Keep fighting! Black Lives Matter has gained so much traction these past few months, and the next step is remembering that movements require long term internalization into one’s way of living. Times are getting pretty insane, but it’s more important than ever to keep eyes on the ball and strive for a better world. These are a few often overlooked albums that represent perspectives and experiences from the Black community. Obscure New York indie groups, soul resurrections, modern feminine perspectives, and more continue to revitalize the colors in the tapestry that is the Black musical canon. Their very existence is a statement and their careers represent not just the ongoing pursuit of artistic expression, but a lifelong struggle through resilience and resistance.
ALL-AMERIKKAN BADA$$ (2017) by Joey Bada$$
In April of 2017, Joey Bada$$ released ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$, a blatant anthem of anger for Black Americans to rightfully address the systemic racial injustices that have poured into both society and politics. The album is rife with truth strong enough to sober white Americans and pull them out of the fog of white privilege. It’s name alone tears the veil off of the American dream, a facade intertwined in racial violence and false meritocracy at the expense of BIPOC. This album was released interim Black Lives Matter resurgences, giving a token reminder that these messages do not lose their importance just because BLM is not at the forefront of the media. Rather than protestors taking to the streets in the wake of yet another act of police brutality, they were taking to the streets in response to the Tr*mp administrations’ entrance into office, posing one of the most blatant contemporary threats to BIPOC. This album is raw and unapologetic, just as the actions of white Americans and politicians have been for far too long.
The first track of the album, “GOOD MORNING AMERIKKKA,” is a beautifully brief wake up call for Americans, preluding the heavier topics on the rest of the album charged with anger and discontent towards systemic inequality. Perhaps its most moving song is “TEMPTATION,” opening with a sample of the voice of 9 year old Zianna Oliphant, choking over her words as she called for equal rights before a city council in North Carolina. Her words are so simple, yet manage to capture decades of unanswered pleas and the pain of every Black person surrounding her.
ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ is a nearly perfect catch-all discussion of the inequities pressing Black Americans, touching on atrocities as far reaching as the artists that feature on it, such as J. Cole and ScHoolboy Q. The injustices faced by Black Americans run so deeply into our social and political structures that the discussions against them must never stop. Nevertheless, this album is a thorough contribution to understanding the experiences of Black people so that justice may someday be fully served. Albums as blatant as this one encourage white Americans to stare into the face of the systems they’ve perpetuated, providing an opportunity for responsibility to be taken.
Changes (2016) by Charles Bradley
Charles Bradley is one of those few artists that was able to take a sound long dormant and revive it to full vibrance. Changes was the last album he released during his lifetime, and it was in many ways a fulfillment of his mission, to bring the soul and rock of his musical predecessors to life in the modern era. Charles Bradley was a James Brown impersonator before getting into the studio in his later years, and as James Brown began as a Little Richard impersonator, Bradley continued in the footsteps of two of America’s finest performers.
Bradley’s rendition of “God Bless America” is as hopeful as it is cautious. “Good To Be Back Home” adds to Bradley’s American pride tempered with the experience of being a Black man in America. The title track is a Black Sabbath cover that, as his previous covers of Nirvana’s “Stay Away,” and Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” do, reinvigorate old classics without feeling out of place on a soul record. When Bradley isn’t contemplating Black life in America, he is creating new standards in love songs that are both modern and authentic. “Things We Do For Love” and “Slow Love” are among the highlights on that side of things. The energetic “Ain’t It A Sin” may be the best rocker on the record, but it’s hardly the only song that will move you.
Bradley passed away soon after, leaving behind a wealth of quality tracks in a small, accessible discography. His memory is one of the many American dreams fueling the current struggle towards a better America.
Light of Mine (2018) by Kyle
Rapper and R&B singer Kyle’s third full-length album, Light of Mine, introduces new techniques while building off of his established musical style. This album is different from his previous pieces due to the content and emotions behind it; in past releases, most of his songs revolved around lighthearted topics, such as sex and relationships, but Light of Mine introduces a more emotional side to him. The introduction song, “Ups & Downs” sets the tone of this album as reflective but also thankful–deep, yet inspirational. Personally, this song is my favorite off the album, not only because of the vulnerability behind it, but also because of the melodies and musicality of it. The song “Clouds” also utilizes this same emotional appeal, and takes on a more subdued approach. Kyle’s voice echoes over a minimalistic soundscape to truly capture his vulnerability and let the emotions of the lyrics shine, something not seen in his prior music.
However, this album certainly does not lack upbeat songs; pieces such as “Zoom,” “Games,” and “iSpy” lend this album its upbeat moods as well, especially considering “iSpy” was the song that skyrocketed Kyle’s fame and status as a rapper in 2018. On the topic of this song, it is important to mention the amount of featured artists across this album: Take 6, 2Chainz, Sophia Black, Alessia Cara, Avery Wilson, Kehlani, Khalid, and Lil Yachty. With this many featured artists across so many different styles, Kyle killed it in terms of diversity, growth, and musicality—especially considering his inclusion of the song “Ikuyo (feat. 2Chainz & Sophia Black).” “Ikuyo” branches him out into the Japanese pop scene, while bringing in a seasoned rapper such as 2Chainz. This song is the pinnacle of diversity and reminds us of how beautiful we can be when we put aside our differences and embrace each other’s uniqueness.
This album marks a turning point in Kyle’s musical journey, as around this time was when he was featured in the movie, The After Party. The fact that this album was created at a time when he was experiencing so many strong emotions about becoming famous, after years of dreaming about it, gives this piece so much extra meaning. His positive energy is resounding across the album and inspires new generations to make their dreams come true as well.
An Open Letter (2019) by Nicotine
Nicotine’s music isn’t only a clean and refreshing take on R&B; it’s an emotional journey through personal experience and spoken word poetry that makes this one of the most powerful EPs of the 2010s. Representing the Afrolatinx and LGBTQ+ community, Nicotine’s unique viewpoint is one historically underrepresented, and is as fiery as it is necessary.
Nicotine’s confidence and swagger make standout tracks like “Bantu Knots and Boudain” and “Tired” sparkle. The vulnerability of “Running” and the knowing, referential “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” are stunning, and the opening and closing tracks are pristine fire. With a little help from special guest Sol Galeano, Nicotine learns to stand up and run for herself.
At the crossroads of intersectionality, Nicotine’s not just special: she’s fabulous. I often say the future of popular music is female. The most interesting music nowadays, to me, is made by women of increasingly diverse backgrounds. An exciting time to be following these new artists! Something tells me that Nicotine has much more to say after An Open Letter, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) by TV on the Radio
Growing up in the 2000s with teenage older brothers and parents still concerned with new music, lots of sounds passed by me that would later be matched to titles and groups thanks to Shazam, Spotify, and the internet at large. As a teenager, I realized how much indirect nostalgia I had for the music of the early 2000s, especially New York’s rock revival.
It’s no secret that the scene was rather whitewashed, but TV on the Radio became one of New York’s greatest acts. As the scene’s influence waned later in the decade, Return to Cookie Mountain made sure the era would be immortalized by their work. With indie guest musicians and David Bowie’s presence on “Province,” there is a communal effort and approval here.
“Wolf Like Me” may have been the hit back then, but that luster of commercial success doesn’t matter now, and that benefits the album’s memory. The quality is uniform. Songs may test one’s attention span, but for the passionate listener, this is a world of sound often left unexplored. The clarinet on “Tonight,” and the pitter patter percussion of “A Method” are what your ears need to hear.
From the opening sitar rattle and brass horizon of “I Was A Lover,” to the harsh soundscape of “Wash The Day Away,” this record expands to unimaginable size contained in the intimate space of your headphones. A title referencing the stage from Super Mario World (1990) indicates the record’s power. As such a game may have opened a portal to another world explored from the comfort of your living room, this album’s expansive sounds groan and quiver as a giant beast or machine shaking the wooden frame of some attic, where now the monitor and console sit, dusty and begging for a boot up.
The Water[s] (2014) by Mick Jenkins
The thoughtful style of rap popularized by Nas in the 1990s never went away, but its significance was clearly diminished in the bling era of the early-mid 2000’s. The 2010s saw a veritable deluge of conscious hip hop, and Chicago bore Mick Jenkins’ The Water[s]: the most underrated masterpiece of this era. This concept album did not have the immediate omnipresent cultural impact of a Kendrick Lamar album, but those who have listened instantly perceive the shared deft wordplay, insistence on thematic continuity, and cohesive longform storytelling. The titular subject is a multifaceted metaphor for our spiritual and intellectual sustenance. Water is used throughout to signify tranquility and knowledge, and the consequences of conditions that lead to its absence are equally deadly.
The song “Dehydration” deals with this specific metaphorical tributary, where the condition of the title is a veiled allusion to the dire state of Chicago’s black communities, particularly Mick Jenkins’ South Side. This is a poignant moment on the album for the nuance of its tone – TheMIND’s anguished, somber chorus illustrates the ambivalence felt by the artists for their city. Chicago is majorly flawed, but the love for their city is palpable. The darkest point on the album is the single “Martyrs,” which propelled Jenkins to national fame. To articulate abject hopelessness, Jenkins cynically parodies the ignorant, young, impoverished men who aspire to vapid pipe dreams on the chorus. On the verse, he decries their dependence on drugs for short term fulfillment: “N****s aim too high to leave the lows/N****s hang too high to see the lows.” The imagery of lynching is prevalent all over the track, from the Nina Simone “Strange Fruit” sample, to the American flag tied into a noose around Jenkins’ neck in the music video. While also used figuratively throughout the lyrics, it serves as a grim reminder of a uniquely American expression of racism. In my experience, the gravity of the lyrics, the deep, heavy production, and the conviction of the artist ensure that this is the most electrifying Jenkins song to hear live.
The production on the album is lush and vibrant. At times it evokes a serene pond in a forest, at others it suggests a howling torrent through a dark cave. Nowhere better is the former channeled than on the song “Comfortable,” featuring a charming and ponderous Noname. The closing track “Jerome” is a veritable hurricane; Jenkins and Joey Bada$$ flow like men possessed over a bombastic beat fitting for a haunted house. “Vibe” evokes an ancient lake in a crystalline cavern. The gentle sample of single “Jazz” belies the smoldering angst beneath the surface of Mick’s rapping, reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar at his most frustrated and reflective on his section.80 project (2011).
Jenkins proved on The Water[s] that rappers can achieve substantial success today even as an underground hero making thoughtful, cohesive art. Whereas the term “mixtape” was ostensibly used to separate the ambition and effort traditionally seen on an artist’s “album” from a more relaxed assortment of singles, Jenkins showed that exceptional music can be produced and rewarded on any terms.
Article by: Stanley Quiros, Natalie Gott, Amber Ellertson, and Tyler Harding
Featured Image: the groundbreaking songstress Nicotine