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Posts tagged as “Mos Def”

MUSIC MONDAY: “The Moon Cave: Black Artists in Collaboration with Gorillaz” Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “The Moon Cave: Black Artists in Collaboration with Gorillaz” Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on April 6, 2026

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Threads: @stlmarlonwest IG: stlmarlonwest Bluesky: @marlonweststl.bsky.social Spotify: marlonwest)

Back in February, Gorillaz shared a new eight-minute short film titled The Mountain, The Moon Cave & The Sad God. The beautiful hand-drawn animated film follows the adventures of the fictional band members Noodle, Murdoc, 2-D and Russel as they journey across India, in connection with the release of their new album, The Mountain.

For over 25 years, Gorillaz has functioned as a massive collaborative project helmed by Blur’s Damon Albarn and Tank Girl co-creator Jamie Hewlett. Their distinct sound, which fluidly blends hip-hop, electronic, and alternative rock, is defined by a dynamic roster of contributors, including both legendary figures and emerging artists.

Their collaborators include the late actor, Dennis Hopper, Carly Simon, Mick Jones & Paul Simonon of The Clash, Lou Reed, Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays), Mark E. Smith (The Fall), The Cure’s frontman, Robert Smith, Beck, Vince Staples, Little Dragon, Kali Uchis, Bad Bunny and others.

This collection though focuses on their frequent partnerships with celebrated Black artists across hip-hop, soul, Afrobeat, and R&B. Notable past collaborators include the late Bobby Womack, the living treasure Mavis Staples, hip-hop royalty De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, and Mos Def/Yasiin Bey.

Other partners include Little Simz, who has contributed to the track “Garage Palace” and participated in the band’s tours. Del the Funky Homosapien provided the rap vocals on “Clint Eastwood” and “Rock the House,” and Bootie Brown is notable for his contributions to “Dirty Harry” and “Stylo”, along with many other great artists.

The Mountain continues that tradition featuring artists like Black Thought and Jalen Ngonda, as well as archived material from legends such as Tony Allen and Bobby Womack.

Hope you all enjoy this funky collection by the free-wheeling collective, Gorillaz.

As always, stay safe, sane, and kind!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: “Close To You: Soulful Burt Bacharach Covers” (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Close To You: Soulful Burt Bacharach Covers” (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2023

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Black History Month, you all. Now it might seem counterintuitive to use my February offering to feature and honor Burt Bacharach, who died on February 8 at age 94.

The prolific composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. He was a six-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Academy Award winner, Bacharach’s songs have been recorded by more than 1,000 different artists.

However, no one would disagree that Bacharach’s (and his lyricist partner Hal David‘s) most popular success was with Dionne Warwick. They created a string of 39 consecutive chart hits including “Don’t Make Me Over,” “Walk On By,” and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again.” Their collaboration would continue for decades including his production of “That’s What Friends Are For.”

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/playlist/454iRyoXvDx8m6YjSs7MvX?si=632c3003460747b8″]

This “Close To You: Soulful Burt Bacharach Covers” collection features generations of Black artists who have collaborated directly with Bacharach (Ronald Isley), covered beautifully (Aretha Franklin, Love), and sampled (Mos Def, Masta Ace, Floetry) the work of Burt Bacharach.

Stevie Wonder‘s live performance in 1972, of “Close To You” and the Jackson 5′s “Never Can Say Goodbye utilizing the ‘talkbox,’ inspired Frank Ocean’s cover on his 2016 album, Blonde.

Bobby Womack and Isaac Hayes each spent ample time covering Bacharach while pushing against what they saw as limits of what was acceptable for Black artists.

The 5th Dimension, who were stung by being called “the Black group, with the white sound,” are present with “One Less Bell To Answer.” Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. perform it twice in this collection.

There are ample examples of hip-hop artists using Warwick and Bacharach’s work on “Recognize,” “Hold U,” “Must Be Bobby,” “Know That” and other tracks.

So please enjoy this Black History Month celebration of Burt Bacharach’s impactful work through the creation of these great Black artists.

Until next month, stay safe, sane, and kind.

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
MUSIC MONDAY: “Across 110th Street” – Celebrating the Sounds of Bobby Womack (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Across 110th Street” – Celebrating the Sounds of Bobby Womack (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on November 30, 2020

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Monday, you all. Hope you had a good and safe Thanksgiving. Time will tell though.

While most of these offerings are genre and theme-based, I do like to feature a favorite, and often underrated, artist from time to time. This week, it’s Bobby Womack.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:4XR72fdlZHr9V0uql6hHSe”/]

While never a household name, Womack had a long and impactful career. He, like so many in his generation, started in a family gospel group with his brothers.

Womack became the protégé of gospel and R&B/pop star Sam Cooke, a session musician, a successful solo artist with decades of hits, a writer of his own and others’ songs, and along with Mos Def, and surviving members of The Clash, was a core member of Gorillaz.

Quincy Jones arguably stands alone in having a longer and more wide-ranging career. 10-year-old Bobby started touring with his brothers on the midwest gospel circuit as The Womack Brothers.

Mos Def Releases Anti-Stop-And-Frisk PSA "Don't Tread On Me" (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on May 24, 2013

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qajY8OjfGJs&w=560&h=315]
Mos Def has never been afraid of a good scrap.  The rapper is involved in a new fight, and it’s against New York City and their controversial stop-and-frisk policy. Teaming up with the Center for Constitutional Rights, Mos Def released an anti-stop-and-frisk PSA video. 
MosDef
In case you don’t know: stop-and-frisk is deemed controversial because it allows police to search any individual without reason, other than “probable cause.” Critics say that it unfairly stops Black and Latina people, and the stats back this claim up: according to a study released in February, 97 percent of people stopped in New York City were either Black or Latino. 
In Mos Def’s video, we see all the disturbing stats, plus some footage of an anonymous police officer talking about some of the NYPD’s dirty polices.  In the background, you hear a new Mos Def track called “Don’t Tread on Me.” 
Read more: http://globalgrind.com/news/mos-def-dont-thread-on-me-stop-and-frisk-psa-video#ixzz2UBLYH7ay