Fab 5 Freddy, a key figure in graffiti art and hip-hop, recently released his memoir, Everybody’s Fly: A Life of Art, Music, and Changing the Culture. He shared five things he's been thinking about, including Black history and current events.
Hidden Histories and Powerful Leaders
Fab 5 Freddy is fascinated by overlooked historical figures. He points out that many pirates during the 18th century were of African descent, a fact often missing from popular culture like Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He recommends The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss. This book tells the story of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, the father of famous author Alexandre Dumas. Thomas-Alexandre was a great general under Napoleon, and his story highlights the significant roles Black individuals played in history.
Another book, The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de’ Medici by Catherine Fletcher, reveals that one of the Medici rulers of Florence in the 1530s was of African descent. Alessandro de’ Medici was a contemporary of Machiavelli and, like Barack Obama, was a Black man who led a major Western power.
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He also revisited The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution by C.L.R. James. This book details the Haitian Revolution, which was Napoleon's biggest defeat and the only successful slave uprising in the Western Hemisphere. Toussaint L’Ouverture showed remarkable leadership, creating a system where French plantation owners could work with former slaves on a more equal basis.
Pirates and Current Events
Fab 5 Freddy is also drawing inspiration from the Netflix documentary series The Lost Pirate Kingdom. This series explores more pirate stories from the Caribbean and has influenced his own visual art. He has been developing a series of paintings and a narrative about Black pirates, expanding on earlier works like "Black Pirates, Return" found on his website.
For staying informed, Fab 5 Freddy enjoys The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway. He finds Scott Galloway to be a smart commentator who offers clear, concise takes on politics and economics. Galloway is known for his willingness to challenge mainstream views and provide honest assessments of current events.
