Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 746

Du Bois, Ghana, and Cairo Jazz: The Geo-Politics of Malcolm X

Hisham Aidi, Columbia University Professor and author of Rebel Music: Race, Empire, and the New Muslim Youth Culture discusses Malcolm X’s sojourn in Egypt and Ghana in 1964, his engagement with local cultural and political movements, and with the African American expatriate communities of Cairo and Accra that were, in the words of Julian Mayfield, trying to forge a Black Aesthetic for the cause of Black Liberation. Aidi also examines how fifty years after his death, Malcolm X has become central to Muslim youth movements and to debates about integration and radicalization in Europe.

Herbie Hancock Recalls Auditioning for Miles Davis and Almost Playing with Jimi Hendrix

In a conversation with OkayPlayer , legendary pianist Herbie Hancock recalls his 'secret' audition for Miles Davis, which led to the recording Seven Steps to Heaven (1963), and his initial dismissal of the music of Jimi Hendrix.Okay

Herbie Hancok Recalls Auditioning for Miles Davis and Almost Playing with Jimi Hendrix

In a conversation with OkayPlayer , legendary pianist Herbie Hancock recalls his 'secret' audition for Miles Davis, which led to the recording Seven Steps to Heaven (1963), and his initial dismissal of the music of Jimi Hendrix.Okay

"No Place Like": Interview with Artist Stacy Lynn Waddell

  The Nasher Museum presents the sixth in a series of video interviews with artists whose works are part of "Area 919: Artists in the Triangle." Artist Stacy Lynn Waddell speaks about "No Place Like."

#BlackGirlsSwimFast: Lia Neal & Simone Manuel Break Down 1-2 Finish in NCAA 100 Freestyle

Stanford University swimmers Lia Neal and Simone Manuel, who set an American Record, discuss their 1-2 finish in the 100 Yard Freestyle at the NCAA Championships in Greensboro, NC.  The 3rd Place finisher Natalie Hinds, of the University Florida, is also of African-descent, completing an historic event. 

An Admonishment Of, And Love Letter To, Black America: a Review of 'To Pimp a Butterfly'

According to reviewer Oliver Wang, on Kendrick Lamar's long-awaited To Pimp a Butterfly , he wades into our current moment of peril around race, inequality and brutality. Wang is the author of the forthcoming Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile DJ Crews in the San Francisco Bay Area (Duke University Press).

ReelBlack: Mekhi Phifer on 'Divergent: Insurgent' and 20th Anniversary of 'Clockers'

  RBTV's Mike D. had a chance to chat with actor Mekhi Phifer about his role as Max in the Divergent film series. He also shares the story behind becoming an actor in Spike Lee's Clockers and the difference between working on studio vs. independent film in this exclusive clip. Insurgent is in theaters now.

Five Black Preachers Who Define the Recorded Preaching Tradition

On this episode of Left of Black on The Root, Professor Lerone A. Martin discusses his top five foundational Black preachers. Martin is author of Preaching on Wax: The Phonograph and the Making of Modern African American Religion (New York University Press, 2014) and Assistant Professor of Religion and Politics at the John C. Danforth Center of Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Remix: Kaitlin Doubleday on being the 'White Girl' on 'Empire,' & the Finale

The Remix (WHYY) host James Braxton Peterson talks with Kaitlin Doubleday, who plays Rhonda Lyon on the hit Fox nighttime soap opera Empire , about being the "White Girl" on the series and the show's season finale.

Marketplace: Does Net Neutrality Have a Loophole?

"The FCC's recent net neutrality regulation makes it so cable companies can't charge the Netflixes of the world more for an Internet fast lane. But net neutrality applies only to the "highway" of data that is the public Internet. Cable companies have three routes into your house: the public Internet, pay TV, and "specialized services." The Wall Street Journal reports HBO, Sony and Showtime are in talks with cable provider Comcast to bring their "Web TV" product to that "specialized services" highway, where fast lanes are allowed." -- Marketplace