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On Blackness: Performance, Politics And Power In 21st-Century Pop Culture

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"Are You Entertained?" was edited by Simone C. Drake and Dwan K. Henderson.
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"Are You Entertained?" was edited by Simone C. Drake and Dwan K. Henderson.

Blackness occupies a central place in mainstream American pop culture. The creation, distribution and consumption of Black culture is at never-before-seen levels in today's digital consumer economy.

A recently published anthology addresses the history, evolution and trends of Black media and culture in the 21st century, and how race and politics played and continue to play a pivotal role.

When and how did Black culture cross over to the mainstream? How has it been appropriated and exploited, and what are the implications?

How was Blackness been performed and politicized throughout the 21st-century, and how has that changed since the advent of the Internet and social media?

How does Black pop culture grapple with and reflect the rampant racial disparity and antagonism in the United States?

What is Black culture telling us, and what are audiences hearing?

Guest: Simone Drake, Ph.D., Hazel C. Youngberg Trustees Distinguished Professor and Department Chair of African American and African Studies at Ohio State University and co-editor of "Are You Entertained?: Black Popular Culture in the Twenty-First Century"

"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.

*This interview was recorded on Monday, February 1.

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