Celebrating Black Excellence: Must-See Films, TV Shows, Albums and Books of the Last Decade

It is officially Black History Month – a time to celebrate the rich cultural tapestry, resilience, and achievements of individuals throughout Black history. And yes, while that should happen every day; because February is officially designated as Black History Month, I feel it’s only right that I acknowledge it with a specific post.

Unquestionably, there is a plethora of resources and literature on various black history topics, which means there is no way to make a definitive list. However, I wanted to share a few films, television shows, music, and books that have shaped the last decade of black history and culture.  

Here is a curated list of must-see films, television shows, albums, and books to explore this Black History Month.

Films:

• Black Panther – Marvel’s groundbreaking superhero film not only shattered box office records but also brought Afrofuturism to the forefront.

• 12 Years a Slave – Based on Solomon Northup’s memoir, the Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture, offers a raw portrayal of slavery in America, while showcasing the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

• Moonlight – Another Best Picture winner, Moonlight is a poignant coming-of-age story that explores identity, toxic masculinity, and love within the Black gay community.

• Selma – Chronicling the historic 1965 marches from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights, this film is a stirring reminder of the tireless fight for civil rights led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Television Shows:

• When They See Us – This gripping miniseries by Ava DuVernay tells the harrowing true story of the Central Park Five, nee The Exonerated Five, highlighting the many racial injustices and flaws within the criminal justice system.

• Dear White People – A witty and insightful satire, this Netflix series delved into the experiences of Black students at a predominantly white Ivy League university, tackling issues of race, identity, and activism.

• The 1619 Project – Adapted from a New York Times journalism project, the six-episode anthology series is a blistering and unflinching examination of slavery in the United States through various themes and cultural expressions. 

• Black-ish – Created by Kenya Barris, Black-ish offered a humorous yet insightful exploration of contemporary Black family life, addressing social issues with wit and warmth. A must-watch for its blend of comedy and cultural commentary.

Albums:

• To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar – A masterful blend of jazz, funk, and hip-hop, Kendrick Lamar’s magnum opus explores themes of racial inequality, identity, and self-discovery with poetic lyricism and musical innovation. Also, he was totally robbed at the Grammys for Album of the Year (just saying…). 

• Lemonade by Beyoncé – Through a stirring mix of genres, including R&B, pop, and country, Beyonce’s visual album is a powerful ode to Black womanhood, showcasing various themes, including love, betrayal, resilience, and empowerment.

• Ctrl by SZA – Before the career-defining success of SOS, there was Ctrl, SZA’s debut studio album. A raw and vulnerable exploration of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, the album features soulful vocals and introspective lyrics.

• Black Panther: The Album by Various Artists – Curated by Kendrick Lamar, the soundtrack to the billion-dollar Marvel film is a musical celebration of Black excellence and African culture, featuring a diverse lineup of artists and genres.

Books:

• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates – Coates’ powerful and intimate letter to his son explores the realities of being Black in America, tackling issues of racism, identity, and systemic oppression.

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – This groundbreaking YA novel follows the aftermath of a police shooting through the eyes of black teenager Starr Carter. It offers a raw and unflinching look at race relations and activism.

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – Gyasi’s sweeping debut novel follows the descendants of two half-sisters, one sold into slavery and the other married off to a British slave-owner. Spanning continents and centuries, Homegoing offers a profound exploration of the intergenerational trauma of slavery and the enduring legacy of family ties.

• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead – This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel reimagines the Underground Railroad as a literal train network, following the journey of a young enslaved woman named Cora. Whitehead’s gripping storytelling shines a light on the harrowing realities of slavery while infusing elements of magical realism.

Whether on screen, in music, or through literature, there is a wealth of wisdom and creativity to explore this Black History Month. Let us take the time to honor and uplift these diverse voices, stories, and contributions and remember to celebrate Black excellence not just in February, but every day of the year.

10 Essential Albums to Get Through Isolation

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” (Plato) – isn’t that the truth. And as we all continue to make sense of our current reality and try to put our best foot forward, the healing power of music has never been more essential.

So if you’re looking for another playlist to add to your growing musical library, here is a suggested list of some essential albums to help get you through any mood you’re currently in. As an aside, most of these suggestions could fit multiple categories.

1. For Having a Dance Party – 24K Magic by Bruno Mars. Thirty-three minutes of just pure unadulterated fun. An eclectic mix of Pop, Soul, R&B, and Funk, Mars channeled all his musical idols to deliver a sound that was both retro yet modern, classic yet experimental. Arguably one of the best male artists out today, Bruno Mars has a way of giving you what you didn’t even know you wanted or needed. Good luck staying seated during the singles 24K Magic, Finesse, That’s What I Like… I could go on.

 

2. For Staying Calm and Easing Anxiety – Come Away With Me by Norah Jones. Seriously, I dare you to suggest a more calming musical voice than Norah Jones’. Subtle, yet powerful; listening to Norah Jones is like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold morning. There’s just a calm and a softness that envelopes you when listening to her music. And Come Away With Me is truly her magnum opus. Falling and being in love never sounded so good.

 

3. For Nostalgia – Legend by Bob Marley. The title of this greatest hits compilation is pretty apt. Because there really is no other word to describe what Bob Marley meant to reggae and music in general and the legacy he left behind. And whether you were alive or not during his years of success (I wasn’t), this album is a perfect representation of his musical legacy.

 

4. For Singing Along (Loudly) – 21 by Adele. Admit it, you probably already have, numerous times. I mean come on, who wasn’t singing along to every song on 21, back in 2011-2012. And yes, for anyone who’d ever had their heart broken, was going through a breakup, you probably dramatically sang along with tears streaming down your face as you reminisced about the one that got away or the asshole you hoped to never see again. So go on and let it rip once more, and belt out Someone Like You to your heart’s content.

 

5. For Introspection – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. Against a backdrop of various musical styles that celebrates the black tradition, i.e. Funk, Jazz, Soul, R&B, and Spoken Word, Kendrick Lamar delivered a musical masterpiece that explores the themes of race, culture, discrimination, mental health, and self-identity. Jam along to I, pump your fists to Alright or contemplate your own socially conscious journey with The Blacker the Berry. From beginning to end, every song on To Pimp a Butterfly will make you feel something, make you question your own beliefs and values and those of the world around you. Not one song on this album is filler. It’s all part of a masterfully constructed dialogue between an artist and his audience.

 

6. For An Underrated Artist – Body Talk by Robyn. Chances are you’ve probably already heard and been singing along for years, to Dancing on My Own by Robyn. It was the unofficial theme song for Girls and in 2015, Calum Scott became a worldwide sensation for his beautiful cover, which he first performed on Britain’s Got Talent. But trust me when I say, Dancing on My Own is just a tease of how incredible Robyn’s music is. Body Talk is chock-full of her signature Pop/Dance infused ballads. A mix of electro-pop, reggae-funk, you never stop moving all the while you go through a roller coaster of emotions.

 

7. For Feeling Like a BOSS – Lemonade by Beyonce. Let’s face it, is there any other choice? From “middle fingers up” to “fucking up all his shit” to pushing and keeping on no matter what because “a winner don’t quit on themselves”, Queen Bey will have you booty popping while feeling like you have the strength and power to conquer the whole damn world.

 

8. For a Classic – Purple Rain by Prince. All hail his majesty. Still one of the greatest albums of all time. Just a solid collection of pop perfection from beginning to end. What could the man not do? Singer, songwriter, musician – Prince did it all and did it all brilliantly. And Purple Rain is without question the seminal album of his illustrious career. So go on and get crazy and have a Prince Party.

 

9. For a Comeback – Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple. For her first album in eight years, Apple delivers a collection of songs that continues down the whimsical and off the beaten path that’s been the cornerstone of her career. Listening to this album will leave you feeling confused (there are some very interesting sounds on there), amused, enchanted, and spellbound. Because no matter how weird it gets and it gets plenty weird, you can’t turn away from it.

 

10. For a Great Soundtrack – 8 Mile Soundtrack by Various Artists. I swear this is not because of Eminem’s surprise performance of Lose Yourself at this year’s Oscar ceremony – at least it’s not the sole reason. Because admittedly, that appearance reminded many, in case they’d forgotten, just how brilliant said song is. But here’s a little secret, the entire 8 Mile Soundtrack is brilliant. While Lose Yourself is understandably the standout, Eminem’s masterful wordplay and delivery in Rabbit Run and 8 Mile showcases him at his absolute best. Jay-Z’s appearance on 8 Miles and Runnin is Hov doing what Hov does best. Even the non-rap songs were amazing. So if you’re looking for a great movie soundtrack to jam to and not feeling Disney at the moment, get reacquainted with this classic.

And there you have it. Just a few musical suggestions for your next private listening party. What are some of your musical picks that you’ve been jamming to?

Design of a Decade – 10 Biggest Pop Culture Trends/Moments of the 2010s (Part 2)

And now it’s time to break down the remaining five moments and/or trends I believe defined and shaped pop culture in the last ten years.

In case you missed it, click here to read my first five.

1. LGBTQI Representation – The 2010s was a very successful decade for LGBTQI representation, with significant strides being made in the media portrayal of various members of the community. It was a particularly significant decade for transgender representation in mainstream media and pop culture. We saw the breakout of various transgender actors/actresses and activists, including Laverne Cox, Jazz Jennings, Janet Mock and more; as well as the first mainstream television show featuring a core cast of transgender actors, i.e. Pose. The decade also saw a significant rise in the representation of people of color of the LGTBQI community. Per GLAAD’s 2018 annual diversity report, it was found that for the first time ever, LGBTQI people of color actually outnumbered white LGBTQI characters across various entertainment and media shows. Moonlight, a film featuring the story a young gay black man, won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, in 2017. There is still a long way to go but very important steps were made in terms of members of the LGBTQI community seeing themselves represented in mainstream media.

 

2. The Reign of Queen Bey – When the decade started, we were still recovering from the reign of Sasha Fierce and all likely still doing the Single Ladies dance. The world was pumped and ready for what Queen Bey was going to deliver next. And then came 4. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a bad album. In fact, it was actually a very good album. But it wasn’t exactly what the world had come to expect from Beyonce. And so the album did merely okay, with the lead single Girls (Who Runs the World), a pale shadow of the success of Single Ladies. However, what many did not yet realize, is that 4 was only the warm-up act for what was to come. The 2010s Beyonce was no longer the young woman from Destiny’s Child. She was now a wife and in early 2012, became a mom. And on New Year’s Eve, 2013, the world got to hear just how much she’d grown into a more sexually confident, bold and aggressive woman, with the release of the self-titled, Beyonce album. With no warning, the pop culture universe went into mass Beyonce meltdown when just before the clock struck midnight in 2014, Queen Bey unleashed her boldest album to date. And then came Lemonade in 2016. Where the Beyonce album was intimate on a sexual and passionate level, Lemonade brought us into the singer’s life on a deeply personal level she’d never shared before. It was angry, heartbreaking, aggressive, inspiring and hopeful. As the decade comes to a close, the cult of Beyonce shows no signs of slowing down. Bow down, indeed.

 

3. Marvel Dominates – It all began with a little film called Iron Man, in 2008. A lot was riding on the success or failure of the film, as it was the first major motion picture produced by Marvel Studios. Up to this point, while many of Stan Lee’s legendary Marvel characters had been immortalized on film, most notably Spiderman, they had all been produced and owned by various other motion picture studios. Any fears were soon squelched, as the film soared at the box office, grossing over $500 million worldwide, proving to be a critical as well as commercial success. By the start of the decade, Marvel Studios had followed up the success of Iron Man with the releases of The Incredible Hulk and the equally successful Iron Man 2. That was only the beginning and a mere morsel of what was to come. Marvel would go on to dominate the box office throughout the 2010s, releasing a total of 20 films, including the critical and commercial blockbusters Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. And the studio’s reign on the box office shows no sign of slowing down, heading into the 2020s, having just announced the cast and films for Phase Four of the franchise’s legacy.

 

4. Taylor Swift – Whether you love her or hate her, it’s hard to deny the formidable force that was Taylor Swift in the 2010s. Whether it was breaking records on the music charts, selling out stadiums around the world, speculation, and gossip about her love life or feuds with Kimye and Scooter Braun, Ms. Swift was hard to escape this past decade. 2010 started with Swift still riding high on the success of her Grammy Award-winning album Fearless. Speak Now, her third full-length studio album, would soon follow later that year, though not to the same level of success as Fearless. It would also be the last of Swift’s albums to be considered “country”. 2012’s Red was critically considered one of, if not her best work. However, it was 2014’s 1989 that introduced the music world to full-fledged Pop Queen Taylor Swift. Shedding all pretenses of being country, Swift wholly embraced her new pop persona, complete with the sounds of legendary pop music producer, Max Martin. 1989 would grant Swift her biggest selling album to date and her second Album of the Year win at the Grammy Awards (*cough, Kendrick was robbed, cough*). It was and currently still is, the highest commercial and critical point of her career. Of course, you know what they say, the higher you reach, the greater the fall. And while Swift is still seeing strong success with her music, some incredible personal woes followed the success of 1989. It started with her breakup with Calvin Harris, which was soon followed by an inescapable whirlwind romance with Tom Hiddleston. A relationship that left many scratching their heads and mocking the two mercilessly. To no one’s surprise, the relationship died as quickly as it started. Then came a revival of the Taylor vs. Kanye saga, complete with Kim Kardashian exposing videos suggesting that Swift lied about having knowledge of Kanye’s controversial song Famous, prior to its release. #TaylorSwiftisOver quickly began trending all over social media and mayhem ensured. Swift disappeared from the public eye for almost a year and a half, returning with her album Reputation, for which she did virtually no media promotion, saving all her responses to the controversy, for the songs on the album. As the decade comes to a close, Swift is locked in a vicious legal battle with Scooter Braun and her former label manager, Scott Borchetta, over ownership of her Masters. Oh, and she also starred in Cats, which bombed spectacularly at the box office (if you want to see what true savagery is, I suggest reading some of the reviews for the film if you haven’t already). It’s not all bad though. She is ending the year with the number one selling album for the year, with Lover and she’s seemingly very happy in what is at this point her longest relationship, with British actor Joe Alwyn. As you can probably tell, this turned out to be the longest paragraph of this post. Because as I said at the start, love or hate her, it’s hard to deny the dominance Taylor Swift has had on pop culture in the last decade – be it professionally or personally.

 

5. MeToo/TimesUp Movement – It all started in October 2017, when The New York Times and The New Yorker, simultaneously published bombshell articles alleging that Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein had sexually harassed, abused and raped dozens of women over multiple decades. The article spread like wildfire and soon took on a whole new life when multiple women publicly came out to share their own stories of being harassed, abused or raped by Weinstein. One of the most famous names to come forward was Gwyneth Paltrow, who admitted that in her early days of working with Weinstein and his legendary studio Miramax, the former inappropriately came on to her. As more women came forward, other women felt more emboldened to share their stories and soon a wave of social activism against the systemic abuse of men in the industry against women, erupted. Actresses, writers, directors, crew members, etc. all came forward to share their stories of being harassed in some form or another or sometimes violently assaulted by fellow actors or male directors, producers, etc. Along with Weinstein, the movement saw the takedown of once-legendary entertainers like Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, news media mogul Roger Ailes and news anchors Bill O’Reilly and Matt Lauer, just to name a few. It is hard to say yet how much the industry has truly been changed for the better since the movement began. Some criticism has even been sparked, with a few voices declaring that it was less a movement and more a trend/fad that will disappear as quickly as it started. Only time will tell of course, but if nothing else, the situation allowed for some very critical conversations about the struggles of women in the industry, at the hands of powerful men and more importantly, some of those once very powerful men are now paying for their crimes.

And because this would have been way too long, had I also discussed some of my favorite films, albums, books, etc. of the past decade, I’ve decided to end this article by simply listing my top five for each category. My favorite songs were impossible to pin down to only five and so that ended up being ten.

Movies

• Spotlight
• The Social Network
• The King’s Speech
• Moonlight
• Inside Out

Music

• 25 – Adele
• The Truth About Love – P!nk
• Recovery – Eminem
• Lemonade – Beyonce
• To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar

Books

• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
• Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
• More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
• The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
• Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Television Shows

• Mr. Robot
• The Crown
• Hannibal
• Stranger Things
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Songs

• Love the Way You Lie – Eminem feat. Rihanna
• Someone Like You – Adele
• Sorry – Beyonce
• The Blacker the Berry – Kendrick Lamar
• Dancing on My Own – Robyn
• Fire Away – Chris Stapleton
• Raise Your Glass – P!nk
• Happier – Ed Sheeran
• Young & Beautiful – Lana del Ray
• Chandelier – Sia

6 Biggest Pop Culture Stories of 2016

Where does one even begin in summarizing this crazy roller coaster that was 2016? To say the year had its fair share of insanity and WTF moments would be an understatement. There were also many – too many – moments of heartbreak and disappointment. And as is often the case, pop culture was at the forefront of many of the year’s biggest moments.

1. Celebrity Deaths – There is a reason death is referred to as the great equalizer. Because when it’s all said and done, it’s the one thing, no matter how rich, famous and successful, one cannot avoid. So yes, celebrities die – we all know that. But this year has seemed particularly brutal regarding celebrity deaths. It started early in the year, with the death of glam rock icon David Bowie. That was soon followed by Alan Rickman and it just never stopped – Prince, Muhammad Ali, Leonard Cohen, Alan Thicke, Florence Henderson, Gary Shandling, Anton Yelchin and so many more. And just as we thought there may be some reprieve in the final days of the year, came the shocking news of George Michael’s death at only 53, quickly followed by Carrie Fisher, who had suffered a massive heart attack a few days earlier. In the two days I took to write this blog and publish it, Fisher’s mother, legendary Hollywood actress, Debbie Reynolds passed away, one day after her daughter. Hopefully, 2017 is a little kinder.

 

2. Brangelina Split – I’ll admit it, I was rooting them. One, because as shallow as it may be, I thought they made a stunning pair. Two, I thought the whole Team Aniston v. Team Jolie pop culture battle was stupid. People divorce and marry others all the time in the world, much less in the world of celebrities and yet so many treated this like it was the most scandalous situation to ever hit Hollywood, which meant the tabloids and fans never moved on. And three, I was rooting for them because so many were not and instead were hoping they would split to gloat about how they knew it wouldn’t last. If for no other reason, I wanted them to last just to prove all these people wrong. Petty, sure but I never said I was a bastion of maturity. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be and with this split came the end of a gorgeous (did I mention really gorgeous) era.

 

3. #OscarsSoWhite Controversy – Earlier this year, a firestorm of controversy followed the announcement of the 2016 Oscar nominees, when for the second year in a row, all the actors nominated were white. You can read my thoughts on the controversy here. The backlash was significant enough to inspire some significant changes in the makeup of the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Sciences, including the decision to add more minorities and women to the voting board, as well as limit members’ voting status to ten years. It remains to be seen if these changes will result in any positive long term changes but they are certainly steps in the right direction.

 

4. The Kimye Trifecta – If you’ve been reading my blog often, you’d know that I tend to avoid all things Kardashian as much possible. No disrespect to them and anyone who likes them but I have honestly never found a single thing interesting or fascinating about this family. Regarding Kanye West, however, I have admittedly been a fan since his debut album and despite some questionable behavior in recent years, believe that he is without a doubt, one of the most talented and prolific musical artists. That said, it would be virtually impossible to recap the year in pop culture without acknowledging the saga of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West that included a Paris robbery, exposing an A-List pop star on social media and ending with a mental hospital stay. To say that this year has been a roller coaster in the Kardashian-West household would be an understatement. Hopefully things end on a more positive note and 2017 brings more joy and success and less drama.

 

5. Taylor Swift Unmasked – 2016 started on a pretty high note for Taylor Swift. At February’s Grammy Award ceremony, she won her second Album of the Year award for her smash hit album 1989, making her the first female solo artist to win two AOTY awards. All this before the age of 30 (whether or not she deserved the win is certainly debatable and you can read my opinion here). But by mid-year, things started taking a rather strange turn. First, there was the breakup with Calvin Harris. It certainly wasn’t the worst thing in the world. They’d been together almost a year and a half (a lifetime in Hollywood and certainly Swift’s longest relationship), were still young and things seemed fairly amicable at first. However, a mere two weeks later, British tabloid The Sun posted exclusive pictures of Swift and Tom Hiddleston kissing and cuddling on some rocks near her Rhode Island home. The two had first been seen dancing at the MET Gala after party, some months prior. And thus began the whirlwind “love story” of Hiddleswift – complete with “I Heart Taylor” vest worn by Tom (seriously, he’s never living that one down) and trip down under, where Tom returned to film the latest Thor film. Spoiler alert, it didn’t last. As quickly as it started, Hiddleswift was over and left many scratching their heads wondering “what the hell was that”? But that surprisingly, wasn’t the biggest Swift scandal of the year. In the midst of the Hiddleswift publicity storm came a war of words on Twitter from ex Calvin Harris, after Swift admitted to being a ghostwriter on Calvin’s hit song This Is What You Came For. In a series of tweets, naturally since deleted, Calvin called Taylor out on her vindictiveness, going as far as publicly stating what many already knew, that Bad Blood was indeed her attack on Katy Perry. And then things got even more interesting. After calling Taylor out in a print interview for playing the victim, Kim Kardashian posted video clips on her Snapchat of Kanye calling Taylor about his song Famous and seemingly, as he had previously claimed, asking her permission to use a line about her. Swift responded by insisting that what she always said she was offended about was being referred to as “that bitch” and the videos did not show her agreeing to this. Whether you were Team Taylor or Team Kimye, what was truly fascinating was seeing the immediate gleeful social media backlash against Taylor. Snake emojis and hashtags galore were being posted all over twitter and Instagram. It was obvious that many seemed to have been waiting with baited breath for Swift’s fall from grace. However, judging by the immediate rise and success of her single with former One Directioner Zayn Malik, one will have to wait a little longer for that complete fall from grace. That said, it was certainly fascinating watching a few cracks exposed in the perfect, shiny halo.

 

6. Beyonce Makes Lemonade out of Lemons – Unlike her last visual album, this time many knew a new album was coming from Beyonce. The signs were all there and she wasn’t particularly subtle or sneaky about it. And still, many were left stunned when Queen Bey released her sixth studio album and arguably her best, Lemonade. Because this time, it wasn’t about the element of surprise and the unexpected visual presentation but rather the raw honesty of the songs from an artist that has always been famously very, very private. On Lemonade Ms. Bey seemed to put all her emotional hurt, pain and anger bare on display for all the world to see…or did she? We still don’t really know who “Becky with the good hair” is, we still don’t really know for a fact if there were even marriage problems between her and Jay-Z or if this was simply an artistic presentation of a fictional story. Because Beyonce’s certainly not telling. And that was the brilliance of this era – it got people talking, speculating, making assumptions, made people believe they were finally seeing an honest and intimate part of Beyonce, all while she never confirmed or denied anything. It is true that most artists tell their truth through their art so you can argue the album did all her talking for her. And maybe that’s true or maybe it’s not. And that is the enigma of Lemonade. The possible personal nature of the songs aside, many consider this album Beyonce’s greatest artistic achievement also for the fact that it pushed her far outside her musical comfort zone. The album saw her experiment with sounds she never had before and rather than an inconsistent mess, which is always a risk when making an album so eclectic, the end result was a cohesive collection of songs from beginning to end.