Black Owned Live-Performance Venues in Oakland Struggle to Financially Breathe By JR Valrey, The People’s Minister of Information Oakland nightlife has been severely affected by the Covid pandemic, which was evident when the premiere live-performance jazz club, Yoshi’s, in Jack London Square, created a … Continue readingBlack Owned Live-Performance Venues in Oakland Struggle to Financially Breathe
By JR Valrey, The People’s Minister of Information Beyond the revolution, prostitution, the drug scene, tech, and independent Hip Hop, Oakland is known for its production of talented female vocalists that either were developed in the Town, or that passed through to hone their craft. … Continue readingSongstress Keidra’s Single “Body” Gives the Bay Area a New Sound
By JR Valrey, the People’s Minister of Information Oakland has a history of superb Hip Hop story-tellers although the Town has never received the credit for it, wordsmiths like: Askari X, Boots from the Coup, Seagram, V. White, the Luniz, 3X Crazy, BadnFluenz, Poohman, Father … Continue readingThe Hip Hop Return of the Lyrical Mastermind Young Gully
By JR Valrey One of the most exciting things locally, to happen during the Covid pandemic is the explosion of activity at Liberation Park, at East Oakland’s Eastmont Mall; a farmers market has been launched, a drive-in movie theater has been created, and a roller … Continue readingLiberation Park’s Skating Rink, Drive-in Movie Theater, and Akoma Farmer’s Market Brings Life to East Oakland This Summer
By JR Valrey The silver lining in the Covid pandemic’s shelter in place, is that the closing down of society has given many people time to think, be creative, and re-invent themselves. Some have created businesses that they plan to live off of so that … Continue readingPalestinian Cuban Fusion Food Has Hit the Bay Area: Chef Nicole Garcia Explains
By JR Valrey The Information Age has made the world that we live in, a very fast moving and different place than it was 35 years ago, when we saw the invention of the first home gaming systems: Atari and Colecovision. Competitive gaming used to … Continue readingThe Ultimate Gaming League Has Made Shelter in Place More Tolerable
By JR Valrey, the People’s Minister of Information Former Black Panther, award winning international journalist, and political prisoner of war Mumia Abu Jamal has been locked up on bogus charges, in Pennsylvania, for the last 40 years, knowingly by the government because of his political … Continue readingMumia Abu Jamal’s Life is in Extreme Jeopardy: Bogus Charges and Political Imprisonment Is Killing Him Slowly
By JR Valrey, the Minister of Information Morgan J is a gifted vocalist from Stockton, that I met at Pillow Session, a performance production that is put on weekly at D’Wayne Wiggins from Tony Toni Tone’s compound, in Deep East Oakland. Morgan J’s seductive, airy, … Continue readingTalented Stockton songstress Morgan J Is Making Her Voice Heard All Over Northern Cali
By JR Valrey Ms. Kujichagulia has been a freedom fighter in the community for decades, and a mother figure to me, for more than half of my life. Her knowledge and politics have always impressed me. Her passion to teach Black people to do better … Continue readingBlack Women-led Revolutionary Social Media Show, “Name It! Claim It! End It…Racism!” Is Weekly
By JR Valrey Where some people see tragedy, others see opportunity, and the owner of Complex music venue in downtown Oakland, Oscar Edwards, has his eyes on creating a pandemic – proof business, next door to his popular music venue. Opening on Saturday, March … Continue reading14th Street Market Is a Black Owned Grocery Store Opening in Downtown Oakland