The Gumbo

by Meaux Harrison DeDe McGuire is often called “the hardest working woman in radio,” and for good reason. With over 15 years in the business, the award-winning nationally syndicated radio host, media personality, and philanthropist’s unabashed approach and candid conversations have defined her time on the airwaves.

by Maya Hood While Chicago natives all over the world share a love for the music genres we’ve produced like house and drill, there’s nothing like being in high school at the rise of the latter. We went to school with the new and trending rappers, knew the neighborhoods they played basketball in, and knew that on Saturdays everyone would be downtown by the WaterTower Place.

by Jessica Wilkins Millennial Black girls from Atlanta are special. We came up during the analog version of “the A,” AKA “Old Atlanta,” where Blackness was always our default. Our teachers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, and neighbors all looked like us, so we were afforded a unique confidence in our identities. Once a place that offered small-town southern charm, rich in local Black culture, history, and community, Atlanta has now become a hub for creative industries, particularly music.

by Ayanna Costley Behind every trend is a creator who set the foundation, an innovating trailblazer, and people who participate just because it’s popular. The current state of Jersey Club music is no different. In just over 2 decades, the genre grew from a hometown sound heard at local New Jersey parties to an undeniable force felt throughout the world.

by Nadirah Simmons As I’m sure you already know from my and The Gumbo’s social media, my debut book First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed The Game is coming out on January 30, 2024. I learned about a lot of different women during the book writing process, and it struck me just how many hip-hop ladies there are that the average person doesn’t know about. Shoot, how many hip-hop ladies there are that I don’t even know about.

The neighborhoods in Seoul today can be compared to the boroughs of New York City: the underground scene of Hongdae neighborhood emulates the youthful counter-culture of Brooklyn, Itaewon’s multicultural crowd feels like Queens and the lavish district of Gangnam can be likened to the Upper East Side. There’s a space for everyone, and while the scenes themselves may be physically different, the music and atmosphere are familiar. And rest assured, you’ll be hearing hip-hop.

We’re a few days out of the #1800SafeSexxx festival! How are you feeling about hosting yet another successful event? Whew 😅 it’s definitely some weight lifted off of me (Pressure) 😂😂 But overall I am extremely happy with the outcome. The most important thing to me about the festival is that the purpose of it is actually alive. What were your favorite moments from this year’s festival? Some of my favorite moments were of the brands that vended and the attendees.

by Alexandra Fiorentino-Swinton One of my earliest memories of experiencing FOMO came from listening to Brandy’s “Best Friend,” a four minute and 48 second testimony to the everlasting power of siblinghood in the face of ever-transient friendships. Only children are notoriously independent, but who wouldn’t want a seemingly built-in best friend to be by your side no matter what?

by Jessica Wilkins Soul Train performances from the 1970s and 1980s are some of my greatest sources of joy in this chaotic world, for many reasons. First, the funk and soul music from that era reflect the joy of the Black American cultural experience, fusing gospel, R&B, blues and jazz with drums and syncopated beats that make you want to dance. Second, the music transports me back to the Saturday mornings I spent cleaning the house with my family as a kid.

by Jessica Wilkins Soul Train performances from the 1970s and 1980s are some of my greatest sources of joy in this chaotic world, for many reasons. First, the funk and soul music from that era reflect the joy of the Black American cultural experience, fusing gospel, R&B, blues and jazz with drums and syncopated beats that make you want to dance. Second, the music transports me back to the Saturday mornings I spent cleaning the house with my family as a kid.