BLACK, GAY, stuck at home: The Once and Future of Queer Community

It’s interesting times that we’re living in. Hip-hop legend Cakes Da Killa made a tweet that we felt like we needed to explore a bit more - “Imagine doing something that wasn’t  considered cool for years to then have it become cool years later and people tell you NOW you have to play by the rules set by people who didn’t even pioneer the shit in the first place.” For this show we are exploring history and asking the question “can Black folks be culture vultures too?”

Joining us to thread this delicate needle are two of our favorite music heads, Joshua Henry Jenkins and Michael Ward of Black, Gay, stuck at home. We’re going to discuss their upcoming event, what they’re currently listening to and more!

Black queer women are leading the way in 2023 by both releasing new and compelling music and visuals, and also being part of the pop culture conversation. From Janelle Monae’s “Lipstick Lover” to Da Brat’s pregnancy, we’ve been inspired watching the moves these ladies are making. Join us as we discuss some history of Black queer women in music and the foundation they laid for today’s artists.

Ambie Award-winning podcast producer and host Anna DeShawn will be joining us to discuss her work, the app she co-founded, The Qube, and her podcast Queer News.

As part of our year-long #HipHop50 celebration, and to close out #BlackMusicMonth, Queue Points is going down memory lane to discuss the impact of the timeless Black youth coming-of-age film House Party. They are joined by special guest Jordan Clark, a comic book writer and co-host of the podcast White People Won’t Save You. The fellas discuss the impact of House Party on hip hop culture, highlighting its representation of teenage life and high school expectations. They analyze how the film broke through as a landmark mainstream movie for hip hop, leading to the release of other successful films in the era. They offer their thoughts on the movie's historical context, the characters, and their impressions of the recent movie reboot (Spoiler Alert: they don’t like it). 

The lively discussion explores the significance of House Party in black teen cinema and hip hop culture, making it a must-listen episode for any fan of the movie and its impact.

Queue Points is proud to present part 3 of our Country music series featuring Mike “Big Mike” Bryant. We had so much more ground that we wanted to cover so Big Mike is back to help us unpack the impact of Black musicians on Country music. There’s so much to cover, and we only scratch the surface.

For this episode we land on the amazing Amazon documentary For Love & Country. The film, directed by Joshua Kissi, features Black musicians revolutionizing Country music by being exactly who they are. The Queue Points crew dive in, and discuss the film and its implications.

This week DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray discuss the magnitude of the Summer of Soul documentary, and music industry copy cat artists of the 90s.

On this episode of Queue Points, we delve into the book, "When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era” with author Donovan X. Ramsey. Donovan discusses the tragic legacy of the crack epidemic through the eyes of four individuals, illuminating the vulnerability and resilience of the Black community. We discuss topics like harm reduction, the vital role of community, and the significance of having authentic representations of the people impacted by the crack epidemic. 

Sharing deeply personal experiences, we explore the continuous ripple effects of the crack era, the failure of the criminal justice system, and the intersections between historical events like the Great Migration and the onset of the crack crisis. This episode confronts the disparities, the stigma, and the systemic negligence that fueled the crack epidemic. Join us on a journey of understanding and compassion of a misunderstood and misrepresented epidemic.

Samora Pinderhughes is using his music to talk to us about our current moment, and calling back to a long, and important history of social justice in music. On this special episode of Queue Points, Pinderhughes sits down with Jay Ray to discuss his inspirations, his process and his hopes for how his music will impact the world.

The Healing Project is Pinderhughes’ multidisciplinary art project - “a digital archive, music album, and physical exhibition created and brought to life by hundreds of people across the U.S. through word, sound, song, and visuals.” 

Award-winning podcaster, DJ, musician and journalist, Mr. Al Pete, stopped by Queue Points. Mr. Al Pete is the 2022 Black Podcasting Awards Best Music Podcast winner for his podcast The Tables Might Wobble. He not only joined us for our core topic, but, in this segment, tells us a bit about how The Tables Might Wobble was born, his history in hip-hop and how he got started DJing.

In this video, Malika Redmond talks about the importance of voting and Black liberation. Redmond is the CEO and co-founder of Women Engaged, an organization that supports the power-building of Black women, femmes and young adults. 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, and Queue Points is encouraging you to "Queue Up The Vote!" 

Malika joins Jay Ray for this lively conversation about civic engagement, the important work of Black women for Black liberation, and why it's important for all of us to vote.