This playlist was originally put together for a friend. I liked it, it just seemed too broad nor was it personal enough for what I was trying to create. Nonetheless after I initially listened to the playlist I also felt it was very vibrant, invigorating, & a perfect playlist to listen to at the beginning of your day. This 12 track playlist hosts artists like Tems, Asake, Drake, and many more. Asake's Organise and Drake's Tie That Binds, bring a very musical element to the curation while songs like Omah Lay's Reason and Teni's How ground out this work with vulnerable expressions about life and love. Through the drive of Scatter & Tell Somebody, these 12 selections work together to create a sonically pleasing jump start to your day. Perfect for a drive to work, warming up or conditioning, this playlist will leave you feeling vital and ready for the journey of the day ahead.

"For the brokenhearted, the restless, & the weary." -Mya E.

When I was growing up as a child at the age of nine and up I loved pop, listening to 106.1 on the way to dance rehearsal in the summer is imprinted on my mind still to this day. Pop music was such a huge genre to me from 2009 to about 2016, I remember artists releasing songs late December through early March and knowing these would be the hits of the summer constantly playing on the radio, in the mall, at social events until fall came. Of course genres don't die but their popularity can sometimes decrease, where as you would see multiple songs become hits for the summer now to me you'll have about one or two, for me it just hasn't been the same. I've been listening to a lot of music as always but lately I had been searching for something that I could not stop playing, you know those songs you restart before their even over because their just so dam good. Anyway I was looking and looking for about 2 weeks and nothing. Then Monday came, I was listening to music in my bed and Ruger's Kristy came on and I was intrigued. So melodic and soft, it was a starting point for what I was searching for. Before I knew it I was listening to his 2023 African Dancehall project RU The World, I loved it. Tuesday I heard the first half of June Freedom's Worldwide album Anchor Baby and Nelson Freitas (a Cape Verdean-Dutch artist) Break of Dawn and Beautiful Lie, a record about choosing to keep moving forward and enjoying life, in the midst of all the craziness, even if you don't necessarily know or understand why. Its crazy how music can find you at times when you need it most. Tuesday evening I heard Wizkid's EP S2 released late last December and was left inspired to create, thus this playlist was born. I been feeling a lot of different things in my heart and have had a lot going through my mind, I wanted to create a playlist that spoke to everything that I was searching for. This is not solely a pop playlist with Wizkid's Energy & Ololufe, Miguel's Coffee, & tracks like Common's Good Morning Love & Aqyila's Hello, you definitely get a small diverse collection within this 13 track catalog. I wanna close by saying nothing ever truly dies, you just have to know where to look,

Enjoy.

It took me some time to write the synopsis for this collection of music. I took some time to re-listen to Muse, as well as When You Rise, and 18/365. Looking back I think it acts as a live documentation of my journey through discovering and learning more about African/black diasporic music around the world. The history is vast and ever evolving and as sounds like Afrobeat and Amapiano continue to make its rise throughout America and eventually the world, I honestly cant wait to see how all the genres continue to grow, evolve, and maybe even mesh together through fusion. This playlist opens with soulful and rhythmic sounds of Marvin Gaye and Brandy then expands into a high tempo conglomeration introducing your ears to  Bad To Me and Lojay's Avaliabu. This Tracklist takes you on a journey covering topics like mistrust, love, living life, and the overall expierence of falling for someone. As this series comes to a close its nice to have been able to live, love, and curate something that expressed and made sense of this time period of life.

Apple Music Link 

"It's just a whole lotta different vibes" - Christana Green

In the past, the playlists I've put together have been overtly organized heavily focused on transitions, dynamics, and the overall gaze of a collection played in order from start to finish. While that structure is still an option, I'd be lying if I said that was one of my main focuses while making selections for this release. Instead I wanted to take a more lighthearted approach focusing more on the simple love of music across the diaspora acutely surrounding the theme;  songs of  the summer. Country, R&B/Soul , Pop,  Contemporary Jazz, Afro-beat, Afrobeats, Alte,  Rap, HipHop,  Electronic, & even Ambient Jazz all can be heard here. It was important for me to highlight the scope of diversity in our music all while unifying the collective by housing so many different vibes in one place. Sure S.O.S  may not be sounds of unison but you sure are up for a listening experience with range.  Play it in order, on shuffle, or even do both. However you listen, make sure you go in with an open heart, mind, & ear. Welcome the season with music that matches the strength of its spirit. 

Happy Summer.

Apple Music Link 

Inspired by futuristic afro fantasy as seen in media like; Love Craft Country, the visual sonic sound of Rema’s “HEIS” album, tropes from childhood , as well as Virgil Abloh’s beliefs in making a play on being ironic all while, “saying two things at once”. We bring you Trick or Treat?  Interpretation 1

Apple Music Link