LL COOL J rang in hip-hop’s 50th anniversary this month at the Nasdaq’s opening bell, underscoring how influential and profitable the genre has become. The bell-ringing at Nasdaq was last week, but today, August 11, is the official anniversary. An industry with an economic impact Read More …
From remote working to the gig economy, technology has allowed workers more autonomy over their professional lives. This impact is especially evident in the music industry, when before if you didn’t have a record label contract you couldn’t make it. Now, independent artists are retaining Read More …
Featured artwork by: Jeff Manning Art Even before quarantine, my soul was weary. I hungered for that sweet communion of fellowship. I heard about a new service a few weeks ago that they called Verzuz battles. The first battle was between kings Babyface and Teddy Read More …
I am not a 420 participant. It is the smell. It reminds me of leaves burning in the fall. For me, texture and smell can be a turn off. The smell of cannabis is not pleasant. Maybe if it were more aromatic then I would Read More …
Painter Norman Lewis said, “The goal of the artist must be aesthetic development, and in a universal sense, to make in his own way some contribution to culture.” Perhaps Nina Simone was paraphrasing him when she said, “It is an artist’s duty to reflect the Read More …
Mother’s Day was second only to Christmas in my household. My maternal grandmother was orphaned as a child, so Mother’s Day was like a mini family reunion. Birthday parties were only cousins because after they showed up who had room to invite friends. I recall Read More …
While at the Toronto International Film Festival, I had a chance to catch the screening of Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami. For the life of me I can’t understand why she wasn’t in the Wonder Woman movie. I am hoping that Marvel’s Black Panther gives her a cameo. She is virtually Read More …
The stories about the rise of hip hop record labels focus heavily on men. Little is said about the women in the game, moving, shaking, trailblazing and mentoring. Too often women of color are reduced to caricatures – the ratchetness of reality TV. The notion Read More …
Beyoncé – Sister girl, sister girl! Watching Lemonade seemed like catching glimpses of my mother and aunts at Granny’s kitchen table, reminiscent of Annie Lee’s picture of women playing cards. As a little girl, my aunts typically went to Granny’s house at least once a Read More …
A bit of background: It’s Black History Month and Beyoncé paid homage to the Black Panthers. During the 1960s, the Panthers provided food and other social services to black communities who were denied those services by government agencies. Enough about that on to Beyoncé. For non-blacks, I’m Read More …
Art adds value to our world as an expression of life. I do not always understand it, but I appreciate its various forms. Sometimes art imitates life. Other times art is a voice of the people. Such is the case with Jean-Michel Basquiat. Basquiat was Read More …
The last article in the Powered for Endurance series is published with Mr. Refined magazine. Part 3 features the journey of Mekka Don from attorney to rapper-entrepreneur. Mekka’s creativity, commitment to his craft, and respect for the growth process encourages me in my dream chasing. Read More …