Yes........Let's Take it Back

TV One has a new series that comes on every night at 9:00pm CST called. "Way Black When".  And I love it!  They have the right spirit about things that I was saying earlier in my blog about music and our history.  The premise of the show is that, SINBAD ( famed comedian and radio personality) the host is interviewing black stars of the 70s.  I saw that he had Jayne Kennedy on the show as well as "Roger" from the TV series "What's Happening & Everybody Hates Chris".  He also had Tim Reid & Daphne Maxwell Reid on the show as well as many others.  He is interviewing them about what life was like in the 70s and the many different trials and tribulations that they had to overcome being black and in the entertainment industry in the 70s. 

Sinbad has Stokely and Mint Condition as the house band.  And I have to admit the it delighted my heart when Sinbad said on the show, that Mint Condition was the last black band in the industry.  I was delighted because I had mentioned that in an earlier blog and it was ust confirmation for me that I actually DO know what I am talking about. (as I smile a big smile). 

The only way that our culture is going to continue to to have relevance in the present and the future is that we ourselves keep it alive.  I see that a lot of the guests on the show were born in the late 70s and the early 80s.  That is GREAT.  This will allow a younger general to preserve the hard work of the generations to come. 

Chris Rock tells a joke in one of his stand ups.  He says that all black people know about Black History is

"MARTIN LUTHER KING!"  Don't get me wrong.........Martin Luther King IS one to know about and to keep his dream and his struggle alive.................HOWEVER we owe a debt of gratitude to know only him but to all of the other pioneers and soldiers who fought in that struggle as well.  I myself did not know that Jayne Kennedy was the first woman and BLACK woman to host Monday Night Football.  WOW............Thank you TV One and Sinbad for letting me know that information. 

It is our responsibility as black people to be concerned with and bring light to issues that concern black people.  I am so proud that TV One is picking up where BET left off.   We need to remember "The Emotions".  We need to remember James Ingram.  We need to remember that there was a dance called "Doing da butt" way before J Lo and Kim Kardashian had the behinds that everyone was thirsty for.  It's okay to talk about the Sylvers and the Jacksons.  And I again I say that we need to remember who we are and continue to BE WHO WE ARE.  

Again I say.........why is Mint Condition that last R&B band? I see Maroon 5, Linkin Park, Green Day and many other non R&B bands continuing to make major contributions to popular music.  I thank TV One for this show and for UNSUNG and for all the other music based shows that it will continue to generate in the future.  Thank you for not being afraid to celebrate the richness of our music!  I love it.