Msnbc interviewed filmmakers Justin Simien, Amma Asante, Dawn Porter, Stanley Nelson, Yoruba Richen, and Lyric R. Cabral, and musicians Jean Grae, Joey Bada$$, Rapsody, Noname Gypsy, and Michael Uzowuru for a black history series. They shared some of their favorite movies, songs, and artists. Add them to your playlists.
If you had to choose two films to play on repeat … forever:
Justin Simien: Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Bob Fosse’s “All that Jazz”
Amma Asante: Roman Polanski’s “The Pianist” and Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave”
Stanley Nelson: Orlando Bagwell and Noland Walker’s “Citizen King”
Lyric R. Cabral: Gillo Pontecorvo’s “The Battle of Algiers” and Charles Burnett’s “Killer of Sheep”
Yoruba Richen: Bob Fosse’s “All that Jazz” and Hal Ashby’s “The Landlord”
Dawn Porter: Richard Donner’s “The Omen” and Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X”
Joey Bada$$: Fernando Meirelles’ “City of God” and Mathieu Kassovitz’s “La Haine”
If you had to choose two songs to play on repeat … forever:
Joey Bada$$: Tupac “Temptations” and Joey Bada$$ “Like Me”
Jean Grae: Stevie Wonder’s “They Won’t Go When I Go” and Duke Ellington and John Coltrane’s “In a Sentimental Mood”
Rapsody: Lauryn Hill’s “Tell him” and Rapsody’s “Hard to Choose”
Michael Uzowuru: Elliot Smith’s “Twilight” and Yusef Lateef’s “Love Theme from Spartacus.”
Amma Asante: Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Prince’s “Purple Rain”
Favorite films and documentaries of the year:
Stanley Nelson: “Selma,” “Citizenfour,” “Last Days in Vietnam,” and “(T)error”
Lyric R. Cabral: “Evolution of a Criminal” by Darius Clark Monroe
Yoruba Richen: Bill Siegel’s “The Trials of Muhummand Ali,” David Heilbroner and Kate Davis’ “The Newburgh Sting,” Allen Harris’ “Through a Lens Darkly,” and Lacey Schwartz and James Adolphus’ “Little White Lie”
Other music artists killin’ it:
Noname Gypsy: Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange.” Recently, Future’s new music. Nico Segal [Donnie Trumpet] is killing it right now. His new project [“Surf”] sounds phenomenal.
Jean Grae: I was stuck on James Blake for a while.
Rapsody: Big K.R.I.T. is one of the best … Little Brother in general, especially Phonte, as a lyricist, is one of the best to ever do it
Michael Uzowuru: Kid Cudi is very underrated … Vic Mensa is underrated too.
Lastly, Nelson and Richen noted to watch “More than a Month” by Shukree Tilghman that explores whether or not Black History Month is still necessary.
Alicia Maule