Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 376

Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and Hip-hop Feminism, Explained

Historian Brittney Cooper helps unpacks Hip-Hop Feminism and the influence of Respectability Politics -- The Root

The Port Chicago Sailors: Separate and Unequal

'During World War II a deadly disaster hit when sailors, most of them African-Americans, were loading ammunition onto ships at California's Port Chicago. 320 men were killed and while the White officers were given leave time and commended for heroic efforts, 328 of the surviving Black enlistees were sent to load ammunition on another ship. When they refused, fifty men were charged and convicted of mutiny. It was the largest mutiny trial in U.S. naval history, and an early spark in the Civil Rights struggle.' -- Making Contact

Zillah Eisenstein: The Only Way Forward is Abolitionist, Socialist and Feminist

'Writer Zillah Eisenstein explains why the mounting crises we face -- of capitalism, of racism, of misogyny - cannot be reformed individually, but must be understood and fought with a revolutionary rethinking of our values, the power structures around us, and the world we want to win for the future. Eisenstein is author of Abolitionist Socialist Feminism: Radicalizing the Next Revolution from Monthly Review Press.' -- This is Hell! 

Tragedy and Inspiration: Cherrie Moraga on Her Mother, the Chicanx Diaspora, and the Age of Trump

'Legendary Chicanx Feminist Theorist Cherrie Moraga joins host Eric Newman to talk about her new memoir, Native Country of the Heart, which tells the story of Cherrie mother, Elvira, along with reflections on Cherrie's own life and the long history of the Mexican-American/Indigenous diaspora. Cherrie discusses how she came to write about her mother's life, her own coming into being as a Chicanx radical feminist artist and lesbian, and ends with some somber thoughts about our dire contemporary politics balanced by where she finds hope in this context.' -- LA Review of Books

Stevie Wonder’s Irresistible Ode to Jazz, Explained

'Stevie Wonder is one of the most widely celebrated artists in history. His music is infectious, melodic, and thoughtfully inspired by the jazz musicians who came before him. In his legendary song "Sir Duke," Stevie paid homage to the late Duke Ellington and his other predecessors. Jacob Collier is a rising star in his own right and is Stevie Wonder's self-proclaimed greatest fan. Here, he breaks down the jazz influences and syncopations Stevie uses to create the magic that is "Sir Duke".' -- Vox 

Finding 'The Balance': Jazz Legend Abdullah Ibrahim Looks To Past, Present And Future

'NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim about his latest album, The Balance. "We deal with the balance: What is past, what is now, and what has to come. There's always a vision," Ibrahim, 84, explains. "The idea is that we reflect on the past; We know there is a future to come. But for us, the most important part is dealing with the present now. And that is the way that we play the music".' -- Weekend Edition Sunday

Savion Glover is Here to Make You Respond

'"Where would we be if we still had those kind of energies around?" Savion Glover told WNYC's cultural critic Rebecca Carroll, referring to the late tap dancer Gregg Burge, who died at 40 years old from a brain tumor, and choreographer Michael Peters, who also died young at 46. Glover used that inquiry as the premise for his new, limited-run show at the Joyce Theater called Lady5 @Savion Glover's BaRoQue'Blak TaP Cafe, which imagines a conversation with Burge through an ensemble performance. "If those cats were here, I think — not to discredit what the kids are calling twerking — we would be in a different place of understanding our body language".' -- WNYC News
         
        

Capturing The Undersung Blues People Of The Rural South

Tim Duffy/Courtesy of Music Maker 'Tim Duffy started Music Maker Relief Foundation to support blues musicians lost to time and poverty. He's also photographed their portraits for a new book, compilation album and museum exhibition.' -- Weekend Edition Sunday

A Dream Deferred--The Broken Promise of New York City Public Housing: The Struggle Is Real (Episode 2)

'Maintenance issues in NYCHA can go unresolved for months -- forcing some residents to protect their homes and their health by taking matters into their own hands. In the second episode of "A Dream Deferred: The Broken Promise of New York City Public Housing", we look at the infrastructure of NYCHA and why residents are saying "enough is enough".' -- WNET

S2.E8 | Professional Black Girl WUZZAM SUPA AKA SUPA CENT

'Wuzzam Supa. Supa Cent. Entrepreneur. Social Media Personality. Influencer. Makeup Mogul. CEO of Crayon Case Cosmetics. Professional Black Girl.'