Though it has yet to be rescheduled, the rapper’s big dreams are having a big impact on his home state.
Kevin J. Rowsey II
Posted inTheater
In Temples of Lung and Air, Spoken-Word Star Kane Smego Drops Real Talk on Hip-Hop and White Privilege
TEMPLES OF LUNG AND AIR Wednesday, Aug. 22–Sunday, Aug. 26, various times, $15+ UNC’s Kenan Theatre, Chapel Hill www.playmakersrep.org “Stop acting black, Kane. … You’re not black, Kane.” As I enter a rehearsal space at PlayMakers Repertory Company, Kane Smego seems to be battling himself, with this mantra echoing through a series of other voices […]
Posted inArt
In the Second Part of Her Buy It, Call It Trilogy, Monét Noelle Marshall Turns Us Loose in the Carnival of Her Self-Image—and Our Own
Buy My Body and Call It a Ticket Friday, Jun. 15 & Saturday, Jun. 16, 7/8:30 p.m., pay what you want The Fruit, Durham www.durhamfruit.com Earlier this year, in Buy My Soul and Call It Art, the first part of her performance trilogy, Monét Noelle Marshall began a conversation about the worth of black art. […]
Posted inMusic
Rakim & Eric B Show Off What it Means to Live and Breathe Hip-Hop
Thursday, April 19 The Ritz, Raleigh 8 p.m., $30, www.ritzraleigh.com While some may not understand the difference between hip-hop culture and rap music, Rakim, one of the all-time greatest emcees, is an innovator in both of the symbiotic realms. He was one of the pioneers that introduced multisyllabic rhyme schemes, way beyond the commercial genesis […]
Posted inCulture
The Irresponsible Tour Takes Mega-Star Kevin Hart Back to Where He Began: Stand-Up Comedy
Sunday, April 1 PNC Arena, Raleigh 7 p.m., $35+, www.thepncarena.com The seriously funny comedian Kevin Hart has been hard at work. Ever since his early days of open-mike comedy, you can find him in a plethora of star-studded moviesincluding the current hit remake of Jumanjivoice-acting in animated films, and now gearing up for another buddy-cop […]
Posted inTheater
A Report From the First Weekend of the Bull City Black Theatre Festival
BULL CITY BLACK THEATRE FESTIVAL Through Saturday, March 24, various times and prices Manbites Dog Theater, Durham www.manbitesdogtheater.org Walking into Manbites Dog Theater for the first weekend of the Bull City Black Theatre Festival, which continues this weekend, was bittersweet. You could feel the decades of Durham history, all the plays and improv shows and […]
Posted inFilm & Television
Black Panther Demonstrates the Box-Office Power of Unfettered African-American Creators
BLACK PANTHER Now playing At first, I was worried about the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after it was acquired by Disney. Disappointed by the progression of the Star Wars franchise (which is also now owned by Disney), I had reservations about Mickey Mouse’s fingerprints getting all over one of the most royal heroes […]
Posted inCulture
Movie Review: Believe the Hype About Black Panther, an All-Time Great Superhero Saga
Black Panther★★★★★ Now playing At first, I was worried about the direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after it was acquired by Disney. Disappointed by the progression of the Star Wars franchise (which is also now owned by Disney), I had reservations about Mickey Mouse’s fingerprints getting all over one of the most royal heroes […]
Posted inTheater
Monét Noelle Marshall’s Buy My Soul and Call It Art Forces an Overdue Conversation About the Local and National Art Scene’s Racist Framework
BUY MY SOUL AND CALL IT ART Through Sunday, Feb. 4 Living Arts Collective, Durham www.livingartscollective.com Monét Noelle Marshall, creator and director of the performance art installation Buy My Soul and Call It Art, immerses visitors in the problematic relationship between black art and the arts and entertainment industry. Historically and now, large radio, TV, […]
Posted inMusic
Raleigh Rapper P.A.T. Junior Keeps Local Hip-Hop Fresh by Brokering Beats and Keeping the Faith
In the past few years, the Triangle’s music scene has undergone a surge in the realm of hip-hop. In a post-“Raise Up” ecosystem, Rapsody has linked up with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre, G Yamazawa has gone viral with his track “North Cack,” and The Beast’s emcee, Pierce Freelon, is running for […]