Category Archives: radio

Did You Hear…………

Posted on by drumsintheglobalvillage

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……. “South Africa At A Crossroads,” Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s NPR series on the current problems of South Africa?

Or that “All Things Considered” story on Cuba’s newspapers?

Or that ATC report a couple of Saturday’s ago on Obama’s impact on a D.C. middle school?

Or that GREAT edition of “On The Media” from a couple of weekends ago?

Wow, clearly NPR is trying to do more with more. 🙂 I wish other mainstream media institutions could be so lucky in 2008.

Blackface Is Back…..Again

Posted on by drumsintheglobalvillage

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First, some history.

Now, moving on to film:

Remember the 1980s comedy “Soul Man,” where the lead character colors himself Black—as in, actor C. Thomas Howell performing in Blackface?

Well, here’s something fun to do in 2008: find Robert Downey Jr. in this promotional photo for the new comedy film, “Tropic Thunder”:

Downey Jr. In Blackface

I don’t even know what to say. 🙂 Here, read an EW article on whatever’s going on there. This one might help as well. (APRIL 4th UPDATE: Here’s another.)

Since Downey has “gone there,” I hope he’s at least as good as Billy Crystal’s Sammy Davis Jr.

Independent Audio/Video You Should Check Out (Twelfth In A Long-Running Series)

Posted on by drumsintheglobalvillage

VoxUnion Media
February 25, 2008

This Jazz & Justice “redux” tribute is paid to Malcolm X in sad honor of this (February 21, 1965) the 43rd anniversary of his assassination. Hear words and music all dedicated to the honor of both the revolutionary and the idea of revolution.

CLICK HERE to download and/or visit voxunion.com for the download/stream option and much more including the latest edition of Roots Revolution from DJ Soul Rebel with the latest on Kenyan political struggle.

—“Once Black youth began to approach the ideas of Malcolm X it became necessary to destroy what he stood for. Once Black youth began to approach the ideas of Malcolm X it became necessary to destroy the man’s image that produced those ideas… if Malcolm were alive today he’d be a political prisoner and we wouldn’t be here having a discussion about {sic} his life… because the political prisoners we have today get no support…”

– Dhoruba bin Wahad

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“The Many Sides of Malcolm Part I” by Melki

“The Many Sides of Malcolm” represents the original “Documixtory” done for “Black World Report,” an online radio newsmagazine of The Black World Today and the NNPA, the Black Press of America. It includes speeches from Malcolm (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), and commentaries from now-ancestors Dr. Betty Shabazz, Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Alex Haley.

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Produced in 2001, it pulls audio from the first Malcolm X International Conference in New York City in 1990.

If you are a fan of Malcolm or one who studies history, you will enjoy this fully. Click here to hear the program.

State Of The Obama Union :)

Posted on by drumsintheglobalvillage

It was one of the better ones—when it was about the candidate who didn’t come.

I greatly enjoyed the dustup about the invitation (scroll down to the bottom of this link to hear Tavis Smiley’s commentary). As I like to say, Tavis keeps trying to be Larry King and Martin Luther King at the same time. It’s a mix that works for him, but he’s not the whole NAACP. He’s a communicator (and book hustler 🙂 ), not a leader. And I’m glad somebody put him in his place.

Hillary Clinton showed up at the end after trying to rip Barack Obama a new one. Before talking with Tavis (and apologizing for her campaign’s racist excesses), she outlined her career to the Black audience, but I was more interested in her view of the present: “We stand at such a historic moment.” Yep. “Unchartered terrority,” indeed.