theblackbottom

Michigan Radio
By KATE WELLS
They called it the “Black Eden.”
From the 1920’s to 60’s, tens of thousands of African Americans poured into the resort town of Idlewild, Michigan. They came to escape steaming summers in segregated cities, and to see some of the greatest musicians of the age.

As Idlewild’s centennial summer comes to a close, 90-year-old [...]

In just a few short years, SuperDre has brought her unique sound and contagious stage energy to packed dance floors and events across the nation.

Releasing her funky, minimal techno sound on her boutique label, Bass Candi, SuperDre thrives in the live environment delivering most of her sets on turntables along with midi controllers, an art [...]

Source: PRI’s The World

Over the past year, a new dance craze has popped onto the Ghanaian music scene and has been making waves across West Africa and beyond.
It is called “Azonto” and calls for dancers to sort of act out their occupation. It has spread out of Ghana and has become a rage in Ghanaian [...]

Nina Ogot from Kenya breaks boundaries between the old and the new generation’s taste in art. From the genre of Afro-acoustic and singer/songwriter with the guitar as her companion, she sings in French, English, Lingala, Luo and Swahili, and her vibrant style of musical expression breathes life into her lyrical content that addresses day-to-day issues [...]

Source: Gallerist NY
And her name’s DJ Venus X. Why not follow her on Twitter? She’s already got a profile in The New York Times style section. The piece opens with a scene from the after party for Terry Richardson’s exhibition at Half Gallery, “Mom & Dad.” Quoth Richard Phillips:  “It was one [...]

Once You Learn How to Read, You Will Be Forever Free!~Frederick Douglass
REVIEW THOMAS PEELE is a digital investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group and the Chauncey Bailey Project. He is also a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism.  His many honors include the Investigative Reporters [...]

Ama Codjoe is originally from Youngstown, Ohio with roots in Memphis, and Accra, Ghana. She received her BA in English from Brown University, and was a Presidential Fellow at Ohio State University where she received her M.F.A. in Dance Performance. She has performed works by contemporary choreographers such as Rennie Harris and classic modern dance [...]

FELA!, the landmark Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards (Broadway’s highest honor) including Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), is coming to Lagos beginning today, April 20th, through April 25th. It will be performed at the prestigious Eko Hotel’s New Expo Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. This critically [...]

Source: Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic Monthly Blog

Where Do We Go From Here??? Trailer from Howlermano on Vimeo.

Nola Darling… a who dat? dem rude gals dem. Alex and Jaq!!! Whachuuknow bout that teen witch rap, yardies??! ya dunnnn kno!
Exactly.
Hailing from L.A., New York City*slash*Miami…by way of Haiti & St. Lucia, NOLA DARLING’s distinct sound is new school fresh, yet old world cool. Tongue in cheek sensibility and spit-fire flows combined with [...]