Hey, it’s Micah! Welcome back to Culture Canvas.
Growing up, 70s, 80s and 90s R&B–otherwise known as old school–was the soundtrack to my childhood. It was always playing on the radio when my mom would drop me off and pick me up from school, it was on when we were doing chores around the house and in the background during holiday gatherings and barbecues.
That’s where I learned about artists like Earth, Wind and Fire, the Isley Brothers, Anita Baker and Whitney Houston. Funk singer Rick James was part of the playlist, too, where I listened to hits like “You and I” and his duet with Teena Marie “Fire and Desire.”
So, it was fun getting the chance to talk to James’ daughter Ty James and playwright Je’Caryous Johnson about the production based on the singer’s life: “Super Freak: The Rick James Story.” The play made a stop in Detroit last week at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts.
Stokley Williams, former lead singer of the R&B group Mint Condition, plays the late James, who died in 2004.
With the 20th anniversary of James’ death coming up in August, Ty said she felt it was her responsibility to build her father’s brand and continue his legacy.
“You’re gonna walk away with a perspective of Rick that you never had,” said Johnson. “We uncovered the man–his passions, his beliefs, his desires and will to win the fight, the struggles of what he had to overcome. In the end, you gotta put some respect on his name and I believe everyone does that when they walk out that door.”
While “Super Freak” wrapped up its Detroit run March 24, the play will make a few stops in neighboring Ohio next month. The production will play in Akron April 24 and Columbus April 28.
Hope you all have a great week!
Cheers,
Micah
313 Scene
- The Aretha announced its summer 2024 lineup Monday and it’s packed with popular artists from the R&B, hip-hop and jazz worlds! To kick off the series, Detroit-based Afro-Caribbean brand Jerk X Jollof will be at the event venue May 25. Other artists performing throughout the summer include The Isley Brothers, Lalah Hathaway, Robert Glasper and hometown favorite Kem. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. To see the full lineup, visit The Aretha website.
- The TV series “Diarra From Detroit” recently debuted on streaming service BET+. Created by Diarra Kilpatrick, the half-sister of former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, the show follows Diarra Brickland, a divorcing, overworked teacher who finds herself drawn into a cold case after a dating app matches her with a man she suspects is the adult version of a boy abducted in the 90s.
- Motown singer Martha Reeves will be receiving her long-awaited Hollywood Walk of Fame dedication on March 27.
- Detroit’s City Walls program is getting ready for the NFL Draft with the unveiling of its DECLEATED art exhibit. Twenty massive football cleats with murals painted by local artists will be on display across downtown Detroit next month.
What’s Going on in the D?
- Michigan-based author and paranormal investigator Nicole Beauchamp will share her encounters visiting haunted bars and pubs across Michigan 6 p.m. Tuesday at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library.
- The Redford Theatre will host a screening of the 2002 Eminem movie “8 Mile” at 8 p.m. Friday. The event will include on-stage stories from people involved in the Detroit-based shoot, including DJ Head, who will perform live sets before the movie and at intermission. Tickets are $12.
- Actor, comedian and podcaster Kevin Fredericks, more commonly known as KevOnStage, is making a stop at The Fillmore at 7:30 p.m. Sunday with his “Here’s The Thing” podcast co-host Angel Laketa Moore (That Chick Angel). Tickets start at $52 on Live Nation.
