In this episode of the pod, Elisabeth speaks with Ashley Jordan, the Director of Arts & Cultural Programming, and Christopher Gilbert, Choreographer of the production of Black Nativity.
The conversation kicks off with Chris and Ashley sharing about their own upbringings, and how early transformative performance experiences empowered them to translate the momentum they felt on the stage, off the stage, and channel it into creativity and purpose in their lives. Throughout the conversation, they spoke about on how this production – an annual holiday traditional from Black Arts MKE – is a kind of touchstone for the mission and work of the organization, as a whole. They called out how important representation is for young Black people in Milwaukee, who, through this production – are giddy to see themselves in the faces and voices of local performers. Against a backdrop of ongoing racism and systemic injustice, the production of Black Nativity – “A gospel Christmas Music Experience” – is designed to feed both the Black community, while embracing the whole community; it’s a production that is uplifting, is fueled by a diverse community, and is “unapologetically Black.”
In our discussion, we touch on how Black Arts MKE contributes to the local economy in many ways including by employing artists and working with local business owners, creating and investing in new content including original productions, and inspiring youth through its programming to lean in to creative practices – something that builds confidence and skill.
In the conversation, Chris hammers home how he sees the arts functioning in the “new abnormal.” He encourages students — and audiences, to seek out experiences like Black Nativity that are designed with intention, with purpose — as he says to his students… “if you’re gonna leave the house… make it worth it.”
The 54th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at 8 p.m. (live ET/PT on delay) on BET from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. Nominees will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. Online voting opens on that date and extends through Friday, Feb. 10, 2023.
This will mark the first in-person Image Awards since the show was hosted in February 2020, also at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
The host has not been announced. Black-ish star Anthony Anderson hosted the last nine NAACP Image Awards, but several previous hosts or co-hosts came from the world of music, including Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Williams, Mariah Carey, Diana Ross and LL Cool J.
Jennifer Hudson was named entertainer of the year at last year’s show. Jazmine Sullivan and Anthony Hamilton won outstanding female and male artist, respectively. Sullivan’s Heaux Tales took outstanding album. Saweetie took outstanding new artist.
The 54th NAACP Image Awards will include three new categories within the motion picture, television + streaming categories — outstanding hairstyling, outstanding make-up and outstanding costume design.
“Throughout the past year, we’ve witnessed Black artists showcasing our history and uplifting values of progressive change, while redefining genres and bringing our stories to the forefront of entertainment in so many innovative ways,” Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, said in a statement. “Black voices are necessary to continually inspire audiences around the world. We’re proud to once again provide a platform that both elevates and celebrates these voices through the 54th NAACP Image Awards.”
“BET is extremely proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the NAACP and magnify their endeavors to honor the incredible contributions made by the Black community,” added BET president and CEO Scott Mills. “We’re looking forward to celebrating Black excellence at next year’s Image Awards on all of our platforms, honoring those who help tell our diverse stories in powerful ways.”
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MUCH-LOVED Radio 1Xtra host Jamz Supernova has revealed she has quit the station after 12 years.
The DJ, 32, who will continue to front her BBC 6 Music show, will be succeeded by her longtime friend and former producer CassKidd.
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Jamz Supernova is leaving Radio 1XtraCredit: Instagram
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She will continue to present on BBC 6 MusicCredit: Instagram
Writing on Twitter today, Jamz said: “A hard but exciting decision! After 12 years I’m ready for a new chapter! Thank you @1Xtra its been a blast! And what a full circle moment to welcome @CassKidd!
“! Much love to every guest & listener! I wont get too soppy just yet few more shows to go but x100000 Jamz xx”
In an official statement, the DJ went further and spoke of her pride in championing black artists on a national network.
She said: “I’m not sure words could quantify how incredible the last 12 years at 1Xtra have been. From starting as an Intern, working in production to becoming a Presenter. 1Xtra has been my university, masters and doctorate all rolled into one. I started my Tuesday night show with the aim of changing the perception around Black artists making alternative music and as we saw at the recent MOBO awards, alternative Black artists are now being embraced.
“I’m proud to have played a small role in the conversation and support of that. I believe radio is the perfect place to pass the baton on and I’m over the moon to be passing mine to CassKidd. I’m also excited for my next chapter and continued exploration of music from around the world on my BBC Radio 6 Music show. More than anything it’s a beautiful feeling to end my time on a high, so thank you 1Xtra!”
Casskidd is more than qualified for the gig having produced shows across the BBC since 2016.
Prior to that he spent a year producing Jamz’ show on community station Reprezent.
Paying tribute to Jamz, he said: “From starting my radio journey to now, Jamz has been a heroine throughout my career. To now be in an position to champion artists on 1Xtra through my own show – this is also a win for the next generation of musicians and the new genres we are yet to give titles to. I can’t wait to start.”
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Faron McKenzie, Head of BBC 1Xtra, said: “CassKidd has produced near enough every specialist slot on BBC 1Xtra. He is one of the most hardworking individuals there is and it has been great to watch his journey at the network get to the point it is at now. CassKidd lives and breathes music, and I know he is going to bring a lot of passion, knowledge and creativity to his new show and for our audience.”
CassKidd first BBC Radio 1Xtra show will be 9pm Tuesday, January 3.
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Casskidd is taking over Jamz’ weekly slotCredit: Instagram
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
The 54th NAACP Image Awards will air on Saturday, February 25 at 8 PM (live ET/PT on delay) on BET from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, CA, the network and civil rights organization said Tuesday. And, for the first time in three years, the show will be in front of an audience.
The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color across categories spanning film, television, streaming, music, literature and podcasts.
The show has added three new submission categories within the motion picture, television and streaming categories, for Outstanding Hairstyling, Make-Up and Costume Design.
“Throughout the past year, we’ve witnessed Black artists showcasing our history and uplifting values of progressive change, while redefining genres and bringing our stories to the forefront of entertainment in so many innovative ways,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. “Black voices are necessary to continually inspire audiences around the world. We’re proud to once again provide a platform that both elevates and celebrates these voices through the 54th NAACP Image Awards.”
“BET is extremely proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the NAACP and magnify their endeavors to honor the incredible contributions made by the Black community,” said BET President and CEO Scott Mills. “We’re looking forward to celebrating Black excellence at next year’s Image Awards on all of our platforms, honoring those who help tell our diverse stories in powerful ways.”
Only submitted work will be reviewed for consideration. All valid entries are evaluated and narrowed to the top five in each category by members of the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committees which are comprised of individuals within the entertainment industry (studio/network executives, actors, artists, managers, agents, publicists, journalists, literary agents, and others) NAACP Board members, NAACP Foundation Trustees, staff, partners and others. Nominee submissions closed as of November 18.
Nominees will be announced and online international voting opens on Thursday, January 12. Voting closes on Friday, February 10.
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
If you’re looking for a joyous celebration of the story of the Nativity this weekend, look no further than Black Nativity put on by Black Arts MKE. The show will feature poetry, art, music, singing, dancing and much more as it celebrates a well-known stpru in a new, dazzling light, as well as amplifies the skill of many Black artists for any theatergoer to enjoy.
Black Nativity will run this weekend, December 8-11, at the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, Marcus Center, 929 S Water Street. For tickets and more information, visit Black Nativity by Langston Hughes · Black Arts MKE.
Black Arts MKE is committed to making African American culture more available for people to experience. “Our amazing cast of local artists is full of singers, dancers, and actors,” says Dimonte Henning, director. “We have a lot of young performers, and it’s a great way to get young people involved.” The show is the story of the Nativity through the lens of African Americans. It is a celebration of culture, perseverance, and spirit with something for everyone to enjoy.”
Black Nativity highlights many different art forms. From spoken word poetry, to expert choreography from fourth year choreographer Chirstopher Gilbert, to exploring many different forms of music that include classic church hymns, gospel, Afro-Caribbean and original work. “We have a lot of moving components to the production. The music drives the story forward. Our music director, Antoine Reynolds, is working really hard to create some new sounds and different arrangements, some of which the audience will be familiar with,” says Henning. “There will be gospel music involved, but we’ll also be playing with different Afro-Caribbean sounds. In addition, the choreography is very energetic, joyous, and really hits home the message of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.”
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With a focus on building community, Black Nativity gives a warm, hopeful energy, with a message of determination through difficult times. Showcased by a great deal of talented local artists, the show is perfect for honoring the message of the Nativity, one of unconditional love and never giving up. “It brings different cultures together, being in the theater. It’s a story we can all relate to,” says Henning. “The message is for everybody. This is a loving story. It’s an opportunity to step outside of the box and witness great talent on stage.”
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
Two things touched Terynn Erby-Walker’s heart about performing in “Black Nativity” last year.
One was enacting the story and meaning of Christ’s nativity. “That Jesus is there, that he was there all the time, and you don’t have to worry,” Erby-Walker said. “This show really reiterates a message that I need to hear, and I think a lot of people need to hear in times like these.”
The other balm? Performing in an intergenerational show with a motto of being “unapologetically Black,” she said. “We all just bonded with each other over something that we could share.”
“Black Nativity,” staged by Black Arts MKE and directed by Dimonte Henning, returns for its seventh year Dec. 8-11 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Langston Hughes’ gospel play, which premiered in 1961, connects the Christmas miracle with daily life today. Foregrounded in seasonal music, it’s flexible enough to be staged in many different ways.
It’s also a show where nearly any performer can take the lead in a given moment, including teenage cast members like Erby-Walker, a senior at Milwaukee’s Golda Meir School.
In recent years, Milwaukee audiences have seen her onstage in shows performed by First Stage, Skylight Music Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theater, including “Hairspray” and “West Side Story.” Earlier this year, she finished second in the Milwaukee regional finals of the True Colors’ Next Narrative Monologue Competition and participated in the national finals in New York.
Erby-Walker knows the hurt of being called “not Black enough.” So she has found performing in “Black Nativity” liberating, experiencing the diversity of her fellow cast members. Millennial Black people have their own jokes; her fellow Gen Z performers have “little TikTok dances” the older folks don’t get, she noted with humor.
“We share that with them so we can all laugh about it,” she said. “We can all embrace ourselves and each other.”
That diversity shows up onstage, too. Costume stylists Kyndal Johnson and Vato Vergara curated outfits that represent everything from casual streetwear to Afrocentric looks.
Unlike some productions where she has to pick apart the psyche of a character, Erby-Walker describes “Black Nativity” as more raw, in a positive sense. “There’s no price to God’s mercy, there’s no hidden meaning behind that,” she said. “For your character, just be and believe what you’re saying.”
Referring to the production’s director Henning, Erby-Walker said, “DiMonte says all the time, ‘Don’t worry about getting it right. Worry about getting it true.’ And that I could put that on a T-shirt, honestly.”
Changes for this year’s “Black Nativity” include the addition of spoken word performer Cedric Dale Hoard, some new arrangements by music director Antoine Reynolds and new choreography by Christopher Gilbert.
If you go
Black Arts MKE performs “Black Nativity” Dec. 8-11 at Marcus Performing Arts Center’s Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, visit marcuscenter.org or call (414) 273-7206.
I never venture too far from a theater, but when I did have some time away from New York stages, I was watching TV and movies. In so many of my favorites of 2022, there’s a sense of humanity to the work, whether that means it featured people connecting or simply being honest with themselves and others. Here are the plays, musicals, shows and films that stuck with me this year.
‘Cost of Living’
That Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 play is written with such gut-busting empathy and humanity shouldn’t be a shock to anyone who’s read the script or seen the previous productions. And yet, “Cost of Living” was still surprising — stunning, even — thanks to the four actors (Gregg Mozgala, Katy Sullivan, Kara Young and David Zayas) and their portrayal of caregivers and patients in a story about the ways we look after one another and what that care costs us. Plays about connections can so easily turn into sentimental weep-fests that manipulate you into tears, but the script, cast and Jo Bonney’s compassionate direction made this Broadway gem feel not just tender but true. (Read our review of “Cost of Living.”)
‘300 el x 50 el x 30 el’
When I try to describe this epic work by the Belgian theater collective FC Bergman, I get bogged down in contradictions: Grotesque yet radiant. Chaotic but woven into coherence by theme and feeling. Depressing, yet steeped with something even more forceful than joy — utter transcendence. Transforming the Harvey Theater into a village, with live animals and a pond, “300 el” drew inspiration from the biblical story of Noah’s ark. A film crew circled the stage, providing interior views to a pigeon homicide, a deadly game of William Tell and a feast where even the furniture is devoured. When the production ends in song and dance — a tameless exaltation of noise and movement — it seemed to leave even the air in the theater tremulous with excitement. (Read our feature on “300 el x 50 el x 30 el.”)
‘Fat Ham’
More than anything — including James Ijames’s whip-smart writing, Saheem Ali’s vivacious direction and the cast’s delightful performances — what most stood out to me in the Public’s staging of “Fat Ham” was the joy that seemed to emanate from every person in the room. Who knew “Hamlet,” a tragedy rife with revenge and murder, could be expanded to become a work about queerness and Black masculinity — and a funny, smart work at that? Ijames, apparently, and Ali, whose gleaming production ended in what felt like a party where everyone, audience included, was welcome to attend. (Read our review of “Fat Ham.”)
‘A Strange Loop’
It’s been quite a year for Black queer theater, due in large part to the Broadway debut of Michael R. Jackson’s mind-bending, genre-busting musical “A Strange Loop.” The production, starring an unforgettable Jaquel Spivey, succeeds on multiple levels: It provides trenchant commentary on Black art, the Black body, religion, masculinity and queerness, while also being laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreaking. As for the technical elements, its structure, choreography and score coalesce into a prime example of what Broadway can do at its best. (Read our review of “A Strange Loop.”)
‘Oratorio for Living Things’
I knew I was seeing something special when I went to Ars Nova’s production of Heather Christian’s “Oratorio,” because I was infected with a desperate urge to see it again — even before I was through seeing it the first time. Having grown up with a Catholic education and Sunday masses, I’ve never felt connected to religious institutions, but Christian’s profound work, directed by Lee Sunday Evans, created a kind of secular mass for nonbelievers and believers alike. The exquisite vocals of the cast were magnified by the miniature amphitheater-style setup of the space, which created an aural experience that — like the text itself — felt both grand and intimate. (Read our review of “Oratorio for Living Things.”)
‘English’
I’m a sucker for works that examine language — the politics of it, the limitations and freedoms that can be found in words. So I was already onboard for Sanaz Toossi’s play, about a class in Iran where the students are preparing to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or Toefl. Under Knud Adams’s direction, the cast draws the audience into its word games, linguistic stumbles and individual struggles to learn and assimilate, whether for work or family or dreams of a life in America. (Read our review of “English.”)
‘The Sandman’
As a fierce fan of the author Neil Gaiman and owner of his complete “Sandman” graphic novel collection, I was so nervous about Netflix’s adaptation that I asked a friend — a fellow fan — to watch the first episode with me for emotional support. The series does justice to its characters with perfectly cast actors, including a mesmerizing Tom Sturridge, who embodies the brooding, awe-inspiring king of dreams with such finesse and gravitas that it’s as though Morpheus himself has escaped from the comics. It’s not just the characters who are well-matched; the world of “Sandman” is portrayed with sweep, imagination and such respect for the original illustrations that much of the dialogue and panels are replicated. I can’t wait for Season 2. (Read our critic’s notebook on “The Sandman.”)
‘Severance’
“Severance” may be my new favorite TV series. Perhaps I’m being hyperbolic, still buzzed with enthusiasm even months after my second time binge-watching it. Adam Scott gives a stellar performance as an employee of a shady corporation who elects to have his consciousness split between his work and outside selves. The show has an exquisite eye and ear for terror, wit and mundane interactions, so that it manages to be both otherworldly and eerily familiar. As for the script — the dialogue’s so fantastic that it makes me want to be a better writer. (Read our review of “Severance.”)
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
I’ve often wondered, in our age of multiversal franchises, what a multiverse narrative would look like if the story were driven by the characters’ emotional development and interpersonal relationships rather than just battle scenes, Easter eggs, and routes to spinoffs and sequels. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” was my answer. It contained the unpredictability and boundary-expanding possibilities of the multiverse while staying grounded in the story of a family. Every moment of the film held a new delight. (Read our review of “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”)
‘Oresteia’
When I think back to Robert Icke’s production of “Oresteia,” Aeschylus’ trilogy of Greek tragedies about a family that eats itself from the inside out, I think of one moment. Klytemnestra is grieving after her husband Agamemnon has killed their daughter Iphigenia because of a prophecy that the act would grant his army “fair winds” in war. After the deed, the winds sweep in, the doors to the house are flung open, ethereal white light streams in, and Klytemnestra is caught in a frenzy of flying papers. But what made the production so memorable wasn’t just the special effects but Anastasia Hille’s electrifying performance as Klytemnestra, a woman who folds in to grief and lets it fuel her revenge. (Read our review of “Oresteia.”)
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
The program aims to educate students in multivocal and inclusive art history, as well as give students the interdisciplinary training and robust work experiences that they will need to thrive with an M.A. degree in industries that value visual literacy, creativity, communication, collaboration and research. The program prepares students for top Ph.D. programs in art history, but also facilitates other trajectories for those seeking to contribute to the arts and society with an M.A. degree.
“We are thrilled to launch another exceptional graduate program serving the state of Arkansas and beyond,” said Marty Maxwell Lane, director of the School of Art and associate professor of graphic design. “This program has been designed to meet an urgent need across the art history discipline to expand the range of perspectives and reexamine art historical research and pedagogy. Students will be challenged in their critical thinking around art history while experiencing a unique cross-institutional education and unparalleled access to American art.”
“Our new M.A. program makes use of the remarkable resources in Northwest Arkansas, like the extraordinary collections at Crystal Bridges and our faculty’s expertise in fields like Latinx art and African art,” said John Blakinger, program director of art history and endowed associate professor of contemporary art. “We designed an innovative program that re-imagines what art history graduate study can be through a theme-based curriculum, hands-on learning with objects, unique opportunities for travel and internship experiences that will propel students into diverse arts careers.”
The program curriculum is organized around key themes essential to understanding both the arts of the Americas and the social impacts of creative practice, globally, historically and in the present, through structures and systems, identity and community, environment, heritage, power and circulation.
New courses include seminars on monuments and public space, cross-cultural artistic production in the Atlantic world, spatial practices in Mesoamerica and New Spain, contemporary Native American art, and queer, trans and feminist art of the Americas. Courses will be taught and co-taught by the art history faculty and by staff at Crystal Bridges, The Momentary and the Art Bridges Foundation.
“When I joined the university in the fall of 2020, I met with dozens of colleagues and graduate students across the country to identify how we could make the greatest impact,” said Jennifer Greenhill, endowed professor of American art and inaugural director of graduate studies and museum partnerships with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. “Everyone I spoke to was excited about the prospect of a generously funded M.A. with an emphasis on the Americas. Demand for specialists on American art, broadly conceived, is growing at colleges, museums, non-profits and other arts-related organizations, and the future is especially bright for scholars of African American art, Latin American, Latinx and Native American art. Our regional expertise in these areas is remarkable and will only grow with the new hires we make in the coming years across our institutions.”
Art history faculty and colleagues also designed the new M.A. program around a central concern with promoting critical thinking about art-world and social structures, transnational and transcultural networks of relation and diverse perspectives on knowledge production and modes of creativity.
“The Master of Arts in art history program will shape a new generation of art historians by providing the analytical tools needed to critically engage art’s histories and to enact a vision for institutional and social change through the arts,” said Christopher Schulte, assistant director of the School of Art and endowed associate professor of art education. “Through professor Greenhill’s leadership and collaborative approach to program development, the art history faculty has created a truly unique and transformative graduate experience.”
Schulte said the program prioritizes experiential learning opportunities, and art history M.A. students will be matched with specific departments or projects for internships at Crystal Bridges and The Momentary, putting the skills acquired in the classroom to work.
In addition, students will participate in immersive travel courses that offer unprecedented access to private art collections, behind-the-scenes tours by museum curators, visits to off-the-beaten-path public art collections and discussions with scholars.
Travel courses include a 10-day intersession course focusing on sites and collections in the Southern United States and a summer session studying Mesoamerican, modern and contemporary art in Mexico.
Individuals interested in learning more about the program and application process are encouraged to register and attend an information session on Jan. 11 with the art history faculty.
The art history M.A. degree program is accepting applications for the 2023-24 academic year. All applications are due by Feb. 15, 2023.
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
In some ways, a masked millionaire managing to even out-do conspiracy theorists by saying, ‘I love Hitler’ is so outright absurd, that it could be funny.
Jew hatred has become fashionable over the last few years. I’ve got used to seeing #Jews trending on Twitter all the time – never for a good reason.
Sometimes, the hatred is from the far left, who demonise us as Zionists (in their narrative, Zionists who are the puppet masters of politicians, have an obsession with money and like to kill children). And sometimes it is from the far right (who also claim Jews are thepuppet masters of politicians, have an obsession with money and like to kill children).
We are fighting both, but right now Kanye – who legally changed his name to Ye last year – is at the centre of what is sometimes called the horseshoe effect – the idea that all the extremes meet in antisemitism. The problem isn’t that he is one man going on tirades but that he is an extremely influential man, who has twice as many Twitter followers as there are Jews in the entire world.
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“I felt chilled to the bone when I saw a clip of what he was saying,” Lindi*, a 73-year-old Jewish grandmother from Leeds, tells me. “I feel frightened because a whole new tranche of people will be attracted by what he says. The world is a much smaller place than it used to be – ideas get quickly spread around.
“Just before he went on his rant, he was having dinner with Donald Trump who is a very powerful man hoping to become President again. The reach of people like this is huge. And it is no longer just about words – it is not just moaning about Jews at dinner parties – but actual physical attacks are happening.”
Lindi (left) and Sam S(right)
Last year antisemitic incidents reached a record high – up 34% – and of these 2,255 attacks, 176 were violent. We are one of the smallest minorities in the country, making up just 0.5% of the UK, but the victims of 23% of all religious assaults.
“One of the things that is worrying me is that he is turning two oppressed communities, who should be allies, against each other,” says Sam S*, 43, from London. “It feels like he’s trying to start a race war and it feels like the far right are encouraging it. I’m worried it’s not going to stop. It’s going to keep escalating.”
Some have put West’s rants down to mental health, as he’s previously spoken about his diagnosis of bipolar disorder. But many have contested the idea that mental illness could cause antisemitism.
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“This isn’t just mental illness – what he is saying is the result of a deep ideology,” says Alex Hearn, 47, from London, who is an antisemitic activist and the director of Labour Against Antisemitism. “The things he has come out with are tropes going back hundreds of years; it is part of a deep conspiratorial belief system. They aren’t off-hand comments but the tip of an ideological iceberg.
“Some of it is far right, white supremacist, Nazi ideology and it merges in with a supersession ideology that Black people are ‘the real Jews’ and that the rest of us are just pretenders. It’s a mix of increasingly popular ideas.”
Alex Hearn (left) and Joseph Cohen (right)
Prior to Kanye’s latest outburst, he’d already threatened to go ‘death con three’ on Jewish people. Disturbingly, a group in Los Angeles were later photographed draping a banner reading “Kanye is right about the Jews” over a freeway overpass.
For all the Hollywood celebrities who condemed anti-semitism in the aftermath, there were others who repeated some of the rapper’s rhetoric.
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Most notoriously, basketball star Kyrie Irving posted a link to a controversial Amazon documentary called ‘Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America’ which contains both Holocaust denial and the same idea being spread by Kanye – that African Americans are the ‘real Jews’. (He’s since apologised).
Last week, Amazon boss Andy Jassy refused to bow to pressure to remove the film from the streaming site, saying: “We have to allow access to these viewpoints, even if they are objectionable.”
Hearn believes this stance is potentially “more dangerous than what Kanye is saying”.
“What we are talking about is the normalisation of conspiratorial thinking about Jews in popular culture,” he adds.
What can we do about Kanye and his antisemitism? Jews are stuck in a bind. Speak up and we are whiny – some even accuse us of being racist. Attempt to close him down, and that is proof of our ‘power’. And yet, I can’t tell you how powerless I feel.
“It is this battle which is most painful to me as a Black British Jew.”
– Lara Monroe
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For Black British Jews the situation is complicated and, perhaps, doubly painful. Before Kanye was attacking Jews, he was attacking his own people, says Lara Monroe, a 43-year-old from East London, who writes about her experience of being both Black British and Jewish.
“To divorce Kanye’s antisemitic comments from those he made towards his own Black community can miss the nub of what is going on,” she tells HuffPost UK. “When Kanye and Candace Owens were photographed together wearing an ‘All Lives Matter’ top that was a trigger that something deeper was coming.”
For her, it is particularly painful to see his attempts at starting a war between minorities when she encompasses both.
“Who wins when the relationship between the Black and Jewish communities is broken by the agents of chaos who consciously or unconsciously stir it? The white supremacists. It is this battle which is most painful to me as a Black British Jew.
“When someone like Kanye chooses to be one of those agents, both Black and Jewish people can either feed into this with anger, mistrust and accusations of lack of solidarity or we can do what works, by being alert to and disrupt any spark of supremacist language or behaviour.”
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“We can see Kanye becoming radicalised as we watch.”
– Joseph Cohen
Within hours of the Alex Jones’s podcast broadcast, Kanye was temporarily suspended from Twitter. But activist Joseph Cohen, who is in his late 30s and from London, says the dangerous thing about stopping antisemites talking on the mainstream is that they head into more extreme spaces.
“We can see Kanye becoming radicalised as we watch,” he says. “At first it was just about a Jewish manager. Then it was ‘death con three on Jews’ and now it’s ‘I love Hitler’. One of the pluses of still being able to see what he says is that we can see the full extent of his radicalisation. It is almost impossible for anyone to defend him now. I do worry that if we don’t allow for free speech, we push them into the arms of the neo-Nazis, but as it is, Kanye is already in bed with them.”
Cohen, who investigates antisemitism for an organisation called Israel Advocacy Movement, raises concerns that Kayne is not only influencing white supremacists in America, but the far right in Britain too.
“The most powerful Black artist in the world has united with some of the most dangerous and violent white supremacists on the planet and the far right in this country – people like Tommy Robinson – are being inspired by it,” he claims.
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“It was only recently that they were focused more on Muslim people and were even attempting to pretend they were friends of Jewish people. But now the far right is, once again, universally focused on Jews and Kanye is helping with that. People who never thought about Jews suddenly believe these tropes – these ancient tropes about us – because Kanye is saying them. And the hardest thing is, I don’t know what we can do about it.”
*Some interviewees chose not to share their surnames.
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
The holiday season is here, and with that comes frantic sale shopping, the annual decking of the halls, visits with friends and reconnection withfamily, and of course, the soundtrack that ties it all together – Christmas songs.
Whether you’re a fan of more modern Christmas classics or a holiday traditionalist, our list of the definitive Black seasonal albums is sure to have at least one of your personal staples of making the season bright listed – from the somewhat lesser known to the unmissably obvious.
MARIAH CAREY: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU – From the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Television Network presents international superstar Mariah Carey in the music special, “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET). The special will feature Mariah performing songs from her new holiday album, Merry Christmas II You, available Tuesday, November 2nd on the Island Def Jam Music Group. (Photo by Danny Feld/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Take a look at our list of classic Christmas albums by Black artists below. Where does your favorite rank?
01
Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas (1994)
Mariah isn’t known as the reigning Queen of Christmas for no reason! Aside from her eternal earworm/definitive Christmas classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” this album features staple renditions of “Joy To The World” (complete with gospel choir accompaniment) and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” that no holiday sat around the tree with a cup of eggnog in hand is complete without. Is it any surprise that this nearly 30-year-old album still hits number one almost every year?
02
The Temptations – Christmas Card (1970)
The sole reason that the Black community has a different set of opening lyrics to “Silent Night” than the rest of the population, this Christmastime classic features The Temptations’ equally iconic rendition of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” and a soulful version of “White Christmas” that carolers have been trying to replicate since the 70s.
03
Stevie Wonder – Someday At Christmas (1967)
Stevie’s addition to the Christmas canon not only features the titular song lovingly reimagined just three years later by the Jackson 5, but also the soulful upbeat holiday classic “What Christmas Means to Me” that has been reimagined time and time again by today’s artists, from Cee-Lo Green to John Legend.
04
The Jackson 5 – Christmas Album (1970)
The album that features the quintessential versions of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” this one is perhaps most famed for their original recording of the holiday staple, “Give Love on Christmas Day.”
05
Various Artists – A LaFace Family Christmas (1993)
A highly slept-on Christmastime classic, this one is a compilation of original songs and Christmas renditions by artists from the star-factory label that was LaFace Records. Not only does it feature a hip-hop reimagining of “Sleigh Ride” from TLC, a bass-heavy, soulful rendition of “This Christmas” from a young Usher, and a rare version of “The Christmas Song” by Toni Braxton, it also includes the introduction of Outkast to the public consciousness, with their first-ever recording “Player’s Ball.”
06
Boyz II Men – Christmas Interpretation (1993)
1993 was clearly a big year for the birth of Christmas classics! Boyz II Men’s legendary vocals gave a neo-Motown R&B spin the classic “Silent Night,” but their entry was solidified with the introduction of “Let It Snow” into the Black Christmas music lexicon.
07
Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song (1963)
The album that featured the OG and still most popular recording of its titular track, this classic album features the soothing sound of Nat King Cole’s voice delivering Christmas staples like “Silent Night,” “O, Little Town Of Bethlehem,” and “I Saw Three Ships” that remind you why they became holiday necessities in the first place.
08
Luther Vandross – The Classic Christmas Album (1995)
There isn’t much that isn’t improved by Luther Vandross’ signature vocals, and Christmas essentials like “My Favorite Things” and “O, Come All Ye Faithful” are no different. But it’s his soulful rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and his original holiday song “Every Year, Every Christmas” that solidifies this album as the absolute classic it already claimed to be in its title.
09
Destiny’s Child – 8 Days of Christmas (2001)
While the R&B supergroup’s nod to the holidays is perhaps best known for its R&B/Pop, 106th & Park favorite titular track, their closing track “Opera of the Bells” reminds you why DC3 had the perfect harmonies to bring out the Christmas spirit in anyone who takes a listen.
10
The Drifters With Bill Pinkey – Christmas With The Drifters (1954)
An increasingly rare classic due to its scarcity on streaming, The Drifter’s doo-wop rendition of “White Christmas” – still arguably the most soulful in existence – and original recorded version of “Christmas Ain’t Christmas, New Year’s Ain’t New Year’s” make this an essential physical copy for any holiday enthusiast’s Christmastime collection.
RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment
