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  • Nicki Minaj, Whitney Houston & the Business of Trauma Commerce

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray examine how celebrity culture turned personal trauma into a marketing tool, tracing the shift from the mystique of stars like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna to today's model of public vulnerability as promotion. The conversation moves from Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's reality-TV unraveling to R. Kelly's combative Gayle King interview, then into present-day flashpoints involving Nicki Minaj and Jonathan Majors. Sir Daniel and Jay Ray coin and unpack "trauma commerce," their term for how artists, labels, and publicists use crisis and confession to stay relevant and move product. The episode also revisits Tina Turner's story as a case study in trauma that outlives an artist's attempt to move past it.

    The Breakdown
    • From mystique to overexposure: How the record industry's old model of curated privacy — the approach that shaped Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna's stardom — gave way to constant public disclosure.
    • Reality TV's role in reshaping celebrity: How Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston's reality series, plus shows like Flavor of Love, normalized "regular" as a marketable persona for musicians.
    • R. Kelly, Tammy Faye Bakker, and the tears-as-strategy playbook: A look at how public figures — from R. Kelly's Gayle King sit-down to Tammy Faye Bakker's televised breakdowns — have used emotional display to manage scandal and sway public opinion.
    • Nicki Minaj, "crashing out," and the trauma-commerce cycle: How Nicki Minaj's Instagram Live tirades and Queen Radio history illustrate a modern pattern of using public meltdowns to drive attention around new music, and why Tina Turner's story shows the cost artists pay when trauma becomes their defining narrative.

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Disclaimer

    00:19 Intro Theme

    00:50 Topic Intro: Did We Create Talentless Celebrities?

    01:50 Celebrity vs. Stardom: The Old Guard Had Mystique

    02:48 Trauma as the Currency of Modern Fame

    03:56 Michael Jackson Case Study: When Stars Lean Into Trauma

    06:45 Quick Transition

    06:47 Record Labels Used to Sell Perfection

    08:01 Jonathan Majors' Redemption Tour: Vulnerability as Marketing

    09:36 Historical Examples: R. Kelly, Tammy Faye & Whitney Houston

    11:51 Quick Transition

    11:53 Reality TV & the Rise of 'Regular' as a Brand

    13:15 The Music Industry's Diminishing Power

    16:17 Celebrities Going Live: Who Worries You?

    18:44 Defining 'Crashing Out' & Nicki Minaj as the Queen

    21:30 Transition

    21:37 Introducing 'Trauma Commerce'

    23:27 Tina Turner: Trauma You Can't Escape

    25:21 Parasocial Relationships & Why We're Drawn to Damaged People

    27:37 Quick Transition

    27:39 Does Good Music Change the Equation?

    30:40 Closing Thoughts: Protect Your Peace

    32:05 Outro Theme

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    #TraumaCommerce #NickiMinaj #WhitneyHouston #RKelly #BlackMusicHistory

    33 min
  • Kim Wayans Parodies: From Crystal Waters to Vanessa Williams

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray examine Kim Wayans' run of music parodies on "In Living Color" and trace how her characters critiqued the treatment of Black women in pop music while making audiences laugh. The conversation covers her castmate collaborations with T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh and Kim Coles, her parody of Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman," her Vanessa Williams sketch tied to the singer's ousting from Miss America, and her Tracy Chapman bit that doubled as commentary on the music industry's demand for repeat hits. The hosts also revisit her film appearance in "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" and the "Rhythmless Nation" sketch aimed at Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, arguing Kim Wayans used impersonation as a tool of cultural observation rather than mockery.

    The Breakdown
    • How Kim Wayans and T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh's "Cook It" sketch turned Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" into an "In Living Color" showcase for Black women rappers and R&B artists dominating the charts in 1990
    • Why the "My Songs Are Mindless" parody of Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman" and the "Kiss My Ass" send-up of Vanessa Williams' "Save the Best for Last" used comedy to comment on Black women's treatment in the music industry
    • What the Tracy Chapman "Fast Car" parody revealed about the recording industry's pressure for artists to repeat a hit, and how "Rhythmless Nation" played off Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson's contrasting public personas
    • How Kim Wayans' appearance as the Lounge Singer in Keenen Ivory Wayans' "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka," alongside scene-stealing turns from Anne-Marie Johnson, set up her run of R&B and hip-hop-era caricatures on "In Living Color"

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Introduction: Celebrating Kim Wayans

    04:29 The Salt-N-Pepa Parody: Cook It

    06:54 Quick Transition

    06:55 Crystal Waters Parody: My Songs Are Mindless

    11:05 Vanessa Williams Parody: Kiss My Ass

    13:23 Tracy Chapman Parodies

    16:32 Quick Transition

    16:33 Whitney Houston & Janet Jackson: Rhythmless Nation

    20:03 Kim's Respect for the Artists She Parodied

    21:56 I Love LaQuita: The Lucille Ball Parody

    24:09 Transition

    24:15 Kim Wayans' Scene Stealing Appearance: I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

    29:03 Shoutout to Anne-Marie Johnson

    31:10 Quick Transition

    31:11 Closing Thoughts & Call to Action

    33:42 Outro Theme

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    #KimWayans #InLivingColor #BlackMusicHistory #WayansFamily #90sPopCulture

    35 min
  • MTV Unplugged Helped Redefine the New Jack Swing Era

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray trace MTV Unplugged from its late-1989 launch through its rise in popularity as the Milli Vanilli lip-syncing scandal put a spotlight on which artists could actually perform live. The conversation centers on how the acoustic format pressured artists to demonstrate vocal and instrumental skill in real time, with particular attention to Uptown Records' 1993 label-wide taping featuring Heavy D & the Boyz, Jodeci, and Mary J. Blige. The hosts connect that moment to the broader shift away from the drum machine and keyboard production that defined New Jack Swing, and examine how Unplugged performances by Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z shaped audience perception of these artists' range.

    The Breakdown
    • How the Milli Vanilli scandal fueled Unplugged's popularity, even though the series had already launched months earlier
    • Uptown Records' 1993 label showcase and its role in repositioning Mary J. Blige and Jodeci beyond New Jack Swing's studio-built sound
    • Yo! MTV Raps Unplugged and what LL Cool J, A Tribe Called Quest, and MC Lyte's performances revealed about hip-hop's live capability
    • Maxwell's 1997 Unplugged and Lauryn Hill's 2001 special, and how each artist used the format at very different points in their careers

    Uptown Records, Andre Harrell, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Heavy D & the Boyz, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z all factor into a discussion that positions Unplugged as a turning point for how New Jack Swing-era artists were evaluated on musicianship rather than production polish.

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Welcome to Queue Points

    00:57 MTV's Evolution and the Birth of Unplugged

    04:42 Quick Transition

    04:43 The Unplugged Concept and Mariah Carey

    08:06 Nirvana and Yo! MTV Raps Unplugged

    15:15 Insert Transition

    15:22 Uptown Records MTV Unplugged

    22:36 Quick Transition

    22:37 Maxwell's Unplugged

    26:21 Insert Transition

    26:28 Lauryn Hill's Unplugged

    32:38 Dream Unplugged Performances That Never Were

    38:54 Jay-Z Unplugged

    41:01 Outro and Sign Off

    42:27 Outro Theme

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    #NewJackSwing #MTVUnplugged #BlackMusicHistory #UptownRecords #90sRnB

    43 min
  • Sly Stone, D'Angelo & the Myth of Black Genius

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray use the Hulu documentary on Sly Stone as a jumping-off point to examine the label of "Black genius" and what it costs the artists who carry it. The conversation moves from Sly Stone's songwriting credit on "Somebody to Love" and D'Angelo's silent on-camera appearance to the real-world controversy around Lil Baby's name surfacing in an Atlanta Police Department shooting investigation. Along the way they weigh whether visibility and talent create an obligation to represent or uplift the Black community, using Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Michael Jackson as reference points.

    The Breakdown
    • Sly Stone's documentary and the "Black genius" question — how Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's film reframes genius as both a gift and a burden, and what D'Angelo's brief, wordless cameo signals about visibility and exhaustion.
    • The Lil Baby/Atlanta Police Department controversy — how a rap video shoot in rival gang territory got tied to a real shooting, and what that reveals about the outsized influence assigned to Black celebrities.
    • Genius versus celebrity — why the hosts argue the term "genius" has been diluted into a marketing label, and how that dilution puts pressure on young people looking for role models.
    • The financial and emotional cost of being labeled "Black genius" — including Sly Stone's real-life clash over a $100,000 community demand, and how expectations placed on Jay-Z and Beyoncé echo the "talented tenth" framework from the Civil Rights era.

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Disclaimer

    00:19 Intro Theme

    00:36 The Lil Baby / Atlanta Police Department Story: Setting the Stage

    03:36 The Sly Stone Documentary Sparks the Question: What Is Black Genius?

    09:48 Transition

    09:54 Genius vs. Celebrity: How the Term Gets Watered Down

    11:23 The Danger of Mislabeling: Young People, Role Models & Influence

    13:43 Everyone Has a Genius — But What Does It Cost?

    15:38 Excusing Bad Behavior Under the Label of Genius

    18:30 Is It Fair to Expect Black Genius to Represent Us All?

    21:19 Transition

    21:26 Unreasonable Expectations & The Ivory Prison of Black Genius

    24:08 Community Responds: Responsibility to Musicianship

    28:14 Quick Transition

    28:15 The Bar for Genius Was Once Very High — And the Cost of Coveting Gifts

    31:20 Brilliance Over Genius: Audience Takeaways & Closing Thoughts

    33:08 Outro Theme

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    #BlackMusicHistory #SlyStone #DAngelo #LilBaby #BlackGenius

    34 min
  • Faith Evans' Faith Turns 30: An R&B Masterpiece

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray mark the 30th anniversary of Faith Evans' 1995 debut album Faith by asking whether it stands as a stronger debut than Mary J. Blige's What's the 411. The conversation traces Faith Evans' path through Bad Boy Records, her writing and vocal contributions to Blige's My Life, and producer Chucky Thompson's role in shaping both records. Sir Daniel and Jay Ray unpack the Diddy-engineered rollout that built anticipation around Faith Evans' identity, the tabloid narrative that pitted her against Mary J. Blige, and the album's standing as a defining quiet storm and R&B project of the Bad Boy era.

    The Breakdown (Topics Discussed)
    • Comparing debut albums: how Faith Evans' Faith and Mary J. Blige's What's the 411 set different templates for 1990s R&B
    • Chucky Thompson's production fingerprint on both Faith and My Life, and Faith Evans' behind-the-scenes writing contributions to Blige's work
    • Diddy's marketing playbook for introducing Faith Evans, including the obscured album art and the joint Vibe magazine feature with The Notorious B.I.G.
    • "Soon As I Get Home" and the album's place in the quiet storm and slow jam canon

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Disclaimer

    00:19 Intro Theme

    00:36 Welcome to the Show and Context

    03:18 Quick Transition

    03:19 The Question: Does Faith Wash What's the 411?

    03:43 Breaking Down the Case for Faith

    05:23 My Life Is the Magnum Opus Argument

    06:04 Faith's Connection to Bad Boy & Mary's My Life

    07:48 Vocal Ability vs. Star Quality

    09:01 The Mary vs. Faith Rivalry & Diddy's Role

    11:45 Transition

    11:51 Diddy's Artist Rollout Formula

    13:31 The Biggie & Faith Vibe Cover Moment

    17:44 Quick Transition

    17:45 Faith as a Pure R&B Album vs. What's the 411

    21:01 Deep Dive: Soon As I Get Home

    23:41 Transition

    23:48 Verdict and Reactions

    25:07 Outro Theme

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    #FaithEvans #MaryJBlige #SlowJamsCanHealUs #BadBoyRecords #90sRnB #ChuckyThompson

    This episode was originally recorded on January 30, 2025.

    26 min
  • Chaka Khan's Rock Era: 1986, Bowie, Palmer, and Winwood

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray examine Chaka Khan's standing as a rock and roll artist, tracing her genre-crossing career from her 1973 arrival as Rufus's lead singer through her celebrated 1986 stretch working alongside David Bowie, Robert Palmer, and Steve Winwood. The conversation centers on Chaka Khan's voice as an instrument—a framing like a trumpet credited to Miles Davis—and how that approach shaped her work across rock, funk, and jazz. The hosts also revisit her third solo album, What'cha Gonna Do for Me, on its 45th anniversary, and unpack her uncredited vocal arrangement work on Palmer's "Addicted to Love."

    The Breakdown (Topics Discussed)
    • How Chaka Khan uses her voice as an instrument, a lesson traced back to Miles Davis and reinforced through her range and control decades later
    • The 45th anniversary of What'cha Gonna Do for Me, including its jazz influences and the Ned Doheny-penned title track
    • Chaka Khan's 1986 run with David Bowie's Labyrinth soundtrack, Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love," and Steve Winwood's "Higher Love"
    • Her recognition as VH1's 17th Greatest Woman in Rock and her under-discussed rock credits from the 1970s, including work with Ry Cooder and Chicago

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Welcome to the Show

    01:01 Chaka Khan as Fire — Voice as an Instrument

    04:21 45 Years of What'cha Gonna Do

    09:20 What You're Gonna Do For Me — The Ned Doheny Story

    12:08 Transition

    12:08 VH1 Voted Chaka Khan #17 Greatest Woman In Rock

    14:36 1986 — Chaka's Rock Star Year

    19:05 Reflecting on an Era of Black Women in Rock

    21:09 Quick Transition

    21:11 Chaka Khan Appears On 1970's Rock Songs

    23:19 The Peter Cetera Duet

    24:25 The Voice as an Instrument — The Colors Performance

    26:16 The 1987 B.B. King & Friends Performance

    36:53 Closing Thoughts

    38:03 Outro Theme

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    #ChakaKhan #RufusBand #RobertPalmer #SteveWinwood #BlackMusicHistory

    39 min
  • Dame Dash: From Harlem Hustler to Hip-Hop Villain

    Queue Points hosts DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray dig into the career and reputation of Dame Dash, the Harlem-born co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records and Rocawear, tracing his rise alongside Jay-Z from the label's 1994 launch through its 2004 breakup. The conversation uses Jay-Z's recent Yankee Stadium concerts celebrating 30 years of Reasonable Doubt as a jumping-off point to examine how Dame built a public persona around flash, confrontation, and proximity to power rather than musical talent. The hosts unpack his relationships with Aaliyah, Rachel Roy, and Kanye West, and argue that Dame's current media presence functions as a cautionary tale about legacy, self-awareness, and staying relevant in hip-hop culture.

    The Breakdown (Topics Discussed)
    • How Jay-Z's Yankee Stadium shows celebrating Reasonable Doubt's 30th anniversary reignited conversation about Dame Dash and Roc-A-Fella's founding story
    • Dame Dash's evolution from behind-the-scenes hustler to the flashy, villain-coded public face of Roc-A-Fella, and why the label's 2004 collapse sealed his reputation as a liability
    • What Dame Dash represents in hip-hop history

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Hook

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Welcome to the Show

    00:31 Jay-Z's Yankee Stadium Concert Recap

    04:10 Transition

    04:17 Dame Dash's Background and Rise

    07:17 Dame Emerges as a Public Figure

    09:53 Dame's Villain Persona

    11:48 Dame Becomes a Liability

    13:32 Quick Transition

    13:34 What Does Dame Represent in Hip-Hop?

    17:22 Quick Transition

    17:24 The Shark and Remora Analogy

    19:26 Main Character Energy

    19:50 Dame's Relationships: Aaliyah, Rachel Roy, and Kanye

    22:33 Comparing Dame to Kanye

    24:27 Transition

    24:34 The 'Real Friend' Warning

    26:43 Show Close-Out

    27:56 Outro Theme

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    #DameDash #RocAFella #JayZ #HipHopHistory #BlackMusicHistory

    29 min
  • Remembering Sparky D: Golden Era Battle Rap Queen

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray dedicate this episode to Sparky D, born Doreen Broadnax, tracing her run from Brownsville, Brooklyn dancer to one of hip-hop's first female battle rappers during the Roxanne Wars. The hosts walk through her time with The Playgirls, her creative partnership with Spyder D, her connection to DJ Red Alert, and the 1988 album "This Is Sparky D's World," while weighing her songwriting and delivery against contemporaries like MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, and Queen Latifah. They also address her addiction, the isolation that came with working outside a larger crew or label team, and her eventual path to recovery and ministry in Atlanta.

    The Breakdown
    • Sparky D's rise from Brownsville dancer to Playgirls member and how that group's "Our Picture of a Man" led to her solo work with Spyder D
    • The Roxanne Wars origin story, including how "Sparky's Turn (Roxanne, You're Through)" came together and the sisterhood that formed between Sparky D and Roxanne Shanté on tour
    • Sparky D's songwriting and vocal delivery on record, and how limited production resources and industry isolation affected her sound compared to golden era peers
    • Her addiction, the personal trauma tied to it, and her later recovery and transition into ministry and community work

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Welcome to the Show

    01:02 Sparky D Passes Away

    07:24 Sparky D's Career Overview

    08:18 The Playgirls & the Roxanne Wars

    12:01 Sisterhood on the Battle Tour

    16:46 Transition

    16:53 Sparky D's Artistry and Songwriting

    22:27 Isolation, Production, and Missed Potential

    23:32 Transition

    23:39 Addiction and Personal Struggles

    30:06 Transition

    30:13 Recovery, Ministry, and Legacy

    34:46 Closing Thoughts

    36:16 Outro Theme

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    #SparkyD #RoxanneWars #GoldenEraHipHop #FemaleMCs #HipHopHistory

    37 min
  • Cold Chillin Records: The Juice Crew, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté And Biz Markie

    DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray break down the history of Cold Chillin' Records, the Warner Brothers-distributed label that gave street rappers major-label reach. They trace the label's roots to Tyrone "Fly Ty" Williams and Len Fichtelberg, correcting the common misconception that Marley Marl founded the label rather than serving as its in-house producer. The conversation covers the Juice Crew roster, including Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté, Kool G Rap, MC Shan, and Biz Markie, and how the label's Prism Records merger and Warner distribution deal helped these Queensbridge and Brooklyn artists cross into mainstream visibility. The hosts also connect Biz Markie's 1991 "I Need a Haircut" sampling lawsuit to the industry-wide shift toward sample clearance practices still used today.

    The Breakdown
    • Cold Chillin's origin story: how Fly Ty and Len Fichtelberg built the label out of Prism Records and secured Warner Brothers distribution, and why Marley Marl's role was producer rather than founder
    • Juice Crew's rise to fame: Big Daddy Kane's debut impact with "Ain't No Half-Steppin'," Roxanne Shanté's early singles-first career path, and Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's influence on mafioso rap
    • "The Symphony" posse cut: why the Marley Marl-produced track featuring Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Craig G, and Master Ace still stands as a high point for hip-hop group collaborations
    • Biz Markie's crossover run and its fallout: "Just a Friend" becoming a 1991 pop hit, followed by the Gilbert O'Sullivan lawsuit over "Alone Again" that reshaped sampling clearance rules in the music industry

    Chapter Markers

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Welcome to the Show

    00:56 Quick Transition

    00:57 Cold Chillin Records A Groundbreaking Label

    02:22 The Founders and Early Days of Cold Chillin

    05:33 Transition

    05:40 The Juice Crew and Their Impact

    15:29 Big Daddy Kane A Game Changer

    18:27 Roxanne Shante The Queen of the Juice Crew

    25:38 Quick Transition

    25:39 Kool G. Rap and DJ Polo Innovators of Mafioso Rap

    27:36 The Juice Crew Female Members

    28:07 The Legendary Posse Cut The Symphony

    31:43 Biz Markie Had Crossover Success with Just a Friend

    34:30 The Impact of Sampling Lawsuits on Hip Hop

    37:50 Cold Chillin Records Legacy in Hip Hop

    39:07 Transition

    39:14 Cold Chillin Had the Flyest Logo

    39:49 Closing Remarks and Farewell

    40:38 Outro Theme

    #ColdChillinRecords #JuiceCrew #BigDaddyKane #BizMarkie #HipHopHistory

    41 min
  • Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack: 1995 Black Music Landmark

    The 1995 Waiting to Exhale soundtrack sits at the intersection of Black film history, R&B's commercial peak, and one producer's singular creative vision. DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray break down how Babyface, operating at the height of his solo production era after parting ways creatively with L.A. Reid, conceived and executed an all-women soundtrack that functioned both as a companion to Terry McMillan's source material and as a standalone statement about Black women in music. From Whitney Houston stepping fully into her acting career post-The Bodyguard to the deliberate curation of artists across Arista, LaFace, and the wider Atlanta R&B ecosystem, this episode examines why the roster looked the way it did — and what the notable absences of Mariah Carey, Monica, Anita Baker, and En Vogue reveal about the industry politics of the moment.

    Topics Discussed:

    • How Babyface and Whitney Houston hand-selected the all-women roster — and why the Arista/Atlanta network determined who made the cut
    • The omissions: why Monica was too new, why Mariah Carey's Sony deal likely kept her off, and what En Vogue's internal situation had to do with it
    • Babyface as a songwriter in 1995 — how he channeled the voice of each individual artist, from a teenage Brandy to TLC to Whitney, across a single project
    • DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray build their own 2027 version of the soundtrack, with picks including Muni Long, Jazmine Sullivan, Doechii, Meg Thee Stallion, and a reunited Destiny's Child

    Chapter Markers:

    00:00 Intro Theme

    00:16 Intro & The 1995 Renaissance of Black Soundtracks

    02:05 Discussing The Film, Forest Whitaker, the Ensemble Cast & Terry McMillan

    05:16 Whitney Houston's Moment From Bodyguard to Waiting to Exhale

    06:37 Transition

    06:43 The Soundtrack Roster Who Made the Cut & How

    08:19 How Babyface & Whitney Selected the Artists

    10:08 Discussing the Omissions and Why Some May Not Have Made the Cut

    13:36 Transition

    13:43 On Babyface and Writing in the Voice of Black Women

    16:14 The Year Babyface Went Solo & L.A. Reid Stepped Back

    17:27 Whitney's Doubt About "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" & the Power of Simplicity

    19:30 Transition

    19:36 Queue Points Builds Their Own Soundtrack Featuring Contemporary Artists

    22:15 The Sequel That Never Was & Favorite Moments from the Film

    24:10 Closing

    25:18 Outro Theme

    Get More From Us
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    #WaitingToExhale #WhitneyHouston #Babyface #90sRnB #BlackMusicHistory

    26 min

About Queue Points

From the publisher's feed

Queue Points is the Black Podcasting Award and Ambie Award-nominated music podcast that is dropping the needle on Black Music history and celebrating Black music through meaningful dialogue. The show…

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