Gospel

(ThyBlackMan.com) Mint Condition stands as one of the most criminally underrated bands in R&B history. Formed in the late ’80s, this Minneapolis-based group fused soul, funk, jazz, and rock with unmatched finesse, led by the velvety vocals and dynamic drumming of Stokley Williams. While many R&B groups of the ’90s leaned heavily on vocal harmonies and programmed beats, Mint Condition prided themselves on being a band—real instruments, real arrangements, and […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Many moons ago, I was a new educator at the collegiate level. This writer was teaching in a diverse classroom at Concordia University. This process required intentional strategies to ensure all students felt valued, respected, and supported in their learning. This would also include understanding individual learning needs, incorporating diverse perspectives, and creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, as well as intervening in two of my more vocal students arguing the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, his authoritarian rhetoric, his multiple indictments, his multiple sexual assault allegations, his liable for sexual abuse, his contempt for institutional checks and balances, his racist behavior and racist immigration policies, his numerous unconstitutional executive orders, his firing of federal employees, his destruction of federal programs and agencies, his cult of personality, and his demand for loyalty to him above the country […]

(ThyBlackMan.com)  When discussing soul music’s golden age, names like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Wilson Pickett tend to dominate the conversation. But nestled quietly among the legends is William Bell—a deep soul craftsman whose work with Stax Records has stood the test of time. With a voice that carries the weight of heartbreak and the wisdom of lived experience, Bell’s catalog remains one of the most underrated in Southern soul […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Hopping into a rideshare is part of everyday life for many people. Whether you are heading to work, going out with friends, or simply trying to avoid parking hassles, apps like Grab or Uber make getting around more convenient. But while most rideshare experiences are safe and professional, there are unfortunate instances when passengers—especially women—encounter inappropriate behavior or even sexual harassment from drivers. The good news is that you […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The day after I read the report by the justice advocacy group, the Vera Institute, on the astronomical number of deaths in the L.A. County Jail, I acted. I held a press briefing in front of the Men’s Jail. Over one hundred men have died at the jail in the last three years. We’re barely past the midpoint of 2025 and already a known twenty-six have died at the jail. […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) “I always wanted to create music that was like a conversation between lovers – intimate, honest, and full of passion.” – Leon Ware Leon Ware stands as one of music’s most influential figures, a behind-the-scenes genius whose songwriting and production helped shape some of the most sensual and sophisticated records ever made. Blind in one eye from a childhood accident involving a slingshot, Ware spent time at the Michigan […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) I have seen a lot in life because I am old, worn and well-travelled and there are not too many things that leave me flabbergasted, but a notable exception floored me recently and set off a chain of deep, existential thinking. I like watching wildlife programs because animals are so much more humane than humans and because they give me a sense of serenity and timelessness. Except when the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) As Trump and Netanyahu huddle together in their twin blood-soaked cocoons and caves of hubris and holocaust denial of the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people and plot what new atrocities they will impose on the different and vulnerable, it is urgently important that we, as persons and a people, self-consciously resist and refuse to find ourselves complicit by the betrayal of silence, the atrocity of support or the […]