Rob Base Gave Us Pure Joy In 1988, I left Houston for Howard University and experienced a culture shock I wasn’t prepared for. Back home, my soundtrack was soul, R&B, gospel, and the laid-back drawl of Southern rap. Howard introduced me to East Coast rap, house music, and dancehall. I immediately fell in love with those new sounds because they felt fresh, urgent, and alive. Rob Base’s music sat at the intersection of everything I was discovering. Read Article Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus...

Mocha Man Music is entering a new phase. When I first started building this company, the idea was broad: create a space to support music, artists, and culture in Houston. That mission is still there, but the focus is sharper now. Mocha Man Music is now centered on three core areas: artist development, publishing, and sync. We want to help artists grow creatively and professionally, protect the value of their songs, and create opportunities for their music to live in film, television,...

Kandy G. Lopez Stitches Everyday People Into Majestic Portraits When I first saw a photo of Kandy G. Lopez’s work online, I thought I was looking at a painting. Then I looked closer and realized it was not painted at all. It was made with yarn, thread, and fiber, built strand by strand with an extraordinary level of patience. I was amazed by the skill and precision, and I knew I had to see her work in person. Read Article Clarence Heyward’s “Eden” Reimagines Paradise Through Black Experience...