December 2021
2021 was much harder for me than 2020! I experienced personal loss in 2021 and while I can bounce back from most things, I now realize that grief takes time! Witnessing my grandparents experience loss with grace time and time again, I’ve fought grief most of my life! Knowing that death is ultimately part of the process like the title of Jim Morrison’s biography, No One Here Gets Out Alive!
”Who has time for grief when there’s so much to do and so little time…” has been my mantra for decades. I always feel like the clock is a-ticking… and one day it will stop for me, too. However, my body wasn’t haven’t it, this time, and, by the end of year, my energy level was at an all-time low. While I was able to accomplish a lot in the fourth quarter, I’m beginning the new year behind… Trying to use the short winter break to tie up loose ends, reflect upon last year, and prepare for this one… I’m behind with this newsletter among several other personal and work projects. So, I’m sure I’ll omit something important here with the final issue for 2021!
My simple message to you for the new year is to make time to fellowship with your family and friends! Tomorrow is never promised! You’ll never know when the moment you share will be your last!
Featured in the Journal of Popular Music Studies
I am thrilled to have the transcript of my virtual talk, “Conjuring the Prince Mystique” from the virtual 78-88: Prince, The First Decade: An Interdisciplinary Conference, 3 - 5 June 2021 (organized by Dr. Kirsty Fairclough, Dr. Mike Alleyne, and Kristen Zschomler) included in the Journal of Popular Music Studies, Volume 33, Number 4, pp. 23–27 (Electronic ISSN: 1533-1598).
This issue features a digital lecture roundup, book reviews, and a special issue on music and gentrification. Check it out if you have access to an academic library!
If you don’t have access, you can always watch the video from my personal archives:
Many thanks to outgoing editors Robin James and Eric Weisbard for selecting my talk as exemplary of the online style of conference presentations that COVID-19 generated, among several other presentations.
Also, Congratulations to one of the incoming editors to the Journal of Popular Music Studies, my purple friend and one of the core four: Elliott H. Powell!
Interviewed by C.L. Johnson for the Purple Knights podcast
Massive Thanks to Chris for the invitation and interview. Definitely subscribe to the Purple Knights podcast if you don’t already do so. Chris is a very thorough and thoughtful interviewer.
Spoke at the 2nd Dayton Funk Symposium
I was honored to present “Pour Some Water On Me: Prince and the Ohio Players” at the 2nd Annual Dayton Funk Symposium, at the University of Ohio in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday, 6 November 2021.
Abstract:
In Prince’s incomplete and posthumous memoir, The Beautiful Ones, the Ohio Players is referenced four times. However, Prince’s love of the Ohio Players was evident, decades before the release of this book. Prince has covered Ohio Players’ classics, such as “Skin Tight,” “I Want To Be Free,” “Love Rollercoaster,” and “Heaven Must Be Like This,” in numerous rehearsals, shows, and after shows over the years. However, the Ohio Players are rarely discussed as one of Prince’s influences by music critics. This talk will attempt to deconstruct why, while also exploring Prince’s funk roots and influences.
James "Diamond" Williams, drummer of the Ohio Players, attended my talk AND remembered my family, vividly. What an honor & privilege! I will never ever forget that moment. FLOORED!
#ThisYear
What’s in store this year:
A 2-day virtual #SexyMF30 Symposium, celebrating Prince’s Symbol album on 26-27 March 2022! More details are forthcoming…
A #W2AVC After Salon in August 2022 in the spirit of 2020’s #SOTTSDC After Salons! We only scratched the surface with 2021’s Welcome 2 America Virtual Celebration (#W2AVC). However, we need time to marinate on & live with this record. The album deserves repeat listening! I don't want the conversations surrounding this release to die!
To catch up on the original conversations, visit: https://w2avc.polishedsolid.com/media/(Hopefully) a hybrid, if not virtual, 3-day #TripleThreat40 Symposium, celebrating Prince’s 1999, Vanity 6 & What Time Is It? in Fall 2022!
We're super excited! We hope you R 2!
Thanks for reading! If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, you can read previous issues in the archive. If you are not a subscriber, please consider becoming one and/or spreading the word with your purple friends.
Celebrating My Purple Peeps!
TOMORROW→ This should be a whole lotta fun! I am not involved. I'm just helping to spread the word!
In addition to becoming one of the editors of the Journal of Popular Music, Elliott H. Powell was also featured in the September 2021 issue!
MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Miles Marshall Lewis for his latest book, Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar!
I joke a lot about and with Miles Marshall Lewis because he’s one of my dearest Prince friends, but, at the end of the day, MML is one of the best to ever do it when it comes to music journalism and musicology. Please support his latest book. Pick up a copy and read it!
VISIONS Episode 01: Clouds
There is a smorgasbord of Prince fan content released almost daily. Keeping up is a full-time job and all-consuming. However, from the volumes of 2021, VISIONS Episode 01: Clouds by Edgar Kruize is a must-watch.
Edgar,
The amount of detail and love you always put in the details is always a cut above what anyone else would do! I appreciate ALL that you do to keep Prince’s legacy alive. I’m so lucky to call you one of my Prince friends! I can’t wait for Episode 02, but take your time! I’ll take quality over quantity!
A VERY IMPORTANT READ! Thanks for this KaNisa Williams AKA Darling Nisi!
P.S. Jackson State's Marching Band
C. Liegh sent me this link from JSU's marching band performing a Prince tribute during half-time. When they form Prince's name, I got quite emotional. I love seeing the younger generation keeping Prince’s memory and music alive.
I wish they would have played Jungle Love longer!
Rest In Power Michael K. Williams!🖤
Your light shined SO bright! NO ONE could embody a character as you did. You are sorely missed.
While watching The Harder They Fall, all I could think about is how you would have elevated this film. You always added levels to everything!
Rest In Love Greg Tate!🖤
I read Greg Tate's work before I met him. He agreed to speak at my Betty Davis Symposium in 2018. He was as kind as he was brilliant! He became 1 of my biggest advocates, always looking out for me. He didn't have to. That was Greg's generosity of spirit.
I will always remember our conversation before the Town Hall event in NYC celebrating Prince's autobiography, The Beautiful Ones. We shared a meal together & talked for a full hour about Prince. There were many others in the same room including Levi Seacer, Jr. He didn't have to talk 2 me but he did!
1 of the greatest memories of my life was the honor & privilege to share the stage with him on Monday, November 18, 2019. His vivaciousness shines through in this photo. He will continue 2 be a beacon of light through his words.
I am STILL in shock... I wish this wasn't true. He will be missed!
P.S. K-ROB is Dead (inside joke that only Kevin would get)🖤
Kevin J. Roberts (17 May 1969 – 26 September 2021) was like the older brother I never had, but in fact, did have because he. was. my. brother.
The following 2 photos are the only 2 photos I have with Kevin and I only got these after attending his funeral. We NEVER thought about taking photos. Also, we didn’t have smartphones back then.
We were also ALWAYS doing something… going to a concert or film, or talking for hours about music, philosophy or life. We attended one of his friend’s weddings, and this friend happened to be at the funeral. I told him my only regret is that I had no pictures of Kevin and me. Sean came to the rescue. THANK YOU, Sean!
Kevin was one of my dearest friends if not the dearest. I know for a fact he was the one friend who constantly challenged me. So rare. He had a MASSIVE impact (an understatement) on who I am today.
I've had so many conversations with him over the years that I started having conversations with him in my head because
#1 I'm hardheaded and wouldn't listen to him and
#2 As a result, he would repeat himself often to me.
#3 So, I knew what he would say without him having to say it.
This turned out to be a blessing and a curse…
Countless concerts for us (a ton of Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, and Follow For Now in particular.
I met Kevin after the first night of 2 nights of Prince's Lovesexy Tour on either 13 or 14 October 1988 at The Omni (which was torn down a very long time ago) in Atlanta, GA, walking out of the show.
I remember when he promised to take me to a Beastie Boys / Fishbone show but he forgot to get the tickets. I made him take me anyway, telling him that he betta find us some tickets and we did from someone (who little would I know) would also become very important to me. All of my true friends are Prince friends / music heads and Kevin was no different.
And countless movies… ONLY KEVIN would accompany me to see Wild Orchid *at least* 5 or 6 times IN THE THEATER on distinct days. He thought I was absolutely nuts, but he never said no when I said, let's go see Wild Orchid, again, to feed my Mickey Rourke obsession at the time. We did the same thing with Eddie Murphy’s Boomerang.
On my 40th bday, I wanted to do something I had never done before so I came out to LA for the first time. Kevin and I went to go see Vincent Gallo which was a rare treat. Gallo’s When never left my playlist for several years; I was obsessed with its beauty despite the artist. I'll never forget that visit. It was my first time at the original Amoeba Records in Hollywood. Kevin offered to take me back a second time. I refused because I had already spent too much money there during the first visit. I remember the majesty of that Arc Light movie theater. He wanted me to take his car to drive around while he was working, but I refused and walked around instead. He would chide me, "Nobody walks in LA," knowing I'd get the Missing Persons reference. I could go on and on and on and on, but won't...
The one thing he told me quite early on is that I ALWAYS have choices. This is a lesson that I've constantly had to learn and relearn until this very day at 51!
His words continue to live within me as they always have, but it’s not the same, knowing he is no longer here…
Here are a couple of photos I shot and developed in the darkroom. I needed to do a photoshoot with someone for my photography class at Georgia State University. I only had to ask. He always said, “Sure! Let’s do it!” He was that kind of friend!
Suffice it to say, "There can be only one!"