Author Nelson George will create video blogs from more than 30 cities for BlackAtlas.com. (Source: Jelena Vukotic)
As an author and journalist, Nelson George is known for his ability to pluck a reader out of her familiar surroundings and place her in another time and place. Later in his life he evolved into an acclaimed filmmaker and producer who used the same techniques to transport viewers into a different culture; particularly black culture.
Now as the face of BlackAtlas.com, an interactive social networking site for black travelers, George couples his talent for storytelling with his love of travel, which has become an extension of his career covering music, film, and culture. As the author of 14 books including Hip-Hop America (Penguin; $15), the Brooklyn native will visit more than 30 different cities worldwide and film video blogs describing the historical, political, and cultural landscape of each location and its relevance to African Americans.
George, 52, is no stranger to traveling the U.S. As host of “Soul City,” a travel show for VH1 Soul, he visited Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and other cities infused with black culture. He caught the eye of executives at American Airlines, the sponsor of BlackAtlas, who, along with site marketers Burrell Communications Group (No. 4 on the BE 100s Advertising Agency list), pegged George for the job of travel expert-at-large. He has also traveled Europe extensively, and just recently traveled to India as the executive producer for Chris Rock’s new documentary “Good Hair.”
George took some time out from planning his itinerary to talk to BlackEnterprise.com about how he began traveling, what he’s found on his journeys and how BlackAtlas can play a paramount role in helping blacks learn about the lives of African Americans across the Diaspora.
BlackEnterprise.com: When was your first international trip?
Nelson George: My first international trip was to London for an interview with an artist in the 80s. As a New Yorker, I found London to be particularly user friendly. My first day there, I was everywhere, just like I would be if I was riding the subways of New York. In addition, England has always had a strong black– particularly Afro-Caribbean–community. I was really comfortable there. I loved London, and I wanted to see more of the world.
What traveling experience sticks out most in your mind?
In in the mid-90s, I went on a tour of Europe with Russell Simmons and Method Man. We went to Zurich, Paris, Amsterdam, and London. I had never been to the other three countries. We hit four cities in six or seven days. We just rock–and-rolled, hardly ever slept and stayed out all night. We ate everywhere. Since then I’ve been to each country many times. It is wonderful to know you can go to certain cities in the world, hop off the plane, and know you’re good.
Have you ever found black culture in a place where you didn’t expect to find it?
I expect to find black culture everywhere. A lot of black culture is appreciated by [people from all over the world.] There is no aspect of black musical culture that is not appreciated somewhere in the world. You will see musicians from Italy and Spain playing jazz. I went to Prague in 1999, and I remember walking down the street and seeing advertisements in Czech for a hip-hop party. Everywhere I’ve looked [I’ve seen] our music, our dance, our visual arts, and to some degree our food, depending on what country you visit.
How are black travelers different from other cultures?
I can’t speak for all black people, but what we have found is that black audiences want to have the experiences that anybody else will have. They want to visit the Eifel Tower, go by the Vatican. They want to see the landmarks. At the same time, they also want to know if there are any black people there. They are really curious about neighborhoods, restaurants, and historical sites that have particular historical significance to their experience.
How can BlackAtlas be useful to African American travelers?
BlackAtlas creates a forum where information about black culture in these cities exists. You are going to have peer-to-peer information, social networking, and the resources of American Airlines. You can literally look at places and then book a reservation or plan a trip. There are other travel Websites but I am hoping that this one will provide unique content that places an emphasis on people. People give insight about how it is to be black in these different cities. Hopefully users who live in those cities or travel to those cities will share their stories, pictures, and video, so that it becomes a real database of experience and information with lots and lots of different levels.
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