Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) RUN DMC JMJ Way, Hollis Avenue & 205 St When: August 30, 2009 What: The pioneer rap trio get a street named after them in their neighborhood of Hollis, Queens. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) The Hitsville Museum 2648 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48208 When: April 14, 1960 What: Originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., “Hitsville” became one of the first black-owned record labels. With its iconic artists and songwriters like Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Supremes and The Jackson 5, its pop/R&B “Motown Sound” helped to integrate the American music scene. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) Washington D.C., DC 20037 When: April 9, 1939 What: Marian Anderson wanted to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington DC, but at the time African-Americans were not allowed to perform there. Instead, Anderson sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 75,000 people attended, and the performance became a symbol of the Civil Rights movement. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) Canton, OH 44702 When: 1958 What: Formed in 1958 in Canton, Ohio, the O’Jays were inspired to start their singing group after seeing a performance by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. First calling themselves the Triumphs and then the Mascots, they made their recording debut in 1961 with the single “Miracles,” issued on Cincinnati-based King records. Two years later, they renamed themselves The O’Jays, after Cleveland DJ and mentor, Eddie O’Jay. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquar
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) Canton, OH 44702 When: 1958 What: Formed in 1958 in Canton, Ohio, the O’Jays were inspired to start their singing group after seeing a performance by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. First calling themselves the Triumphs and then the Mascots, they made their recording debut in 1961 with the single “Miracles,” issued on Cincinnati-based King records. Two years later, they renamed themselves The O’Jays, after Cleveland DJ and mentor, Eddie O’Jay. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquar
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) 5750 Wilshire Blvd #300 Los Angeles, CA 90036 When: 1971 What: The House of Hits closes its Detroit home for good, moving its creative headquarters to Hollywood. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) 926 East McLemore Avenue, Memphis, TN 38106-3338 When: September, 1961 What: Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the small record label founded by brother and sister, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, changed its name to Stax, and becomes a major player in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare
As Black musicals go it’s hard to go wrong putting Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in the same flick. But add to that Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor and you have the makings of a classic. The Wiz , an ambitious re-imagining of The Wizard of Oz with an all Black cast , was filled with hidden messages (you peeped how Dorothy couldn’t catch a cab?) and wonderful music that has more than stood the test of time. Here are 5 Reasons we still “Ease on down the road.” 1) After talking to several people (and this is my own opinion as well), the overwhelming reason to watch The Wiz is the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson. He was perfect as The Scarecrow looking for a heart; sweet, vulnerable, a loyal friend–just as people close to Michael knew him in real life. Seeing him dance quadruple circles around Diana Ross as they “eased on down the road” induces chuckles…thinking of all that beautiful talent no longer with us induces a tear (or many). 2) The songs! I am serious when I say I still see references to the songs in The Wiz at least once or twice a week on Facebook, Twitter, or somebody’s blog. They transcend generations…my neighbor just told me her three year old daughter knows every single song in the film. “You Can’t Win”, “Home” (which you can’t help but cry on unless you’re made of stone), “Ease On Down The Road,” “He’s The Wizard,” and “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” are all classics for the annals of history. With just the songs alone, it is a film that a family that encompasses any age can enjoy. 3) The overwhelming excess of the 70′s embodied in the film. Where to begin? It was directed by Sidney Lumet, who I’m quite certain was paid a billion dollars to be involved. The screenplay was written by Joel Schumaker (yes, of the “Batman” franchise). New songs were written by the mighty duo of Ashford and Simpson and the freaking World Trade Center used as the set for “Oz”! Costumes were designed by Oscar De La Renta and Norma Kamali (the sweatshop girls working for the evil queen could have easily stepped off today’s runway in their finery) and at any given time there were up to 135 crew members actively working on the set, not to mention hundreds and hundreds of extras. For all the money that was obviously a blank check budget for the film, it has at the very least endured as a very, very solid Black film classic that everyone knows and loves. 4) The performances of much loved icons in our community. Yes, Diana was unarguably waaaay too old for the role of 24-year-old Dorothy. But once you get past that, you can see that she really tried to do the role justice. Michael Jackson–’nuff said. Lena Horne as Glenda The Good Witch…etheral and beautiful, a sight to behold; really, could you imagine anyone else playing that role? Nipsey Russell as The Tinman is the bridge from an older time that was full of tap-dance and soft shoe, and he is a treasure of a time capsule that helps us to remember that history, our history. Mabel King, the momma from “What’s Happening” showed us another side to her that we’ve never, ever seen with Raj or Rerun. And the carryovers from the Broadway play helped fill in the holes to help keep some of the charm and magic that made someone want to bring it to the big screen to begin with (for example Ted Ross as The Cowardly Lion). And Richard Pryor as The Wiz? Check and mate. 5) The message. In it’s unique way, The Wiz gave us a message that has been told since ancient times; everything you ever need in life is already inside of you, just waiting to be discovered. The Lion showed bravery by fighting for his friends, The Tinman showed heart by feeling sadness or sympathy for his friends, and The Scarecrow made all of the smart suggestions that propelled them forward. They were all so busy trying to get to someone that would get them all the easy answers, not for one second slowing down and realizing that what they were looking for they already had the entire time. Sound familiar? RELATED POSTS: 5 MUSICAL MOVIES WE LOVE: The Five Heartbeats FACT OF THE DAY: Ashanti Was Once A Bad Girl Remember Snoop’s Perm & Curls? THEN & NOW: 1990s Music Icons CLASS OF 2001: Was G-Dep The Last Bad “Boy” Standing?
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) St. Peter Claver School 29 Claver Place Brooklyn, NY 11238 When : 1982 What : Christopher Wallace, the young student who will later become internationally known as multi-platinum rap icon Notorious B.I.G., graduated from elementary school in 1982. Afterward he attended Queen of All Saints Middle School, where he’s recognized for his storytelling prowess by winning several awards for creative writing. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments, sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge. Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Tracy Morgan apparently is taking more heat after the release of his homophobic rant last week during a comedy show in Nashville, Tennessee. This time however the heat stems from his “30 Rock” co-stars and executive producer Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. According to Huffington Post , gay rights activist and executive producer Tina Fey released a somewhat lengthy statement on her views of Morgan’s comments stating: “I hope for his sake that Tracy’s apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian coworkers at “30 Rock,” without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket.” True indeed. Fey also added: “Stand-up comics may have the right to “work out” their material in its ugliest and rawest form in front of an audience, but the violent imagery of Tracy’s rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the GLBT Community. One of Tracy’s openly gay co-stars, Cheyenne Jackson, of “30 Rock,” also shared his distaste in Morgan’s rant stating he was “disgusted and appalled by Morgan.” Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tracy. I smell damage control. Read more about what Morgan’s co-stars had to say here . Tracy Morgan Criticized For Gay Rant & Finally Issues An Apology Tracy Morgan: “I’d Kill My Son If He Was Gay” Is Beyonce A Liar? [VIDEO] THEN & NOW: 1980s Music Icons FACT OF THE DAY: Rick Ross Attended College On A Football Scholarship
