(ThyBlackMan.com) There’s a certain mood only Johnny Mathis can create. You hear that first note—soft, romantic, almost whispered—and suddenly the world slows down. Whether it’s playing through a vintage hi-fi system or quietly looping through your earbuds, his music has a way of finding you when you need it most. ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) I have previously written about the dangerous consequences of America intentionally sabotaging its “soft power.” Doing so has occasioned an opportunity for Russia and China to assume more prominent roles in the mediation, adjudication, and manipulation of global affairs. These two nations are not merely our political and economic ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The first time I saw Prince in purple, I automatically assumed it was in honor of the Minnesota Vikings we admired during our youth. On this day (April 21) in 2016, the world lost one of the greatest musical polymaths to have lived – Prince Rogers Nelson. Born four years ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Grace Jones has always been one of those artists you don’t just listen to—you experience her. The first time I heard her voice, it stopped me in my tracks. Deep, confident, and unapologetically different, it felt like she was singing from another world entirely—one where art, fashion, gender, and ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Few voices in soul music history have captured the raw complexities of love and heartache quite like Percy Sledge. With a vocal style rooted in gospel tradition and delivered with unflinching sincerity, Sledge transformed emotional vulnerability into musical strength. His ability to convey longing, regret, and hope made him ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) I see many similarities today that spawned the American Revolution, except that the arrogance and lack of concern for the victims of their harmful regulations and policies come from Washington, DC. It is taught that the American Revolutionary War started on this date in April 1775 with the battles ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) When I think about the voices that shaped the sound of grown-up R&B, Alexander O’Neal is always near the top of the list. His music didn’t just fill dance floors or top charts—it tapped into the emotions that so many of us wrestle with: heartbreak, trust, longing, love, and ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) From the moment Ne-Yo stepped onto the scene, I knew he wasn’t just another R&B singer chasing hits—he was a storyteller. His voice had this polished yet emotional clarity that felt like it was speaking directly to you, whether you were dealing with heartbreak, falling hard, or just reflecting ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The first time I heard Jimmy Ruffin sing, it stopped me in my tracks. His voice didn’t just carry a melody—it carried a lifetime of emotions. There was something so honest, so soul-baring about his delivery that it felt like he was speaking directly to whatever part of you ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Because of your particular circumstances, you might not agree that our world is broken and heading swiftly towards perdition, but the vast majority of ordinary people out there are under no such illusion. The angst suffered by ordinary people is so great that only if you are cosseted by ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The federal budget remains a disaster, and for all the splashy talk of cost-cutting and tariff-driven revenue, Americans know it. Especially galling is that the latest fiscal wreckage is being overseen by an administration that promised business acumen and conservative restraint. Republicans are delivering the opposite: a self-inflicted destruction ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Macy Gray is one of those rare artists whose voice is instantly recognizable—gritty, soulful, and full of personality. When she arrived on the scene in the late ’90s, her sound stood apart from anything else in pop or R&B. She wasn’t chasing trends; she was building her own lane, ...