Modern Griots Reviews: Nova Sparks’ ‘Dome’

The first in its trilogy, Nova Spark‘s apocalyptic, alien novel Dome is filled with characters figuring themselves out as their home disappears and a new questionable home arises that forces them to find the truth and what is real home. Alternating between the point of views of a father and daughter, Sam and Emma, the […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Highlights from Word, Rock and Sword Concert

I love seeing spaces where a group of women with so much power, spirit, energy, creativity and love, and who break the mold get the shine they deserve. So here is some shine for them today. In their fourth year, the Toshi Reagon-presented and funded (with no sponsors) Word, Rock and Sword Festival provides a […]

Moving on the Wires: News, Posts, New Music

*The Sci-fi anthology, Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction From Social Justice Movements, will be released in Spring 2015 by AK Press! The anthology includes short stories from LeVar Burton, Terry Bisson, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Alixa Garcia, Autumn Brown, Bao Phi, David Walker, Dani McClain, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Gabriel Teodros, Jelani Wilson, Kalamu ya Salaam, Leah Lakshmi […]

Otherworldly Videos: Trip Into the Underworld – Kode-9 & The Spaceape and Okmalumkoolkat

Kode-9 & The Spaceape’s “The Devil Is a Liar” from the upcoming EP, The Killing Season. This EP covers themes of confronting illness, the unknown, and “things not being what they seem or appear to be.” In the video, Spaceape (Stephen Gordon) is clearly dressed like Baron Samedi (Hatian Voudou loa of death), one of […]

Behind the Mask: Interview with DOPEciety’s Denisio Truitt

Recently, at MoCADA‘s Soul of Brooklyn Launce and Concert, I was introduced to Denisio Truitt’s line, DOPEciety, which she described as afrofuture apparel. I was intrigued and so I interviewed her to find out the inspiration for her line and her plans for it. Read below: 1) How did you become interested in fashion and […]

Moving on the Wires: News, Posts and New Music

Support this blog by donating to my Paypal (send donations to my email svfreebird87@gmail.com) or my become a patron on my Patreon page! *Growing up, I remember seeing shows like Sabrina The Teenage Witch or movies like The Craft, and wanting to see women of color as witches (although The Craft did have Rachel True). […]

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth: Elizabeth Nunez ‘s Books of Caribbean Magic

Next week, Elizabeth Nunez will be read from her memoir, Not for Everyday Use, at the fifth annual ringShout event, which will be the Brooklyn Book Festival Bookend event. The event will take place September 16 at 7pm at the Franklin Park Bar and Beer Garden in Brooklyn, and also features Bridgett M. Davis (Into the […]

Otherworldly Videos: The Spirit in Music – Vaudou Game + Ibeyi

Vaudou (Voudou, Voodoo, Vodun, etc.) and Yoruba Orisha religions have spread all over the world despite efforts to quiet it and here are two musical acts who incorporate the spirituality from the various variations, related and descended religions, like Santeria, Lucumi, or Candomble into their work. First is Vaudou Game’s “Pas Contente” video and their […]

Moving on the Wires: News, Posts, New Music

Support this blog by donating to my Paypal (send donations to my email svfreebird87@gmail.com) or my become a patron on my Patreon page! *Check out my two features on Atlanta Blackstar’s Blerds series, “Using Afrofuturism to Power New Modes of Tech,” and The Root’s My Thing Is series, “Maybe My Weird Version of Blackness Isn’t […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Mahogany Browne and the Mythic Poetics of Redbone

“Children born in this desert are always thirsty.” This is a line from poet Mahogany L. Browne’s Poetic Theater Productions and The Wild Project presented production, Redbone: A Biomythography. The Eboni Hogan-directed, hour-long show descends into the depths of the relationship between Browne’s parents for Browne to better understand them and herself, and to highlight […]