In Honor of Black History Month: KCPR’s Favorite Black Artists
Lianne La Havas
Recommended by: Melissa Melton AKA DJ Sphinx
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
Lianne La Havas has become one of the biggest names in the neo-soul scene since she became a mentee of late rock legend Prince. They bonded over a mutual love of Joni Mitchell.
I was introduced to her last year upon the release of her self-titled album and she intrigued me with her lyrical vulnerability about the highs and lows of a recent turbulent relationship. Few artists of her young age can portray this range of emotions so poetically and maturely. La Havas’s delicate guitar work and smoky voice create an intimate atmosphere that make the listener believe they’re with her on her journey, and that she’s with them on theirs. On the album’s closing song “Sour Flower,” she reaches a conclusion I think we all deserve to hear: “I’m done settling for so much less than I knew I deserved.”
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
La Havas is proud to be a mixed-race woman as she was born in London to a Greek father and Jamaican mother. However, it wasn’t until she came to the United States, that she witnessed the severity of the injustices people with black skin often face.
La Havas has spoken openly about the struggle to fit in when you’re mixed race, as well as her own experiences confronting colorism and internalized racism. Her willingness to learn from and admit to past mistakes makes her a great role model for people of all backgrounds.
Recommended Songs:
La Havas was inspired by trips to Jamaica when writing her music. This is especially evident in the lyrics of self-discovery on the song “Green & Gold” off her sophomore album “Blood.”
As for her most recent release, I recommend “Paper Thin,” “Read My Mind” and her mesmerizing cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes!”
Kendrick Lamar
Recommended by: Jaxon Silva AKA Action Jaxon
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
I first heard Kendrick Lamar’s “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” in the Spring of 2018. At the time, I had almost finished reading the book “Always Running: La Vida Loca,” which made me completely reevaluate my ideas about those in poverty or who are marginalized, so, when I first heard Lamar’s song, it was earth-shattering.
Prior to hearing that track, rap seemed mainly like braggadocio and tracks to hype people up. So to hear a song that felt so real and human it was a completely revolutionary experience. It didn’t matter who I was or where I’ve been, to hear Lamar conjure the stories that play in “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” I could relate, empathize and feel a small percentage of the sorrow caused by the unjust systems that keep Black people down. As I’ve grown more appreciative of the art form, I’ve only grown more enamored by Lamar’s work and the deep, rich stories he shares.
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
I don’t know if I am remotely qualified to pontificate about just how important Lamar is in context of Black History, but I think his work speaks for itself. “Alright” was the literal song of BLM following Ferguson and the death of Michael Brown. His Pulitzer, Grammys and Accolades prove his significance, too. Overall, Lamar’s music is chronicle, moral tale and kick-ass all wrapped into individual tracks that I think people will be talking about it for decades to come.
Recommended Songs?
His entire discography
Skunk Anansie
Recommended by: Liv Collum AKA DJ Rhinestone
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
I first discovered Skunk Anansie on the soundtrack to my favorite 90’s flick, “Cruel Intentions.” Their combination of hard rock, funk, industrial, and glam rock – a musical brew the group dubbed ‘clit-rock’ – is a testament to the excess of the rock landscape at the turn of the 21st century. However, they bridle this pure power with their formidable musical discipline and experience. Anchored by bassist Cass Lewis’s highly technical flow and lead vocalist Skin’s raspy, scorching soprano, the band creates intense masterpieces you can bang your head to – at least, when you’re not ruminating on the lyric you just heard.
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
As a multiracial, multi-genre band, Skunk Anansie smashed many of the conventions of hard rock music, and now it’s a challenge to imagine the British hard rock scene without their thunderous presence. Many of Skin’s lyrics revolve around her life as a bisexual Black woman, which spoke to rock fans who didn’t feel represented in a predominantly white, heterosexual genre. Skin had no desire to conform to Eurocentric femininity as she shaved her head bald and donned a mainly leather wardrobe. This resistance made her an unshakeable and iconic figure in British pop culture. The band went on hiatus in 2001 after three platinum albums in the UK and a headlining spot at Glastonbury, but have kept up their shredding since they reformed in 2009.
Recommended Songs:
“Weak,” “Secretly,” “Brazen (Weep),” “Intellectualise My Blackness,” and “100 Ways to Be a Good Girl”
Tom Morello
Recommended by: Zoe Boyd AKA The Zoetrope
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
Whether you know him from his robust careers with the bands Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, or though his solo side projects, Morello’s unique guitar tone and playing techniques have contributed greatly to music history. My personal familiarization with Morello’s work began when I played Guitar Hero III as a youngin’, where I was matched up against Morello’s character in a guitar battle, which, needless to say – I failed miserably.
As seen in instances like this, where he stands directly in front of an amplifier to distort the sound of his guitar, Morello’s creativity in terms of implementing unique guitar tones reigns as an iconic attribute to his musical career. His experimentation with tone and effects, including the usage of his beloved Whammy Pedal, sets him apart due to his genre-bending experimentation with sound. Rolling Stone notes him as #40 amongst the “100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time.”
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
Morello has spent his impressive and highly decorated career combining rock music with his passion for advocating for social justice. He attended Harvard University, where he earned a degree in political science, and is known for spreading messages of political activism through his music. Morello released an EP that contains only covers of union songs under the name of his solo side project, The Nightwatchman.
Recommended Songs:
If you haven’t heard the classics, start there! The iconic track “Guerrilla Radio” by Rage Against the Machine does a great job encompassing what exactly Morello does it best. I’d recommend paying attention to the squeaky, spunky riff going on in the background of the verse, and how it blends out into heavy distortion when the chorus hits.
Nina Simone
Recommended by: Keagan Scott AKA Big Tex
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
No one does it like Nina Simone. Her integrity and intelligence shine through like sunbeams in her composition, lyricism and production. I don’t remember the first time I listened to Simone, but I am always struck by how deeply she impacted music.
Her ability to move so fluidly between lamentations like “Mississippi Goddamn” and her cover of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” and joyous tunes like “My Baby Just Cares for Me” and “O-o-h Child” is reserved for only the most talented musicians. There is so much conviction in her words and compositions that it is hard not to recognize the power she holds. I gravitate toward artists who are able to tell stories in a way that feel like its never been done before, and Simone is able to do that. Also, she is absolutely unbeatable on the piano and is in the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame as a jazz musician!
Funnily enough, one of my entry points into Simone’s discography is Kanye’s sample of “Strange Fruit” in his song “Blood on the Leaves” from 2013’s “Yeezus.”
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
While being a culturally defining musician, Simone’s career became much bigger than the songs she made. During the Civil Rights Era, Simone was an outspoken activist and worked alongside people like Martin Luther King Jr. and James Baldwin. She helped define the Civil Rights Era musically, performing concerts on behalf of the Civil Rights Era and writing songs like “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.”
Black artists today reference Simone for her work and, as I mentioned above, sample her in their music. She is a timeless figure and a symbol of musical acumen and perseverance in the face of white supremacy.
Recommended Songs:
I have a little playlist of songs I enjoy from Simone. Check it out:
Robert Glasper
Recommended by: Liam Reece AKA yung gazpacho
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
Robert Glasper is one of the most notable artists to combine jazz with hip hop which made him a pioneer of a new genre. He also paved the way for many musicians to explore the realm of jazz which is a genre that does not receive the credit it deserves.
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
Jazz has a deep-rooted African history and it’s important to attribute credit to Black artists for their contributions. Much of today’s pop music is built off of jazz, whether it be chord progressions, harmony or swing, and it is artists like Glasper that make music like this more relevant in pop culture.
Recommended Songs:
“Endangered Black Woman” [feat. Andra Day and Staceyann Chin] and “Afro Blue”
Stevie Wonder
Recommended by: Evan Gattuso
What made this artist resonate so deeply with you?
Stevie Wonder’s magnetic aura does not come from him because he is a child prodigy instrumental virtuoso, but because he is “Stevie.” There have been countless geniuses to grace the earth but there is only one Stevie Wonder.
Guitar Hero introduced me to Wonder when I was in middle school with “Superstition.” Funnily enough, a song without any guitars used in it was my favorite and the only one I can remember clearly enjoying.
Wonder resonates so profoundly with me because he has never stopped preaching for love, compassion and respect despite his life challenges in a world lacking those characteristics. He’ll trap you in his groove, put you on the same beat and keep you listening to his insights of life, love, god, music, politics, and social justice.
His music regarding the underrepresented, underappreciated and disadvantaged people of the U.S. and the world moves me more than any blanket corporate statement ever could.
Why do you believe this artist is important in the context of Black History?
Wonder has won 25 Grammy awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He was bestowed the President’s Medal of Freedom Award, AADP Image Award, Gershwin Prize and countless others.
His importance in the context of Black History goes further than just the sheer number of distinguished awards he’s earned thus far in his life. Wonder heavily campaigned to make Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday a national holiday until the government finally made it happen in 1983.
He also changed the music industry in the early 1970s by embracing the freshest tech – the Moog synthesizer. He also was a pioneer of the drum machine and first used it in 1979. You can hear samples of his songs in the works of Will Smith, Coolio, Common, Tupac, Wu-Tang Clan, J. Cole, 50 Cent, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Recommended Songs:
His greatest hits are necessary listening, but some songs everyone should listen to include but are not limited to:
“Lookin’ For Another Pure Love,” “Living For The City,” “Higher Ground,” “He’s Misstra Know-It-All,” “Too Shy To Say,” “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” and the entirety of “Songs In The Key Of Life,”
Flying Lotus
Recommended by: Moises De La Cruz
What made this (song/artist/album) resonate so deeply with you?
Steven Ellison (aka Flying Lotus) is one of the first artists I discovered whose music I’ll always regret not being able to experience for the first time twice. My first spin through “Cosmogramma” was an eye-opening gateway drug to my obsession with all sounds psychedelic and strange. The sounds of Flying Lotus are such masterful mixtures of different styles, from Eastern jazz harp to swaggering glitch hop beats.
He’s also one of those artists with such a rewarding commitment to imbuing each release with a distinct ethos surrounding it. I think half of my enjoyment of music comes from those little moments of deeper exploration where the connections an artist is making to other ideas, people, places, etc. in their work can easily be seen. Ellison certainly does this in his art, mixing a keen awareness of spirituality and mysticism with a pop cultural upbringing befitting of a millennial from Los Angeles.
Why do you believe this (song/artist/album) is important in the context of Black History?
Flying Lotus is the kind of musician who, through his extensive use of different musical precedents and styles, becomes a launchpad of discovery and innovation. He frequently collaborates with an immense variety of other artists both musical and visual, which exposes his fans to much of what lies beyond the canon of ‘Western’ style.
At the same time, he leaves a paper trail of collaboration that connects contemporary listeners to the past, especially with his nods to the spiritual jazz of his great aunt Alice Coltrane. Ultimately, I think the musicians who do the most for Black History are those who demonstrate a deep understanding of and connection to the varied threads in the African diaspora, while doing their part to re-contextualize those roots for a new audience that will be inspired them to dig deeper when presented with something new and bewildering to them.
Recommended Songs:
All of “Cosmogramma” front to back, in a candle-lit and incense-soaked room – your psyche will thank you.
Conversely, check out the music videos for “Zodiac Sh*t,” “MmmHmm,” “Putty Boy Strut,” “Never Catch Me,” “Coronus, The Terminator,” “Tiny Tortures,” “Kill Your Co-Workers,” or the (very) short film “Until The Quiet Comes.”
“1983,” “Tea Leaf Dancers,” “GNG BNG,” “Do The Astral Plane,” “Turkey Dog Coma,” and “Post Requisite” are great cuts too.
