ISSUE #36
Today, protesters in all 50 states and 18 countries worldwide continue the fight to defund police, dismantle systemic racism, and seek justice for the murders of countless black people at the hands of those pledged to protect them.
Amidst the ever-present threat of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of thousands have stood up against this old enemy, and we stand in solidarity with them and the black community. We demand justice for the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed, Tony McDade, and so many more. We demand justice for the arrests and the police brutality perpetrated against peaceful protesters around the world. Black Lives Matter.
Though we recognize that there are many ways to contribute towards the fight for justice, we understand that these times are uniquely difficult. While not everyone can be as vocal or proactive as they’d like to be, you can still support change with your wallet if not your body or your voice. If you can, we strongly encourage you to donate to black-led organizations, purchase goods from black businesses, and support black artists on Bandcamp.
Today, June 5th, 2020, from midnight to midnight Pacific Time, Bandcamp is waiving their share of sales to support artists impacted by COVID-19. We want to use this opportunity to drive funds directly into the pockets of black musicians by highlighting a few that have caught our attention and deserve yours.
Here is an ongoing, crowd-sourced list of black artists on Bandcamp.
Dolor
Ambient/Electronic/IDM
Thought-provoking IDM and experimental beats. Perfect for a cloudy day, a blanket, and your nicest pair of headphones.
Pacific Yew
Hip Hop/Experimental
Oakland-based experimental artist ranging from hip-hop to dream pop with lo-fi samples and vocals that make you want to chill as hard as possible.
sydney léonie pritchard
Experimental/Ambient
Psychedelic guitar compositions with heavy reverb and delay make up the latest release of of this Chicago-based artist. A peek into the rest of her discography shows a range of styles from goth, new wave, and techno.
Her entire discography is on sale for $10.21 USD on Bandcamp.
Yakui
Drone/Noise/Ambient
Loud, overwhelming noise and drone that feels right. Its meticulously composed chaos gets the blood going and makes you want to dismantle systemic oppression.
Run the Jewels
Hip-hop
Atlanta’s Killer Mike and Brooklyn’s LP (a white ally) return for their 4th politically-supercharged album, delivering protest anthems with massive energy and razor-sharp lyricism.
The Last Artful, Dodgr
Hip-hop
Portland-based hip-hop that ranges from soulful to eerie to hard-hitting, this young black virtuoso writes, producers, raps and sings.
Mal London
Hip-hop
This Portland-based rapper just released the Fly Away EP, three songs on Bandcamp that will donate 100% of the proceeds to the RoseCityJustice Organizing fund to support Black lives.
Alfa Mist
Jazz
Alfa Mist is a UK-based jazz musician who has collaborated with some of our favorite MCs. His work is deeply emotional and is incredibly easy to get lost in.
Ural Thomas and The Pain
Soul/Funk/Blues
Another Portland-based band centered around soulful vocals and funk/blues grooves that are impossible to sit still to.
Noname
Hip-hop/Spoken Word
Fatima Warner was born in Chicago and has created her own subgenera of poetic hip-hop in the styling of Lauryn Hill and Andre 3000. Between slam poetry mics and volunteering at youth programs, she managed to appear on Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap and Mick Jenkin’s Trees and Truths before dropping two incredible albums of her own.
Brown Calculus
Soul/R&B
A Portland-based neo-soul/R&B group that is as smooth as it is thoughtful, Brown Calculus is small, local and incredibly talented in the studio and live.
Zeal & Ardor
Black Metal/Soul/Blues/Gospel
Manual Gagneux, a Swiss-American born to a white father and black mother, fuses Scandinavian black metal with blues, gospel and soul to create a bizarre sonic alt-history that is completely unique and fascinating through every track.
While the war against hate and discrimination rages in streets around the world, we implore you to also fight it from your home, with your dollar.
Fight it amongst your family and friends by calling out those who choose violence through neutrality and inaction. Fight it in your heart and your mind by refusing to let this moment be just a moment. While rest is necessary and human, we all must return and fight for our black communities in our day to day lives. Four centuries of American racism is not going away over the course of a couple weeks, or months, or even years. This is a fight that we must all carry with us, as black people have been forced to carry it from the day they were born. Until this fight is fought as desperately and universally as it would be if your own skin were a crime, there can be no equality.
So listen to your black leaders and amplify their voices.
The instructions are being made for us if only we can follow them, and rally those we care about to follow them as well. Support black-owned businesses and listen to black music. Donate to the myriad organizations championing politics of equality, whether they be bail funds for protestors or the creators of policy that will lay the groundwork of equality for generations to come. Bring your body to protest the blatant crimes against our brothers and sisters and bring your mind to challenge the institutions that have dominated for so long through hate and manipulation.
Below is a list of readings, resources and every-day actions to arm you for the fight. Black Lives Matter.
Donate to 70+ community bail funds for protesters.
Act Blue Racism and Police Brutality Funds.
Read free Black revolutionary texts.
Buy a Silence Kills t-shirt from Col3trane and Drama Cells - 100% of proceeds go to Reclaim The Block.
Verso Books is offering two important books for free: The End of Policing, and Police: A Field Guide.
