In honor of Black Music Month, we at For The Culture Zine are excited to launch our first series: 5 Black Artists You Need To Know Right Now. Below are some of our favorite Black Artists. Their music ranges from soulful R&B to hard hitting Rock. Let’s dive in, shall we?
YUNG BABY TATE
Yung Baby Tate is a rapper who writes and produces her own material. Her songs are full of female encouragement and sex positive messages. “I Am” featuring Flo Milli and “Rainbow Cadillac” are two of her better known bops. Much like her music, Yung Baby Tate’s visuals are as fun as they are vibrant. Check out her video for “Mean Girl” featuring Queen Key and Asian Doll. The video for “Mean Girl” gives the movie Mean Girls a run for its money.
AMINDI
Amindi aka Amindi K. Fro$t, is a rapper from Los Angeles whose parents were born in Jamaica. Her style has a definitive island vibe, which is evident in her latest track, “telly”. Amindi is known for “Pine and Ginger” featuring Tesse Naked and Valley Z and “Love Em Leave Em” featuring Kari Faux. She also has a profound love of film and often writes music in the voice of a film character. Her videos are very colorful, making you feel as if you’ve jetted off to paradise and discovered it has grit and verve. Get into Amindi. She does not disappoint.
R.LUM.R
R.LUM.R is a genre-bending Alternative R&B artist. He used to play classical guitar under the name Reggie Williams. His debut album, Surfacing, is honest, raw, and emotional. He touches upon important topics such as mental health and toxic masculinity on tracks such as “Boys Should Never Cry” and “Circles”.
R.LUM.R is most known for his 2017 hit “Frustrated” and “How This Feels”. They’re worth a listen, if you haven’t already. R.LUM.R has a fantastic falsetto reminiscent of R&B icon, Maxwell. NPR Music even named him one of their Artists to Watch in 2017. We are still watching in 2021. Oh, one more thing. Do yourself a favor and check out R.LUM.R’s acoustical cover of Ginuwine’s “Differences”. It will change your life.
BIG JOANIE
Big Joanie is a British Post-Punk Trio. The group was formed in 2013 with Stephanie Phillips (guitar and vocals), Kiera Coward-Deyell (bass and vocals) and Chardine Taylor-Stone (drums and vocals). Kiera Coward-Deyell left the group in 2017 and Estella Adeyeri replaced her. Their band name is a nod to Phillips’ Jamaican roots while also evoking strong women. They consider themselves to be a Black feminist punk band. Writer Melissa Harris-Perry inspired their title track “Crooked Room”. Perry said that being a Black woman in a white patriarchy is like trying to find a true vertical in a crooked room. Their debut album, Sistahs, is full of raw, powerful lyricism. The opening track alone really packs a punch. There’s almost a DIY, lo-fi haze over the entire record. One of the songs that the band is best known for is a Solange cover, “Cranes in the Sky”. While Solange’s version is pretty, Big Joanie’s hits harder.
TOBI LOU
tobi lou was born in Nigeria and moved to Chicago when he was two years old. His sister is Tomi Ademeyi, the novelist. tobi lou is a Pop-Rap artist whose songs sound like short stories. “Buff Baby” and “Darlin’” are major earworms and the videos are animation perfection. tobi lou’s acting skills are displayed on the videos for “Notice Me” featuring Mia Gladstone and “Cheap Vacations” featuring Facer. Both songs are fantastic representations of his artistry.
His love of cartoons and fantasy is even more apparent on his debut album, Live On Ice. His lyrics are relatable as he tackles heartbreak, phone addiction, and depression throughout his music. tobi lou really captures what it’s like to be young in a modern age.