When you don’t know….you don’t know.”
The first time I heard that expression was in 1997 when I first saw the film Hoodlum. Two characters were in the midst of a Harlem turf battle during a Depression-era numbers … Read the rest
.Just over 26 years ago, Ice Cube cemented his hip-hop status with his seminal debut, Amerikka’s Most Wanted. Along with brilliant sampling and now-classic rhymes, Amerikka… featured a scathing interlude calling out those who insisted on ‘going along to get … Read the rest
A cursory listen to typical radio playlists might lead folks to believe that true soul music is on life support and few true ‘sangers’ are left to revive it. But if you were at Grand Prairie’s Verizon Theater last night, … Read the rest
If a single sentiment were used to describe today’s relationships between African-American men and women, the computer screen would read, “It’s complicated.” For every general conflict that can arise from connecting with the opposite sex—-career expectations, child-rearing, gender roles and … Read the rest
“Can’t I criticize what I love?” Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
It’s as close as your Facebook feed, your teenager’s tweets, your girlfriend’s Instagram or Uncle’s Pinterest boards: all of us are witnessing—and to a degree, participating in—-a social-media-driven celebration … Read the rest