Detroit is Different

Episode Notes Attorney Howard Hertz started his career as an attorney, in entertainment law, and developing artist platforms all organically. Decades of practice began through relationships of trust providing opportunity. Born in Canada and raised in the Linwood Davison neighborhood his perspective of life is from a Detroit state of mind. Today he is the founder of the Detroit Music Awards, repres...

Episode Notes Marcus Ware has defied the odds on many levels. We originally met through his cousin DJ Drummer B (Leonard Ware) when Marcus was released from serving 4 years in prison. Finding Marcus, Leonard, Leland Stein Jr, and a host of other younger guys always saw me as someone finding my way through artistic entrepreneurship so pre-Detroit is Different they heard my takes on success, vision,...

Episode Notes Luther Keith is my example of mixing art, business, and community together to have fun. Keith joined me for a great interview where we talk family, journalism, and the Blues. Saturday, April 28, 2018, @ 9pm we open the ‘Bourbon, Blues, and the Badman,’ concert series at Tony V’s Tavern (5756 Cass Detroit MI). Luther Keith loves playing the guitar and belting out some originals and cl...

Episode Notes Herman Davis is full of joy and a classic smile. Davis believes and has discovered the value of kindness and work ethic are gateways to success. In his podcast interview, we explore how his life has been filled with knowing how recreation and fun add to the character of children. A Detroit School Board member in the 1970’s and as recent as the 2010’s between the time owned and operat...

Episode Notes Cydney Camp is creative. Cydney launched ‘the Process’ bi-monthly live art show and installation in February. Thursday April 19, 2018 6 PM – 10 PM @ the Tangent Gallery (715 E Milwaukee St, Detroit, Michigan 48202) will be the second presentation of this lively event. Mark Denson is an art collector that attended the event and was impressed by the experience, audience, and creativity...

Episode Notes Hair Goals 313 is a salon located in Grosse Pointes ‘My Salon Suites’ at 16824 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe, MI 48230. Hair Goals 313 is a natural hair salon run by Markquisha St Clair & La Donna Sims. Locs, twists, and curls are coiled, conditioned, treated, and styled for men and women looking to love their hair naturally. The interest and movement connected to natural hair hav...

Robin Terry & Raina Baker are part of the team welcoming thousands of people weekly to tour, take pictures, and experience Motown. Hitsville USA is located in the heart of Detroit on W Grand Blvd. This small home was the place where so many stars were launched and today facilitates more. The Motown Mic Series featuring Spoken Word poetry, and the Motown Legacy series highlighting Black entrepr...

Charita Mona has developed a full line of skin care products saving people’s lives. What began as an interest in using she butter has become a passion encouraged by hundreds of people struggling with diabetes, surviving with cancer, and dealing with other ailments. With Detroit is Different Charita sits down and shares her story of fitness, health, and skin care. Learn how a great idea is now mass...

Jennyfer Crawford is the creator of All Things Detroit. Jennyfer’s ambition in understanding a need and people has built a successful business in helping businesses reach others. All Things Detroit is an event that currently welcomes people to experience the makers, tasters, and creators of Detroit to offer what they have to an audience. This Sunday March 25<sup>th</sup> you should att...

Kim Tandy is the District 2 manager for the city of Detroit. A lifelong Detroiters groomed and raised on Detroit’s Westside her roots run deep. In life, she followed in her father’s footsteps as an architect. A family business in architecture is the background she brings to all she does today. Managing district 2 Tandy is on the pulse of community meetings, neighborhood groups, and developing bloc...

The Shakur Sisters are beautiful, full of life, and kindred spirits. I met both through my friendship with my late mentor and friend Chokwe Lumumba. Itari Shakur & Shushanna Shakur are Attorney Chokwe Lumumba’s younger sisters. Itari’s work in music, fashion, and social justice all provide the essence of an African-centered and culturally aware spirit. Shushanna Shakur has worked as a teacher,...

Shelia Cockrel is a 1<sup>st</sup> generation Detroiter to parents of French Canadian & Irish backgrounds who respectively attended the University of Detroit Mercy (Dad) & Marygrove College (Mom). Shelia’s parents were advocates for human rights in a WWII era. Cockrel’s father’s stance against carrying a weapon in WWII moved him to front-line medical service during his tour of...

Karima Sorel’s life is as interesting as Benjamin Button or Forrest Gump. She’s the daughter of Charles & Teresa Kelly who ran and owned the Michigan Citizen Newspaper for over 30 years. A Parson’s Art School Fashion Design graduate from the 90’s. Her relationships with NYC during the boom in Hip-hop fashion introduced her to the guardians of NYC hip-hop culture that influences the world today...

Michele Oberholtzer is passionate and driven to apply her skills/ talents to advocate for people who don’t & won’t walk in the circles she does. Michele’s experience in engineering has refined her skills at analyzing problems technically & functionally. Closing 2017 Vice News on HBO ran a story (Vice has been doing a lot of Detroit coverage over the past 2 years) about how the Wayne County...

Roderick Miller has lived a life that reads like a Hollywood script. Born in small-town South Carolina the son of a military engineer & Baptist Pastor who traveled the world at a time America feared the danger of the USSR. Miller’s education placed him in Historically Black Colleges and Harvard for a Master’s degree in Urban Development. Work in Phoenix developing the Economic Growth & Com...

Kwame Kenyatta’s journey connecting him to the discrimination of Black people in America began early as he was one of the original Black students in the state of Alabama to attend a formerly ‘White Only’ elementary school. There Kenyatta dealt with daily fist fights, rocks being tossed at him, and more. As he journey led him to Detroit he soon joined school walk-outs and rebellions throughout the...

Stretch Money’s a rap star. For over a decade his music has been played at Family Reunions, Roller Rinks, and even every strip club throughout Detroit. Eastside’s own son has embraced working with all rappers throughout Detroit regardless of style, age, and background. His voice and pattern in speaking arms him naturally to stand out in conversation and on the song he does as well. Charting the Bi...

Lumumba Reynolds is a creative consultant specializing in sound reinforcement, light design, audio engineering, videography, video editing, photography, and event production. Work with Mosaic Youth Theatre, Detroit’s Fellowship Chapel, the Detroit Windsor Dance Academy, Detroit High School of Fine and Performing Arts, and dozens of organizations and people all have benefited from the services of S...

Detroit is a place that intersects arts and advocacy often. Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’ speech was originally recorded by Milton Henry and released on Motown records. Dudley Randall of Broadside Press provided laureates of the Black community a platform to explore stories of police brutality, racial discrimination, and human rights as a premise and platform for a voice. The talents o...

Learning percussion from listening alone led Carl ‘Butch’ Small to travel the world with the Undisputed Truth, the Dramatics, Parliament, and the Four Tops. Small’s understanding of music led to a respect, knowledge, and love for studio engineering which guided him to production, arrangement, and composition for Bootsy Collins at the height of his success in the 1970’s & 1980’s. Butch Small wa...

Running Rebel was originally on the 2008 Khary WAE Frazier ‘Preaching to the Choir’ album released on General Population Music & EAPro. This performance features Joey Spina on acoustic guitar. Written by K. Frazier & Produced by J. Spina | Recorded at the 1440 Studios Detroit MI

From sharing a barber with Malcolm X to having Dorothy Height get you enrolled in college Dan Aldridge has a unique story. Aldridge was born in Harlem but has made Detroit his home since the 1960’s. We explore his work too many stories: him losing a job with Chrysler because his stance against Chrysler profiting from Apartheid in South Africa; his friendship with Milton Henry & CL Franklin; an...

Do you want to know what’s happening in Detroit communities? Do you want to find out what neighborhood groups, block clubs, and businesses outside of downtown Detroit give to the city? The HUB is a true voice for Detroit. The HUB was founded by Jackie Berg. I had a one on one heart to heart with Jackie about her inspiration to start the HUB from the late Sam Logan who led the Michigan Chronicle fo...

The story of the 6 year old girl featured in the Michigan Chronicle who is now the event planner for over 500 events in throughout Detroit’s Downtown is a story for the ages. Njia Kai grew up in the heart of Detroit and excelling throughout her grade school years earning her scholarship to Howard University where she studied film. Howard University and Washington DC’s African Centered community gr...

Have you heard about the trend in storytelling? The idea of becoming a subject matter expert using videos, e-books, blogs, infographics, and speaking engagements is becoming more and more popular. What’s a story? How does a story develop? Why do people care about ‘storytelling’? Matt Dibble of Final 5 joins me for the first Detroit is Different Podcast of 2018 and we explore storytelling and more....