Recent posts: grammy

Throughout the 2010’s, nestled in North Carolina’s Bull City stood one of the premier jazz and R&B festivals. Assembling historic lineups with ease, where one could view legendary and rising talent favs at several venues across Durham, the Art of Cool Fest became a yearly highlight. During its second year, it drew bandleader, film and TV composer Kris Bowers. Connecting with him then in 2015, he spoke of working on Showtime’s Kobe Bryant ‘Muse’ documentary and the booked and busy musical road ahead of him.

Walking through the Grammy Museum’s latest “Hip-Hop America- The Mixtape Exhibit”, flashes of fiery media clips, interactive pods and historic rare artifacts greet the visitor from the jump. Inspecting every display case during its preview a few weeks ago, it’s clear the expertise, care and thought that went into the exhibit’s creation. Wandering through the halls, I luckily connected with one of the exhibit’s co-curators, Felicia Angeja Viator, who brought her vast cultural knowledge and background to the table, ensuring West Coast hip-hop repped throughout.