Ghana, Albums and Now
Every time I head back to Ghana, I think of what the objective other than being home is and will be. It’s quite a fun exercise but this time around, the objective had been set so I had to tack on some things for me. Being home for funerals and watching family act unlike family is quite jarring. I learned things about people I share a last name with, that baffled and confused me.
That experience was quite emotionally and physically exhaustive. But then there were the moments of light. I got to spend time with my nephews and nieces, I went back to St. Peter’s, met artists I truly admire, I made some beautiful images for a new collection with some new collaborators (s/o DoPo, Paa Kofi, all the models, my nephew Sammy, Ambitious Kojo, Kojo Boateng and my guy Big Protein) and I really got to sit in silence for parts of the day.
I started every morning the same, I woke up before the prayer call from the mosque across my house, sat on the veranda with my copy of Caleb Azumah Nelson’s Open Water (GREAT FUCKING READ), a cup of tea and just read. The loveliest of experiences, that was. I could hear the roosters and birds in the mornings…something for the brain chemistry right there.
Before heading back to Ghana, to quiet the loudness from the very busy summer, I bought a Motorola v3, an ipod and a journal for the trip. I planned on completely disconnecting for all 14 days and being as present as possible. For most of those days, I was able to truly be off the grid. No texts or socials and that was very nice. I even started writing my tweets down and then quickly realized how stupid most of my tweets are (I won’t be tweeting any more or less tho). But of all that, what I loved the most was restricting my music consumption to only the music I had on the iPod I purchased from ebay. I loaded the iPod with over 50 albums, 0 playlists and from about 30 artists.
I saw this interview with Earl Sweatshirt where he talked about playlists killing the interactive and deep listening that albums require and as a self-proclaimed playlister and lover of playlists, I couldn’t agree more. Being home without streaming services for music, I decided to submit to the albums on the iPod and see if I can come out the other side (Dulles Airport) with any findings or thoughts. I came away with 10 albums I now have even more reverence for and will call my Island Albums Part 1. In the following paragraphs, I will talk about these albums and pick a song on them that I loved very much whilst listening.
Freudian by Daniel Caesar is a classic to me. I have always loved this album and really think Get You is one of the greatest songs of all time. But what really struck me and kept me stuck and rewinding on this album was Hold Me Down, especially the second part. The keys lay the red carpet for that beautiful sultry voice to strut with so much confidence before Daniel comes on. I just remember walking around my grandfather’s village listening to this on repeat. I was truly in a peaceful state of mind whenever I hit play. Also the fucking transition to Neu Roses…holy shit! BRING NAY-HOOO BACK TO R&B!!!
Let God Sort ’Em Out is the rap album of the year and definitely has an argument for album of the year. I had this tweet and honestly I feel even more strongly about it now.
My favourite on the album honestly changes every week but By The Grace of God is so damn special. There’s nothing like driving in Kumasi at night and listening to how the choir is arranged on this record. Also Malice is the rapper of the year…by 100s to 1000s of miles.
Black British Music by Jim Legxacy of Sprinter & Candy Reign fame was already one of my favorites of the year.
But hearing it back home at night when I can hear the insects and flies was something that I can’t eloquently explain. It felt like I was transported to the studio every single time the next song played. Such a singular perspective full of several audioverses. Tiger driver ’91 is still the fave here.
Blonde is an album I liked but very rarely returned to. The last time I listened to it was right after the Blonde episode of No Skips with Jinx & Shea. Sometimes, you can hear an album but not deep it for ages and this album is exactly that for me. I really heard Self Control as I should and it was so special. I felt like my heart was touched through my ears. A beautiful audio experience, one I didn’t want to end.
Sometimes, I wonder what was going through Jay Electronica’s mind when he writing his verse for How Great by Chance The Rapper. The way he stitches together the words but with enough space was so damn special. Thinking about this record has me returning to the entire album. Chance…that shit holds up amazingly man. Great work!
The project I probably recommend to people the most is For Someone Somewhere Who Isn’t Us by Samm Henshaw. It is a quick 19 minute listen for 6 songs. My favorite on here is The Café but what became a revelation being home was Water…wow Samm, what a tender touch through vocals that entrance the listener.
Larissa and I talk about the kind of women I am attracted to quite often and she has a bucket of women called the Jorjas, named after the beautiful and brilliant Jorja Smith. Blue Lights made me a fan, every single song has kept me in the fandom. I chose to listen to Lost & Found during this trip and for the overarching theme of the trip, Goodbyes HIT HARD. I love this fucking song so deeply.
Just like Goodbyes hit, Survivor’s Guilt, funny enough sampling Jorja Smith, hits so damn hard. This is one of Dave’s most impressive lyrical outings and it’s just an honour to listen and connect. We’re All Alone In This Together, the album, should be lauded more.
Recently, for Kodjo’s birthday, we went to karaoke and one of the songs I sang was I Want You Around. Ugh, those feels again has been platinum in my ends since it dropped and nothing is taking the prime spot away from I Want You Around. Whatever magic was in that studio that day, they gotta bottle it and ship it to me.
The last album I listened to before I left Kotoka International Airport was When I Get Home by Solange. I hadn’t returned to this in a long time but Solange is one of the greatest artists of our time so of course, I was folded into the world of this album was the moment I hit play. This album does such an amazing job communicating all her thoughts and ideas both sonically and visually. Almeda is a revelation even after the 30th listen.
The 10 albums did so much for my spirit. They stitched together all the torn pieces of me, creating a beautiful broken man, a Frankenstein of sorts, if you will. Upon my return to the USA, landing on August 30th, I flew straight to Seattle to surprise Thando. She didn’t know I was returning early and quite honestly I couldn’t miss out on The Meet’s Die Tafel. Quick shoutout to Thando for pulling off the impossible, I am so proud of you, my friend.
Since my return, life got back to its insane speed. I went to a wedding on Nashville the weekend after, I have been back at working on some new ideas that are in pre-production, started edits on the short from the summer and prepped for a panel talk at the Museum of Pop Culture.
I am on a panel, moderated by the curator Adeerya, for Never Turn Back: Exploring Photography and Black Expression in Popular Culture, tomorrow, 9/27 from 11am to 12pm. I will be discussing the importance of Black photography, curation and its place in the artistic ecosystem. I am so excited to add my voice to this very important line of conversations. We are currently in a time where images are altered, suppressed or sometimes deleted, histories aren’t acknowledged and the government proudly and loudly shuts down opposition voices. I know this convo at the museum will be about art but I hope the importance of imagemaking will be apparent and clear enough to keep the lights on the things we make to push the conversation and culture and history forward.
Alright, it’s 1:29AM PST, I am worn and beat but wanted to finish this. If you made it this far, I appreciate you endlessly. I have something a bit more themed and focused coming soon, till then, more life and more success y’all.
