These artists wrote great songs for themselves and others, and sang the heck out of them. These are artists who deserve your complete attention. Listen deeply to their entire catalogue of music.
1. Stevie Wonder
With a body of work that covers two generations, Stevie is the artists’ artist.
2. Prince
Writer, producer, musician, singer, showman….he was a complete artist.
3. Curtis Mayfield
His work in gospel groups, R&B groups, as a solo artist on his own label, and writing for movies for himself and fellow legends like Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin, and covered by greats ranging from Bob Marley to Kanye West, Curtis Mayfield is an all time great.
4. Bob Marley
More than a man, he was a movement that still inspires. The melodies, the grooves and the message are beloved worldwide.
5. Smokey Robinson
Bob Dylan called him America’s greatest poet. He defined the Motown Sound. Plus, this is one of the greatest video clips ever.
6. Bill Withers
How many great songs by Bill Withers can you sing all the way through?
7. Sly Stone
Sly Stone created the template for Prince and every other multi racial, mixed gender bands. He also wrote classic albums that you can listen to non stop.
8. Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
He’s been in groups, a solo artist and written for others. A Babyface concert is back to back hits.
9. Cassandra Wilson
Like many jazz artists, Cassandra Wilson is also known for her covers, many of which totally reinvent the song. But she also writes great ones too. Like this one.
10. Ron Isley
I can’t think of another artist who has hits in every decade from the 50s to the 90s.
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All month I’m going to assemble a list of great black artists and songs. I’ll start with great black soundtracks, since I won’t be able to do the Black Movie Soundtrack show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer.
BLACK ORPHEUS
Not only one of the greatest soundtracks, but arguably the greatest black film ever made. Beautiful black music, costumes, colors and culture…and beautiful black people!
COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE
This sequel to COTTON COMES TO HARLEM had a great score by Quincy Jones, who had the late great Donny Hathaway sing this theme with Valarie Simpson. I’ve been wearing this song out lately.
THE HARDER THEY COME
Classic film with one of the greatest collection of reggae songs on one album. Every track is a masterpiece. But I’ve been rocking this track a lot lately so I’m serving this one up for you.
SHAFT
Here’s an awesome clip of Isaac Hayes creating the masterpiece soundtrack for this classic.
SPARKLE
The greatest black soundtrack producer has to be Curtis Mayfield, with is work on Superfly, Claudine and Sparkle. Here’s a great song that was sung by Aretha Franklin on the soundtrack, then beautifully covered by En Vogue years later.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
I love this movie, and Carl Anderson’s performance is one of the big reasons why. His acting and singing are so powerful!
SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
Earth Wind and Fire take a Beatle’s classic and totally make it their own in the of the highlights of this film, directed by Michael Schultz!
MALCOLM X
Fantastic use of a classic song.
THE BODYGUARD
A great songwriter in Dolly Parton meets one of the greatest voices of our generation and this happens.
PURPLE RAIN
I can watch this opening forever.
DEEP COVER
What a debut! We first heard Snoop when Dr. Dre had him on this banging track.
MARSHALL
Jussie Smollett and Marcus Miller collaborated on this amazing rendition of the Langston Hughes poem LET AMERICA BE AMERICA AGAIN.
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BY JAMIE HWANG
The ABA announced winners of the 2018 Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts, which recognize outstanding efforts to foster the public’s understanding of law through media.
From 19 finalists, the Standing Committee on Gavel Awards selected six pieces of media for Silver Gavels with four others receiving honorable mentions.
“The American Bar Association engages in a careful, deliberative judging process to pick winners of the Silver Gavel Awards,” said Stephen C. Edds, chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Gavel Awards. “We congratulate all of our 2018 awardees for their extraordinary efforts to foster the American public’s understanding of law.”
Silver Gavel Awards and honorable mentions are available in nine categories—books, magazines, newspapers, commentary, drama & literature, documentaries, television, radio and multimedia—but not every category will necessarily receive an award every year. The 2018 Silver Gavel finalists were selected by a committee of 45 lawyers from 166 entries. The 18-person standing committee selected award winners from those finalists in six categories:
BOOKS
Silver Gavel: Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission, by Barry Friedman.
Honorable Mention: In Praise of Litigation, by Alexandra Lahav.
DOCUMENTARIES
Silver Gavel: And Then They Came for Us, by Ginzberg Productions.
Honorable Mention: They Call Us Monsters, by BMP Films.
DRAMA & LITERATURE
Silver Gavel: Marshall, directed and produced by Reginald Hudlin.
NEWSPAPERS
Silver Gavel: “Death-Penalty Defense Drama at Guantánamo War Court,” featured in the Miami Herald.
Honorable Mention: “Secrecy Rules,” featured in the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
RADIO
Silver Gavel: Breakdown Season 6: A Jury of His Peers, by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Honorable Mention: Null and Void, by Radiolab at WNYC.
TELEVISION
Silver Gavel: Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, by PBS Distribution, Frontline and ITVS.
The ABA has awarded Silver Gavels every year since 1958. ABA President Hilarie Bass will present the winners and honorable mentions on July 17 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
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By Ani Bundel
When Avengers: Infinity War ended there were almost no loose ends left behind. The film accounted for nearly everyone who was done and dusted, except one: Shuri, T’Challa’s little sister. Because Infinity War was finished before Black Panther came out, the Russo Brothers didn’t know she’d be a fan favorite or audiences would worry about her fate. Now actress Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, is giving hints for what happens in Avengers 4: (No There’s No Title Yet). And it sounds like Shuri could be the next Black Panther and ruler of Wakanda.
While here in the states, the biggest entertainment news this weekend is the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, over in the UK, it’s their biggest comic convention of the year. Known as MCM Comic-con, this London based event brings out major stars from all sorts of franchises. This year the cavalcade of stars included Letitia Wright, who was brought up in Tottenham in North London.
In a panel which occurred on Friday, Wright was asked about how her life has changed now she’s technically a “Disney Princess.” After all, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is owned by Disney and Shuri is a Wakandan Princess. QED.
Wright admitted she was initially taken aback when fans called her that. According to Deadline, Wright said:
I was like, ‘what’s this Disney Princess pressure? Do I have to be perfect?’ Then I realized that everyone’s just so geeked about having a different kind of female character in the Marvel universe and the Disney universe. And there’s going to be much, much more – I’m not the only Disney Princess to come to the surface and claim that title.
But Shuri’s status as a princess also means she stands to inherit the kingdom of Wakanda were something were to happen to T’Challa. When the question came up (considering something did just happen to T’Challa, along with half the universe), Wright’s answer was short, but interesting.
To be comic-book accurate, yes.
What Wright means by “comic book accurate” is her character was originally conceived to be the “spare” to T’Challa’s “heir.” This is the way almost all royal families work. Prince Harry was the “spare” to Prince William’s “heir” back when they were born. Now, in William’s own family, Princess Charlotte is “spare” to Prince George’s “heir.” Writer Reginald Hudlin, who came up with Shuri in 2005, pointed out at the time T’Challa’s only child status was not believable, and if T’Challa’s mother died, his father would simply remarry in order to make sure there was a spare running around.
Moreover, Hudlin followed through by killing off T’Challa so Shuri could inherit and take over the role of the Black Panther. (Don’t worry, it was merely a temporary death. Much like fans hope his death at the end of Infinity War will be.) But this means Shuri taking on the role of the titular superhero is, as they say, “canon.”
That’s a big deal for the MCU, which has been accused of favoring white male leads for far too long, and when they do have women of color in major roles, they do things like paint them green. Black Panther was a huge step forward for the franchise in terms of diversity. CEO Kevin Feige is working overtime to get female lead movies in the mix as well, with Wasp, Captain Marvel, and Black Widow. But those are noticeably all white women.
If the MCU really wants to get diverse, promoting Shuri into the Black Panther role for Avengers 4 and putting her front and center alongside Captain America and Iron Man would be an endorsement of the direction they’re planning to go in Phase IV, as well as making her the first black female stand-alone superhero to grace the MCU. It could even lead to her own film. After all, director Ryan Coogler already said he’s game for directing an all women’s Black Panther spin-off.
Avengers 4: No There’s No Title Yet, Stop Asking arrives in theaters May 3, 2019.
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