The 2025 UPTOWN Martha’s Vineyard issue features American filmmaker Malcolm D. Lee on its cover. Within “Malcolm D. Lee: The Legacy Builder,” Lee candidly opens up to interviewer Everett Cooper about “his ever-evolving journey as a storyteller, entrepreneur, and cultural tastemaker.” His two new projects–a trilogy of novels and Sable Bourbon–further expand the ever-popular The Best Man franchise. The multihyphenate also reveals the connection between Martha’s Vineyard and The Best Man universe.
For the R&B lovers, UPTOWN celebrates the 20th anniversary of Raheem DeVaughan’s The Love Experience album, a record that “that not only announced his arrival but carved out a permanent place for him in the hearts of soul music lovers everywhere.” Fans can relive this monumental moment through the release of The Love Experience: 20th Anniversary Mixtape Edition, “a reimagined tribute curated with longtime collaborator DJ Lil Mic.”
Next, UPTOWN caught up with change agent Tamika D. Mallory on the tour for her memoir I LIVED TO TELL THE STORY: A Memoir of Love, Legacy, and Resilience. Through the book, Mallory reaches out in solidarity to those who have faced similar challenges of pain, perseverance, and purpose. “I’m not just sharing a story. I’m sharing my scars so others know they’re not alone,” Mallory has said on her tour, which included a stop at the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival this August.
Consider “Amos Arrow: The Elusive Visionary Redefining Contemporary Art” your introduction to rising contemporary artist Amos Arrow, who is known for bucking the self-promotion trend of this era and purposely shrouding himself “in mystery, intent, and pure artistic expression.”
In the 2025 UPTOWN Martha’s Vineyard issue also introduces readers to
New England Sweetwater Farm and Distillery and “Your Millionaire Mentor” Cedric Nash, an entrepreneur and investor who mentors Black Americans on wealth building through the Black Wealth Summit.
Now you know no UPTOWN issue would be complete without highlighting luxury travel to a locale that is sure to end up on your bucket list. This time around, travel writer Ayana Byrd explores Barcelona as a city for falling in love, whether with “a stranger, with your travel companion, with food, Gaudí, wine, art, or simply life itself.”
Check out the entire 2025 UPTOWN Martha’s Vineyard issue here.
