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Memphis native adds to ‘Hicksters’ and its healing-through-laughter focus

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — Jeremy Steven Walker, a rising Hollywood star, is taking on the big leagues by learning to master the creative arts while wearing multiple hats in the film industry.

Published

6 years ago

August 21, 2019

Oakland Post

By Brianna A. Smith

Jeremy Steven Walker, a rising Hollywood star, is taking on the big leagues by learning to master the creative arts while wearing multiple hats in the film industry.

Although Walker is a Memphis native who graduated from Germantown High School, he said the nine years he spent in Denver after high school is where and when he truly began to dabble into film and theatre arts. Jeremy Steven Walker, a rising Hollywood star, is taking on the big leagues by learning to master the creative arts while wearing multiple hats in the film industry.

“Growing up, Memphis wasn’t a city I felt was big on film and acting,” Walker said. “I think had I been exposed to it earlier, then I would’ve been able to get into the craft sooner.”

In 2008, Walker booked his first national commercial with Crocs, which aired during the Summer Olympics. Since then he has consistently booked roles and recently wrapped up the Pitsburgh-based comedy drama, “Hicksters.”

Filmed in and around the Steel City, “Hicksters” is Pittsburgh native Christina Wren’s (“Man of Steel,” “Batman v Superman”) newest comedy project.

It follows the adventures of Ruby Hadid-Robinson (Wren) and Alex Robinson (Walker), a millennial couple from New York whose lives take a turn when they lose their jobs around the same time they inherit Ruby’s late grandfather’s farm. As an interracial couple – Ruby is an Arab-American woman and Alex is an African-American man – they meet a slew of characters who learn, often through comedic blunders, that they have more in common with their new neighbors than they think.

“Unconscious biases, prejudices, stereotypes and racism all stem from fears of the unknown that have been ingrained in our lives,” said Walker. “You will see in a comedic way how we bring light to those issues on this show.”

“Hicksters” is a story about unifying, about striving to make life work as a millennial, about the current economy and cultural landscape. It is a quirky exploration of what it really means to be an American today.

“Our world is filled with so much love that should be shared,” Walker said. “Ultimately, Wren and her creative team want to highlight our similarities and how they pale in comparison to our differences.”

There are six episodes to the first season and after tuning in, I can say, Walker and Wren did a great job of nurturing their characters to reflect their humanity.

“It was really important that each character be human and relatable and have a clear point of view,” Walker said. “There’s not one perfect character or evil villain. It’s just a bunch of quirky people trying to live a life together.

“Wren wanted to make sure every character could be represented in a way that was yet funny and we could poke at all our quirks, but also honor the humanity in them.”

Walker believes that we all have stories worth sharing.

“‘Hicksters’ is an opportunity to explore the complexities of social exchanges,” he said. “Once we are open to share our stories, understand the foundations of our belief systems and open our minds to different perspectives, we can step forward, towards unity.”

The creative team decided the best way to share “Hicksters” was YouTube and www.hicksterscomedy.com. That way, there are no barriers to entry such as a membership or subscription – everyone has access.

“The best part about working and being a part of this project was the inclusion of diversity of people it took to create it,” Walker said. “Diversity is beautiful to watch.”

The creative team for “Hicksters” includes Wren (Muslim/white) and her husband, Demetrius Wren (a black man), who worked as a director, writer and executive producer. Writers Madilynn Beck (black) and Rachna Khatau (Indian) also added their own special comedic talents and personal experiences to the series.

(To keep up with Walker, follow him on Instagram @JWalkerScene. To catch up on “Hicksters,” visit youtube.com/twokidswithacamera or hicksterscomedy.com.)

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

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June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”