There’s something so undeniably bad-ass about a woman wielding a guitar. There have been many, many cool Caucasian bellas who have made their mark behind the axe. To wit — click here for Outside Left’s Top 12 Hottest Female Guitarists Ever, which includes the one and only Joan Jett, Poison Ivy from The Cramps, and…
Pop Culture
Lost Ones: Marvin Gaye
He was so handsome, so incredibly talented. He had so much potential left, and a career that could have continued on for so much longer — if only. Who did it bigger or better than Marvin Gaye? I have a hard time thinking of any contemporary artist that’s even in his league. Marvin Pentz Gay…
Classic Aretha Franklin! She Makes Me Feel Like a Natural Woman
I’ve been on a hardcore Aretha Franklin kick all week long. I think it actually started on Sunday morning, when I caught the tail end of Ain’t No Way being piped through the speakers at my grocery store. I instantly forgot what kind of bread I needed and got caught up in the melody. Ain’t…
Afrobella of the Week – Alison Stewart, Anchorbella
I’m a bit of a news junkie. I think it all started immediately after 9/11 — being in America when that happened really impacted upon me, and gave me this burning desire to know what was going on in the world at any given moment. To this day, I stay glued to the 24 hour…
Looky Who I Met Yesterday
I attended a Russell Simmons book signing event last night at my old stomping grounds, Books & Books, and it was fascinating to watch. Here’s a somewhat lengthy account of what transpired, an edited version of this will appear later today on Riptide, the Miami New Times blog. And in case some of y’all didn’t…
I Love an Old School All-Star Jam
Were all-star jams a phenomenon that peaked in the Eighties? Of course, there was We Are The World and Do They Know It’s Christmas, but the songs were never catchy to me. I just grew up loving the all-star jams on Video Soul, like Self Destruction (LOL at Kool Moe Dee’s stunna shades) and We’re…
Lost Ones — Dinah Washington
Whenever people think about all-time great jazz divas, the order typically goes: Billie, Ella, Sarah, Nina. Dinah Washington doesn’t necessarily get that first-name recognition, but she should. Because she was one bad bella. Even if you’ve never heard of Dinah Washington, you might know one of her songs without realizing it– that Doubletree commercial that…
Afrobella of the Week: CCH Pounder, Captain Afrobella
We have a television schedule around the household. Sunday night’s The Sopranos, Monday night’s 24 and Heroes. Wednesday’s Lost. Thursday it’s all about comedy night done right, especially my two favorite sitcoms, The Office and 30 Rock. And Tuesday night belongs to The Shield. What a show! The Shield is one of the most intense,…
Mighty Mahalia Jackson
On days when I feel low, I need to step away from my usual routines and get in touch with my spiritual side. Although I’m not a regular churchgoer (in fact, I am still referred to as “the little heathen” by a much-loved family member who shall remain nameless), I do have one. I’m not…
Lost Ones: Donyale Luna
She was born into a turbulent Detroit household, with an abusive father who was murdered when she was 18. Her mother encouraged her to become a nurse. A relative once described her as being “a very weird child, even from birth, living in a wonderland, a dream.” Donyale Luna created her own dream. She made…