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Marc Anthony Thompson started out making ironic pop in the ’80’s and released two solo albums for Warner Brothers. “Love Cools Down” epitomized the era of shoulder pads, big hair and dance-oriented drum machines but Thompson’s lyrics casually relayed the story of dark heartbreak with a smile. Thompson’s Chocolate Genius collective started releasing music in the late ’90s and emerged with the critically acclaimed Black Music in ’98. The pop/folk/funk eclecticism of the Genius projects gave him the recognition he missed in the ’80’s and reiterated his place at the forefront of non-linear Black pop. He won an Obie for his music direction on A Huey P. Newton Story that starred Roger Guenveur Smith and was directed by Spike Lee also in the late ’90’s. Thompson has written music for a variety of soundtracks and toured with Bruce Springsteen in 2006. In June of 2014 he judged the Studio 360 1914 Blues Challenge.