FUBU Playlist: Selected Artist Features
The spirit of music changes with the generation changes with the times, our movements, morals, mannerisms, and communal narratives.
Regardless of the times of mixed anger, violence, internet opinions, or movement personal end goals, I see music as a uniting force that pulls many together. These past three weeks, music has been my security blanket. An aspect that I can turn to, to always call home. Lyrics can start conversations, speak to the heart of the people, when they are at a lack of words.
Over the course of my life, Black artists in the media have been my beacon of mentor ship, idolization, and guide for me as a Black woman in America. From rap, hip-hop, R&B, Here are some aspiring revolutionaries in the music realm:
Tupac Shakur:
Can we please, just hands down, say that “Dear Mama” is the official single Black Mama anthem?! I love my Mama from single motherhood, to a remarriage, she still stands as the independent, strong, and intelligent woman she has always been! Pac also has uplifting rap anthems, giving props again to his Mama in “Keep Ya Head Up”. Whenever this song came on the radio, driving around in the car, I remember just feeling so weightless with joy that things would/could get better, no our current circumstance. An activist, a beautiful, woke brother, gone too soon. He a classic, so peep on songs that spoke to you, there are so many more! “Me Against The World” and “White Manz World” go with the times of protests and uprising.
Mereba:
If you haven’t gotten the chance to either tune into her quarantine live Instagram vlog series, Jungle Diaries, please do! She does them every Sunday, for the time being. Also, her 2019 album, “The Jungle Is The Only Way Out”, is a treasure chest of rap, soul, and r&b goodness by this rap/singing goddess. Mereba’s been at the music scene for a while now, but got loads of praise for her 2019 album. With features from 6LACK,JID, and hints of spoken word, it will lead you down a musical path of inner thought, reflection, and swayed by rhythm or rhyme.
Kendrick Lamar:
You know him, as of recent album “Damn”, as Kung-Fu Kenny. He’s one of the many powerful voices of our generation. Tupac reincarnated? I’ve suspected such. I’d recommend any track or all of “To Pimp A Butterfly” for a power punch of Black pride, Lamar’s great story telling skills, various perspective and reflection on the Black experience, and introspective Black male narratives.
Solange:
Homegirl always prepped her Southern Black pride, if not through her lyrics, then through her visuals from music videos to live performance art tours, on tour, and beyond. “A Seat At The Table” released 2016 was the talk of the town. It is also an album I tend to always revisit. Solanges’ recent album, “When I Get Home” also features “Almeda” where she chants at the begin and then a different rendition:
Brown liquor
Brown sugar, brown face
Brown liquor
Brown sugar, brown braids
Black skin
Black Benz, black plays
Black molasses, blackberry the masses
A testament to our greatness!
Joey Bada$$:
This young man of our generation holds wisdom beyond his years. This old soul trapped in Joey’s body be preaching as he delivers flows and immaculate rhymes. In particularly, I praise him on his album, “ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$”, tracks like “FOR MY PEOPLE” and “DEVASTATED”, give me some Black joy. This album gives you that feel of a powerful Black america idealism and reflection of the Black person’s role in the community and in America as a whole.
Marvin Gaye:
An old school classic, famous for singles such as “Sexual Healing” and even more powerful lyrics that mark a generation with thoughts, “What’s Going On”, or “Mercy Mercy Me”. These classics can be found on his album, “What’s Going On”. I’ve been a fan of Mavin Gaye from a young age. From many car rides with my mother’s jurisdiction of the radio station choice, Motown was the genre of her choice, so Marvin, Sade, Aretha Franklin, and the likes were always in my ear. 40 years later, and we are still in the same predicament as Gaye was singing so soulful and wearily of.
As a Black community here in America, and globally, carry many crosses on our backs. But we are a strong people both mentally and physically. We held resilience, beauty, intelligence in our DNA. I am Black and proud of everyday! These are simply the highlighted artist features of artists that are on my FUBU (For Us, By US) playlist* on Spotify. I’ve linked it here for you to enjoy, if you need some Black joy or empowerment to inspire your day.
*Note: Playlist will be ever changing and edited, as more songs are added or subjected)
