Presenting the Young Leaders class of 2020. The wait is over. And I feel like a proud parent as I prepare to present the latest cohort of honorees to be celebrated at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 10th Annual Salute to Young Leaders Awards and Networking Reception in just over two weeks from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20 at The Four Seasons. Because I need every word of this entry for the list of names from this point forward, I will say bring your best corporate realness swag when you come through and prepare to connect! Okay, let me get on with the names: Doneisha Bohannon, MPH, Johnnica Bolden, Portia J. Britt, Brittae Gray-Ross, Candace Harris, Aaron M. Harris, Dasha Kennedy, George Ladd, Andrea Lewis, Stephanie McCloud, Aunyã McElroy, M.Ed., Ashley O’Neal, Nicola Charlottie Phillips, Neal Richardson, Marcel Scaife, Christan E. Shelton, Esq., Danielle Smith, Esq, Blake A. Strode, Deanna Taylor and Mikel D. Whittier, MHA. Visit stlamerican.com or call (314) 533-8000 to get your Young Leaders tickets.
A local music tribute to two icons. My weekend kicked off with a Michael Jackson and Prince Tribute at Klymaxx in the Ambassador. While I appreciated the intention and the energy, the wig inspired by “Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace” tainted the MJ experience a bit for me. Everybody else seemed into it though. I must give Wildmann props for his bass performance. It was life. And they pulled nice sized crowd. I really hate that I couldn’t stay for the Prince portion because I had to scoot over to Café Soul.
New host, same soul. I got down to the House of Soul just in time for the second half of Café Soul to kick off Friday night. They have found a new host in Lydia Caesar, and I’m not the least bit mad about what I saw her deliver. After a lengthy hiatus as Nichol Stevenson worked on bringing us the House of Soul venue, they are building back up. I will say that considering how the monthly open mic series poured into our nightlife experience at its height, we should encourage people to return to support it in droves. It gave birth to a whole generation of soul singers – several who went on to national acclaim. I’m hoping that the rising singers get familiar and show up to hone their craft while being backed by such a sickeningly good live band.
STL County Library was Run’s House. I really hope when I come out with my yet-to-be authored book (working title: “There’s A Right and A Wrong Way to Read Somebody”) that I get the support that y’all gave Rev. Run and Justine Simmons when they stopped through St. Louis County Library on Saturday to discuss their new book “Old School Love: And Why It Works” on Saturday. Rev Run just finished playing for thousands – alongside St. Louis’ own Charlie Chan Soprano – at the Grammys. But he was straight up shook by how y’all showed up and showed out. Oh, and I also want Tammie Holland to moderate the book discussion, because she slayed with curating the conversation with Rev. Run and Justine. I saw too many folks to name, but just know the African-American influencers and tastemakers were deep up in there. And they delivered a talk that made me feel good about finding love for a change.
Well-seasoned Kappa tailgating. On Superbowl Eve, the Nupes of a certain age were out here in these streets at the Machinist Hall for their Saturday night Tailgate party. I wish that they all weren’t so spry and timeless with their swag so I could have used my “not all of those canes were for twirling” joke. Too bad it didn’t apply because there was hardly anything but “Mr. Steal Your Grandmas and Aunties” in the building repping for that Phi Nu Pi. I ran into some young folks too. Jason Ware was there. So was silver fox Nupe David. I wish I could remember his last name. Anyway, the Kappas ushered in the KC victory with a sea of red!
A slam dunk from the S.L.U.M.Fest Awards. Listen, I arrived at the 10th Annual S.L.U.M.fest Awards bright and early, and it didn’t matter. The venue was packed to the point where the only people getting through the door at the Atomic Cowboy Bootleg Saturday night were performers and nominees. It was so hot up in there that I took more than one cooldown break on the cigarette patio! As y’all go into the second glorious decade of giving shine to the St. Louis hip-hop community, I’m hoping that y’all move from the Bootleg to the designer original Atomic Cowboy so folks can stretch out a bit. Because, we were neck to neck up in that piece from 9-12.Go ‘head Rob Boo and the crew! I want to send a shoutout to all the nominees, winners. I would need a whole page to list all the winners, but just a few were Brock Seals, Corey Black, Katarra, NandoSTL, DJ HoodBunny, Gritz Hoffa, T-Dubb-O, KVtheWriter. I really had a ball watching the rising stars, established veterans and pioneers of St. Louis hip-hop occupy the same space at the same time – and was particularly inspired by the parting words of the Hip-Hop Pioneer recipient Luqman a.k.a. “Mr. Peabody” as he accepted his award.
He said, “When you leave the game of hip-hop, ask yourself did you leave it in better shape? IF you didn’t leave nothing with the game, you wasted your time and the general public. You should come to the game to help improve something. If you’re one of them ‘when I get done rapping, I’m leaving,’ you corny. The culture needs support.” Amen, Mr. Peabody.
A Superbowl Party for the ages. When I tell you that Tommy Wilder did not come to play when he hosted his Super Bowl party, let me break it down just how serious he was. The best way to describe it is to jack a line from Mr. Kendrick “K. Dot” Lamar and say, “It’s levels to it. Four levels to be exact. Tommy had folks from the attic to the basement up in their kicking as the Chiefs won the Superbowl for our great state of Kansas. Sorry 45, I had to troll you for that one. But anyway, the street parking for Tommy’s party almost did cross state lines. But that didn’t matter, because guess what? He had a shuttle cart driving folks to and from their cars. I knew I was in for an experience before I even arrived on the strength of that alone. On the inside, it didn’t disappoint. My only letdown is that I didn’t keep in mind that the all the way grown folks show up on time, so there was not a seat to be had. On the main level, at least. In the basement, the game was being projected comparable to a 200-inch screen television. Upstairs I was standing in the line of sight for one guest. He said, “Excuse me miss, but I can’t see.” Another guest said, “Just look at that TV.” Tommy had TVs going in both directions. Okay, now that I’ve set up the scene that pretty much had anybody who is somebody over the age of 45 up in there, I can now talk about the spread. Since I’m already stealing lines, I might as well reference Evangelist Shirley Caesar and say he had “beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lamb, rams, hogs, dogs…chicken, turkeys, rabbit…you name it.” I mean, for real, everything but the dogs and the rabbit were on the menu, and my diet was officially ruined. His Superbowl party was as big a victory as the Kansas City Chiefs actual game win.
