Background: Over the past several months, I’ve been converting my Instagram from a lifestyle influencer page to one that expresses artist appreciation.
Not long ago, I posted a short reel of Prince making a surprise guest appearance on “Today” for Bryant Gumbel’s retirement. The clip has garnered lots of attention and engagement. The comments about Bryant Gumbel reminded me of the Emerge magazine perspective piece below.
As I’d hoped, I am sharing an article my father wrote about the 90’s Black man, amidst the “grumbling about Gumbel” that was not uncommon in the Black community during that era. The essay, “Today’s Black Man (Bryant, That’s You)” was published in Emerge magazine in February, 1990 (out of print).
I am not including any of my personal thoughts or critical analysis of the piece at this time. This will come at a later date.
Sorry for the poor image quality. Hopefully it’s still readable.
Much love and appreciation to my Highlight Homies on IG (in alphabetical order, click the name to view):
CHAKA KHAN
Durand Bernarr
Isis
Meshell Ndegeocello
Summer Walker & SZA
Tobe & Fat Nwigwe
Tierra Whack and Willow Smith
Related posts:
A Chance for Justice: Space Jam A New Legacy
Space Jam: Innocent Similarities or Intentional Copying?
Portland Art Museum: Hank Willis Thomas "All Things Being Equal" Exhibition
New Work: "The View from the Riverbank: James Baldwin and The Evidence of Things Not Seen"
Art Mobb's CALIFAWNIA: Where Fashion & Contemporary Art Collide