I am guilty of watching Eric Garner die at least 30 times. I stayed glued to the news and social media and watched the story and the rage unfold on the streets. But how much can we take? What choice do I have in learning the gruesome details of dehumanization and police brutality in America? I teamed up with the Black owner/woman chef of My Two Cents Alisa Reynolds and decided to organize an event where I could channel some of the hurt and frustration through music. The Rhythm Healing Sessions are here. Everything that happens to us as Black Americans and our people in the African Diaspora for that matter, can be found in our music. I'm turning to these living archives for sanity and peace and looking to fellow artists to keep telling our stories. I'll be spinning for the first time in my hometown Los Angeles and this entire set is dedicated to Latasha Harlins and all the other Black women whose names get lost in the conversation of police and state sanctioned violence in our communities.
One of the most striking parts of La based director Ava Duvernay's film "Middle of Nowhere," was the soundtrack. I would describe it as humanizing, especially considering the context, a movie about mass incarceration and its impact on Black families. Imagine my joy when I learned that KPFK radio DJ Morgan Rhodes, a Black woman, was the soundtrack supervisor. Impressed by her selections I reached out to her and shared my podcast. We've been in contact ever since. Upon returning to Los Angeles, my hometown last week for a two month long visit, I was invited to join Morgan Sunday December 1, 2014 for an interview on her show, The Listening Station. Something happens when two DJs enter a conversation about music, magic and scholarship. Together we took a trip through our earliest memories of influential LA music from the 1980s and early 90s.
KDAY, LA's first hip-hop station, Dr. Dre's World Class Wrecking Crew, Egyptian Lover and Uncle Jam's Army came up as we recalled how "freestyle" and "electro funk," led us both to the path of house music. Morgan did an excellent of reminding her listeners that black folks have always played a role in the development of electronic music. We called the names of UK soul artists Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, Goldie, Roni Size, Brand New Heavies and D'Influence to name some of the pioneers of black electronica. This conversation took us into our shared loved for house music, which we stated, definitely was Black. We shouted out and sent love to Detroit, Chicago and New York City for the dance floor jams they've offered our "Luv Dancing." Catch me on the KPFK 90.7 FM for a live DJ set in the studio with Morgan Rhodes for her weekly show The Listening Station. Big tings a g'wan. Thank you LA.
DJ Morgan Rhodes driving the mothership board live and direct from KPFK Hollywood studios.
