A Night of HBCU Pride at the 2025 Pepsi National Battle of the Bands The sound of brass, the crack of drums, and the roar of the crowd filled NRG Stadium as the 2025 Pepsi National Battle of the Bands (NBOTB) returned to Houston. Read Article As It Is: A Quiet Reflection in Houston I recently attended JajaH’s exhibition “As It Is” at the Community Artists’ Collective in Houston. The show was quiet yet full of meaning. His paintings slow you down and turn your attention inward. Read article...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Finding Truth in the Ordinary When I created my Cosplay as Protest series, I used bold visuals to confront political and social issues. It was an intentional choice to make viewers stop and reflect. Visiting Learning Curve 17 at the Houston Center for Photography, I found a similar power in a very different approach. Read Article Accessible Abundance: A Celebration of Black Creativity and Cultural Power At The RADO Market, D.Gemm’s latest curatorial work, Accessible Abundance, delivers a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
It’s Never Too Late to Learn Something New I recently picked up painting. This journey has taught me more than just how to mix colors and hold a brush. It has shown me how creativity, persistence, and passion can fuel personal growth. Here are three powerful lessons I’ve learned along the way. Read Article South African Ceramic Sculptor Qiniso Mungwe Gives Life to Clay Qiniso Mungwe is a sculptor for the Ardmore Ceramic Art Studio in KwaZulu-Natal, about a two-hour drive from Durban, South...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Parade is A Reminder That Injustice Still Marches On "Parade," written by Alfred Uhry with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, dramatizes the real-life story of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager in 1913 Atlanta, Georgia, who was falsely accused and convicted of murdering 13-year-old Mary Phagan, one of his workers. The musical lays bare the antisemitism, media hysteria, and racial manipulation that led to Frank’s conviction and eventual lynching. Read Article Cosplay As Protest: A Tiny...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
G-SHOCK x HIDDEN NY DW5600HDN257: A Timepiece for the Culture When I first started wearing G-SHOCKs, hip-hop was exploding and streetwear was beginning to define a new generation’s aesthetic. Brands like Adidas, Kangol, and FILA were already making waves, but G-SHOCK carved out its own lane, combining toughness, tech, and urban edge. Fast forward to today, and G-SHOCK is still rooted in that same energy. The latest drop with HIDDEN NY, the DW5600HDN257, is the perfect fusion of where G-SHOCK...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Our Black Journey: A Celebration of Black Stories and Talent I’ve known Diamond Ashmon, also known as D.Gemm, for several years, and I’ve had the privilege of attending several exhibitions she’s curated. Each time, she brings a rare combination of vision, intention, and heart to her work. Her latest exhibition, Our Black Journey, at the El Dorado Ballroom’s Rado Market Gallery, is a beautiful continuation of that mission. This exhibition is an exploration of our royal history, our ingenuity,...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Maxwell Delivers a Soulful Masterclass Maxwell’s music has been the soundtrack to my life since he dropped his debut album, Urban Hang Suite. Even after all these years, that record still holds a top spot in my collection and remains a cornerstone of the neo-soul movement. Naturally, I was excited to finally see the three-time GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum artist perform live at The Serenade Tour at the Smart Financial Centre. Read Article Ishida Dance’s Inside My Walls Delivers...
3 months ago • 1 min read
The Man Nobody Killed At first, I didn’t want to read this book. It’s another story of a young Black man brutalized by police, denied justice, and forgotten by a system that never intended to protect him. But I decided to read The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York because Michael Stewart was a part of an artistic and cultural moment that shaped me. Read Article Colored Television Writers writing about writers can feel cliché. But Danzy Senna’s Colored...
3 months ago • 1 min read
What Do Dads Want for Father’s Day We recently surveyed 300 Mocha Man Style readers about Father’s Day. According to our findings, nearly one-third of dads (32 percent) confessed they’ve had family members who completely forgot about them on Father’s Day. More than half (57 percent of fathers) confessed to receiving a Father’s Day gift they did not like. Some of the worst Father’s Day gifts included a painted rock, a tie with Santa Clauses on it, and a coffee mug for the 4th year in a row. To...
3 months ago • 1 min read
