Episodios
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theGrio Black Podcast Network is proud to announce that Being Black: The '80s has received a Lovie Awards nomination. Click here to vote in the Arts, Entertainment & Sports category to help Touré bring home the win!
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Being Black: The '80s has been nominated for a Signal Award! Help us win the People's Choice award for best Limited Series: Music, by voting here: https://tinyurl.com/bb80sSignal
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Star Stories with Touré is an animated series about the unpredictable and sometimes unbelievable backstage interactions with some of the most iconic men in music of the modern era.
These animated stories are unforgettable recollections of the larger-than-life experiences with music journalist Touré .
To hear the podcast visit: https://pod.link/1697986415
To watch the series visit: https://thegrio.com/starstories/
Touré played poker with Jay-Z one night in a swanky Manhattan penthouse suite. Each hand was worth thousands of dollars. Why was Touré in the game? He’s not rich enough for a game like that. It could have bankrupted him. The answer: He’s insane. Also, he was willing to risk everything to glean the very interesting bit of psychological insight he could get from being head-to-head in a hand of poker with Jay-Z.
Watch here: https://thegrio.com/starstories/1368617/#sp=star%20stories
Credits:
The Takeover
Writer: JAY-Z & Kanye West
Label: Roc-A-Fella Records
Publisher: Roc The World
The Story of OJ
Writer: JAY-Z, No I.D., Nina Simone, Gene Redd Jr. & Jimmy Crosby
Label: Roc Nation
Publisher: Carter Boys Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Virgin Records, EMI Longitude Music, New World Music, Warner Music Group, EMI Music Publishing Group, Filmtrax, Eleven East Music, Bucky Music, Rolls Royce Music Company, BMG, Let The Story Begin Publishing, EMI Waterford Music, BMG Monarch, Warner/Chappell, Delightful Music, Round Hill Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Carbert Music & Stephanye Music
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NWA's Ice Cube talks about the influence of crack on their hit song “Dopeman” and the contradiction of how drug money destroyed the community and propelled his career. “Dopeman” Is one of the illest songs ever made because it takes you deep into the drug dealer’s perspective on selling drugs. The crack dealer was evil but we should still seek to understand what drove him and when we look into his soul we find that like the fiends he served, he too was an addict, but he was addicted to power and money. Crack dealers and their culture had a deep influence on hiphop culture and the Black community. In this ep we go into "Dopeman” with The D.O.C. from NWA and talk to several former drug dealers about how dealers changed the world around them.
Guests:
Nelson George, Filmmaker
Royce Da 5’9, Rapper
Biba Adams, Writer
The D.O.C., Rapper
Samson Styles, Journalist and Filmmaker
Kevin Chiles, CEO Don Diva Magazine
Jim Jones, Rapper
Credits:
NWA - Dope Man
Writer: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Sugarfoot, Junie Morrison, Marshall “Rock” Jones, Greg Webster, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce, Norman Napier & Andrew Noland Label: Ruthless RecordsPublisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport MusicNWA - Fuck Tha Police
Writer: The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC RenLabel: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority RecordsPublisher: Universal Music GroupNotorious BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments
Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ PremierLabel: Bad Boy EntertainmentPublisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April MusicAlpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine
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Star Stories with Toure` is an animated series about the unpredictable and sometimes unbelievable backstage interactions with some of the most iconic men in music today.
These animated stories are unforgettable recollections of the larger-than-life experiences with music journalist Toure` and Black celebrities.
“I spent over two decades working in music journalism, and it left me with a wealth of awesome stories about the time I spent hanging out with many intriguing stars. I played basketball with Prince. I played poker with Jay-Z. I went jewelry shopping with Kanye. I was briefly kidnapped and threatened with torture by Suge Knight. All these stories reveal something interesting, funny, or real about these stars. There is also a contrast between the life of a star and the life of a journalist. It is centered around true stories, which are definitely for adults, not kids." Toure`
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Tracy Chapman became one of the biggest musicians in the world thanks to two critical 80s concepts—affirmative action and the diasporic mindset. Because of the diasporic mindset, many Americans thought of Africa as part of their world, as if Africa’s problems are our own, and we are not truly free until South Africans suffering under Apartheid are free. And affirmative action did nothing less than change Chapman’s life. We’ll explore how those ideas helped Chapman and how they relate to "Fast Car." We’ll also look at what Chapman’s life might have been like if she’d never been helped by affirmative action.
Guests: Jelani Cobb, Dean, Columbia Journalism School
Credits:
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car
Label: ElektraWriter: Tracy Chapman Publisher: PURPLE RABBIT MUSICTracy Chapman - Fast Car (Live Version)
Label: ElektraWriter: Tracy Chapman Publisher: Purple Rabbit MusicElizabeth Cotten - Freight Train
Writer: Elizabeth Cotten, James Paul, William FrederickLabel: Folkways Records FG 3526Publisher: Figs D MusicElizabeth Cotten - Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad
Writer: Elizabeth CottenLabel: Folkways Records FG 3526Publisher: Folkways Records FG 3526Tracy Chapman | Rare Interview, Planet Rock Profiles
Tracy Chapman 1996, Charlie Rose
Tracy Chapman Talks Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman Online
Elizabeth Cotten, Series Down Home
Elizabeth Cotten, Rainbow Quest TV
I Am Somebody, Jesse Jackson LP, Respect Records (1971)
Living History presents Jesse Jackson, Rutherford Living History
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"My Brother’s A Basehead” is a true story. Posdnous from De La Soul had an older brother who had a crack addiction and it was very damaging for the whole family. For Pos and his parents, crack was literally in the house just as it was in many houses and many families during the crack era. Crack decimated many families and De La Soul made one of the most powerful songs about all that. In this episode we talk about how crack destroyed families and what went into the making of "My Brother’s A Basehead.” We talk to Prince Paul, De La Soul’s producer who’s sometimes called the 4th member of the group. We also talk about a very different song about crack users, Public Enemy’s Night of the Living Baseheads, which looked down on people who used crack while one of the members of PE was a crack addict. PE's producer Hank Shocklee joins us for that.
Guests:
Prince Paul, Producer - De La Soul is Dead
Hank Shocklee, Producer - Public Enemy
Credits:
De La Soul - My Brothers a Basehead
Writer: Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, Prince Paul, Maseo, Clint Ballard Jr. & Robby KriegerLabel: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Tee Girl Music, MCA Music, Shapiro Bernstein & Doors Music Co.Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 - The Message
Writer: Clifton ‘’Jiggs’’ Chase, Sylvia Robinson, Duke Bootee & Grandmaster Melle MelLabel: Sugar Hill RecordsPublisher: Sugar Hill RecordsDe La Soul - Me Myself and I
Writer: Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, Prince Paul, Maseo, George Clinton & Philippe Wynne Label: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Birdsong Edwin Music Pub, Bridgeport Music Inc, Daisy Age Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing CoDe La Soul - Potholes on My Lawn
Writer: P. Huston, K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. MasonLabel: Tommy Boy RecordsPublisher: Tommy Boy MusicPublic Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads
Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Hank ShockleeLabel: Def Jam RecordingsPublisher: Def American Songs Inc, Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music IncCrack User in the 80’s epic interview, EurointheCut
What is the Drug War? With Jay-Z & Molly Crabapple, Drug Policy Alliance
Lawn Order, 99 Percent Invisible
Toure: Why I Quit, Touré
Speaking Freely: Chuck D, Freedom Forum
Malcolm X’s Fiery Speech Addressing Police Brutality, Smithsonian Channel
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N.W.A’s “Dopeman” Is one of the illest songs ever made because it takes you deep into the drug dealer’s perspective on selling drugs. The crack dealer was evil but we should still seek to understand what drove him and when we look into his soul we find that like the fiends he served, he too was an addict, but he was addicted to power and money. Crack dealers and their culture had a deep influence on hiphop culture and the Black community. In this ep we go into "Dopeman” with The D.O.C. from NWA and talk to several former drug dealers about how dealers changed the world around them.
Guests:
Nelson George, Filmmaker
Royce Da 5’9, Rapper
Biba Adams, Writer
The D.O.C., Rapper
Samson Styles, Journalist and Filmmaker
Kevin Chiles, CEO Don Diva Magazine
Jim Jones, Rapper
Credits:
NWA - Dope Man
Writer: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Sugarfoot, Junie Morrison, Marshall “Rock” Jones, Greg Webster, Ralph Middlebrooks, Marvin Pierce, Norman Napier & Andrew Noland Label: Ruthless RecordsPublisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport MusicNWA - Fuck Tha Police
Writer: The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC RenLabel: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority RecordsPublisher: Universal Music GroupNotorius BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments
Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ PremierLabel: Bad Boy EntertainmentPublisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April MusicAlpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine
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“Black Steel In the Hour of Chaos” is Public Enemy’s look at prison and mass incarceration. In this episode, we leap from that song into talking about the New Jim Crow and mass incarceration and how being in America is like being in a prison.
Guests:
Dr. Christina Greer, Fordham Professor
Hank Shocklee, Producer
Adam Bernstein, Director, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Jim Jones, Rapper
Credits:
Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler, Hank Shocklee & Flavor FlavLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia RecordsPublisher: Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music IncPublic Enemy - Fight The power
Writer: Flavor Flav, Gary G-Wiz, Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler & Keith ShockleeLabel: Def Jam RecordingsPublisher: Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music IncPublic Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn
Writer: Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, Chuck D, Keith Shocklee & Eric SadlerLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia RecordsPublisher: Cold Chillin' Music Publishing Inc, Gangsta Boogie Music, Universal Music CorporationPublic Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Keith ShockleeLabel: Def Jam Recordings and Columbia RecordsPublisher: Bridgeport Music Inc, Reach Global Songs, Songs Of Universal IncJay Z - 99 Problems
Writer: JAY-Z, Rick Rubin, Ice-T, DJ Aladdin, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, N.D. Smart II, Leslie West, Bun B, John Ventura, Norman Landsberg, Billy Squier & Felix PappalardiLabel: Def Jam Recordings & Roc-A-Fella RecordsPublisher: Carter Boys Music, EMI April Music, Rhyme Syndicate Music, Copyright Control, Ammo Dump Music, Carrumba Music, Songs of the Knight, Spirit Two Music, Warner Music Group, Universal - Songs of Polygram International, BMG & Careers-BMG Music PublishingMuhammad Ali Gives His Stance On The Vietnam War, The Dick Cavett Show
Muhammad Ali Refuses Induction, Opposing Vietnam War, The Boys Who Said NO!
Michelle Alexander Extended Interview, Religion and Ethics Weekly, PBS
Speaking Freely: Chuck D, Freedom Forum
House Negro/Field Negro, Malcolm X Message To The Grassroots
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Stevie’s legendary song “Happy Birthday” was originally part of the long, hard battle to turn Dr. King’s birthday into a national holiday. When Dr. King was assassinated, his approval rating with white people was very low. At that point, he was not beloved by them. It took a lot of careful, steady, thoughtful, diplomatic work by Coretta Scott King to change his image and win over politicians. Stevie Wonder was committed to that struggle and this song is just one of the things he did for Dr. King. In this episode, we talk to King's daughter Bernice as well as the engineers who worked with Stevie on the song. We talk about how they got us to having a King holiday and what that fight meant to Stevie. And why he usually records in the middle of the night.
Guests:
Dr. Chrissy Greer, Professor, Fordham University
Jelani Cobb, Professor, Columbia University
Lon Neumann, Recording Engineer, Happy Birthday
Gary Adante, Lead Engineer, Happy Birthday
Dr. Bernice King, CEO The King Center
Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds, Journalist
Credits:
Stevie Wonder - Happy Birthday
Writer: Stevie WonderLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Black Bull Music Inc, Jobete Music Co IncPublic Enemy - By the Time I Get to Arizona
Writer: Chuck D, Neftali Santiago, Mandrill, Stuart Robertz, G-Wiz & C-DawgLabel: Def Jam and Colombia RecordsPublisher: Sony Music EntertainmentStevie Wonder sings "Happy Birthday" Martin Luther King, CSPAN
Stevie Wonder on creating Martin Luther King Day 1983, CNN
Public Enemy, Arsenio Hall (1993)
Martin Luther King, Jr. on Income Inequality and Redistribution of Wealth, Insaaf Blog
Harold Washington, CBS Chicago
Republican President Reagan’s Jaw-Dropping Press Conference the Day Martin Luther King Holiday Was Passed, Mediaite
Public Enemy Chuck D Interview, ABC News (1992)
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“I’m Coming Out” was meant to be a gay liberation song but the song’s writer and producer Nile Rodgers didn’t tell Diana Ross that. Which led to a whole thing. It’s a crazy story. The origin of the song is fascinating but more interesting is how disco in general was part of the gay rights movement. We chart the rise of disco and look at the way it dovetailed with the struggle for LGBTQ rights and how being gay is so different for Sylvester than for Tyler the Creator.
Guests:
Wesley Morris, Critic, New York Times
Craig Seymour, Music Critic and Activist
Nile Rodgers, Record Producer and Chic Founder
Bill Coleman, Artist Manager
DJ Jellybean Benitez, Deejay
Nelson George, Filmmaker and Author
Credits:
Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out
Writer: Bernard Edwards & Nile RodgersLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Chic Music, IncChic - Le Freak
Writer: Bernard Edwards & Nile RodgersLabel: Atlantic RecordsPublisher: Chic Music & Cotillion RecordsSylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
Writer: Sylvester & James WirrickLabel: FantasyPublisher: Bee Keeper Music, Tipsyl MusicBarry White - You’re The First, My Last, My Everything
Writer: Peter Sterling Radcliffe, Tony Sepe & Barry WhiteLabel: 20th Century Fox RecordsPublisher: SaVette Music Co.Diana Ross - Love Hangover
Writer: Pam Sawyer & Marilyn McLeodLabel: Motown RecordsPublisher: Jobete Music Co. INCA Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie
Writer: Perry Kibble & Janice Marie JohnsonLabel: Capitol RecordsPublisher: On Time Music, INCDonna Summer - Love to Love You Baby
Writer: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder & Pete BellotteLabel: Casablanca, OasisPublisher: Saturday Music and Cafe AmericanaGrace Jones - Pull up to the Bumper
Writer: Sly Dunbar, Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell, Sly & Robbie & Grace JonesLabel: IslandPublisher: EMI Music Publishing LtdCandi Stanton - Young Hearts Run Free
Writer: Dave CrawfordLabel: Warner Bros.Publisher: Ghati Music IncGloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
Writer: Dino Fekaris & Freddie PerrenLabel: Polydor RecordsPublisher: Perren-Vibes Music Co.Tyler the Creator - I Ain’t Got Time
Writer: Tyler, The CreatorLabel: Columbia RecordsPublisher: Columbia Records & Sony Music EntertainmentTyler, The Creator Used To Be Accused of Homophobia, Now Raps About “Kissing White Boys”, Genius
Tyler The Creator And Funk Flex Have an Honest Conversation Plus, Hot 97
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“She Works Hard for the Money,” is Donna Summer’s classic that was born when she saw a waitress sleeping during her shift and thought, damn she works hard for the money. In this episode we talk about the birth of the song with Summer’s husband and we talk about Black women’s economic issues and how Black women can accrue more wealth and what society needs to do for Black women and how sisters can get more venture capital funds so they can start and grow their own businesses.
Guests:
Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer’s Husband
Omi Bell, CEO, Black Girl Ventures Foundation
Lauren Maillian, CEO, Digital Undivided
Nina Banks, Professor Bucknell University
Credits:
Donna Summer - MacArthur Park
Writer: Jimmy WebbLabel: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.Publisher: Canopy MusicDonna Summer - Hot Stuff
Writer: Keith Forsey, Harold Faltermeyer & Pete BellotteLabel: Casablanca RecordsPublisher: Sweet Summer Night MusicDonna Summer - Bad Girls
Writer: Joe Esposito, Edward Hokenson, Bruce Sudano & Donna SummerLabel: Casablanca RecordsPublisher: Sweet Summer Night MusicDonna Summer - She Works Hard For the Money
Writer: Michael Omartian & Donna SummerLabel: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.Publisher: Phonogram International B.V.Gwen Guthrie - Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent
Writer: Gwen GuthrieLabel: PolydorPublisher: Universal Polygram International Publishing Inc -
“Redemption Song” by Bob Marley and the Wailers is one of the ultimate songs about the Black spirit and the immense determination that has gotten us through life in America. I’m talking about a specifically Black determination that has powered our resistance and carried us through life in America. A sense of Black determination that we hear in Redemption Song as well as Sam Cookie’s “A Change Gonna Come,” Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise,” and Kendrick’s “Alright.” No matter how hard things have been we have always been certain that one day we would overcome.
Guests:
Roger Steffens, Author, So Much Things to Say
Michael Eric Dyson, Professor, Princeton University
Credits:
Bob Marley and The Wailer's - Redemption Song
Writer: Bob MarleyLabel: Tuff Gong & Island RecordsPublisher: Fifty Six Hope Road Music Limited, Primary Wave/Blue MountainSam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come
Writer: Sam CookeLabel: RCA VictorPublisher: Kegs Music Corp.Kendrick Lamar - Alright
Writer: Kawan Prather, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams & SounwaveLabel: Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope RecordsPublisher: EMI April Music, New World Music, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music Publishing Group, PECF, BMG Firefly, BMG, Warner/Chappell, Top Dawg Entertainment, Sony/ATV Allegro, In Thee Face Music Publishing, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, BMG Gold Songs, Beat Bully Productions, More Water From Nazareth & EMI Pop Music PublishingStill I Rise, Maya Angelou
Yvonne Orji, The Toure Show
#TrumpRally protesters chant "We gonna be alright", Chicago Reader
