As we continue our celebration of #BlackJoy and #BlackMusic, I wanted to step away from the U.S. and bring in some #GlobalBlackJoy!
So, today’s #BlackJoy curated playlist is all about the “Global Sounds of Black Joy!” Some of these sounds include old-school dancehall, Afro-beats, and reggae!! One of the great things that I love about each of these musical genres is how they each uniquely speak to and ignite the passion of the people who perform it. Dancehall, Reggae, and Afrobeats culture has and continues to make such a major impact on the music industry so much so that we see it presented not just in music videos, but TikTok, YouTube, a Verzuz battle, festivals, and of course annual carnivals/festivals.
To get a little taste, see this week’s playlist below:
Now you know I got a #TinyDeskConcert treat for you this week too (a Tripleheader), see below:
Adam Blackstone
Ambré
Amaarae
And don’t forget, if you would like to listen to the previous week’s list, you can check them out here:
Summer is one of my favorite times of the year!! This is so for many reasons, one my Birthday (shout out to the Leos), the weather is AMAZING, and there is ALWAYS a plethora of things to do!! And folks that know me, know I am all about a good time!! Whether its traveling to a new place, going to the beach, checking out a music festival, or hanging out with family and friends, when my peeps say LET’S I’m replying GO!!
So today’s #BlackJoy moment is sharing some upcoming events that are sure to bring you some joy and happiness!! See what’s happening in a city, state, or country near you:
Odunde Festival (June 11) [Philadelphia, PA]: The ODUNDE festival, whose concept originates from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa, celebrates the coming of another year for African Americans and Africanized people around the world. ODUNDE is also known for its authentic African marketplace featuring vendors from around the world selling merchandise from African nations, the Caribbean and Brazil.
The Black Food & Wine Experience (June 11-18) [Oakland, CA]: Founded by Chef Mimi, its mission is to provide a space where hospitality and Black excellence are cultivated, celebrated, and explored by all. Throughout the week-long event, attendees will have the opportunity to sample a range of food and beverages that span the African Diaspora, meet industry veterans as well as up-and-coming Black chefs, winemakers and spirit makers, learn about the latest trends, and network among their fellow foodies and Black professionals.
American Black Film Festival (June 14-18) [Miami Beach, FL]: The American Black Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to empowering Black talent and showcasing film and television content by and about people of African descent. It is widely considered the preeminent pipeline for Black artists in front of and behind the camera, and has significantly expanded the range of talent working in the entertainment Industry.
AfroNation (June 28-30) [Portimao, The Algarve, Portugal]: The 2023 edition of Afro Nation Portugal will bring together the best artists in Afrobeats, Amapiano, Hip Hop, RnB, Dancehall and more. Expect world-class production and iconic live performances and DJ sets over three unforgettable days.
DC Black Food & Wine (July 1) [Washington, DC]: The DC Black Food & Wine Festival will be overflowing with delicious food, wine, and vibes. From the minute you walk in, the mouth-watering aromas made your taste buds tingle with anticipation.
Essence Festival (June 29-July 3) [New Orleans, LA]: Essence Music Festival is the event that “Parties With a Purpose“. The EMF brings “star-studded” actors and actresses, major artists, empowerment workshops, shopping, food, and more to the famous City of New Orleans. Over the years, Essence Festival has been the highlight of New Orleans’ summer music scene.
CURLFEST® (July 15) [Randall’s Island Park, New York, NY]: CURLFEST®, the world’s largest natural beauty festival. This year’s theme, The Bounce Back, is a testament to resilience and commitment to creating safe spaces for our community to connect and build by way of art, music, and more. This summer, we’re bringing the best in hair and lifestyle while celebrating every expression of beauty from around the globe.
Reggae SumFest (July 16-22) [Montego Bay, Jamaica]: Reggae Sumfest is the island’s summer reggae festival held over a week with its main nights from Thursday to Saturday. Activities include an All White Blitz party, A Sound System Explosion, Beach Party and the main concerts. Among the artistes confirmed for Reggae Sumfest this year are Chronic Law and Kabaka Pyramid.
Caribana (August 3-7) [Toronto, Canada]: Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival is a three-week celebration of Caribbean music, cuisine, costumes, tradition and culture. This Caribbean tradition of parading through the street was founded in celebration of freedom and emancipation from slavery and is appropriately celebrated on what has been recognized by the Canadian government as Emancipation Day weekend.
Bill Picket Rodeo Series (August 5) [Atlanta, GA]: The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo celebrates and honor Black Cowboys and Cowgirls and their contributions to building the west. We highlight the irrefutable global appeal of Black Cowboys and Cowgirls in the West and the stories behind a sub-culture that is still strong today. BPIR also serves as a cultural event and opportunity for families to enjoy and embrace the cowboy culture, while being educated and entertained with reenactments, history highlights, and western adventure.
The Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival (August 18-19) [Norfolk, VA]: The Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival is the area’s longest-running outdoor jazz festival with some of the biggest names on the international smooth jazz scene. The two-day festival will be held in a beautiful summertime setting at Town Point Park along the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront.
It’s the last day of 2022, we are almost there folks!! So the pandemic is still real, but somehow we are managing it. Let’s just say this was another unforgettable year!!
Definitely had some moments that shook the nation with such things as abortion no longer being a constitutional right, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the tragedy in Uvalde (TX), banned books, the retirement of a tennis legend Serena Williams, we got the slap of the century when Will Smith cold clocked slapped Chris Rock, and jaw-dropping seasons of Euphoria and Bridgerton.
In sports news, Argentina wins the World Cup, the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl (along with an AMAZING halftime show-Hip Hop and R&B reigning supreme), the Houston Astros win their second World Series title…then you got the suspension of Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka (and his split from Nia Long), Tom Brady retired…back in the game and then divorced, Brittney Griner is released from a Russia prison and returns home to the U.S….and one of my fave moments the Golden State Warriors reclaimed the NBA Title throne!!
Lena Horne became the first Black woman to have a Broadway theater named after her…Two Literary Pioneers were honored with USPS stamps, Toni Morrison and Ernest J. Gaines!
In politics, for the first time in history the four largest U.S. cities New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston will all have Black mayors after this year’s midterm elections…Karen Bass sealed the deal with her historic win! And THANK GOD Georgia did not elect Herschel Walker into the U.S. Senate, we can all breathe a sigh of relief!
The elements are still having their way whether its the frigid winter storm in Buffalo, Hurricane Ian and Fiona, and heat waves coming in July, August and October!!
The Little Mermaid teaser trailer…Just wow!! I’m so ready!!…Also, definitely gotta shout out some good friends for putting me on to Billions and Yellowstone, talk about some good tv!!
Speaking of good tv let me just drop a few more nuggets:
Riches (Amazon Prime Video)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Blood & Water (Netflix)
Dahmer: Monster-The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Wednesday (Netflix)
P-Valley (STARZ)
Raising Kanan: Power Book III (STARZ)
Final season of OWN Network Queen Sugar and FX Atlanta
Cherish the Day (OWN)
The Bear (Hulu)
Let’s Go To The Movies… I was so glad that the theaters have opened back up again, feels good to sit back and relax at my local AMC!!
The Woman King: Finally these stories are being told!!
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Brilliant movie that definitely did not get the pub it should have…such a good movie!!
Top Gun: Maverick: Now that was a fun ride!!
Descendant (Netflix): Gotta love history, especially when they speak the truth!
Confess, Fletch: Pure laughs!!
Bullet Train: Who knew you could enjoy a movie that is set on a bullet train…
Nope: Layered and complex!!
Prey (Hulu definitely knows how to drop those gems!!)
Devotion: A piece of history that I didn’t know about but glad I do now!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: Not a dry eye!! Ryan Coogler & Ruth E. Carter you did it again!! Angela Bassett proved once again why she is that one!!
Remembering those we lost in 2022…Folks that definitely made some sort of impact on my 41 years of life!!
Sidney Poitier (January 6th): The epitome of elegance and stage presence!
Lani Guinier (January 7th)
Bob Saget (January 9th)
André Leon Talley (January 18th)
Charles McGee (January 23rd): One of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen!
Cheslie Kyrst (January 30th): Mental Health is real!!
Ivan Reitman (February 13th): Ghostbusters!!
Johnny Brown (March 2nd): Ohhhhh “Good Times”
Traci Braxton (March 12th)
William Hurt (March 13th)
Madeleine Albright (March 23rd)
Gilbert Gottfried (April 12th)
DJ Kay Slay (April 18th): Ahhhh takes me back to my undergrad days
Naomi Judd (April 30th)
Bob Lanier (May 10th)
Ray Liotta (May 26th)
Sam Gilliam (June 25th)
Paul Sorvino (July 25th)
Nichelle Nichols (July 30th): SO Grateful and Thankful for the barriers she broke and the history made!
Bill Russell (July 31st): A legend in every sense of the word!!
Roger E. Mosely (August 7th): I will always remember those days of watching Magnum, P.I. (the original)
Olivia Newton-John (August 8th): Such a sweet soul taken from this earth!
Hanae Mori (August 11th): Haute Couture at its finest!!
Denise Dowse (August 13th)
Mikhail Gorbachev (August 30th)
Queen Elizabeth II (September 8th)
Ramsey Lewis (September 12th)
Pharoah Sanders (September 24th)
Coolio (September 28th): One more “Fantastic Voyage”
Charles Fuller (October 3rd)
Loretta Lynn (October 4th)
Angela Lansbury (October 11th): Murder Mysteries will never be the same!!
Leslie Jordan (October 24th)
Rev. Calvin O. Butts III (October 28th)
Takeoff (November 1st)
John Aniston (November 14th): Soap opera’s will never be the same!
Irene Cara (November 26th): I just wanna dance forever!!
Dorothy Pitman Hughes (December 1st): Co-founder of the prominent feminist publication Ms. Magazine
Kirstie Alley (December 5th)
Paul Silas (December 11th)
Stephen “tWitch” Boss (December 14th)
Franco Harris (December 21st): There will never be another “Immaculate Reception” … One for the books!!
Pelé and Vivienne Westwood (December 29th)
Barbara Walters (December 30th)
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (December 31st): The longest-living pope, having surpassed Pope Leo XIII in September 2020, known as “God’s Rottweiler”.
Beyoncé gave us her 7th studio album, Renaissance...Afrobeats continues to rise and I’m here for all of it! Usher’s Las Vegas show makes huge waves…Ari Lennox brought us Age/Sex/Location…And another bomb soundtrack from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever!!
The housing market was a win for sellers, but it looks like that is taking turn back for buyers (I hope so, cause your girls will definitely be looking in 2023). Twitter was bought by Elon Musk…We witnessed our first Black woman Supreme Court Justice, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (RBG is definitely smiling)…and soooooo much more!!
For me 2022, was all about roller coaster rides of life. I had many valley lows and just as many high moments. Sold my house in ATL (the end of an era)…I dealt with with anxiety, some depression, some trauma, and deep loss. Losing my Uncle Oscar hit me deep in my core! And if I am being honest, I am still grieving and probably will for some time. He meant so much to me, he will never be forgotten. There is not a day that doesn’t go by where I just want to shoot him a ring and ask for him to pray with and for me. But when it is all said and done I know he is watching over me, smiling, and having a good laugh with my Grandma!! I definitely got a chance to travel and collect some more passport stamps. I went to New Mexico for the first time, tried real Belgium waffles IN Belgium (Twice)!! Presented at Wonder-Con (Anaheim, CA), gave a keynote lecture at Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium). Got to celebrate Black History Month twice once in the US and in London!! Went to the Roots Picnic in Philly…Celebrated many of my friends 40th Birthday’s….that was fun!
Even got me a new ride…a Christmas gift to myself!!
This year I got to spend a lot of time on several beaches and oh was that therapeutic (Thank you Turks and Caicos and Playa del Carmen)…Lord knows I love the water!!
…It was good to be back in the classroom for another semester with some AMAZING students!! I am truly grateful to have this job/career. I look forward to completing 2023 as I will (I’m claiming) get through my Third-Year Review and become another step closer towards Tenure!! Oh and I got boosted again! I launched a new project, Black Girl Magic in Media (BGMM) and let me tell you I am very excited about what is in store! Be on the lookout for what is in store!
I continue to learn more about myself…grow…find balance…navigate all the moving parts of my life…and taking one day at a time!
Let me just say I am also very thankful for my BFF family and friends!! I look forward to bringing you more good news and culture in 2023!!
Black Future Feminist 