In response to the column written by Patrick Battle on Monday, March 31, I would like to offer a few suggestions as well as corrections.

The first order of business for Mr. Battle should have been to stay for the entire event so that he could have offered an objective opinion of the show as a whole before writing an article bashing a show that he never saw through its entirety.

As a fellow journalist, I understand that not every event or story you cover will be enjoyable, but if you take journalism as seriously as you should, you should know that a true journalist shows discipline and sticks it out through even the most boring events.

The second order of business for Mr. Battle should have been to research history of the Apollo Talent Show beforehand to develop a true sense of the environment he would be stepping into last Wednesday night. The Apollo has never been a showcase for solely hip-hop acts, hence the name “talent show,” Mr. Battle.

For the past four years, the Apollo has been a showcase for students and local talent including singers, poets, dancers, pianists, guitarists, spoken word artists and rappers to display their skills in front of a large, diverse crowd of their peers. Wednesday night was no different. And yes, Mr. Battle, because you did leave the event early, not only did you show a lack of commitment to your job, but you did miss out on some great poetry, intensely competitive dancing, a thrilling freestyle battle and an inspirational tribute dance.

Had you stuck around long enough to see this tribute dance, maybe you would have had a different opinion of the show and been inspired to write a less “whiny” column. But instead, because you didn’t approve of the performance put on by the featured act, you left and missed out on exceptional performances that followed later in the show.

Even as the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight, the size of the crowd in the Duke Ellington Ballroom indicated to me that not everyone thought that, “This s--- is wack.” The Apollo was arguably the largest and most successful social event on campus this semester.

The Apollo served as a venue for members of the Latino, Asian, African-American and Caucasian campus communities to come together for a fun filled, entertaining and enjoyable evening.

In an act of generosity, the members of Black Male Initiative and Supporting Opportunities for Latinos donated 20 percent of the proceeds from the show to support the February 14 Scholarship Fund. It’s ironic the things you miss when you don’t ask questions, isn’t it?

In closing, I offer you these bits of advice. See things through until the end, finish what you start and research events assigned to you before scrutinizing an event you were clearly unprepared to cover.

Reginald Brown Jr.
Vice President, Black Male Initiative
Senior journalism major

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