Posts tagged with "black"

KADEN OLIVIER

‘We met Kaden in person and were instantly enamored.’ — 360®

Afro-Caribbean Kaden Olivier, with her older sister, was born in Baltimore and raised in Mount Airy, Maryland. She is presently studying at the University of Michigan. Apart from the classroom, she enjoys spending time with friends and working out in the gym. She firmly believes in astrology and the universe, as well as meditation and mental wellness.

Kaden has worked in a number of corporate domains, including real estate and investment banking. As a Human Capital Management intern, she conducted research to identify and plan program overviews with vendors to conduct enterprise-wide sexual assault training.

Lately, Kaden has been using her social equity to educate her peers on the importance of maintaining mental health.

Kaden’s parents both graduated with an undergraduate degree from Cornell University. Her mother is the COO of Pepco Holdings Incorporated, and her father is the CEO of The Cornerstone Professional Group LLC.

Photographer Vaughn Lowery shoots Calvin Klein underwear shot of Kaden Olivier for 360 MAGAZINE.

New Face, Kaden Olivier, attends NFIF at Room&Board in Chelsea during the NYFW CFDA Victor de Souza FW23 Show. Photo: Richard Koek via 360 MAGAZINE.

Listen to Kaden on 360 MAG podcast HERE.

Measurements

height: 5’8
hair: brown
eyes: brown
bust: 32’’
waist: 25’’
hips: 28”
shoes: 9.5

IMDb

LE BOOK

Bookings

kaden@the360mag.com

QR code for new face Kaden Olivier via 360 MAGAZINE.

MBFWMADRID × Dolores Cortés

Dolores Cortés is the successor of a family tradition of more than seventy years in the manufacture and design of women’s swimwear, dating back to a time before the existence of current elastic fabrics.

Picking up this tradition, Dolores Font Cortés, began in the 80s to design swimwear collections. She produces her models in her own workshop, adopting the name Dolores Cortés as the signature of her designs, in homage to her mother. This experimental vision is evident in the firm’s swimsuits, whose origins date back to the 1950s, when the designer’s mother, Dolores Cortés, designed and created these pieces by hand.

Thus begins a new stage for the designer, with the aim of assimilating fashion thinking to the technical requirements of the product, creating and designing innovative collections in which the swimsuit is a trend product.

In this new collection presented in pavilion 14 of Ifema within the framework of Madrid Fashion Week, the juxtaposition of graphics and abstract motifs stands out. The designer has presented this new swimwear collection with prints conceived as pictorial fabrics or textile paintings in their most luminous version, as opposed to the mixtures between black and white and the play of shades of warm and cold tones, establishing a rich and varied colorimetry.

The term swim couture is present in the crochet details that adorn many pieces, which achieve a renewed aesthetic. In addition, the accessories (large bracelets and earrings) designed in resin, are colorful and complete the swimwear look, impregnated with a boho aesthetic through the printed scarves that adorn the hair of the models. To see the collection line, click HERE.

Today, Dolores Cortés’s designs are present in the national and international market through warehouses and her own stores. In 2017, the company Dolores Font Cortés S.A was awarded the National Award for Small and Medium Enterprises in the Fashion Industry, given by Queen Letizia of Spain.

BEHIND THE CATWALK

DOLORES CORTÉS FASHION SHOW

For more information click HERE

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Article: Andrea Esteban

Monica Rambeau

This December, universal powerhouse Monica Rambeau will star in first-ever solo comic series! A five-issue limited series, MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON will be written by award-winning author and scholar Eve L. Ewing and drawn by new Marvel talent, artist Michael Sta. Maria. The iconic Marvel super hero with four decades worth of amazing stories will at long last headline her own saga.

From the New Orleans Harbor Patrol to the Avengers to the Ultimates, Monica Rambeau has been a leader and team player her entire life but now she’ll face a reality-shattering crisis that she’ll have no choice but to take on single-handedly. In order to do so, Photon will need to reach new heights of her incredible abilities—and then surpass them! In a revelatory journey spanning time and space, fan will behold Photon’s true potential. The adventure begins when Photon is charged with making a very special, very cosmic delivery. What should be light work (get it?) for Monica becomes increasingly complex and dangerous due to a threat from beyond and family drama.

“It’s such an honor to be taking on the story of a legacy character like Monica Rambeau,” Ewing said. “Monica’s character has a long history in the Marvel Universe, but she’s way overdue for getting her own story told. I’m picking the pen up from the legend himself, Dwayne McDuffie, who put out the last Monica Rambeau solo adventure almost three decades ago. It’s a privilege and I’m excited to tell the story in a way that both highlights her incredible cosmic abilities as well as her everyday, relatable struggles. I hope this will be a title that has something equal to offer to veteran readers and folks who may be brand new to comics.”

Explore the outer reaches and wildest vagaries of the Marvel Universe through the eyes of one of its most powerful heroes when MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #1 arrives in December. For more information, visit Marvel.com.

ACTUM PUBLIC STRATEGY

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Actum LLC, the fastest growing public strategy firm in the United States, today announces Ruben Diaz Jr. has joined the company as Co-Chair.

The former Bronx Borough President and New York State Assemblymember brings unprecedented experience and a deep network to Actum’s leadership team and valuable guidance on the inner workings of government for clients.

As Co-Chair, Diaz Jr. adds to Actum’s formidable capabilities in government, communications and activation of communities of color and will offer key insight into the political landscape of New York and across the country.

“Actum is building an extraordinary platform that drives outcomes for clients while elevating the voices of communities of color. In less than a year, it has established itself as a global powerhouse, a direct result of its strong core values and quality people leading each client engagement. I am honored to join this team and help the company grow,” said Ruben Diaz Jr.

“Ruben was a transformational Borough President who united diverse communities to usher in a new era for the Bronx. Thanks to that work, the borough is today a booming global destination. His leadership, vision, and bridge-building skills will be an asset to Actum, which has quickly established itself as one of the leading coalition builders in Black and Brown communities. We are happy to welcome Ruben to our team,” said Rachel Noerdlinger, Partner at Actum.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ruben to our team and know he will make an immediate impact on our company and clients. Actum’s strategists have served in the highest levels of government, media and business and translate that high level experience to outcomes for clients. Ruben’s addition to our team is further evidence that we are building something different at Actum,” said Michael McKeon, Partner at Actum.

“I am happy to congratulate Ruben on this incredible opportunity. He is already a force in the Black and Brown community and my brother will continue to build opportunities for us in his role as Chairman at Actum,” said Fat Joe, hip hop legend, Bronx community advocate and longtime friend of the Borough President.

“Ruben is a tremendous addition to the Actum team. He is an icon in the Bronx and a respected statesman in national politics. The same innovation and creativity he brought to the Borough President’s office will bring real value to Actum and its clients,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, Co-Chair at Actum and former Mayor of Los Angeles.

“Actum’s national Black and Brown public affairs team, led by Rachel Noerdlinger and supported by Fabian Nunez, Antonio Villaraigosa and a cadre of young, talented professionals, just got even stronger with Ruben’s addition,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who earlier this year tapped Diaz as a board member for the National Action Network. “Whether it is standing up for the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico who endured generational damage from Navy bombing exercises, fighting for justice for the family of Amadou Diallo, or moving the Bronx forward as a City and State elected official, Ruben makes a difference in whatever endeavor he undertakes. His hiring solidifies Actum’s position as the go-to team for public affairs.”

About Actum

Actum is not a public affairs company, or a PR firm, or a lobbying shop. Actum is a global consulting firm, built to deliver highly meaningful and measurable outcomes for our clients around the world. Our capabilities in strategy, management, execution, communications, government relations, storytelling and narrative development, digital and social media, advocacy mobilization, special groups, political consulting, public opinion research and data, are all best in class, because our people are best in class. For our clients, we provide seasoned and experienced advisors and partners, from the highest levels of government, media, business, advocacy, politics, technology and special groups, who will lead teams of subject matter experts to deliver exceptional, measurable value and outcomes.

CASIO – G-SHOCK WOMEN’S COLLECTION

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G-SHOCK ADDS TO ITS WOMEN’S COLLECTION WITH NEW SERIES OF METAL COVERED TIMEPIECES

New Models Highlight the Power and Beauty of Metal with Elegant Octagonal Bezel and Metallic Dial Finishes

Today, Casio launches its newest G-SHOCK Women’s collection of slim and compact, metal-covered timepieces, the GMS2100. These new models combine the octagonal shape of the original G-SHOCK DW5000C with the design identity of the GMAS2100 series. Measuring at 40.4mm, this series offers the smallest case size while maintaining a slim form of 11.0mm thin.

Forged in stainless steel with concentric hairline and mirror finishes, the GMS2100 bezel adds to the overall statement of strength. Keeping with the minimalist style, the only markings are the engraved branding on the top and bottom, for a simple, one-piece design. The dial, flattened for slimness, is treated with a vapor deposition finish coloring and mirrored indexes to add depth. A non-textured resin band completes the look of uncomplicated sophistication.

The collection includes three color combinations perfect for fall fashions: the GMS2100PG-1A sports a pink-gold IP bezel with a black urethane band, the GMS2100-3A, has a stainless-steel bezel, olive green dial, and matching band and the GMS2100B-8A finishes the assortment with a grey IP bezel and charcoal band.

As part of the release, G-SHOCK has unveiled an exclusive landing page taking consumers through the features, which can be viewed HERE. 360 Magazine has always loved Casio’s new collections and is happy to see a new series released.

Each new timepiece also comes equipped with G-SHOCK’s technical features including:

Shock Resistance
200M Water Resistant
Super Illuminator LED (Double)
5 Daily Alarms
1/100 Stopwatch (24Hr)
Countdown Timer (24Hr)
World Time (31 Time Zones, 48 Cities+UTC)
12/24Hr Time Formats
Hand Shift Feature
3-Year Battery

The GMS2100-3A will retail for $180, while the GMS2100B-8A and GMS2100PG-1A4 will retail for $200. All three models will be available for purchase at the beginning of September at select G-SHOCK retailers, the G-SHOCK Soho Store and gshock.com.

Nyame Brown Featured at Oakland Museum of California

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Nyame Brown Large-scale Blackboard Painting What’s Your Black? in Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism at the Oakland Museum of California

Exhibition Opening Saturday, August 7, 2021

Nyame Brown will be featured in Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism at the Oakland Museum of California, opening August 7, 2021 and on view through February 27, 2022. The exhibition explores Afrofuturism as a strategy that imagines the world through a Black cultural lens and strives for a more just present and future. Curated by OMCA Curator Rhonda Pagnozzi and Consulting Curator Essence Harden, the exhibition celebrates Black imagination and includes the work of over 50 artists—including Wangechi Mutu, David Huffman, and Chelle Barbour, among others—historians, musicians, and collaborators. The show highlights the key role that the fantasy and science fiction of Afrofuturism has, as a strategy for Black community building by envisioning the African Diaspora and Black culture as central in a technically advanced and culturally rich civilization.

Brown—an Afrofuturist installation artist working in the media of painting, drawing, cut paper, blackboards, augmented reality, gaming, and fashion—addresses the Black imagination as a site for new ways to perceive the Diaspora as trans-Atlantic, psychic, and imagined—not just through unity and similarity, but by looking at the dynamics of difference. What’s Your Black?, part of his larger series of blackboard paintings, is envisioned as a tool to combat racial oppression, using a cultural production of the Black community to offer a space to create a new Black mythology. Building narratives like scaffolding around art historical references, hip hop, and personal history, he draws on these precedents as a fluid source of reference, rather than a fixed and linear projection. Reimagining contemporary notions of Blackness in visual culture, he challenges traditional representation and subverts it for a richer surreal language found in folklore and African American hyperbole. His depictions provide different ways to access African American culture through an approach that seeks social transformation and community revolution.

About Nyame Brown

Nyame Oulynji Brown received his BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and MFA from Yale School of Art and Architecture. He has been the recipient of the Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Award, and the Richard Dreihaus Foundation Individual Artist Award, as well as a site-specific public commission for the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation, for which he executed a double portrait of Malcolm X and the artist Jack Whitten. His participation in Theaster Gates’ Black Artist Retreat in Chicago was followed by residencies at the Headlands Center for the Arts (for work on his project The Mapping of Aaron, a model for radical Blackness), Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, and the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans. Brown was honored with a solo exhibition at The Museum of the African Diaspora, and has held solo exhibitions across the U.S., notably at the Hearst Museum at St. Mary’s College (John Henry’s adventures in a Post Black world) and the West Virginia University Art Museum. He has actively participated in group exhibitions in a variety of spaces in California, Illinois, Michigan and New York, and his work has been curated for inclusion at the Museum of Harlem, NY, and the Prizm Art Fair at the Mana Contemporary in Miami. He also took part with Carrie Mae Weems in the symposium The Interrogation of Forms: The Changing Culture in America at The Armory in New York. Brown was selected as the 2020 Tosa Studio Award recipient and was awarded a studio at Minnesota Street Project through 2021.

Seinabo Sey – Sweet Life EP

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SWEET LIFE, SEINABO SEY’S NEW EP, IS OUT TODAY, Listen To New Single Rom-Com HERE, Combined Global Streams Of Sey’s Songs Surpass One Billion

Seinabo Sey returns with the four-song EP Sweet Life, her first new music since 2018’s I’m a Dream. Released today by Capitol Records, Sweet Life is available for download / streaming HERE. See below for track listing.

Today, Sey shared the breezy single Rom-Com (feat. Hannes). Trading off on the verses, they trace the story of two people who want to fall in love but are held back by their fears. Listen to Rom-Com HERE. Hannes, who opened for Sey at Sweden’s Way Out Festival, debuted his intriguing blend of pop, soul, jazz and R&B with the single I Went to The Jungle.

Sey, who rose to prominence in 2015 following the release of two EPs and her debut album, Pretend, which TIME magazine called One of the Year’s Best Debut Albums, has amassed over one billion combined global streams to date. Kygo’s remix of Younger, from Pretend, climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart. Sey’s 2018 follow-up album, I’m a Dream contained the singles I Owe You Nothing and Remember (featuring Jacob Banks).

The boundary-blurring artist has won four Swedish GRAMMY awards and topped the HypeMachine chart five times. In the beginning of 2020, Sey had just started touring as opening act for Ms. Lauryn Hill when Covid-19 struck. Sey spent the pandemic crafting an EP that ferries listeners to a place of peace.

I wanted to create a world that was like TLC’s ‘Waterfalls,’ just a little paradise for Black girls, where everything’s okay and nothing is a problem, Seinabo Sey explains. We’re all like lounging, eating fruits or something. The scene she describes is not dissimilar to the conditions in which she crafted her new EP, quarantining on the island of Gotland, off the coast of Sweden.

On Blue, she sings about accepting her circumstances, gaining a reverence for herself and a slower pace of life as she connects with different surroundings. Treetops over these white rocks tell me go slow baby, slow/ real life tells me to stand up I be like no, baby, no, she sings. I’m Just Mad (Bitch) is a defiant anthem where the singer stays strong in the face of a breakup. The EP’s closing track, Sweet Dreams, is an ode to her pandemic state of mind, reflective and focused on achieving her goals amid the chaos happening elsewhere.

She says there’s a vibe of friendship running through this record. The bold cover art is the name of the EP braided into her hair by one of her oldest friends. Meanwhile, she entrusted one of her other best friends, Isaac, to write four demos for the EP, which is a marked departure from her typically self-penned projects.

There are a million different ways of doing things and I’ve tried a few, but this is really my way of creating music, she says. I have wanted to do that since I was a kid. I started off with playing in bands where you always kind of create things together. So that’s been a very major difference for me this time around.

Track Listing – Sweet Life

Blue
Rom-Com
I’m Just Mad (Bitch)
Sweet Dreams

Follow Seinabo Sey on her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.

Fire in Little Africa – Elevator

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FIRE IN LITTLE AFRICA ALBUM OUT NOW + POWERFUL VISUAL FOR ELEVATOR VIA MOTOWN RECORDS/BLACK FORUM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOB DYLAN CENTER AND WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER, Album Brings Fresh And Important Perspective To The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre And Celebrates The City’s Vibrant Hip Hop Scene, LISTEN & STREAM FIRE IN LITTLE AFRICA HERE, WATCH ELEVATOR VISUAL HERE

Fire in Little Africa, a groundbreaking album of original material, written and recorded by a collective of Oklahoma hip hop artists to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, will be released on May 28 by Motown Records/Black Forum in partnership with Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center.

The 21-track collection gets to the truth of what happened on May 31 and June 1, 1921 when a white mob descended on the streets of Greenwood, then a prosperous Tulsa neighborhood known as Black Wall Street, and burned down the business district, destroying roughly 1,500 homes, killing hundreds and leaving thousands of Black Tulsans homeless. For years, this historic, albeit dire, chapter was left out of classrooms and textbooks as the city attempted to erase this part of its past. The artists heard on Fire in Little Africa get to the truth through urgent songs, recalling stories told and stories lived in hope to usher in a new era for Tulsa as they help the community process this generational trauma through music.

‘Fire in Little Africa’ is a powerful and timely project that provides a platform and outlet for the incredibly talented and thriving music community of Tulsa, Oklahoma, said Motown Records Chairman & CEO, Ethiopia Habtemariam. Carrying the legacy of the Black Wall Street community, ‘Fire in Little Africa’ is a body of work filled with purpose and prolific storytelling. I am honored and feel privileged to have Motown Records/Black Forum partner with Dr. View, the Bob Dylan Center and Guthrie Center to release this impactful hip-hop album.

Track List

Elevator
City of Dreams
Shining
Descendants
Regardless
Party Plane (feat. Charlie Wilson)
Been Through It All
Drowning
Our World
Top Down
Creme of the Crop
918 Thug Town Skit
Watchu On
P.O.D.
Reparations
P.O.D. Pt. II
Raw Cocaine
The Rain
North Tulsa Got Something to Say
Brunch at the Brady
Young & Free

I am honored to be a part of the ‘Fire In Little Africa’ album featuring the musical contributions of young talented local artists from my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This tragedy has been suppressed for generations. Charlie Wilson continues, Growing up in Tulsa we named our band, The GAP Band, after Greenwood, Archer and Pine Streets, the wealthiest and most successful African American community in the United States in the early 20th century. I am proud to see a new generation of talented Tulsans continue to tell the story of our ancestors. They are opening the door for many generations to come by shedding light not only on the race massacre but the excellence of the Black Wall Street and Greenwood community.

Stevie Dr. View Johnson, PhD, Manager, Education & Diversity Outreach at the Woody Guthrie Center|Bob Dylan Center and the album’s executive producer added, Fire in Little Africa has evolved into a communal hip hop movement and we’re excited that we get to share the flavor, history and legacy of Black Wall Street with the world, in collaboration with the amazing leadership of the Motown/Black Forum family. We’re grateful for Ethiopia’s foresight in providing us an opportunity to share our important stories with the world. There are Black Wall Streets across the diaspora and we unequivocally know that ‘Fire in Little Africa’ will inspire many people. In the words of Steph Simon, ‘everything is us.’

In this feature Rolling Stone noted, ‘Fire in Little Africa’ is poised to teach the world about that long-suppressed history, from locals who grew up in a community that still lives with the aftermath of the massacre. Just as important, the artists involved in the project also hope it serves as a launching-pad moment for Tulsa’s hip-hop scene, which has long flown under the national radar.

The album was recorded in Greenwood over a five-day period in March 2020. Studios were set up at the Greenwood Cultural Center and other locations, including the former home of 1921 massacre mastermind/KKK leader Tate Brady. The house is now owned by former NFL first-round draft pick and Tulsa native Felix Jones. The Tulsa World was on hand to speak with the artists involved in the historic sessions. Read the article HERE and check out the accompanying video HERE.

‘Fireside with Dr. View’ is a weekly podcast featuring Dr. View in conversation with thought leaders in activism, academia and culture, centered on the movement behind the Fire in Little Africa music. Listen to Fireside with Dr. View HERE. Hosts Ali Shaw and Doc Free sit down with Fire in Little Africa artists, Tulsa community leaders and national voices for conversations on music and culture in the Fire in Little Africa podcast, which can be found HERE.

Located in the Tulsa Arts District, the Woody Guthrie Center opened in 2013. The Bob Dylan Center is expected to open on the same block within the next year. Both are projects of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, the primary funder for Fire in Little Africa. The album is chronicled in a documentary film, which will be released later this year.

Fire in Little Africa marks the first new material released by Black Forum since the label’s relaunch earlier this year. Black Forum originally debuted in 1970 with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam, which won a GRAMMY Award for Best Spoken Word Album. The label reissued Dr. King’s influential speech earlier this year.

Visit the official Fire in Little Africa website, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Follow the Black Forum on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

Joy Oladokun Releases Debut Album

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Emerging singer, songwriter and musician Joy Oladokun will release her highly anticipated major label debut album, in defense of my own happiness, next Friday, June 4 via Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records.

With in defense of my own happiness, Oladokun forges her own path, sharing the unique perspective she’s gained from living in today’s world as a black, queer woman and first-generation child of Nigerian immigrants. Born in Arizona and now living in Nashville, her musical exploration began at age ten when she was inspired to learn guitar after seeing a video of Tracy Chapman—the first time she’d ever seen a black woman play the instrument—and has since gone on to become “a fierce voice demanding equality” (NPR Music).

The new record builds on last year’s self-released album, in defense of my own happiness (the beginnings), and features 15 songs including two from the 2020 release—“sunday” and “breathe again”—as well as recently unveiled tracks, “sorry isn’t good enough,” “jordan,” “wish you the best” featuring Jensen McRae and “Bigger Man,” written and performed with Maren Morris. Of the collaboration, Billboard praises, “The gorgeous new single sees both artists stripped down to their emotional cores…stunning,” while American Songwriter declares, “the rising singer-songwriter proves her worth as a master storyteller” and The Tennessean hails, “any Nashville musician worth their salt should be pinching themselves to work with Oladokun, among the most exciting talents this city has seen in years.”

In celebration of the new music, Oladokun will perform a special full-band show at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley on Sunday, June 20 and will continue to tour throughout the year including performances at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits as well as several dates supporting Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

Oladokun has continued to receive widespread attention in the past year, including recent performances of “breathe again” on NBC’s “TODAY” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” The song also received a key placement on NBC’s “This Is Us,” propelling the track to reach #3 on Shazam’s U.S. Top 200 while also charting globally. Additionally, Oladokun has been named a member of the inaugural #YouTubeBlack Voices Class of 2021, an NPR Music/Slingshot’s 2021 Artists to Watch, a Billboard LGBTQ Artist of the Month, Spotify’s RADAR US: Artists to Watch 2021, Amazon Music’s Artists to Watch 2021 and Vogue’s #1 New LGBTQ Artists to Listen to Now, and was recently highlighted as part of HULU’s “Your Attention Please: The Concert” alongside 24kGoldn, Kiana Ledé, Lil Yachty and Swae Lee. In addition to “This Is Us,” her music has also been featured on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC’s “Station 19,” Showtime’s “The L Word” and MTV’s “Catfish.”

Watch the album trailer HERE.

Full details can be found at www.joyoladokun.com/tour.

Fire in Little Africa Announces Tracklist

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FIRE IN LITTLE AFRICA ALBUM ART & TRACK LIST REVEALED + CHARLIE WILSON ANNOUNCED AS GUEST FEATURE, SET FOR MAY 28 RELEASE VIA MOTOWN RECORDS/BLACK FORUM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOB DYLAN CENTER AND WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER, Album Brings Fresh And Important Perspective To The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre And Celebrates The City’s Vibrant Hip Hop Scene

Visit the official Fire in Little Africa website here!

Fire in Little Africa, a groundbreaking album of original material, written and recorded by a collective of Oklahoma hip hop artists to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, will be released on May 28 by Motown Records/Black Forum in partnership with Tulsa’s Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center.

The 21-track collection gets to the truth of what happened on May 31 and June 1, 1921 when a white mob descended on the streets of Greenwood, then a prosperous Tulsa neighborhood known as Black Wall Street, and burned down the business district, destroying roughly 1,500 homes, killing hundreds and leaving thousands of Black Tulsans homeless. For years, this historic, albeit dire, chapter was left out of classrooms and textbooks as the city attempted to erase this part of its past. The artists heard on Fire in Little Africa get to the truth through urgent songs, recalling stories told and stories lived in hope to usher in a new era for Tulsa as they help the community process this generational trauma through music.

‘Fire in Little Africa’ is a powerful and timely project that provides a platform and outlet for the incredibly talented and thriving music community of Tulsa, Oklahoma, said Motown Records Chairman & CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam. Carrying the legacy of the Black Wall Street community, Fire in Little Africa is a body of work filled with purpose and prolific storytelling. I am honored and feel privileged to have Motown Records/Black Forum partner with Dr. View, the Bob Dylan Center and Guthrie Center to release this impactful hip-hop album.

Track List:

Elevator
City of Dreams
Shining
Descendants
Regardless
Party Plane (feat. Charlie Wilson)
Been Through It All
Drowning
Our World
Top Down
Creme of the Crop
Thug Town Skit
Watchu On
P.O.D.
Reparations
P.O.D. Pt. II
Raw Cocaine
The Rain
North Tulsa Got Something to Say
Brunch at the Brady
Young & Free

Stevie Dr. View Johnson, PhD, Manager, Education & Diversity Outreach at the Woody Guthrie Center | Bob Dylan Center and the album’s executive producer added, ‘Fire in Little Africa’ has evolved into a communal hip hop movement and we’re excited that we get to share the flavor, history and legacy of Black Wall Street with the world, in collaboration with the amazing leadership of the Motown/Black Forum family. We’re grateful for Ethiopia’s foresight in providing us an opportunity to share our important stories with the world. There are Black Wall Streets across the diaspora and we unequivocally know that Fire in Little Africa will inspire many people. In the words of Steph Simon, ‘everything is us.’

In this feature, Rolling Stone noted, ‘Fire in Little Africa’ is poised to teach the world about that long-suppressed history, from locals who grew up in a community that still lives with the aftermath of the massacre. Just as important, the artists involved in the project also hope it serves as a launching-pad moment for Tulsa’s hip-hop scene, which has long flown under the national radar.

The album was recorded in Greenwood over a five-day period in March 2020. Studios were set up at the Greenwood Cultural Center and other locations, including the former home of 1921 massacre mastermind/KKK leader Tate Brady. The house is now owned by former NFL first-round draft pick and Tulsa native Felix Jones. The Tulsa World was on hand to speak with the artists involved in the historic sessions. Read the article here and check out the accompanying video here.

Fireside with Dr. View is a weekly podcast featuring Dr. View in conversation with thought leaders in activism, academia and culture, centered on the movement behind the Fire in Little Africa music. Listen to Fireside with Dr. View here. Hosts Ali Shaw and Doc Free sit down with Fire in Little Africa artists, Tulsa community leaders and national voices for conversations on music and culture in the Fire in Little Africa podcast, which can be found here.

Fire in Little Africa marks the first new material released by Black Forum since the label’s relaunch earlier this year. Black Forum originally debuted in 1970 with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Why I Oppose The War In Vietnam, which won a GRAMMY Award for Best Spoken Word Album. The label reissued Dr. King’s influential speech earlier this year.

Make sure to follow Fire in Little Africa via their YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.