We spend the hour with Robert Jones Jr, who recently retired his well-known social media handle Son of Baldwin. He discusses his debut novel, The Prophets, which is about two men who are in love, enslaved on the same Mississippi plantation. We talk about how the relationship between colonialism, Western imperialism, and christian hegemony built up an intersectional anti-Black racist and homophobic culture that has been maintained until today. We also explore his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, how it impacts Robert’s professional life and social media presence, and how the legacies of violence embedded in slavery impact his ability to access good medical care today.
This week’s Artist Resistance in Residence is jazz musician Eli Maliwan AKA Saxreligious, who is releasing his debut album Elysia Marginata on Friday, September 9th with a release show event at the Bandcamp headquarters in downtown Oakland. We will be giving away a pair of tickets to the event on our show this Thursday.
Buy the book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622773/the-prophets-by-robert-jones-jr/
Check out Robert Jones Jr’s website: https://www.sonofbaldwin.com/
Follow Eli Maliwan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/saxreligious
Buy Eli’s music and tickets to his album release show in Oakland on Friday, September 9th: https://saxreligious.bandcamp.com/
Check out Eli’s website: https://www.saxreligious.com/