative activities I do to keep my mind busy.
It’s now official; I will scratch off release mixtape off my Bucket List! Yay!
You may download my EP “Songs From Da Dugout” via my Bandcamp page or Soundcloud at Alissa Feré. So it’s easier for you, take a look at the Playlist below and download it. Thanks for listening!
Special Thank You to the lovely staff of people who helped me with this project:
Producer and Engineer: FLuX; Album Cover Art: Boutzie; Photographer: Rebellious Rebel; Promotional Art: Alissa Fere; Creative Consulting: K.A. Walker and Tony Bonez Sinatra; Featured artist: Quinn Shabaz, Leon Dominick, and Boutzie; Studio Production: The Dugout Dojo
Do you think I should make more music? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
With less than two weeks away from my EP “Songs From Da Dugout” release, I am pleased to finally release the official cover artwork for my project to the public. The EP is expected to release March 21, 2015 via the Alissa Feré Bandcamp and Soundcloud music pages.
Like many of my other projects, Briana Ragler was given the pleasures of handling majority of my visuals. Starting from taking on the responsibility of styling my creative persona to designing my cover of my first musical project, Briana, also known as recording artist Boutzie’, utilizes all her creative abilities to make sure Alissa Feré was ready for the world to take in. She was my photographer, stylist, and graphic designer.
Ayeee!
I’ve decided to take the Rebellious Rebel approach while working on my EP because Briana’s creative style is that “clear and clean” image I was aiming for that steers away from the average look associated with sports and hip-hop. I commonly see a more “rigid and rough” images used for things associated with both hip-hop and sports. Both are hard topics dominated by men, which I am not. So my thoughts for my project already being assumed as “hard” had to be challenged to seem more “fluffier” for Feré’s sake.
By creating a more cleaner representation for this project, I hope to promote interests that’s grabs the onlooker’s eye. I want my listeners to know from the moment they see the cover that there’s meaning behind being left in the Dugout for women. This clear and concise illustration captures the beauty behind what I believe this game we call love really is. It’s a cloudy, mysterious, dangerous, and very uneasy to understand, but it continues to be alluring, mesmerizing, and worth taking. Briana captured that we’ll in this very simply put work of art.
On top of it all, it’s very professionally presented. *applauds*
Along with the help from Baltimore artist FLuX, who’s the owner of the Baltimore brand The Dugout Dojo and the engineer of “Songs From Da Dugout,” I was ensured that each song would sound superb. I had no doubt about how my EP would turn out because listening to FLuX’s previous works, I was already blown away. (Listen to The Sky Is Blue by FLuX, here.)
The EP’s track listing is also finalized with six semi- complete songs ready for me to share.
José (Liquor Talkn) ft. Boutzie (prod. Doowy Lloh)
Rufus Bush (prod. mjnichols)
Only You Ft. Quinn Shabaz
Tonight (prod. Cmbeats)
When The Stars Align ft. Leon Dominick (prod. Davinci)
(Bonus Track): Pleasant Nightmares (prod. André 3000)
“Songs From Da Dugout” is expected to release this month March 21, 2015. For more updates on Alissa Feré, subscribe to Doc’s Castle Media social sites.
I decided to get a little creative for this release. I thought Why should I leave you guys with only an expected date for my project? I should give you a little more, and maybe some more background to what to look forward to. So I partnered up with my favorite photographer/blogger to give something extra as we wait for my dropping day.
Songs From Da Dugout is a representation of my emotions. Often I feel I’m left in limbo on a lot of issues when I’m dealing with guys. I think lots of women can relate. It can feel like I’m sitting in a dugout waiting to be called on for the next play. It can get restless waiting on these guys, and they should know that I don’t wait very long for my moment.
Women have so many questions that could be left unanswered while waiting on their next call in a partnership; there’s so many expectations that should be fulfilled on the behalf of the man that aren’t met in relationships. I relate to those women because when someone’s left in the dugout, how is anyone expected to win the game? How is anyone expected to conquer the battle?
These brothers got us yelling to the coach like, “Come on. Call me, coach! I’m ready to play.”
For Hazmat Remi to be labeled as a “based” artist, “Evolve X” makes me ponder what the heck is based music?! If you’ve ever listened to any of the original basedgod Lil B’s songs, you’ll understand what I mean. In an interview with MTV’s The Vice Guide To Everything, Lil B explains based music as a genre where the artist expresses him/herself positively. Some based music can be negative, but if it is, it must also have a positive message embedded in it, as well. So to sum that up, based music is really too broad for me to redefine for my readers. Haha
There really is no easy way to explain what it is, you just experience it. A good based artist has the ability to capture you, regardless, with their unique approach to sharing their “positiveness.” I’ve met my share few based artist in Baltimore with that ability, one being Hazmat Remi with her song “Evolve X.”
Thumbs Up:
There’s lots of positivity in this music video, and I love the message Hazmat Remi leaves in her lyrics for this song. Though I’m not very fond of much based music, Remi makes it a lot easier on my ears to take in.
I might have beginner ears for this genre. Who knows?
Become someone. Be something. Love.
“Evolve X” makes me feel like running to random stranger to bombard them with my friendly hugs for the simple reason they’re living the best way they can. Life’s is going to be okay. Everything will be fine. It’s a song that makes a person embrace the approval of oneself during hard times; during a time where people see more evil than good. We as a people must become an acceptable society as a whole for future generations. Indeed, Doc’s Castle Media is all for that!
*cough cough* “It’s Your Talent…Own That Shhh!” isn’t my slogan just for the hell of it.
Even the Hazmats seem to be comfortable walking the streets carelessly, worry free, and ready to evolve. They want you to hop on board the evolving train. Do something that’ll awaken the brighter you for a better us.
What do you think? Do you like Hazmat Remi’s “Evolve?” Leave comments below.
What an honor! I have been nominated under three categories in the 2014 Mobbies Blog and Social Media Competition. Yay! Thank you everyone!
I have never been nominated in any competition as such, especially for my writings, and I’m extremely thankful for all of you who were active in deciding to nominate me under the following three categories: Best Label Defying Blog, Best Music Blog, and Best Personal Blog.
This competition is sponsored by the Baltimore Sun and the Creative Alliance, LLC.
I love to write, though I didn’t always know that. Doc’s Castle Media opened my eyes to my talents. I always knew I had a knack for ideas because I always owned a composition notebook or sketchbook full of thoughts since the age of 10. But to really take an active role in blogging or any kind of journalism, my mind wasn’t with it until it was made one of my duties to complete while working for an internship. I strongly opposed the idea of being a journalist my entire 4 years attending high school. I guess now, I’ve made myself out to be a liar because look at my site! It’s 3 years going strong with over 300 blog posts. I write like a journalist and I do it a lot!
I write because I believe that my voice matters. I believe that my thoughts and feelings about things carry value. My whole purpose for creating a blog was to use my words to influence others to do something meaningful in their lives. Each day, I ponder the possibilities of that actually happening. Seeing that people took the time to nominate me has shown me that my purpose might be working. Apparently, I offer something you all like.
I often talk to people while I’m out in the streets of Baltimore or while on Facebook, and people compliment me on my commitment and dedication to continue writing about what’s happening around the city from a unique and entertaining perspective. I appreciate that plenty of you take notice. I’m even more grateful to hear that many of you read on a consistent basis. It’s still weird getting this type of attention from writing freely. But I love you all more each day as you continue to support me and share my thoughts with the world! It drives me more…like really, I’m so motivated to keep doing this.
As I’m busting my tail to provide something unique and special for you all, please do me the favor in voting for me, just as you all nominated me, in this year’s annual Mobbies Blog and Social Media Competition. It’d mean a lot to me if I could actually win in any of the categories I’m nominated for.
Below is the link to the directions for voting for the nominees in the 2014 Mobbies. Please register with one of your social media accounts and vote for Doc’s Castle Media!
As 2015 slowly approaches, Doc’s Castle Media looks to include a few new additions to the website. I’m counting on my readers to offer me some new suggestions for what you all think can make Doc’s Castle Media a little better. Please leave your feedback and concerns in the comments below as I’ll review all of them carefully. Hopefully I’ll get some very good suggestions that’ll spice the site up.
Have you read Doc’s Castle Media submission for the Editor’s Pick in the 2014 Mobbies Competition? Read Hopping on that Train Back to 1990s on Doc’s Castle Media.
Not too far in the distant past rested a decade where a lovely young writer was born. That young writer’s name was Taylor, know to many of you as Doc. The decade was the 1990s. Oh, how I miss my childhood years so much.
I may have literally been a baby growing up during this decade, but there are so many things I’ve experienced as a child growing alongside a mature family, I think I can luster up at least 3 things a lot of people my age and older may relate to that we all might miss. So here they are, the things I want to bring back from my years of retro.
My favorite things I’d bring from the 90s would be…
Music has always had my heart, man.
The Box
The best music channel in the world is of the past. Forget about MTV. The Box was the best because they played variety with little to no commercials and absolutely no teen pregnancy shows. MTV has always been a little picky with what they wanted on there channel, in regards to music, and always remained mainstream. When The Box was around music lovers could see their favorite underground artists if they wanted. Of course, the music industry was very different then. But what I loved the most about The Box was the option to see what music videos were coming on next during the music breaks. WHY DON’T THEY DO THIS ANYMORE?!
Equivalent to The Box today, we have MTV Jams and MTV University, which can be found if you have Verizon Fios or Comcast Xfinity. These channels are “okay.” But I prefer a more organic and original feel for music. Too much of the same thing turns me off, so you can imagine how much time I spend watching either channel. If MTV Jams and MTV University were combined, they’d probably scratch the surface, but only the surface. Can we please bring The Box back?
The Cassette
I use to listen to the radio all day just to catch my favorite song to record on an audio cassette, and not just any audio cassette. When I didn’t have a blank tape available, I would rummage through my room to find an old “storybook” tape, which originally had Disney bedtime stories on it, and shoved some notebook paper in the top holes, close to where the tape could be found, so I could re-record over its boring stories. Talk about desperate to get a song! My only issue doing this was the radio dj talking through the tracks and the unwanted radio edits. If it wasn’t a Ludacris or DMX song, I’d hate to not hear what the artist was really saying. The struggles of downloading music was too real then. But it was worth it.
Now, life has made it easier to hear my favorites anytime I want. I can simply go to Soundcloud and YouTube with a swipe and click of a finger on my phone. Just type it into the search box and voilà, it’s there! But I do miss the struggles of getting my song from the radio. I knew every song that was played on air.
I’m a cartoon fanatic!
Saturday Morning Cartoons
Remember waking up early on the weekends to watch cartoons like Johnny Quest, Goosebumps, Bobby’s World, or Digimon Digital Monsters? I use to dread getting up in the morning for school during the week. But when Saturday rolled around, I was up watching cartoons right on time while I ate breakfast. Cartoons from my past could be the reason I’m so animated today because I still watch them. I recently rewatched the entire first seasons of Jackie Chan Adventures and Digimon Digital Monsters on Netflix. All it did was make me upset that I had to get ready for work later that day.
I feel so bad for kids today. They don’t get to have that Saturday morning experience like I had. The moment the clock struck noon, I was already outside hanging with my friends afterwards. Of course, going outside is another thing kids don’t experience, but that’s another story. On top of not having the Saturday morning cartoons to wake up to, kids rarely have a good variety of cartoons to choose from. Broadcast networks like The CW, FOX, and CBS rarely show cartoons, unless it’s the holidays. Plus, Every time I’m channel surfing the tv guide, I find marathons of the same cartoons running for hours on cable networks. It was never like that while growing up on 90s cartoons. There were too many that needed to be aired.
There is so much more that I can talk about that I’d bring back from the 1990s. But this blog post would be entirely too lengthy. So I literally shared with you the first three things that came to mind. Haha! What do you think you’d bring back from the 90s? Let me know in the comments below.
ALSO, this post is part of a local blogger competition The Mobbies, sponsored by Baltimore Sun and Creative Alliance. I’ve been nominated for three categories: Best Music Blog, Best Personal Blog, and Best Label Defying Blog. Thanks, Guys!
Voting begins November 3rd! I’d like to ask all my loyal readers to please add this date to your calendars to participate in the voting process and visit this link when voting begins, Baltimore Mobbies. Thanks for all for always reading! I have to do something special for y’all.
