Billy Johnson Jr., Adell Henderson, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik K. Buie

Veteran music journalist Billy Johnson Jr., a producer and curator for the Museum of Light, stresses the importance of discussing the artistic process. “The artists light up when asked to explain their art, their intentions, and connecting with their audience,” Johnson says. “Each of these stories are incredibly motivating.”

The Light has been in the works for a few years. When Joslyn Rose Lyons, who conceptualized the project, called me to get involved, I got the butterflies.

I said, “You mean, we’ll talk to artists about purpose? Whether they compare their work to alchemy? No buzzy moments?”

I was in.

I figured creatives prefer to discuss more substantive topics, and we found this to be true with every artist we’ve interviewed. Seeing how Pharoahe Monch, V.Bozeman, Michelle Williams, TiRon and Ayomari and so many others light up when asked to describe their creative process has been fulfilling.

Considering the need for more platforms for artists to express themselves beyond the scope of their latest promotional efforts, I’m that much more thankful to be a part of helping generate more Light.

One of the coolest aspects of The Light is how it takes shape in different forms. It’s a documentary in the works. It’s shareable inspirational quotes from artists. It’s an online interview series. It’s constantly evolving.

Another incredible part of The Light, for me, is getting to work alongside esteemed colleagues who share The Light’s vision. We’re grateful to have editorial support from RESPECT. mag.

Below, meet the curators.

With light,

Billy Johnson Jr.

Billy Johnson Jr., Music Journalist
@billyjohnsonjr

“There’s an over saturation of salacious media coverage on the internet. The intent of this project is to add more positive affirmations into the mix. The artists we have interviewed for the light thus far have shared with us the philosophies of their triumphs and we know people will be blessed when they hear these stories. This is just a taste of what’s to come… Those who are determined, fearless, and accomplished will find affirmation in the light. Those who are hopeful, apprehensive, and in need of direction, will use the light as a guide. That is our purpose.”  

Billy Johnson Jr., Music Journalist

billyjohnsonjr.tumblr.com
@billyjohnsonjr

Adell Henderson, Music Journalist/Editor in Chief at RESPECT-MAG.COM
@adellhenderson101 @respectmag

“As a leader, a student and a die hard fan of hip-hop, my responsibility as a journalist/producer is to showcase the greater good of the lifestyle, and preserve the culture that raised me. My decision to unite with influential, like minded peers to bring the light to the world was a no brainier.”

Adell Henderson, Music Journalist/Editor in Chief 

RESPECT-MAG.COM
@adellhenderson101 @respectmag

Joslyn Rose Lyons, Producer/Director
@itsjoslynrose

“It inspires me to explore the creative process and to understand more about the artists’ journey. The museum of light creates this space. It’s a platform where we highlight this process. All the content we are creating here, allows people to see a glimpse of the job of an artist and the magic that happens along the way.”

Joslyn Rose Lyons, Producer/Director

JOSLYNROSELYONS.COM

@itsjoslynrose

Rafael Casal, Writer/Producer/Performer GETRAFAEL.COM
@rafaelcasal

“As history shows, it is hard not to be drawn to the light. Both in people and in projects that resonate. When Joslyn first asked me if I was interested in a  project dedicated to giving language and focus to what drives the creative mind,  I realized was experiencing her creativity at work during that very conversation, excited and energized by the brainstorm that was stirring between us in collaboration. Realizing that the very feeling I was experiencing in that moment was the focus of the light project itself, how could I not contribute? It was already happening, and it hasn’t stopped since.”

Rafael Casal, Writer/Producer/Performer

GETRAFAEL.COM
@rafaelcasal

Matt Smith, Producer/Director REVOLUTIONLABORATORY.COM @mattsmif

“The light represents the power of the arts. I find it fascinating to
examine the truly gifted artist, who has not only mastered the
technical aspects of their craft but is also able to connect with,
influence and inspire an audience through their artistic light.”

Matt Smith, Producer/Director 

REVOLUTIONLABORATORY.COM
@mattsmif

Malik Buie, Director/Producer BET Networks & REDSUMMER.TV @RedSummerTV

“I would be crazy to turn down the opportunity to work with the
producers and curators for this project. I make it a habit of working with creative and inspirational people, and that’s who I’m working with for The Museum of Light. It’s important to explore the light and an artist’s journey in order to get a greater understanding of them, their process, but most importantly, its cool when you find commonalities in their journey that you relate to, and that speaks to you…That is inspiring.”

Malik Buie, Director/Producer

BET Networks & REDSUMMER.TV
@RedSummerTV

The post Curating the Alchemy of the Artists’ Journey appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Rafael Casal, who appeared on seasons 4,5 and 6 of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, explains how he and the Grammy and Tony Award-winning Diggs are using #BARS to shine their light.

“#BARS is a workshop I founded with my long-time collaborator Daveed Diggs as a place for artists to explore the intersection between contemporary verse/rap and theater. It came about as a joke suggestion from a friend, and turned into a force all it’s own through the excitement and genius of the artists who have been a part of it…: I think it’s a place for us to peer into the future of our individual and collective art through games and exercises. We just bring our skill sets like ingredients. Some people can rap, some can sing, some can write, some can do all of the above. The mutual ground is the love for pushing the boundaries of the forms, of using verse to tell heightened stories, and to see what new configurations of language can emerge when dope people get together to do dope shit.” – Rafael Casal

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR #BARS MEDLEY VOL. 2

The #BARS MEDLEY VOL. 2 drops November 14th! So many fantastic surprise guests, performances, and an amazing moment for new and emerging aesthetics in theater. Check it out at:

Bars Workshop NYC: barsworkshopnyc.com

Instagram.com/barsworkshopny

Learn more about #BARS here.

You can also find out more about this story at THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT.

Photo Credit: Lavell Wells, Vincent Morris, Matt Smith. 

The Museum of Light is curated by: 

Billy Johnson Jr., Adell Henderson, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

 

The post Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs using #BARS to shine their light: #BARS MEDLEY VOL. 2 drops November 14th appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Rafael Casal, co-creator of #BARS workshop with childhood friend Hamilton star Daveed Diggs, talks to the Museum of Light about their ground-breaking series that has been praised by Entertainment Weekly, Time and Elle for bridging Hip Hop and theater and has received rave reviews.

For the first season last spring, the 12 students in the 7-week course performed Hip Hop adaptations of scenes from Kill Bill, Mean Girls and The Devil Wears Prada for the #BARS Mixtape Musical Medley. The summer session that wrapped earlier this month featured interviews with the likes of Black Thought, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, and Lemon Andersen at New York’s The Public theater.

Here Casal, who appeared on seasons 4,5 and 6 of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, explains how he and the Grammy and Tony Award-winning Diggs are using #BARS to shine their light.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: What inspired you to create #BARS workshop, and what do you hope this unique platform will provide to other performers?

RAFAEL CASAL: #BARS is a workshop I founded with my long-time collaborator Daveed Diggs as a place for artists to explore the intersection between contemporary verse/rap and theater. It came about as a joke suggestion from a friend, and turned into a force all it’s own through the excitement and genius of the artists who have been a part of it.

It has three components: a masterclass series with seven different guest speakers, a workshop period where we write, stage and create new work together, and a culminating video medley that we create for YouTube. The medley and the masterclass talks are all documented and put online, so we can spread the conversation and creation to others who are invested in this kind of art.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: You also hold the Monday conversations at #BARS with artists from both the Hip Hop world and from Broadway, such as Black Thought of The Roots/Jimmy Fallon, Hamilton director Tommy Kail. What have been the highlights from these conversations so far?

RAFAEL CASAL: Because this conversation feels so new still, it has all been a highlight. But there were exciting themes that continued to prevail in each conversation; points about authenticity, about methodology as an artist, the importance of verse throughout the history of the arts, what it means for new voices to continue pushing into the Broadway realm, and things like what vegetable would be the best playwright if vegetables wrote plays.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Are people surprised by how much the Hip Hop artists know about Broadway?

RAFAEL CASAL: I am not of the impression that an overwhelming amount Hip Hop artists are super savvy on Broadway and it’s goings-on, but who knows… maybe Young Thug was super into Shuffle Along. I think it’s fantastic that Hamilton summoned some of the rap elite into a Broadway seat, and that The Hamilton Mixtape features a crazy list of Hip Hop and pop artists that Lin-Manuel Miranda picked out to do some next level shit yet again.

But Hamilton isn’t all of Broadway. It can only do so much as one show, and it’s important that the creation of new work continues so it doesn’t become THE Hip Hop show; an exception to a rule of a continued tradition of a separateness between the highest levels of Hip Hop and theater. It still feels like Hip Hop is in the early ‘80s on Broadway, and Hamilton just proved it’s financially viable in the mainstream marketplace. It’s an exciting time, but a time to start asking a lot of questions, like now there is a one rap song in the new The SpongeBob Musical, performed by the villain… what does that say about rap music? Are we about to re-experience the real VS fake dialogue that the early 90s Hip Hop scene, but with Broadway shows? What is the relationship between Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Chance the Rapper’s “Sunday Candy,” Hamilton, and the Lyricist’s Lounge Show? That is what I’m interested in asking Hip Hop artists about.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: You mentioned that #BARS could be a kind of portal (portal being defined as a doorway, gateway, opening etc.). How would you define a portal in this context as it relates to #BARS?

RAFAEL CASAL: I think it’s a place for us to peer into the future of our individual and collective art through games and exercises. We just bring our skill sets like ingredients. Some people can rap, some can sing, some can write, some can do all of the above. The mutual ground is the love for pushing the boundaries of the forms, of using verse to tell heightened stories, and to see what new configurations of language can emerge when dope people get together to do dope shit.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: Portals are often connected to light (how light gets in, how light shines through, etc.). How does #BARS provide a portal to performers and in what ways have you seen performers find new openings from this experience?

RAFAEL CASAL: It’s really too early to tell, but everyone seems to be excited by the possibility of it. I had a cohort member tell me that the workshop changed the way she approached art, and that she felt a whole new world of possibilities had opened up to her. Sometimes we just need a space that gives us permission to be the best, most full version of our artistic selves, and we flourish.

THE MUSEUM OF LIGHT: #BARS is shining a spotlight on the stage for both Hip Hop and Theater, creating a bridge between Broadway and spoken word. What is it that allows these two worlds to so naturally shine their light together?

RAFAEL CASAL: I mean… they are both about beautiful language. They are both inherently theatrical, they are both musical. I don’t know that #BARS is the bridge by any means. I think that bridge has existed for a long time within the duality of people who love and exercise themselves in both worlds. #BARS is just a space for those people to improvise and create. #BARS is just a place that “Yes, and”’s the creators own forwarding plot line.

Daveed Diggs, Pharoahe Monch, Rafael Casal, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, #BARS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2OWGehIHw4

Photo Credit: Lavell Wells, Vincent Morris. Video: Matt Smith. 

Learn more about #BARS here.

You can find this story and others from The Museum of Light at RESPECT Magazine.

The Museum of Light is curated by: 

Billy Johnson Jr., Adell Henderson, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rafael Casal, Matt Smith, Malik Buie.

For more info on The Light visit:
https://instagram.com/museumoflight/
Tweets by museumoflight

The post CONVERSATIONS IN LIGHT: #BARS & BROADWAY appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.