Joshua Adams

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Articles

The Problem With Right-Wing Comedy

Dec 1, 2024 | levelman.com | Joshua Adams

Rightwing comedy is comedic in a way Shakespearean comedy can be: a story catalyzed from a misunderstanding; reaction instead of reflectionOne of my favorite podcasts is this psychoanalysis and film series called " Why Theory." The show is hosted by professors Todd McGowan and Ryan Engley and they break down different psychoanalytical and philosophical concepts using film, tv and other cultural phenomena.
She Taught Love Is the Epitome of a Black Woman's Strength

Sep 23, 2024 | levelman.com | Jermaine Hall |Mark Anthony Neal |Joshua Adams |William Spivey

Darrell-Britt Gibson’s mother deserves a consulting credit for her son’s romantic drama She Taught Love. Gibson, who labels her a prolific writer, had planned to end his romantic drama on a dark note. His mother, who was a champion for everything her son wrote, couldn’t finish the script because she loved main character Mali (pronounced Moll-e) — a sports agent who'd been diagnosed with a rare, fast-moving cancer — and knew her son was planning to end her life.
In the TikTok Era, Vybe Vault Showcase Focuses on Longevity

Sep 19, 2024 | levelman.com | Mark Anthony Neal |Joshua Adams |William Spivey |Jermaine Hall

Industry OG Morace Landy believes the hardest work for a successful artist begins post music release. The 64-year-old promo man whose work has benefited everyone from Luther Vandross to Trey Songz thinks today’s acts aren’t built for the grind-to-glory path to platinum. But the artists, in his opinion, aren’t solely to blame for hip-hop and R&B’s struggle to create new stars with decades-long careers. A reliance on algorithms and a do-it-yourself ethos has killed the art of artist development.
Your Perfect Relationship Won't Survive Bad Sex

Sep 16, 2024 | levelman.com | John DeVore |Joshua Adams |Garrick McFadden |Dona Mwiria

Being a bad lover can ruin a wonderful relationship, even if everything else is perfect. Why, you ask? Because satisfying sex is a priority for the vast majority of people. According to a research survey, two thirds of sexually active Americans found bad sex to be an absolute turn-off with a partner. Oh, dear reader, let me regale you with tales of my epic rendezvous, for they are truly the stuff of legend. Back in University I spent quite a bit of time at the gym, that's where I met Michael.
Men Should Tell Each Other 'I Love You' More Often

Sep 15, 2024 | levelman.com | Joshua Adams |John DeVore |Garrick McFadden |LG Ware

If the patriarchy ever invited the fellas over for a movie night, I’d recommend director Michael Bay’s 1998 disaster epic Armageddon. It’s a classic of macho mythology and one of the last movies to unironically celebrate old-fashioned manly virtues like “horny” and “mad.”Armageddon is about a ragtag group of filthy American oil riggers who ride a space shuttle to the surface of a giant killer asteroid and then proceed to blow it the fuck up, saving the world from total obliteration.
Kwame Alexander Is Writing His Way to Financial Success

Aug 1, 2024 | levelman.com | LG Ware |John Kennedy |Sowmya Krishnamurthy |Joshua Adams

Author Kwame Alexander was bred to be a master of words. While his father was working towards a doctorate from Columbia university, he would make 11-year-old Alexander read his PHD dissertations. The topics—African-american religious and educational implications of the work of Adam Clayton Powell, Richard Allen, and Elijah Muhammad—was far from casual reading.
How Malik K. Buie Made a Definitive Documentary on Mixtape DJs

Jul 26, 2024 | levelman.com | Sowmya Krishnamurthy |Joshua Adams |John DeVore |John Kennedy

In 1981, Toni Morrison famously said, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” Director and filmmaker Malik K. Buie is more of a movie guy, but the point stands. The sentiment was the spark that spawned Buie’s latest work, Tale of the Tape: How the Mixtape Revolutionized Hip-Hop, an hour-long documentary that chronicles the evolution of the hip-hop mixtape and the underground kings who paved the way.
Rap's Biggest Comic Collectors Dissect Deadpool & Wolverine

Jul 26, 2024 | levelman.com | Sowmya Krishnamurthy |Joshua Adams |John DeVore |Mark Anthony Neal

After a string of luke-warm releases in Phase 4, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is looking to cut the volume of shows produced in order to get back to the quality product that was once synonymous with the brand. Comic book collectors Pete Rock, Rob Markman, and Just Blaze sat with MACRO’s newsletter, UpRising (subscribe here), to discuss Deadpool & Wolverine, a film that Marvel Studios president Kevin Fiege says marks the beginning of the mutant era in the MCU.
Brandon Victor Dixon Mastered Playing Alicia Keys’ Father

Jul 25, 2024 | levelman.com | Joshua Adams |John DeVore |Mark Neal |Sowmya Krishnamurthy

“You remember this song?” Brandon Victor Dixon asks, as his fingers glide across the piano. The opening notes of “If I Ain’t Got You” begin to play. He slightly turns to his co-star, Maleah Joi Moon, his defiant daughter. She’s on a rebellious streak and her mother has asked her father to step in and intervene. “Well I wrote it for you when you were a little girl,” he emphasizes. “You used to love it. And I used to love singing it to you.
Bronny James Should Reap the Benefits of Nepotism

Jul 23, 2024 | levelman.com | Joshua Adams |John DeVore |Mark Anthony Neal

As any basketball fan likely knows already, Bronny James, the son of superstar LeBron James, was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He competed in the NBA’s Summer League, averaging close to 9 points with 3.5 rebounds and 1 assist.