Wednesday, April 24 Sam Jay: Live comedy night with comedian and writer Sam Jay (SNL, Netflix, and PAUSE). 21+. ($22) 7:00 p.m. at Baltimore Comedy Factory, 5625 O’Donnell Street. For more information, email info@baltimorecomedy.com.  Thursday, April 25 BCS | Community Night: The Hot Wing King: See this hilarious and touching exploration of Queer Black family dynamics during this community night and enjoy a pre-show gathering to connect with community members. ($5) 6:30 p.m. at Baltimore Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert Street. For more information, go to centerstage.org, call 410-332-0033 o ..read more

As Baltimore prepares for the 2024 CityLit Festival, writers and readers alike are glowing in anticipation of the literary marketplace. One of the many conversations on the horizon for Saturday, April 20, is between Baltimore’s D. Watkins and Mateo Askaripour, a Long Island native and author of “Black Buck,” his debut novel. The contemporary novel follows the rise of Darren Vender from barista to sales guru while chronicling the conflicts that begin to brew in every area of his life. Askaripour’s debut morphs New York City into a dramatic stage for readers to observe a fictional account of th ..read more

Thursday, April 11 Risk-Taking Women in the Arts: Don’t miss Joyce J. Scott in conversation with longtime performance and comedy collaborator Kay Lawal-Muhammad. Moderated by Tracey Beale, BMA director of public programs. (Free; registration required.) 6:30 p.m to 8:30 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive. For more information, go to artbma.org or call 443-573-1700. Reflect and Refresh Tour: Mindful art experience featuring a  30-minute art tour with hands-on, multi-sensory elements designed to help you recenter yourself and your well-being. 6 p.m to 6:30 p.m. at the ..read more

Netflix’s new film “Shirley,” the biopic about Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s historic 1972 presidential campaign, captures a critical moment in time but also offers a rueful look at the limitations of electoral politics.  In the film’s opening moments, a series of graphs illustrate the size of the United States House of Representatives. From the hundreds of white men in this governing body, they drill down to the handful who are Black and the handful who are women before showing the lone figure who is both: Regina King as Shirley Chisholm. We see her stand out in a sea of white faces ..read more

Drive north on Sinclair Lane, just past  Federal Street on your right-hand side, and you’ll see Claremont Freedom, an attractive, fairly modern community with plenty of colorful houses. It looks like someone took a neighborhood from Montana and sat it in northeast Baltimore City. You’d never think it was once the Freedom Way housing complex, home of one of Baltimore’s most unsung heroes — the rapper, producer, actor, and entrepreneur Tim Trees, aka Wayne Jones.  Rapper, producer, and actor Tim Trees. Photo courtesy of Shae McCoy. If you were to ask any Baltimore artist alive in the ..read more

In 2016, I think I finally understood what true fear felt like. The Black history museum in Washington, D.C., my mom managed to get tickets for the opening week, still we waited on the side of the street waiting for hours, Ours all around us. I’d never seen so many reflections of myself, a crowd of culture. When we finally stepped in the air changed, my feet rocked as we started at the bottom of our history, on a ship, a slave ship, each floor a different chapter, it was heavy, to carry, to learn, to see, and nothing could’ve prepared me for the room. One on Emmett Till. I hadn’t known who he ..read more

In a Youtube interview that aired on December 17, 2021, Nardwuar, a quirky host who always asks unexpected questions, interviewed Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA. About ten minutes into the interview, in front of Malibu Beach, Nardwuar said, “Speaking of legends, OG Dutch…”  “OG Dutch Master,” JPEGMAFIA said, completing the sentence. He seemed both shocked and surprised. “OG Dutch Master… fuck. Yeah, OG Dutch Master from Baltimore.” The rapper went on to explain OG Dutch Master’s significance to him. “When I was coming up in Baltimore, he was one of the guys who kind of laid the foundation fo ..read more

These photos, captured by Baltimore-based artist and photographer Jeremy Collins, capture two different events that highlight Baltimore’s rich cultural heritage. Some were taken during SOS Baltimore Hip Hop Week, which was held at the end of January and featured local performers like Lowe Key, Wyso Hye, Martina Lynch, and Slangston Hughes. The other photos were taken in early February at a dance competition held at Guilford Hall Brewery. Dancer Wyrmstar is featured in multiple photos. Photo credit: Jeremy Collins. The post Photostory: Dance and Music appeared first on Baltimore Beat ..read more

Jason Steer, the Creative Alliance’s new executive director, works on the second floor of the organization’s Eastern Avenue building. He began the job at the beginning of February. The gig takes him from New York’s famed Apollo Theater to the Highlandtown Arts District here in Baltimore. “As you become a professional, it’s important that you find spaces where you, ideally, can be all that you can be,” said Steer. “I think coming to an organization that embraces the individual is pretty powerful. And if you get to find that space, or lead a space like that, it’s pretty cool.” Steer grew up in ..read more

Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s Youth Summit 2024: InfluenceHER was held March 15 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. The event featured access to resources, professional development activities, and a catered meal. Young attendees also had a chance to hear from women influencers, city leaders, and business owners. The event was organized by the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success. (Lisa Snowden) Credit: Myles Michelin The post Photostory: Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s Youth Summit 2024 appeared first on Baltimore Beat ..read more