Soul Lounge Primetime

100 years ago this October, the world’s first all-black, black-owned professional basketball team was formed here in Harlem. The Rens is a team that predates the NBA, and helped set the stage for the global phenomenon that basketball has become. Our guests have all worked hard to keep the team’s legacy alive. Our guests: Claude Johnson, Founder, Black Fives Foundation Glenn Hunter, Co-Founder, Har...

Comic book storytelling is a unique art form that has graduated to TV, film, animation, video games, action figures and merchandise. We talk with three comic book creators who use the art form to express themselves, promote literacy, create intellectual property and tell their own stories. Guests: Rob Taylor - Founder/CEO, Superhuman Works Studios AK Lovelace - Professional Artist/Educator, Chair,...

In 2022, the video gaming industry in the US was bigger than the film industry, music industry and publishing industry COMBINED . On this show , we talked with three experts who are using gaming and advanced technologies as a springboard for getting youth into growth careers and entrepreneurial opportunities. Our guests: Clayton Banks , CEO, Silicon Harlem Masaya Heywood , Co-Founder, Outfox Games...

This episode discusses cannabis legalization in New York City. Guests Damian Fagon , Chief Equity Officer of the Office of Cannabis Management, Esther Lelievre (Queen Mixxy), founder of the Lelievre Foundation, and Dr. Stephen Robinson , President of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, join hosts DJ LeRoy and NightWatchman. Topics include expanding retail cannabis licenses, regulations around cann...

It’s finally here! Harlem Festival of Culture is the live event re-imagining of the legendary 1969 “black Woodstock” festival featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “Summer of Soul”. Our guests: Musa Jackson and Nikoa Evans, co-founders of Harlem Festival of Culture ( harlemfestivalofculture.com ) Hosts: DJ LeRoy (Curtis Archer and NightWatchman (Bob Poncé)

On this show, we talk with author/poet/filmmaker Kim Ferguson, Janifer P. Wilson, co-owner of Harlem;s own Sisters Uptown Bookstore, and Glenn Gilliam about the importance of supporting and cultivating black authors and black bookstores in our communities. Hosts: DJ LeRoy (Curtis Archer and NightWatchman (Bob Poncé)

On this episode, we speak with Carmen Neely, CEO and Co-founder of Harlem Pride, and three of Harlem Pride's long-time collaborators and supporters: John Reddick. Adriane Ferguson and Richard Pelzer II. Hosts: DJ LeRoy (Curtis Archer) and NightWatchman (Bob Poncé) Aired on WHCR 90.3 FM (The Voice of Harlem) on July 3, 2023

Join DJ Leroy and the Night Watchman on this episode of Soul Lounge Primetime, as we discuss what it means to be a Haitian American, with Nancy Chevalier , Dina Simon Leroy , Sam Pierre and Rose Pierre-Louis. The largest proportion of Haitians in the United States live in  Little Haiti  in South Florida  as well as in major Northeast cities such as  New York City ,  Boston ,  Philadelphia ,  Balti...

A thought-provoking conversation with four guests who identify as Afro Latina /Latino / Latine /Latinx. Our guests: Melody Capote , Exec. Dir. - Caribbean Cultural Center - African Diaspora Institute Pedro Hernandez , Semior Mgr.. Harlem Community Development Corp. Dianne Morales . Social Entrepreneur Julio Peterson , Vice President, Real Estate, The Shubert Organization Hosts: Hosts: DJ LeRoy (Cu...

Our guests on this show help small businesses with resources for all facets of their businesses (planning, marketing, legal, strategy, etc.): Quenia Abreu , President - New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce (NYWCC) Karen Gershowitz , SCORE mentor, author, consultant Laurie Marshall, Esq. , Patent & Trademark Attorney Natalie Rawlinson , Director of Service Delivery and Community Outreach, The A...

As summer approaches, we spoke with people from four organizations that run programs to uplift and employ youth (and others) . Our guests: Ayesha George, Executive Director, Strive NEW YORK Shaba Keys, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Club of Harlem Rev. Al Cohen, The Community Initiatives of New York Steven Melton. Executive Director, Madison Square Boys and Girls Club Hosts: Hosts: DJ LeRoy (C...

Harlem continues to attract and host new and interesting restaurant concepts. We gathered four seasoned professionals to talk about their recent or upcoming restaurant openings in Harlem. Our guest chefs: Jimmy Thomas - Executive Chef, Lavittas - featuring authentic Louisiana creole cuisine Joel Clacken and Sunil Rangila - Legacy Hospitality - Owner/partners in the re-opening of Minton’s and launc...

Continuing our ongoing series on Legal Cannabis in New York State, we would be remiss if we did not observe 4/20 (the unofficial Cannabis Holiday). This year marks the first April 20th in which cannabis is being legally bought and sold in New York. Our guests include: Charles Johnson: 1st time guest on Soul Lounge, community cannabis activist and entrepreneur, He is is 2nd Vice Chair of Manhattan’...

Live jazz music is having a post-pandemic resurgence in New York City, showing the resilience and enduring qualities of this uniquely American art form. We talked with the men and women who have kept live jazz alive, thriving and accessible to all in New York. Our guests: 🎺 Kali Rodriguez-Peña, trumpeter 🎺 Wycliffe Gordon, trombonist 🎺 Tracy Hyter-Suffern, Exec. Dir., Nat'l Jazz Museum in H...

In our last installment for Women's History Month, we talked with three performing artists who are pursuing their passions despite the obstacles. Our guests: Omelika Kuumba is a ground-breaking female djembe player in Atlanta, Georgia, She is a dancer, choreographer, musical arranger, cultural arts educator, Founder/CEO of Sistah With A Nia, LLC. MaeOla Bolton is a soulful singer whose music i...

Continuing our look into Women's Entrepreneurship during March, we invited three mentorpreneurs to talk about the role mentoring has in addressing gender-specific challenges barriers to entrepreneurship. Our guests: Vanee Brown and Elizabeth Kim from NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship) and Dina Towbin , Founder of Dina Towbin Consulting . Hosts: DJ LeRoy (Curtis Archer) and NightWatch...

Continuing our March celebration of women, we talked with some of Harlem's longtime women entrepreneurs about the trials and triumphs of building a sustainable business in Harlem. Our guests: ⭐ Jessica Spaulding , Founder and CEO. Harlem Chocolate Factory founded this artisan chocolate brand in 2015 with Asha Dixon, COO ⭐ Diane DaCosta . Founder/CEO, SimpleeBEAUTIFUL , is an author, master p...

On International Women’s Day, four amazing Native American women had a chance to tell their stories at the United Nations. They joined us to talk about the challenges facing Native people and Native women in particular. From the reservation to the global stage, our guests Dr. Crystal Lee is an infectious disease expert with a focus on Native American health and Indigenous health policies at a trib...

And so it begins. Legal adult-use cannabis dispensaries are gradually opening up, signalling the official start of NY's newest (and presumably fastest growing) industry. There are still a few kinks in the process, and not all license categories are active yet. And certain communities are still pushing back with NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) objections. We talked about the opportunities and obsta...

Basketball culture has been a pathway for many black youth to pursue higher educational goals and a pipeline to productive lives. That didn't happen by accident. Our panelists have helped thousands of scholar-athletes: Russell Shuler, Founder, YES (Youth Education through Sports) Bob McCullough, Sr.. Co-Founder, Nat'l Assn. of Each One Teach One George Ball,,Vice President, Nat'l Assn....

In Part Two of our series on police brutality and accountability , we gathered three noted attorneys who have been at the forefront of these issues. Our guests: Jonathan Moore, Esq. is a criminal defense and civil rights attorney who has ben part of number of high profile cases in New York. He was lead counsel on the stop-and-frisk case against New York CIty, he represented the family of Eric Garn...

Our guests in this show are more than Harlem legends; they are renowned globally for decades of producing compelling culturally rich theater productions and developing and mentoring an amazing array of actors , writers and directors, setting the standards for storytelling from the stage. Needless to say, they've got stories! Joining us in the Lounge are: ✦Voza Rivers, Executive Producer/Foundi...

In the wake of Tyre Nichol's murder by police officers in Memphis, we reached out to four NYPD veterans  to hear their voices on this tragedy. They co-founded and now consult for Public Safety Reimagined LLC on issues of public safety and police policy  Our guests:  Dwayne Montgomery (Executive Leader). Dr. Evelyn Garcia, Derek Jackson and Charlane Brown, Esq.    Host...

Last year’s The Atlantic article stated the following, “YES, SOCIAL MEDIA REALLY IS UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY.” The article went on further to state, “Social media has changed life in America in a thousand ways, and nearly two out of three Americans now believe that these changes are for the worse. But academic researchers have not yet reached a consensus that social media is harmful. That’s been a bo...

When businesses and bankers bond, it facilitates faster growth, better strategies, effective pivots (if necessary), and creating long term sustainability.  Our guests talk about their experiences and how the banker - business relations helped the business owners in achieving their goals.  Guests: Adan Morales, Moravilla LLC, a real estate firm in the Bronx;   Padmore John, Tsion Caf...