Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 607

Regina King Reigns In Hollywood--In Front + Behind the Camera

'Regina King has successfully navigated working both in front of and behind the camera. She's won an Emmy for her television work, and she's in demand as a director on shows like Animal Kingdom.' -- +NPR 

Exoneration's False Freedom: Released Prisoners Face Hard Times on the Outside.

'Investigative journalist Alison Flowers reports on the harsh conditions faced by newly exonerated prisoners - from the meager financial compensation and institutional support offered by the state, to the psychological toll of years and decades spent locked up - and explains addressing the plight of exonerees requires confronting the larger problem of American mass incarceration itself, and the brutal mechanisms that devalue both human lives and the ideals of justice. Flowers is the author of Exoneree Diaries: The Fight for Innocence, Independence, and Identity , available now from Haymarket Books.' -- This Is Hell Radio  

Perfect Combination—The Soul Duets

Perfect Combination—The Soul Duetsby Mark Anthony Neal | @NewBlackMan | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
In 1984, Stacy Lattisaw recorded “Perfect Combination” with Johnny Gill.  Lattisaw was a teen sensation recordings\ hits like a remake of the Moments’ “Love on a Two Way Street” and “Let Me Be Your Angel,” and Atlantic hoped to capitalize on her success in order to break a teen-aged Boston vocalist by the name of Johnny Gill.  It would still be years before Gill’s body would catch up to his grown man vocals and eventually an audience that appreciated his talents.   But “Perfect Combination” was an earnest effort to capture that Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell magic.  When Lattisaw was on the downside of her career and Gill’s star was finally on the rise (courtesy of his spin with New Edition”) the two collaborated again on “Where Do We Go from Here?”  The songs with Lattisaw and Gill are a reminder of other great Soul and R&B duets, like those below.
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”—Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” borders on being cliché, as it is so often referenced as the quintessential Soul duet.  True there’s an innocence and sexiness that’s palpable in this classic pairing of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and Motown milked it for all they could releasing three albums’ worth of material by the duo including classics like “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “You’re All I Need to Get By” and “Your Precious Love”, the song that Terrell was signing when she collapsed in Gaye’s arms at a concert in Virginia in 1967.  Ironically, Gaye and Terrell weren’t even in the studio together—Gaye added his vocals long after Terrell laid down hers.  Yet the energy is real and for that we can thank the writers, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who gave Marvin and Tammi songs drawn from their own romance.  Terrell died tragically in 1970 of a brain tumor.
“Ain’t Understanding Mellow”—Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee EagerJerry Butler had been in the music business for nearly 15 years and was on the third stage of a career that began as the lead vocalist of The Impressions (with Curtis Mayfield) when he connected with Ms. Eager. Butler was on the downside of the most popular point of a career that was largely resuscitated courtesy of Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble (a few years before PIR) when he teamed with Brenda Lee Eager for the ultimate breakup song “Ain’t Understanding Mellow.”  This was serious grown folk music about a man showing appreciation for a partner, who was honest enough to admit to her love for another man.  In turn she shows appreciation for him understanding her situation.  This ultimately a song about a couple who were grounded in friendship, even as the romantic relationship starts to sour.  And yeah, what’s the deal with that title?

“At the Concert”—Roberta  Flack & Michael HendersonRoberta Flack recorded a series of legendary duets with the late Donny Hathaway, much if it drawn from their 1972 recording Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway which included the lovely “Where is the Love?” and the nationalist era staple “Be Real Black.”  Hathaway was in a deep depression when Flack again found him with 1978’s “The Closer I Get to You.” The two had just finished two tracks when Hathaway fell to his death in January 1979.  For her part, Flack found another willing partner in Peabo Bryson with “Tonight I Celebrate” in 1983.  Less known is Flack’s appearance on Michael Henderson’s 1977 recording Going Places.  Henderson, who at one time played with Miles Davis in his fusion band, possessed a vocal quality every much the peer of fellow bassist Larry Graham and other such as James Ingram.  Though he lacked the promotional push that his talents deserved, “At the Concert” is a sprawling piece of jazzy Soul that very much represents a novel collaboration on the part Henderson and Flack.
“Two Hearts”—Teddy Pendergrass & Stephanie MillsTeddy Pendergrass was at the top of his game and Stephanie Mills had finally delivered on the promise of all those nights on stage performing in The Wiz.   For Mills, there was no better choice than Pendergrass to help maintain some of the momentum that would bring her greater popularity in the late 1980s.  Pendergrass and Mills had collaborated the year before with a version of Peabo Bryson’s “Feel the Fire.”  “Two Hearts” had a lighter touch perfectly pitched for the stepper-set.
“Happy”—Teena Marie & Rick JamesEveryone remembers “Fire & Desire” the Teena Marie and Rick James classic that practically defines the slow burning R&B ballad.  Rick James was living off of the brilliance of 1980’s Street Songs and Marie was having her breakthrough moment  with It Must Be Magic when Quiet Storm programmers picked up on “Fire and Desire.”  And of course when Marie finally weighs in with “love them or leave them” midway through, the song took R&B to new heights making us all forget about the significance of their interracial desire as recorded on wax.  When James went back in the studio for 1982’s Throwin’ Down, he again collaborated with Marie on the largely forgotten “Happy”, though this time, he matches Marie note for note, marking one of his singularly great performances.

Orlando Massacre Comes After Lawmakers in U.S. Filed More Than 200 Anti-LGBT Bills

'In a tweet that went viral after Sunday’s attack on an LGBT nightclub in Florida, ACLU staff attorney Chase Strangio wrote: "The Christian Right has introduced 200 anti-LGBT bills in the last six months and people blaming Islam for this. No." The attack has also renewed calls for lifting what advocates say is a medically unnecessary ban on blood donations from many gay and bisexual men. +Democracy Now! speaks with Hannah Willard of Equality Florida.' 

#DontSleep on BJ The Chicago Kid’s 'Pineapple Now-Laters' If You Love the Lord but Cuss a Little

#DontSleep on BJ The Chicago Kid’s Pineapple Now-Laters If You Love the Lord but Cuss a Littleby Lauren Whiteman | @Lwhiteman_9 | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
Bryan James Sledge’s soulful hooks have been featured on songs like Schoolboy Q ‘s “Studio” and “Like Me” by Joey Bada$$. However, he has largely floated under the radar when it comes to his own projects, released under the moniker BJ the Chicago Kid.
BJ the Chicago Kid’s 2012 debut album Pineapple Now-Laters is a solid introduction to his style: soulful, churchy, hood and indisputably authentic. Urban tales of love and life are interwoven with the inheritance of Black music, past and present, allowing us to hear stories against backgrounds of R&B and hip-hop, with the undeniable influence of his gospel roots. The project is raw, unassuming and straightforward, and the title track tells us what we should expect:
After Pineapple Now-LatersYour taste buds changeThis skull candySweet somethings in your earStraight raw
Pineapple Now-Laters provides sweet memories tied to the experiences of our childhoods and early adult years, whether it be through tracks like "East Side High 2012 & Forever", where he covers the school song of East Side High from the movie Lean on Me, or by paying homage to our parents' favorite songs in “Good Luv’n”. He discusses the topics of love and lust, the enjoyment of material goods, and everyday experiences without shame or hesitation. He puts on no airs, and seems not to create music for shallow-level radio play—it is refreshing.
BJ pays homage to Black women early in the project, weaving interludes about loving natural hair with songs about being a strong Black woman’s biggest cheerleader in “Fly Girl Get‘em”. He sings about sex and lovemaking in sultry songs such as “The Big Payback”, “‘Aiight’”, “Sex is the Best Breakfast” and “Good Love.”    He celebrates sexual intimacy without cheapening the experiences. Love songs like “Other Side”, “I Want You Back|Lady Lady, ”and the too-short “White Picket Fence Interlude” display a vulnerability that taps into the softer side of black love by forcing one to remember the butterflies of new love and the pain of love lost.
Though the album's love songs give us an intimate view of BJ’s emotions, the most transparent track on the project is “His Pain,” featuring frequent collaborator Kendrick Lamar. BJ doubles down on the question of why bad things happen to good people and lets us in on a prayer of repentance and honesty:
Lord help meCause I need youI know this weed is burningAnd I’m on drink number two
While conservative folks might look down on him, this vulnerability allows us to glimpse how so many young (Black) Christians experience life. It also sets the tone for his most recent project In My Mind, which features songs where BJ says that the woman he is with wants to “drink, do drugs, and have sex tonight” but he’s “got church in the morning” (“Church”).
Indeed, BJ the Chicago Kid’s claim that Pineapple Now-Laters makes your taste buds change rings true; it matures the musical palate for a better appreciation of songs about the everyday experiences of Black people who might love the Lord but also cuss a little. Songs like these relate the loss of an ex-lover to the fire shut up in the biblical prophet Jeremiah’s bones (“Jeremiah/World Needs More Love”), or give a sultry metaphor about putting in work with the same dedication given to a “nine to five” (“The Resume”).
BJ the Chicago Kid provides the authentic and raw storytelling that music needs; songs that reminisce on childhood and years of maturation, good and bad decisions made. It is criminal that BJ is so underrated—one wonders if the time he spent flying under the radar has ensured that we can expect the same honesty in the future that we have gotten from Mr. Sledge thus far. Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise, and if that’s the case,
I don’t know why he keep blessing meI don’t know whyI don’t know whyI don’t know why
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Lauren Whiteman, M.Ed., is an Assistant Director of Student Life and Coodinator for African American Student Programs and Services at the University of Oklahoma. She serves as the advisor for African American Student Life, the Black Student Association, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Lauren’s work focuses on the miseducation of Black and African American students in higher education, advocacy, and student development.

Tony Sparkles, But Black Theatre Shines by Lisa B. Thompson

Tony Sparkles, But Black Theatre Shines by Lisa B. Thompson | @PlayProf | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
I spent the eve of the Tony Awards busily booking flights to New York City to see shows. This season, Broadway and off-Broadway is replete with brilliant new work by diverse artists featuring African Americans. I’m thrilled that I snagged tickets to Turn Me Loose, the one-man show starring Joe Morton as the outspoken comic genius Dick Gregory. Although Morton is now widely known to many as Papa Pope from the Shonda Rhimes’ television hit Scandal, Morton will always be the Brother from Another Planet to me. I will also catch black theatre legend George Wolfe’s latest musical, Shuffle Along before six time Tony winner Audra McDonald departs the show in July. I’m excited to see the rest of the Shuffle Along cast that includes Tony-winners Brian Stokes Mitchell and Bill Porter as well as Tony-nominee Brandon Victor Dixon.
Last but never least, I’m ecstatic that I will feast on Stew & Heidi Rodewald’s latest musical offering The Total Bent at The Public Theatre starring Vondie Curtis Hall and Ato Blankson-Wood. The Public is the legendary and forward-thinking theatre that brought you Stew & Heidi’s first Tony award-winning collaboration, Passing Strange.  This season, two shows that originated at The Public Theatre are nominated for multiple Tony awards, Hamilton and Eclipsed. I’ve seen both productions and fully expect them to bring home statues on Sunday. What can I say, it’s an excellent time to be a theatre blerd!
As I’ve mentioned before, we are living in the midst of an African American theatrical renaissance. I cannot recall a time when black theatre in New York has been so rich, varied and plentiful and its success makes this black feminist cultural critic jump for joy. To truly feel the immensity of this moment you have to be in New York. I recall standing on a single block on the Great White Way where I could see the marquees for The Color Purple, Eclipsed and Shuffle Along. As I stood there, I felt the palpable excitement of the patrons waiting in line. I’m certain that this historic moment will inspire others just as Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls and George C. Wolfe’s Colored Museum inspired me to become a playwright thirty years ago. This season will move the next generation of African American theatre artists to their stories, reinforcing the idea that black art matters and that there is an audience waiting to be transformed by their narratives.
The Tony Awards mark the end of the theatre award season. These accolades are a symbol of artistic excellence but, if you ask me, there will never be enough awards to acknowledge all of the dazzling work being produced at this moment. Like admission to the freshman class at a prestigious university—the spots are finite even although the talent is not. Many deserving shows during this watershed season did not receive nominations, such as Robert O’Hara’s Barbeque (which also originated at The Public) and Colman Domingo’s Dot (Signature Theatre). That these shows failed to receive their due raises questions as to whether nominators are able to recognize and appreciate unconventional storylines and representations of black lives.
There is a good deal more to be done to broaden opportunities for black artists in American theatre. While we are fortunate to have black critics making sense of this moment in a variety of forums, it’s important to note that the New York Times, the major voice for American theatre, still does not have a black critic dedicated to its arts beat. With the growing number of black performers, playwrights, directors and producers making theatre, it’s essential to also have powerful critics that understand that work.
Unlike Hollywood with its poor record of developing and rewarding diverse talent, American theatre has a plethora of black talent finding its way on American stages but it’s important not to solely rely on awards to determine worth. African American and other audiences need to seek out shows even if they don’t carry the imprimatur of excellence that prestigious awards provide. The most important reviews are those delivered word of mouth: I’m here to tell you that despite the challenges our country faces, in this moment, black theatre shines.
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Lisa B. Thompson is a playwright and associate professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at UT Austin. She is author of Single Black Female and Beyond the Black Lady: Sexuality and the New African American Middle Class. She is currently writing a book about representations of history and contemporary African American theatre. Follow her on Twitter @playprof.
Other essays from Lisa B. Thompson:A Black Theatrical Renaissance in the #BlackLivesMatter Era by Lisa B. ThompsonThe Prince and the Black Girl by Lisa B. Thompson

The One Percent: Power, Politics, And America's Changing Democracy

On this episode of The State of Things, host Frank Stasio examines how the so-called "one percent" have used their economic power to increase their political privilege. Stasio is joined by Jane Mayer author of Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right (Doubleday/2016) and Jeffrey Winters, professor of political science at Northwestern University and author of the book Oligarchy (Cambridge University Press/2011).

Strange Fruit: What The Brock Turner Case Says About Race & Justice

'New information continues to surface about the Stanford University rape case.  Brock Turner, who was caught raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster, will serve only 3 months of his 6 month sentence — a sentence already surprisingly short, given that he was convicted of three felony counts of sexual assault. New York Daily News's Senior Justice Writer Shaun King wrote a piece contrasting Turner's outcome with that of  Corey Batey, a Vanderbilt student who raped an unconscious woman in a dorm room. Both were star athletes on campus, both were 19 years old, both had ample evidence against them, and both were convicted on three felony counts. But there are two big differences: Batey is black. Turner is white. And Batey is serving a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison, while Turner is scheduled to be released before the pools close at the end of this summer.' -- Strange Fruit
 

#UnderTheSoulCovers: “Holding Back the Years” -- Simply Red + Isley Brothers + Angie Stone

UnderTheSoulCovers: “Holding Back the Years” -- Simply Red + Isley Brothers + Angie Stoneby Mark Anthony Neal | @NewBlackMan | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
For some fans of the Soul tradition, Simply Red is the “White” group--with lead singer Mick Hucknall--who had the temerity to cover the Harold Melvin + The Bluenotes’ classic “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.”  While the original Philly classic was a pop hit in 1972, Simply Red’s cover topped the pop charts in 1988, and ruffled enough feathers to be the source of a debate during an episode of A Different World about who recorded it first.
Give Hucknall some credit for knowing what a fine Soul tune was--he recorded a tribute album to Bobby “Blue” Bland, when nobody was checking for the late Blues + Soul legend--and has written and recorded a few fine originals of his own.  “Holding Back the Years” from Simply Red’s debut Picture Book (1985) is, by far, the most exquisite of those songs. Hucknall had previously recorded the song with his band Frantic Elevators.  The 1985 version was classic enough to catch the attention of another Soul legend, Ronald Isley, who recorded the song on the Brothers Isley’s commercial comeback Mission to Please (1996), though the Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds composition “Tears” is the real gem on that album.
But it was Angie Stone who would reclaim the song for the tradition; featured on the soundtrack of the film Love & Basketball (2000), Stone’s one-off contribution captures the essence of the original’s melancholy, while churching it in a way that Hucknall couldn’t have imagined. That it clocks in at over 6-minutes is just the buttercream icing, and if you first heard the song in the context of the closing segments of Love & Basketball -- along with Meshell Ndegeocello’s “Fool of Me” -- than you know that it’ll tug at your heart like an anvil.
 

ProjectBronx: How This Latino Deals With Imposter Syndrome

'If you've ever felt like fraud doing your job or going to school, you are not alone. This is called imposter syndrome and it affects 70% of people world wide. Imposter syndrome affects women & people of color in an unique way due to this country's history of discrimination and disenfranchisement.' -- +ProjectBronx