LIBERATED / MUSIC FOR THE MOVEMENT VOL. 3 SET FOR RELEASE JUNE 18
EP FEATURES NEW RECORDINGS FROM CORDAE & COMMON, LUCKY DAYE,
YARA SHAHIDI, CHLÖE AND KAMASI WASHINGTON

May 14, 2021 – Liberated / Music For The Movement Vol. 3 EP is set for release Friday, June 18, in celebration of Juneteenth. The EP is the third volume of a four-part series between The Undefeated, ESPN’s content initiative exploring the intersection of sports, race and culture, and Hollywood Records.  Liberated celebrates themes of Black beauty, self-love, Afrofuturism, and Black empowerment in song.  Sonically the EP is an infusion of jazz, funk, neo-soul, hip-hop and R&B, as well as spoken word, that is fresh, vibrant, experimental and genre-bending.

Liberated explores embracing Black authenticity uninhibitedly.  It’s centered on Black America becoming the author of its own story and adopting an unapologetic Black pride.  Volume III shifts its focus away from the long-suffered trauma to revel in the strengths that make the Black community unique, original and extraordinarily resilient.  The project is a celebration of Black art, style, beauty, creativity and success as a culture and a people.

As with the first two volumes, all the music and illustrations are created by Black artists. The cover illustrations for Liberated were created solely by South African illustrator Karabo.  Karabo is renowned for “preserving the African aesthetic,” and was named to Forbes Magazine’s “Africa 30 Under 30” in 2019.  The prolific Karabo has designed three sold out collections for Nike, has collaborated with Coca-Cola, Apple Music and the Trevor Noah Foundation.

The music and spoken word pieces are equally as impressive on Liberated.  Leading the charge, with their song “What’s Life,” are Cordae featuring Common.  The soulful hip hop track finds the two MCs displaying a compelling appreciation for life, in all its beauty.    Maryland resident Cordae is a critically acclaimed, multiple Grammy-nominated artist and activist.  Common has won multiple Grammys, as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his insightful and poignant music.  In addition to being a highly respected rapper, Common is an actor,  film producer, book author, poet, philanthropist and activist.

“Running Blind” by rising singer and songwriter Lucky Daye embodies Black pride and pushes for economic empowerment, while letting go of life’s encumbrances.  The New Orleans native has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, and has written music for Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige, Zayn and Ella Mai.  The song is produced by D’Mile who won the Grammy and Oscar for H.E.R.’s “Fight For You” off the Judas and The Black Messiah soundtrack.

Liberated’s spoken word track comes from actress and activist Yara Shahidi.  Entitled “To Be A Black Girl” the track explores the joys, innovations and tribulations of Black girls and women throughout history.  Shahidi, the star of Grown-ish, has been recognized for the excellence in her work with many awards, including the NAACP Image Awards, BET Awards and Teen Choice Awards. She is also a student at Harvard University and an outspoken voice for voters’ rights.

Singer/songwriter/actress/producer Chloe Bailey delivers a stunning cover of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.”  Chloe, a co-star of Grown-ish, is one half of the five-time-Grammy-nominated  duo Chloe x Halle. With her sister Halle Bailey, they turned the summer of 2020 into a wonderful, magical creative season of innovative performances that took the world by storm.  Seemingly growing up before our eyes as women and as artists during the pandemic,  the sisters were famously discovered by Beyoncé and signed to her Parkwood Entertainment label in 2015.   They have toured with Beyoncé and JAY-Z, as well as singer and actress Andra Day.  They recently won two 2021  NAACP Image Awards.

Rounding out the EP is legendary American Jazz Saxophonist Kamasi Washington, with his opus “ Sun Kissed Child.”  The track is an eight minute jazz epic dedicated to imbuing Black children with love, confidence and endless possibilities.  The Los Angeles native has performed with a cadre of renown artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Herbie Hancock, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, George Duke, Chaka Khan, Raphael Saadiq, and St. Vincent.  Washington has been nominated for several Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award, and has taken home multiple Libera Awards.

About The Undefeated:  The Undefeated is ESPN’s multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, www.TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May of 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of Black athletes, culture and related issues.  In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

Contacts:
Lillian Matulic
Disney Music Group
Lillian.matulic@disney.com

Yvette Noel-Schure
yns@schuremediagroup.com

Mac Nwulu
ESPN
Mac.nwulu@espn.com

https://smarturl.it/UndefeatedPlaylist
INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER

BLACK HISTORY ALWAYS – MUSIC FOR THE MOVEMENT VOL. 2” SET FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 26

EP FEATURES NEW RECORDINGS FROM TOBE NWIGWE, BRENT FAIYAZ, TINASHE, FREDDIE GIBBS AND MOMO WITH INFINITY SONG

Illustration by Ace Rice

February 22, 2021 – The “Black History Always – Music For The Movement Vol. 2” EP is set for release Friday, February 26,  The EP is the second volume of the ongoing project between The Undefeated, ESPN’s content initiative exploring the intersection of sports, race and culture, and Hollywood Records.  “Black History Always” is the follow up to Volume I’s “I Can’t Breathe” which features Rapsody, Keedron Bryant, Jensen McRae, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin and Alex Isley.

The “Black History Always” EP will launch this week with a media blitz, including a performance from Tobe Nwigwe on Jimmy Kimmel Live (February 24), a performance from Momo with Infinity Song on Good Morning America 3 (February 25), and an hour-long special on ESPN entitled “A Room Of Our Own” (February 28) which will feature performances from Volumes I & II from Tinashe, Freddie Gibbs, Jensen McRae and Alex Isley.  There will also be conversations and podcasts with multiple outlets including CBS News, Color of Change, Another Act with Kelley Carter, and The Right Time with Bomani Jones.

Thematically “Black History Always” balances the realities of Black America’s continued struggles, while also celebrating Black beauty and offering messages of hope.  Like “I Can’t Breathe,” “Black History Always” features reimagined, historically significant songs as well as an original song, with the addition of a spoken word piece, made by and for Black America with contemporary artists.  The message of hope is that everyone sees the beauty and history in Black culture. Each track has original artwork, created by Black artists.

Though Black History Month is celebrated in February, Black history is made every day, and the EP celebrates that in music and art.

Tobe Nwigwe’s interpretation of Melvin & The Blue Notes’ (featuring Teddy Pendergrass) “Wake Up Everybody” is plaintive and celebratory at once.  The song explores society’s shortcomings and encourages humanity to fight for a brighter future in which we take care of our elderly, education is prioritized, and drug addiction is eradicated.  Houston-based Nwigwe captured the nation’s attention with a transcendent live rendition of “Wake Up Everybody” on the Presidential Inauguration Committee’s “We Are One” livestream event.  The artwork was illustrated by Cristina Martinez, who is renown for her thought-provoking self-portraits and abstract pieces that explore self-expression, self-exploration and articulations of self-love.

Grammy-nominated Brent Faiyaz’ original song, “Eden,” is a soulful R&B track that ponders a common observation many have had about their Creator; why doesn’t God simply intervene to make the world a better place?  With subtle nods to police brutality and hardship, the song wonders whether the Black community’s prayers are going unanswered.  Singer/Songwriter Faiyaz hails from Columbia, Maryland, and was recently named one of YouTube’s Black Voices for 2021.  The artwork was illustrated by Mike Reese, a multimedia artist whose works are rich in symbolism and meaning.

Grammy and BET-nominated Singer/Songwriter Tinashe offers a contemporary version of “I’m Every Woman.”  Originally released in 1978, “I’m Every Woman” was Chaka Khan’s iconic debut solo single. The song embodies female strength and empowerment, and the connectedness of all women.  At a time when Black women deserve their flowers the most, this record stands tall.  Tinashe has collaborated with many artists, from Ty Dolla Sign to Britney Spears, making her a much sought-after R&B artist.  The artwork for “I’m Every Woman” was also illustrated by Cristina Martinez.

Grammy-nominated, critically acclaimed, and Gary, Indiana native, Freddie Gibbs recorded Gil Scott Heron’s “Winter In America.”  Originally released in 1975, the song is an unapologetic examination of American colonialism, the absence of democracy, and racism.  The song depicts America as a dystopian state in which, “Democracy is rag-time on the corner,” “The forest is burned beneath the highway,” “Robins are perched in barren treetops,” and “No one is fighting because no one knows what to save.”  Tragically these themes still resonate today, over 45 years later.  The artwork was illustrated by Matthew Dicks, whose art is unapologetically real, as well as modern and avant-garde.

Rounding out the “Black History Always” EP, is a spoken word piece from Roc Nation’s Momo with Infinity Song, aptly named “Undefeated.”  The thought-provoking “Undefeated” is an important call to action track expressing the urgent need for the reframing of the Black narrative, and for being the authors of Black History.  Infinity Song is a five-piece sibling band that formed in 2014 in New York. All talented Singers, Songwriters and Musicians, Infinity Song has collaborated with Jon Batiste, Kanye West, Tori Kelly and many others.

The EP cover art was illustrated by Ace Rice, the Minneapolis-based artist who owns and curates PLOT Gallery, a hotspot for art, clothing and accessories, with goods from local artists.

About The Undefeated:  The Undefeated is ESPN’s multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, www.TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May of 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of Black athletes, culture and related issues.  In addition to its cutting-edge content, the Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

CONTACTS:
Yvette Noel-Schure
yns@schuremediagroup.com

Lillian Matulic
Lillian.matulic@disney.com

Mac Nwulu
Mac.nwulu@espn.com

https://smarturl.it/UndefeatedPlaylist

The Undefeated – Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter

“MUSIC FOR THE MOVEMENT/BLACK HISTORY ALWAYS,” SET FOR RELEASE FEBRUARY 26

FIRST SINGLE, “WAKE UP EVERYBODY,” FROM TOBE NWIGWE AVAILABLE NOW

EP FEATURES NEW RECORDINGS FROM TOBE NWIGWE, AS WELL AS BRENT FAIYAZ, TINASHE, FREDDIE GIBBS AND INFINITY SONG

January 29, 2021 – The “Music For The Movement/Black History Always” EP is set for release February 26. The EP is the second volume of the ongoing project between The Undefeated, ESPN’s content initiative exploring the intersection of sports, race and culture, and Hollywood Records. The EP aligns with ESPN’s “Black History Always” initiative which was announced yesterday.

Thematically, Volume II balances the realities of Black America’s continued struggles, while also celebrating Black beauty and offering messages of hope. The “Black History Always” EP is the follow up to “I Can’t Breathe/Music For the Movement,” which was released last fall and drew national attention from Associated Press and ABC’s Good Morning America.

Like Vol. I (I Can’t Breathe),“Black History Always” features reimagined, historically significant songs, as well as an original song and a spoken word piece, made by and for Black America with contemporary artists. The message of hope is that everyone sees the beauty and history in Black culture. Each track has original artwork, created by Black artists.

Though Black History Month is celebrated in February, Black history is made every day, and the EP celebrates that in music and art. With “HERstory” being made this month with former California Senator Kamala Harris becoming the first woman of color to hold the office of Vice President of the United States, the theme of Black History Always is even more significant.

Tobe Nwigwe’s interpretation of Melvin & The Blue Notes’ (featuring Teddy Pendergrass) “Wake Up Everybody,” is plaintive and celebratory at once, and is available now. The song explores society’s shortcomings and encourages humanity to fight for a brighter future in which we take care of our elderly, education is prioritized, and drug addiction is eradicated.  Houston-based Nwigwe captured the nation’s attention with a transcendental live rendition of “Wake Up Everybody” on the Presidential Inauguration Committee’s “We Are One” livestream event (WATCH HERE)

Grammy-nominated Brent Faiyaz’ original song, “Eden,” will be released February 12. This soulful R&B track ponders a common observation many have about their Creator; why doesn’t God simply intervene to make the world a better place? With subtle nods to police brutality and hardship, the song wonders whether the Black community’s prayers are going unanswered. Singer/Songwriter Faiyaz hails from Columbia, Maryland, and was recently named one of YouTube’s Black Voices for 2021.

Grammy and BET-nominated singer/songwriter Tinashe offers a contemporary recording of “I’m Every Woman.” Originally released in 1978, “I’m Every Woman” was Chaka Khan’s iconic debut solo single. The song embodies female strength and empowerment, and the connectedness of all women. At a time when Black women deserve their flowers the most, this record stands tall. Tinashe is from Lexington, Kentucky, and has collaborated with many artists, from Ty Dolla Sign to Britney Spears, making her a much sought-after R&B artist.

Grammy-nominated, critically acclaimed, and Gary, Indiana native, Freddie Gibbs recorded Gil Scott Heron’s “Winter In America.” Originally released in 1975, the song in an unapologetic examination of American colonialism, the absence of democracy, and racism. The song depicts America as a dystopian state in which, “Democracy is rag-time on the corner,” The forest is burned beneath the highway,” “Robins are perched in barren treetops,” and “No one is fighting because no one knows what to save.” Tragically, these themes still resonate today, over 45 years later.

Rounding out the “Black History Always” EP, is a spoken word piece from Roc Nation’s Infinity Song, aptly named “Undefeated.” The thought provoking “Undefeated” is an important call to action track expressing the urgent need for the reframing of the Black narrative and being the authors of Black history. Infinity Song is a five-piece sibling band that formed in 2014 in New York. All talented singers, songwriters and musicians, Infinity Song has collaborated with Jon Batiste, Kanye West, Tori Kelly and many others.

About The Undefeated: The Undefeated is ESPN’s multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, www.TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of Black athletes, culture and related issues. In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.

CONTACTS:
Yvette Noel-Schure
yns@schuremediagroup.com

Lillian Matulic
Lillian.matulic@disney.com

Mac Nwulu
Mac.nwulu@espn.com

https://smarturl.it/UndefeatedPlaylist

The Undefeated: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter

ESPN PRESS RELEASE