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Summer of '85

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Summer of '85

By: Chris Morrow, Kevin Hart, Charlamagne Tha God, SBH Productions
Narrated by: Kevin Hart
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About this listen

Welcome to the summer of 1985 in Philadelphia, when the city was rocked—in almost every sense of the word—by two unprecedented events: Mayor W. Wilson Goode’s May 13 decision to bomb the headquarters of MOVE, a controversial Philadelphia-based radical communal organization, and the July 13 Live Aid concert, where international rock royalty convened in Philly to raise money for victims of the Ethiopian famine.

Separated by just two months and eight miles, these events would showcase both the best and the worst of the so-called City of Brotherly Love: One would raise millions of dollars for famine victims in Africa, while the other would lead to the death of 11 members of MOVE, including five children, who had all taken the last name of their leader, John Africa. The bombing led to a fire that was allowed to burn for hours, resulting in the destruction of a middle-class African American neighborhood. Those wounds remain raw more than 35 years later.

Created by Chris Morrow, produced by Kevin Hart and Charlamagne tha God’s SBH Productions, and narrated by Hart, a Philadelphia native, Summer of '85 marks the first attempt to connect these two events and detail the incredible irony (and tragedy) of Philadelphia hosting a benefit for Africa the same summer it bombed a thriving African American neighborhood. Featuring candid interviews with participants such as Bob Geldof, Patti LaBelle, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and Mike Africa Jr., the series explores the complex history that resulted in these outlier events paired by proximity and a combustible mix of ego, altruism, prejudice, utopian dreams, and human frailty.

©2022 SBH Productions, LLC (P)2022 Audible Originals, LLC
Americas United States
All stars
Most relevant
A compelling documentary about an abomination that was covered up by the authorities . Sadly little changes. A story that was told and presented brilliantly.

A story that I hadn’t heard about

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Faighimid léargas anseo ar ghrúpa suimiúil nach bhfuil eolas forleathan orthu abhus, agus ar an ainghníomh a d'imir na húdaráis orthu lena gcur faoi smacht. Caitheann sé seo solas eile ar eagrú Live Aid ná mar a fheictear go hiondúil. Cloistear réimse leathan tuairimí faoi na heachtraí ar fad. Ní leasc le lucht déanta an chláir seo an t-aon duine amháin a mholadh agus a cháineadh de réir mar a bheadh tuillte acu, rud a chuireann go mór lena shaibhreas.

Dhá scéal chasta, inste go tomhaiste bríomhar

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This is the first time I ma hearing of the egregious bombing in Philadelphia. I am chargrined by the recency of this horror. And that in the shadow of that, Live Aid took place while the truth of that bombing lay hidden.

Kevin Hart and his team have done a great job with this project. It was a rivetting and saddening history to recount but needful.

Rivetting and Saddening

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A couple of highlights from the summer of ‘85 but that is all, should have covered much more and stuck to ‘85
No mention of corruption around Band Aid money
On balance, I leave this disappointed

Not what it purports to be

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