Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 131

Raekwon opens up about life before and with the Wu-Tang Clan

'Raekwon, a co-founding member of Wu-Tang Clan, talks to Salon's D. Wakins about growing up in Park Hill on Staten Island, how rap became his first real job and why the friendships he made in the group meant so much to him at the time. "I always wanted to have a male figure to talk to and emulate what they were doing," Raekwon said on "Salon Talks." "My mom had to work, and she left me to be in the streets, around whatever was outside, so you know once you walk out that door, you learn everything according to the streets." Raekwon's memoir From Staircase to Stage is available now.'

In Defense of Auto-Tune

'Thanks to artists like T-Pain, Cher, and Kanye West, Auto-Tune went from being an industry secret to an industry staple. But it didn’t happen overnight. In this video, Sound Field hosts Linda Diaz and Arthur Buckner, uncover how Auto-Tune became THE in-demand tool for recording studios, helped artists find their artistic selves, and evolved popular music.'

Schomburg Center – Theater Talks: Lynn Nottage

'Lynn Nottage is a playwright and screenwriter, and is the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. This fall, Nottage has a new play, Clyde’s , at Second Stage Theater and a musical, MJ, based on Michael Jackson’s life, debuting at Broadway’s Neil Simon Theater in December. A truth teller and seeker, Nottage was among the 300 playwrights, actors, directors, administrators who signed the June 9, 2020 open letter, “We See You, White American Theater,” challenging the industry to grapple with its contributions to racial injustice. Join the Schomburg Center for intimate evening of conversation with Lynn Nottage and culture writer and contributing critic-at-large for the New York Times, Salamishah Tillet.' 

David Driskell's Art Spotlighted Black Life – It's 'about time' America Saw His Work

'Artist David Driskell died in 2020 of COVID-19 at age 88, but he's finally getting his due. For the first time, his paintings are the center of attention in a major way. Driskell was best known for his work as an historian and curator, raising the profile of African-American art and artists. Jeffrey Brown has this report PBS NewsHour's arts and culture series, CANVAS.' 

Soledad O'Brien Interviews a Doula on the Frontlines of Mississippi's Infant Mortality Crisis

'Studies show that mothers with doulas tend to have shorter labor, fewer premature births, and a decreased likelihood of C-Sections. Kashuna Watts is a doula on the frontlines of Mississippi’s infant mortality crisis. She's part of a movement that advocates on behalf of black maternal health and fights racism in the health care system. Watts talks with #DisruptAndDismantle's Soledad O'Brien.'

The Story Behind the Music of Drumline: Dasmyn Grigsby on HBCU Marching Bands

'Historically Black Colleges and Universities have heavily influenced some of today’s biggest hits. Songs like “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and “Love Lockdown” by Kanye West wouldn’t sound the same without the catchy, marching band-inspired beats.  In this episode of Sound Field Arthur "LA" Buckner talks to Grammy Award Winning Percussionist, Dasmyn Grigsby, about the evolution of HBCU marching bands and how they continue to influence pop culture today.'

Artist Claudette Johnson – 'Giving Space to the Presence of a Black Woman'

 

'Artist Claudette Johnson uses painting and drawing as a means to explore representations of Black women (and sometimes men). Here for the Tate she talks about how her personal experience of being a Black woman and an Artist has shaped her work. Johnson's subjects are people she knows well, often drawn from life; a process which allows her to project the presence of the person she is drawing. Each large-scale artwork boasts a rich colour palette. Completed at the time of filming is her most vibrant yet, 'Kind of Blue', which features throughout the film.'

Jenna C. Lester: Why Skin Disease is Often Misdiagnosed in Darker Skin Tones

'Skin is one of the most powerful predictors of health, yet nearly half of all new dermatologists admit to feeling uncomfortable identifying health issues on darker skin tones -- resulting in poorer health outcomes for patients of color. In this crucial talk, TED Fellow and dermatologist Jenna C. Lester shares her effort to extend medical training beyond its current limited scope and ensure all medical students get trained in the full spectrum of diseases as they appear in all patients, regardless of skin tone.'

MoCA–Collecting the Contemporary: Jordan Casteel

'In this edition of  The Museum of Contemporary Art's Collecting the Contemporary series, New York-based painter Jordan Casteel discusses her 2017 painting Memorial, which depicts a discarded funerary arrangement she saw on a street corner in Harlem. Memorial is the first painting by Casteel to join MOCA's permanent collection and is unique in that it is one of the few works in her oeuvre that does not depict people.'

Film Short: ‘The Vandal’ (dir. Eddie Alcazar) – Grieving the Loss of a Love and Oneself

'In The Vandal, a film by Eddie Alcazar presented by Darren Aronofsky, a man recovering from a lobotomy (Bill Duke) suddenly loses the love of his life, who was also his caregiver. The aftermath leads his mind into the incomprehensible.'