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Cover Artist El’Cesart On Art, Culture and Growth

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Courtesy of Instagram/@cesar_does_

Cover art created by El’Cesart.

The Black experience is constantly depicted through a variety of artistic mediums, whether that is through film, writing, and of course music. Cesar Ngabo Desire, also known as El’Cesart, chooses to express himself, and amplify Black people and their voices, through the use of visual art. 

With an Instagram following of over forty thousand people, El’Cesart has been able to collaborate with major companies, including Revolt TV, the American Black Film Festival, and BLEACHERS REPORT. He has also worked with Annapurna Studio, where he created artwork for the 2018 film If Beale Street Could Talk, which was directed by Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins.

In an interview with the artist, whose artwork was featured as the cover for the latest edition of What’s Da Bizniz, he explained what inspires him to create, the importance of art, and where he sees himself in the future.

What inspires you to create?

I’m highly inspired by our culture. Our art, photography, music, etcetera. It is my main inspiration. I’m inspired by art. I’m also inspired by life around me. By what I see everyday, whether around me, tv, or internet, etcetera. Some things that some people may ignore or don’t even notice end up being a source of inspiration for me.

How did you get started as an artist?

I believe I was always kind of an artist. I always used to draw. It was my main hobby growing up, plus music. Since elementary, my family members used to call me the artist of the family. This made me decide early on that I was gonna be an artist, I pretty much never had another career choice in mind. However, I got more confident and started sharing my work with the world through social media in late 2014.

For what’s da bizniz we always feature art as our cover, why do feel it is important for our culture to celebrate art? 

Art should be celebrated because it is the expression of our creative ideas and imagination. It’s a way for us to show our identity, and numerous studies have shown that cultural and creativity helps to enhance physical and mental health alike. 

What do you want people to feel when they see your art?

I just want my art to evoke a type of feeling, inspiration, or insight to the viewers. I love when people come up with a different and better sometimes even deeper interpretation of my artworks than myself. It’s often hard for me to interpret my work into words, because there’s some type of feelings you can’t put into words. I just want people to connect with my art and hopefully see what I see in it or even deeper than me. 

What’s next for you as an artist? 

Just keeping on making dope art. I’m also planning to start doing art exhibitions and being a part of art-shows by the beginning of 2020. I also want to go harder in the clothing business and have more of my work on clothes. Some people would rather put the artwork on a t-shirt instead of a canvas print. Lastly, I was blessed to work with some big companies to create art for them, for that i want to work with more companies next year.

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Culture

Obama shooting 3-pointer while campaigning for Biden goes viral

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Former President Obama went viral on Saturday after shooting a 3-pointer while on the campaign trail for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Obama made the shot just before leaving a gymnasium in Flint, Mich. While he walked out the door, he told campaign staff, “That’s what I do!”

Celebrities and social media users quickly shared the clip, with some hoping the shot is a “good omen” for the former vice president ahead of the Tuesday election.

NBA star LeBron James, who previously partnered with former first lady Michelle Obama on voter initiatives, tweeted, “Now you just showing out now my friend!! That’s what you do huh??”

The clip was taken in the gymnasium of Flint’s Northwestern High School, Yahoo Sports reported. The former president and Biden campaigned together in Flint on Saturday at a drive-in rally, where Obama blasted President Trump’s “reality show” style of politics.

“He hasn’t shown any interest in doing the work or helping anybody but himself or his friends or treating the presidency as anything more than a reality show to give him the attention that he craves,” Obama said. “But unfortunately, the rest of us have to live with the consequences.”

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Black families affected by police violence gather to mobilize voters in Chicago

Several families affected by police violence including those of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Jacob Blake, and Alvin Cole gathered to mobilize voters in Chicago. The event allowed many to turn their pain into political power, as they encouraged voting in not only presidential but local elections.

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Several families affected by police violence including those of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Jacob Blake, and Alvin Cole gathered to mobilize voters in Chicago. The event allowed many to turn their pain into political power, as they encouraged voting in not only presidential but local elections.

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Culture

Why Dancing is Good for Your Health

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1) Great way to exercise and stay fit

Dance is a great way to stay in shape. If you don’t like the gym, dancing can bring fun back into the exercise.

2) Burn calories

Dancing is all about moving your body and moving your body is a great way to burn calories. How many will you burn depends on how vigorously you dance. In an one-hour session you can burn from 250 to 400 calories.

3) Improved health

Dance can effectively promote good health by improving cardiovascular fitness, strengthening the muscles, increasing circulation, decreasing blood pressure, lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, reducing stress, and many other positive benefits.

4) Greater Coordination

Great for improving control over your body, timing and coordination skills. You will learn how to move with grace and poise.

5) Good for bones and joints

Dance is a weight-bearing activity, meaning it’s great for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises has been proven to increase bone density and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

6) Build confidence

Dance builds confidence by giving you a sense of success and achievement when you master it.

7) Great way to meet new people

Dancing provides a natural icebreaker and is a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

8) Lifts your mood

Any exercise can raise your spirits by raising the endorphins or so called feel good chemicals. This can lighten your mood and reduce the risk of depression.

9) Good for your Mind

Dancing will keep your mind active. It will improve circulation to the brain and help stimulate the memory by remembering all the steps. Great mental exercise.

10) Improved overall well-being

Dance has an outstanding positive effect on both physical and psychological well-being.

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