Being Black- The '80s - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Being Black: The '80s with Toure` starts June 1st May 08, 2023

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Bob Marley x Black Determination May 31, 2023

“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 Marley
Label: Tuff Gong & Island Records
Publisher: Fifty Six Hope Road Music Limited, Primary Wave/Blue Mountain

Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come

Writer: Sam Cooke
Label: RCA Victor
Publisher: Kegs Music Corp.

Kendrick Lamar - Alright

Writer: Kawan Prather, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams & Sounwave
Label: Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope Records
Publisher: 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 Publishing

Still I Rise, Maya Angelou

Yvonne Orji, The Toure Show

#TrumpRally protesters chant "We gonna be alright", Chicago Reader

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Donna Summer x Women’s Liberation May 31, 2023

“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 Webb
Label: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.
Publisher: Canopy Music

Donna Summer - Hot Stuff

Writer: Keith Forsey, Harold Faltermeyer & Pete Bellotte
Label: Casablanca Records
Publisher: Sweet Summer Night Music

Donna Summer - Bad Girls

Writer: Joe Esposito, Edward Hokenson, Bruce Sudano & Donna Summer
Label: Casablanca Records
Publisher: Sweet Summer Night Music

Donna Summer - She Works Hard For the Money

Writer: Michael Omartian & Donna Summer
Label: Casablanca Record and Filmworks Inc.
Publisher: Phonogram International B.V.

Gwen Guthrie - Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent

Writer: Gwen Guthrie
Label: Polydor
Publisher: Universal Polygram International Publishing Inc

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Diana Ross x Gay Liberation May 31, 2023

“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 Rodgers

Label: Motown Records
Publisher: Chic Music, Inc

Chic - Le Freak

Writer: Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
Label: Atlantic Records
Publisher: Chic Music & Cotillion Records

Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

Writer: Sylvester & James Wirrick
Label: Fantasy
Publisher: Bee Keeper Music, Tipsyl Music

Barry White - You’re The First, My Last, My Everything

Writer: Peter Sterling Radcliffe, Tony Sepe & Barry White
Label: 20th Century Fox Records
Publisher: SaVette Music Co.

Diana Ross - Love Hangover

Writer: Pam Sawyer & Marilyn McLeod
Label: Motown Records
Publisher: Jobete Music Co. INC

A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie

Writer: Perry Kibble & Janice Marie Johnson
Label: Capitol Records
Publisher: On Time Music, INC

Donna Summer - Love to Love You Baby

Writer: Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte
Label: Casablanca, Oasis
Publisher: Saturday Music and Cafe Americana

Grace Jones - Pull up to the Bumper

Writer: Sly Dunbar, Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell, Sly & Robbie & Grace Jones
Label: Island
Publisher: EMI Music Publishing Ltd

Candi Stanton - Young Hearts Run Free

Writer: Dave Crawford
Label: Warner Bros.
Publisher: Ghati Music Inc

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

Writer: Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren
Label: Polydor Records
Publisher: Perren-Vibes Music Co.

Tyler the Creator - I Ain’t Got Time

Writer: Tyler, The Creator
Label: Columbia Records
Publisher: Columbia Records & Sony Music Entertainment

Tyler, 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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Stevie Wonder x MLK May 31, 2023

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 Wonder
Label: Motown Records
Publisher: Black Bull Music Inc, Jobete Music Co Inc

Public Enemy - By the Time I Get to Arizona

Writer: Chuck D, Neftali Santiago, Mandrill, Stuart Robertz, G-Wiz & C-Dawg
Label: Def Jam and Colombia Records
Publisher: Sony Music Entertainment

Stevie 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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Public Enemy x Mass Incarceration May 31, 2023

“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 Flav
Label: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia Records
Publisher: Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

Public Enemy - Fight The power

Writer: Flavor Flav, Gary G-Wiz, Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler & Keith Shocklee
Label: Def Jam Recordings
Publisher: Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Songs Of Universal Inc, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn

Writer: Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, Chuck D, Keith Shocklee & Eric Sadler
Label: Def Jam Recordings & Columbia Records
Publisher: Cold Chillin' Music Publishing Inc, Gangsta Boogie Music, Universal Music Corporation

Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Keith Shocklee
Label: Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records
Publisher: Bridgeport Music Inc, Reach Global Songs, Songs Of Universal Inc

Jay 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 Pappalardi
Label: Def Jam Recordings & Roc-A-Fella Records
Publisher: 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 Publishing

Muhammad 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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NWA x Selling Crack Jun 01, 2023

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 Records
Publisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport Music

NWA - Fuck Tha Police

Writer: The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC Ren
Label: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority Records
Publisher: Universal Music Group

Notorius BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments

Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ Premier
Label: Bad Boy Entertainment
Publisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April Music

Alpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine

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De La Soul x Crack Jun 01, 2023

"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 Krieger
Label: Tommy Boy Records
Publisher: 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 Mel
Label: Sugar Hill Records
Publisher: Sugar Hill Records

De La Soul - Me Myself and I

Writer: Posdnuos, Trugoy the Dove, Prince Paul, Maseo, George Clinton & Philippe Wynne
Label: Tommy Boy Records
Publisher: Birdsong Edwin Music Pub, Bridgeport Music Inc, Daisy Age Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co

De La Soul - Potholes on My Lawn

Writer: P. Huston, K. Mercer, D. Jolicoeur, V. Mason
Label: Tommy Boy Records
Publisher: Tommy Boy Music

Public Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads

Writer: Chuck D, Eric Sadler & Hank Shocklee
Label: Def Jam Recordings
Publisher: Def American Songs Inc, Reach Global Songs, Shocklee Music, Songs Of Reach Music, Terrordome Music Publishing Llc, Your Mother S Music Inc

Crack 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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Tracy Chapman x Affirmative Action Jun 01, 2023

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: Elektra
Writer: Tracy Chapman
Publisher: PURPLE RABBIT MUSIC

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (Live Version)

Label: Elektra
Writer: Tracy Chapman
Publisher: Purple Rabbit Music

Elizabeth Cotten - Freight Train

Writer: Elizabeth Cotten, James Paul, William Frederick
Label: Folkways Records FG 3526
Publisher: Figs D Music

Elizabeth Cotten - Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad

Writer: Elizabeth Cotten
Label: Folkways Records FG 3526
Publisher: Folkways Records FG 3526

Tracy 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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Star Stories with Toure` Coming August 1st Jul 20, 2023

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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Toure Show Jul 21, 2023

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Ice Cube x Dopeman: The Good, The Bad, & The Crazy Aug 14, 2023

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 Records
Publisher: Ruthless Attack Muzick & Bridgeport Music

NWA - Fuck Tha Police

Writer: The D.O.C., Ice Cube & MC Ren
Label: Universal Music Group, Ruthless Records & Priority Records
Publisher: Universal Music Group

Notorious BIG - The Ten Crack Commandments

Writer: The Notorious B.I.G. & DJ Premier
Label: Bad Boy Entertainment
Publisher: B.I.G. Poppa Music, Gifted Pearl Music, Justin Combs Music & EMI April Music

Alpo Martinez, FEDS Magazine

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Jay-Z Almost Bankrupted Me Sep 01, 2023

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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Vote For Being Black: The '80s Sep 21, 2023

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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