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GBN Daily Drop Podcast: #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay (LISTEN)

GBN Daily Drop Podcast: #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Even though most Americans think of today as Super Bowl Sunday, on GBN’s Daily Drop podcast bonus episode we instead celebrate what’s been the day’s other moniker since 2018 — #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay.

You can follow or subscribe to the Good Black News Daily Drop Podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, rss.com or create your own RSS Feed. Or just check it out every day here on the main website (transcript below):

SHOW TRANSCRIPT:

Hey, this Lori Lakin Hutcherson, founder and editor in chief of goodblacknews.org, here to share with you a bonus daily drop of Good Black News for Sunday, February 13th, 2022, based on the “A Year of Good Black News Page-A-Day Calendar” published by Workman Publishing.

Although today is known by most Americans as Super Bowl Sunday, for the past four years, thanks to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Matthew A. Cherry, it’s known among millions on Twitter and beyond as #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay.

#JanetJacksonAppreciationDay is where fans of Janet Jackson (aka “#JanFam”) flood their social media timelines with loving GIFs, memes, and videos of the legendary “Rhythm Nation” performer.

This annual trend began in 2018 in reaction to Justin Timberlake being invited to headline that year’s Super Bowl halftime. In 2004, when Jackson and Timberlake performed together at halftime, Jackson alone bore the blame for the “wardrobe malfunction” that occurred when Timberlake ripped a revealing part of her costume.

The moment that came to be called “Nipplegate” sparked controversy and damaged Jackson’s career for years while Timberlake’s soared.

Today’s #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay is particularly special because just a few weeks ago, the four-part documentary Janet Jackson and brother Randy Jackson executive produced on her life and career aired in the U.S. on Lifetime and A&E. In it, Janet shared footage and information from her life and career that had never seen or heard before by the public.

The widely watched doc set off a current surge of appreciation for Jackson’s contributions to popular culture in the following ways:

  1. top ratings in the U.S. and airings across the globe
  2. soaring iTunes sales and streams of her singles and albums, with Control hitting the #1 spot on the iTunes pop album charts 36 years after its release.
  3. Twitter and IG filled with fan and celebrity tributes alike.

As a #JanFam member myself since childhood – from Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes, the early albums and on – well, today I personally would like to appreciate Janet Jackson who, since 1989, has used her music to tackle and highlight issues such as racism, sexism, illiteracy, domestic violence and homophobia.

I wrote a piece on Good Black News about it last year and created a playlist to which I’ve included links in this episode’s show notes.

But I also appreciate Janet’s decades-long contributions to charities and causes such as the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, Feeding America, and the American Foundation for AIDS Research, among so many others.

Currently, Janet is selling her vintage tour swag on The Real Real to support the non-profit organization Girls Leadership, which teaches girls to exercise the power of their voices through programs grounded in social emotional learning.

Some other sources that can help you get your Janet Jackson appreciation on are the incredible book in the 33 and 1/3 series dedicated to Velvet Rope by Ayanna Dozier, and Janet’s own 2011 part memoir, part health and lifestyle bestseller True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself written with David Ritz.

There’s also an awesome podcast called Janet Today, Janet Tomorrow, Janet Forever where cousins Courtney and Kam discuss Janet’s music and videos song by song, as well as conduct fun and informative interviews with musicians, dancers, stylists and the like who have worked with Janet throughout her career.

There’s also Janet Jackson’s own Instagram, her IG stories and Twitter, the hashtag #janfam to see posts from her devoted fan base and the hashtag #JanetsLegacyMatters, whose creators helped organize the grassroots push for Janet’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which happened in 2019.

And of course, you can always jump on social yourself and add to or check out the #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay tributes that are all for her! Links to everything I mentioned and more are provided in today’s show notes.

Additional sources:

This has been an extra-long bonus daily drop of Good Black News, based on the “A Year of Good Black News Page-A-Day Calendar for 2022,” published by Workman Publishing, and available at workman.com, Amazon, Bookshop and other online retailers.

Music used in today’s episode includes “The Knowledge” off Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation: 1814 album, “Control (The Video Mix)” from the Control: The Remixes album, “All For You” from the 2001 album of the same name, and “The Pleasure Principle (Dub Edit – The Shep Pettibone Mix)” from Control: The Remixes.

For more Good Black News, check out goodblacknews.org or search and follow @goodblacknews anywhere on social.

Btw, GBN’s Page-A-Day®️ Calendar for 2022 is 50% off at workman.com with code:50CAL until 2/28/22!

(paid links)

GBN Daily Drop Podcast: Classical and Opera Singer Marian Anderson – “The Voice of Freedom” (LISTEN)

GBN Daily Drop Podcast: Classical and Opera Singer Marian Anderson – “The Voice of Freedom” (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 8, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Today’s GBN Daily Drop podcast expands on the Tuesday, February 8 entry in the “A Year of Good Black News” Page-A-Day®️ Calendar for 2022, which offers an inspirational quote from famous contralto Marian Anderson.

I include that, as well as a bit more historical context and links to sources, which can be found in the show’s transcript below.

(Btw, GBN’s Page-A-Day®️ Calendar for 2022 is 50% off at workman.com with code:50CAL until 2/28/22!)

You can also follow or subscribe to the Good Black News Daily Drop Podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, rss.comor create your own RSS Feed. Or just check it out every day here on the main website (transcript below):

SHOW TRANSCRIPT:

Hey, this Lori Lakin Hutcherson, founder and editor in chief of goodblacknews.org, here to share with you a daily drop of Good Black News for Tuesday, February 8th, 2022, based on the “A Year of Good Black News Page-A-Day Calendar” published by Workman Publishing.

Today, on #OperaDay, we offer an inspirational quote from famous contralto Marian Anderson, the first Black performer to sing at the Metropolitan Opera.

In addition to her commanding voice, Anderson is widely known for singing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday in 1939 after the Daughters of the American Revolution enforced their segregationist beliefs and denied Anderson the opportunity to sing to an integrated audience at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and President Roosevelt supported Anderson, and over 75,000 people showed up to watch her outdoor concert.  To quote Anderson:

“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.”

To learn more about Anderson, you can check out her 1956 autobiography, My Lord, What a Morning, the book about her landmark performance called The Sound of Freedom: Marian Anderson, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Concert That Awakened America by Raymond Arsenault or the 2011 award-winning children’s book The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman.

You can also watch Voice of Freedom, the 2021 PBS documentary about Anderson. Links to these sources provided in today’s show notes.

This has been a daily drop of Good Black News, based on the “A Year of Good Black News” Page-A-Day Calendar for 2022, published by Workman Publishing, and available at workman.com, Amazon,Bookshop and other online retailers.

Beats provided by freebeats.io and produced by White Hot. For more Good Black News, check out goodblacknews.org or search and follow @goodblacknews anywhere on social.

(paid links)

MUSIC MONDAY: Tribute Playlist to Reggae Legend Bob Marley and What GBN Will Do about Spotify (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: Tribute Playlist to Reggae Legend Bob Marley and What GBN Will Do about Spotify (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 7, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Hey, it’s Lori, GBN’s Editor-in-Chief, stepping in with this week’s Music Monday share. As yesterday was what would have been Bob Marley’s 77th birthday, and since Marlon West crafted such a lovely tribute playlist to the reggae legend in his honor last year, I thought it fitting to share it once again in case anyone missed it:

What I’d like to add this time around —  you can read Marlon’s words about Bob Marley and his indelible contributions to the genre of Reggae and music worldwide here — is some thoughts about the recent controversy around Spotify, Joe Rogan, india.arie and if GBN will continue to utilize the platform for our playlists.

In case anyone doesn’t know what I’m referring to, a handful of high-profile musicians including india.arie have requested their music be removed from Spotify while the streaming service continues to host Joe Rogan’s podcast.

Some musicians are upset about the COVID-19 disinformation he’s propagated on his show; india.arie said her choice stems from his racist comments and content:

India.arie’s protest has certainly hit home. GBN unequivocally does not support what Joe Rogan has said, and fully understands why artists and platform users alike may want to #DeleteSpotify.

So, the question remains: Will GBN, an outlet dedicated to promoting positivity about Black people, Black culture and Black history, continue to utilize a platform that is still supporting a high-profile voice that has spoken words and spouted ideas antithetical to our mission, even if they have removed the offending episodes?

The simple answer is yes. And here is the main reason why.

When we started offering music lists regularly in 2020, we chose Spotify because of the biggest platforms out there – Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal – Spotify is the only one that offers a free tier that makes its platform accessible to all without the need of a paid subscription.

That felt (and still feels) like a democratic offering that made it the best choice for GBN. And because this free access eliminates an economic barrier to what we feel is a form of education as much as it is entertainment, we will continue to post our playlists through Spotify for as long as the music we highlight and seek to honor remains available there.

At the same time, we respect and support anyone who no longer wants to be on that platform. So going forward, we also are looking into offering our playlists on Apple Music and Tidal as well and providing those links in our Music Monday or other Music posts.

Whatever your take on the situation, we appreciate your convictions as well as your support.  And as always, we hope you enjoy the music.

MUSIC MONDAY: “Ain’t That Good News” – a Sam Cooke Birthday Tribute (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Ain’t That Good News” – a Sam Cooke Birthday Tribute (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on January 24, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Hey, it’s Lori, GBN’s Editor-in-Chief, stepping in with this week’s Music Monday share. As this past Saturday was what would have been Sam Cooke’s 91st birthday, and since Marlon West crafted such a lovely tribute playlist to the “King of Soul” in honor of his 90th last year, I thought it fitting to share it once again in case anyone missed it:

What I’d like to add this time around —  you can read Marlon’s words about Cooke and his indelible contributions to music and the genre of Soul here — is a couple of great podcasts I heard about Cooke’s musical journey in the past year.

The first is the “Don’t Know Much About History” episode of Chris Molanphy‘s Hit Parade podcast, which covers the chart history and influence of Sam Cooke’s singing and songwriting on American popular music:

The second is an in-depth look at “You Send Me” as one of the pivotal songs in the long term development and metamorphosis of the genre called Rock music (which has its roots in jazz, blues, R&B, country and soul) in Andrew Hickey‘s A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs:

There may be even more in depth looks at Cooke and his music in the podcast verse, but these are two that I’ve heard and can assure you are worth your time.

Also worth your time is the 1995 biography You Send Me: The Life and Times of Sam Cooke by Daniel J. Wolff.

The two documentaries available on Amazon Prime, I gotta admit, not as much. Worth it if you want to know more about the parts of Cooke’s life and his untimely death that sometimes overshadow his contributions to music. I’ve watched them both, and the archival footage of Cooke’s performances in Legend makes it the superior choice.

Lastly, as one of the inaugural members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, it should be no surprise that Cooke’s music has been sampled and covered for decades by artists as diverse as Beyoncé, The Game, Amy Winehouse, Terence Trent D’Arby, Bruce Springsteen and Beenie Man. To check out the entire list, go here: https://www.whosampled.com/Sam-Cooke/

I hope you enjoy all the Sam Cooke options available, and that you, as Marlon says, stay safe, sane and kind!

(paid links)

MUSIC MONDAY: MLK DAY – The Ultimate Civil Rights Soundtrack (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: MLK DAY – The Ultimate Civil Rights Soundtrack (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on January 17, 2022

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Hello on this MLK Day Monday! Hope this missive finds you all well. I put together this collection of tracks to celebrate this day. I’ve included songs that speak directly to the struggle for Civil Rights.

Some of these tracks were favorite songs of Dr. King’s and other leaders of the movement. While other tracks both classic and new are inspired by their efforts and sacrifice.

I have also included a few excerpts for the great man’s speeches as well. Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke, Gil Scott-Heron, and Nina Simone are all present. Though so are Common, Steel Pulse, Killer Mike, and others that came in their wake.

Hope you enjoy the collection of soul, jazz, gospel, reggae, and hip-hop track to celebrate the King Holiday.

As always, stay safe sane, and kind. “See” ya soon!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
R.I.P. Jazz and R&B Artist, Musician and Producer James Mtume, 76

R.I.P. Jazz and R&B Artist, Musician and Producer James Mtume, 76

By goodblacknews on January 11, 2022

James Mtume, recording artist, musician and one of the most innovative producers of R&B in the 1970s and 1980s, passed away on January 9. He was 76.

Philadelphia native Mtume is perhaps best known for his 1983 hit single “Juicy Fruit” which became even more well known when sampled in 1994 in Notorious B.I.G.’s signature hip hop single “Juicy.”

Mtume began his professional career playing percussion with Miles Davis’ electric band in the 1970s. Multi-instrumentalist Mtume brought his jazz chops to R&B when he later wrote and produced songs for Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Stephanie Mills and others.

To quote from Los Angeles Times:

Described in the artist’s words as “sophistifunk,” Mtume’s sleek yet finely detailed music layered lush, jazz-inspired chord arrangements over uncluttered post-disco grooves that could make slow jams feel like club tracks and make club tracks feel like slow jams.

“Juicy Fruit,” with a stuttering drum-machine beat and a risqué lyric suggesting the pleasures of oral sex, spent eight weeks atop Billboard’s R&B chart (and led, Mtume said, to a legal inquiry from the Wrigley gum company).

Mtume’s survivors include his wife, Kamili; his brother, Jeffrey Forman; two sons, four daughters and six grandchildren.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-01-10/james-mtume-juicy-notorious-big-dies?_amp=true

https://www.npr.org/2022/01/10/1071812297/percussionist-james-mtume-the-beat-behind-juicy-and-later-miles-davis-dies-at-76

MUSIC MONDAY: “Vibes” – a Chill Room Music Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Vibes” – a Chill Room Music Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on January 10, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Hey, it’s Lori, GBN’s Editor-in-Chief, stepping in with this week’s Music Monday share. It’s a list I created for myself at the beginning of 2021 called “VIBES: Cuts for the ‘Chill’ Room” to help me keep it together after almost a full year of lockdown.

The vaccines were being rolled out, and the pandemic’s end seemed to be in sight. We all just had to chill a little bit longer.

Whelp. Here we are again, another year gone and still struggling with this beast of a global health challenge. So it seems appropriate to turn to my “chill music” playlist once again, and to share it this time, as we collectively grapple with the latest surge:

When I say “chill music,” I’m talking about the kinds of songs you’d hear in the “chill room” of a rave. Back in the 1990s when raves were at their zenith, they were often held in spaces with multiple floors or rooms.

A “chill room” gave partygoers an option to briefly escape the pounding “thumpa thumpa” and the steamy sweat generated on the main dance floor. The music played in there was on the low-key side, but still kept the vibe and pulse of the night going.

Chill room music allowed you to cool down, chillax, maybe even have a conversation with friends or fellow club lovers before going back into the space where the pounding sounds practically replaced the pounding of your own heartbeats.

This playlist features artists from those days such as Soul II Soul, Sade, Jamiroquai, Dimitri in Paris, Blue Six, Supreme Beings of Leisure, Air, Massive Attack and Mr. Fingers, plus artists like Roy Ayers whose earlier 1970s cuts (e.g. “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”) inspired much “chill room”-style music to come.

Contemporary artists Solange, Lucky Daye, Chloe X Halle, Moon Boots, Yasmin Lacey, Drake, Trackademiks, Mr. Day, Esperanza Spalding, Janelle Monae, The Internet, H.E.R., Amber Mark and Thundercat are also represented in this mix.

I personally listen to this one whenever I need to grab a moment of mellow, yet still be focused. I find it a great list to write to, pay bills… to let it be my steady, toned down pulse as I relax, refresh and reset before re-entering the “main floor.”

I hope you can enjoy… and chill.

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’m Still Here” – Tracks to Bolster The Heart and Soul (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’m Still Here” – Tracks to Bolster The Heart and Soul (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on January 3, 2022

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy first Monday of 2022! Hope this young year has been treating you well so far.

Well, this collection is definitely a group effort. Last week I asked the readers of Good Black News and other friends and family to offer songs that have helped sustain them during these mercurial Covid times. Folks did not disappoint.

I have assembled a playlist of old and new music of many genres to enjoy during this fourth wave of The Vid.

I’M STILL HERE takes its title from a track by the immortal Sharon Jones. It was created for the documentary, Miss Sharon Jones!, about her tenacious battle with cancer. This collection contains songs offered by stalwart GBN music contributor, Jeff Meier, our Editor-in-Chief, Lori Lakin Hutcherson, and many readers and pals from all over.

Eighty-one year old Jazz legend Pharaoh Sanders is in the house with a record released during 2021. There are songs by folks like the emerging artist Yola too.

There are tracks considered by most as enduring classics, and others that will be well worth putting in the effort to “get to know.” Do enjoy more than 9 hours of music to fill your heart and soul. I hope this short missive finds you all safe and well.

Thanks for pitching in and enjoy. And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind. See ya soon.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: Listeners’ Choice: Help Marlon Make His First Playlist for 2022!

MUSIC MONDAY: Listeners’ Choice: Help Marlon Make His First Playlist for 2022!

By goodblacknews on December 27, 2021

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Last Monday of 2021! Hope you all have had a safe and pleasant holiday season, so far. This Covid era ain’t going away easy. So I was planning on my first GBN playlist of 2022 to be a collection songs that I found sustaining in the last nearly two years. Though I thought it would be nice to hear from some of you.

What songs have you played during ‘20 and ‘21 that helped keep your chin up? Were they tracks from back in the day that have always been your go to? It there a cut that that gained new meaning and poignance during lockdown? Have you discovered new music that has brightened these taxing times?

Let me/us know about ‘em in the comments. Help a brotha create a communal playlist of hope and tenacity.

Thanks, you all. And Happy New Year!

[Photo: Courtesy of Marlon West]

MUSIC MONDAY: An Afroclectic Christmas Playlist for 2021 (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: An Afroclectic Christmas Playlist for 2021 (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on December 20, 2021

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Holiday Season, you all! I am thrilled to offer this “afroclectic” of music to round out 2021’s Christmastime. With more that a little help from my friends I’ve assembled another freewheeling collection.

There are tracks from fellow contributor, Jeff Meier’s ULTIMATE SOUL OF THE SEASON SOUNDTRACK, and our fearless leader, Lori Lakin Hutcherson’s A MERRY MOTOWN playlist, plus dozens of favorites and recent discoveries of my own.

Of course, Donny Hathaway, Sharon Jones, Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye and other Christmas standard-bearers are present. Though there are 2021 holiday releases by Bill Will, Nao, Mandisa, José James, Shaggy and others as well. Here’s over thirteen hours of soul, jazz, reggae, gospel, hip hop, and more to for a Christmas musical journey.

Whether you are staying put, or travel far, please do have a wonderful, peaceful, and safe holiday season. It has been a pleasure and honor share music with you all here on Good Black News for another year.

Stay safe, sane, and kind. And I’ll see ya back here in the ‘22!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)