“The Oprah Myth” (2009)
With Oprah’s astronomical success, the rise of the black woman in America has been documented and celebrated. But when one considers that over the past thirty years, black men have been falling further behind black women in both education and employment, one has every right to question the achievements of the new Black Media Elite.
Bridgeportword.com
http://bridgeportword.com/MichaelLipscomb/index.html
“Can the Teacher Be Taught? A Conversation with KRS-One” (1992)*
Before Jay-Z and Kanye, before Tupac and Biggie, there were Chuck D. and KRS-One: rap music’s reigning intellectuals. But back then, this title neither coveted nor attained crossover success. In this lively conversation, KRS-One riffs on race, American and African history, and the responsibility of Hip Hop. What we find are insights one can scarcely expect from stars today.
Transition: An International Review, Oxford University Press. Issue 57.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/2935165
*Winner, Best Interview; ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award, 1993
“Antonin Artaud: A Twentieth Century Actor” (1985)
Though the Surrealists are well known and celebrated today, we must not forget that they once had a formidable adversary. What else could they expect from someone who founded The Theater of Cruelty? But as a tool for deciphering the absurd, Artaud’s ‘madness’ is no less valuable to us than the Surrealist’s ‘revolution’.
Subject To Change, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
UPCOMING PROJECTS
“Love Is The Message: The Story of the Philly Sound”
If the Soul Era of American music had two pillars, they would be Motown and Philly International. But while the former has become a cultural icon, Philly International has remained a mystery wrapped inside an enigma. This is unfortunate, because the ‘Philly Sound’ speaks more directly to today’s crises of love and aspiration. No wonder the early rappers used it as a basis for what became hip hop.