Pre-2020 criticisms of Griselda were founded in monotonous flows, stale production, and overly-hypebeast attitude. But with seven stellar albums this year from Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Armani Caesar, and Benny the Butcher, not to mention a wonderful project from fellow Buffalo resident Billie Essco, Griselda has proven that Buffalo is here to stay. Stamping Griselda on the map for many casual listeners in 2020 … Continue reading Griselda’s Dominant 2020: A Meta-Analysis

In order to create change, a soundscape based in talent, experimentation, and compassion must undergird, motivate, and reflect social movements. Creating change is a long process with many steps along the way, but timeless and exciting music is absolutely helpful in changing ideology and then policy. The music and ideology of Erykah Badu, Ric Wilson, Slauson Malone, and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah provide a high … Continue reading What Kind of Music Do We Need to Create Change?

Matana Roberts is an avant garde jazz musician and composer, a conceptual artist that focuses on creating narratives and stories that represent her experience and those of lived experiences of Black folks in the anthropocene. Her song, “Kersaia,” is the third song on the first installment of her Coin Coin series: Coin Coin Chapter 1: Gens de Couleur Libres. It’s a winding, shifting song with … Continue reading “Kersaia” by Matana Roberts: An Abstract Black Protest Song

Producing a song about racism and society’s unwillingness to see it is a difficult task, but Nina Simone did so with her song “Mississippi Goddam,” taking it to the biggest music stages in America. The song is one of her biggest bouts of protest, a loud, passionate song reacting to senseless violence against Black folks. It specifically comes right after the politically motivated assassination of … Continue reading Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Paved a Way for Contemporary Black Protest Music