Born Evan Pang, Aysanabee is a Canadian Indigenous multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer-songwriter. He is Oji-Cree and began creating music under his mother’s maiden name in order to reclaim his family name. Aysanabee’s mother gave him the last name Pang because she felt that a non-Indigenous name would make it easier to find employment. His 2022 debut album, Watin was named […]
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Back in 1992, Ice-T’s heavy metal project Body Count released their self-titled debut album, which included one of the most controversial protest songs of all-time, “Cop Killer”. The lyrics express the frustration that many in the Black community were feeling. The original album version reference then Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates, and Rodney King who was brutalized by the […]
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On January 18, legendary singer-songwriter and founding member of the Byrds and Crosby Stills Nash and Young sadly passed away at 81. He was known for his candor and willingness to speak out on political issues. He has contributed to several timeless tunes, including a number with socially conscious themes. For example, protest songs that he composed included the Byrds’ […]
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Black Belt Eagle Scout is the alias of Katherine Paul, an indigenous multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. Her third studio album, The Land, the Water, the Sky will be released on February 10. Concerning the album, she stated in a press statement, “I created The Land, the Water, the Sky to record and reflect upon my journey back to my homelands and the challenges and the […]
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Today marks the 10-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting where 26 were killed. Instead of being an isolated event, sadly there have been several school shootings since then. In connection with this singer-songwriter, educator, and community organizer Gabrielle Zwi recently released the poignant tune “Guns to a Playground Fight,” about the reality of growing up in the “school […]
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Music is often an outlet for songwriters to express their political and personal frustrations. That was the case with the New Orleans singer-songwriter Earnest Jackson, who in 1975 composed the song “Inflation” in response to being adversely affected by the high cost of living. He collaborated with the instrumental funk band Sugar Daddy and the Gumbo Roux, to record the […]
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On October 31st, 2022, trail-blazing singer-songwriter and activist Patrick Haggerty died at the age of 78. A few weeks earlier he suffered a stroke. He fronted Lavender Country which is widely believed to be the first openly gay country band. In 1973, they released their self-titled debut, which is often cited as the first gay-themed country album. Initially, there were […]
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On October 28, 2022, Darren Henley, better known as D.H. Peligro sadly died at the age of 63. He was primarily known as the drummer of the influential hardcore band Dead Kennedys, joining them in 1981. He also had a short stint as the drummer for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, joining them in 1988 and contributing to several tracks […]
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In Virginia, back in 1759, a white Scottish servant Elizabeth Gallimore, fell in love with a black slave whose name had been lost over time. Their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson, Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, who performs under the pseudonym Fantastic Negrito, has released the compelling concept album White Jesus Black Problems based on his recently discovered lineage. The ambitious multi-media project includes a companion film. […]
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Country music has long been viewed as a politically conservative music genre, but there are a handful of artists that have been challenging traditional views. This does include the occasional mainstream artists who have faced backlash for speaking up (most notably The Chicks). But most of these artists operate on the fringes. One notable example is Pink Williams who describes […]
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