music

Black girls rock

November 5, 2013 Carmen Russell Culture, Podcast 0 Comments

The BET network aired the annual “Black Girls Rock” awards ceremony.

“The Griot” called the celebration the “antidote” to negative media portrayals of African-American women. Music journalist Shannon Barbour joins me to talk about the ceremony and also about the myth that there hasn’t been a talented black female lyricist, producer and artist who wasn’t manufactured by industry handlers since the days of Missy Elliott and Lauryn Hill ruling even the Pop Charts. There are a number of Black women making art and making history on their own terms.

 Shannon also shares some of the artists who are creating and making great music in Atlanta that might be interesting to check out and learn from.

 

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Anders Osborne brings his musical world to SPAR

October 5, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Politics, Sex 0 Comments

New Orleans musician Anders Osborne is a good friend of the Sex Politics And Religion Hour.

Anders joined me to talk about his most recent album, Three Free Amigos. We talk and listen to a few great tunes too! He’s quite prolific too- he’s got another album coming out later this month!

 

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Bettye LaVette, a woman like me

August 28, 2013 Carmen Russell Culture, Podcast 00:06:46 0 Comments

The incomparable and amazing R&B singing legend Bettye LaVette joins the Sex Politics And Religion Hour to talk about all of the topics mentioned in the name of the show!

In her more than 50 year music career, LaVette has come to acclaim and award, and she shares her tales of sex, drink and R&B with me. The woman whom many folks first learned of when she sang at the first inauguration of President Barack Obama says she watched her friends with no money and big dreams go on to wealth and acclaim, but she never doubted that she’d make it there eventually!

“A Woman Like Me,” is the title of Bettye’s autobiography, and also the title of the title of her first album released in 2003, some 40 years after she first recorded in a studio.

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From Australia to US, musician brings atheism on the road

May 21, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Religion, Sex 00:17:39 0 Comments

Australian singer, songwriter Shelley Segal joins the SPAR with Jamila to talk and sing about many of the topics that have compelled her art, including religiously-imposed sex segregation, the horror of a life lived longing for an afterlife, and the unbelievable adorableness of wallabies.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Segal to discuss all of this and more.

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From Pentecostal to Muslim to atheist, rapper breaks down religious barriers

April 30, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Politics, Religion, Sex 00:19:57 0 Comments

From Zack Kopplin’s quest to improve the state of science education in the United States to the abuses of unchecked power as granted to the clergy, atheist rapper and musician Landon Tombstone Taylor has a lot to talk about—and more specifically rap about.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Landon Tombstone Taylor to talk about his art, his thoughts, and frankly, the state of the world as he sees it.

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Bomani Armah- He’s Not a Rapper!

May 17, 2012 Carmen Russell Culture, Race 00:18:13 0 Comments

“Not a Rapper” and funny philosopher Bomani Armah joins me to discuss his opinions about the modern state of hip-hop and what he thinks is so funny.

Nick Ashford and Jerry Lieber Obit

August 28, 2011 Carmen Russell Culture, Race 00:13:00 0 Comments

Murray Horwitz, lyricist, director and Tony Award-winning playwright, joins Jamila to remember the songwriting legends Nick Ashford and Jerry Lieber, who died hours apart from one another.  Horwitz knew and worked with both artists.