A selection of songs that I’ve been listening to recently by Black artists
“Satellites” – Rayvn Lenae: I’ve waited for years (!!!) for Rayvn Lenae to release a full-length project, and in May of this year, my prayers were answered. Following up on 2018’s magnetic Crush EP, Hypnos is an ethereal vibe, a dense, lovelorn project that will transport you to a higher level of existence. With silky-smooth vocals befitting a Disney princess, Lenae blends neo-soul, Afrobeats and traditional R&B in a manner only a select few could accomplish. On its standout track “Satellites,” Lenae flexes her impeccable range, fluctuating between whisper tones and near-angelic falsettos over jittery, guitar-infused production from Steve Lacy. Though its lyrics are fundamentally anxious (“So close, it’s unspoken/Why can’t we take this off the ground?”), Lenae demands your attention as she sings with the self-assuredness of a seasoned veteran.
“AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” – Beyonce: Given how seamlessly Renaissance blends together into a singular, cohesive ode to dance music in all its permutations, picking a favourite song from Beyonce’s July release feels like choosing a favourite child. If I must complete this near-impossible task, however, I have to choose “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM.” The title being somewhat of a misnomer, “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” distills everything that makes Renaissance work into three minutes of bliss—hard-hitting house production, infectious call-and-responses and hooks, and egregious flexes that only someone of Beyonce’s stature could pull off without eliciting eye rolls (“Tony Montana with the racks/Double C’s on my bag, double G’s on my dash” might be the hardest bar I’ve heard in a while). An unimpeachable groove, “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” is the perfect victory lap for an artist who has accomplished every conceivable feat in the music industry.
“KAPITOL DENIM” – LUCKI & Future: “KAPITOL DENIM” is what happens when two masters of self-loathing finally link up. LUCKI is a Chicago-based rapper who has made waves with loosies for a considerable amount of time. Much like Future, LUCKI made his name by trafficking in gloom and overwhelming sadness over a magnetizing selection of trap production. Though his sophomore album, Flawless Like Me, could have benefitted from a significant reduction in runtime, “KAPITOL DENIM” is its clear standout. A masterclass in catharsis, this song sees forefather and protege trade verses about their decadent lifestyles. This flexing is interspersed with passing references to how downright heartbroken the two of them are (“Save your soul and I’ma put it in the vault/Broke my heart and you put it on the screen”).
“I’m Glad You’re Mine (Live)” – D’Angelo: Though songs like “Cruisin’” and “Lady” have been a constant in the background of my own life, for some reason or another I had not taken a deep dive into D’Angelo’s catalogue until recently. Inspired by a reading of “Dilla Time,” by Dan Charanas—a biography of the pioneering producer J Dilla, D’Angelo’s frequent collaborator—(a must-read for anyone who still wears kufi hats), I decided to take the plunge. Replete with the enthusiastic cheers of a crowd seemingly cognizant of how seldom a live D’Angelo performance would become in the future, D’Angelo’s cover of Al Green’s “I’m Glad You’re Mine” is an effortlessly smooth slow burn. The notoriously reclusive artist sings soulfully about what he knows best: Love, and the euphoric feeling it provides. The soaring strings, background vocals from a chorus of female vocalists, and an exuberant guitar solo merge into a beautiful snapshot of time; before the weight of fame irreversibly alters D’Angelo’s life.
“Imaginary Players” – Jay-Z: In My Lifetime Vol. 1 celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary on October 14. By no stretch of the imagination is it the best Jay-Z album (I flip-flop between Reasonable Doubt and 4:44 for that title), but it plays a central role in the hustler-turned-mogul mythmaking that lays at the foundation of his music. “Imaginary Players” embodies this narrative perfectly and sees Jay-Z revel in the luxurious life that the success of Reasonable Doubt has afforded him. Jay-Z raps with his trademark disgust about the fictional rappers who deign to compare themselves to him. He questions the validity of his peers’ diamonds and Cartier lenses, chuckles about the standard model Range Rover that his competition drives, and hilariously throws out some outdated music industry metrics to assert his commercial success (“Your single was 99 cents, mines was 4 bucks”). Our present understanding of Jay-Z as an insufferable old head who complains about being called a capitalist obscures how genuinely endearing Jay-Z can be, and “Imaginary Players” serves as a great reminder of his innate charisma.
“F.N.F (Let’s Go)” – GloRilla: Since the advent of the Three 6 Mafia, Memphis has been a Southern rap hotbed, and no one is doing more to reposition the city at the centre of the mainstream’s focus than GloRilla. “F.N.F (Let’s Go),” is her crowning achievement—a speaker-rattling song of the summer that seeks to put men and their unscrupulous, philandering ways in their rightful place. Hitkidd’s boisterous production with hard-hitting drums and an almost-menacing piano loop serves as the perfect platform for GloRilla to air her grievances and celebrate her newfound singledom. Getting co-signs from JT and Latto, both of whom appear on the remix of this song, and a high-profile placement on Memphis Grizzlies promotional videos, portends more future success (and catchy male-deriding songs) for this rising star.
“Poland” – Lil Yachty: At one point, Lil Yachty was the poster boy for Soundcloud rap in its crusade against the traditional norms of rap, epitomized by his 2017 standoff with known curmudgeon Joe Budden on “Everyday Struggle.” In recent years he’s been left behind by a number of his XXL Class of 2016 freshmen peers. However, “Poland” is a wholly compelling and absurdly catchy attempt to reclaim his initial stardom. Brief and straightforward, Yachty croons about his cross-border smuggling exploits, on a F1LTHY beat (a frequent Playboi Carti collaborator). On the surface, this sounds unremarkable, but the appeal of “Poland” is how Yachty endearingly sings its hook. Channelling the carefree energy ever-present on his 2016 debut Lil Boat, Yachty’s near-cartoonish voice—enhanced by gratuitous autotune—has made the track a phenomenon online. Hopefully “Poland” is an indication of what sonic direction Yachty will head moving forward.