Incoming Dean of the Thornton School of Music at USC Jason King returns to Pop Pantheon to discuss the life and career of the architect of rock ‘n roll, Little Richard. Louie and Jason unpack Little Richard’s breakthrough “Tutti Frutti,” which is widely credited as the genesis of rock n’ roll music, and his string of hits through the 1950s; perhaps one of the first imperial phases in modern music history. They break down what it meant for Little Richard to drop an explosive glitter bomb of queerness into American culture, his musical output after his initial burst of fame, how his iconoclastic celebrity helped birth the rock star and the complicated ways in which he moved in and out of the closet through the years. Finally, they rank Little Richard in the official Pop Pantheon. 

Stay tuned this June for more Pride episodes.

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