Coinciding with Black History Month, multi-instrumentalist and producer Adrian Younge is releasing a multimedia project, which includes the album The American Negro, a four-part podcast “Invisible Blackness,” and the Amazon-exclusive short film T.A.N. Today, Younge is sharing the album’s title track, which was inspired by predecessors Gil-Scott Heron, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye.
“The American Negro” forces us to look at America’s violent, racist history and the resulting generational psychological damage. “I am the sound of America, the dissonance they create,” Younge forthrightly speaks over naked drum hits and ominous percussion. Nearly a month after the storming of the capital by white supremacists, Younge’s release coincides with the conversation many refuse to acknowledge and the heaviness that others bear.
“The American Negro is the most important creative accomplishment of my life. This project dissects the chemistry behind blind racism, using music as the medium to restore dignity and self-worth to my people…” Younge shared in a press statement. “It should be evident that any examination of Black music is an examination of the relationship between Black and white America. This relationship has shaped the cultural evolution of the world and its negative roots run deep into our psyche.”
The American Negro is out March 26 via Jazz Is Dead. Hear the title track track below.
