Review: HEAVN - Jamila Woods (@duhmilo); A Niles P. Joint

It’s inevitable that while writing album reviews, you’ll come across more than a few albums to which you don’t relate. Not everything is going to be from or marketed to someone in your exact same demographic. Your job as a writer, however, is to see past that and appreciate the music for its artistry while still recognizing its message. This was the case when Chicago soulstress Jamila Woods released her debut album Heavn. The free project is a de facto musical tribute to Black Girl Magic and while there are certainly some esoteric elements that come with that, it is one of the most complete R&B/Soul albums you’ll here this year, if not this generation. It’s essential listening for 2016, especially in the current climate.  

Listening to Heavn for a few days straight, I didn’t catch this on my first few spins. It’s actually a loose concept album that follows the journey of a Black girl from childhood on. Bubbles is the first track and introduces Woods’ sweet (but not artificially so) voice that seems to float through the song. It continues with VERY BLK which takes a playful cadence heard in blacktop chants and uses it to talk about police brutality. The enigmatic & rechristened fan favorite NoName contributes a verse. It’s an upbeat song that’s like a Black Lives Matter primer that also introduces the periodic in-song interludes that explain the next track. Lonely Lonely is a slower and more somber duet with Lornie Chia that shows a strength in self reflection even the worst days. Things pick up with the title track as Woods yearns for the simpler elements of love.

While In My Name clocks in under two minutes, it’s still one of the most passionate on the album. It covers both getting someone’s complicated name right (an issue among POC) and not calling one out their name in any arena. Blk Girl Soldier exemplifies he plight and simultaneously celebrates the strength and resiliency of Black women, offering tribute to those in history that “taught us how to fight.” A song titled LSD featuring Chance The Rapper isn’t about acid but instead a tribute to and defense of Chicago (LSD is Lake Shore Drive in this case).  Emerald St. is a more localized companion piece, this time featuring Saba. Both are excellent in encapsulating the essence of Chi Town and all the good things when the rest of the world seems intent on making them the example of a bad city to prove a misguided point. Woods and friends certainly make their case.

Having two songs in a row with connecting themes continues. Lately is a song about loss that has one of the most powerful lines I’ve heard in “You are the library burned/ But they can’t take the lessons I learned.” It’s melancholy but much needed as it’s a fact of life we all deal with. Donnie Trumpet of The Social Experiment lends his self explanatory talents to Breadcrumbs. This one is about dealing with a grandparent that’s suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. It’s more specific and heart wrenching than the previous track but they work together in a moving & sentimental way.  

You’ll hear the most crisp guitars of all time on Stellar, which interpolates the incubus song of the same name. It’s another short song, but it hints to something much more grand. Although Holy has some religious undertones, it’s enjoyable regardless of your faith as it illustrates the value of self-love in the face of adversity. It has the potential to brighten your day every single time you listen to it. The culmination of the entire album is Way Up. Woods seems to describe herself and Black women as a whole as not transcendent, but outer worldly.  When you consider the full essence of both, as displayed on this album specifically, she’s right.

As much as I try to stray away from hyperbole, Heavn just may be the best album of the year across all of the genres. Jamila Woods has crafted a masterpiece of a concept album that has several sub concepts within and still has insane replay value in each song. She also manages to tap some of Chicago’s hip hop bohemians (NoName, Chano, Saba, & Trumpet) for her cause, ensuring that this album will be historically remembered as one of the city’s best. In a time where it’s very much needed, she gives hope and inspiration to Black girls everywhere through her music while also making something accessible to everyone due to the album’s aural mastery. This is one of those things that I’m going to send to EVERYBODY, my sisters, friends, classmates, co-writers, etc. because in all honesty, everyone needs to hear it.

Rating; 5 out of 5.

Listen: Welcome To America - @SamadSavage; A Niles P. Joint

To say the least, last week was mentally and emotionally exhausting.  Police in three separate states unjustly shot and killed three men:  Delrawn Small of New York; Alton Sterling of Louisiana, and Philando Castile of Minnesota.  Sterling and Castile died on consecutive days.  We’ve seen this movie so many times before, we’re weary of the premise.  No matter the name or location, it always ends with a murderous cop either being found guilty or not even being charged for killing a Black man or woman basically for existing while Black.  Add in a bevy of vital Black Lives Matter protests and conservative/racist douche bags trying to rationalize killer cops and you get the point.  This shit is so taxing on the psyche WTM took two unplanned days off, both out of respect for the recent victims of police violence but also because we were so affected by it, creativity was nonexistent.

Samad Savage didn’t rest though.  The Montclair MC wasted no time in addressing current events (“Three Radio Raheems in one week” as he cleverly puts it) in his newest song Welcome To America.  First of all, let me applaud him for using his artistic platform to not only address the current wave of police shootings but also how it plays into America’s systematic racism as a whole (extra credit for apologizing for previously eulogizing Mike Brown but not Sandra Bland.)  It takes courage for ANY artist to speak on a controversial issue.  Some seasoned veterans won’t even do it, and Savage carries the torch at the tender age of 20.  More importantly, he manages to make a track quickly without sacrificing quality.  He gets his point across eloquently and flows smoothly over a multifaceted instrumental by Precise Beatz.  Listen for yourself below.

A look at @Beyonce's new single Formation, Written by @Natural_Nation

This past weekend while scrolling through my twitter feed I stumbled upon an alarming number of tweets about Red Lobster. I eventually came to realize these tweets were in reference to a Beyonce video that had just surfaced minutes before. Just as many other people it had me a bit dazed and confused. But, after the initial shock wore off I sat down at my computer, found a link, and pressed play.

Now, since this past Saturday there have been a crazy number of articles in response to Bey's new video but this...is going to be a tad different. I want to pose a few harmless questions. I wasn't quite as moved as everyone else was and to be honest, I don't know if even Beyonce expected the reaction she has been receiving from the mass majority. While the video was quite stunning the lyrics had me lost. Way off in some alternate universe where hot sauce is the staple of black culture. Please, don't get me wrong. When I say I was lost I do not mean that the metaphors and symbolism of the video flew blindly over my head.

Beyonce was thorough and successfully payed homage to New Orleans as well as southern and black culture. I didn't miss the features by New Orleans Big Freedia or Messy Mya. Nor did I miss the nod to Martin Luther King Jr., the celebration of black hair, southern culture and fashion, black cowboys, hurricane Katrina, second line bands, Mardi Gras Indians, or the "hands up don't shoot" reference to the #blacklivesmatter movement. But lyrically, I could have left it. Lyrically I don't know how much of anything was even there. However there was still plenty the listener would feel proud to stand behind. Formation carried an overall message similar to that of Panther's Quarterback Cam Newton, themed: unapologetically me. And in Beyonce's case she seems to be Black and from the south.

" My daddy Alabama, Momma Louisiana. You mix that Negro with that Creole make a Texas bama." - Beyonce, Formation

There are so many intelligent young black brothers and sisters out here viewing and listening to this song. I've read a number of incredibly written and insightful articles that take an in-depth look at Formation. All of which seem to deem this song as an incredible political statement backing the #blacklivesmatter movement. Showering Beyonce with praise for her strength, wit, and leadership. Gazing gooey eyed at her ability to be astute and deep. But, these are all insights that the masses have come up with. Don't label me as a hater quite yet. Unless I am missing some sort of interview where Beyonce talks about her intentions and the hours spent mulling over symbolic lyrics and emotionally evoking visual images, these are still interpretations by the audience. A brilliant, incredibly gifted, powerful, and penetrating audience with amazing thoughts and ideas. So I give the kudos and applause to you all. We breath life and give meaning to otherwise aimless content. We take and interpret what we will. So how much genius do we actually attribute to Beyonce?

And more importantly does it even matter? In the midst of Black history month and a time in history reminiscent of the civil rights movement this song is a conversation starter. And whether it was her intent or not it seems to be having an incredibly positive affect. If people want to rally behind Jackson 5 noses they should and if this message is one of assembly...it could be working.

Listen: CHAKAKHAN - @JCMDOPE

They say music is the only way to escape time and the timing was perfect.

Depressed, stressed, and fed up of everything going on in our society. Then suddenly out of nowhere this track pops on my soundcloud feed. DOPE drops straight fire on their brand new track CHAKAKHAN. The underlying theme is what's going on with police brutality in this country. Both Mayday and Conway drop a deep verse regarding their thoughts on the matter. "Never been afraid of those handcuffs, cuz nowadays you get slayed with ya hands up..." whoa. Listen for yourself after the break. Feel this.