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TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe Empowers With New Song ‘People’
TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe has just released a new song that will get you charged up for the rally you plan to attend this weekend. Entitled “People,” the song starts with a quick-stepping beat and builds up the guitars as Adebimpe brings in the vocals. With lyrics like “If you see it’s a Nazi, say it’s a Nazi, and get that Nazi out,” this is a protest anthem at its core. The song was co-produced with drummer and fellow bandmate Roofeeo. Proceeds from the song will be split amongst the following organizations — the Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU, and the Movement For Black Lives. And since you can only get it from Bandcamp, you’ll be doing a double donation because the music streaming and retail platform is donating 100% of its share to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to honor Ju...
Heavy Culture: Musicians Recount Early Experiences of Racism
Heavy Culture is a monthly column from journalist Liz Ramanand, focusing on artists of different cultural backgrounds in heavy music as they offer their perspectives on race, society, and more as it intersects with and affects their music. The latest installment of this column features multiple rock and metal musicians recounting their early experiences of racism. Racism is real. Colorism is real. Implicit biases are real. Injustice is real. It is rooted in ignorance. As a Caribbean woman, the first time I experienced racism was a vivid memory in the first grade. A white, female classmate, the same age as me — about 6 or 7 years old — told me I was dirty, ugly, and that I did not deserve the new stationery my mom bought for me. Even as a child, I felt that this classmate had disdain for me...
Rage Against the Machine See 62% Increase in Streams Amid Protests
Amidst this tumultuous period of social unrest, Rage Against the Machine’s music is back front and center. Beginning last week, the hard rock outfit returned to the charts, with their 1992 self-titled debut re-appearing on the Billboard 200, and their two other original LPs cracking the top 30 on Apple Music. That surge on the charts has continued over the last seven days, as Billboard reports. Rage Against Machine’s music was streamed over 11 million times in the last week, a 62% increase. The band’s 1992 single “Killing in the Name” accounts for 2.4 million of those streams alone, which places the song at No. 3 on Hard Rock Digital Songs Chart and No. 21 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs Chart. “Bulls on Parade”, meanwhile, has been streamed 1.4 million times in the last week. Billboard a...
Jimmy Kimmel to Take a Break From Hosting Late-Night Show This Summer
School’s out and summer break has officially begun for Jimmy Kimmel. The late-night host announced on Thursday that he will be taking a hiatus from his show during the summer months in order to spend time with loved ones. “I’m taking the summer off to spend even more time with my family,” Kimmel revealed last night. “I’ve been doing this job for almost 18 years. I’ve done 3,130 shows and there’s nothing wrong,” added the 52-year-old TV personality, “my family is healthy, I’m healthy. I just need a couple of months off.” Watch his full announcement video below. Thursday evening’s broadcast served as Kimmel’s last one for the time being. Re-runs will air for the next two weeks before “a cavalcade of very kind and capable” special guests come in to take over hosting duties. Since Jimmy K...
Previously Unheard Version of Aretha Franklin’s “Never Gonna Break My Faith” Released for Juneteenth: Stream
If ever there was a time for new Aretha Franklin music, it would be today: Juneteenth, in the midst of an unprecedented national uprising against racism and police brutality. Miraculously, we’re being gifted just that. A never-before-heard solo version of the Franklin song “Never Gonna Break My Faith” has been released thanks to a collaboration between RCA Recordings, RCA Inspiration, and Legacy Recordings. The original version of the track was a duet with Mary J. Blige that was recorded for the 2006 film Bobby, but this alternate take leaves all the belting to the Queen of Soul, who is backed by The Boys Choir of Harlem. Beyond the excitement of this being a new recording from the legendary singer, its lyrical content is particularly relevant in the current socio-political climate. “You c...
Dave Grohl, Jon Batiste, Jim James and More to Play Preservation Hall Benefit
Dave Grohl, Jon Batiste, Jim James and more musicians will be bringing their talents to ‘Round Midnight Preserves, a special show to help benefit the Preservation Hall Foundation. The livestream show will feature a set of musical collaborations and never-before-seen performances from past Midnight Preserves. There will also be commentary from Preservation Hall Creative Director Ben Jaffe, director Danny Clinch and other special guests. Other performers include Elvis Costello, Irma Thomas, Dave Matthews, Beck, PJ Morton and Nathaniel Rateliff. Money raised from the show, as well as an online auction, will go towards the Preservation Hall Foundation and the 60 musicians who are part of the Preservation Hall Musical Collective. ‘Round Midnight Preserves will stream on YouTube, Facebook and Tw...
Public Enemy Make Fiery Return With ‘State of the Union (STFU)’
When Public Enemy have something to say, they’ll say it. And they have done just that with their new single, “State of the Union (STFU).” Produced by DJ Premier, Chuck D and Flavor Flav return to the mic to give “Donald Trump and his fascist regime,” a rude awakening and empower those who have been currently fighting societal and racial injustice. “An unflinching statement about the destruction the current administration has unleashed on the country and its people, “State of the Union (STFU)” speaks truth to power while urging people to fight against racism, injustice and oppression with their vote,” the group said in a statement. Chuck D reiterated the message by saying, “Our collective voices keep getting louder. The rest of the planet is on our side. But it’s not enough to talk about ch...
The First Juneteenth Came at the End of the Civil War, This Year It’s During the Middle of a Revolution
Juneteenth historically has been a series of days, the ‘teen’ days of June, when we celebrate the end of slavery. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union Gen. Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free — even though the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed them almost two-and-a-half years earlier. On Dec. 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It abolished slavery in the United States and said that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” So, although we celebrate an end to slavery, the 13th Amendment sti...
Cat Clyde’s Protest Songs Playlist
With everyone sequestered and self-quarantining due to the coronavirus, we’ve asked our favorite artists to come up with playlists that keep you entertained. Here is singer/songwriter Cat Clyde: Hey, my name is Cat Clyde and I’ve collected some protest songs that help me feel inspired and charged during this time. The world is changing and I believe music can help us all heal, grow, and be brave in the face of these changes. “Times They Are A-Changin’”- Bob DylanThis song is such a timeless song, urging people to think for themselves and fight for their rights. This song will never not be relevant. “Drums” – Johnny CashThis song is a really great story about some of the abuse that native Americans suffered in the U.S. This whole album came out in 1964 and faced harsh censorship and b...
Rep. Cedric Richmond’s Smoothly Sidesteps Rep. Matt Gaetz’s MAGA Rage
Source: Pool / Getty Intense discussions between opposing elected officials isn’t a new thing but in the era of President Donald Trump, contentious disagreements are becoming the norm. An incident that occurred during a discussion between two congressmen, Rep. Cedric Richmond and Rep. Matt Gaetz, got especially testy but Richmond handled it quite smoothly. During a House Judiciary Committee session, Richmond, a Black Democrat representing Louisiana, took his turn to discuss the finer points of the pending Justice and Policing Act that the House of Representatives will soon vote on. Richmond expressed during his speaking time that the urgency for police reform as it relates to the effect it will have on saving Black lives was met with resistance as he yielded his time for an interjection. G...
Gilbert Arenas Apologizes To Lupita Nyong’o For Past “Coon Behaivor”
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty If you follow Gilbert Arenas, you know he lives up to IG handle “No. Chill. Gill.” Well, in a stunning move, Arenas seems to be atoning for his trolling ways. On Tuesday (Jun.16), Arenas hit Instagram and posted an apology for what he described as “coon behavior” and his colorist attacks on US actress Lupita Nyong’ o. Over a picture of Nyong’o he shared in his Instagram Stories, the 38-year-old former professional baller said: “We can’t come together as a race until the idiots of the race right their wrongs. My name is Gilbert, and I was an idiot for attacking one of our queens for no reason. @Lupita Nyong’ o, I am truly sorry for my coon behavior. #blacklivesmatterdeadandalive #blackexcellence.” Arena’s sudden change of heart when it comes to Nyong’ o is st...
Freedom Day: Hip-Hop Wired’s Juneteenth Playlist Courtesy Of The WK UP
Source: Cooper Neill / Getty Black people unite and let’s all get down. Those words were eloquently said on Ed O.G.’s 1991 classic single “I Got To Have It” but they especially have plenty of resonance at the moment. For Juneteenth, and frankly, for any occasion, we at Hip-Hop Wired have compiled a short collection of songs to accompany your celebrations. As an outlet, we place a strong emphasis on Hip-Hop music and culture, but it goes without saying that other forms of Black music are firmly on our radar. From Hip-Hop to Blues, to Jazz, to Funk and beyond, Black artistry has always found inspiration from times of deep struggle. And as we’re all aware of, the nation is currently under a cultural shift sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement and also the injustices Black women, men, and...
