The undisputed best Black cultural experience in America, Taste of Soul turned 18 years old with a flourish on Saturday October 21 on Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles as tens of thousands of people covering all ages dotted the famous artery that pierces the Black Wall Street.
As early as 9 a.m. portable chairs unfolded behind and around concert stages south at Stocker and north to Obama Blvd. where The Bakewell Sounds of Soul and Radio Free KJLH concert stages hosted closing acts with legendary singing group The Whispers and R&B crooner Johnny Gill sounded as much like a Baptist preacher as he did an iconic sultry performer.
As every imaginable vendor that could fit into the precious real estate along the east and west sides of Crenshaw Blvd, a parade of local marching bands and drill teams lead by Dorsey High School beat drums and pranced upward towards Stocker.
Flanked east was the Celebrity Host Tiffany Haddish’s Comedy Lounge presented by Mothers in Action Inc., a non-profit organization that was founded by the late Brenda Marsh Mitchell, that featured laughs and cocktails for the majority women audience.
Fitting the lounge was held at Brenda Marsh-Mitchell Square named for a woman whose forever lasting imprint remains a staple of Taste of Soul to this day.
Just south of the comedy lounge was The Bakewell Media VIP Lounge where all of the movers and shakers of both the political spectrum and beyond gathered to a spread of chewy macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas, candied yams, collard greens, potato salad, baked beans, green salad, cornbread muffins all to be digested with the sweetest lemonade flavors.
Although the founder and creator of the event Danny Bakewell, Sr. is a vegetarian and didn’t indulge any, it is as pure of a reflection of the man wearing black with the giant ivory signature ring on his finger who has invested every ounce of his life to uplift Blacks and the culture.
By mid afternoon with the sun bristling, Bakewell’s best friend Dr. William Burke and his wife Yvonne B. Burke, who broke down the walls to The House of Representatives for women of color, were joined by Taste of Soul Host Los Angeles City Councilwoman Heather Hutt, United States Senate candidate Barbara Lee, State Senate candidate Laura Richardson, National Newspapers Publishers Association CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Chair Bobby Henry among others join Bakewell at the stage named in his honor.
One of the many vendors that caught my attention brought their own public address system, hosting scores of women for step and slide right down the middle of the boulevard.
There are many elements that are responsible for Taste of Soul evolving from a community block party with a mere 35,000 at its inception some 20 years ago, with the Covid pandemic being the lone interruption.
Among the most significant is the camaraderie of the people who attend it. They don’t just sing and dance together to every beat of every song, but there is a sincere shield of Black pride seasoned with the reuniting of purpose.
Taste of Soul is a vivid reminder of just how powerful we are as a race, how respectful we can be to each other and how much darn fun we can have when it’s essentially just us.
A small group of men playing dominoes under a vinyl hood, sipping and cigar smoking, a dad with his daughter like Brandon Brooks looking for the children’s play area, a senior woman on a walker stopping mid step the shake and rattle a little bit.
Oh, yes there were other ethnic groups on deck, the fresh new white home owners in Leimert, our hispanic neighbors, but rest assured that premiere sponsors Chevy buy in to get to Black Americans.
For every 1,000 or so patrons there were two Los Angeles Police Officers, private security, The Nation of Islam, the Los Angeles Fire Department dominant safety nets that appeared to have as much enjoyment not having to deploy.
From the information booths such as AARP, the Department of Water & Power, Metro, to the clothing, perfume, fish, gumbo and sweet treats, Taste of Soul is a gigantic cash cow.
However, this is a cow that dispenses a lot of money as well. The staff goes way beyond Los Angeles Sentinel Chief of Staff Danny Bakewell Jr., his sister Brandi, aunt Pamela and others.
Taste of Soul is the gift that just keeps giving and growing and glowing.
Like one patron said as Johnny Gill was bellowing his final tune. “I can’t wait til next year!”
Yeah, Danny Sr., you did that. Again!