M Lamar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
M Lamar
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Lamar in 2017
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| Born | May 29, 1972 Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
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| Relatives | Laverne Cox (twin sister) |
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Reginald Lamar Cox (born May 29, 1972), known as M Lamar, is an American composer, performer, and artist. He is a talented singer with a high vocal range (a countertenor) and a pianist. His art often includes film, sculptures, and live performances.
M Lamar is the identical twin brother of actress Laverne Cox. He even played his sister's character in the Netflix show Orange Is the New Black in scenes showing her character before her gender transition.
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Early Life and Artistic Journey
M Lamar was born in Mobile, Alabama. When he was a child, he sang as a soprano in his church choir. He first studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute. Later, he went to Yale University for graduate school to study sculpture. However, he left Yale to focus on music.
He moved to New York City to train his voice with Ira Siff. Siff is known for founding and being the lead soprano of the La Gran Scena Opera Company.
Inspirations and Collaborations
In 2014, M Lamar took part in a discussion with famous authors like bell hooks and Samuel R. Delany. This talk was about different ways people express themselves. He has said that the writings of bell hooks and Toni Morrison have inspired his work. He also found inspiration in the opera Plague Mass by composer Diamanda Galás.
M Lamar's art often explores important ideas about history and society. For example, he created a work called Funeral Doom Spiritual. This piece premiered in 2016 as both a live performance and an art exhibit. It included objects, videos, and prints. The work was inspired by the story of a young Black American named Willie Francis.
In 2016, M Lamar received a grant from the Jerome Foundation. This grant helped him create a new work called Lordship and Bondage: The Birth of the Negro Superman. He composed this piece for a group called the Living Earth Show. The words in this work include quotes from famous musicians like John Coltrane and Sun Ra, and philosophers like Nietzsche.
Unique Artistic Styles
M Lamar has created his own terms to describe his art: "Negrogothic" and "doom spirituals." He explains that "Negrogothic" mixes horror stories with questions about history and race. He says it's about "horror and romance together" and the experiences of Black people in America.
These unique ideas help him create art that is specific and hard to put into simple boxes. This helps prevent African American art from being misunderstood or copied without proper credit.
In 2022, M Lamar appeared on the ABC show Claim to Fame. On the show, contestants try to guess the famous relatives of others. He used the name "X" but was eliminated when his celebrity relative was guessed.
Discography
M Lamar has released several albums. Here are some of his works:
| Year | Title | Label | Additional Musicians |
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| 2010 | Souls on Lockdown | NEGROGOTHIC RECORDS | |
| 2013 | Speculum Orum: Shackled To The Dead | with Bryce Hackford (synths, tape loops), Matthew Robinson (cello) | |
| 2015 | Negrogothic | ||
| 2017 | Funeral Doom Spiritual | NEGROGOTHIC | |
| Surveillance Punishment and the Black Psyche | NEGROGOTHIC | with Mivos Quartet (Olivia De Prato, Lauren Cauley, Victor Lowrie, Mariel Roberts) featuring Charlie Looker, Colin Marston, Cum Gutter, Bryce Hackford | |
| 2019 | Lordship and Bondage: The Birth of the Negro Superman | Co-composed and performed with The Living Earth Show (Travis John Andrews & Andy Meyerson) | |
| 2020 | M. Lamar Live | with Haela Hunt-Hendrix, James Ilgenfritz's Anagram String Trio |
See also
- LGBT culture in New York City
