profile

Mocha Man Style

Black Music Appreciation Month

Published over 1 year ago • 2 min read

​

Black Music Appreciation Month Playlist

June is Black Music Appreciation Month. Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the African American musical influences that comprise essential parts of America’s cultural heritage. To commemorate the month, the queen of Indie Soul, Sy Smith, asked fellow indie artists to share songs covering various aspects of Black life and culture – joy, pain, struggle, triumph, love, etc.

​

His Name Was PRINCE and He Was Funky

I remember the first time I listened to a Prince album. It was the summer of 1982 and the album was Controversy. My 12-year-old mind could barely understand everything I was hearing, but I knew two things for sure: (1) This guy rocked. (2) I could not let my mother catch me listening to this album (note: my mother was deeply religious and didn’t want us listening to any devil music)

​

Andra Day Makes Strong Connections Through the Power of Great Music

Music has the power to bring people together despite our differences, and Andra Day's music possesses magic that people are drawn to.

​

Gil Scott-Heron Poet to the People

I discovered Gil Scott-Heron’s music as a college student. While writing a term paper titled “The Linguistics of Hip-Hop”, I stumbled upon Scott-Heron’s seminal album, Winter in America.

​

Tiny Desk Concerts Black Music Month 2024

​NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series observes Black Music Month with a celebration of Black women. In the collection, you can watch performances by Meshell Ndegeocello, Kierra Sheard, Chaka Khan, Tierra Whack, Lakecia Benjamin, and Tems.

Upcoming Events

Social Media Spotlight

This is a song and video I created (with an assist from AI) for my client, The Gite Gallery.

Follow Mocha Man Style on Our Social Media Channels

Catch Up on Previous Issues of Mocha Man Style Insider

1801 Main St 10th floor, Houston, TX 77002
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Mocha Man Style

Read more from Mocha Man Style

D’Angelo Untitled, Yet Eternal When D’Angelo released Brown Sugar in 1995, I was mesmerized. His voice was smooth yet earthy, the grooves laid back but deeply intentional, and the instrumentation felt retro, but somehow futuristic. Brown Sugar, Lady, When We Get By, and his transformative version of Smokey Robinson’s Cruisin’ were invitations into a new world of sound where intimacy, vulnerability, and groove coexisted in perfect balance. Read Article Chayse Sampy’s “Who Feels It, Knows It”...

6 days ago • 1 min read

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Approximately 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 13%) will develop invasive breast cancer throughout their lifetime. Notably, breast cancer is more common in Black women under 45 years old than in white women, and overall, Black women are more likely to die from it. Read Article Mocha Man Music Moment Experience the magic of Brandon J. Marks as he delivers a soulful performance of “Lovely Day” with Majic 102.1 FM at Rockhouse in Houston. With his smooth vocals,...

20 days ago • 1 min read

Danny Simmons’ The Journey to Everything Danny Simmons brings his full creative force to the Houston Museum of African American Culture with The Journey to Everything. This exhibition fuses multimedia paintings with African artifacts from his own collection. Read Article “Makers of Legacy” at Mitochondria Gallery Makers of Legacy, the debut solo exhibition by Nigerian sculptor Ejiro Fenegal, is a show that celebrates African women whose resilience and strength have shaped communities across...

27 days ago • 1 min read