Community Rallies to Save Local Target

By Zachary Circo

Middle Stew Reporter

            NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Pastor Keith Vincent rallied the Antioch community in an attempt to prevent the Hickory Hollow Target location from closing after the company announced that the store would be closing after decreased profitability.

            The Hickory Hollow Target is set to close its doors permanently on Feb. 2, 2013. This specific location has been a part of the community for approximately 31 years, yet the Minnesota-based company claims that its Hickory Hollow location has been losing revenue over the past few years due to the fact that it has not been converted into a Super Target. After Vincent was notified of the store’s upcoming closing, he decided to create an online petition and work with the community to convince the Target to remain in business. The Target’s location is 5330 Cane Ridge Road.

            “It will have a domino effect on the other businesses around,” Vincent said. “It is the last of the major retailers in our community, and with Antioch being the largest and fastest growing in Davidson County, it just doesn’t seem logical.”

            The pastor felt that the Target would remain profitable if it were to stay open. He feels that with Nashville State Community College and companies such as HCA Holdings Inc. moving into the area, as well as the private investors that plan on renovating the Hickory Hollow Mall, the Target stands to benefit as the area starts to become revitalized. Vincent’s petition had received 1,925 signatures as of Dec. 3. He urges citizens to contact Target’s corporate office to voice their concerns. Citizens can sign the petition by going to this website.

            Vincent said that he has been in contact with “all of the district council reps in Southeast Davidson County,” the news media, and even the mayor’s and governor’s staffs to discuss the options for keeping the store open. He added that Councilwoman Karen Y. Johnson reached out to Minnesota’s council members and those connected to Target’s CEO.

            “Target leaving will deal a major blow to our community,” said Vincent.

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Local Rapper Returns as a Star

By Zachary Circo

Middle Stew Reporter

          NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The rapper Yelawolf returned to the South to perform as a Shady Records artist at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville on Nov. 16 as his Slumerican Tour came to a close.

           Yelawolf, a rapper from Gadsden, Ala., who signed to Eminem’s Shady Records record label in January 2011, performed the second-to-last show on the Slumerican Tour in Nashville. Yelawolf, who grew up in Nashville, considers the city his second home, making the performance more entertaining as the rapper put more vivacity into his songs.

          Yelawolf was joined by fellow Slumerican rapper, Rittz. Both rappers are known for using rapid-fire precise rhyming with accurate enunciation. The two Southern MCs also embrace their Southern culture, proudly incorporating imagery of their lives in the American South into their songs.

          After signing with Eminem in January 2011, Yelawolf released his major-label debut album, "Radioactive", in November of the same year. However, this did not slow the rapper’s roll in the slightest, as he has recently done collaborative projects with English singer Ed Sheeran and American drummer Travis Barker. "Psycho White", the collaborative album that came out of his relationship with Blink 182’s drummer, Travis Barker, was part of the show at the Cannery Ballroom, as the EP had been released only three days prior to the concert.

          In addition to his fast-paced rhymes and proud country boy persona, Yelawolf is known for his livewire performances, getting extremely rowdy on the stage. As his set began, Yelawolf walked onto the stage with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other while “Whistle Dixie”, a single from the Psycho White album, played in the background. Throughout the night, Yelawolf captivated the crowd’s attention through his wild showmanship, even climbing to the top of the speakers and tying an American flag around his neck, before diving into the crowd at one point.

          The audience was able to watch Yelawolf perform some of his biggest hits, such as “Daddy’s Lambo”, “Pop the Trunk”, and his verse from the 2011 BET Cypher, as well as new songs from Psycho White. In addition to his own discography, Yelawolf paid homage to some of his influences, covering a the Beastie Boys song “Paul Revere” and dedicating it to the late MCA, as well as covering “The Way I Am” out of respect to his mentor Eminem. The Gadsden, Ala., MC also touched upon his other musical influences, rapping over the instrumentals to songs from the bands Nirvana, AC/DC, and Lynard Skynard, as well as singing the Hank Williams Jr. song “If Heaven Ain’t a Lot Like Dixie”.

          Rittz recently signed to the largest independent record label in the world, Strange Music Inc., and he showed off this fact by wearing his new Strange Music pendant and rapping his part of a song that he recorded with the head of Strange Music. Rittz also performed songs from his album White Jesus and songs that he recorded alongside Yelawolf.

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