Rock and roll was founded by a Black Woman named Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The white washing of rock and roll is an example of how the pervasiveness of white supremacy goes unseen to the point of becoming commonplace. Everywhere. It speaks to how history has been weaponized — manipulated and distorted so as to keep us from ourselves. The act of erasure is dehumanizing. The white washing of rock and roll is an example of how we are robbed of our tools, and our vehicles, and our wholeness.

We couldn’t be more excited to share “I’ll Say It How I Want To” with you all. Click here to find all the roads to get you listening - enjoy, share, love. The video above is a lyric video we made for “Free Soul” - these songs come through us, but most of these songs are as much for us as anyone else. For me, nowhere is that more true than Free Soul.

Last summer I spent the better part of ten days in Ethiopia with my heart in my throat and my hand on my chest fighting overwhelm. It was my first trip back since my family immigrated here when I was two. En-route back to the states, a stranger at the airport commended me for going back to my first home and asked “what did she tell you?” Everything. My trip to Ethiopia was a powerful and profound experience that I’ll be reflecting on and writing about for years to come.

Here’s the thing: I think one of the main goals of this administration is to keep us in a state of panicked reaction. To keep us in a state of grief and despondence and uncertainty. To keep us in a state of fear and distrust. To ensure that in every moment, we’re dreaming of the worst thing that can happen and preparing for it’s inevitability. Here’s the thing: life has shown me another way.

Next Tuesday May 29, 2018, Makeda! is releasing the music video for “If He Gets to Be President” our lead single off our upcoming EP “I’ll Say It How I Want To” — these lyrics came through about a week after the election. I knew immediately that they were for us. For Black Women. And so before we release this video - I want to be really clear about who this particular message is for.

He took a knee Only to become the tallest on the field They scramble in his shadow Because they are afraid That he will realize He has no cause to bow To those who cower beneath him Refusing to be in the company Of someone who can stand in his power Even while remaining on his knees He took a knee Only to become the tallest on the field The others began to join him