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The debut book of Jannah Handy, Kiyanna Stewart and BLK MKT Vintage – Essence

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Kiyanna Stewart and Jannah Handy, co-founders of BLK MKT Vintage. Photo credit: Nick Davis

In his debut book titled co-authors Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart invite readers to a world where history, memory, and identity intersect through the ability of material culture. This visually stunning work, which premiered on October 15, is greater than a set – it’s a testament to the stories embedded in on a regular basis objects which have long shaped the Black experience.

Through over 300 photographs, the book evokes the intimacy of a scrapbook or family album. Readers will discover nuanced stories embedded in objects comparable to Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 campaign pins, HBCU yearbooks from the Twenties, and hand-drawn maps of Africa from the nineteenth century. These objects change into carriers of broader conversations about heritage and memory. Spike Lee’s foreword strongly emphasizes this concept, stating that “what you have is precious,” reminding readers that relics of the past are key to understanding the current and reimagining the long run.

Two founders from Brooklyn BLK MKT Vintagebring a combined 20 years of experience in collecting, acquiring and curating black ephemera. Their work began in 2014 with a mission to rejoice the narratives inherent within the production of Black culture. As Handy says, “We strive to expose people to the power of history through non-traditional means and unconventional pedagogies.” This approach runs throughout the book, where historical objects change into conduits for storytelling and social connection.

The authors’ backgrounds – Handy in business and education, Stewart in journalism and Africana studies – shape their storytelling with academic rigor and personal insight. Stewart reflects, “I see our work in designing and curating the space for BLK MKT Vintage in a similar vein – using objects to decorate a space to tell a larger story about the person inhabiting it.” Their narrative is interwoven with personal anecdotes and scholarly perspectives, offering readers not only an archive, but in addition a guide to discovering one’s identity and appreciating one’s history.

In addition to featuring rare objects and interviews with other Black collectors and archivists, the book highlights the importance of preserving memory within the face of grief and loss. When readers turn the last page, they may feel the necessity to reclaim, preserve, and rejoice their very own stories.

ESSENCE: Jannah, your background in business and education has shaped your approach to vintage collections. How has this data influenced the way in which you construct and maintain your BLK MKT Vintage collection?

Jannah Handy: The basis of this activity is my personal and collective knowledge in the sphere of education. We strive to reveal people to the ability of history using non-traditional means and unconventional pedagogical methods. Our curatorial practice focuses on learning outcomes from primary historical sources. While we do not have lesson plans for each item we sell – although we could, imagine me – learning is all the time at the center of what we do, we just attempt to make it more engaging and accessible. My business experience has less influence on the BLK MKT Vintage collection and more influence on our marketing and location. While Econ 101 didn’t fully cover the obstacles of entrepreneurship, the teachings on consumer habits and marketing best practices proved relevant.

Kiyanna, your background in journalism and African studies clearly informs your approach to storytelling. How did you weave your passion for these topics into the narrative of this book?

Kiyanna Stewart: I actually like this query and was grateful to seek out the tutorial and life foundations for my approach to storytelling throughout the book. I feel I turned to journalism/media studies, African studies, and women’s studies in my academic journey because I used to be searching not just for myself, but in addition for methods, tools, and language to specific/form myself as a Black, Caribbean American, queer creative person. These disciplines taught me to query the voice of who speaks and about whom, who rules and who’s excluded/invisible – which is why I imagine that the above questions often lie on the core of my curatorial work for BLK MKT Vintage.

This book lays the inspiration for our work by introducing readers to common/useful and shared vocabulary – while also difficult that very same vocabulary to see who/what’s invisible. The book also introduces my wife and I in an intimate way – specializing in our personal stories to support the broad, meta-thematic work. I actually have also argued for the work of various Black intellectuals to serve because the theoretical foundation for this book – to situate us in conversation with existing works, to pay homage to the intellectual-cultural work that has already been put into the study of Black and marginalized people, and to proceed the tradition of lending and adding – riffing, remixing and interpolating black mental thought in an accessible way. People like Audre Lorde, Bell Hooks, Toni Morrison, Arturo Schomburg, Stuart Hall, Marion Stokes etc.

How you hope evokes a deeper connection between readers and the Black material culture you curate?

JH: For us, the essence of this work is to discuss value and the values ​​of people. We implore readers to reconsider the kinds of values ​​we place on things and transcend just monetary value. At the start of the book, Spike Lee perfectly demonstrates the ability of material culture in personal and creative development and declares to the reader that “…what you have is valuable.” We hope that individuals who read this book will gain a brand new understanding of appreciating historic objects, history, and macro values ​​in other facets of their lives. By working on this book, we encourage others to seek out value in their very own and family stories.

The book accommodates over 300 photos. What piece or item out of your collection stands out to you and why?

JH: This is such a difficult query. We’ve been exposed to 1000’s of Black ephemera over time, and those that never get old for me are the magazines. We offer magazines from the primary issue from the Fifties to the last issue in 2014. What I like most about these magazines is the large amount of information and hot gossip between the pages. From the historical to the raunchy to the mundane, Johnson Publishing’s reporting and storytelling provide invaluable snapshots of Black life throughout the many years. When our brick-and-mortar location was open, people spent hours flipping through issues, praising the stories they found. Imagine your favorite social media app’s timeline in a black and white, pocket-sized form – that is it!

The book focuses the eye of black archivists and collectors. Can you share your experiences of working with those individuals who have had an enduring impact on you?

KS: There were many amazing moments on this book that we shared with collectors and archivists, some of which weren’t published in the ultimate version. Each conversation was unique and exceeded our allotted time, but people were incredibly generous in sharing their time, knowledge and stories. What has stuck with me since these conversations is the way in which grief, loss, and memory hook up with their work with archives, collecting, and material culture. So many individuals shared stories, either about themselves or by finding objects that focused on sadness, which was really encouraging for each of us. While working on this book, I struggled with my mother’s dementia diagnosis; in any case, she was the rationale I turned to this work as a teen, and while I’m extremely grateful that she remains to be with us physically, I actually have mourned her for a very long time. Several of the people we spoke to were grieving a private loss of their immediate family, and there have been often personal items that contained memories and direct connections to those people. We felt deeply honored to have the opportunity to share our memories with them and trust them. Personally, I reflect on this work’s connection to sadness daily, so the confirmation of these interviews left an indelible mark on me. I’m a proud steward of stories beyond my very own.

How can this book function a bridge between the past and the long run in telling Black stories through objects?

JH: Consciously documenting our contemporary history and our work in history, with this book we now have preserved our history for future generations. We hope to create bridges with every person who engages with our work; a bridge back to their personal lineage, a bridge to a conscious future, and a bridge to the people around them. We created this book with the express purpose of finding ourselves in the long run. We hope this book will fill the gaps that all the time exist in our historical documentation, the antiquities industry, and the restoration of historical preservation.

What role does fashion and design play in how you choose and present vintage items at BLK MKT Vintage, each in your store and within the book?

KS: Fashion and design are really useful tools in my curatorial process for BLK MKT Vintage because they’ve given me access to a wealthy archive of inspiration from which I can draw and draw. I used to work in the style department with the style editors at Women’s Wear Daily and saw a whole lot, if not 1000’s, of samples there. I understood their work as being on the intersection of the materiality of clothing and the chances of marketing/storytelling. They didn’t design; combed through clothes to discover trends and find/create/tell stories – each written and visual – to assist readers and customers imagine the chances with clothing/clothing. I see our work in designing and curating spaces for BLK MKT Vintage in the same vein – using objects to embellish an area to inform a broader story in regards to the person inhabiting it. Both fashion and design have helped me sharpen my eye and sartorial sensitivity – I actually have unapologetically defined who I’m as a curator/collector, what matches and how I can best serve a given project/task.

How do you envision readers using BLK MKT Vintage as a tool to start their very own journey toward collecting works that reflect their identity and heritage?

KS: This is definitely the purpose of this work. We hope that this book will encourage people to see themselves as part of an ecosystem, an engine that ensures Black historical memory. We are all needed – at the non-public, family, community and institutional levels. I hope this book serves as proof that collecting/selling/trading black ephemera is a viable, profitable and respectable business/profession path, and that it expands people’s imagination of what is feasible when the main focus is black people and our culture production. We also want people to begin at home and intentionally create lives and spaces for themselves with sankofi in mind. “Go back and get it” is tremendous. We hope that once you come back you’ll take into consideration BLK MKT Vintage.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

ICYMI: Lupita Nyong’o’s festive red lips and more – the essence

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Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Just before Thanksgiving, stars give a taste of the cosmetic makeup looks from their holiday palette. Peachy shades of cobbler lipstick (with matching pink), jagged red bobs, and embellished nail plates are the height of fall beauty. Meanwhile, versatile styles like glazed lips and festive tresses can transcend any season.

Cynthia Erivo gave her character Elphaba a set of unique French suggestions paired with holiday-approved glitter makeup. Keke Palmer and Chloe Bailey’s peach lipstick and blush are must-have shades for next week’s family gatherings. Meanwhile, Fantasia served up a chocolate reality with brown shades on the lips and nails.

Broad beans are never in season. See: Bailey’s loc bob, Teyana Taylor’s curled ends, and Mary J. Blige’s ginger hairstyle. Lupita Nyong’o, meanwhile, paired her festive red lips with a micro-braided, finger-wavy bun.

What about Doechii? She participated Camp Flog Bite in swamp claws (which resembled alligator skin and teeth) and green contacts.

In case you missed it, take a take a look at our favourite celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Nafessa Williams in Disney+’s Rivals [Interview] – Essence

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Photo credit: Cécile BOKO

Nafessa Williams attracts attention with a role that combines strength, complexity and uncompromising self-confidence. Set in the vibrant media world of 1980s London, the Disney+ series immerses viewers in a world of passion, betrayal and ambition. At the heart of this Jilly Cooper adaptation is Cameron Cook, an ambitious American television producer brought to London by Lord Tony Baddingham to shake up his Corinium company. Cook navigates a predominantly white, male-dominated industry with poise, charm and her signature red lips – an expression of the boldness and confidence of black women that Williams set out to authentically portray.

Known for her breakout role as Anissa Pierce in , Williams has gained a reputation for bringing depth and dynamism to her characters. In the series, she takes on a role that uniquely reflects her own experiences. As the only Black character on the series, Williams brings her Philadelphia roots and personal journey to Cameron’s story, highlighting the dual challenges and triumphs of standing out in an exclusive space.

Through meticulous research, collaboration with the show’s stylists, and a curated playlist featuring icons such as Whitney Houston and Vanity 6, Williams brought Cameron’s ambitious and uncompromising personality to life. In this interview, she talks about putting on her character’s power suit to represent black women on screen, and how she made the character her own. With the film, this talented actress proves once again that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Nafessa Williams on the boldness and elegance of her performance on Disney+'s 'Rivals'
Photo credit: Cécile BOKO

ESSENCE: First of all, congratulations you gave an amazing performance. How did you land the role of Cameron Cook?

Nafessa Williams: Yes, so I auditioned. It was an audition that passed and I actually decided not to work that year. Last year I had just finished filming the 2021 film and I thought: I knew that whatever I did after that, it just had to be elite and next level. I got the scripts, I had all this stuff throughout 2022 and it just didn’t feel right. And I just told God I’ll hang on until I find this job for me.

As soon as I read the script, I thought, “OK, God, you just helped me with this. This is what I’ve been waiting for all year.” So I read it and immediately recognized the way they wrote the script. The text was amazing. Cameron, I thought, “I have to voice this character.” How strong and commanding she was, and how beautiful she was. The only black cast member, the only black character in the series. Plus, just for fun, the fact that she came from America and was recruited from New York to London to become a powerhouse producer was something I had to weigh in on. So that’s how it happened. And so, from that point on.

So you said she was the only black character on the show. In terms of portraying this situation, how did you bring this perspective to life in this predominantly white, male environment?

You know what, I just stayed true to the writing and the character. I’m from Philadelphia, the character is from New York, so it’s almost the same thing. So I just wanted to make sure that I brought the authenticity of a black woman, a black woman from New York, a black woman who is ambitious and confident and secure in who she is. So I wanted to make sure that I brought all those elements to it and just be true to who black women were at the time in the ’80s, how we wore our hair, what our clothes looked like, and I just wanted to make sure it was authentic down to that moment.

I’m actually glad you mentioned the ’80s and everything, because for me one of the coolest things about this show is the ’80s fashion. How did the fashion and style of the time help you get into Cameron’s character and how did it influence how did you portray her on screen?

Yeah, I think a lot of 80s fashion was about confidence and making sure she was on her own, whether she was clothed or not, she was just a very confident woman. But I think fashion helped us situate and tell her story. I also love 80s fashion and I make sure I stay true to what I saw as a little girl in the late 80s and 90s, seeing my mom, grandma, aunts and their friends all dressed up, red lips and red nails, making sure that the hair is also authentic. Since I’m the only black character on the show, representation means everything to me. And also, like other black women, when they watched this show, whether they lived in the ’80s or not, it’s a true representation of what we really looked like, from French rolls to slicked ponytails to pumps and curls and beyond. we just make sure that when we tune in, we see ourselves.

The show’s stylist was very open to my ideas because I know what it looked like, right? And I know what it was like in America. So I just made sure she brought that American flavor, that New York flavor. He was very open to my ideas and collaborative. And if there is no such moment, you will see Cameron unless he wakes up in the morning without red lips. I think this also shows her boldness and self-confidence. Red lips and red nails are her trademark, but they are also a signature of the 80s. So again, making sure we put those elements into it to make it feel as real and nostalgic as possible.

I also think it’s interesting because I think Cameron’s journey and where she’s at is also reflective of black women in the entertainment industry. What similarities do you see between yourself and Cameron’s character? How did it work out?

Yes, there was a time that I found myself in that situation where we were talking about whether I was the only black cast member or the only black woman on set. And I think what I exuded and what I’ve always carried within me is confidence and knowing that I’ve worked and I have a right to be in the room and my talent is just as amazing and just as important and my story is just as important to tell.

It’s just walking in with so much confidence, like I knew I was supposed to be there. Another thing that reflects both her and me is ambition. When Cameron wants something like me, I don’t take “no” easily. If I set my mind to something, it will be achieved, and she has the same quality in her. So yeah, it’s just going in knowing that you’ve earned this place and you’ve worked hard to be here, and you walk in with your head held high knowing that your ancestors sent you. Go do it. Go do your job. So I wanted to make sure he exuded that too, and that was very important to me to show that.

Nafessa Williams on the boldness and elegance of her performance on Disney+'s 'Rivals'
Photo credit: Cécile BOKO

When people portray a character or make a movie in a “different era,” did you do any preparation beyond understanding what life was like back then? Did you do a lot of research into the history of your character?

Yes, I always go back and check if I am serving that era well. For me it was just going back and observing women that I had seen, maybe glimpses of, that I didn’t know very well as a child but who were popular in the 80s. Lots of Diahanna Carroll and Pam Grier. I also watch a little bit of Phylicia Rashad and make sure I bring that cool, sassy, ​​sexy but intelligent approach to the character.

Besides, music helps me empathize with a given character. I always create a playlist for each character. It really helps me get into that time and understand the character’s mind, what they’re thinking: “How do they party? How do they dance? What is their wardrobe like?” So I studied it a lot and told everyone because I always got to the heart of the Cameron thing. “Nasty Girl” by Vanity City. Remember Prince’s group?

Absolutely. 1000%.

Yes. Yes. So “Nasty Girl” helped me get inside Cameron’s mind and get to know her boldness, confidence and attitude about who she is. So yeah, I just go back and watch it again, get Diane Carroll, and she was very strong, Dominique Deveraux, she was very strong in who she was. When she appeared on screen, there was no denying her energy and essence as a black woman. This was part of the research I did.

It’s interesting because I definitely want to know that now when I think about the ’80s, I think about Whitney Houston, I think about Cyndi Lauper. Tell me, who was on your playlist when you were putting together the music list for this particular character?

Surely. Lots of Whitney Houston, lots of Teddy Pendergrass. I’m from Philadelphia. So I come from a huge musical culture. A lot of Teddy P., a lot of Barry White, a lot of Sadé. Sadé was also on the playlist, getting into this just sexy vibe, kind of laid back, at home, relaxed. There was a lot of Madonna on the playlist. Prince was on the Jackson Five playlist. I also thought about this: “Who was Cameron when she was a child? Who was she listening to? Not even as an adult, but I like to think that when she was an adult in the ’80s, in her teenage life, in her earlier life, she listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder and a lot of the Jackson Five, a lot of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

So these were some of the songs, or rather artists, that were on my playlist that I just listened to all day, played in my trailer before I went to set, and just walked out and was ready to have it.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Sony Music has settled a lawsuit regarding the Whitney Houston biography

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Whitney Houston


Sony Music has reached a settlement with the producers of the biopic.

The lawsuit, filed in February, alleged that 4 production firms – Anthem Films, NYBO Productions and Black Label Media – didn’t pay for licenses to 24 of Houston’s songs.

The request seen by Reuters shows that Sony Music has agreed to this to reject case last month. The parties informed the court that that they had agreed to the settlement but requested an extension to finalize the details.

The lawsuit claimed that the labels signed a sync licensing agreement that allowed them to make use of audio recordings of nearly 30 Houston classics, including “How Will I Know,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Will Always Love You” and her 1991 version “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Sony Music claims that under the agreement, royalties were to be paid in July 2023, but as of August 2023, it has still not received payment. Sony Music claims that Anthem was awaiting a tax break from the state of Massachusetts. According to the plaintiff, payment was never made.

“As a result of Anthem’s failure to pay fees to SME, it is clear that no license or authorization existed to use the SME recordings used in the film,” the lawsuit states.

Sony Music claimed that the film’s producers, Anthem Films, entered into a licensing agreement with the record label on December 5, 2022, two weeks before the film’s release.

“Unlike other types of films, musical biopics by their nature require the use of a musician’s music because it is almost impossible to explain the significance of a musician’s creative genius or his unique style and talent without using that musician’s music,” the record company’s lawyers wrote.

The original lawsuit sought damages of not less than $3.6 million. Details of the settlement aren’t yet known.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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