A long way from the block Anthony Thomas

In 1984, Bishop Cornelius Bowser experienced a major transition: he decided to leave gang- and street-life behind and turn his life over to Christ. In this episode, we talk about the years that preceded and the years that followed that momentous decision. We cover his growing up in The Coast—a neighborhood in San Diego that was the home of the West Coast Crips, the gang he was heavily involved with in the 70s and early 80s—and the process of opening his own church. Drawing on his roots and hi...

In this episode, I talk with DJ Nu-Mark, world-renowned producer, turntablist, and member of the legendary hip-hop group Jurassic 5. He has a brand-new cookbook/memoir out, called Amu Nu. In describing the book, he offers some stories about his beloved mother and extended family, and we talk about how it all came together. He also touches on his time in Jurassic 5, and we bond over our love for comedy and our favorite comedians.https://djnu-mark.com

Prior to her performance at Dizzy's Club, I had the pleasure of talking with Lebanese-Canadian drummer, composer, producer, and educator Sanah Kadoura. This week's episode encompasses that conversation. We discuss the Arabic and popular American music that was prevalent during her growing up in Calgary, Canada. Sanah talks about her role as an artist and musician, and how she came to understand that her work involves more than just playing music. Her jazz journey was informed by masters of th...

In this episode, I sat down with Brooklyn’s own Tayo and Cynthia Giwa, the husband and wife filmmaking team and creators of Black-Owned Brooklyn. Their current documentary, “The Sun Rises in The East,” is streaming now on Amazon Prime. We talked in detail about the filmmaking process and the vital role that current elders play in preserving black history and culture. They discussed the standards in place during their upbringings, in their households, and why a film such as theirs is so necess...

In this episode, we celebrate the legendary Los Angeles community leader, mentor, jazz pianist, and composer Horace Tapscott. Among my guests are former members of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra, founded by Tapscott in 1961, and others who appreciate his contributions to the culture. Tune in to hear poets Kamau Daáood and Anthony Joseph; saxophonists Abraham Burton, Michael Session, and Steve Lehman; former Eso Won Books co-owner James Fugate; pianist Eric Reed; bassist Roberto Miranda; and...

For this episode, I sat down with a former Hoover High basketball backcourt teammate. Back then, he went by Keith Williams; later in life, he changed his last name to Barksdale, in recognition of his biological father. Together we reminisced about our time in high school and his stellar career as one of the best overall athletes ever to play at Hoover, following his arrival in San Diego from Kentucky at age 15. He talked about his brief stint in the Army and how he returned to fitness, person...