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Blacksplained

Superlawyer Lisa E. Davis Blacksplains How Black Genius Was Stolen, Exploited and Erased

Monday · 54 min · Season 1 · Episode 1 · 105.4 MB
0:00-54:56

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Each week, host Michael Harriot will pick one question about history, politics, science, culture or anything else worth talking about. But instead of giving his opinion or sharing his feelings on the subject, he’ll bring in a scholar, expert or professional who actually knows what they’re talking about.

But these discussions won’t be neutral, performatively palatable or sterilized to make people comfortable. Instead of using “objectivity” as a standard (pronounced “Hoo why itt”), we’ll dive into each subject from an unapologetically Black perspective, grounded in real expertise and delivered with the wit, candor and cultural fluency that informs our ways of knowing.

The result is a show that doesn’t just inform you; it will recontextualize what you thought you knew, give you new insight and make you realize that you aren’t going crazy. We’ll have real experts like today’s guest, attorney Lisa E. Davis

Besides being one of the foremost entertainment and sports attorneys in the country, Davis is a certified “Super Lawyer” and the author of the new book: Our Minds Were Always Free: A History of How Black Brilliance Was Exploited—and the Fight to Retake Control. Today, she will help us answer the question:

Can you steal Black genius?

Let’s find out.

One question. Actual experts. Real answers.

Welcome to Blacksplained.

Takeaways

  • Theft of intellectual property has had a profound impact on the Black community
  • The limitations of the law in addressing intellectual property theft are evident Ownership and control are critical in the music industry
  • The role of record companies in curation and marketing is still significant in the digital age

Chapters

  • 00:00 Theft of Intellectual Property
  • 01:12 Blacksplained: A New Perspective
  • 02:12 The Exploitation of Black Brilliance
  • 03:31 The Impact of Intellectual Property Theft
  • 06:44 The Legacy of Intellectual Property Theft
  • 08:37 Intellectual Property and Capitalism
  • 11:24 The Limitations of the Law
  • 16:03 The Impact on Music and Art
  • 20:15 Ownership and Exploitation
  • 27:41 The Difference in Cover Versions
  • 30:05 Theft and Responsibility
  • 32:44 Ownership and Control
  • 35:31 Masters and Catalog Leasing
  • 41:09 Intellectual Property and Creativity
  • 47:11 Record Companies and Curation
  • 49:14 The Role of Algorithms
  • 52:28 Black Creativity and American Culture