(ThyBlackMan.com) This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Aretha Franklin—and I doubt it’ll be the last. With a career as monumental and emotionally layered as hers, every return to her ...

Aretha Franklin, born March 25, 1942, left an indelible mark on music, culture, and civil rights. Her voice—powerful, passionate, and unmistakable—redefined soul music and became a rallying cry for ...

There’s no question that Aretha Franklin is our Aries Angel. The Queen of Soul—who performed at the first ESSENCE Festival in 1995—began her career in the church. She later bellowed into the music ...