Celebrate Black History Month 2022 with The Current
January 31, 2022
Each weekday in February, The Current is paying tribute a different influential artist in honor of Black History Month. You’ll hear hits, deeper cuts, covers, and collaborations – all to tell the stories of Ray Charles, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Sharon Jones, and many more.
A new Musicheads Essentials audio documentary feature will air each day to delve into the historic impact of these artists. The month kicks off with OutKast on Big Boi’s birthday.
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 - OutKast
Wednesday, February 2, 2022 - The Time
Thursday, February 3, 2022 - Etta James
Friday, February 4, 2022 - Kendrick Lamar
Monday, February 7, 2022 - Billie Holiday
Tuesday, February 8, 2022 - Childish Gambino
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 - Stevie Wonder
Thursday, February 10, 2022 - Sharon Jones
Friday, February 11, 2022 - Little Richard
Monday, February 14, 2022 - Al Green
Tuesday, February 15, 2022 - Janet Jackson
Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - Sam Cooke
Thursday, February 17, 2022 - Prince
Friday, February 18, 2022 - Nina Simone
Monday, February 21, 2022 - Charles Bradley
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 - Ray Charles
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 - Janelle Monáe
Thursday, February 24, 2022 - Marvin Gaye
Friday, February 25, 2022 - Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Monday, February 28, 2022 - James Brown
Rock & Roll Book Club
A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib
A Sick Life: TLC ‘n Me: Stories from On and Off the Stage by Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins
Aretha: The Queen of Soul - A Life in Photographs by Meredith Ochs
Baby Girl by Kathy Iandoli (Aaliyah)
Bessie Smith: A Poet's Biography of a Blues Legend by Jackie Kay
Beyoncé in Formation by Omise'eke Tinsley
Beyoncégraphica by Chris Roberts
Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll by Maureen Mahon
Blues All Around Me by B.B. King
Dig If You Will the Picture by Ben Greenman
Famous People Who Met Me by Owen Husney (Prince)
Gold Experience: Following Prince in the '90s by Jim Walsh
Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black & White, Body and Soul In American Music by Ann Powers
Got To Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound by Andrea Swensson
I Put a Spell On You: The Bizarre Life of Screamin' Jay Hawkins by Steve Bergsman
I Would Die 4 U by Touré (Prince)
If You See Me: My Six-Decade Journey in Rock and Roll by Pepe Willie
It Ain't Retro: Daptone Records & the 21st-Century Soul Revolution by Jessica Lipsky
Kill 'Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul by James McBride
Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday
Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz with David Ritz
My Name Is Love by Darlene Love
My Name is Prince by Randee St. Nicholas
Nothing Compares 2 U: An Oral History of Prince by Touré
Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest by Ian Zack
On Time by Morris Day with David Ritz
Once Upon a Time in Shaolin: The Untold Story of Wu-Tang Clan’s Million-Dollar Secret Album, the Devaluation of Music, and America’s New Public Enemy No. 1 by Cyrus Bozorgmehr
Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould
Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi
Prince: Before the Rain by Allen Beaulieu
Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks by Ronin Ro
Prince and the Purple Rain Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 by Duane Tudahl
Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix by Charles R. Cross
She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Joan Morgan
Showtime at the Apollo: The Epic Tale of Harlem's Legendary Theater by Ted Fox
Sights, Sounds, Soul: The Twin Cities Through the Lens of Charles Chamblis by Charles Chamblis, with text by Davu Seru
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered by Mark Ribowsky (Stevie Wonder)
Ten Ways Not to Commit Suicide by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels
The Beautiful Ones by Prince with Dan Piepenbring
The Big Life of Little Richard by Mark Ribowsky
The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America by Marcus J. Moore
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey with Michaela Angela Davis
The Memory Librarian and Other Stories of Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe
The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia
The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop by Clover Hope
This Thing Called Life: Prince's Odyssey On + Off the Record by Neal Karlen
Time is Tight: My Life, Note by Note by Booker T. Jones
What Is Hip-Hop? by Eric Morse
Who Got the Camera? A History of Rap and Reality by Eric Harvey
Why Solange Matters by Stephanie Phillips
More Black History Month Reading
• 'We continue to rise': artists discuss the intersection of Black history and music - 15 artists talk about the influence and intersection of Black history, music, and culture.
• A timeline of history-making Black music - Trace a timeline of historic black musical events, with extended riffs on selected items.
• Minnesotan Oscar Pettiford changed American music - Jazz pioneer Oscar Pettiford got his start on the stages of the Twin Cities, helping create a ‘Minneapolis sound’ long before Prince. His innovations made him one of the most influential bass players of the bebop era. A century after his birth, that legacy endures.
• Soul and inspiration: Black artists salute their musical heroes - 12 artists talk about the musicians who inspired them and helped shape their sound and vision.
• Say it Loud: Anthems of Black Pride and Empowerment - Tales from 13 artists about the creation of their inspirational social and political anthems of black pride and empowerment.
• Black History Month Playlist: St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter and the music that inspires him - "As a kid we'd joke, they gave us the shortest month of the year," said St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter with a smile. He continued, "our history gets winnowed down into one storyline that doesn't reflect all of us, so we need months like this." Carter said he's inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Nelson Mandela.
• Black History Month Playlist: Ilhan Omar talks Prince, and the music that inspires her - As we continue to see her voice emerge, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar shows strength, resilience and confidence in her current role. In 2019, Omar made history as the first Somali woman sworn into Congress. Reflecting on history, culture and music, Omar shared a playlist of songs and spoke of the personal connection she feels with her favorite music.
• Black History Month Playlist: Andrea Jenkins and the music that inspires her - A trailblazer in Minneapolis, City Council member Andrea Jenkins broke barriers in 2018 when she became the first black openly transgender woman elected to public office. Jenkins passionately talks about Black History Month as "a time to reflect and be proud, but it's also a time to recognize that there's still a lot of work and history yet to be made."
• Black History Month Playlist: Mychael Wright and the music that inspires him - A well-known St. Paul community activist, Mychael Wright has made his mark by not only creating tasty cuisine at his shop Golden Thyme Coffee, but by curating the ongoing Selby Avenue Jazz Festival every September. "At 60 years, I have an appreciation for neo-soul," said Wright. "Very inspiring to hear our young beautiful people singing, rhyming, rapping with intellect, and deep-felt meaning and understanding. Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Sade, Goapele to name a few."
• Black History Month Playlist: Raeisha Williams and the music that inspires her - Raeisha Williams and her mother Rosemary Nelvin-Williams worked hard to open the doors of their African-inspired Heritage Tea House off University Avenue in St. Paul. Williams wanted a concept that drew from her African ancestry as well as her experiences within the African-American community. Both Raeisha and Rosemary aspire to engage the community and provide the comforts of social gathering within a cultural concept.
