Toots and the Maytals, originally called The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. Frontman Toots Hibbert's soulful vocal style has been compared to Otis Redding, and led him to be named one of the 100 Greatest Singers … [Read more...] about Wednesday Open Thread: The History of Blacks and SKA music
Tuesday Open Thread: The History of Blacks and SKA music
The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period. They reformed in 1983 and have played together ever since. … [Read more...] about Tuesday Open Thread: The History of Blacks and SKA music
Monday Open Thread: The History of Blacks and SKA music
This week's open threads will highlight how ska at one time was a black music genre derived from reggae and mento. Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box — a large mbira in the shape of a box that … [Read more...] about Monday Open Thread: The History of Blacks and SKA music
Sunday Musical Open Thread: MC Lyte’s in da House!
MC Lyte (born Lana Michelle Moorer; October 11, 1970) is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. She has long been considered one of hip-hop's pioneer feminists. … [Read more...] about Sunday Musical Open Thread: MC Lyte’s in da House!
Saturday Open Thread: African-Americans and the Labor Union Movement
James v. Marinship was a California Supreme Court decision that ruled that jobs requiring labor union membership could not exclude blacks or other racial groups. The Marinship Corporation operated various shipyards and was involved in the building of various ships and vessels during the wartime era. The respondent, Joseph James, was an employee of the Marinship Corporation. … [Read more...] about Saturday Open Thread: African-Americans and the Labor Union Movement