Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 147

Left of Black S12 · E1 | Michael Eric Dyson on Performing Blackness in America

Left of Black embarks on its twelfth season, amid the pandemic, to bring you conversations with the foremost minds in Black Studies from across academia and beyond. On this episode, host and Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal  is joined by one of the foremost public scholars of our time: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, who discusses his latest publication, Entertaining Race: Performing Blackness in America which looks at the daily performativity of Blackness. From our brightest Black performers & artists to the those of us occupying the everyday grind of American life, those of African descent have long contended with the demands of white society to repeatedly demonstrate and affirm their humanity.  

 

#PlayboyAfterDark: Johnny Mathis—“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”/"Aquarius” (1970)

Johhny Mathis performs "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”/"Aquarius” in this episode of #PlayboyAfterDark from 1970.

Smoke and Fire: How Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist Cooked up a No-compromise Classic

'The Grammys was never the goal for Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist. Anyone intimately familiar with the hard-hitting discographies of both underground kings knows this all too well. But when their joint album Alfredo — a mafioso-inspired combination of both their names — earned a nod for Best Rap Album last year it was one of the rare occasions that the Academy got hip-hop right.'

Netflix's 'The Harder They Fall' is a Fictional Tale about Very Real Black Cowboys

'Weekend Edition Sunday's Danielle Kurtzleben speaks with MEL Magazine's Zaron Burnett about the history of Black cowboys and why their stories are just now beginning to be told in popular culture.'

Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter Emerge Fom Lockdown with the Ultimate Groove Elixir: SuperBlue

'In the thick of pandemic lockdown, an exalted jazz vocalist and an eminent groove guitarist forged a partnership from a distance. Kurt Elling, the singer, had been seeking fresh connection at a time of disorienting distance from the bandstand. He found it with Charlie Hunter, the hybrid guitarist, who brought in a couple of younger firebrands from the Richmond, Va. funk collective Butcher Brown. What came out of this alignment was SuperBlue, an album on Edition Records — and also a band that has since found traction on tour. On this episode of Jazz United, we peer under the hood of SuperBlue, with a special attention to the mechanics of groove; reminisce about our separate relationships with Elling and Hunter’s music, going back to 1995; and hear from both artists about their collaboration.'

Stay Human with Michael Franti: Aloe Blacc

'From the global hit “I Need A Dollar” to the genre-bending EDM classic “Wake Me Up,” Aloe Blacc has never been one to shy away from breaking norms and pushing musical boundaries. In his conversation with Michael Franti on the Stay Human podcast, Blacc shares what influenced him, his take on artistry, and the importance of his latest album All Love Everything.' 

 

'Black Girl Songbook' – Chapter 21: Classic Black Girl TV Hosts With the Most

'Black Girl Songbook host Danyel Smith is joined by Free Marie, Ananda Lewis, Leslie “Big Lez” Segar, and Scottie Beam to discuss their personal journeys to four incredibly distinct careers within the culture.'

One Hundred: The Ed Gordon Podcast with Jalen Rose

'On this episode of One Hundred, host Ed Gordon talks with broadcaster, philanthropist and former basketball star Jalen Rose. They talk about Rose being a member of the Michigan FaB Five, the team that brought swag and a hip-hop style that change the face of college basketball, his NBA career, and how growing up poor in Detroit helped fuel his success.'

The Quarantine Tapes: Derecka Purnell

'On episode 210 of The Quarantine Tapes, guest host Alex Vitale is joined by the brilliant Derecka Purnell,  author of the newly-released Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom. Derecka and Alex have an incredible conversation about abolition and organizing. Derecka talks about her own background and how she came to the abolition movement. She celebrates the many incredible campaigns working for abolition and justice in her hometown of St. Louis. Derecka and Alex discuss the rhetoric of dehumanization, the myth of a progressive prosecutor and their frustrations with some criticisms of the abolition movement in a fascinating and deeply informative episode.'

Captive Cosmopolitans: Black Mariners & the World of South Atlantic Slavery, 1721-1835 – Historian Mary Hicks in Conversation with ZZ Packer

As part of the W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute [Hutchins Center] Alumni Fellows Virtual Reading Series,  historian Mary Hicks, author of Captive Cosmopolitans: Black Mariners & the World of South Atlantic Slavery, 1721-1835,  is in conversation with ZZ Packer.