Disney recruits Rapsody for new EP
Grammy-nominated lyricist Rapsody has written “maybe 15 verses this year to reflect the times” — as she put it — about the Black experience. So when Disney asked the rapper to pen a new tune for a new EP honoring Black lives and social justice, she thought to herself: “How else can I talk about what’s going on?”
Recorded under lockdown, Rapsody came up with the soulful rap tune “Pray Momma Don’t Cry.” She said she pulled from Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology),” calling the songs “beautiful music, but it was also heavy and real at the same time.”
“Pray Momma Don’t Cry” is one of four songs featured on “I Can’t Breathe/Music for the Movement,” an album that is a joint venture between Disney Music Group and The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture.
Rapsody is hoping the album can unite people.
“Sometimes music does more than sitting across the table trying to hammer something into somebody’s head who just doesn’t get it because they don’t live your life,” she said. “Music is a universal language in that way.”
Rapsody’s song is the sole original track on the EP — to be released Friday — with the rest of the album focused on covers of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” The Impressions’ “People Get Ready” and Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology).”
Grammy-winning soul singer Bilal adds vocals to “Pray Momma Don’t Cry” to bring it to life, while other stars on the album include Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin, Alex Isley, Jensen McRae and Kee
dron Bryant.
Wonder releases new songs:
Stevie Wonder released two new songs Tuesday reflecting the current times that he hopes inspires change — “Where Is Our Love Song” and “Can’t Put It In the Hands of Fate.”
The 70-year-old pianoplaying icon also gave an update on his health during a virtual press conference Tuesday, saying he “was blessed with a new kidney” last December.
“Since I have been released from the hospital, the nurses have made sure I’ve taken my medicine on time, and I’m going to do it for as long as I have to, even if it is the rest of my life. I feel great. My voice feels great,” he said. “I feel like I’m about 40 right now, and I just thank everyone for the prayers and the love.”
BTS dominates top two Billboard spots:
As of Monday, South Korean boy
band BTS has made Billboard history by landing at both No. 1 and No. 2 on the Hot 100.
With “Savage Love” beating out “Dynamite” for the top spot, BTS is the first group to achieve such a feat since the Black Eyed Peas topped the Hot 100 chart with “Boom Boom Pow” and “I Gotta Feeling” in 2009.
Jason Derulo, Jawsh 685 and BTS dropped their “Savage Love (Laxed — Siren Beat)” remix earlier this month, while the K-pop sensation’s hit single “Dynamite” arrived on the Hot 100 in September.
Oct. 14 birthdays: Singer Cliff Richard is 80. Singer Justin Hayward is 74.
Actor Greg Evigan is 67. Singer Thomas Dolby is 62. Actor Lori Petty is 57. Singer Karyn White is 55. Actor Jon Seda is 50. Singer Natalie Maines is 46. Singer Shaznay Lewis is 45. Singer Usher is 42. Actor Skyler Shaye is 34. Comedian Jay Pharoah is 33.