Music
Opposition To Prime Minister Swells After Murder Of Popular Protest Singer
Ethiopian protest singer and revered musician Hachalu Hundessa sang about love and unity, recalled his friend Amensisa Ifa, raising issues that many would not dare to raise. He addressed issues of marginalization – capturing the struggles and frustrations of his Oromo people who faced efforts by successive Ethiopian regimes to destroy the Oromoo language, exploit…
Read MoreWorldwide Audience Flock to Black Press USA’s Interview with Ziggy Marley
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia With more than a million people reached in places as far flung as Indonesia, Gambia, Mexico, Australia, and across the United States and North America, reggae icon Ziggy Marley’s livestream interview with Black Press USA captivated fans everywhere. “Ziggy, your family has been such a wonderful…
Read MoreLady Gaga Shares Her Instagram To Give A Voice To The Black Transgender Community
Recording superstar Lady Gaga selected The Marsha P. Johnson Institute to take over her Instagram account and called on her 42.5 million followers to advocate for Black transgender women to help end the daily fight they endure against systemic racism. This date signifies the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march, led by trans women of color,…
Read MoreKane Brown Delivers Historic Collaborative Performance On 2020 BET Awards With Jonathan McReynolds
Multi-platinum award-winning country artist Kane Brown delivered a historic performance Sunday evening on the 2020 BET Awards. Filmed at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, Brown made the national television debut of his compelling co-penned single, “Worldwide Beautiful,” alongside Grammy-nominated gospel singer Jonathan McReynolds, who sang his hit song “People.” With the never-before-featured collaboration,…
Read MoreCelebrating the Journey of Black Music and its impact on American Culture
By H. Beecher Hicks, III, President & CEO of the National Museum of African American Music Lately, the phrase ‘unprecedented times’ is so widely used that much of the world around us feels alien in comparison to our previous “normal.” Throughout the sanitation frenzy and social distancing mandates, one of the main beacons that keeps…
Read MoreASCAP Launches HBCU Internship Program
ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, announced on June 19 the launch of a new paid internship program for students enrolled in historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. This summer, the PRO will offer five HBCU students the opportunity to join ASCAP’s team to gain real-world experience in the…
Read MoreThe National Museum Of African American Music Celebrates Black Music Month With Spotlight On LGBTQ Musicians
June 2020 marks the 41st anniversary of Black Music Month. Originally decreed as a national celebration under the administration of President Jimmy Carter in 1979, the month-long celebration commemorates the achievements and contributions that African Americans have made to the American soundtrack. Today, with the anticipated opening of the National Museum of African American Music…
Read MoreThe 2020 Virtual Juneteenth Music Festival Presents a Cultural and Musical Marathon and After Party Hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked re-imagined traditions and events and around the globe, forced to create experiences that people can enjoy from home and in the wake of the resulting backlash, digital media consumption has seen a substantial increase. This “new normal” has created an unprecedented digital landscape where people from across the globe are…
Read MoreCharleston Symphony Orchestra Presents Concert for Equality
The Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will present a special program, “Call and Response: A Concert for Equality,” to leverage the power of music and the spoken word to promote unity, love and understanding Friday, June 19 at 7:30pm. Kellen Gray, assistant conductor of the CSO, has curated and will conduct the program. The event is…
Read MoreColour of Music Festival Poster Becomes A Symbol of Solidarity
In the Fall of 2017 The Colour of Music Festival announced and released the official Colour of Music Festival poster, collaboratively designed by Charleston-based artist Colin Quashie and graphic designer Gil Schuler. The bold statement of the all-black classical musicians festival was a good fit for Quashie nationally known for his audacious art. The Festival has decided to re-release the poster…
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