Episode 216: Black Alternative

As of late, the music industry has seen a rise in talented African-American musicians who paint outside of expected mainstream lines for pop artists. In eschewing easy-to-consume tropes for left-of-center jazz, soul, and techno-influenced sounds, performers like Kendrick Lamar, Robert Glasper, Chance the Rapper, Frank Ocean and so many more have created a sustainable and alternative-inspired vibe. However exciting this class of stars may be, it's important to remember that this is a movement that has an impressive historical context as well.