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Posts tagged as “Beyoncé”

MUSIC MONDAY: “Black and Proud”: A Black History Month Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Black and Proud”: A Black History Month Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on January 31, 2022

by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)

Hey, it’s Lori, GBN’s Editor-in-Chief, with this week’s Music Monday share. Although it’s one day early, I offer a list to set the vibe for what February signifies to many in these United States: Black History Month!

Today’s playlist, “Black and Proud: Songs About Being Black” features songs that examine, express, critique and celebrate differing iterations of what it means to be Black in America.

The gamut of human emotions are present in this collection, as African Americans have been creating genres like Jazz, Blues, Soul and Hip Hop and transforming others from the 1600s on.

Artists such as Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce, Esperanza Spalding, india.arie, Prince, Janet Jackson, Mickey Guyton, Nas, Jay Z, Common and Kendrick Lamar all have their takes on Blackness and the perceptions of it by themselves, lovers, strangers, authorities and oppressors.

I’ve also included several versions of “Young, Gifted and Black” by Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway and Big Daddy Kane who each in their own way interpret the phrase popularized by playwright Lorraine Hansberry to great effect.

I hope you enjoy this compilation and that it gets you into the mood, groove and spirit of Black History Month.

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)

Janelle Monáe and 15 More Black Women Artists and Activists Drop 17-Minute “Say Her Name” Anthem to Protest Police Violence Against Black Woman (VIDEO)

Janelle Monáe and 15 More Black Women Artists and Activists Drop 17-Minute “Say Her Name” Anthem to Protest Police Violence Against Black Woman (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on September 24, 2021

Musician, actor and activist Janelle Monáe partnered with the African American Policy Forum to create “Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout),” an anthem protesting police violence and calling attention to 61 Black women and girls who were killed by law enforcement.

The 17-minute song features 15 other Black female artists and activists, including Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Chloe x Halle, Tierra Whack, Isis V., Zoë Kravitz, Brittany Howard, Asiahn, Jovian Zayne, Angela Rye, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Brittany Packnett-Cunningham, Alicia Garza and MJ Rodriguez.

“This International Daughter’s Day and we are proud to stand with the African American Policy Forum’s #SayHerName Mothers Network & Kimberlé Crenshaw as we honor the Black women and girls who lost their lives at the hands of police,” Monáe said in a statement.

“We support the tireless work that #SayHerName has been doing for years to help bring these mothers justice for their daughters. This work is too important to do alone and can only be sustained through our collective voices,” she added. “We take up this call to action as daughters ourselves trying to create a world where stories like these are no longer commonplace. This is a rally cry.”

https://twitter.com/AAPolicyForum/status/1441080268727615495?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

GBN Wishes You and Yours a Happy Father’s Day (LISTEN)

GBN Wishes You and Yours a Happy Father’s Day (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on June 20, 2021

We’ve been wanting to post to acknowledge all the fathers, uncles, stepfathers and loved ones who have been parenting, raising and advising the next generations, but our site has been having serious server issues since dawn.

So even though we are nearing dusk, and we posted what we could on our social media, we’re taking advantage of this moment of connectivity to say “Happy Father’s Day” on our main page and offer a playlist dedicated to the dads called “Color Him Father” – A Father’s Day Collection:

This 20-songs compilation offers praise, introspection, dreams, admonition and advice from myriad genres and perspectives – from The Winstons‘ appreciation of a stepfather on “Color Him Father,” to Will Smith‘s heartfelt expression of how it feels to become a dad on “Just The Two Of Us,” to Beyoncé’s appreciation of different aspects of her father on “Daddy” and “Daddy Lessons.”

Also included are Prince‘s declaration of love for his father amid complexities on “Purple Rain” and Kirk Whalum‘s soulful, jazz cover of “Because You Loved Me” which Diane Warren wrote about her relationship with her father, DMX and Usher‘s heartbreaking plea “Letter To My Son (Call Your Father)”, and classics like “Daddy’s Home” – the popular cover by Jermaine Jackson as well as the original version by Shep and The Limelites.

We hope it’s been a great day for all those in the dad role today, and hope you enjoy the above, knowing you are seen, honored and loved through thick and thin.

Beyoncé Teams with Jewelry Designer Lorraine Schwartz, Creates Scholarship for Black Students to Gemological Institute of America

Beyoncé Teams with Jewelry Designer Lorraine Schwartz, Creates Scholarship for Black Students to Gemological Institute of America

By goodblacknews on May 1, 2021

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Beyoncé teamed up with jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz to create the Beyoncé Knowles-Carter x Lorraine Schwartz GIA Scholarship, which goes to three members of the Black community for full tuition to earn GIA’s Graduate Gemologist diploma.

Audriana Osborne of Montgomery, Alabama, Shelton Bradford of Lake Forest, California, and Kulla Jatani, of Seattle, Washington were named the first three winners of the scholarship.

The aim of the scholarship is to creating more representation and eventually generational wealth for African Americans in the jewelry industry.

“I was impressed with their passion and the knowledge of gems that so many applicants displayed,” Beyoncé, who chose each of the scholarship recipients, said in a statement. “I am praying that this is just the beginning of opening more doors to diversity and raw inspiration in the jewelry industry.”

“Her work for the Black community is without limit and her efforts have inspired me and made me extremely proud to be her friend and partner on this initiative,” Schwartz said of Beyoncé.

Read more: https://discover.gia.edu/beyonce-x-lorraine-GIA-scholarship#home

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’ll Take You There” – A Collection of Live Concert Recordings (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “I’ll Take You There” – A Collection of Live Concert Recordings (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 5, 2021

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

Happy Music Monday from your friend and selector, Marlon. Hope this playlist and missive finds you safe and well.

For most of this lockdown, I have not been able to listen to crowds enjoying great music. While I’m still months away from attending a live show myself, the vaccine rollout has me seeing light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

To that end, I have made this collection to celebrate great live music performances. Live records aren’t nearly as plentiful as they once were. Though to many old-school music lovers, live albums were ubiquitous especially in the 1970s and ’80s, where live-recorded albums seemed to come out every week.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1xT8UGfzZmyIuwtigJpPhx”]

That being said, there are recent offerings by The Black Pumas, Beyoncé, and Gary Clark Jr. Along with B.B. King at Cook County Jail, Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, and Sam Cooke at The Harlem Square Club, there are “Unplugged” performances by Jill Scott, The Roots, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Lauryn Hill.

At upwards of 12 hours, I am still sure to have missed some gems. Feel free to make suggestions in the comments so I may add them. This is another eclectic journey through hip-hop, R&B, reggae, and rock ‘n roll. I didn’t even touch on jazz.

Next week’s offering will be devoted to live jazz recordings.

Until then, stay safe, sane, and kind.*

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

*A note to those listening to Spotify on a desktop or laptop. This is a good one to put your crossfade settings at the 12-second maximum. It will carry the crowd reactions across the tracks, making it feel like one long show. Kinda.

Beyoncé Breaks Record to Become Singer with Most Grammy Award Wins of all Time

Beyoncé Breaks Record to Become Singer with Most Grammy Award Wins of all Time

By goodblacknews on March 14, 2021

As she won her 28th Grammy Award for R&B performance for Black Parade, Beyoncé made history as she surpassed country-bluegrass artist Alison Krauss’ former record of 27 Grammys and became the most honored singing artist of all time.

Beyoncé has also tied legendary producer and musician Quincy Jones for second-most Grammy wins ever.

Jones, who turned 88 on Sunday, has won 28 Grammys during his career. The late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti holds the all-time record with 31 Grammy Awards.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-03-14/beyonce-breaks-record-grammys-female-artist?utm_id=25322&sfmc_id=2415824

Beyoncé’s BeyGood Foundation Partners with NAACP to offer Grants for Housing Relief During Pandemic

Beyoncé’s BeyGood Foundation Partners with NAACP to offer Grants for Housing Relief During Pandemic

By goodblacknews on January 8, 2021

Yesterday on Instagram, Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD Foundation announced applications are open for housing relief via naacp.org.

The application is available on the NAACP website and will end on Thursday, January 21st at 11:59PM.

“The NAACP is committed to helping ensure African Americans maintain their wealth and financial security during this unprecedented time of COVID-19,” the site reads. “We are partnering with BeyGOOD to provide one hundred grants up to $5,000 each to families who are delinquent in their home mortgage or rental payments.”

“When we were faced with the pandemic caused by COVID-19, BeyGOOD created a plan to make a difference,” the BeyGOOD site says. “We assisted organizations across the country that were providing people with basic needs like food, water, household supplies, and COVID testing. We also provided mental health support.”

To read more about the grants and to apply, visit https://www.naacp.org.

Country Music Awards Honors Charley Pride with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award Tonight on ABC

Country Music Awards Honors Charley Pride with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award Tonight on ABC

By goodblacknews on November 11, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

We’re used to seeing Black musical artists honored regularly on the Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards, the MTV Awards, and, of course, the BET Awards. But this year, you can find several Black performers on the 54th annual CMA (Country Music Association) Awards, to be aired on ABC starting at 8P ET tonight.

Not that Black performers have never been on the CMAs before. Just last year rapper Lil Nas X won an award for his Billy Ray Cyrus collaboration “Old Town Road.”  In 2016, the Chicks (fka The Dixie Chicks) shocked the audience with an incredible live performance with fellow Texan Beyoncé of her song “Daddy Lessons” (see it here at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Ksi-uzuIg). But there have been many years where the closest the CMAs have gotten to Blackness was to give awards to Keith “Urban.”

CMA hosts Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire (photo courtesy CMA Awards)

Black country fans actually have three reasons to cheer during this year’s awards.  First, newcomer Jimmie Allen is up for Best New Artist. Second, former Hootie & the Blowfish lead vocalist turned country singer Darius Rucker is co-hosting the show with Reba McEntire. Rucker is perhaps the most well-known Black performer in contemporary country music – and previously won the CMA for Best New Artist in 2009.

Most importantly, Rucker will be leading the tribute to this year’s recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, the legendary Charley Pride.

The aptly named Pride was a symbol of Black pride back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when he was the first major Black country artist to hit the charts. Coming on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement, Pride won Male Vocalist of the Year two years running in 1971 and 1972, in addition to also picking up Entertainer of the Year in 1971.

Nominated for Entertainer of the Year six years in a row from 1968 through 1973, Pride, now 86 years old, is a singular figure in country music history, as no Black performer has been nominated even one time since then.

Pride also previously co-hosted the CMA Awards on TV with Glen Campbell in 1975, the only Black host prior to Rucker’s co-hosting duties this year. Pride had 30 #1 country hits and over 50 Top 10 performances, and is perhaps most known for the song “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin.”

Beyond Pride, Rucker and Allen, there are lots of other exciting things happening in country music these days for Black performers, including new female artist Mickey Guyton and recent chart-topper Kane Brown.  Earlier this summer, Good Black News offered up “I Can’t Stop Loving You: A Collection of Black Country Music” as an overview of Black country music history.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:5ST6HmIZCtbIjiYRXer6at”/]

Check out the awards tonight – and catch all of the artists we’ve mentioned (and many more) on our playlist!

Jay Z Partners With Long Island University in Brooklyn to Create Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment

Jay Z Partners With Long Island University in Brooklyn to Create Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment

By goodblacknews on August 5, 2020

The Carters are working their empowerment game on all ends. Just days after Beyoncé drops her “Black Is King” visual album on Disney+, Jay Z continues his commitment to Black and Brown people by employing his global entertainment company, Roc Nation, to teach the new generation the politics of the business.

According to a press release, Roc Nation and Long Island University, a nationally-ranked university, have engaged in a historic collaboration to form the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment, enrolling students at LIU Brooklyn beginning fall 2021.

The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will prepare students for a wide range of careers in performance, entrepreneurship, all aspects of music, and sports business management.

Students will engage with university professors, alongside visiting guest artists and lecturers, while participating in immersive internships, ensuring they graduate with both hands-on experience and a network of professional contacts.

Located in JAY-Z’s hometown of Brooklyn, the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will provide Roc Nation Hope Scholarships for 25 percent of enrolled students. These scholars will graduate from the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment debt-free, and will receive individualized support and mentorship.

The Roc Nation Hope Scholars will be selected from a pool of academically competitive, New York-based first-time freshmen with the highest need.

The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will offer undergraduate degrees in music; music technology, entrepreneurship & production; and sports management.

“Pursuing higher education is an investment in one’s future. This partnership, envisioned alongside LIU President Dr. Cline, is a true investment in our community and young people in Brooklyn, in New York City and beyond,” said Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation. “We’re excited that the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will provide unique insight, knowledge, and experiences for students and introduce the world to the next generation of unmatched talent.”

“Our proximity in and around New York City’s epicenter of music and sports clearly positions us to offer unparalleled experiential learning and access to professional opportunities that will launch students to success,” said LIU President Dr. Kimberly Cline. “We look forward to joining with Roc Nation to offer an unprecedented educational resource that opens up the entertainment and sports world to a new and eager generation.”

The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will begin accepting applicants for the Fall 2021 semester this fall.

In addition to the college program, the School will offer camps for aspiring students. Young talent will be developed through summer residential camps for high school students and year-round Saturday programs for ages 10-18 in music and sports management, starting in the spring of 2021. Need-based scholarships will also be available for the camps.