(ThyBlackMan.com) Richard Smallwood was more than a gospel musician. He was a theologian at the piano, a composer who fused classical training with Black church tradition, and a writer whose lyrics carried the weight of Scripture and lived experience. His music did not aim to entertain first. It aimed to ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) This writer rarely agrees with the contemporary musical choices of my students; however, I thought this artist was different…no more! It stings when someone you admired shifts in ways you did not expect. What stood out was Nicki Minaj cheering on Trump and JD Vance during that AmericaFest rally ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Christmas Eve always feels different. It is the night when the noise fades, the lights feel softer, and memories seem closer than usual. Before the wrapping paper and the laughter, there is a moment of quiet where music carries more meaning. On Christmas Eve, songs are not just playing. ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) When it comes to singing about love, very few artists have ever done it as honestly as Mary J. Blige. From the moment her voice hit the airwaves in the early nineties, it was clear she was not interested in fairy tales. Mary sang about love the way people ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The soul and funk world lost a true original with the passing of Carl Carlton. While his name may not always be the loudest in mainstream retrospectives, his voice and grooves have lived quietly and powerfully inside the culture for decades. Carlton was one of those artists whose music ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The phrase ‘I hope it was worth it’ is one that most Black men and people in general have encountered at least once in their lives. As you read this article, somewhere in the United States of America, a Black man has just heard that imposing phrase, “I hope ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Sean Combs: The Reckoning streamed to a huge audience on Netflix. What Reckoning doesn’t say or show is how and why Sean Combs represents a piece of many of us. That starts with why his story is even a story and why he is so well-known and in a perverse way still fawned ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) The death of Jimmy Cliff has sent a wave of sadness through the global music community. The loss of this legendary artist feels personal to millions who grew up with his voice of resilience, hope, and spiritual uplift. Cliff was not only a pioneer of reggae. He was a ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Morris Day and The Time brought a level of flair, rhythm, and humor that made funk feel larger than life. Rising from Minneapolis during the golden age of Prince and the Revolution, the band became an instant sensation with their mix of sharp suits, quick wit, and irresistible grooves. ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) A good friend of mine has a birthday coming up Wednesday, October 29 (I cannot believe she will be eighty years old). I hope you will go to her social media and show her some love. I have not spoken to her for over a decade, if not longer; ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) Olivia Dean has emerged as one of the most refreshing voices in modern soul and pop — a singer-songwriter whose tone glides between vulnerability and empowerment. Her music bridges eras, echoing the warmth of Amy Winehouse, the storytelling of Adele, and the intimacy of Corinne Bailey Rae. Yet, Dean’s ...
(ThyBlackMan.com) When it comes to collaboration, few artists have mastered the art like Michael Jackson. Throughout his extraordinary career, Jackson didn’t just work with people—he worked through them. His collaborations weren’t simple pairings for radio or marketing purposes. They were events. Each one revealed a new layer of his artistry, ...