Kenan Thompson is Wrong..Here’s 3 Funny Black Women that Should be on SNL

Kenan Thompson

Kenan Thompson

By now everyone has heard about the controversial remarks made by actor/comedian Kenan Thompson of Saturday Night Live during an interview with TV Guide, where he basically explained the reason why there has only been 4 African-American females comedians in the show’s almost 40 year history was because there simply aren’t that many Black women comedians and the ones that are around aren’t qualified..Talk about a cop-out of an excuse..

Kenan was grossly inaccurate in downplaying the number of Black female comics on the scene. There are scores..Aisha Tyler, Monique, Loni Love, Lunel, Kim Wayans, Sheryl Underwood or my sister Robin Cee.. are a few that come to mind.. (yeah I’m gonna give the fam a plug)

Kenan was also off the mark for misplacing blame.  Instead of putting it on the array of talented Black female comics for lack of diversity , Kenan should’ve blamed the oversight on his boss, SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels.

Now in the interview Kenan stated that most of the Black female comics ‘weren’t ready’.. It’s a bit unclear what he meant by that..Did he mean they were limited to stand up and not able to do improve?  Did he mean they couldn’t do impressions which are often called for during SNL skits? Maybe SNL was looking for established names, or maybe they were looking for up and comings…Whatever the case.. here’s a few Black female comedians/actors who could rock it if they were on SNL…

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes

Wanda Sykes is one of my all time favorite comedians. She has an impressive body of work that spans her doing TV shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Chris Rock Show and The New Adventures of Old Christine to name a few to having her own TV show The Wanda Sykes Show to appearing in all sorts of movies like Evan Almighty, Nutty Professor II and My Super Ex-Girlfriend..

Wanda has an impressive resume and is funny as hell as demonstrated in the clip below. In addition she brings star power and excitement to a show that in recent days has come across as stale and in need of a boost..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmyRog2w4DI

Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones doesn’t get the props she deserves.Many know her for her appearances on shows like Def Poetry Slam where she blew up the spot calling out sexism.. But Jones is a seasoned actress who has won a Tony and an Obie award.

She is one of the best impressionist around and gets seriously busy in her numerous one women shows where she’s played up to 8 different characters..Todate Sarah has done 4 different off Broadway  one women shows..

Sarah’s theater background easily qualifies her for SNL which performs before a live audience and as you can see from the clip below she can go in and out of characters with the greatest of ease. I’d love to see her and SNL comedian Jay Pharaoh do a skit together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sucza6EOIf0

Issa Rae

Issa Rae

Issa Rae The 6 new cast members recently added to SNL aren’t A-List folks who are household names. They seem to be folks who probably been paying dues and are now getting the ‘proverbial’ big break. Well if that’s the case, Issa Rae should be part of that class.

She’s been grinding away, paying dues and made a name for herself with her independent project ‘The Misadventures of Awkward Blackgirl‘. The show which was only shown on line blew up and brought Issa critical praise. Since then she’s gone on to produce 3 other projects; ‘Ratchet Piece Theater‘, ‘Flyguys‘, and ‘Roomieloverfriends‘.. She also hosts a TV talk show called Exhale which airs on Aspire TV..She is also developing a new project called ‘I Hate LA Dudes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzGHeZSwgCA

We could list a dozens more talented female actress/comedians who should get a shot at SNL..Instead of concluding that Black female comedians are lacking, how about investing in their projects and help them to hone their talents. Such investments are not limited to SNL, but to the public at large who should at the very least raise awareness of those who are ion the trenches grinding away. To be honest, it might behoove the folks at SNL to get down and join the programs and projects these aforementioned women have going on…

 

 

 

Women Rock the Mic & Hold Up the Sky: Where are the Female Emcees? Right Here!

Women Rock the Mic and Hold Up the Sky

by Davey D

In celebration of International Women’s History Month we decided to highlight the voice of many who are often overlooked, taken for granted or forgotten about. Those are our sisters in Hip Hop. Women have always been on point from day one when it comes to architecting this culture called Hip Hop. We can start with Cindy Campbell-the sister of Hip Hop’s father Kool Herc. had it not been for her suggesting and ultimately setting up the now landmark party on 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in August of 1973, we might not be on the mic, yes yes y’alling at all today in 2009. Here’s a rare interview w/ Cindy Campbell..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SMVGLEr6nA

During the pioneering years we had stellar emcees like Zulu Queen Lisa Lee who was down with Afrika Bambaattaa, Pebbly Poo of the Masterdon Committee and Sha Rock who was down with DJ Baron & Breakout-Funky 4 Plus One More.. Of course we have to tip our hats to the one and only Mercedes Ladies-the first all female Hip Hop Crew.. We have an interview with original member Sheri-Sher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIYlznG8nhE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h41UjR5jEk

Over the years lots of women have blessed the mic and left their mark from Salt-n-Pepa to Roxanne Shante to the Real Roxanne to Queen Latifah to MC Lyte.. The list goes on.. Sadly we’ve had a situation within the music industry that had decided that women artists are not marketable. The conventional wisdom has been that the average listener can’t distinguish their voices. Hence its always been situation where you always find maybe one or two females at most on a major label with them being released and marketed at different times.

Of course here at Breakdown FM, we see it differently. There’s a world of difference between MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, just like there’s a world of difference between Chuck D and KRS or 50 Cent and Ice Cube. Different looks, rhyme styles, subject matter etc. So much for industry wisdom

This week we went and dug deep and highlighted some folks you need to check for.. We kick things off with Seattle sensations Canary Sing and their dope new song ‘Heroines‘. We proceed their cut with a short tribute to Shirley Chisolm who kicked down the doors for both Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama-She was the first to run for President back in ’72 around the birth of Hip Hop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzM8fgRDI24

Here’s a dope video from Canary Sing’s ‘Freak Show’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKmMrQUhRiQ

Also out of the Emerald City which has plethora of female emcees. To be honest we could’ve done a 25 Joints just with Seattle women-that’s how deep they’re rolling. Artists like Toni Hill, Felicia Loud, Southern Komfort, Sis Moni Tep, beyond Reality, Christina Orbe are just a few of the many. On this 25 Joints, we feature DJ B-Girl and her cut ‘Murder She Wrote‘ featuring Julie C and Sister Hailstorm. We also have pioneering emcee Laura ‘Piece’ Kelley and her classic song ‘Soundwave‘.

Right next door to Seattle is Portland which has a wealth of talent in the form of groups like Siren’s Echo. We featured Queen Nasim who has been doing her thing for minute with a song called ‘I’m Original’. It has that old school sound and feel. Because of Seattle and the NW’s deepness in talent we’ll probably have to do pt2 on the all female 25 Joints. So stay tuned.

The midwest came hard as we drop gems from artists like Invincible out of Detroit with her song ‘Regonize‘.  Her album ‘Shape Shifters’ is what Hip Hop should really be about. We have Nefertiti and with her slamming joint ‘Addicted‘ and San Jose transplant to Grand Rapids Brazen who has a wonderful spoken word song called ‘Grand Plight‘. Not to be missed is TMD who we’ll have to highlight next go round.

Here’s a dope video from Invincible for the song SledgeHammer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxZbpbCKKL4

Also out the midwest and holding down Minneapolis is Maria Isa who we featured last year. Her piano laden Latin flavored joint ‘Die Not Kill‘ is pure butter. Lastly we have Chicago native Lah Tere from the group Rebel Diaz. She’s currently working on a solo project. She laced us with a head nodding cut called ‘You Are

Mystic blessed us with an exclusive cut that will be a cornerstone to her upcoming album bearing the same title ‘Beautiful Resistance‘. This Grammy nominated artists has serious fire and deep insights to our minds and souls. Don’t sleep on her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkrdiABTcaI

In the same vein is Pittsburgh native Kellee Maize who recently was cited as one of the best in the city that now calls itself ‘Sixburgh’ because of the Steelers 6 Superbowl wins. Last year Kellee hit us over the dome with an album called ‘Age of Feminine‘that centered on Women’s empowerment and spirituality She returns with a new song called ‘Third Eye‘ which takes us deeper.

Chuck D of Public Enemy has been backing an all female crew called Crew Grrrl Order. They came hard with a new song that pays tribute to the First Lady Michele Obama. Longtime producer Johnny Juice does a nice remix which accenuates these sister’s flows and lets us know that they will be around for a minute. He also gets busy cutting in excerpts from Michelle Obama

Like Seattle the Bay Area comes deep with female talent. We have Mystic who we highlighted along with Jennifer Johns who is on fire. The Conscious Daughters of course who we’ll feature on pt 2 are the best known names. But the Bay has a lot of folks like Aya De Leon, Joyo Verlarde, Kofy Brown, Goapele are just a few of the other names that are stellar in talent and presence.

On this new episode we bring the spot light to Queen Deelah who comes out of East Oakland the the Silence the Violence Movement. She’s part of a larger collective of artists who have dedicated themselves and Hip Hop to stopping the carnage that plagues the mean streets of Oakland. Deelah’s song ‘Mind Yours‘ is dope and captures that vintage Bay sound.

Another up and coming talent starting to make noise is Kenyanna Bean. Her new song ‘Good Wit Me‘ is also popping. Like Queen Deelah Kenyanna is also out there making noise in the community trying to make a difference. Big shout out to Simone Nia Rae who could’ve also been on this episode if we had more space. She too is also a part of the new school of Bay talent. Her new song ‘Jealousy‘ has been featured on local radio stations in nearby Stockton. We’ll be rocking her in upcoming 25 Joints.

As we close out we’d be remissed not to acknowledge the Queens from the Big Apple who are seriously on point. If you never heard of Tiye Phoenix you’re slipping. her joint ‘Nicewitis‘ lives up to its name. When her project finally drops, I guarante she’ll be turning Hip Hop upside down. She’s joined by Jean Grae which whom no all female showcase would be complete without her in the building. Grae can do no wrong when she touches the mic. Her song Supa Jean makes you wonder why people have been overlooking her.

Here’s Jean Grae’s song ‘My Story’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFz6ECvaiqQ

Eve, Queen Latifah Isis aka Lin Que hold us down with some classic joints from their catalogue. We also have a dope joint from Hip Hop MC Lyte produced by DJ Premier called ‘Wonder Years‘. That song which dropped in 07 is vintage on Breakdown FM. Medusa is also a pioneering figure from the west coast who is still snatching heads when she gets on the mic. She’s blesses us with a new song called ‘Cali Fame‘ which proves that assertion.

Zulu Queen Rha Goddess and Sarah Jones show us just how potent spoken word can get. The lyrics to the songs ‘Revolution‘ and ‘Immaculate Conception‘ will make a whole lot of artists step up their lyric game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmaWDCH2tBg

Another artist who’s banging right now is Dessa Darling from Doom Tree Collective out of Minneapolis. Her album ‘A Badly Broken Code’ is dope.  We have a seperate profile on her.. But here’s taste of who she is…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnOptvdwKDs

Here are some good resources where you can find communities of women on line doing it big..

http://www.wesofresh.com/

http://www.hiphopsisters.com

http://www.femmixx.com/site/

Catch this week’s show by clicking the link below:
http://www.alldayplay.fm/episodes/breakdown-fm-w-davey-drocking-mics-and-holding-sky

Here’s the playlist

01-Canary Sings ‘Heroines'(Seattle)
02-Dessa ‘Chacone’
03-Vanessa German ‘One Wing’
04-Toni Blackman ‘Freestyle’
05-Bahamadeia ‘Spontaneity’
06-Kellee Maize ‘Third Eye’ (Pittsburgh)
07-Isis ‘Rebel Song’ (NY)
08-Jean Grae ‘Supa Jean’ (NY)
09-Eve ‘Life Is So Hard’ (NY)
10-Mystic ‘Beautiful Resistant’ (Bay Area/ LA)
11-Laura ‘Piece’ Kelly ‘Soundwave’ (Seattle)
12-Nefertiti ‘Addicted’ (Grand Rapids, Mi)
13-DJ Vadim w/ Sarah Jones ‘Revolution’ (NY)
14-DJ B Girl w/ Sista Hailstorm & Julie C ‘Murder She Wrote’ (Seattle)
15-Queen Latifah ‘Latifah had It Up To Here’ (NY)
16-Rha Goddess ‘Immaculate Conception’ (NY)
17-Invincible ‘Recognize’ (Detroit)
18-Crew Grrrl Order ‘Official First Lady (Johnny Juice Remix)
19-Macy Gray w/ Mos Def “I Committed Murder’ (gang Star rmx)
20-Tiye Phoenix ‘Nicewitis’ (NY)
21-Mala Rodriguez ‘Ajierro’ (Spain)
22-Chihualt Ce ‘Dreamah’
23-Queen Deelah ‘Mind Yours’ (Oakland)
24-Bernice King & Sister Souljah meet the Rhondo Brothers (interlude)
25-Medusa ‘Cali Fame’ (LA)
26-Jennifer John ‘Painting on Wax’ (Bay Area)
27-Queen Nasim ‘I’m original’ w/ Rosa Clemente (Portland)
28-Maria Isa ‘Die Not Kill’ (Minneapolis)
29-Lah Tere ‘You Are’ (Chicago/NY)
30-Brazen ‘Grand Rapid’ (San Jose/ Grand Rapid
31-Psalm One ‘Rappper Girls’
32-Conscious Daughters w/ Mystic ‘Come Smooth Come Rude’

Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner