BreAnna Bell

Prof. Dennis Winston

ENGW-105

Co-curricular

Native Son mixtape

A student at Howard University, Tyheim Brown, is also a very good rap artist. He created

a short mixtape that doubles as this intellectual piece of work as well. The songs that he

showcased also show some of the central themes from the story Native Son. The main character

from the novel, Native Son, is Bigger Thomas. Brown performed a song titled, White Wraith

which had a message of getting the things you wish for in life. Like Bigger Thomas, he wanted

the nicer things in life, but of course, he was unable to acquire those things due to outside

circumstances such as the household he was raised in, the environment he grew up, the working

class status of his small family. As the songs progressed, the meaning of the songs became more

positive. Brown makes the statement, we aint niggas no more, we can be kings tonight which

says more to Bigger Thomas optimistic outlook on communism when spoke on in Native Son.

It says a lot about both the artist and the author, Richard Wright, that they were both able

to use such relatable topics that are still relevant to the black community today. Wright, by

making the novel with such hard-hitting themes that still apply to our lives in this new

generation; and, Tyheim Brown by using contemporary moral and social problems to relate to

this classic novel. The event also had a very good aesthetic which made it easier for the crowd to

absorb the material.