As another Back Music Month comes to an end, I reflect back on the ongoing impact of Black Music not just in the United States but worldwide. As an avid concertgoer and overall music fan, I cannot emphasize enough the role that music, and even more so, Black Music has on society. Just look at the recent news of the joint Brandy & Monica concert, the ongoing “Cowboy Carter” tour with Beyoncé, and the many music festivals happening this summer across the globe.
Black Music Month offers an opportunity to celebrate the profound influence of African American musicians on American music and culture, not just in June, but also provides something to embrace all year long. As summer begins, it’s a great time to reflect on the diverse genres and artists that have shaped the music landscape, from blues and jazz to gospel, hip-hop, and R&B, among many others.
To close out this year’s Black Music Month: NPR Tiny Desk Features, let’s see who’s bringing the heat, and a brief reminder of how this month came to be…check them out below:
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Alex Isley
Living Colour
Rico Nasty
Just in case you may have missed this year’s NPR’s Tiny Desk Black Music Month line-up, see the celebrated music albums’ anniversaries being featured:
Stanley Clarke – 50 Years of School Days
Living Colour – 35 Years of Time’s Up
CeCe Winans – 30 Years of Alone in His Presence
E-40 – 30 Years of In a Major Way
Beenie Man – 25 Years of Art and Life
Amerie with The Backyard Band – 20 Years of Touch
Wiz Khalifa – 15 Years of Kush & Orange Juice
Alex Isley – 10 Years of LUXURY
Rico Nasty – 5 Years of Nightmare Vacation
As noted by Bobby Carter, Tiny Desk Concerts host and producer. “These artists might not be the first you hear in the Pop culture conversation, but they are crown jewels in Black culture. These are our icons.“
We have entered another Black Music Month celebration and there is so much music to dive into! A little background on the yearly celebration! Also known as African American Music Appreciation Month, it is an annual celebration in the United States that takes place every June. Designated by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 , BMM is a time to recognize and appreciate the contributions of African American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters to American culture.
The month serves as a celebration of the enduring impact and legacy of Black musicians and their creativity on American music, culture, and history.
And just like last year, I look forward to sharing NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert features for the month. This year’s Black Music Month-Tiny Desk Concerts “honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.”
Let’s jump right into it this week, 2024 Times 100 list honoree and Golden Globe winning actress Taraji P. Henson just dropped her debut children’s book. Her book, “You Can Be A Good Friend (No Matter What!) was released on June 18th and tells a story that “shows kids the great things that can happen when we approach others and ourselves with empathy, patience, and love.” It’s the perfect story for classroom story time, bedtime reading, easing those back-to-school jitters, promoting friendship over bullying, and embracing the importance of standing in one’s own uniqueness. You can find her latest book anywhere books are sold
Need a refresher on Season 1 of the Onyx Collective/Hulu legal drama Reasonable Doubt ? Check out this 1-minute breakdown featuring the show’s lead, Emayatzy Corinealdi:
Season 2 premieres on Hulu on August 22, with episodes dropping every Thursday. And while you wait you can stream the first season now.
Looking for a new wine to jumpstart your summer?? As we celebrated another Juneteenth on last week, Mother New York (of Mother Design) launched Auntie Whine, a limited-edition wine that honors all the aunties and their signature dance moves. “Named for how aunties whine their hips at family gatherings, this wine captures the essence of these joyful moments.” It’s the perfect blend of cocoa butter notes and a smooth, silk bonnet-like mouthfeel just right for your next BBQ! In addition to the wine it comes with a sweet, soulful Spotify playlist of songs!!
In some more good TV news, STARZ is dropping the “Down in the Valley” premiere a WEEK early!! Aww shucks, you know who is a happy camper…that would be ME!! It is set to drop on this Friday June 28th at midnight/ET on STARZ. Hosted and executive produced by Nicco Annan, who is best known as Uncle Clifford in STARZ’s critically acclaimed tv show “P-Valley,” the six-episode half-hour docuseries follows Annan as he explores the people, sensuality, music, culture and stories of the South. “The series confronts uncomfortable truths, challenges societal norms, and advocates for a more inclusive and enlightened future.” Check out the trailer below:
This Jeopardy! host for 37 years is being honored with a Forever Stamp…Who is Alex Trebek? The well-known hostess who passed away in 2020 from pancreatic cancer is getting his own stamp!! Each stamp will read “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons.” And underneath upside down, you can find the answer: “Who is Alex Trebek?” The new stamp will become available on July 22nd.
For all my foodies, check out these Black-owned restaurants in the Fort-Worth area of Texas:
And to close us out we got Four Features blazing this week’s Tiny Desk Concert-Black Music Month, a nice mix of gospel, soul, r&b, country, hip hop and pop!! Yes to ALL of this, check them out below:
Let me start you off with something to ‘perk’ you up…Pun intended (lol)….For all my coffee drinkers, especially Café Bustelo fans, the brand is launching 3 new ‘Espresso-Styled’ Iced Coffee drinks. This is the first in their 96-year history!! The new Iced Coffee collection includes three different flavor options: Unsweetened, Sweetened, and Vanilla. Great thing about these new iced coffees is that they are designed to be consumed straight out of the fridge, just open and pour into a glass. Now the Sweetened and Unsweetened versions of the iced coffee will be available at several retailers starting with Kroger and Walmart, and the Vanilla, called “Vainilla,” is a Target exclusive. So stay tuned, all three should start popping up in the refrigerator aisle very soon.
In television news, leading up to the Season 4 premiere of the Emmy-nominated series The Boys, creator Eric Kripke announced that the Amazon Prime Video show will close out in Season 5. Kripke explained his decision to end the run on its fifth season in a conversation with the Hollywood Reporter, “From the very beginning, I wanted to wrap it out around Season 5…And then I would say plans really solidified that we were going to actually do it years ago. I think we were probably in the middle of making season three, so it could have been three or four years ago that we always knew.”
#TheBoys Season 4 Premiere Week is a good time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season! Always my plan, I just had to be cagey till I got the final OK from Vought. Thrilled to bring the story to a gory, epic, moist climax. Watch Season 4 in 2 DAYS, cause the end has begun! pic.twitter.com/3p7Wt4jGA6
Prime Video will drop the first three episodes of The Boys Season 4 on Thursday, June 13.
There’s a NEW MAYOR in town, on June 3rd, Lilian Seenoi-Barr made history becoming the first Black Mayor of Northern Ireland (Derry City and Strabane.) Truly a historic moment for the country of Ireland, as Ms. Seenoi-Barr came to the country 14 years ago as a Kenyan refugee. Growing up in a Maasai village she would grow up in “a home filled with love, unity, hard work and commitment to justice and freedom” – values she plans to carry forward into her service. This is also not her first time making history. Ms. Seenoi-Bar also broke barriers when she became the first Black woman to become an elected member of the “public office in Northern Ireland” as a councilor. Seeing news like this gives me hope that there is still for progressive change!! During her tenure as Mayor Ms. Seenoi-Barr seeks to to eradicate “poverty, attract investment and support young people to achieve their full potential, create jobs and advocate for quality affordable housing.”
Looking for something to do Labor Day weekend, why not check out Nas With the Las Vegas Philharmonic! In celebration of the 30th Anniversary of his debut album “Illmatic,” hip hop legend Nas is doing three performances (August 29-September 1) at the Encore Theater (Las Vegas). In a statement from Nas he notes, “I am excited to partner with the Las Vegas Philharmonic to bring this first-of-its-kind performance to Encore Theater and to showcase my music to my fans in Las Vegas in a whole new way.” Tickets have gone on sale and can be purchased here.
Talk about reclaiming space, this next feature spotlights two Black Hotel owners reclaiming a “gentrified space” in the Venice Beach area. Co-Founders Kamau Coleman and Michael Clinton have established a new boutique hotel, The Redline Venice (perfect name), as a way to provide a beautiful space and to tell the stories of Black and Brown folks who played a role in the Venice Beach area as a haven for artists, musicians, and creatives. The naming of the hotel is a direct and deliberate nod to the practice of redlining. As a boutique hotel it consists of four suites (studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom) and an amazing rooftop that can be used to rest, relax, and build networks! What a great way to ensure that the history of Black folks who made a innovative mark to the area get their just due and for an opportunity to build long-term economic wealth and power.
Lastly, as an HBCU grad, I am super siked about this news right here and the fact that Cali is where it’s happening is an extra bonus!! Beginning in the Fall 2024 school year, California will get its first HBCU!! Through a landmark initiative and collaboration between Huston-Tillotson University (HTU), the National College Resources Foundation (NCRF), the San Diego County Office of Education, and the University of La Verne there will be two satellite campus housed in San Diego and Los Angeles County. This is HUGE as we can see the expansion of HBCUs moving towards the West Coast!!
And to close us out we got a triple header for this week’s Tiny Desk Concert-Black Music Month Feature, a nice mix of soul, hip hop, and jazz!! I’m so loving this, check them out below:
We are jumping right out the gate with this one!! A new documentary from Shonda Rhimes/Shondaland and Netflix tells the story of how the first Black Barbie doll came to be in 1980. Directed by Lagueria Davis and produced by Shondaland’s Shonda Rhimes, Black Barbie “shows the impact of three Black staffers at Mattel on the doll’s debut, and how they influenced generations of young Black girls and the Barbie brand as a whole.”
Want to get some fashion inspiration? Or find out just how top stylist Law Roach has created a fashion legacy… Well stylist to the stars Law Roach is dropping his first book, How To Build a Fashion Icon: Notes on Confidence. It’s available for pre-order on Banks Square Books and Amazon and will hit shelves, on September 24, 2024.
A Black Feminist icon has been immortalized with a statue in the very spot where she gave an empowering speech. On May 29th the city of Akron and the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund unveiled a plaza and statue dedicated to abolitionist Sojourner Truth. In 1851 Sojourner Truth gave the seminal speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” to a crowd gathered at the Universalist Old Stone Church in Akron for the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention. This statue and plaza represent a space to tell one of America’s inspiring story of faith, truth, justice, and freedom!
In more inspiring news, the Kenyan government has partnered with several HBCUs to help boost STEM Education across the waters. Representatives from Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Howard University, and executives from higher education and business circles signed a framework agreement pact to establish an exchange between Kenyan universities and HBCUs. With many STEM programs on the rise here in the U.S., Kenya has established itself as the “Silicon Savannah of East Africa”and according to Kenyan president Dr. William Samoei Ruto, it has also “been a global player in shaping the growth of the technology industry.”
During an official state visit to Spelman College last week, the president of Kenya signed an agreement with the U.S. to establish an exchange between Kenyan universities and HBCUs. https://t.co/5ZxM46Ju3u
This next feature is all about food and nourishment! Whether you are going for the first time or revisiting an oldie but goodie food spot….Check out these Black-owned restaurants that can be found all across the U.S.:
As an extra bonus, with June being Black Music Month each week I will bring you the latest Tiny Desk concerts featuring some of the hottest Black musical artists!! This year’s Black Music Month-Tiny Desk Concert series features Black women artists all across the spectrum from “veterans who’ve paved the way for what we hear today in Black music, to those who are carving out their own paths.”
As we close out this last day of the #BlackJoy series, I just want to thank you for joining me on this journey. Throughout each of these 30 Days, I hope that you learned something new, gained some new tips, added a song or book to your collection, prepped for a new film or television series, or just found some peace. Whatever you gained make sure you treasure it and if you can share and spread some of that joy to others!
Let me also give a special shout-out to our guest blogger Lauren Jackson for providing the weekly posts on Finding Joy in Black Spaces!! Thank you! Thank you!!
While today is the last day, it is also Friday!! Which means, this is our final #BlackJoy curated playlist is “A Joyous Finale”…a culmination of #BlackJoy!!
And just in case you want to refresh your memory on the past curated #BlackJoy playlists, see them below:
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:
We are back for another week!! And as we continue to celebrate Black Music Appreciation Month, today’s #BlackJoy curated playlist is an ode to Hip Hop!!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop, a musical genre that has become a global and cultural phenomenon. Hip Hop as anart form has touched every corner of our world and evolved into one of the most significant cultural forces today. In addition to being a form of entertainment, hip hop has played (and continues to do so) a role in being a voice for marginalized youth to speak about their frustrations, need for change, and times of joy!! As noted by communications/hip-hop scholar professor Aisha Durham, “some of the most innovative hip hop formations that you see today still come from those communities that may feel alienated, disaffected, or in some ways vulnerable — economically, socially, or politically.” Through it all hip hop has changed the game of life!!
In the great words of the late Notorious B.I.G., “you never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.”
See this week’s #BlackJoy playlist below:
As an extra bonus, check out the recent NPR Music #TinyDesk with Charlie Wilson!!
One last nugget check out this upcoming event “Hip Hop 50 Live” set to take place in the Bronx, NY!!
Don’t forget if there’s a track or two that you think should make the list, make sure to drop it in the comments section!!
Black Future Feminist 