solange is black as hell in new album ‘a seat at the table’ and it’s everything you didn’t know you needed

#BlackGirlMagic. #BlackBoyJoy. #BlackLivesMatter. Black pride and solidarity is as at an all time high at the moment, with no end in sight. And with the artists of our time tapping into the essence of their Blackness by being their true selves on wax, in print, in paintings, and films, the future is looking extremely bright and unapologetically Black. Solange announced two days ago that her new album ‘A Seat At The Table’ was coming and by the looks of the tracklisting, we knew that it would be a celebration of Blackness, in its many manifestations. What we didn’t realize, and what we couldn’t have known, is just how beautiful and raw and honest her Blackness could be when spilled out on these songs. From ‘Don’t Touch My Hair ft. Sampha’ to ‘Mad ft. Lil Wayne’, from ‘FUBU ft. The Dream & BJ the Chicago Kid’ to every interlude incorporating the stories of elders, it’s the sonic equivalent to a griot passing down a personal and shared history. Solange is arguably the most successful alternative Black artist at present, and the fact that she collaborated with so many rising Black artists who make art outside of the mainstream is extremely important. AFROPUNK Alum Kelela, Moses Sumney, and Sampha are the voices that will likely be the next generation’s inspiration to grow and create authentic, personal art, along with Solange who in every sense of the word, has blossomed beyond anyone’s expectations. And the most amazing part of it all is that it’s very clear that her Blackness is front and center. This is Black art, and boy isn’t it beautiful.

By T. McLendon, AFROPUNK Contributor

For the full experience, visit Solange’s website: http://www.solangemusic.com