When I moved to New Orleans 8 years ago, I wanted to get a running start on everything the city had to offer: The food, the people, the culture, and, of course, the music. My long-time friend, , moved here shortly after I did, and somehow connected with the local jazz scene almost immediately. She would tell me about jazz nights at a club not far from Bourbon St. called Starlight, where one of her co-workers sang on Sundays. That’s where I first heard Gabrielle Cavassa sing.

Fast foward to 2026, Gabbi releases her Blue Note debut, Diavola, an internal conflict of Cavassa’s artist and personal identity. Produced by Joshua Redman and Don Was.

I had the pleasure of discussing with her goals moving foward as an artist, the process of creating her alter-ego Diavola, and what made crafting this album so different from others.

Nick: So, was Diavola a conscious decision? What’s her origin? When did you assign her characteristics?

Gabi: I never thought about it. But before creating Diavola, like a few years before, I feel like I started to have episodes of anger that I’d never had before that. It’s intoxicating. Just because anger doesn’t come really easily to me. And, but as I’ve learned in therapy, it is an emotion that we all have. So, if you’re not feeling it, you’re just repressing it. So, when I would get angry, I was like thrilled by it. And it was like made me feel really powerful and also creative.

Like I had some creative anger moments. So, maybe that was the first thing. But I have never necessarily connected that before right now. But I think I was just dealing with, you know, self, with greater self-knowledge comes a necessity. And as you live life and more situations come up and you need to have, and you, with greater self-knowledge comes a need for greater self-acceptance.

So, I just felt like in music, that’s a place where I always want to be honest. That’s a place where I always want to be able to confront what I’m really dealing with. And if I’m trying to write a song, but I’m feeling so guilty about what I want to say, there became a need for me to be like, I just need to write this as somebody else. Because I’m feeling shame for everything that I’m thinking. So, like, if someone else could do it, then we could get the job done.

Nick: I really think it’s funny you say that because Diavola, the title track, is my favorite.

Gabi: Cool.

Nick: For my first impression, it just felt like, not despair, but it was like a little sad…

Gabi: I think it’s a little sad.

Nick: I guess what I’m going to ask is, was it intended to represent her?

Gabi: Yeah. Like, I had thought of the character and had started to embody the character in my other song choices before writing the title track. But I wanted her to have a theme song. Yeah. I was like, she needs a theme song. But I already had this whole idea about her before I even started writing the song. So it felt like that’s why it was hard to write because it was, like, a lot of pressure.

Nick: How long have you been touring with this character?

Gabi: Um, well, I remember when I thought of her name, it was, um...

Honestly, it’s a long time. It was the summer before I started touring with Joshua Redmond. So 2023 that summer. That’s when I thought of the concept Diavela. And I had already, even though Blue Note didn’t announce my signing until actually a full year later, I had already signed in 2023 in the summer. So I was thinking about a record.

All the rest of it, all the content came later, but the concept actually came first.

Nick: So you were sitting on it?

Gabi: Yeah.

Nick: Tell me about the collaboration with Joshua Redman

Gabi: Well, it was so unlike anything I’ve ever experienced as, like, a freelance musician. Usually, a musician’s work and definitely my work have been so varied, you know? It’s like every day I’m working with different band leaders or on my own project. There are so many different types of work that I would usually be doing. But in this period of my life, working with Josh, it was only working with Josh. And it was so fucking fun to just dive fully into a project and to be able to afford to do that and to have a life where I’m just focused on one...

Yeah, one thing. And a lot of my responsibilities were removed without being a band leader, without having to juggle so many projects. All I have to do is focus on doing the best job I can musically in this group. Look good, show up, you know? And touring’s hard, but it’s just physically hard. Just focus on your basic needs, like sleeping, eating, which is hard.

But it just simplified everything. So that time that I spent with him was really intense for all of us. And we all became really close because that’s all we were doing.

It was just so intense that having him be there just felt like a natural bridge into my own project.

Nick: So what else is different from pre-recorded albums? I mean, record your record and record your label versus everything.

Gabi: Everything’s so different. I’m not in charge fully. It’s like Blue Note owns my voice and Blue Note owns the record. And it’s a really different reality than owning your own music and putting it out when you want to put it out, how you want to put it out.

And of all the labels that I could be working with, I’m so glad that I’m with Blue Note. That was like a freaky, manifested thing from childhood. Like, that’s my favorite label.

Nick: How did that happen?

Gabi: I don’t know.

It’s because, serendipitously, Josh was between labels when he recorded Where Are We? So he had self-funded that and then was shopping it around and Blue Note wanted it. And Don was wanted to sign me, I think, immediately after hearing Josh’s record. And that was his first time hearing me.

Nick: There’s one interaction I feel like I’ve always had with other jazz musicians, specifically. And anyone in that world that I’ve met with my brother, who asks a lot, " Are you a musician?” Josh did pretty much the same thing. Oh, he was like, “What are you doing here then?”

I got to ask him this question, and I’ll ask you the same: Who is the music for the artist or the audience?”

Gabi: That’s a question that I think about a lot that has changed throughout my life. First of all, I think jazz musicians especially can be so... It’s their world. And so it’s like...If you’re not a jazz musician, they’re like, “Oh, what are we going to talk about?” You know? It’s not necessarily that they don’t think it’s for you.

But I came from the Bay Area prior to this.

And there I truly felt that the music that I wanted to make and just showing up to make every night, like gigging, was for the other musicians.

And I cared about impressing the other musicians.

Period. I didn’t even look at the audience. I didn’t know if they were looking at me either.

And then when I moved here, and I was 23 when I moved to New Orleans,

I could feel so immediately and so clearly that music here is for the audience.

And that really changed me and really excited me. And I think made me a far better performer. Which I had a lot of work to do. I used to just close my eyes and look down. So I’ve come a long way and I’ll still never be dancing on stage or something. And I feel like the jazz world can be really insular and for each other. I feel like I have to, as a singer and as a woman, I feel like I have to be some kind of a bridge to the other world. Like the singing is like, it’s so relatable. Everyone can sing. So when you introduce a singer, it’s so much more for an audience, or it can be. The potential for it being for an audience is much greater. Because I love it and I want other people to love it. And so I want to be able to, also a generational bridge. I want young people to be able to get into this. I’m getting older, but I still feel capable of bridging that. I don’t feel responsible, but I feel like it’s just true to who I am. There’s a part of me that’s an insular jazz nerd, but not all of me.

Nick: I’m also curious about your audience. Who do you want to be a bridge for? New jazz listeners or just for like, singers and casual listeners?

Gabi: Well, and interesting that you say jazz listeners, I also feel like what I’m doing isn’t really jazz. And so I hope that like,it can be a bridge for jazz people into something else. I feel like it can... I hope it could be a bridge for you, like a young person who could hear me like me, and then actually they’re going to discover like Sarah Vaughan now, you know?

And there’s so many bridges, and I don’t mean like to be self-important, like I’m a bridge, but I just think any art can be a bridge that’s accessible to people. And for me, it’s like any art that I get into, it leads me to something else. So like, I do think of it that way. And it’s been fun.

I always think of myself as like a music researcher. Like, it’s just fun to like get into something and then it leads you to something else and you discover how deep it is. And like, I feel like, you know, I would love to be that for somebody.

Nick: Yeah, and it’s funny to say that because that’s how I look hip-hop. Hip-hop is my bridge to jazz.

Gabi: And for girls! Like, when I started in...

In, like, going to so many jam sessions and stuff, all dudes. Sometimes I would, like, bring my friend, like, girlfriends. And the guys would be like, “Oh, my gosh. We’ve never seen so many girls.” And when I started leading a jam session, so many more girls there.

Nick: So you want to be a girl bridge.

Gabi: Yeah, girl bridge. Girl bridge. Totally.

Nick: Okay. What about Diavola ? What is she a bridge to?

Gabi: Hmm. I think Diavola is a bridge for me. Like, Diavola is a bridge for me toward, into truth, into fantasy. I try not to create; it’s interesting because we’ve been talking about this question of like the audience versus the musicians

I’m not writing or thinking about art with the audience in mind because I feel like it’s kind of futile, even though that’s who it’s for, but, I also, I don’t think I would do this career if it weren’t for the audience. Like, my work is so for other people.

Like, I don’t think I would be taking this half as seriously if it weren’t for others. It really is. But when I’m making it, I’m not thinking about others or how it would be received because my hunch is that the more personal, the more accurately I can portray something that’s complicated to put words to, the more accurately I can get into like what I am feeling, the more potentially relatable that it could be for others, the more of a bridge it could be for others into themselves or into other music or into whatever.

So that would be the end goal, but I’m not thinking of it as a bridge, like, of what the bridge could be for others.

But if it isn’t, if it’s a good bridge for me, I think it has the most potential to be a good bridge for others.

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I’ve been intimately connected with music for as long as I can remember. As a hobby, conduit for relationships, and eventually, marketing experiments.

Honoring that passion, I looked into graduate school.

Here’s literally my statement of purpose, originally written as part of my graduate school application. Sharing this with you to hopefully inspire and to keep a digital time capsule.

Left a playlist down there, too.

Growing up in Southern Baptist churches, I grappled with questions of purpose, moral responsibility, and meaningful labor—concerns that shaped my understanding of time, creativity, and intention. These formative frameworks continue to inform my academic interests, particularly my commitment to scholarship that connects rigorous inquiry with cultural responsibility. Graduate study in musicology offers the most appropriate intellectual space for advancing this commitment.

My academic preparation combines formal training with sustained independent research and documentation. As an undergraduate at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where I studied mass communication, I developed a foundation in media analysis, narrative construction, and audience-centered research. Alongside my coursework, I founded and operated a hip-hop blog titled Sliktron, dedicated to documenting and promoting emerging rap artists across Louisiana. This project required original research, critical listening, interviewing, and editorial decision-making, and it introduced me to questions central to musicological inquiry: whose music is preserved, how histories are constructed, and which voices are granted institutional legitimacy.

Through writing essays, conducting artist interviews, and curating podcasts and playlists, I became acutely aware of regional inequities in music discourse. Narratives surrounding Louisiana hip-hop often centered on New Orleans and Baton Rouge, while marginalizing artists from other parts of the state. My work sought to counter this imbalance by producing primary documentation of underrepresented scenes. This experience clarified my scholarly interests in regionalism, cultural memory, and the processes through which musical traditions are canonized or excluded.

My research interests have increasingly focused on the period in hip-hop history known as the “Blog Era” (approximately 2009–2017), during which artists distributed music directly to audiences through online platforms. While this period fostered creative independence and stylistic experimentation, it also generated a fragile and dispersed archive. Many recordings were hosted on platforms such as DatPiff and LiveMixtapes, which are now defunct or inaccessible, placing a substantial body of culturally significant music at risk of disappearance. This archival precarity mirrors longstanding challenges in jazz history, particularly regarding early recordings, live performance documentation, and regional scenes.

My proposed graduate research is grounded in a central premise that is frequently asserted yet insufficiently examined within academic musicology: that rap music functions as a contemporary extension of jazz. While the claim that “rap is jazz” circulates widely in popular discourse, it is often treated metaphorically rather than analyzed through sustained historical, analytical, and cultural frameworks. I aim to investigate the structural, social, and aesthetic continuities between these genres, situating them within shared histories of Black musical innovation, improvisation, resistance, and technological adaptation.

In addition to archival and historical research, I am interested in the applied dimensions of musicological scholarship, including its intersections with media and industry practices such as music supervision for film and television. This work represents an avenue through which scholarly expertise can inform public-facing cultural production while ensuring ethical treatment and compensation of artists. My interest in this area complements my academic goals by foregrounding the material conditions of musical labor.

My perspective is further shaped by observing my older brother’s career as a jazz bassist. Witnessing his navigation of artistic precarity and professional sustainability deepened my awareness of the structural challenges musicians face across genres and reinforced my commitment to research that considers music not only as sound or text but as lived practice.

I seek to develop a rigorous, interdisciplinary approach that integrates musicology, jazz studies, cultural history, and archival research. By examining rap as a contemporary manifestation of jazz, my work aims to contribute to scholarly conversations about continuity within Black musical traditions, the politics of preservation, and the evolving relationship between music, technology, and cultural memory.

Ultimately, my enthusiasm for this work is rooted in a lifelong and expansive engagement with music across genres. While hip-hop and jazz anchor my current research interests, my listening and analytical practices extend broadly across musical forms, styles, and historical periods. I approach music not as a fixed object of study but as a living practice—one that reflects social conditions, technological change, and human creativity in constant dialogue. Graduate study at Tulane represents an opportunity to refine this curiosity into a sustained scholarly contribution, guided by rigorous training and an intellectually vibrant musical environment. I am eager to engage deeply with diverse repertoires, methodologies, and perspectives, and to contribute my passion, discipline, and sense of purpose to the music community.

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Loud and Wrong

I hate to start with homework. Here’s a quick synopsis for those of us who aren’t chronically online:

The good folks with wrote an excellent piece covering everything you need to know about the Oakland rapper LaRussell, his claim to fame as an independent artist, and the recent debacle from early this month.

Shatter the Standards

LaRussell’s Engineer Told Him Not to Drop “Heaven Sent,” and He Should Have Listened

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3 months ago · 14 likes · 2 comments · Blackpolitan and Jamila W.

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Not too late for a Happy New Year's post? Didn’t think so! How are we feeling? How was your 2025? Did you check all the boxes you needed to? Do you have your resolutions or guiding word in place?

Every December 31st, I find myself reflecting on those questions internally. This new year didn’t feel like a fresh start or reset—it felt like an extension of the momentum from 2025. My word for last year was Development. I aimed to turn the challenging lessons of 2024 into growth by finding and nurturing my community, continuing to write, taking more photos, reading more, speaking up, and making the most of my therapy. Mission accomplished, chat!

“Who do you trust? Me!”

This year, my word is trust—trust in God and in myself. ADHD can play cruel tricks, distorting intuition because capitalism wasn’t built with neurodivergents in mind. As a result, I often have to consciously redirect my thinking, choosing to trust my decisions and intellect. Trusting myself also means keeping the promises I make, honoring my word, and following through on them. If I can’t trust myself, how can I expect others to trust or take me seriously? 2026 is serious.

Notes from the Garden

Ok, 2026 is mostly serious.

Since ya’ll loved my loose thoughts from my last post so much, here are some of the brilliant concepts I noted during my smoke breaks before the new year:

• Waffle House should sell lighters at the register - feels right.

• Turbulence is a better-fitted word to describe rough patches in life. Comes when you're half-asleep and always unexpected, but the flight evens out eventually

• Keeping up with the bit is non-negotiable. It’s make or break for me in my relationships, both romantic and platonic. Play with me!

• I think my frontal lobe has just fully developed.

• Savage Life by Webbie was so big regionally. He personified street culture in Louisiana. From the accent, to the mindset, aggressiveness, and even humor. Street niggas are funny! That and Badazz Mixtape Vol. 2 from Boosie are the crown jewels of Trill Fam Ent.

• Men do know quickly. It doesn’t take long to know if a potential relationship is worth trying. You’ve seen how we shop.

On Repeat: Love Me Not by Ravyn Lanae

As we continue to learn about ourselves and address ongoing trauma, it is important to find what grounds you and hold onto it. My main takeaway from last year is that the more vulnerable and authentic you are, the easier it becomes to find the community that loves you appropriately. What was your takeaway lesson from last year?

This month’s playlist is 100 songs I’ve shared throughout my social media accounts in 2025. Everything from Smino to Bad Bunny. I’d recommend this one on shuffle. Talk to ya’ll soon!

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The first time I stumbled on this song was through my Pops. He has a distinct taste for guitar riffs and delta blues. But the song stuck with me when Martin Scorsese paired it with a walking shot of Leo Decapro as Jordan Belfort, a famous Playboy and stockbroker, in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Listen to all the drugs this white boy was on:

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If I can’t send out one article a month, juggle a visual media team, and take care of myself, how will I be able to support a family? This is what my brain does to me when I find myself overwhelmed during my lunch breaks. Will I have the capacity to do what my heart desires and be dependable for my loved ones? Do I have the range, or does my ADHD place a cap on how much I can endure?

“God won’t put anything on you that you can’t handle.” How many times have you heard that? Was it more stressful than encouraging at times? Sure, it always comes down to priorities, but I want to make time for everything. Excelling in my career, being a reliable friend, godfather, and potential partner. I read somewhere that men find value in dependability. I was resistant to it until now; I only wanted to be responsible for myself because I was terrified at the chance of letting people down. As someone who struggles with trust, I understand the value of having someone to trust me enough to get it done. Trust is sacred. Trusting the process is just as important. I’ve been training for a half-marathon, and something I’ve learned is that if you want to run faster, you have to run speed intervals; running as fast as you can on and off incrementally at short distances. This is how you increase your speed. Testing our current capacity is how we get better. Don’t just take it from me, sums it up better than I can.

ALLDRESSEDUPP

The art of being a F'ing Dawg

When the deck is stacked against us, we have two options in life. We fight or we fold. We run for the hills or we run toward battle. Some people are meant to run for the hills, and others are bred for the battle. There’s a delicate balance in choosing when you operate on each side. You need to consider those around you, yourself, your public perception…

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8 months ago · 8 likes · 4 comments · B4

And Another Thing!

Since you’re here, there are a few other things that have been rattling my brain for the last few weeks:

• I thought reconciliation would end the grief of the relationship. You never match that first high, do you?

• 34 is too dangerous to pick up skateboarding? Gotta be.

• I don’t want to slow dance with strangers anymore. When did I limit my capacity for intimate moments?

• Is what you’re doing worth it if the church folk on Facebook don’t share it?

• Why do I need to connect my appliances to WiFi?

• Do you think Westside Gunn really cooked a brick in an air fryer? How many tries did it take?

That’s it. Just wanted to get that off my chest. Life is messy, ya know? Here’s a random ass playlist to match this random bag of thoughts. Talk to you soon!

Rather Be Home Tote Bag

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What I Mean By: Rather Be Home

If you’ve been subscribed to Playlist Park long enough, I’m sure you’ve noticed I use the phrase often. I’ve even titled my first collection of print photography after it. Let me explain what I mean by this and where it came from.

In college, there was a running joke about how I was an old man in a 20-something-year-old’s body. I was always the first to Irish Goodbye out of the function or the first one caught yawning. Excuse me for enjoying the space I take the time to curate with everything I love within arm's reach. I love my couch!

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against going out, I just quickly become bored without novelty. Plus, I historically have a limited social battery in group settings. I thrived in house parties versus club experiences.

Later, I found a group of fellow homebodies who had the same sentiments about their living spaces. We started a group chat called Rather Be Home where we shared music and kept each other updated on our lives when we didn’t have the capacity to leave the house. We toyed with the idea of monetizing the concept, but it didn’t get far. Over time and with their blessing, I kept the idea going because, for one, it was too good to pass up, two, that thing that Rick Rubin said about unutilized ideas traveling person-to-person until it’s manifested haunted me, and three, I was truly attached to the project.

Two things I wouldn’t trade in the world: Being Black and being southern. I want you to experience the warmth of being called baby by an old black lady at a grocery store and the oddly satisfying comfort of cicada hums in all of my work, especially in my film photography.

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Playlist Park #6: Rather Be Home

I’ve been a visual storyteller/videographer for almost a decade. I discovered my talent as a means of being creative and eventually providing for myself without the crutch of ADHD meds. I could tell stories of the unheard and some of my favorite artists while being a fly on the wall. I was invisible but I knew my role. I found comfort in it. I was behin…

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2 years ago · 2 likes · Nick Pierre

Ok, Back To Why We’re Here

I’m selling tote bags! I wanted to share with you guys first! For my introverted farmer’s market goers, vinyl shoppers, and fellow Trader Joe’s regulars. I even made a playlist for your leisurely strolls to go with it. Take a piece of my home with you everywhere.

On Repeat: Bag Talk by Joey Purp

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I told my therapist something that felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders:

I’m My Best Self When I’m Alone

(shivers from vulnerability)

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It’s been a minute since my last PP post. I took a month off for my birthday to reset and experiment with alternative ways to share and discuss music through the Singles and Interludes sections. I owe you guys a playlist!

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Make Time for Yourself

I’ve lived several lives in my 34 years in this journey called life. I am grateful to God for allowing me to become every version of myself that I envisioned while daydreaming between lectures as a college student. I held onto my passion and explored every creative avenue within the realm of storytelling. I've pursued a marketing career, earning respect from professionals in suits, embraced my identity as a former dreadheaded visual artist in corporate settings, and embraced my role as an intentional storyteller, among other experiences.

Life moves quickly, and before I knew it, my birthday had arrived. In recent years, I haven’t made much of my birthday, which I regretted almost immediately afterward. I would overthink my plans to the point where I ended up with no plans at all, trying to make the best of whatever the day offered. I didn’t realize I needed a break until I actually took one. Maneuvering through the streets of Brooklyn, creating a loose agenda day by day, and reconnecting with old friends in Atlanta was just what I needed. That’s what it’s all about, right? Enjoying dim sum tours and live music.

Music Lovers Find Each Other

You’re here because you love music, whether it’s through Substack referrals or my endless posts floating around the internet. During my trip to Brooklyn, I made it a point to visit Blackstar Vinyl in Bed-Stuy. Not long after finding a copy of Marvin Gaye’s Here, My Dear, the barista, Malachi, caught my attention. He casually recommended a record by Angela Bofill, a Cuban-Puerto Rican artist from the Bronx. Instead of pushing hard for a sale, he took his time and played some of his favorite tracks from the album. As soon as I heard "Share Your Love," I was sold. We continued to geek out over her incredible vocals and her Latin-inspired take on R&B and jazz. Eventually, he asked me a question that I get often:

“Do you DJ?”

No, I just love music

Then he dapped me up, a “You get it” dap.

On Repeat: Share Your Love by Angela Bofill

If I could do this life thing over, I would choose to come back as a Black Man every time. And more specifically, a SOUTHERN Black Man. I love being southern, stg. However, if I had the chance to send a message to a younger version of myself, I would tell Lil P that he is enough just as he is. You don’t have to work too hard when you are true to yourself. Some of those cheesy clichés hold up better than you might think. Some of the best advice I’ve been given was to be the person you needed when you were younger. Taking care of the inner child meant an adventure to some of the blackest cities in the country. What about you? What is something small you would be proud of yourself for right now?

This month’s playlist is a medley of old and new from Metroboomin’, Olivia Dean, David Ruffin, Kokoroko, and more. See ya’ll next month!

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Rather Be Home: A Prints by Pierre Collection

The first album I bought was "S Club" by S Club 7. Remember that UK band that had its own show in the 90s? Yes, that one. However, my first rap album was Lil Flip’s "Underground Legend." My first mixtape was a nearly demolished, burned CD of "Choppem Up 8," a collaborative mixtape featuring the Swishahouse roster, chopped and screwed by DJ Michael “5000” Watts. It was gifted to me by my older cousin, who traveled between Lafayette and Houston for work.

At the time, I was a preteen, so I hid this album from my parents' line of sight as if it were a Playboy magazine. I had never heard anything like it before. It featured early renditions of Chamillionaire, long before "Ridin’ Dirty." His screwed voice sounded inhuman, almost like a supernatural creature with an extensive vocabulary and an irresponsible spending habit. He personified luxury and wealth, and as a Southern black man, his rapping remains some of the most brilliant I've ever heard.

Country Cousins and The Zydeco Boss Keith Frank

My hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, are cultural cousins, often connected by the oil industry and, at times, even by family ties. Imagine if Houston rap legend Big Moe were alive and had learned to play the accordion after a few tour stops in Opelousas, Louisiana. That concept is the closest thing I can compare to modern Zydeco. Some of my fondest memories are waking up to the sounds of a Zydeco cover of “Ride With Me” by Nelly. This is what my childhood sounds like. Memories like these are also tied to one man. The big boss himself, Keith Frank.

In 2019, Keith Frank, known as the "Boss of Zydeco" music, released a live album recorded over Labor Day weekend. Live From Mamou Vol. 1 features his original music blended with classic soul records like Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” and Bobby Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love.”

Here’s what makes it special. Having it chopped and screwed by one of DJ Screw’s mentees from the Swishahouse camp. This project encapsulates the Creole country experience in 12 songs. Zydeco music is as unique as the culture itself. The sounds of fingers gliding over guitar and bass strings, and spoons striking washboards, are the sounds of my home—a place where Black cowboys still roam today, often holding Bud Lights instead of ropes. It’s a culture where every part of a pig is cooked and followed by a celebration in some form.

This music reminds me of when my family was in better health, too busy enjoying homemade margaritas to worry about their blood pressure. Dancing together whenever they could, grateful for each other's presence. That is Southwest Louisiana—the southern hospitality you often hear about.

While Washington, D.C., has go-go, Chicago boasts drill, and New Orleans is known for bounce music, just two hours west of the Crescent City lies my home, where zydeco thrives. I have learned to take pride in my roots, as they inspire my creativity and warmth.

Here’s a playlist with some music that reminds me of home by DJ Screw, Keith Frank, and many chopped and screw-influenced artists from Louisiana to PG County. Talk to you soon.

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Do legacy rap acts like Lil Wayne or Andre 3000 have anything left to prove? Where does creative grace come in? What are your thoughts on The Carter 6 and music outside of what’s expected from our favorite artist?

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He Paid Them in Cadillacs!?

The film delves into the life of record label executive Leonard Chess and the artist who built it to fame and glory—artists such as Etta James, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, and Chuck Berry. I’m not going to get into how much of a piece of shit Leonard was, but I highly recommend checking out this movie if you haven’t already. Beyonce played Etta James, by the way.

Rules of a Brown Eyed Handsome Man, According to Chuck

“If there was a Mount Rushmore of rock 'n' roll, Chuck Berry would be dead center" - Lee Rocker

Ight, if you’re unfamiliar with Chuck Berry, the man was unhinged. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002 for his patented sound that “inspired” artists like the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, and numerous other white acts credited as Rock and Roll hierarchy. He was a documented armed robber, preacher’s kid, and master showman with a guitar. By 1960, he was a hit-machine, releasing 36 singles, 5 EPs, and 12 albums.

Learning all of this for the first time, I was completely mesmerized by his legacy and contributions to music. His humor and personality were infectious, and you can get to the core of who he was with each song. Like finding out “Ding-A-Ling” was a number 1 hit for the dirty old man. But by far my favorite song by Wild Man Chuck is “Brown Eyed Handsome Man.” One, I could relate. Two, it had to be autobiographical. I doubt the world’s first rockstar had an issue meeting women.

Let me break down the hell a Brown Eyed Handsome Man caused back then:

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In 2020, during the peak of the pandemic, I finally established a solid morning routine: Prayer, stretching, running two miles, making breakfast, a morning joint, grabbing some coffee, and then starting my video edits for the day. That's when I heard this in my Release Radar playlist:

Old soul don't fold, roll solo
Old head, I might pull up in the Volvo

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Is being an opportunist an offset of discernment, or is it something else, like procrastination? There’s some talent in it, right? Having an eye for a great idea, paired with the appropriate time to move forward and a keen sense to understand the timeline in which it will work? Right? I don't know, man. I’m tired.

Burnt

What was potentially my most significant creative achievement fell through at the start of the year. On top of all that, I’m starting to FEEL my 30s. I trained for a half-marathon suggested by my sister-in-law, only to injure myself in the process—just a week before the race! I was pissed.

Currently, my life revolves around work: media coordination during the day, homework at night, AND on weekends. FOMO is kicking in because the weather is immaculate. The springest spring that spring ever sprung. Birds chirpin’ n shit. And where am I? Not mouth harassing a margarita, oh no. I'm inside, working on a day-late assignment about SEO analytics because I fell asleep mid-paragraph at my computer hours before it was due. I’m burnt, chat! Cooked! Overdone and dry!

I'm trying to rekindle any type of social life, stay sharp creatively, put on some muscle, and maintain a 3.0 GPA (not by choice, but by the program requirements. What do you mean Cs get degrees but not certificates?!)

The last time I felt this burnt out, I had to check myself into a mental health clinic.

Story Time

Back in 2019, I was a hungry videographer eager to construct a name for myself as a professional cameraman and find my place among the creatives in New Orleans. To me, New Orleans is a sacred place, rich in Black history and culture—elements that the locals rightfully protect from those with insincere motives. The best advice I obtained when I moved here, concerning how to document and navigate respectfully around the city as a newcomer, came from thespian and New Orleanian Wendell Pierce.

If you love this city, and do right by this city. We will love you back ~ Wendell Pierce

At this time, I was pushing myself to the limits, truly burning the candle at both ends, as the old folks would say. Working from 9 to 5 as an in-house editor and producer, then editing personal and client projects as soon as I clock out. Some days I would leave my office at 8 PM, only to turn around and do it all over again a few hours later. The work was heavy, ranging from news promos about blighted pools becoming eyesores in suburbia to cold cases of 13-year-old murders resurfacing. Now, add seasonal depression, loneliness, and heartbreak into the mix and you get an emotional time bomb waiting to explode. I was completely exhausted; the work felt never-ending, leaving no time for self-care. I broke under the pressure and rushed to the emergency room in tears, leaving work mid-shift. Little did I know, if you mentioned any thoughts of self-harm, you had to be admitted for at least 72 hours for monitoring. I was taken to a mental health facility an hour away from the city at 2 a.m. I sent a few texts and a cryptic tweet before handing in my phone.

If ya’ll don’t hear from me in a few days, just know I got the help I needed

Reset

I slept for 12 hours straight in the facility. Best sleep of my life, lowkey. I was assigned a psychologist to evaluate my situation, only to conclude a nigga just needed a break. His words, not mine.

After my release, my big brother picked me up and we had a heart-to-heart about a similar crash out he had during a bad break-up when he was my age.

Fast forward, I return to work and am welcomed by HR. Remember, I just left work in the middle of my shift and practically disappeared for 3 days. I didn’t know where this conversation was headed. She closes my door upon entering, with tears in her eyes, and asks me if she can hug me. She told me she was very proud of me, as a Black man, for asking for help. She added that she hopes her son will have the same courage to seek help if he ever finds himself in a dark place. From that day forward, I have made sure not to let myself burn out in that way again.

I frequently wonder if my reluctance to shoot and edit video is connected to past trauma. This may have led me to embrace film photography as a way to relieve pressure. Nevertheless, we must not allow fear to hinder or diminish our God-given talents.

On Repeat: Shake Junt by Los Kemet

I revisit the article above whenever I feel defeated. Life is long, and I refuse to give up before figuring things out. We need to take care of ourselves. School isn’t going anywhere, and another opportunity will always arise.

This month's playlist is a personal favorite. Most of these songs helped lift the fog or remind me of people who made 2019 feel lighter, even at its heaviest.

See ya’ll next month!

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Club Covid

Throughout March, my Instagram has reminded me how different our lives were during the initial first wave of COVID-19 5 years ago. Sudden deaths, hygiene adjustments, and online DJ sets like Verzuz changed the world around us weeks apart. It also could be the reason why so many of us are still struggling to reacclimatize to life outside of isolation, but that’s a whole different subject. Remember the PEAK of Verzuz? Two artists pitching their catalogs back and forth from their janky at-home streaming set-ups? Beat battles from the comfort of our bedrooms.

I don’t think we’ll ever get shows like that again for free. Scott Storch vs. Mannie Fresh, Nelly Vs. Ludacris, Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott. For many of us, it was a nostalgic euphoria of all the music we grew up with. For others, it was an introduction to so much music that is now the foundation of popular samples and other hit songs.

Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to introduce yourself. A playlist of the music that formed your personality. The audio DNA of your upbringing. What would yours sound like?

Family Matters

You know there’s a science to this? In a 2022 study, tests show our genetic composition could influence our culture preferences and habits. That includes our tastes in media. To be clear, there isn’t a gene that makes you favor one genre more than the other. Instead, the study finds some of us are provided with the right cognitive abilities, amount of patience, and curiosities, to appreciate certain forms of art and media better than others.

“We show that there is a significant genetic component to the overall cultural consumption. Within families, the cultural preferences for highbrow, lowbrow or popular culture are primarily transmitted by shared genes. That said, the individual experiences we encounter outside the family through friends, media and so on are also of great importance. So, it is not a question of either genetic heritage or the environment. It is both.” - Stine Møllegaard

On Repeat: Funny by KEY!

This month, I’m administering a challenge I want you to consider. Relax—it isn't an essay or anything too strenuous. What would that sound like if you had to introduce yourself through a playlist? I’m down to share mine if you’re down to share yours. Let’s circle back next month, cool? Cool.

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Weird year so far right? I don’t want to linger too long on the new historic events we’ve seen in January alone, so lets talk about music. I’ve complied some of my favorite words to live by in some of my favorite songs throughout the years:

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Situations. Will arise.  (Usher, 2001)

Job 14:1: Anyone born of a woman, their days are short and full of trouble.

Please don’t take your time young man (Erykah Badu, 2000)

A mentor at my former church gave me solid advice when I was discouraged about undergrad, you know how the end of the semester can get. At the time, I was ready to count my losses and join the army. 

“Take your time, hurry up”

It spoke to every Capricorn placement in my body. Reflecting on it in my 30s, it hits differently. You have the time. Make the time. When there’s time. You know what I mean? Don’t procrastinate.

When the time comes, that hint of light from the crack of the doorway, that’s your opportunity in. You’re equipped with everything you need to fulfill your passion. Do “that thing”, that’s pestering your thoughts. Do it now. Do it scared. Everything will eventually fall into place. That’s gifted to your heart for a reason. What seemed like pressure then became my comfort. 

Almost doesn’t count (Brandy, 1998)

Intentions vs. accountability. It still happened, whether that was the plan or not. 

Don’t tell them your plans, just believe in them and go (Cousin Stizz, 2016)

Save the Instagram annoucement until the work is done.

My grandma told me every bed a nigga make, he lay in it. The church you go to pray in it, the work is on the outside. Staring out the windows is for love songs and house flies (Jay Electronica, 2014)

Faith without works is dead. The Bible mentions the word work close to 800 times. The Quran is about the same. Those who believe and work in righteousness, the Lord will guide them because of their faith. Shit, even Mike Jones said “you don’t work, you don’t eat, you don’t grind, you don’t shine.” You gotta work bro. You exercise your faith and moral beliefs by applying the lessons that are given. 

You Can’t Help Me, If You Can’t Help Yourself (G Perico, 2020)

No one gon’ take care of me, they way that I take care of me (Gucci Mane 2020)

Do it for you. Take care of your foundation: core beliefs, passions, and interests. You owe it to yourself. No one will do it for you. Especially if you're an artist. The reason you create is where you find the depth in your work.

Don’t know where I’ve been goin’ lately but I’ve been alright (Mac Miller 2020)

Trust the source, trust the process, and find joy in the ride.

It’s Everything, I’m Everything! (Doechii 2024)

Like I said before, we’re equipped with everything we need to get it done. Just like Doechii. Man shoutout to Doechii!

This month’s playlist has all of the music mentioned above with a few honorable mentions like my personal favorite by Lil Wayne:

Love, Live Life, Proceed, Progress

The Black Millennial’s verison of “Life Laugh Love”

See ya’ll next month!

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Do you remember where you were when you heard the news? Ironically, I was playing 2K. Then the group chat lit my phone up. I thought the guys were mentioning someone we went to school with’s passing.

“Do I know a Kobe?”

Then I checked Twitter and saw it for myself.

Sports has a way of bringing people together, specifically black men. My big brother and I have a handful of subjects we share: music and sports. We don’t speak to each other as much as we should but that day I called him immediately.

No matter how you feel about celebrity culture, I’m willing to bet there’s one death that shook you.

It was Thursday when Michael Jackson died.

It was exactly a month before my birthday in 2009, the summer before I started undergrad. Oddly enough, Prince also died on a Thursday, April 21, 2016. Both days it felt as if the world stood still. Same for when Mac Miller passed. So many memories and connections were made because of Mac. I heard from old flames and friends throughout that whole day.

Kobe died on a Sunday.

There’s almost something poetic about it. The way some of us praised him and glorified his work ethic. It was like he was more than a man, at least that’s how he played basketball. You had to see it to believe it.

I don’t know Kobe Bryant as a human and sadly we’ll never get to experience it. Without a ball in his hand. Could you imagine him wedged between Shaq and Chuck, commentating on a 40-year-old Lebron James highlight?

It’s been 6 years since his passing. I’d like to think that during this week, in honor of him, a ton of mediocre athletes are dedicating shots, games, and runs to him. And he’s watching down on all of it. Unimpressed.

In honor of the patron saint of discipline, here’s a playlist designed to help you lock in. It features some of Kob's documented favorites, including Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, as well as Brian Brown from Nashville, Big KRIT, Ice Cube, and more.

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Phil Jackson couldn’t come up with a defense to stop time.

Every trip to visit home, I notice something new about my parents. I’m more and more aware of their mortality. Each visit, I find a new wrinkle or notice a subtle wince from when they are standing.

Neighborhood included. New neighbors, growing familes, and updated health reports. During this visit particularly, I learned the candy lady passed. I remember almost being torn apart from her pet Rottweiler named King when I was a kid. I remember her warmth in the cold months. I remember how cold treats and 50-cent candies felt like trophies after a four-game series of a pick-up basketball game in front of her home.

These are some of the memories she’ll leave with us. These thoughts ease my mind when it comes to death, remembering what will be left behind. Knowing what my parents are leaving here will keep me moving forward long after they're gone. 

My mom is leaving a masterclass on how to love. A supportive, Christ-like love. A how can I help, love.

And my father, leaving his tenacity, consistency, and don’t play with me scowl.

I want to leave similar sentiments for my friends and family. For my cousins, whom I look at as little brothers. It’s not up to me to decide now, but I hope to be remembered for how I’ve helped along the way.

What will you leave behind?

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Happy New Year, Family! I hope you’ve set your intentions, posted your re-caps, and planned your new diets for the year. Instead of making a traditional yearly resolution, a dear friend suggested focusing on a word or umbrella term throughout the year. For 2025, my word is "development."

In 2024, my guiding word was "engagement." I wanted to be more present with the people in New Orleans as a way to find a community that would support me and that I could support in return. This focus extended beyond just the people in this city; it also included my friends and loved ones. After spending seven years in the Crescent City, I often felt like a fly on the wall, lacking depth in my connections with others.

That meant cutting back on my “gardening” habits. I’m introspective by nature, so showing up to every function high as hell didn’t help me hold riveting conversations outside of “these snacks free?” It also required me to confront my leftover post-covid social anxiety, reminding myself to speak up and engage when I entered a room. Half the battle was simply showing up.

Why Development

We often focus too much on our shortcomings instead of enhancing our strengths. I believe I achieved my goals last year with the help of my new career, which involved prioritizing communication and exploring the city through interest-based groups, such as photo walks with other photographers.

New Orleans attracts and nurtures creatives, making it easy to connect with others who are open to sharing ideas and experiences. This year, I aim to build upon everything I started last year: Writing more, developing my street and portrait photography, making merch from my photos, reading more, and honing my public speaking and marketing skills by returning to school. I also want to be more honest with myself and apply all the mindfulness techniques I’ve learned. It's important to remember that we already have everything we need to reach the next level; it just requires a bit of dedication on our part.

On Repeat: 30 for 30 by SZA (with Kendrick Lamar)

Before I go, here’s a playlist of everything I shared on my socials and played throughout last year. This playlist is 6 hours long; I’d suggest running this on shuffle.

A little of everything from Jimi Hendricks to Young Thug.

See ya’ll next month!

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I’ve been reading Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler for the first time this year. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world devastated by climate change and economic imbalance. Through her journey, Lauren Olamina shares her teachings of “Earthseed,” a religion she developed as a teenager. Earthseed is centered on the ideas of change and moral neutrality in relation to God, which she conveys to those who join her group. The landscape of this world is harsh, filled with savages and pyromaniacs. Key philosophies of Earthseed incorporate actively adapting to change, the importance of community, and the rebirth of old principles. Kendrick is much like Lauren. While Kdot identifies as a Christian, you can see the themes of Earthseed reflected in Kendrick’s music.

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