In place of June’s Favourites list, I will be sharing multiple posts spotlighting Black creators + businesses. Today and every day, Black Lives Matter.
There’s a conversation going on right now that we all need to be part of and it covers racism, discrimination, equality and basic human rights. Why, in 2020, are Black men, women and non-binary people still being treated as “less than”? Why must they live with a weight on their shoulders simply because of the colour of their skin? We need to say their names, know their stories and uplift their legacies: George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin… and we need to recognize that there are far too many stories.
Change starts with each and every one of us. Over the past two weeks, the #BlackLivesMatter movement has spread internationally as people make their voice heard any way they can — through protests, signing petitions, educating themselves and their peers, lobbying government officials, and uplifting the voices at the heart of this movement. I want to do my part on this blog by amplifying my favourite Black creators and brands.
You may have heard several of these artists on previous playlists, but here’s your chance to get to know them better! Press play, check out the full tracklist and read more about three of my favourites below.
Playlist: Black Excellence — Full Tracklist
- “Good as Hell,” Lizzo
- “Do It,” Chloe x Halle
- “In The Morning,” Jay Prince
- “Chocolate.,” Kiana Ledé feat. Ari Lennox
- “Eleven,” Khalid feat. Summer Walker
- “The Worst In Me,” KAYTRANADA feat. Tinashe
- “COFFEE,” Kelly Rowland
- “When You Hold Me,” Braxton Cook
- “Stormy Weather,” Tinashe
- “Pretty Little Fears,” 6LACK feat. J. Cole
- “B.S.,” Jhené Aiko feat. H.E.R.
- “Give Me A Reason,” R.LUM.R
- “Addicted,” Jon Vinyl
- “Happy Without Me,” Chloe x Halle feat. Joey Bada$$
- “Savage Remix,” Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
- “Sunflower Seeds,” Bryce Vine
- “Midsection,” KAYTRANADA feat. Pharrell Williams
- “Can I,” Kehlani feat. Tory Lanez
- “OTW,” Khalid feat. 6LACK & Ty Dolla $ign
- “Grinding All My Life,” Nipsey Hussle
- “This Is America,” Childish Gambino
- “If You’re Not There,” Reuben James feat. Braxton Cook
- “Motivation,” Normani
- “Die A Little Bit,” Tinashe & Ms Banks
- “Boys,” Lizzo
- “Boys Should Never Cry,” R.LUM.R
- “FDT,” YG & Nipsey Hussle
- “Hang on in There,” John Legend & The Roots
- “Mad,” Solange feat. Lil Wayne
- “Get Up, Stand Up,” Bob Marley & The Wailers
- “Freedom,” Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar
- “Cold,” R.LUM.R
- “All The Stars,” Kendrick Lamar with SZA
- “Correct,” MNEK
- “Think About Me,” dvsn
- “Wrong Places,” H.E.R.
- “I Want You,” Tayla Parx
- “Build,” Justine Skye & Arin Ray
- “Catch Up,” Chloe x Halle & Swae Lee feat. Mike WiLL Made-It
- “Love’s In Need Of Love Today,” Stevie Wonder
- “Self,” Noname
- “Trip,” Ella Mai
- “Making A Choice,” R.LUM.R
- “Bigger Love,” John Legend
- “My Line,” Reuben James feat. Col3trane, Jay Prince, Vula & Soweto Kinch
- “Surfacing,” R.LUM.R
- “Honeymoon Phaze,” MNEK
- “Rocket Man” (Cover), CammWess feat. John Legend
- “What If I (Still Feel),” R.LUM.R
- “16 Shots,” Vic Mensa
- “Moment,” Victoria Monét
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBOCjeUHW-y/
Get ready to fall in love with these three artists!
Jon Vinyl
Hailing from Toronto, a city as diverse as his sound, Jon Vinyl is one to watch. Singles like “Nostalgia,” “Cherry Blossom” and “Moments” land in the sweet spot between pop and soul, while perfectly encapsulating the ups and downs of 22-year-old life.
R.LUM.R
I don’t remember how I found R.LUM.R, but I’m so glad I did. His music is gut-wrenchingly vulnerable and beautiful, and there’s no doubt you will find at least one song that sounds like it was ripped from the pages of your Notes app.
Hot tip: R.LUM.R’s debut album Surfacing deserves to be experienced from start to finish. Trust me, there’s a reason why I included six of the tracks on this playlist.
CammWess
If you watched the most recent season of The Voice, John Legend’s top contestant CammWess will be a familiar face. I fell in love with CammWess’ smooth tone and charisma during his audition (conveniently covering one of my favourite artists, The Weeknd) and I’m confident this won’t be the last we hear from CammWess — he’s “a force to be reckoned with,” as John says. I mean, come on, he even sounds like a young John Legend!
Let me know who you would add to this playlist in the comments below — or tweet me @angelamcleanx!
Happy listening xx
