A
A LITTLE
A LITTLE BLACK BOY WHO 4@4@WISH HE WERE BIGGER. HE WEAVES TOGETHER HIS INTEREST
IN RACE, HISTORY AND MUSIC.
I ASKED HIM WHERE THE IDEA FOR @
THE PROJECT CAME FROM.
>> IT WAS THE TRADITION, NOT 4@
TOO LONG AGO, WITHOUT ANY
PERMISSION.
PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US4@ WERE
FORCED INTO SUBMISSION.
>> HE IS A CHARACTER I HAD IN A
SONG A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
THE IDEA WAS TO COME UP WITH
THE CHILDREN STORY TO TELL A
LITTLE BIT OF 4@AMERICAN HISTOR
A LITTLE BIT OF MUSIC AND CAN
BE A FUN THING4@ FOR KIDS TO DO
WHILE THEY ARE STUDYING AT HOME
STUCK ON ZOOM CLASS.
>> HAD YOU EVER DONE ANYTHING4@
BEFORE THAT WAS STORYTELLING
AIMED AT CHILDREN?
>> NO.
I HAD NOT.
NO.4@4@
>> AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, KIDS
ARE THE TOUGHEST AUDIENCE AND
CRITICS AROUND.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE SOMETHING,
IT IS 4@PRETTY CLEAR.
THEIR ATTENTION WILL WANDER AND
THEY WILL GET UP AND WALK OUT.
YOU HAVE TO BE GOOD WHEN YOU 4@
ENTERTAIN CHILDREN.
DID YOU FEEL PRESSURE?4@
>> I HAVE DONE SOMETHING CALLED
BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS.
IT IS LIKE4@ AN 4@EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM.
I DID IT AROUND THE WORLD.
IT IS GOING TO SCHOOLS AND
TELLING KIDS ABOUT HISTORY AND
BLACK MUSIC.
I AM FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IT IS
LIKE TO BE LIVE. 4@
MAKING A VIDEO IS A WHOLE
NOTHER THING.
>> THE WAY WE SURVIVED TO
EVOLUTION WAS CREATING BEAUTY.4
>> I THOUGHT WOULD BE GOOD IF
IT WAS A CHILD WHO WANTED TO
GET AWAY FROM 4@4@BEING SMALL.4
HE DIDN'T LIKE BEING SMALL AND
HE WENT TO HIS GRANDFATHER AND
HIS GRANDMOTHER SAID YOU HAVE
TO BE BIG TO MAKE A BIG SOUND.
THE BIG SOUND IS WHAT IS
IMPORTANT.
THAT WILL THEN TAKE YOU THROUGH
THE HISTORY OF MUSIC AND TEACH
THEM HOW TO PLAY.4@
>> ONE THING ABOUT THE SHOW IS
IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SHOW OFF YOUR TALENTS4@ 4@WITH
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
INSTRUMENTS.
DID YOU KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING
THAT WAS WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO,
HAVE LAYERS TO THIS?
>> YES.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.
IT FEELS IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU CAN 4@HEAR ONE PERSON PLAYI@
. IT IS NOT THAT IMPOSSIBLE AT @
ALL.
>>4@ NOT IMPOSSIBLE AT ALL?
ARE YOU SKEPTICAL ABOUT THAT
STATEMENT?
>>4@ CONSIDER TH4@IS?
SAMUEL JAMES TAUGHT HIMSELF TO
PLAY THE GUITAR, AN INSTRUMENT
HE DID 4@NOT PICK UP UNTIL THE
AGE OF 24.
>> IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE4@4@ TO
HAVE STRANDS OF AMERICAN
HISTORY AND LESSONS ABOUT WHERE
WE HAVE BEEN AS A COUNTRY AND 4@
PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES OF
DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE.
HOW MUCH DID YOU FEEL 4@YOU COU
BRING INTO THAT AND KEEP IT
ENTERTAINING FOR KIDS. 4@
KIDS DON'T 4@REALLY WANT TO BE
PREACHED AT, THEY WANT TO BE
ENTERTAINED.
>>4@ KIDS CAN BE BORING TO KIDS
IF IT'S PRESENTED IN A BORING
WAY.
IF YOU4@, IF SOMEBODY 4@IS
PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING, IT
IS4@ GREAT.
>> ONE YEAR SINCE THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN.
IT TOOK A TOLL ON VENUES THAT
WE LIKE TO 4@GO AND ON MUSICIAN
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT
YOU SEE AS YOU LOOK AHEAD AND
4@ WHAT4@ YO4@U HOPE IS GOING TO
HAPPEN IN TERMS OF THE RETURN
OF LIVE MUSIC?
>> THE FIRST TO CLOSE AND LAST
TO OPEN AS FAR AS BUSINESSES
GO.
I GET SCARED FOR THE GENERATION
BEHIND ME THAT DID NOT GET DATE
TO 4@TOUR AND I WONDER WHAT THE
TOLL IS THAT FOR NO NEW SONGS
ON THE