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'There Was Silence. It Was Understood': Reflections About 'yasiin bey: Negus,' the Listening Installation at the Brooklyn Museum
A few weeks back, I wrote a piece that was critical of “yasiin bey: Negus,” the traveling art exhibit/listening installation curated by yasiin bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def. My overarching point (perhaps fairly called “mean” in the comments on the actual piece, and disregarded as closed-minded on Facebook) was that the idea,…
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Dammit Jacquees, You Had One Job! King of R&B Is Cool, but It Ain't a Kingmaker
When we last spoke (about Jacquees), it was in the midst of Mr. Rodriguez Jacquees Broadnax’s ill-advised decision to proclaim that he was the “King of R&B,” a title that none of the contenders were really laying claim to, but that nearly all agreed was not Jacquees. And because of his claim, he became a…
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Yasiin Bey Presenting His New Album Negus Exclusively in Museums Surrounded by Art Is What Happens When Musicians Get Bored
It’s not quite rocket-surgery or anything, but I definitely believe in the maxim that too much of anything can be bad. And when I say “anything” I mean literally anything, from obvious stuff like food or crime, to less obvious stuff like talent, Kenny G albums or Target runs. Put a pin in “talent.” That…
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The Crown Morehouse College Is Trying to Reach
As both Morehouse College and Spelman College celebrated their annual homecoming in late October—usually more than reason enough for me to make the trip to Atlanta—I had a little extra pep in my homecoming step. The weekend also coincided with Morehouse College’s “Experience The House” open house for prospective students and parents, and one of…
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It Turns Out, Hip-Hop Will Probably Always Be the Love of My Life
A few weeks back, I attended an album talk for noted hip-hop lyricist and producer Pharoahe Monch’s 1999 album, Internal Affairs (released on seminal label, Rawkus Records), at The REACH, the new arts and culture center that’s part of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The talk, part of…
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10 Thoughts About Kanye West’s Jesus Is King Because God Is Good All the Time and All the Time…
On Oct. 25, 2019, Kanye Omari West released his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King. The album was released on the heels of his at-best popular, but always well-attended “Sunday Service” performances and is a succinct 11-track album that clocks in at just over 27 minutes. There’s been a ton of news surrounding Kanye and…
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8 Reflections on SpelHouse's Blessed and Highly Favored 2019 Homecoming
This past weekend in the capital of African America—Atlanta—a gathering of Black Excellence took place on hallowed grounds in the city’s West End neighborhood. SpelHouse, the famed and noble portmanteau of two of Black America’s most illustrious and storied institutions—Morehouse College and Spelman College—celebrated its annual homecoming. For those of us who come every year…
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Dear God, It's Me, Panama (Again). I See Rain in the Forecast for Spelhouse Homecoming This Weekend (Again). Let's Talk (Again)
Dear God, What’s up, Big Homie—is it okay if I refer to you as such? I have no idea if the pronouns conversation has made it into religion yet, though I’m pretty sure it’s coming. I think for simplicity’s sake, I’ll stick with convention and you can correct me in the comments. Again, what up,…
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Morris Brown College Is One Step Closer to Being an Institution That Students Actively Seek to Attend Again
Even though I went to Morehouse College in Atlanta, I’m fiercely protective of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). While I may talk trash about rival institutions like Howard—it’s really only a rivalry in our hearts; Howard literally does shit no other HBCU can do, and it’s “the Mecca” for a reason—I can do…
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8 Thoughts I Had While Getting My First Professional Massage
Last Saturday—October 12—was my one-year wedding anniversary. My wife and I made a whole day out of it, doing lunch, dinner and getting our staycation on at a hotel in downtown Washington, D.C., and hitting up a speakeasy for the nightcap. One thing we did early in the day was a couple’s massage at a…
