{"id":334879,"date":"2026-05-27T20:29:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/334879\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T20:29:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T20:29:28","slug":"how-an-old-friendship-brought-chaka-khan-to-oakland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/334879\/","title":{"rendered":"How an Old Friendship Brought Chaka Khan to Oakland"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Wednesday night, as Chaka Khan\u2019s song \u201cLike Sugar<\/a>\u201d blasted over the sound system at the Calvin Simmons Theatre at Oakland\u2019s Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, rows of folks in fly attire stood and danced.<\/p>\n

On stage, wearing an all-black ensemble complete with golden rings on her fingers, her trademark auburn-colored hair flowing beyond her shoulders, 10-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Chaka Khan danced as well.<\/p>\n

The crowd had just taken in a fireside chat that covered a range of topics from Khan\u2019s career: Sarah Vaughan\u2019s influence; her experience with the group Rufus; raising children while traveling and performing; and the feeling of owning 80 acres of land in Georgia.<\/p>\n

Khan opened up about her time as a member of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in Chicago, where she was a friend of the late Chairman Fred Hampton. And she took questions from the crowd; at one point she got an aspiring singer to perform on the spot.<\/p>\n

During the event, Khan also sang, performing the songs \u201cDestiny<\/a>,\u201d \u201cAlfie<\/a>,\u201d \u201cI Love You Porgy<\/a>,\u201d and \u201cLove Me Still<\/a>\u201d to thunderous applause.<\/p>\n

\"BlackChaka Khan and host Chann Berry walk onto the stage at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on May 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

The flowing performance and intimate conversation was a product of the renowned artist\u2019s relationship to the host, filmmaker and longtime friend of Chaka Khan, D. Channsin \u201cChann\u201d Berry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re spiritually aligned,\u201d Berry tells me while discussing their friendship. \u201cAnd have been for many, many, many years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahead of the event, while sitting in a dressing room with white walls and a soft evening light coming through a western-facing window, Berry tells me all about his connection with Khan and why he chose to kick off his Conversations in Music live podcast series in Oakland.<\/p>\n

A musician and filmmaker himself, known for producing and directing Dark Girls<\/a> (2011) and Dark Girls 2<\/a> (2020), as well as The Black Line<\/a> (2013) and The Church House\u2026 Sexuality In The Black Church<\/a> (2015), Berry is originally from New Jersey. After attending Rutgers University he launched his career by taking a cross-country leap.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it was where God wanted me to be,\u201d Berry says, discussing his move to Oakland in the 1980s. \u201cThere\u2019s something magical and special for a young Black man coming from New Jersey or New York, and landing in the Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an artist, he found this region nurturing. \u201cIt was just positive energy that came to me and from everybody,\u201d says Berry, \u201cwhether I\u2019m in Oakland or I\u2019m in San Francisco, or I\u2019m in Sausalito, Marin or Tiburon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Filmmaker and talk show host Chann Berry poses backstage before \u2018Conversations in Music\u2019 with special guest Chaka Khan at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on May 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

He harnessed that positive energy and support, and over the span of a decade he produced his first film, titled My Father\u2019s Music\u2026 Jazz. The documentary featured Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Miles Davis, Mary Stallings, Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, Chaka Khan and Carlos Santana.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt premiered at the Castro in San Francisco to a packed audience,\u201d says Berry, who at the time was terrified because he pieced the whole film together with pocket money earned while working multiple media-related jobs, including as a jock on 102.9 KBLX. \u201cI saved up my coins \u2014 and a lot of people helped me out as well \u2014 and did my first film.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry later moved to Los Angeles. For eight years he worked in development for feature films at Disney, delivering million dollar checks and learning how the industry works. \u201cI got a chance to find out what the business was all about from the mouse,\u201d Berry says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

A filmmaker and songwriter, his career has included collaborations with the likes of Bill Duke, Oprah and Prince.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote a song for Rosie Gaines,\u201d Berry says, referring to the singer from Pittsburg known for her hit song \u201cCloser than Close<\/a>,\u201d and her duet with Tevin Campbell from the film A Goofy Movie, \u201cI2I<\/a>\u201d (Eye to Eye).<\/p>\n

Gaines, a member of Prince\u2019s New Power Generation group, worked with Prince to \u201cPain,\u201d a song Berry wrote. Then she called Berry. \u201cShe told me to sit down,\u201d says Berry. \u201cPrince gets on the phone, and then he\u2019s like \u2018Nice to meet you. Funky song, man. I hope you like what I did to it.\u2019\u201d\u00a0The musicians then played the song over the phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just laid out, man!\u201d Berry exclaims, eyes growing wide behind his glasses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Audience members arrive and gather in the lobby before \u2018Conversations in Music\u2019 featuring Chaka Khan at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on May 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

Due to Prince\u2019s conflict with Warner Bros. at the time, their version of the song was never released. Berry took it back and Chaka Khan later recorded it. \u201cPain<\/a>\u201d appeared on the soundtrack for the hit TV show Living Single.<\/p>\n

But his connection with Khan goes back far before that track, and prior to Berry\u2019s first film.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was like 16, she was 21,\u201d Berry says, discussing their first interaction. \u201cShe was with Rufus, and they had come to North New Jersey, to Symphony Hall, to do a concert. And I was a fan.\u201d He met her backstage and their friendship developed from there.<\/p>\n

As Berry worked, he learned to navigate \u201cthe system\u201d by retaining independence as a film producer. He locked in on telling stories that center Black women, tailoring his works for Black audiences. And at the same time, Khan\u2019s career progressed profoundly.<\/p>\n

Now, after numerous hit songs and dealing with the highs and lows of stardom, Khan is a member of the Rock & Roll of Fame.<\/p>\n

Her music has influenced generations, and her songs have been widely sampled. One of Kanye West\u2019s first hits, \u201cThrough The Wire\u201d was pulled from Khan\u2019s 1985 groove \u201cThrough the Fire.\u201d And Mac Dre\u2019s classic \u201cToo Hard for The F*ckin Radio,\u201d which was recently interpolated by Drake, was built on a sample from Khan\u2019s \u201cTell Me Something Good\u201d (which was written by Stevie Wonder).<\/p>\n

\"\"Audience members listen as Chaka Khan speaks during \u2018Conversations in Music\u2019 at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts in Oakland on May 20, 2026.<\/p>\n

When asked why he\u2019d start his series of live podcast events by interviewing Chaka Khan, Berry simply retorts, \u201cBecause she\u2019s an icon.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds that Khan is one of \u201cthe last great vocalists of our time.\u201d He puts her alongside Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson and Barbra Streisand as voices we\u2019ll never hear again.<\/p>\n

Despite the lofty admiration, their close relationship was on display all evening. The audience laughed and made comments as the duo talked like two old friends having a phone conversation. And at the end of the event, they showed just how in-step they are.<\/p>\n

As \u201cLike Sugar\u201d played over the sound system and the audience got up to dance, Khan\u2019s old friend was the first one two-stepping alongside her.<\/p>\n