Aug. 15, 2018 | Felix Contreras -- Some folks around the NPR Music office said they felt an almost spiritual connection to Erykah Badu during her visit to the Tiny Desk. And that was before she and her band even played a single note. It came from the waft of earthly scents that followed in her wake, to the flowing dreads and clothes that hung on her like robes.

After her self-introduction, which included a rundown of her spiritual and creative aliases, Badu rolled into one of her earliest musical calling cards, "Rimshot." It's an ode to the sound the percussionist makes when a drumstick is struck against the metal edge of the snare drum. On this performance, as on her 1997 album Baduizm, it becomes a device to play with time — stretching it, stopping it, suspending it. Propelled by jazz chords on the piano and the steady pulse of the acoustic bass, the playful performance unfolded in the tradition of the best bebop.

But the panoramic song "Green Eyes" is the centerpiece of Badu's Tiny Desk performance. It's wide-ranging in scope and musical arrangement and brilliantly executed by the jazz and hip-hop musicians in her backing band. The story of heartbreak is striking enough, but her interpretation showcases her formidable vocal skills. By the time it was over, we were all just as emotionally and spiritually spent as she was from the experience.

Erykah Badu is an artist for the ages. To old-school jazz fans like myself, names like Nina Simone, Betty Carter and Shirley Horn come to mind as much as Billie Holiday because of Badu's singular approach to a lyric. They all cut their own creative path and left behind a legacy that you can identify with just one note. Erykah Badu is on that same path, and one day her name will be mentioned along with the other Elders who share her spirit of musical adventure.

Set List
"Rimshot"
"Green Eyes"

Musicians
Erykah Badu (lead vocals), RC Williams (Keys), Braylon Lacy (bass), Cleon Edwards (Drums), Frank Moka (Percussion), Kenneth Whalum (Sax), Keyon Harrold (Trumpet), Dwayne Kerr (Flute)

Credits
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Khun Minn Ohn, CJ Riculan; Production Assistants: Catherine Zhang, Téa Mottolese; Photo: Morgan Noelle Smith/NPR.

NPR Music's Tiny Desk series will celebrate Black History Month with Tiny Desk (home) concerts featuring legends in the world of R&B, jazz, gospel, and hip hop. Each artist in this legacy lineup has helped to define Black music as we know it and will be performing a Tiny Desk concert for the first time.

Bobby Carter | February 4, 2022
Around this time last year, singer-songwriter and R&B royalty El DeBarge took to Instagram to take some requests and play a few hits. "I'd never done anything like that before, and the nerves were showing," he told me. That 23-minute live performance ignited a comeback of sorts, and the greats of today, many of whom he's influenced, wanted to be near him. That video reminded us of his greatness, and stars like Alicia Keys, Fat Joe, and Questlove helped make 2021 a busy year for the torchbearer of the DeBarge moniker. For his Tiny Desk (home) concert, he didn't want to veer far away from what he did on IG, and I quickly concurred. He got together with guitarist, Bennett Walker to play this intimate set of DeBarge classics.

In terms of sheer talent alone, the DeBarge family was arguably on par with the Jacksons at one point. That talent propelled them to the stars in the 1970s and '80s, cranking out hit records and cookout classics. Switch, featuring siblings Bobby and Tommy DeBarge, came first. A couple of years later, the group DeBarge arrived, consisting of siblings James, Bunny, Mark, Randy, and El. Their five albums and El's solo work were a massive part of Motown's success and helped sustain the label in the '80s.

Despite the well-documented odds he's faced over the years, this set feels like a triumph. His voice has aged with grace, and that signature falsetto we've all attempted while singing these songs is perfection here. From his cozy home studio, the Michigan native breezes through a few of his R&B standards, including "All This Love," "Time Will Reveal," "Love Me In A Special Way," and in honor of Black History Month, he reworks "A Dream" as a dedication to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

SET LIST
All This Love
Time Will Reveal
A Dream (Dedication to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)
Love Me In A Special Way

MUSICIANS
El DeBarge: vocals, keys
Bennett Walker: guitar

CREDITS
Video: Stephen Clay and Declan Osborne
Audio: Bennett Walker

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Producer: Joshua Bryant
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis, Ashley Pointer
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#eldebarge #nprmusic #tinydesk #bhmxnprmusic

Alex sits with Dr. Vonnetta L. West, Rev. Joshua Lazard and Tiffanie Mackey to discuss integrity, morality -- and what those two things have in common with black pastors and Donald Trump. A number of these pastors were set to meet with Donald Trump to discuss prison reform -- somehow, the introductions got the best of them.

With the continuation of the Hear Me series, Unmuted Nation is keeping it raw and uncut by unpacking stigma, bias and heartfelt truths with our Transwoman & Transman Hear Me episodes. In True #UnmutedNation fashion, We go where NO ONE has gone before. TONIGHT: Black Transman: Hear Me with Alex Haynes (@AlexUnmuted) and very special guest Sydney Baloue!

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Catch the latest Black Headlines, breaking news, updates on entertainment, politics and current events.

Tonight:

- FEMA workers in North Carolina threatened

- Kamala Harris policy proposal for Black men

- Sean 'Diddy' Combs lawsuits

- Zelig Williams missing case

- Protesters at NYSE over Gaza attacks

more!

Listen, Watch, Share, Comment!

#blacknews

As he feels pushed further and further into actual adulthood our resident member of Gen Z wants to know how the things one finds joy in changes as they age.

This question sparks a journey for this weeks conversation around the pleasures in life and how one goes about defining them for themselves in this overstimulating age.

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It seems Diddy is about to break under the weight of the lawsuits and scandals that have been mounted against him in recent months. Sean Diddy Combs, who these days goes by the name Love or Brother Love.

The last four weeks have been a serious mess for Diddy, even if the music mogul wouldn't admit that.

On November 16, Cassie, an ex-girlfriend, filed a lawsuit accusing the hip-hop mainstay of SA and a decade-long pattern of maltreatment that began when she was 19 years old.

Now, a report is making the arounds that Diddy allegedly paid over $100 million for the settlement. This new report is gaining momentum for two reasons.

One is that Diddy's decision to settle the lawsuit amicably without wanting to defend himself and his image in court was a sign that he might not be innocent of the allegations levied against him by Cassie, although he claimed to be.

The second reason is that in the wake of the settlement, Diddy seemed to be on the verge of a financial crisis.

However, the alleged outrageous settlement fee is far from being the only catalyst for Diddy's downfall.

Without her knowledge, Diddy videotaped the incident and later shared it with several friends in the music industry, the suit alleged. The public exposure sent Dickerson into a "tailspin," contributing to severe depression that landed her in the hospital and forced her to drop out of college, the lawsuit claimed.

On the same day as Dickerson's suit, an anonymous woman, Jane Doe, also sued Diddy alleging he and the R&B singer Aaron Hall had taken turns making their way with her and a friend at Hall's apartment in 1991. 'While at Hall’s apartment, Jane Doe was offered more drinks and was coerced into sleeping with Combs,' the lawsuit claimed.

She also claimed in her suit that Diddy later visited her after the alleged incident and choked her over fears that her friend might tell his then-girlfriend about their encounter.

It seems 50 Cent had already anticipated the lawsuits. In a now-deleted Instagram post, the G-Unit rapper responded to the news of Diddy settling his lawsuit with Cassie.

One of those companies is Macy's. Since 2010, Diddy’s fashion brand Sean John has had an exclusive distribution deal with the American retail giant, stating that the department store would be the sole distributor of the brand at a retail and online level. After more than a decade in partnership, however, Macy’s revealed it was in the process of phasing out the brand on November 22. While Macy’s didn't specifically state that its phasing out was in relation to Cassie’s lawsuit, the timing was too perfect to be coincidental.

Also, the allegations of SA have led to Diddy stepping down or being ousted from his position as Chairman of Revolt TV, his media company, on November 28. Diddy first launched the media and digital cable network alongside Andy Schuon in October 2013. Meanwhile, TMZ reports the reduced role is only temporary, but only time will tell.

What's more, Capital Preparatory Charter Schools announced on November 28 that they were ending their partnership with Diddy.

That's not all.

Alcoholic drinks giant Diageo, which owns Red Stripe in Jamaica, has ended its 15-year partnership with Diddy citing the allegations. Before, the liquor company was involved in a protracted legal battle with Diddy over the accusation of racism.

The company has been working towards removing Diddy as the face of the brand, and now they see this situation as an opportunity to drop him.

Now, business experts are weighing in on Diddy's issue, fearing that his $1 billion empire could be crumbling before his eyes.

President of the risk management company, Reputation Doctor, Mike Paul said Combs' business associates would be doing a 'risk assessment equation' to decide 'is he worth holding onto for the risk to our relationship with other providers?'

He added: 'The higher you are, the harder you fall. Harvey Weinstein was a very successful businessman, the most successful businessman in Hollywood and then the truth came out and now look at where he's at.'

However, a lot has been damaged, and his speaking out now may not be able to do much. Now, he has a lot of fights to claim.

As far as we know, there is no active criminal investigation against Diddy at this time. However, the internet is abuzz with speculation that it's only a matter of time before justice will be served.

So, what do you think is next for Diddy? Will he be able to bounce back from these scandals, or will his reputation be irrevocably damaged? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. And if you enjoyed this video, be sure to like and subscribe so you don't miss any future updates. And if you're new to this channel, feel free to check out our other videos to stay up-to-date on Diddy's scandals.

#Diddy #celebnews