Ideas Festival Emory September 20-22, 2024 at Oxford College of Emory University A weekend featuring some of the most impactful and interesting scientists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, and creators of our time.
The title, BE-SPOKEN, is a nod to the term ‘bespoke.’ The work uses sacred texts and music genres to address themes of Black empowerment, justice for police violence within Black and Brown communities, and hope for a more prosperous future. During the worldwide shutdown, violent atrocities committed upon the Black community were unavoidably visible. Our nation, once again, struggles to reconcile its original sin of slavery and its lasting institutionalized legacy, racism. BE-SPOKEN is a cantata that explores the themes of loss and joy, and celebrates Blackness. The work begins with a field song and moves through gospel, funk, and hip-hop. The text and music for the work was written by Emorja Roberson, Anthony T. Walker, Pamela Blair, and Chavis Gill (aka “King Chav”).
