Every month, aftownmusic will be highlighting one album/EP or mixtape just for it's sheer brilliance and replay value.
This month's pick of the month is Baaba J's "Lumumba St", a 5 track project that holds your attention from the intro to the last song. The songs span across different genres and is a perfect introduction to who Baaba J is, what she represents and her sound range.
Unlike most intros that rarely get played again, Baaba J's titled "Intro" is a soulful love song about yearning for love. Her voice catches you by surprise and the emotion is felt in her voice. The transition from this to the next love song "Forever" is seamless. You almost don't know you've moved on to the next song except for the change in the pace of the song. On "Black or White", Baaba switches from singing her heart out to taking on a more quiet tone to fit the riddim of the song preaching unity, peace and togetherness regardless of your background or identification. "Play Along" is like the artiste's personal CV and bio..on this, Baaba obviously had fun recording. You can tell with the way she skips along on the beat, bragging and showing she can do it all: rap and sing.
The last song "Tomboy" is fun and like an extension of her 'bio' on "Play Along" On this song, she sings about being a Tomboy and how it's nothing to be ashamed of.
The most interesting thing about Lumumba St lies in the careful arrangement of the songs. It's like a pleasant rhythmic uphill climb preaching all forms of love from romantic love, loving yourself and believing in your capabilities as well as loving others for who they are.
Listen to Lumumba St on aftownmusic here: Lumumba St