Tag: songs about racism

Shades Lawrence Goes Back To Her Roots With Latest Single, ‘No Return’

When it comes to pride, there are few more empowered and emboldened by their homeland than SHADES LAWRENCE, and these badges of humility and coat of pride are worn boisterously in the Quebec-based artist’s new single, ‘No Return’.

Shades Lawrence is a queer, Montreal-born hip-hop artist of mixed British, Jamaican, Irish, and Scottish descent. As she’s progressed through the journey of finding her sound, Shades Lawrence has performed over 40+ shows as a spoken word poet and hip-hop artist and shared the stage with a variety of artists — including Princess Nokia, Big Freedia, Cakes da Killa, and more.

Since stepping onto the scene, Shades Lawrence has released three full-length albums — Trust Takes Time (2022), 4th Quarter (2021), and East West Road (2020 — in addition to three EPs — Formidable Time EP (2017), Mind Right EP (2019), and Second Life EP (2019); the latter of which was also featured on Bandcamp’s homepage in their New & Notable section.

Looking through her own history, as well as that of those around her, Shades Lawrence stepped forward into her new project. A journey inspired by the story of refugees and immigrants who have found their way to Canada, in one way or another, Shades Lawrence’s lyricism drives this uplifting single while keeping environmental justice at the forefront.

“This song is inspired by my story — coming from a background where three of my four grandparents were immigrants to Canada,” she shares. Why not check it out below…

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Album Review: 2020 DIvision – JYellowL

Irish rapper JYELLOWL jumps right down to it with his highly-anticipated debut album, ‘2020 DIvison’ and addresses the issue of having self-worth through the introductory track ‘2020’, which possesses an intimate, stripped-back setting later joined by drums, idyllic runs of piano keys and a gusty thump of the b-line.

Melodic tones (which becomes patently clear that this is JYellowL’s trademark) against a seamlessly smooth hip-hop/R&B dropback and boisterous bass, continues through the first half of the album, putting a thought-provoking spin on serious topics such as systemic and institutional racism.

‘2020 DIvision’ then ventures into the realms tropical dancehall/Afrobeats (in ‘Hypocrite’ and ‘Change’), moving onto an air of tranquil trap-hop, 90-inspired afterhours in an acoustic setting and even elements of New Jack-ish era in ‘Tunnel Vision’. Along the breadth of genres, JyellowL continues to cover a breadth of tropics, including his experience in the music industry and taking proactive steps to elevating the youth in today’s society.

From the moment I hit play on ‘2020 DIvision’, it became very clear that JYellowL is more than just a musician who is instantly recognisable through his distinctive sound and catchy flow – he’s a strong activist that isn’t afraid to tackle political and social issues that intrigues as well as disturbs him, urging his audiences to find that inner flame to do the same.

Even through his singles ‘Ozone’, ‘Jewels’, ‘Doesn’t Feel Like’, ‘Mademoiselle’
and ‘Tunnel Vision’ were all well received ahead of the album’s release, JYellowL (personally) will be now further placed as one of the most intriguing and promising artists from the Irish rap scene and perhaps beyond – and may well be look upon as a Juggernaut-like political figure among his peers with ‘2020 DIvision’.

Check out 2020 DIvision check below plus the blog’s songs recommendation:

Must Listen: 2020, Call It What You Want, Doesn’t Feel Like, Change, Tunnel Vision 

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The Hamiltones Have A ‘Message To America’ In Latest Video

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was considered a landmark achievement of the Civil Rights Movement. While there have been many strides made since then, there’s still much more progress to be made in the fight for racial justice and equality 56 years later. This year has seen one of the biggest moments of reckoning for racial inequality and injustice in US recent history.

The Grammy-nominated viral R&B/Soul sensations, THE HAMILTONES keep the momentum going by letting their voices be heard, and encouraging others to do the same, in the new music video for their single ‘Message to America’, debuted on their YouTube channel last night (10/5/2020).

‘Message To America’ is from The Hamiltones’ powerful new album ‘1964’, which was released on the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech at the March on Washington, and the 65th anniversary of the high-profile death of Emmett Till. With features from rapper Petey Pablo, and a recording from Congressman John Lewis, ‘1964’ serves as a timely tribute to the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., while providing a moving soundtrack to the current global movement for racial justice and equality.

Check out the video for ‘Message To America’ below…

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Jesse Jax Presents Hard-Hitting Visuals For Track, ‘Black & Proud’

As an Afro-German, rapper JESSE JAXX has encountered and witnessed a sting of racism in his lifetime and was inspired to speak out about these experiences, through his most personal work to date, ‘Black & Proud’.

Although the message in the song is loud and clear – for black people to stand proud, no matter what prejudices they face – the video shows people of different ethnic backgrounds, standing in unity as the answer to end racism.

Check out Jesse Jaxx’s epic video below…

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