Modern Griots Reviews: Notes from #FunkGodJazzMedicine Conversations

Below are some notes from two of the three conversations from Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine: Conversation on Self-Determination: Black Radical Brooklyn: Past, Present, and Future *The history of Weeksville (James Weeks bought land in order to vote) and the four projects of Funk, God, Jazz and Medicine pointed out the intersections between race and […]

Modern Griot Reviews: #FunkGodJazzMedicine at Weeksville

Our society often focuses more on representation and showing images of oppressed people as proof we have “progressed,” but the other side of true moving forward for people who live in oppressive societies is self-determination, something that often gets ignored for the more superficial representation only politics. Self-determination is the freedom and ability to control […]

Otherworldly Videos: Juice Aleem + Sharon Jones and the Dap KIngs

Juice Aleem‘s “Anumals” From Juice Aleem’s press: “After the soaring heights of the MoorKaBa LightBikes… the journey is continued with AnuMal: the dominion of the Flesh. A dance between the sacred and the profane. Watch out for the AnuMals!” Keep in mind the woman with the wolf/fox mask at the end while watching the next […]

Moving on the Wires: Colored Girls Hustle Hard Mixtape and Afro Aliens Video Premiere

After watching their Colored Girls Hustle videos, I wanted to give special highlight to these two women and artists, Taja Lindley and Jessica Valoris and their Colored Girls Hustle artistic creations, including jewelry, poetry and music. I am definitely attracted to their positive message and mission of self-affirmation and self-expression for women of color, whether […]

Art of This World: Joshua Mays + Caitlin Cherry

Denver born painter, muralist and illustrator, Joshua Mays is a self-taught, visionary artist who has featured his murals all over the world. He draws inspiration from “science-fiction, dreamscape exploration and futuristic visions.” In his interviews, he says often of the importance of the arts on STEM fiields; for example, he said “creative ideas that are […]

Moving on the Wires: ‘Re-Introducing Oshun’ Exhibition + Afrofuturist Affair Ball + Art Lov[H]er + Top Of The Heap + Alien Encounters

*If you are in London, next month will have the opening of Re-introducing Oshun, which will be an interdisciplinary exhibition “discussing black women’s bodies, gender and sexual expression through the lens of the Orisha, Oshun” and re-imagining “black women’s bodies as sacred of places of, beauty, intimacy and love.” Featuring the work of an all […]

Behind the Mask Interview: Butch Diva

Since I am doing a Caribbean focus, here is my interview with Tiffany Rhodes, designer of Butch Diva, whose first major patron model for her fashion line (and one of my favorite artists, too) was dancehall queen, Patra. Rhodes’ designs are vibrant and colorful, and look as much fun to be in as it is […]

Modern Griots Review: MUV’s “Sankofa”

If you can keep dancing especially when no one thought you would survive, then you have traveled to a region beyond death. Last weekend, Movement for the Urban Village‘s (MUV) Sankofa performance showed how our expressions (dance, music, words, names and silence) transcend boundaries and even death. As George Clinton says in “Mothership Connection,” “You […]

Moving on the Wires: Black Science Fiction Festival, Alien Bodies, Blitz the Ambassador and The Last Poets, NYU Black Surrealism Conference…

*Black Science Fiction Film Festival on February 7th in Atlanta, Georgia. Watch clip below: *The Alien Bodies: Race, Space and Sex in the African Diaspora Conference will be taking place at Emory University on February 8-9 in Atlanta Georgia. Sadly, I won’t be there, but at least it will be recorded for later viewing. Also, […]

I Could Dance, Dance, Dance All Night…

Storyboard P’s “Black Magic” via Hycide Magazine Storyboard P is a Brooklyn-based dancer who is part of a new style called “Mutant.” He was recently in the video for Flying Lotus’ “Until the Quiet Comes” (watch below). Hycide Magazine also did a feature about him in their anniversary issue, which you can buy here.