Fresh Since 79™ | Week of July 28, 2025Cultural Icon of the Week : Saul Williams Some artists spit bars.Saul Williams transmits frequencies. Poet. Prophet. Composer. Time traveler.From Ryan Coogler’s Sinners to SLAM to Neptune Frost, from Broadway to Burkina Faso, Saul has never performed art—he’s summoned it. With every line, every soundscape, every syllable, he reminds us that language isn’t just communication—it’s conjuring. In a world eager to numb us with noise, Saul makes vibration sacred again. The Sound That Saw Us You …
Reels of Revelation : Maori Karmael Holmes & the Gospel of BlackStar
Some people curate films.Maori Karmael Holmes curates futures. She doesn’t just show us the reel—She shows us what’s real. From the front row to the projection booth, from the streets of Philly to global cinematic circles, Maori has redefined what curation means for the culture. As the founder, chief executive, and artistic officer of the BlackStar Film Festival, she hasn’t just held space—she’s built it. But this story started long before the big screens.I first met Maori when she …
The Frequency of a City : Salah Ananse & the Sonic Blueprint of Atlanta
There are DJs. And then there are architects. Salah Ananse didn’t just spin records—he sculpted sound. Crafted spaces. Transmitted energy.Before “curator” became a buzzword, he was already curating culture—with a crate full of vinyl and a vision that could see sound in color. Raised in the heart of Atlanta, schooled at Benjamin E Mays High School, and sharpened at Morehouse College, Salah’s roots run deep—but his reach is global. From the first MJQ days under the Ponce De …
Art as Witness : Dejáy B. Duckett & the Work of Remembering
Some people curate content.Dejáy Duckett curates consciousness. In an age where attention spans are short and memories are disposable, her work reminds us that Black art is not decoration—it’s documentation. It tells the truth. It holds the line. It says, “We were here. And we mattered.” As the Director of Curatorial Services at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Dejáy has spent the last four years transforming gallery walls into sacred space. Through powerful exhibitions like Collective Conscious and Self …
Marsha’s Mission
Being that this is Women’s Health Awareness Month, I felt compelled to spotlight someone in my circle who embodies the true harmony of physical, mental, and spiritual health. It didn’t take long for me to land on my good friend—who I affectionately call “Naptown’s Finest”—Marsha Shackleford. Marsha is someone I’d seen in the community for years. Her presence was undeniable—strong, radiant, magnetic. Many might attribute that aura to her Leo sun, a sign we share. And like two positive magnets, …
We Been Hanging : The Gallery That Gave Us Eyes
Some people grow up with crayons and cartoons.I grew up with color. Texture. Linework. Story. I grew up with October Gallery. Tucked inside the heart of Philadelphia and rooted in the soul of our people, October Gallery wasn’t just a space to buy art—it was a school of thought. A sanctuary. An archive. And for me, a classroom where Black brilliance hung on the walls and whispered it’s lessons. Before I knew what a curator was, I …
My Mum, My First Curator
“Hey, I’ll never take you to something that you won’t like…” Confident words coming from someone who—as far as I know—couldn’t see the future. (My Dad [RIP] felt differently.) But she knew what she liked—therefore, what we would like. That’s always been the awareness of my dear mother, Charis Bowling—whose taste and judgment we’ve trusted from the very beginning when it came to entertainment, arts, politics, and pop culture. Roots & Influence Mom grew up in a very traditional West Indian family: …
Built By Tribe
How A Tribe Called Quest Built a Movement That Still Moves Us A Tribe Called Quest will go down in history as one of history’s most beloved Hip Hop groups. They’re inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a consistent reference for “conscious” Hip Hop artists, Neo Soul artists, as well as other artists across the board, and each of their members’ names are legendary to some extent. But you can’t really understand Tribe’s story …
Fresh Since 79′
Fresh ain’t fashion. It’s framework. Before it ever hit a runway, it hit the block.Before it was couture, it was cornerstore.Before it was mainstream, it was us—Black, bold, and born of necessity. “Fresh” didn’t start in a showroom.It started in a living room where Big Mama pressed Sunday outfits,in barbershops where fades were carved with precision and pride,in basements where DJs stacked vinyls like scripture. Freshness is the quiet resistance of looking like royalty in a world …
Connecting the Dots : Why Cultural Legacy Begins with Self-Discovery
Before you change the world, you’ve got to know the world that built you. – King Esseen We talk about legacy a lot—but legacy isn’t just what you leave behind. It’s what you build every time you choose to show up in your full, creative truth. It’s the mark you make when you create from a place that’s rooted—not in trends—but in truth, culture, memory, and intention. That’s where connecting the dots comes in.Because creativity isn’t random—it’s …
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