July 2025 Issue

JAMES THOMPSON

Pu bl ish er 's MESSAGE

To n y Smit h Pu bl ish er

A Pat riot ic Tragedy of a Full-Grow n Man St ill

Kissing Trum p?s Ass.

A Nat ion Deserves Bet t er...Or Does It ?

There is a uniquely American sadness in watching a grown man? an elected official, no less? abandon integrity like it?s a discontinued golf resort Once upon a time, he stood for fiscal responsibility, national security, maybe even the Constitution But now?Now, he stands for whatever Trump just screamed on Truth Social

Let?s not pretend this is about loyalty It?s fear It?s career survival in a political Hunger Games where the only way to win is to lose your spine. You can see it in his eyes during interviews? wide, vacant, desperate You can hear it in the word salad he tosses out like it?s a buffet of patriotism, when it?s really just lukewarm cowardice drenched in buzzwords

He?s no longer a lawmaker He?s a hype man for a man-child

No bill too conservative, no lie too ridiculous, no act too shameless? so long as it earns a nod from Mar-a-Lago

He wasn't always like this Back in the day, he wore his veteran pin like it meant something He quoted Reagan He shook hands at town halls. He talked about the future. Now, he retweets conspiracy theories and dodges subpoenas like it?s a contact sport

There?s something tragic about watching a grown adult erase himself to stay relevant in someone else?s cult Like a once-respected professor who now sells bootleg supplements in YouTube ads, our congressman has traded conviction for clicks

This isn? t politics It?s performance art And the worst part?

He knows it Onward, always Warmly, Tony Smith

Publisher, Indie Incognito Magazine

JAMESTHOMPSON

Indie Incognito Exclusive: James Thompson Is Built For This

From Richlands Roots to Runways and Reels, The Atlanta Star Is Just Getting Started

By Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

There?s a quiet storm rising out of Atlanta?s entertainment scene, and his name is James Thompson.

With a jawline sharp enough to challenge a GQ cover and a presence that cuts deeper than aesthetics, Thompson is steadily becoming one of the most compelling names to watch in fashion and film But his rise hasn? t been overnight? it?s been a southern-made, soldier-tested climb.

Raised in Richlands, North Carolina, Thompson?s beginnings were humble and hardscrabble ?We played basketball on dirt courts,?he recalls ?My summers were spent picking cucumbers, tomatoes, and tobacco It wasn? t glamorous, but it was honest ?

That small-town grit followed him into the military, where he enlisted right out of high school. ?I needed direction. The military gave me that? and a sense of purpose ?After completing his service, he didn? t go back home He took a chance on himself and headed to Atlanta, hungry for reinvention

Fast forward, and Thompson has modeled for regional brands with national reach, graced indie fashion spreads, and dipped his boots into acting? proving he's more than just a mannequin His breakout performance in Resurrect the South, where he plays a street preacher grappling with faith and fury, earned him buzz on the independent film circuit.

He credits his versatility to his upbringing ?Richlands raised me The military refined me Atlanta activated me.?

Now, James is expanding his empire He?s launching his own production label, collaborating with stylists and designers to highlight Southern Black narratives, and mentoring young men from similar backgrounds ?We need more storytellers who know both the struggle and the soul,?he says

At 6?3?with a magnetic presence and that unmistakable quiet confidence, James Thompson isn? t here to chase clout? he?s here to change the narrative ?I?m not trying to be famous I?m trying to be unforgettable ?

The Look. The Lane. The Legacy.

Signature Style:

Modern Southern gentleman Think fitted slacks, sharp boots, clean lines, and confident posture. He rocks a bomber jacket with the same ease he wears a tailored three-piece

Acting Vibe:

Denzel grit meets Michael B edge? with a dash of that Chadwick Boseman ?walk in grace?energy. Often cast in roles that wrestle with conscience, culture, and conviction

Next Projects:

Launching a short film series titled "Dirt Roads & Drum Beats"

Spokes model for a new Black-owned men's grooming brand

Producing his first stage play in Atlanta, focused on Black fatherhood.

James Thompson commands the frame with ease? where the lens goes, confidence follows.

Firstofall,thisismyhomie. Wegrewuponthesamedirt roadsandtobaccofields.So thisfeaturecomesencasedin love,respectandpride.

FromtheredclayofRichlands tothebrightlightsof Atlanta?JamesThompsonis flippingthescriptonwhat Southernstardomlookslike. Actor,model,andnow producer,hisjourneyisasreal ashisrise.

?I?mnottryingtobefamous. I?mtryingtobe unforgettable.? JamesThompson

From Richlands, NCto theindie film scenein Atlanta, JamesThompson isshapinghisown legacy? with grit, grace, and unshakablepurpose

Thismonth?sIndie Incognito cover featuredives into the journeyof theactor, model, and rising producer who?sredefiningSouthern swagger and spotlightingreal stories.

Meet James Thompson, Indie Incognito's latest cover story? where Southern soul meets cinematic fire ?Representation isn? t just about being seen? it?s about being believed ?

#JamesThompson #IndieIncognito #SouthernStar

Model. Actor. Producer. Legacy builder.

JAMES

KASPER

ASSATA SHAKUR

ASSATA SHAKUR

Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

Cultural Righteousness: The Swagger of Knowing Who You Are

By Indie Incognito Editors

In a world addicted to trends, cultural righteousness is the refusal to be a costume It?s not about fitting in? it's about standing firmly in who you are and letting the room adjust It?s what Nina Simone did when she refused to make ?pretty?music for a violent nation. It?s what Erykah Badu does every time she walks on stage in Ankara and crystals, channeling ancestors while speaking in future tense

Cultural righteousness is not arrogance It?s awareness It?s the sharp clarity of knowing that your heritage, your expression, your struggle, and your brilliance are not things to apologize for? they?re things to amplify. It?s in the slang, the beat drops, the headwraps, the protest signs, the verses, and the velvet rope that won? t let just anybody in

It?s also deeply political Because when marginalized people claim space? loudly, beautifully, and without asking permission? it rattles systems built on silence. Cultural righteousness doesn? t seek assimilation It demands accommodation It?s the opposite of tokenism? it?s the entire tapestry

At Indie Incognito, we don? t celebrate culture just because it?s ?cool ?We honor it because it?s righteous? rooted, resilient, and radical Whether it?s fashion that speaks Swahili, music that remembers pain, or voices that refuse erasure, we ride for those who ride for themselves

This is not the era for neutrality. Cultural righteousness is how we resist, how we remind, and how we rise Not because we need approval? but because our stories were never meant to be whispered.

Want this formatted as a regular column or paired with a fashion photo shoot themed around unapologetic style (like ?Sovereign Threads?or ?Warrior Elegance?)?Let?s turn it into a signature Indie Incognito feature.

Affiliation: Former member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army (BLA)

Conviction: In 1977, convicted of the 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike

Escape & Asylum: Escaped prison in 1979 and resurfaced in Cuba, where she was granted political asylum

FBI Status: Named the first woman on the FBI?s Most Wanted Terrorists list in 2013, with a $2 million bounty still on her head

Recent News & Developments

Black Enterprise (July?2,?2025) ? A feature titled ?77-Year-Old Assata Shakur Tops New Jersey?s Most Wanted List,?covering her continued status and bounty: instagram com m +15

blackenterprise com +15

instagram.com

+15 El País (May?2025) ? A feature on U.S.?Cuba tensions over her asylum and FBI profile, citing forensic inconsistencies in the original case:

Photo by Efrem Efre

By: Tony Smith Indie Incognito

Before hashtags and digital uprisings, there was Assata Shakur? a revolutionary voice, a symbol of resistance, and a reminder that liberation has never been politely requested

Born Joanne Chesimard, Assata emerged as a key figure in the Black Liberation Army, fiercely critical of racism, police brutality, and systemic oppression. In 1973, she was arrested after a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike that left a state trooper dead Convicted under heavily disputed evidence, she escaped from prison in 1979 and fled to Cuba, where she remains in political exile.

To some, she's a fugitive To others, a freedom fighter. But to many in the global movement for Black liberation, Assata is a mirror? reflecting the pain, the power, and the price of radical truth

The U S government put a $2 million bounty on her head The movement made her a martyr

America may call her wanted. But the people?We call her necessary. ?It is our duty to fight for our freedom It is our duty to win.?

? Assata Shakur

Assat a At A Glance

Born: July 16, 1947 ? Queens, NY

Affiliations: Black Panther Party, Black Liberation Army

Conviction: 1977 murder conviction (widely contested)

Escape: 1979, political asylum in Cuba

Legacy Work:

Assata: An Autobiography (1987)

Inspiration to contemporary movements like BLM, Dream Defenders, and abolitionist thinkers

Referenced by artists including Common, Public Enemy, 2Pac, and J Cole

Cultural Status:

Exiled

Exalted

Essential

Her 1987 autobiography remains a blueprint for rebellion wrapped in poetry Her words? ?I am a Black revolutionary woman?? still ring like a battle cry

America may call her wanted.

But the people?We call her woke before it was trendy.

?It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win.?

? Assata Shakur

?I have been locked by the lawless Handcuffed by the haters. Gagged by the greedy.?

?Assata didn? t run from America. She ran toward truth.?

? Indie Incognito

Assata At A Glance

Full Name: Assata Olugbala Shakur (born Joanne Chesimard)

Nina Sim one

The High Priest ess Who Refused t o Bow

By Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

Nina Simone wasn? t just an artist? she was a force of nature, a genre-defying truth-teller wrapped in velvet and fire. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in 1933, Simone trained as a classical pianist with dreams of becoming the first Black concert pianist in America The world, however, had other plans? and so did she Barred from opportunity by racism, she pivoted What we got in return was nothing short of revolutionary

With a voice that could smolder or shatter, Simone turned pain into protest and soul into scripture Songs like Mississippi Goddam, To Be Young, Gifted and Black, and I Put a Spell on You weren? t just music? they were sonic declarations of war against injustice, infused with intelligence, rage, and fierce elegance. She didn? t make "protest music"; she made truth music, uncomfortable and unforgettable.

Simone's refusal to be silenced made her both a muse and a threat She lost fans, gigs, and mainstream support She did not care. She once said, ?An artist's duty? is to reflect the times.?And reflect them she did? mirroring our ugliness, our beauty, and our potential for transformation

In a world obsessed with palatability, Nina Simone was never easy to digest. She was bold, complicated, volatile, vulnerable? and completely necessary. Her music still haunts and heals, reminding us that real change doesn? t come from silence

Today, her legacy moves beyond music festivals and curated playlists. She lives in the fearless artistry of generations she inspired? from Lauryn Hill to John Legend to Alicia Keys. In the house that is Black music and Black resistance, Nina Simone didn? t just build a room? she laid the foundation

At Indie Incognito, we celebrate the artist who made rage poetic and justice sound like jazz. Nina didn? t just sing the blues. She became them.

One of her most legendary performances? raw, emotive, and unfiltered Watch her in full force at the Jazz à Juan Festival

Films & Memoirs

What Happened, Miss Simone?? A searing Netflix documentary by Liz Garbus tracing her rise, activism, and inner turmoil. Oscar-nominated youtube.com+9en.wikipedia.org vanityfair com

The Amazing Nina Simone ? Director Jeff Lieberman?s 2015 doc with interviews from her circle, hailed as one of the best cinematic portraits.

I Put a Spell on You ? Her candid autobiography (1992), co-written with Stephen Cleary? insightful and indispensable Discography Highlights

Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall (1963) ? A career-defining live album. Dive into it for performance history

At Town Hall (1959) ? Her first live recording? bold, intimate, and raw

"I'll t ell you w hat freedom is t o m e: no fear "

Nina Sim one

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21st, 1933, Nina?s prodigious talent as a musician was evident early on when she started playing piano by ear at the age of three. Her mother, a Methodist minister, and her father, a handyman and preacher himself, couldn? t ignore young Eunice?s God-given gift of music

Raised in the church on the straight and narrow, her parents taught her right from wrong, to carry herself with dignity, and to work hard She played piano ? but didn? t sing ? in her mother?s church, displaying remarkable talent early in her life.

Cultural Righteousness is the unapologetic assertion of identity, truth, and justice through culture It?s not just pride? it?s purpose It?s when art, music, fashion, speech, and presence aren? t just expressions but declarations

Think Nina Simone singing Mississippi Goddam, James Baldwin dissecting the American soul, or Kendrick Lamar spitting bars that slice through systemic silence. Cultural righteousness is the act of standing tall in your history while using every tool at your disposal? style, rhythm, intellect, language? to challenge erasure and demand recognition

It?s refusing to dilute Blackness, queerness, indigeneity, or heritage for mainstream comfort It?s creating from within the margins and making the margins magnetic.

It?s not performative It?s deeply intentional It?s showing up in the room fully formed and fully informed, not waiting to be welcomed or explained

Cultural righteousness is soul armor.

IN HONOR OF

Mosie ?Mam a? Burks: Gospel?s Unshakable Mat riarch

ByIndieIncognito Music&Culture Staff

Some voices are trained Others are anointed.

Mosie ?Mama?Burks is the latter? a vocal hurricane with holy fire in her lungs and Mississippi dirt in her soul

Known to millions as the high-octane lead vocalist of The Mississippi Mass Choir, Mama Burks is more than a gospel singer? she?s a national treasure Her voice doesn? t just carry the melody; it carries the weight of generations? from the cotton fields to the church pews, through grief, glory, and full-blown praise breaks

And while she may have risen to national fame later in life, Mosie Burks is living proof that purpose doesn? t expire She didn? t just ?arrive?on the gospel scene? she burst in like a Sunday morning altar call, shoes off, hands lifted, and spirit on full blast.

HERSOUND: Power, Praise, and Pure Soul

There?s no mistaking Mama Burks once she hits a note Her voice is part Pentecostal warfare, part grandmother?s wisdom, and part locomotive. Whether she?s belting through ?When I Rose This Morning?or stomping the devil out on ?God?s Got It,?she leaves nothing in the pews? every note is a sacrifice.

And yet, behind all the volume is incredible control Mosie can go from a whisper to a wail in a single bar. You don? t just hear her? you feel her Her praise is not performative? it?s lived

HERSTORY: A Late Bloomer with Eternal Roots

Born in Forest, Mississippi, Mosie Burks grew up in a time when faith was survival and music was therapy She sang as a child, but like many Black women of her generation, spent years raising her family, working hard, and serving in church long before a spotlight ever found her

She officially joined The Mississippi Mass Choir in the mid-90s and quickly became its most recognizable voice While the world called her ?Mama?for her nurturing spirit and commanding voice, don? t let the nickname fool you? Mama Burks brings thunder with every run and can still out-sing artists half her age.

HERLEGACY: Praise as Protest, Healing as Harmony

Mosie Burks represents more than gospel excellence? she?s a beacon for every woman who was told her time had passed For every singer overlooked. For every person still waiting on their breakthrough Her life is a living sermon:

It?s never too late to shake the heavens

In a genre where commercial polish can sometimes drown out spiritual depth, Mama Burks reminds us of what gospel actually is: deliverance Testimony Soundtrack to survival

She traveled with the choir to at least eight MAMA BURKSESSENTIAL LISTENING

?When I Rose This Morning?? A vocal workout meets soul revival

?I?m Not Tired Yet?? Black church cardio; you?ll shout before it?s over

?They Got the Word?? Prophetic, powerful, and deeply personal

?God?s Got It?? Pure faith in funk-laced form

?Your Grace and Mercy?(Live) ? A moment of pure reverence

QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

"I may not have started young, but I came with everything I?ve been through "

Mosie "Mama" BurksThe wife and mother of three was 92

INDIEGROOVE

" Where t he Volum e Is Loud, and t he Trut h Louder."

An Indie Incognit o edit orial for t he indie soul w it h no t im e for fluff.

By Indie Incognito staff

It?s July, which means everybody with a ring light and a remix thinks they?re ?the moment ?But let?s talk about the difference between music and marketing Because my inbox is full of folks sending me polished thumbnails and TikToks? but where?s the damn soul?

Here?s the truth: half of y?all out here are vibes without voices Your beats are rented, your lyrics are AI, and your stage presence is a sleepy shrug You didn? t pay dues, you paid a digital distributor

Let me be clear? I?m not mad at evolution. But I am mad at mediocrity dressed up in designer Streaming?s flooded the market with background noise that pretends to be art And the labels?They?ve swapped out talent scouts for algorithm-chasers.

Meanwhile, the real ones?Still grinding Still touring in borrowed vans Still singing like every mic is their last breath

So this month, I?m turning down the hype

photo by Shutterbug

machine and turning up the people making music that moves more than just your timeline. No shade? unless you?re trying to sell me your single with a ?link in bio?and a personality vacuum r sadipscing

Indie Incognito ?Stream It or Skip It?? July Picks

Stream It: Avery Sunshine ??Black Gold Woman?

Live instrumentation, soul-soaked vocals, and lyrics that make you feel seen This ain? t Whoever?s remixing old Anita Baker tracks with trap beats

Stop Touch grass Respect greatness ?You don? t need another playlist You need a pulse.?

photo by Nick Wilkerson

SOUNDOFF

Bel ieveinyour confir mat ion

Mental Health is a road map that reflects the internal,external and environmental need of self-evaluation Our mind and body work in unison and if it doesn? t feel secure it?s time to reset. As the earth and sun reset every day as the rain provides rain and refreshment,as we gain inspiration and food to nourish our mind, body and soul; we energize our superpower

Medical research,studies,and trials continue to be conducted with interviews and surveys and have produced assessments,and dissertations have been presented and approved which therapeutic modalities and practices,medications,and prescriptions have been written and prescribed Inpatient and outpatient intensive community and individual and group services continue to be provided through communities as needed,which have been available for years to improve the lives of many throughout the world All these efforts have the main goal is to give a person time to realize they could give themselves permission to reset. Believing in our internal self is a not a basic goal nor a simple solution however its essential as it is one of our overlooked superpowers

Every person is so different in their journey, this is where it becomes a personal endeavor Personal perspective is key

In my childhood before my mother got remarried,I felt peace and safety I still remember the joys of laughter, happiness,and playing with childhood friends.

One day I will have this picturesque memory professionally painted reflecting on my sister, my mom and myself sitting on the ledge of an open window watching and feeling thunderstorms while sitting in awe, beauty and in silence I still can see it and feel the emotion that it still brings Years later when I was thinking about my childhood and thinking about joys,childhood abuse,world violence and hate despite it all,I fell in love with the words Peace and Perseverance

Never underestimate the power of street vendorsOne day I was walking on Fordham road in the Bronx, when I saw this plaque with the word persereverance on it

Having no idea what it meant,I asked the vendor what the word meant and how was it pronounce The guy was so kind,he fully explained the word and at that moment it changed my mental energy

Of course I bought the framed word which became an internal anthem in my life

Areminder of between myself,life and others that confirmation matters. What Is Your Internal Anthem?

We have five senses and to feel and accept a confirmation appears to boost a moment of a lifetime I remember being in Church and the Bishop asked, ?What happened to the word you received last week??You can imagine what happened next Believing what is true, safe and loving is a testimony

Enhancing your life without labels and negative self-doubt we may be given ourselves a piece of peace

Jo-Lynn Herbert is a Published Author, Writer, and a Licensed Social Worker (LMSW) She is a regular Indie Incognito columnist

Jo-lynn-expressions com

Photo by MART PRODUCTION:

Seun Kuti ? The Son Rises

?From Lagos t o t he World? Uncom prom ised, Unapologet ic.?

"In all African m usic,? says Seun Kut i, ?t here is a st rong spirit t hat m akes it pow erful and energet ic. It is in us. It com es from our gut s, from our aut hent icit y.?

By Indie Incognito Staff

If Fela Kuti was the flame, Seun Kuti is the fire still burning With clenched fists, sharp brass, and a voice that doesn't flinch, Seun is leading a new generation through the smoke of old battles? armed with Afrobeat and unapologetic truth.

The youngest son of Nigeria?s musical and political titan, Seun took over his father's band, Egypt 80, at just 14 Since then, he?s made it clear? this isn? t about riding legacy It?s about fueling it

His sound?Raw, percussive, unrelenting Albums like ?Black Times?and ?A Long Way to the Beginning?hit with lyrical clarity and rhythmic defiance Whether he?s on a world stage or at a Lagos protest, Seun speaks from the front lines? calling out corruption, colonial residue, and capitalist rot without blinking

?I?m not trying to be an entertainer,?Seun once said ?I?m trying to be a weapon ?

This is not Afrobeat for the background This is Afrobeat that grabs your collar and tells you to stand up straighter. More than a musician, Seun Kuti is a messenger? and in a world this loud, that kind of clarity is rare.

SEUN KUTI ? THESOUND & THESTRUGGLE

Selected Discography

A Long Way to the Beginning (2014)

Produced by Robert Glasper Urgent, sharp, and full of lyrical landmines

Essential track: ?IMF?feat. M-1 (of Dead Prez)

Black Times (2018)

A Grammy-nominated rallying cry Calls for Black consciousness and collective action.

Essential track: ?Black Man in a White World? (ft Carlos Santana)

Night Dreamer Direct-to-Disc Sessions (2020)

Raw, live, analog A sonic manifesto

Essential track: ?Theory of Goat and Yam?

Political Activism Highlights

Vocal critic of Nigerian government, police brutality, and systemic corruption

Active supporter of #EndSARSmovement

Pan-Africanist: speaks often on decolonization, Black liberation, and cultural memory

Founded The Movement of the People (MOP) political party? reviving his father?s revolutionary blueprint

Regular speaker at global forums on African politics, sovereignty, and youth activism

?I?m not just a performer? I?m a protest ?

?Music is not the message? it?s the messenger ?

?Being Black is not a vibe It?s a responsibility ?

?Our history was stolen. Our future won't be.?

?I inherited the rhythm? but I built the rage ?

22 -27 OCT

MUISICSPOTLIGHT

PHIL LOVETT

SmoothOperator: TheSubtleGeniusof Phil Lovett

Phil Lovett?s music drifts in like jazz smoke in a downtown club? smoky, soulful, and almost invisible Maybe that?s the point ?

Who: Cincinnati-born multi-hyphenate? artist, producer, vocalist, programmer

Legacy: Son of jazz trumpeter Tubby Williams, worked with Apollo legends, woven into the sound of Stevie Wonder and Motown luminaries

Phil Lovett doesn? t scream for the spotlight? he composes it With a voice like velvet smoke and a musical sensibility rooted in soul, jazz, and groove-forward storytelling, Lovett has built a quiet storm of a career One that sidesteps flash for feel, and trends for timelessness.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Lovett was born into rhythm. The son of jazz trumpeter Tubby Williams, he inherited not just musical genes but a deep respect for structure, tone, and improvisation That early exposure fueled a lifelong devotion to artistry? not celebrity

Lovett?s career includes brushes with greatness and background brilliance His fingerprints appear on tracks by Stevie Wonder, notably contributing background vocals to ?Skeletons? and ?You Will Know,?and moving effortlessly between stage and studio As the founder of P Lovett Productions and TCI Records, he?s shaped his own path? producing, arranging, and composing without the industry?s usual noise

His 2010 release, Turning Corners, is a case study in elegant understatement Anchored by cuts like ?Sunday Morning Drive,?it?s a short, refined suite that channels the serenity of a morning spent in deep thought and deeper soul Later singles? ?Walking in the Rain,??Let It Ride?(featuring Darrell Crooks), and ?Forest & Vine?(featuring Skip Martin)? extend his sonic palette, moving from smoky jazz to sensual R&B grooves

?I make music for people who don? t need instructions on how to feel,?Lovett once said in an off-the-record moment at a session That sentiment reflects his style perfectly? music that trusts the listener?s maturity, that doesn? t chase trends or hashtags Instead, it lingers And it grows on you

In a world obsessed with algorithms, Phil Lovett is analog soul There?s no gimmick here. Just groove, depth, and the kind of musicianship that whispers instead of shouts? and still gets heard

So next time you're navigating a rainy night or a reflective morning, slide into Lovett?s catalog You won? t find fireworks But you will find the glow that stays long after the last note fades.

Phil Lovet t : In His Ow n Groove

A One-on-One w it h Indie Incognit o Interview by

Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

INDIEINCOGNITO: Phil, your music seems to float just left of the mainstream Is that by design?

PHIL LOVETT: Absolut ely I?m not ant i-m ainst ream ? I just don? t believe in chasing it . I?ve alw ays leaned int o w hat feels right , not w hat sells right now If a groove connect s em ot ionally, it ?ll age w ell

INDIE: You've got jazz in your blood, literally How did your father's influence shape your sound?

LOVETT: My dad, Tubby William s, w asn? t just a t rum pet er? he w as a craft sm an He t aught m e t o list en before I play That st uck I build songs t he sam e w ay? slow , layered, int ent ional.

INDIE: You?ve worked with legends like Stevie Wonder. What did that chapter teach you?

LOVETT: Pat ience. Discipline. And how t o serve t he song, not your ego. St evie is a m ast er of rest raint ? he can say m ore w it h t hree not es t han m ost can w it h t hirt y

INDIE: What?s your process like in the studio today?

LOVETT: Minim alist I?ll st art w it h a m ood? m aybe just a Fender Rhodes loop or a bassline t hat w on? t leave m e alone Then I build around t hat I?m less about st acking layers and m ore about let t ing space do t he w ork

INDIE: ?Turning Corners?has become a cult favorite. Did you know it would connect like that?

LOVETT: Not at all. It w as a personal project ? I m ade it during a reflect ive t im e in m y life I guess people picked up on t hat There?s som et hing pow erful about honest y in m usic? it t ranslat es, even w it hout prom ot ion.

INDIE: What artists? new or old? are inspiring you right now?

LOVETT: José Jam es, D?Angelo alw ays, a lot of Robert Glasper And believe it or not , I?ve been revisit ing Marvin Gaye?s Here, My Dear. It ?s raw , flaw ed, real? t hat ?s t he good st uff

INDIE: What?s next for you?

LOVETT: More collaborat ion I?ve been w orking on som e st ripped-dow n duet s? just keys, vocals, and heart And m ent oring younger art ist s t hrough TCI It ?s t im e t o pass t he t orch w hile it ?s st ill burning

INDIE: Last question: What do you want people to feel after hearing your music?

LOVETT: Like t hey just exhaled som et hing t hey didn? t know t hey w ere holding

In Phil's Words

"I make music for people who don? t need instructions on how to feel ?

?I?ve always leaned into what feels right? not what sells right now ?

?If a groove connects emotionally, it?ll age well.?

?There?s something powerful about honesty in music? it translates, even without promotion.?

?I?m less about stacking layers and more about letting space do the work.?

?Like they just exhaled something they didn? t know they were holding.?

?Walking in the Rain?

Mood: Melancholy soul with a slick backbeat

Lovett turns a simple walk into a full-on emotional stroll? part reflection, part revelation The track drips with ?90s R&B nostalgia, but stays fresh with his signature jazz-rooted restraint.

What Hits: The whispered harmonies, the brushed percussion, the way the groove never rushes? like he?s walking through memory, not just weather.

?A quiet storm with soul? Lovett walks you through the ache.?

?Smooth, soaked in memory, and impossibly cool.?

?Rain never sounded this reflective? or this refined.?

?Forest & Vine?ft Skip Martin

Mood: Jazz-funk with muscle and melody

Take:

Lovett teams up with funk legend Skip Martin for a bold, brassy jam that blends urban sophistication with nature-soaked metaphor It?s slick, but not sterile? real instrumentation cuts through

What Hits: That horn line That bass groove And Lovett?s steady vocal, grounded even when the music stretches out

?Jazz-funk with roots and brass? Lovett and Skip Martin groove like grown men ?

?Urban soul meets nature's edge Unexpected Unshakable ?

?Where funk meets finesse? Lovett doesn? t miss ?

Forest & Vine ft Skip Martin (2016)

Streaming: Found on Spotify

Download: Digital single available on Amazon ($0.95 per track) and purchasable from Qobuz or similar high-res stores tidal com

American Booksellers Association Copyright 2024-2025

Photo credit: Mary Ellen Mathews

M uthaka?s

?Love Bite?EP

unleashes musical magic whete indie soul meets passionate beats.

Muthaka, the Nairobi-born Contemporary Indie Soul Singer and Songwriter, presents her electrifying second studio project, the Love Bite EP Unlike any other musical experience, Love Bite promises to leave a lasting impression that?s as passionate as a kiss. Love Bite EP, much like the ephemeral marks it?s named after, makes a fleeting but unforgettable mark in Muthaka?s discography

Departing from her signature smooth and sultry style, she fearlessly ventures into a realm of edginess and experimentation. This five-track masterpiece delivers a rollercoaster ride of fun, flirty, and fiery emotions, creating an intoxicating blend of sounds that will leave you wanting more This EPshowcases Muthaka?s evolution as an artist While she exudes the alluring and smooth vibes, her brilliance lies in the detailing and her collaboration.

Enlisting Bensoul, Emma Cheruto, Fena Gitu, Mordecai Dex (from H art The Band), and Kimbassax from Hornsphere, allows Muthaka to make each story more refined

The EP?s sonic magic was conjured by the talented producers Kobby Worldwide and Mbogua Mbugua Mbugua, with mixing and mastering handled by the impeccable MG Studios, Dennis Papa, and Rushab Nandha Additionally, Timothy Arinaitwe lent his exceptional songwriting and instrumental skills to complete this musical marvel.

Muthaka is a Nairobi-born Contemporary Indie Soul Singer and Songwriter whose musical journey ignited at age 9. She honed her craft at Sauti Academy, graduating in 2018, and transitioned from performing with a live band to wielding a guitar Her unique ?Contemporary Indie Soul?style is shaped by diverse influences, from Kenny Rogers to Rihanna, creating a musical experience that is unforgettable.

TRACKLIST

Quicksand (Produced by Kobby Worldwide)

Secret Lover (Produced by Kobby Worldwide)

Touching on My Baby (Produced by Mbogua Mbugua Mbugua)

Driveway (Produced by Kobby Worldwide)

Songa (Produced by Mbogua Mbugua Mbugua)

Press play and experience the passion on Love Bite EP.

HIPHOPCORNER

samar acyn

?SAMARA CYN:BARS,BLADE& BEAUTYMARKS?

UnpackingtheUnapologeticAscent of Hip Hop?s Most Radical RisingStar

By Indie Incognito Music Staff.

July 14, 2025

ByIndieIncognito

MusicStaff July14, 2025

The first thing you notice about Samara Cyn isn? t the grill Or the headphones Or the fierce eyes under that vintage newsboy cap

It?s her presence? like she knows something you haven? t dared to ask yet

That?s Samara Cyn in a nutshell: raw,radiant,and razor-sharp. She's not waiting for your cosign. She is the moment? and she knows it

At just 24,the North Carolina-born, Brooklyn-based emcee has carved a lane that?s equal parts poetry slam,protest rally,and block party. Her voice carries like gospel in a cipher, grounded in truth but dipped in honey? and she delivers bars with the kind of heat that singes the surface while healing underneath

Her debut full-length project,?Velvet Revolver,?is already sending shockwaves through indie streaming circles. No filler. No filters. Just 12 tracks of pure fire and fearless vulnerability

THESOUND: Feminine Fury with Flow

Musically, Samara Cyn is hard to pin down? and that?s intentional. She blends classic boom-bap, trap-infused basslines, neo-soul vocals, and spoken word cadences into a soundscape that feels both retro and radical One track might feel like a D?Angelo interlude wrapped in Erykah incense; the next, she?s spitting like early Nicki with the emotional weight of Jean Grae

But don? t mistake artistry for ambiguity

?I?m not genre-bending,?she says in her smoky Southern drawl ?I?m genre-reclaiming Hip hop was born in rebellion and raised by rhythm I?m just reminding folks of both.?

THEMESSAGE:

Gender. Gentrification. God. Samara Cyn doesn? t just rhyme? she confronts

In ?Gentrify This?, she raps over boom-clap snares while calling out city planners and performative allies

On ?Blush & Blade?, she dives into the complexity of Black femininity: "Soft don? t mean fragile, and pretty don? t mean polite "

?Static Crown?is an anthem of self-worth, aimed at every Black girl who ever felt erased in her own neighborhood

She spits truth like scripture? radical, intersectional, and healing

Off the mic, Cyn is a founding member of Women With Mics, a grassroots art-activism collective providing mentorship and recording access to young women and nonbinary artists of color

?I don? t want to just ?make it,??she says ?I want to make room ?

THEORIGIN:

Carolina Clay, Brooklyn Blaze

Raised in a working-class Charlotte neighborhood by a mother who was a choir singer and a father who fixed radios by day and recited Baldwin at night, Samara Cyn grew up steeped in both sound and substance Her earliest verses were written on church bulletins, and her first performances were at backyard cookouts, using spoons for percussion and aunties for hype women

?I didn? t start rapping to get famous,?she says ?I started because silence was choking me ?

Her move to Brooklyn in 2022 wasn? t just about career? it was spiritual. ?I needed to find my tribe. Turns out, I brought them with me ?

THEFUTURE:

Not a Star. A Storm.

With Velvet Revolver now streaming, a headline spot on the Mic Matters Tour, and an upcoming Tiny Desk submission that insiders say is ?genre-breaking,?Samara Cyn is poised to become more than just a name in indie circles? she?s shaping up to be a voice of a generation.

But she?ll check you real quick if you call her ?the next big thing ?

?I?m not next I?m now I?m not big I?m necessary ?

SAMARA CYN ESSENTIALSPLAYLIST

?Blush & Blade?? Femme fury with velvet edges

?Gentrify This?? Protest in rhythm form

?Static Crown?? For every Black girl who?s ever been told to dim her light

QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

"Every time I write, I?m building something freer than the world I woke up in " ? Samara Cyn

https://samaracyn ffm to/music

https://www instagram com/samaracyn/

PHOTOGRAPHY

TheWork of Ben Iwara

t echnol ogy

How Indie Innovat

ors Are Reprogram m ing t he Tech Gam e Indie Incognit o Tech Feat ure | July 2025 Edit ion

by Indie Incognito Staff

Silicon Valleydoesn? t own thefuture From the blocktotheblockchain, a newgeneration of indie tech disruptorsisrewritingtherules? code-switchingboth literallyand culturally.

For decades,mainstream tech has been branded by billionaires,beige boardrooms,and buzzwords But beneath that corporate gloss lies a revolution brewing in cafes, co-working spaces,and basement studios across the country. Welcome to the rise of indie tech ? where creativity meets code,and innovation isn? t just about IPOs,it?s about impact

From Harlem to Houston,Black and Brown developers,queer coders, Gen Z tinkerers,and AI ethicists are reimagining the digital world with a purpose They're not asking permission ? they're launching platforms, disrupting biases,and building tech that's community-rooted,not venture-capital-extracted

Take Coded By Keisha, a Brooklyn-based dev who launched an AI tool that translates African American Vernacular English (AAVE)into formal corporate speak ? not to sanitize, but to expose linguistic bias in hiring algorithms. Or The Signal Underground,a decentralized platform amplifying grassroots journalism in countries where censorship is the status quo

These aren? t just apps They?re acts of resistance

Still,indie creators face an uphill battle: lack of funding,gatekeeping investors,and systemic erasure from tech conferences and accelerators. But they?re adapting ? forming their own coalitions,running equity-first crowdfunding campaigns, and using blockchain

to bypass middlemen

Tech is no longer just hardware and software ? it?s cultureware

Sidebar: Indie Tech Trailblazers to Watch

Aya Omari (Oakland): Creator of ?SafeNet,?a digital safety app for activists of color

Julian Mendez (Chicago): Founder of ?BarrioCode,?a coding bootcamp with a hip-hop curriculum

The Tech Chaplains Collective (Nationwide): A queer-led spiritual-ethical think tank for emerging AI

Closing Thought:

Indie tech isn? t waiting for the old guard to pass the torch It?s building a new grid,powered by creativity,equity,and unapologetic innovation The question is ? are you logged in?

LEADERSHIP

When t he Suit s Change, But t he St ruggles Don?

t : Am erica?s New Leadership and t he Illusion of Progress

by Indie Incognito Staff

Let?s not get lost in the photo ops and fresh cabinet bios America has new leadership, yes ? but is it truly new, or just better branded?

After years of chaos, corruption, and culture war fatigue, the new faces in Washington are polished, articulate, and supposedly ?restorative ?They promise competence, bipartisanship, and a data-driven reset But beneath the press briefings and LinkedIn-grade résumés lies an uncomfortable truth: this leadership may be fluent in equity buzzwords, but they're still speaking the old language of power

The Technocrat ic Dream Isn? t for t he People

This new administration is stacked with Ivy League pedigrees, foundation board veterans, and think tank alumni. The theory?Smarter people make better policy The reality?You can? t spreadsheet your way out of a housing crisis or PowerPoint away structural racism

Communities crushed by police brutality, medical debt, and environmental racism don? t need a leadership that?s well-meaning? they need one that?s bold. Yet when asked about reparations, about ending qualified immunity, about breaking up monopolies, America?s new leaders blink, stall, or shift to tax credits Leadership should feel like a lifeline, not a lobbying seminar.

Represent at ion ? Liberat ion

Yes, the cabinet is more diverse More women, more people of color, more firsts We celebrate that? genuinely

But let's not confuse representation with revolution If the same oppressive systems remain untouched, it doesn? t matter who?s administering them A Black or Brown face at the top of a broken structure is still? the top of a broken structure

The

Cult ure Has Changed Has t he Pow er?

This leadership knows how to talk to activists. They namecheck Juneteenth. They acknowledge Stonewall They use correct pronouns But what happens when those same leaders increase funding for ICE?Or approve fossil fuel projects on tribal land?Progress in language without justice in policy is just performance.

A New Era? Or Just a Soft er Mask?

Don? t get it twisted: competent leadership is better than chaos But America needs more than restoration We need reimagination New leadership should mean new priorities? universal healthcare, living wages, environmental justice, and yes, a real reckoning with this country?s past and present sins

This moment demands more than polished governance It demands courage So far, we're still waiting

?The names have changed, but the neighborhoods haven? t We need more than equity panels? we need equity pipelines ? anonymous

BUSINESS

The 5 Qualit ies All Successful Leaders

Have in Com m on

By Shayna Joubert

You?ve probably heard the expression ?born leader.?The phrase implies that the qualities that make a good leader are innate? you?re either born with the skills it takes to be a leader, or you?re not And it?s true that certain traits tend to be innate? such as charisma, humility, and a sense of humor. However, two research studies? one study with male twins and another with female twins? found that only one-third of the variance in leadership qualities is associated with heredity

In other words, many key leadership qualities can be learned and improved upon over time, such as effective communication, goal setting, and strategic thinking

?The foundation of Northeastern?s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership is that leaders can be developed,?says Teresa Goode, associate teaching professor for the leadership program at Northeastern University.

You?ve probably heard the expression ?born leader ?The phrase implies that the qualities that make a good leader are innate? you?re either born with the skills it takes to be a leader, or you?re not. And it?s true that certain traits tend to be innate? such as charisma, humility, and a sense of humor However, two research studies? one study with male twins and another with female twins? found that only one-third of the variance in leadership qualities is associated with heredity

In other words, many key leadership qualities can be learned and improved upon over time, such as effective communication, goal setting, and strategic thinking.

The program emphasizes experiential learning, or the acquisition of knowledge through observation and experimentation in a professional setting, as a key method to help students develop essential leadership qualities

Many organizations, including higher education institutions like Northeastern, increasingly recognize the benefits of this approach and have put it to use to develop the leaders of tomorrow ?Instead of traits, our program is competency-based,?Goode adds ?We break these key competencies down to behaviors that students can observe, practice, and get feedback on ? What is a successful leader?

There are several essential qualities that define a successful leader for any organization A well-rounded leader is capable of providing guidance and inspiration to everyone around them

Public Trust & Account abilit y

15 How w ill you m aint ain t ransparency and account abilit y if elect ed?

When I led workplace inclusion initiatives, I made success and failure equally visible ? not hiding the tough conversations. I?ll bring that same transparency to Congress through quarterly reports, public meetings, and open-access voting records

16. How do you plan t o st ay connect ed w it h t he people you represent ?

Just like I stay connected now ? through grassroots events, direct conversations, and by being present where life happens From barbershops to community colleges to small businesses, I?ll stay rooted in the community?s daily realities

17 What role does com m unit y feedback play in your policy decisions?

Community feedback shaped my leadership when I rebuilt DEI programs around employee input instead of top-down mandates. I believe sustainable solutions are community-driven ? and in Congress, that philosophy will guide every vote I take.

Values & Vision

18. What core values guide your leadership st yle?

Integrity, accountability, empathy, honesty, respect, and time management Whether it was organizing union members, mentoring students, or facilitating corporate leadership programs, I?ve lived by these values every step of the way.

19 How do you define effect ive leadership in t oday?s polit ical clim at e? Effective leadership means being a bridge, not a battering ram When I facilitated trauma-informed DEI workshops, I helped people from polarized backgrounds find shared humanity ? and that?s the kind of leadership America needs now more than ever

20 What legacy do you hope t o leave if you?re elect ed?

I want to be remembered as someone who didn? t just talk about unity but one who actually built it Someone who created real economic opportunities, made mental health a national priority, and made government feel human again ? proving that second chances aren? t just possible; they?re powerful

Sincerely,

Charles M.HarperSr., Ph.D. Student, MBA, CDP

(913) 620-0281

www linkedin com/in/charlesmharpersr

2022 Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Mental Health Champion of the Year

Leadership Coach | Certified Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practitioner | 4-Time Published Author | Motivational Speaker | Educator

"Change your thoughts and you change your world " - Norman Vincent Peale

Freemasonry in Black and White (Revised Edition)Kindle Edition by Charles M Harper Sr (Author),Rossitza Meek (Editor) ,Mir Omar Ali (Foreword)

"I'M BLACK AND

I'M PROUD !

The Pow er of Blackness

By Indie Incognito Editorial

Blackness is not a burden. It is not something to be tamed, explained, or erased Blackness is power And in a world built on its exploitation, its very existence is a radical, radiant act.

It is power in the echo of spirituals sung in fields and the basslines born in basements It is the sway of hips at a block party and the stillness of a raised fist in Ferguson. It?s the invention, the reinvention, the refusal to die? even when the system demands it Blackness is Miles blowing a note that bends time It?s Zora in ink, Toni in type, Baldwin in fire It?s Audre Lorde telling us our silence won? t protect us and Nina Simone saying ?I tell you what freedom is? no fear.?It is fashion before it?s runway It is language before it?s textbooks It is style stolen, sold, and still sacred.

From the hush harbors to HBCUs, from the Underground Railroad to Afrofuturism, Blackness is the blueprint Everyone wants the flavor? but can they handle the history?

We Are the Evidence and the Answer

We?ve always been more than statistics and hashtags We are theory and theology, laughter and law We are the architects of culture, the engineers of excellence. And no matter how they rename us? minority, urban, underrepresented? we?ve never been minor

We?ve been the main event

Final Word:

The power of Blackness is not up for debate It is not performative It is not waiting for permission It just is And it will be? forever

?Blackness is the rhythm, the reason, and the refusal ?

?Everyone wants the flavor? but can they handle the history??

?We are not trending? we are timeless ?We Are the Evidence and the Answer

We?ve always been more than statistics and hashtags We are theory and theology, laughter and law We are the architects of culture, the engineers of excellence. And no matter how they rename us? minority, urban, underrepresented? we?ve never been minor

We?ve been the main event.

Final Word:

The power of Blackness is not up for debate It is not performative. It is not waiting for permission It just is And it will be? forever

Blackness is the rhythm, the reason, and the refusal ?

?Everyone wants the flavor? but can they handle the history??

?We are not trending? we are timeless ?

photo by Angèle Etoundi Essamba

WELLNESS

?Healing in t he Heat : Radical Wellness for a Revolut ionary Sum m er ?

By Indie Incognito Editorial

July is more than fireworks and family cookouts? it?s a reminder that freedom without well-being is a half-fought battle In the thick of summer, when the world moves faster and tempers flare higher, it?s time we talk about revolutionary rest, cultural healing, and community-centered self-care

This summer, we?re reclaiming wellness? not as luxury, but as liberation

Wellness Ain? t Whit ew ashed

Let?s get real: too much of today?s wellness space is curated for Instagram, not for impact. Yoga retreats priced like car notes. Clean eating coded in privilege Meditation taught without mention of ancestral wisdom

Indie Incognito is flipping the narrative

Wellness, in its truest form, belongs to us. Our communities have long practiced generational healing? whether through drumming circles, Sunday dinners, storytelling, or simply sitting in silence with our elders.

So, this July, we encourage you to return to what centers you:

Make movement joyful? from backyard double dutch to West African dance classes.

Eat with intention? collard greens count as greens, and that?s on soul food science

Hydrate like your ancestors prayed for rain? because they did.

Unplug from grind culture? rest is resistance Sleep is sacred Don? t let hustle worship kill your joy.

Com m unit y Is t he Medicine

From mutual aid gardens to barbershop mental health circles, healing happens when we show up for each other Wellness isn? t about isolation? it?s about interconnection

This July, start your own ripple:

Host a ?walk and talk?session with neighbors

Organize a cooling station on hot days

Check in on the single moms, the elders, the ones who carry too much and get too little

Bot t om Line:

In a world that profits off your burnout, healing is a radical act

This summer, let your joy be loud, your peace be non-negotiable, and your wellness be Black, brown, bold, and unapologetically yours

5 Ways to Practice Community Wellness

Wellness isn? t solo work? it?s a collective vibe Here?s how to bring the whole block with you

1 Start a Healing Circle

Create safe, judgment-free spaces for open conversation Host it at your kitchen table, local library, or church basement Invite folks to talk, share stories, vent, cry, laugh No therapists required? just trust, tea, and time

2 Create a ?Wellness Swap?

Not everyone can afford gym memberships or Whole Foods herbs So trade what you have Maybe you offer free yoga in the park, your neighbor brings herbal teas, and someone else gives free haircuts. Exchange is empowerment

5 Ways t o Pract ice Com m unit y Wellness

Wellness isn? t solo work? it?s a collective vibe. Here?s how to bring the whole block with you.

1. St art a Healing Circle

Create safe, judgment-free spaces for open conversation. Host it at your kitchen table, local library, or church basement. Invite folks to talk, share stories, vent, cry, laugh No therapists required? just trust, tea, and time

2 Creat e a ?Wellness Sw ap?

Not everyone can afford gym memberships or Whole Foods herbs So trade what you have Maybe you offer free yoga in the park, your neighbor brings herbal teas, and someone else gives free haircuts Exchange is empowerment.

3 Host a Hydrat ion Drive

In the summer heat, dehydration hits the underserved hardest Collect water bottles, cooling towels, and electrolyte packs. Distribute to the homeless, the elders, delivery drivers, and outdoor workers

4. Am plify Black & Brow n Healers

Support local therapists, doulas, herbalists, massage therapists, energy workers, and fitness instructors of color Promote them, book them, and tag them Our wellness deserves representation? and compensation

5 Make Rest Cont agious

Set the example Take naps Log off Say no Celebrate slow days and unplugged weekends The more we normalize rest, the more permission we give each other to breathe.

Your Opinion

ByPaul et t eJackson

?Visibil it yIs Not Val idat ion:Bl ackMediaSt il l Mat t ers?

IndieIncognit o|July2025

Let?s get something straight: being seen isn? t the same as being valued

In 2025, Black faces are on billboards, streaming platforms, and awards show stages? but that doesn? t mean we?ve arrived It means we?ve been noticed And there's a difference.

The corporate world learned how to mimic diversity. Sprinkle in some color, drop a DEI hashtag, and suddenly they?re ?inclusive ?But when the cameras shut off, when the protest dies down, who?s still behind the scenes?Who owns the platform?Who controls the narrative?

That?s why Black-owned media still matters It?s not nostalgia. It?s necessity.

We Are Not a Trend

Black creativity built American culture Full stop. But our stories? raw, uncut, rooted in real experience? still get filtered, softened, or stolen when we don? t own the mic

I launched URI Global Media not for applause, but because I was tired of asking permission to celebrate our brilliance

Tired of seeing legends overlooked and icons misrepresented

Tired of watching our contributions get sliced into soundbites for someone else's profit

Ownership means control. Control means authenticity. Authenticity means power.

Represent at ion Alone Isn? t Liberat ion

I?m proud of every actor, author, artist breaking through But visibility without infrastructure is a setup We need networks We need archives We need distribution pipelines that don? t depend on gatekeepers who?ve never stepped foot in our communities

You want real diversity?Fund it. Share it. Protect it

The Call Is This: Build, Don? t Beg

My opinion?Stop waiting for validation Create the platforms Write the contracts Host the awards Start the podcast Preserve the culture

Because the next generation is watching And if we don? t own our legacy, someone else will lease it back to us? at a price.

24

?Being seen isn? t the same as being valued ?

?Visibility without ownership is decoration, not power ?

?Stop waiting for validation Build the platform ?

Photo by Victor Chijioke

INSIGHT

A Mighty Girl Post

One of the most powerful examples of collective resistance in history took place on this day in 1963 when 1,000 children, some as young as six years old, were arrested and jailed during the Birmingham Children's Crusade

Over one week in May, thousands of children, who had been trained by civil rights organizers in non-violence resistance, gathered at the 16th Street Baptist Church on May 2 to participate in a Children's March against the racist segregation laws of Birmingham and the state of Alabama As each group of 50 children marched out of the church singing civil rights freedom songs and were arrested, another group took its place

The children had chosen to participate in these protests in place of their parents due to the severe forms of retaliation that had been targeted toward adults participating in civil rights protests by racist city and state officials; for participating in peaceful protests, adults could be fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes, and have their credit cut off at businesses. The children, who were less economically vulnerable, chose to take a stand and by the end of "D-Day", as it was called for "ditching" class to march for justice, Birmingham's jail cells were filled to capacity with children

After the mass arrests of the first day, the demonstrations continued peacefully the following day but the city's response became far more brutal. With the jails overflowing with children, Police Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor ordered the use of police dogs and fire hoses against the children with dogs ripping at the children's clothing and the powerful water jets knocking children over and slamming them against buildings The next day, photos from Birmingham of children being attacked by dogs and knocked to the ground by fire hoses appeared in newspapers around the world

Despite the violent response, the children continued their nonviolent protests, marching en masse on May 5th to the city jail where many children were still being held. By May 10th, under pressure from the on-going demonstrations and widespread condemnation from around the country at such violent treatment of children peacefully seeking basic rights, city leaders at last conceded. They agreed to desegregate businesses in Birmingham and release everyone who had been jailed during the demonstrations The courageous protests of the estimated 4,000 children who participated in the Children 's Crusade not only led to a victory in Birmingham but the massive media attention generated by the

Children's Crusade also compelled then President John F Kennedy to at last move decisively on civil rights The following month, he gave a historic address from the Oval Office on civil rights, announcing that he would be submitting civil rights legislation to Congress -that bill eventually became the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination and segregation nationwide

For a moving picture book about these brave children and their historic march, we highly recommend "Let the Children March" for ages 5 to 9 at https://www amightygirl com/let-the-childrenmarch

There is also a picture book about the youngest known marcher in Birmingham, 9-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks, for ages 5 to 9 at https://www amightygirl com/the-youngestmarcher

For ages 10 and up, we recommend the excellent photo-filled book about these events, "We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March," at https://bookshop org/a/8011/9781561458448 and http://amzn to/2pVaZQK

For more true stories of the role of young people in the Civil Rights Movement, check out "Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories," for ages 10 and up at https://www amightygirl com/freedom-schildren

For adults who would like a deeper understanding of the Civil Rights Movement, we recommend the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Parting the Waters" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9780671687427 and http://amzn to/2qBN30Z

For more books for children and teens about the important and often overlooked role that girls and women played in the Civil Rights Movement, visit our special feature on the "Top Mighty Girls Books on Civil Rights History" at https://www.amightygirl.com/mighty.. /civil-rights -history

https://bsky.app/profile/amightygirl.com

FASHION

Styl ed to Sizzl e: In IndieSummer Fits With Purpose

BySheneka Gunn, Indie Incognito Fashion Editor Owner, 1QTeeBoutique, LasVegas

NEXTGENVOICES

by Keyanna Harper

Black Fat igue Ain? t Yours t o

Claim : A Breakdow n for t he

Cult ure

Here we go again! I?m scrolling through TikTok I stopped on a creator that was talking about racism and deconstruction of it, of course I'm in the comments and reading, not even two comments in, her comment section is flooded with racist white people screaming Black Fatigue, Black fatigue but had no idea of what it means

Let's get one thing clear: Black fatigue is not a trending hashtag, a performative buzzword, or a term for bored white folks tired of hearing the truth. It is ours born from centuries of being over-policed, overlooked, overworked, and underestimated

And now, just like everything else we create, some folks are trying to co-opt it like it?s a brand-new thought they discovered over brunch Let?s talk about it

What Is Black Fat igue?

Black fatigue is the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion that comes from simply existing while Black in a system built to grind us down. We?re talking generational wear-and-tear. Trauma that?s not just individual but collective. It?s your grandmother?s quiet pain, your uncle?s nervousness around cops, your exhaustion after code-switching through a whole workday. t?s not just tired It?s tired-tired

The term was deeply unpacked by Mary-Frances Winters in her powerful book, Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit. And make no mistake this book is a necessary read, not a trend to misquote on social media.

The Book That Said It First and Said It Best

Mary-Frances Winters is a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) expert with decades of experience, and she knew we needed language to name what we?ve always felt but couldn? t always explain In Black Fatigue, she breaks down how racism doesn? t just hurt feelings it breaks down bodies, weakens immune systems, increases stress-related illnesses, and literally shortens lives

PHOTOGRAPHY

She digs into:

by Bobby Roebuck

How systemic racism isn? t just in the news it?s in healthcare, housing, hiring, policing, everything

How explaining racism over and over again to people who just don? t want to get it is an added layer of exhaustion.

How Black women carry even more of the load navigating hair politics, misogynoir, workplace microaggressions, and the constant pressure to be twice as good for half as much.

The message is clear: We?re not imagining it And we are not okay

Let?s Talk About the New ?Anti-Woke? Co-Opting Now here come the culture vultures trying to remix the term ?Black fatigue?and throw it under the same dusty umbrella as ?woke?and ?DEI?as if they?re the ones under attack.

They?re saying they?re ?fatigued?by diversity initiatives. They?re ?tired?of hearing about race

They claim they are the victims now.

No What they?re tired of is accountability

What they?re really fatigued by is being forced to acknowledge a truth they?ve ignored for generations.

Let?s be real: Black people aren? t asking for extra, we're asking for equity We just want to live, work, create, and exist without dodging constant interruptions from white noise and manufactured outrage.

The Difference Between ?Feeling Uncomfortable?and Black Fatigue

Unhappy white people complaining about ?reverse racism?aren? t experiencing fatigue, they're experiencing consequences for the first time That?s not oppression That?s discomfort And those two things are not the same

Final Thought .

Black fatigue isn? t up for reinterpretation. It?s not a slogan to be watered down It is a lived experience, a daily struggle, and a call for systemic change

So if you're tired of hearing about racism, imagine being tired from surviving it.

We?re not asking for sympathy We?re demanding recognition? and rest

Keyanna Harper isan IndieIncognito columnist and founder of Obsidian People

pol it ics

Who?sReal

lyRunningThis?

Welcome to 2025,where the political game in America has shifted from chess to shell game

Same old board,but the hustle is cleaner, faster? and televised in 4K.

Let?s start with the obvious:

The Trump cult hasn? t died It?s metastasized You?ve got candidates who swear allegiance to a man more than to a Constitution They?re less interested in governing than going viral. This isn? t about policy? it?s about platform. If you?re not riling up fear,you're not relevant

Meanwhile,the Democrats?Still riding the ghost of Obama?s charisma and Biden?s fading legacy like it?s enough Spoiler: It?s not Young progressives are demanding bold climate moves,racial equity,and healthcare justice? while leadership keeps offering ?unity? and compromise to people who don? t even believe the last election was real

And here?s the kicker:

Independent voters are growing But they?re disillusioned,not energized. They?ve seen how promises get sacrificed at the altar of corporate donors They?ve watched how Supreme Court decisions gut civil rights while Congress plays PRpoker

Voting rights are under attack. Book bans are in full swing. The culture war is the main course because if folks stay divided over pronouns and flags,they won? t notice billionaires skipping out on taxes or AI replacing jobs without protections.

2025 is the year people woke up to this truth:

Welcome to 2025, where the political game in America has shifted from chess to shell game. Same old board, but the hustle is cleaner, faster? and televised in 4K.

Let?s start with the obvious:

The Trump cult hasn? t died It?s metastasized You?ve got candidates who swear allegiance to a man more than to a Constitution They?re less interested in governing than going viral. This isn? t about policy? it?s about platform. If you?re not riling up fear, you're not relevant

Meanwhile, the Democrats?Still riding the ghost of Obama?s charisma and Biden?s fading legacy like it?s enough Spoiler: It?s not Young progressives are demanding bold climate moves, racial equity, and healthcare justice? while leadership keeps offering ?unity?and compromise to people who don? t even believe the last election was real

And here?s the kicker:

Independent voters are growing But they?re disillusioned, not energized. They?ve seen how promises get sacrificed at the altar of corporate donors They?ve watched how Supreme Court decisions gut civil rights while Congress plays PRpoker

Voting rights are under attack. Book bans are in full swing. The culture war is the main course because if folks stay divided over pronouns and flags, they won? t notice billionaires skipping out on taxes or AI replacing jobs without protections.

2025 is the year people woke up to this truth:

Cont r oversial Icons Ser ies?Vol umei. Cont r oversial Icons Ser ies?Vol ume1

DaveChappel l e:TheTr ut h Hurt s,andHe?sSt il l Tal king

?By: Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

Funny Isn? t Always Safe. Neither Is Chappelle.?

Dave Chappelle: Culture?s Court Jester or Its Most

Honest Critic?

?Mic in One Hand, Middle Finger in the Other?

When Dave Chappelle walked away from Chappelle?s Show at the height of his power, many thought he was spiraling. Turns out, he was just woke? before the word got sold on a t-shirt

Fast-forward: Chappelle is still standing, still selling out arenas, and still splitting audiences with surgical jokes that challenge everything from race to gender to cancel culture itself To some, he?s the last truth-teller in comedy. To others, he's a punchline gone too far

But whether he's torching white fragility, unpacking the trans debate, or deconstructing Black masculinity, one thing?s clear: Dave isn't telling jokes to survive He?s telling them to wake us the hell up.

Chappelle doesn? t flirt with the line? he picks it up, shakes it, and dares us to redraw it. And that?s what makes him dangerous in an era allergic to discomfort

Chappelle?s Culture Shock Moments

Walked away from a $50M deal with Comedy Central in 2005

Netflix specials (The Closer, Equanimity) caused both backlash and awards

Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, 2019

Refused to be censored, canceled, or converted

?If this is what being canceled is like I love it ?

? Dave Chappelle, 2021

Why Chappelle Still Matters

He treats comedy as combat? against ignorance, hypocrisy, and groupthink

He?s not here to entertain you? he?s here to expose you

His genius?He says what many think but won? t admit? not even to themselves

Dave Chappelle doesn? t make safe comedy He makes necessary discomfort That alone earns him a permanent seat at the table? and a spotlight in our Controversial Icons series.

ThisSer iesMat t ers

Pr ofound&Unfor given:Far r akhan&Eart ha Kit t

By Indie Incognito Editorial

To speak truth to power is one thing To speak it with clarity and consequences is something else entirely

Minister Louis Farrakhan and Eartha Kitt? two names rarely mentioned in the same sentence, yet both stand as monuments to what happens when Black truth refuses to whisper.

Their Profoundness?Unfiltered

Conviction

Both icons were punished not for being wrong? but for being right too early For daring to speak before the world was ready to hear For exposing truths that make comfortable people squirm

They remind us that profoundness isn't just intellectual? it's sacrificial

?They didn? t just challenge power? they stared it down ?

?Farrakhan sermonized Eartha weaponized elegance ?

?Profoundness is truth spoken before it's safe.?

1965: Farrakhan rises in the Nation of Islam following Malcolm X?s assassination

1968: Kitt confronts the First Lady and is blacklisted

1995: Farrakhan leads the Million Man March

2000s: Eartha Kitt becomes a Broadway powerhouse and global humanitarian.

Farrakhan: Link to "The Final Call" digital archive

Kitt: Performance clip from "I Want to Be Evil" and UN speech on children's rights

Farrakhan: The Archit ect of Audacit y

Farrakhan?s power lies not just in what he says? but in who he dares to say it to Presidents Pundits Parishioners In a world where most faith leaders sidestep politics, Farrakhan walks straight into the fire and calls it by name: racism, imperialism, moral rot

He speaks with the cadence of scripture but the bite of revolution His critics call him dangerous But what they really mean is: he won? t be controlled.

Eart ha Kit t :

Grace w it h a Razor ?s Edge

Eartha Kitt could purr through a Paris ballad and growl through a Senate committee She was banished from the White House in 1968 for telling Lady Bird Johnson that sending Black boys to Vietnam wasn? t patriotic? it was genocidal

Her voice wasn? t just sultry? it was surgical Beneath the glamor was a gladiator who refused to perform respectability She paid for it, too. Hollywood froze her out. America turned its back But Eartha never bent

newsnow

INDIEINCOGNITO|Pol it ics&Power |July2025

Behindt heMask:TheBul l sh*t Excusefor ICE Agent sHidingTheir Faces

?If you?re enforcing justice, why the disguise??

In the land of the free and the home of the brave,government agents shouldn? t need to wear masks like villains in a dystopian sequel But ICEseems to think otherwise.

Their official stance?Concealing faces ?for safety?Their real motive?Ducking responsibility

Whether it?s snatching undocumented workers from job sites or dragging immigrants from their homes in early-morning raids,the agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement routinely cover their identities? no names, no badge numbers, just boots,uniforms, and balaclavas.

The Illusion of Safet y

Let?s be clear: safety in law enforcement is a valid concern Undercover operations or serious threats justify discretion But this isn? t that These are government-sanctioned sweeps of communities,not secret sting operations on drug cartels ICE?s operations are public? and their actions have very real, very public consequences

So what happens when there's no name to report?No badge to document?Abuse, intimidation,and excessive force become shadows that can't be traced This isn? t about protecting agents It?s about silencing criticism and insulating a system from reform

?Anonymity might shield agents? but it also protects abuse.?

The Hypocrisy is Loud

Peaceful protesters? often teenagers, students, and clergy? are cataloged in databases and smeared across cable news Meanwhile,agents empowered to tear apart families can do so without ever revealing their identities

What are we saying as a society?That an undocumented father driving his kid to school is more dangerous than an unidentifiable agent with federal authority and immunity?

It?s cowardice dressed in Kevlar

This is About Pow er, Not Prot ect ion

ICEhas operated like a rogue agency since its post-9/11 inception And the ability to act without oversight is a key part of its strategy. When names are missing and faces are hidden, so are the consequences The agents become ghosts? untouchable and unchecked

Accountability isn? t optional It?s the price of power If ICEcan? t do its job without a mask, maybe the job isn? t what they claim it is.

The Real Cost s of ICE Anonym it y

Zero Accountability: Victims of mistreatment often can't identify their abusers Complaints go unanswered

Fear-Based Policing: Masked agents create community terror,not security.

Discover DominicaLaunchesKool Escapes TRAVEL

by Indie Incognito Staff

Dominica, the ?Nature Island of the Caribbean? is hoping to lure more summer visitors with a special Kool Escapes promotion.

Travelers can take advantage of discounts on a sampling of all the island nation has to offer, including accommodation packages, culinary experiences and activities

?Dominica is without a doubt a paradise for both adventure seekers and those looking to unwind, and we are thrilled to welcome visitors to experience its magic through Kool Escapes,? said Marva Williams, Discover Dominica CEO ?Visitors can expect to be immersed in lush mountainous nature and rich cultural

experiences Plus, with exclusive savings on accommodations, tours and dining, it is easier than ever to discover Dominica this summer ?

Dominica?s tourist offerings have been expanding and it popularity with visitors has been growing as of late Now is a great time for travellers looking to explore somewhere new to discover Dominica

Examples of the promotional pricing offers include:

- Coulibri Ridge Sunkissed Summer Package: Enjoy 60 percent off a 60-minute massage, daily gourmet meals and cocktails, snorkeling and kayaking, plus complimentary airport transfers

- Citrus Creek Plantation Nature Retreat: Includes port of entry transfers, guided day tours, a government site pass, daily continental breakfast, and organic dining at the Riverside Café Explore the East Coast with a hike to Victoria Falls, Glassy Trail, and Rosalie Turtles Beach, or visit the Roseau Valley to explore Freshwater Lake, Trafalgar Falls, and hot baths.

- Fort Young Hotel Journey to Paradise: Stay 7 nights for the price of 5, with daily breakfast, airport transfers, and VIPlounge access. Secret Bay Nonstop Bliss: Also offering a 7-night stay for the price of 5, plus perks like a welcome dinner and a scenic Indian River tour

- Jungle Bay?s Wellness and Adventure Escape: A 2-night stay with a rejuvenating spa treatment, a guided excursion, and airport transfers, for a perfect mix of relaxation and adventure

For more information on Kool Escapes, visit discoverdominica.com/en/kool-escapes.

The Traum a of Povert y:

Why Escaping Povert y Doesn? t Mean Escaping t he Dam age It Leaves Behind

ByIndieIncognito Editorial Team

Poverty isn? t just a number on a paycheck or a line on a census report? it?s a lived, breathing trauma. It?s the dull ache in your stomach when dinner isn? t guaranteed It?s the shame of free lunch It?s the silence after ?no?becomes the only answer you ever hear Poverty doesn? t simply bruise the body? it scars the spirit

For millions of Americans, especially in Black and Brown communities, poverty is not temporary hardship. It's generational harm. It?s being born into a world where the rules were never meant for you to win The trauma of poverty isn't cured by a raise, a degree, or even a winning lottery ticket It's embedded And unless we name it and address it, we?re not lifting people out of poverty? we're just asking them to mask the pain a little better.

More Than a Wallet Wound

Psychologists have confirmed what those who?ve lived it have always known: chronic poverty rewires the brain. The constant stress of instability? housing insecurity, food scarcity, medical neglect? mimics the neurological patterns of PTSD Imagine trying to focus on school while wondering if your lights will be cut off by sunset Imagine chasing ambition when survival is your full-time job

Success doesn't cancel out this trauma? it often exposes it. Adults who grew up poor frequently struggle with financial guilt, imposter syndrome, or the need to overcompensate Even after they ?make it,?many can? t shake the subconscious belief that they?re one emergency away from losing everything again Because for a long time, they were

Shame: Poverty?s Silent Partner

Let?s be clear: the trauma doesn? t just come from being poor? it comes from being blamed for it. America loves the myth of meritocracy. If you?re struggling, the narrative says it?s your fault Not the broken systems Not the underfunded schools or the exploitative labor practices You just ?didn? t work hard enough ?That lie cuts deep? and it isolates

Children internalize it early. Adults wear it as silent shame Entire communities are gaslit into thinking they are the problem, not the product of generational neglect and systemic oppression

When Poverty and Racism Link Arms

Poverty doesn? t hit every community equally. It is racialized. From redlining to under-resourced schools, to the prison pipeline that targets poor Black and Brown youth, systemic racism amplifies poverty?s impact Wealth gaps weren? t accidents? they were engineered And the trauma they?ve produced continues to echo through time

We don? t talk about that enough.

Probably because it?s easier to slap a bootstraps slogan on a bumper sticker than to dismantle an economic system built on inequality

So What Do We Do?

Start by shifting the narrative Poverty is trauma, not laziness People need healing, not judgment Policy must prioritize not just financial aid, but mental health support for people navigating the long-term effects of economic hardship. Schools, workplaces, and communities must be trauma-informed? because when half the country is one paycheck away from disaster, pretending trauma is rare is a lie we can? t afford

?You don? t just escape poverty? you survive it. And survival leaves a mark.?

?It wasn? t the hunger that broke me It was pretending I wasn? t ?

Poverty is trauma. It deserves to be treated as such. And until we reckon with the emotional cost of America?s inequality, we?re just patching potholes in a road that was never built for everyone to travel

Photo by: Patrick Hendry

Photo by: chetan Verma

Phot by: RJBaculo

INDIEINCOGNITO|Cult ur e &Canvas|July2025

By Indie Incognito Editorial Team

What You See Is How You Feel: The Power of

Abstract Painting

Why the most ?confusing?art might be telling the rawest truths of all

Let?s get this out of the way: abstract painting is not about understanding. It?s about feeling.

The critics who complain ?My kid could do that?are missing the point? and the power.

Abstract art isn? t a puzzle to solve; it?s a mirror It doesn? t show us the world as it is It shows us the world as we feel it And sometimes, that?s a hell of a lot more honest than realism ever could be.

The Art of Uncertainty

In a world obsessed with clear answers, abstract painting does something radical: it refuses to explain itself

Lines bend without reason. Shapes clash without logic Colors scream, sigh, or sit in silence There?s no fixed story No protagonist

No moral x permission to do the same

A Language Beyond Words

Abstract painting speaks the language of the unspeakable. Grief. Euphoria. Rage. Freedom. Oppression Memory Healing

These aren? t always things we can describe in paragraphs. But they are things we can express in a riot of brushstrokes or a whisper of shade

Look at a piece by Alma Thomas or Mark Rothko or a contemporary like Jadé Fadojutimi You may not "get it " But sit with it? and you?ll feel it That quiet electricity That ache. That deep breath. That scream caught in your throat

Black and Brown Abstraction Is Resistance

Let?s be real: abstract painting in Black and Brown hands carries added weight It?s not just art? it?s resistance. For generations, artists of color were told to document trauma, prove their humanity, or illustrate their culture on cue Abstract artists said, ?Nah I?ll paint what I want Even if it makes you uncomfortable ?

To exist in abstraction is to reject stereotypes To demand creative freedom. To own your emotions in a world that tries to control them. It?s not escapism? it?s liberation on canvas

The Real Flex: Not Needing to Explain

Abstract painting challenges the viewer It demands presence. It?s the opposite of scroll culture You have to be with it Let it disrupt your headspace Make you feel something real in an era of curated fiction

Maybe it reminds you of a memory Maybe it triggers nothing but confusion Either way? it moved you And that?s the point

FILM

Three longt im e Brooklynit es navigat e careers, love, loss, and friendship against t he rapidly changing landscape of t heir beloved cit y.

Direct or Rachael Holder

Writ er

Paul Zim m erm an St ars

André HollandNicole BeharieDeWanda Wise

ComingAt t r act ions

Award-winning playwright a k payne shares the inspiration for writing "Furlough's Paradise" and how they hope structures can be created for people to exist freely Cousins Sade and Mina used to be inseparable Now leading very different lives, they return to their childhood town for the funeral of their mother and aunt. While Sade is on a three-day furlough from prison and Mina experiences a brief reprieve from her career and life on the West Coast, the two try to make sense of grief, home, love, and kinship As the clock ticks down, the cousins grapple with their conflicting memories of the past and their shared hopes for the future.

Poetic and theatrical, Furlough?s Paradise explores family dreams of a utopia yet to be realized FURLOUGH'SPARADISEWritten by a.k. payne Directed by Tinashe Kajese-Bolden Featuring Kacie Rogers and DeWanda Wise 04 16?05 18 https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/shows...

CORNER Indie Incognit o Magazine Edit orial

The Revolution Is Here? And It?s Not Waiting for Permission

By Tony Smith, Indie Incognito

Welcome to the

reckoning.

Not the quiet kind Not the kind with hashtags and coffee-shop debates. This revolution is loud, unpolished, defiant? and it?s happening right here on American soil

It?s in the whistle of factory workers demanding fair wages In Black and Brown communities refusing to be voiceless In Indigenous nations reclaiming stolen narratives In queer youth demanding not tolerance, but dignity. It?s in every protest sign, every banned book club, every trans flag waving in the face of fascism

The revolution is not coming It?s here

America's so-called melting pot has boiled over. And maybe that?s the point? because for too long, ?freedom?was a gated community Democracy?A leased privilege with fine print But now, across classrooms, boardrooms, courtrooms and street corners, people are rewriting the terms.

This isn? t red vs blue It?s truth vs propaganda. Humanity vs. hierarchy.

The revolution is a single Black mother running for office with a $20 campaign budget and a community behind her It?s a punk band in Alabama screaming anti-cop anthems to a sold-out dive bar. It?s an artist spray-painting ?Land Back?over colonial statues It?s Gen Z calling bullshit louder than any boomer ever prayed for silence

And let?s be clear? revolution doesn? t ask for civility

It demands change It breaks things. It makes room.

At Indie Incognito, we?re not here to report from the sidelines We?re in the middle of it

Chronicling the culture, curating the resistance, amplifying the fury and the beauty of what it means to fight for a freer future

So don? t ask if the revolution will be televised

Ask if you?re brave enough to see it.

Because the revolution is here

And it?s just getting started

? The Editors

Indie Incognito Magazine

HeaHea

aderader

ART of Odes Roberts, Sr

HOMAGE TO PETE ROCK & CL SMOOTH

Howa Soulful Duo from Mount Vernon Shaped theSound and Spirit of Hip-Hop?sGolden Era

By Tony Smith: Indie Incognito

But it was 1992?s?Mecca and the Soul Brother?that cemented their status. Anchored by ?They Reminisce Over You (TROY),?the album wasn? t just a sonic masterpiece? it was a spiritual offering

?TROY?became a mourning anthem, written in memory of Trouble T-Roy, a member of Heavy D & the Boyz who died in a freak accident With its weeping saxophone and heart-on-sleeve lyrics, the track became one of hip-hop?s most revered moments

Yet that was only part of the story. Tracks like ?Straighten It Out,??Ghettos of the Mind,?and ?Can? t Front on Me?showed a duo unafraid to speak truth, uplift the culture, and demand better? from the world and from themselves

Odes

Roberts, Sr

click here and shop for Odes Roberts amazing works

Odes

Roberts, Sr

click here and shop for Odes Roberts amazing works

Pandav Tank

Indie Incognit o Music feat ure on R&B and Gospel art ist

Keit h Mit chell

Alex Nemo Hanse