The second of three programs this month that focus on the original Black Power and Black Pride movements, with commentary by special guest host Ronald E. Smith, and by request. #blackpower #blackpride #blacklivesmatter

NOTE: Some tracks contain language and subject matter that may not suitable for all audiences.

Due to numerous requests, the biographical and historical notes that accompany each of these tracks for Part 1 and Part 2 are listed below the credits. Part three will have notes for that program on that page.

First Part

* Amerikkka/Dem Niggers Ain’t Playin’, 1971, Watts Prophets* Cloud Nine, 1968, The Temptations* Talkin’ Loud And Sayin’ Nothing, 1972, James Brown* Smiling Faces Sometimes, 1971, The Undisputed Truth* Woman Of The Ghetto, 1969, Marlena Shaw* You Haven’t Done Nothin’, 1974, Stevie Wonder featuring The Jackson 5

Second Part

* Something’s Happening, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr.* Compared To What, 1969, Les McCann and Eddie Harris* The 10 Point Program, 1966, Huey Newton* People Make The World Go Round, recorded 1971/released 1972, The Stylistics* Lift Every Voice and Sing, 1970, Merry Clayton

Finale

* Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2), 1975, The Isley Brothers

“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”Angela Davis

Love to you all.

Ben “Daddy Ben Bear” Brown Jr. Host, Producer, Webmaster, Audio Engineer, Researcher and Writer

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Program 1 Biographical and Historical Notes

(For God’s Sake) Give More Power To The People, The Chi-Lites, 1973.

Named after their home of Chi-Town, that’s Chicago to the uninitiated, this group, which at the time was led by singer, songwriter and producer Eugene Record, scored a series of now classic R&B love ballads, including the stone cold classics “Have You Seen Her” and “Oh Girl”. This was the title track to their third LP, which was their first gold LP.

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), Marvin Gaye, 1971

Initially, Motown, Gaye’s label, did not want to release this album, which was filled with a consecutive series of tracks that spoke to the despair of what Black people were facing then, and now, including drug use, poverty, war, racism and even pollution. Label head Berry Gordy believed that Gaye would alienate his core audience of Black women. It became a huge commercial and critical success, sometimes even being called the “Black Sgt. Pepper” due to its forever changing the game for what an R&B album could accomplish.

Give A Damn, The Staples Singers, 1970

Starting off as a gospel group, the Staple Singers were an early influence on a young Bob Dylan, who cites their single “Uncloudy Day” as one of his early favorites. Prior to their series of now classic message songs, however, they also became the first artist to record protest songs by the aforementioned man from Hibbing, MN.

Niggers Vs. The Police, Richard Pryor, 1974

This track, taken from the album That Nigger’s Crazy, not only was the Pryor’s breakthrough and started a string of classic and million-selling LP...