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Wanda’s Picks for March 14
Kiilu Nyasha, Tarika Matilaba Lewis and Gail Asali Dickson are featured in the exhibit, "Woman Artists of the Black Panther Party," at the West Oakland Branch Library, 1801 Adeline St. The reception is Saturday, March 14, 1-3 p.m.
Three poems for Oscar Grant
Submit your creative expression - poem, photo, artwork, music, graffiti etc. - to the Oscar Grant Memorial Arts Project. Details follow the poems. Deadline is March 21
POOR’s poetry battle
The 2009 Poetry Luchador/Wrestling Battle of ALL of the Sexes was a multi-generational, multi-lingual, multi-cultural mash-up of art, gender, poetry, wrestling, language and theatre brought to you by your favorite revolutionary poets, media-makers, poverty scholars and cultural workers at POOR Magazine.
Air cartoons: Rapper Azeem in his own words
Azeem is definitely one of the artists in the Bay's soundscape who puts the "c" in creative. He's the rapper's rapper, a creative lyricist, a conscious mind. Vote for him on BET at http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/deal/deal_ya_heard.htm??Referrer={626141E.
Wanda’s Picks for March 20
Guests on Friday's Wanda's Picks Radio are Tovi Scruggs, M.Ed., and Sharon Morrison Parker, directors of ASA Academy, who talked about an exciting conference next week: "MAN UP! First Annual Black Boys Conference: Extending the Arm of Brotherhood to Achieve Manhood" on Saturday, March 28.
‘The Dark Side of the Rainbow’: A video exposing domestic violence in same-gender-loving relationships
We think the rainbow - the gay symbol - is all about fun and parties, but there is also a dark side that no one likes to talk about, such as abuse or racism within the GLBT community.
Wanda’s Picks for April 2009
Dressed in black leotards, Jetaun Maxwell, dancer-choreographer, has a red ribbon, a strip of cloth representing the blood, the noose and rein society places on girls who seek freedom. - from Wanda's review of "Invisible Womb"
Pens and pistols: an interview wit’ Ebony Sparks, author of ‘Lessons Learned …’
Ebony Colbert Sparks is one of the most talented writers that I've met. She is the personification of "you can do anything you put your mind to."
The Town in chaos: an interview wit’ rapper Beeda Weeda
While the world was watching downtown Oakland burn up in the aftermath of the police murder of Oscar Grant III, rappers Beeda Weeda and J-Stalin put their social commentary into 16 rhyming bars and came out with the Town masterpiece "We Ain't Listening," the remix. Listen at www.blockreportradio.com.
Wanda’s Picks for April 10
I can't say enough about "Mrs. Streeter" at Black Rep in Berkeley. Did you catch my interview Friday, April 10, with playwright Merrill D. Jones and cast members? If not, listen on-line at Wanda's Picks Radio.
‘Chasing Demons’: an innerview of DJ Twelvz
DJ Twelvz is one of the up and coming dj's in the Bay Area who has one foot in conscious circles and the other within street rap. In my opinion, this is where the movement needs to go.
‘Rebel Musiq’: an innerview of rapper Bicasso of the Living Legends
Two decades after Bob Marley's "Rebel Music," in 2009 Oakland, artists like Bicasso are the musical spokespeople for criminalized Black neighborhoods that are literally at war with the police; must I remind you of the cases of Oscar Grant and Lovelle Mixon?
Wanda’s Picks for April 17
"Love on Both Sides of the Wall: A Two Way Struggle" plays at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek April 17-18, 6:45 p.m. The production is topnotch, the story of the forgotten Children of the Movement.
A whole different politic: an inner-view of Sinista Z of East Bay Politix
A lot of artists call themselves "political," "revolutionary" and "conscious" artists but very few, including the internationally known ones, use their art to benefit people's street campaigns, political and social struggles.
Wanda’s Picks for April 24
Happy Birthday, Mumia Abu Jamal! On Wanda's Picks Radio, we are celebrating Mumia Abu Jamal's birthday and his new book, "Jailhouse Lawyers," with an introduction by Angela Davis.
Wanda’s Picks for May
Shout out to First Lady Michelle Obama, who presented the bust of Queen Mother Sojourner Truth, a woman who experienced first hand the hardships of slavery, yet emerged strong, so strong she had to remind America she too was a woman, a woman deserving all the respect and honor reserved for privileged white women.
All gas – no brakes: an inner-view of Oakland rapper Shady Nate
Oakland has always been filled wit' a gang of lyrical MC's that "gas" ever since Hip Hop really got started in the Bay. Shady Nate is somebody that I could easily see being the King of Bay Area rap in a couple of years.
‘Scientific/Non-Fiction’: an innerview of rapper Ras Ceylon
Ras Ceylon is a very unique artist that lives in the Bay. He's politically active, his family is from Sri Lanka, he reps Rastafarianism and has linked with Askari X, Tajai of Souls of Mischief, Chairman Fred, Stic.man and a whole host of others to create a piece of audio art.
Future Rhythms: an inner-view of rap group 5 Star Generalz
I love the music of the innovative hip hop group 5 Star Generalz, from Oakland, Cali, because they are funny, creative and push the envelope on what Bay Area hip hop sounds like. They are like a mix between the Luniz, Digital Underground, and Cheech and Chong.