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I am still learning to produce music, but I enjoy creating songs, even though they are amateur. Here is the conclusion to this playlist, and it is a song that I made. I think it can represent hope and the feeling of resistance. Thanks for listening!

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Arca:

https://www.papermag.com/arca-transformation-2645630264.html?rebelltitem=11#rebelltitem11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-R_7gVb6lY&t=297s&ab_channel=theneedledrop

https://genius.com/Arca-mequetrefe-lyrics

Ecco2k

https://www.vogue.com/article/musicians-zak-arogundade

https://genius.com/Ecco2k-peroxide-lyrics

Steve Lacy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Lacy_(guitarist)

https://genius.com/Steve-lacy-only-if-lyrics

J. Cole

https://boxden.com/showthread.php?t=1621284

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Cole

Blood Orange

https://genius.com/Blood-orange-charcoal-baby-lyrics

https://attitude.co.uk/article/dev-hynes-opens-up-about-sexuality-im-not-defining-myself/11585/

FKA Twigs:

https://genius.com/Fka-twigs-mary-magdalene-lyrics

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FKA Twigs is probably my favorite artist. She has an incredible voice and the production value on her songs is so very high. She has made me think deeply about feminism and the idea of women rising up for equality. "Mary Magdalene," the nearly self titled song off the album MAGDALENE builds slowly and cinematically. Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus's disciples and FKA Twigs thinks that her role in the bible is misconstrued and given a bad rep. I think FKA Twigs describes what her idea was with the song best so I will just include a direct quote from  her analyzing the song.

"Let’s just imagine for one second: Say Jesus and Mary Magdalene are really close, they’re together all the time. She’s his right-hand woman, she’s his confidante, she’s healing people with him and a mystic in her own right. So, at that point, any man and woman that are spending that much time together, they’re likely to be what? Lovers. Okay, cool. So, if Mary had Jesus' children, that basically debunks the whole of history. Now, I’m not saying that happened. What I’m saying is that the idea of people thinking that might happen is potentially really dangerous. It’s easier to call her a whore, because as soon as you call a woman a whore, it devalues her. I see her as Jesus Christ’s equal. She’s a male projection and, I think, the beginning of the patriarchy taking control of the narrative of women. Any woman that’s done anything can be subject to that; I’ve been subject to that. It felt like an apt time to be talking about it."

I thought her analysis of this biblical story was super powerful and was an incredible way to think about how women's history has been diminished because of patriarchal influences. FKA Twigs has opened my eyes and my mind to exploring the discrimination women have faced historically and still face today.

I think these lyrics are super moving and thought provoking:

"A woman's hands
So dark and provocative
A nurturing breath that could stroke you
Divine confidence
A woman's war
Unoccupied history
True nature won't search to destroy
If it doesn't make sense"

I decided to include the live version of this song, to show how talented FKA Twigs is as not only a vocalist, but a dancer and choreographer. If you are interested in more FKA Twigs check out her live performance of "Cellophane" on youtube.

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FKA twigs - Mary Magdalene (Later... With Jools Holland)

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This song feels like a celebration of being Black, and at the same time it feels like being exhausted because of the hardships associated with being Black. Blood orange is a strong songwriter and multi instrumentalist. Dev Hynes is the U.K. native mastermind behind Blood orange. He takes a page out of Prince and David Bowie's book when it comes to his image and sexuality. When prompted about people wondering about his sexuality, people tell Dev that "'No, it’s strong if you define yourself and it’ll be helpful to others.'" and Dec responds with "But I think they don’t realise that I’m not hiding in not defining myself, I’m openly not defining myself. To me, that’s the school of Bowie and Prince, where they were just themselves." Hynes hasn't only grown up with a unique perspective on sexuality, he has grown up as a Black man. This is an example intersectionality where someone may experience discrimination for two aspects of their lives. This idea of empowerment and pride is a big part of Hynes' music and how his fans can connect to his art.

"Charcoal Baby" shows the struggles people may be facing behind the curtains, and delivers a powerful music video full of emotions. This song can be a source of empowerment and resistance when thinking about self identity and race.

"No one wants to be the odd one out at times

No one wants to be the negro swan

Can you break sometimes? (sometimes)

Can you break sometimes? (sometimes, ooh)"

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Blood Orange - Charcoal Baby (Official Video)

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J. Cole will go down in history as one of the greatest artists of our time. I think his music has influenced so many people around the world and his conscious style of hip hop resonates with so many. J.  Cole is a Black man who was raised by a White mother and a Black father. Here is a quote from Cole talking about his identity

"I can identify with White people, because I know my mother, her side of the family, who I love. I've had White friends. I know people from high school that I might not have hung out with outside of high school, but I think I got to know them pretty well, so I know they sense of humor. But at the end of the day, I never felt White. I don't know what that feels like. I can identify. But never have I felt like I'm one of them. Not that I wanted to, or tried to, but it just was what it was. I identify more with what I look like, because that's how I got treated. Not necessarily in a negative way. But when you get pulled over by the police, I can't pull out my half-White card. Or if I just meet you on the street, you're not gonna be like, This guy seems half-White."

This song deals with racism Cole has experienced in his life, after becoming well known and rich from his successful music career. This song shows resistance to the stereotypes his neighbors and other White people may think about a Black man who is wealthy. The neighbors assume he is selling drugs because after all, how else would he make his money? Telling this story helps make people who are judged for stereotypes feel heard, especially related to being Black.

"Okay, the neighbors think I'm sellin' dope

Hm, I guess the neighbors think I'm sellin' dope, sellin' dope

The neighbors think I'm...neighbors think I'm—"

This chorus is a stream of consciousness from Cole, expressing his confusion and realization that his neighbors profiled him for being Black. This is followed by his frustration and anxiety from feeling like he doesn't belong where he is, only because he is Black. The house was actually home to a basement recording studio where him and some up and coming artists on his recored label could record at. After seeing young Black artists coming and going from the house, the neighbors got paranoid and assumed they were selling drugs and called the police.

"I can't sleep cause I'm paranoid

Black in a white man territory

Cops bust in with the army guns

No evidence of the harm we done

Just a couple neighbors that assume we slang

Only time they see us we be on the news, in chains, damn"

The song ends with frustration and a withdrawl from cole.

"So much for integration

Don't know what I was thinkin'

I'm movin' back to south side"

The shortened music video shows the footage of police raiding the house in suburban North Carolina. Powerful video footage when we know the context.

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J. Cole - Neighbors (Official Music Video)

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Steve Lacy is someone I started listening to within the last year, and his debut album 'Apollo XXI' is full of introspective grooves. Steve Lacy was born and raised in Compton, California. Lacy identifies as bisexual and had previously repressed his sexuality due to his religion and believing it was sinful.  Lacy has been troubled by his anxiety growing up and would tell his past self to relax if he could.

This song in particular resonates with me, as I am an anxious person and spend more time than I'd like to admit worrying about things I shouldn't be worrying about. The chorus is a particularly powerful reflection:

"If I could travel through time, I think I
Would tell myself from the past, 'You'll be fine' "

Lacy is relating to those who are overly anxious, making it very relatable for me. The lyrical reminder of "You'll be fine" feels like a sigh of relief when reflecting on my worries.

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Ecco2k is another favorite for me. Having grown up in Stockholm, Sweden as a Black man, Ecco2k has experienced discrimination his whole life for not looking the same as everyone around him. This song is about his struggle with feeling alienated and judged for the color of his skin.

The chorus represents this idea well:

"Something feels so wrong (Something feels so wrong)
It's the way I look or the way I walk
Why are you scared of me when I'm not so hard?
No peroxide, I stay dark
'Don't go around him, you might get robbed'
Chop off your body parts (Chop, chop, chop)
Chop his arm off and take his watch"

Ecco2k captures this emotion in his manipulated vocals and  cloudy production. The main verse talks about doing something as mundane as crushing rocks at the bus stop, and getting stared at because he isn't white. Ecco2k shows resistance by not caring, and saying he has "gotta stay strong."

"At the bus stop, crushing rocks
(Crush, crush, crush, crush, c-c-crush, crush)
They all stare at me, I don't care at all
(Oh my god, f*** you)
Everywhere I go, they look at me wrong
(What, what the fuck are you looking at?)
Every day go the same, gotta stay strong"

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This song comes from Venezuelan artist Arca's most recent album KiCk i that came out in June of 2020. Arca spoke about her gender transition on instagram live in November of 2020 stating "I identify as a transwoman, and I see my gender identity as nonbinary." Arca is a genre bending artist with extreme influence, having production credits for Bjork, Kanye West, FKA twigs and many others. "Mequetrefe" in the Venezuelan context translates to 'gossip', and this song represents having confidence in yourself.

"Mami quiere mequetrefe
Mira cómo ella se crece"

These lyrics from the song talk about how Arca feels like she becomes more confident from the gossip when she is on the streets.

"Que le da igualito, mira su pasito"

Arca is saying she's just the same as everyone else,  look at her step, it is just the same as yours. She is confident too.

This confidence in self is very inspirational for anyone who may feel oppressed for being different, especially people in the LGBTQ+ community. Arca has been one of my favorite artist for a long time, and she continues to push the boundaries of gender and music in the most creative way.