The Other Three-Album Run that Defined Quincy Jones' Black Pop Sound
George Benson, James Ingram, and Michael Jackson sparked a movement like no other.
Mark Anthony Neal
Unpacking Luther Vandross' Sentimental Rhythm and Blues
Listening to Luther amidst Black grief.
How Music Giant Quincy Jones Made His Mark in Hollywood
His accomplishments on the big and small screens are thrilling
September Is a Good Time to Revisit Earth, Wind, & Fire's Genius
Their 70s catalog rivaled Elton John, Chicago and the Eagles yet the music never abandoned its soulful backbone.
How Frankie Beverly Built a Band for Black America
While Grateful Dead disciples were looking for music to accompany the purple haze, most of Frankie Beverly’s fans were simply seeking good times and togetherness
Michael Jackson Was An Archival Resource of Black Movements
The King of Pop pulled influence from R&B's chitlin' circuit, borrowing from legends like James Brown and Jackie Wilson
Saluting Soul Music's Black Moses
In an era that was largely defined by Black male superheroes like Stokely Carmichael, Huey P. Newton, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, Isaac Hayes and his bald head was a marketer’s dream
Shirley Caesar's Song on Raising Two Boys Should Be Studied
"Don’t Drive Your Mother Away," a tune that maps her "good" son's betrayal, is a songwriting masterpiece
Revisiting Rap's Groundbreaking Book, Black Noise
It's the first book that I suggest students read when they express any interest in Hip-hop studies. Here's why
Why This Olympic Podium Moment Remains the GOAT Protest
Ironically one of the most outspoken critics of Tommie Smith and John Carlos was Jesse Owens, who strongly discouraged Black athletes from engaging in any kind of protest.
Was Motown, the 'Sound of Young America', also the Sound of Queer America?
The label released one of the biggest 70s queer anthems with Carl Bean's "Born this Way" while Dynamic Superior's gay lead singer Tony Washington had high hopes
Center Fielder Willie Mays Has Left the Field for the Last Time
How Willie Mays and baseball brought me closer to my father
Black Men and the Shame of Absenteeism
There are long-held beliefs that Black men are absent in the lives of their children. This should not be a sweeping statement
Why Jackie Robinson's Impact Still Hits In a League Light on Black Stars
Robinson mattered so much to my dad, because he was a symbol of the possibilities that were ahead, not for him, but for me
Remembering Marvin Gaye's Last Protest
The former Motown crooner was tapped to perform the National Anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles. He put some stank on it for the people.