Throwback: Happy Black History Month!/Happy 86th Birthday, Smokey Robinson!

Today is the nineteenth day of Black History Month. Because the current administration is racist, fascist and wants to deny the existence and histories of anyone that isn’t cis-het and white, there are some important things everyone should remember during this month — and every single month: 

• You can’t love Black artists and their work, and not see them as people 
• Black lives — and Black art matters 
• Black culture is American culture 

As we go through the month, I’m going to talk about a collection of Black artists. It’ll be fairly comprehensive and eclectic list — although it won’t be a complete list. So far I’ve talked about the following: 

• Big Boi, who celebrated his 51st birthday on February 1
•  Rick James, who was born 78 years ago on February 1
• Sudan Archives, one of the most talented and dynamic artists performing out there today
• The Temptations‘ second and longest tenured lead vocalist Dennis Edwards who was born 83 years ago on February 3 
• Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, bassist and JOVM mainstay Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner
• Bobby Brown, who celebrated his 57th birthday on February 5 
• The legendary Bob Marley, who was born 81 years ago on February 6 
• Natalie Cole, the daughter of the legendary jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole, who was born 76 years ago on February 6
• J. Dilla, who was born 52 years ago on February 7
• The pioneering Sister Rosetta Tharpe
• The uncompromising and trailblazing Tracy Chapman
• The legendary Roberta Flack, who was born 89 years ago on February 10
• D’Angelo, who was born 52 years ago on February 
• Bad Brains‘ founder and frontman H.R., who celebrated his 70th birthday on February 11
• Brandy, who celebrated her 47th birthday on February 11 
• Grammy Award and Brit Award-nominated artist Billy Ocean 
•  Freedom Williams, whose sonorous baritone flow was part of C+C Music Factory‘s biggest hits of the early 1990s celebrated his 60th birthday on February 13
• Holland-Dozier-Holland‘s Brian Holland, who celebrated his 85th birthday on February 15
• Ice T, the controversial pioneer of West Coast gangsta rap and of rap metal with his equally controversial metal band Body Count, who celebrated his 68th birthday on February 16
• Kamasi Washington, who celebrated his 45th birthday on February 18
• Dr. Dre, who celebrated his 61st birthday on February 18
• Seal, who celebrates his 63rd birthday today

The great Smokey Robinson celebrates his 86th birthday today. Robinson was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown Record soul group The Miracles, for which he was also chief songwriter and producer. 

Notably, he has written some of the most beloved, oft covered songs ever written or recorded. Without Robinson, there’s no Motown. And without Motown — well . . . you don’t have modern R&B or pop. 

Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and was awarded the 2016 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for his contributions to popular music (which are many). He’s also a rare double Hollywood Walk of Fame Inductee, as a member of The Miracles and as a solo artist. 

Happy birthday, Smokey!

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