February’s gold nugget has always been Valentine’s Day. Behind the illustrious pink and red hearts galore is a very shadowed Black History Month. It is the shortest month of the year and doesn’t feel widely celebrated; the artists below have cherished the holiday through illustrious albums. Albeit looking for protest anthems, below are some unapologetically black albums by black artists.
“A Seat At The Table” – Solange
I’d be amiss if I didn’t start with one of the strongest black albums we have. This 2016 cultural masterpiece very much came at a right-place-right-time moment. For her first studio album in over a decade, Solange crafted an intense body of work that goes through the strengths and problems of being Black in America. “Don’t Touch My Hair” is a notable anthem for those of us with Afro styles, dealing with comments, questions, and unnecessary staring. “F.U.B.U.” odes to the importance of black culture staying within its community.
To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick often wears the GOAT crown from many fans, critics, and other artists. Those who have followed him since the beginning know that “To Pimp A Butterfly” set him apart heavily. The jazz-rap track “Alright” encapsulates the album. Hardships, both internal and external, and pushing past to triumph as Black excellence. The song’s intro is a crowd roarer and a step closer to the reparations that Lamar mentions in the track. Most of Lamar’s discography channels the Black History Month ethos, this record is just the start.
Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer
Trapped within the techno-rapid dystopian consciousness of Janelle Monae, is a Grammy-snubbed outstanding example of art that can only be described as “Wow.” Filled with left-field collaborators like Brian Wilson, Grimes, and Zoe Kravitz, “Dirty Computer” is jam-packed with lessons of life with strong overtones of being black. “Django Jane” being one of the most memorable tracks on the album encounters the truth of what it means to be enraged as a young black woman in America, but still proceed to counter it with Black Girl Magic.
The Sun’s Tirad – Isaiah Rashad
Isaiah Rashad isn’t like his contemporary rappers. Trading in the universal rap sound for a lofi-hip-hop sensibility, Rashad can storytell in interesting ways about his black experience. “Free Lunch” is an honest view into his growing up, needing financial help due to his economic class much like the other black kids around him. “Stuck In The Mud” emphasizes Rashad’s Black surroundings seeing what those in the ghetto had for the future and whether he’d fall into it.
Lemonade – Beyonce
To bookend this list, it’s best to drop another Knowles sister. Though many consider Lemonade to be a sole tribute to the ups and downs of infidelity in marriage, it carries a huge weight to the black experience as well. Beyonce has claimed the album to be a representation of the cycle of black marriage for years dating back to slavery. Songs like “Formation” bring light to the Black Lives Matter movement and the impact black culture has on the mainstream.
February will continue to establish the importance of highlighting a marginalized community. Black artistry has always highlighted these issues making them important conversation points, and songs for that matter.
