Music
Journey: The Sound of Black
Singer Al Jarreau and the George Duke Trio are touring the country and taking listeners on a excursion to a small piece of the history of Black music.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jun 24, 2010,
13:17
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Music
God Parent of Hip-Hop?
BLACK MUSIC MONTH 2010: When Nikki Giovanni went into the studio 40 years ago to record Truth is On Its Way, she was blatantly trying to bring the profane in conversation with the sacred, two decades before Kirk Franklin and later Kanye West would bring ghetto theodicy to the top of the pop charts.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jun 10, 2010,
13:38
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Music
Mary J Blige-American Voice
Mary J. Blige’s recent willingness to tackle Led Zepplin's “Stairway to Heaven" bolsters a long articulated claim that she—and by extension Black women vocalists—be read as a quintessential American Voice.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Apr 26, 2010,
17:16
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Music
A Song Worth Singing
Teddy Pendergrass's popularity as a emerging solo artist was rooted in his performance of a Black masculinity that was virile and potent and tailor-made for a cultural discourse that had moved beyond the struggles for Civil Rights and fixated on establishing acceptable images of Black masculinity within an integrated society.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jan 21, 2010,
15:01
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Music
Pendergrass Dead at 59
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| Teddy Pendergrass |
Iconic soul singer Teddy Pendergrass, paralyzed in a crash 28 years ago, has joined the ancestors. He was 59 years old. Click on this link to listen to his music.
Jan 15, 2010,
15:23
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Music
The Best of 2009 Playlist
PPP, Melanie Fiona, Foreign Exchange and Maxwell top a list of 13 notable performances from 2009. Version 3.0
By Mark Anthony Neal
Dec 30, 2009,
12:25
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Music
DeVaughn’s 'Bulletproof'
Raheem DeVaughn’s performance of the Black Power era throwback “Bulletproof” begs the question; What is happening exactly in Black culture and politics that necessitates this regeneration? What is going on that has forced DeVaughn to put “sexy” back in the closest in exchange for Black radical chic?
By Mark Anthony Neal
Dec 10, 2009,
11:37
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Music
Black America’s Band
In a world where many Whites are still coming to terms with the insular realities of Black life and culture, Frankie Beverly and Maze may be one of the biggest secrets of all. Several contemporary r&b and gospel stars, including Mary J. Blige, Joe and J. Moss, have come together to pay tribute to Black America’s favorite band.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Nov 17, 2009,
11:23
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Music
Meshell's Devil's Halo
With her new recording, Devil’s Halo, Meshell Ndegeocello's faith in her ears, and our ability to 'hear' her, are renewed.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Oct 20, 2009,
13:11
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Music
Jay-Z on His iPod
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| Image from hiptics.com |
Barack Obama is a hip-hop generation pop icon and a cultural code switcher--one who can use language, mannerism and symbols to communicate with various audiences, including a hip-hop audience.
By Halifu Osumare
Aug 3, 2009,
11:29
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Music
Conjuring Michael
(The “uncut-before-u-git-the-academic-ish” mix). I will shed a tear sometime soon, not for the man who breathed his last breath today, but for that young boy that helped to define the me that I be. That young boy was special and it’s that young boy that I choose to remember today.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jun 30, 2009,
12:26
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Music
Never Can Say Goodbye
Michael Jackson and his brothers were the most visible promise of our post-Civil Rights generation. Yet, in the ensuing decades, Michael became a Rorschach test for American society, as well as a symbol for the self-inflicted crucifixion of the Black body.
By Esther Iverem
Jun 30, 2009,
12:18
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Music
They Wrote The Songs...
BLACK MUSIC MONTH 2009--Chicago Soul Connection:
The rich legacy of Jerry Butler’s Songwriters Workshop
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jun 17, 2009,
12:41
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Music
Why Can’t I Touch You?
BLACK MUSIC MONTH 2009: Remembering Ronnie Dyson, the talented singer who died in 1990 as, at best, an afterthought and, at worst, totally forgotten. What happened?
By Mark Anthony Neal
Jun 9, 2009,
12:08
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Music
Should Black Radio Die?
Radio One’s “Save Black Radio” campaign misses the mark.
By Mark Anthony Neal
May 15, 2009,
00:16
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Music
Celebrating the Queen
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| Aretha Franklin sings at Barack Obama's inauguration. |
Celebrating the birthday of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Apr 1, 2009,
10:38
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Music
Rhythm and Beatdown?
Chris Brown's alleged attack on girlfriend and fellow r&b and pop star Rihanna Fenty, has brought the issue of domestic abuse to the forefront.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Feb 25, 2009,
10:14
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Music
The Forgotten Revolution
When Berry Gordy founded Motown Records 50 years ago, it was little more than an All-American hustle. But Motown has become, arguably, the most well known Black brand of the 20th century.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Feb 12, 2009,
11:57
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Music
MAN's 2008 Playlist
Marvin Sapp--"Never Would Have Made It" (from Thirsty)--with 24-hour Gospel stations populating the FM airwaves, Yolanda Adams hosting a very popular morning drive-time show for a Radio One station near you, and the Black Church's "gospel of prosperity" catching the attention of advertisers, Marvin Sapp's breakthrough hit "Never Would Have Made It" makes perfect sense. See what else made the list.
Feb 12, 2009,
11:33
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Music
Man Enough: Levi Stubbs
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| Remembering Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops (bottom left). |
Remembering Levi Stubbs, the long-time lead singer of The Four Tops who died in October.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Nov 25, 2008,
11:06
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Music
Makeba, the Great
For generations, this glorious, talented African woman shared voices of South Africa with millions.
By Mumia Abu-Jamal
Nov 25, 2008,
10:47
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Music
Just-Past 11:00pm Playlist
Obama, Obama! The Just-Past 11:00pm playlist from November 4, 2008.
By Mark Anthony Neal
Nov 21, 2008,
11:50
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Music
Saadiq--New Classic Soul
On his third solo release, The Way I See It, Raphael Saadiq reprises a sweet, gritty, soulful sound and accomplishes what most artists riding the current trend of retro soul only attempt.
By Natalie Maxwell
Oct 24, 2008,
13:13
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Music
A Love Supreme?
Mark Anthony Neal explores and links the legacy of John Coltrane, with Lil Wayne and the "post-trauma blues."
Oct 8, 2008,
07:11
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