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Cincinnati hip-hop artivist is building on foundation created by pioneering blues singer
WCPO 9 is exploring the work of Mamie Smith and Siri Imani as part of its long-running Black History Month series called “Then and Now” describing the contributions of an African American trailblazer from Greater Cincinnati’s past and a modern-day counterpart.
and last updated 2021-02-16 17:46:15-05
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati-born Mamie Smith became the first Black performer to sing on a commercial blues recording in 1920 then changed the course of music history a few months later when her record “Crazy Blues” became a smash hit.
“It opened this commercial space for recordings by Black artists, popular music by Black artists, and that, I mean needless to say, that door has never closed,” said John Jeremiah Sullivan, a contributing writer for “The New York Times Magazine” who has researched Smith’s life and career. “Th ....

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