“We Gon’ Be Alright”: A Collaborative Mixtape For Black Healing
Last summer, Kendrick Lamar’s “We Gone Be Alright” became an unofficial protest anthem. Activists and demonstrators on the front lines used the song’s chorus to stand defiant in the face of racial inequality, racist political rhetoric and police brutality. But music has always been a staple of both Black protest and Black healing.
I asked writers, feminists, doctors, teachers, dancers, healers, organizers, students, mothers, physicists, and one goddess to add their favorite healing track to a collaborative playlist. This is what we created together.
This is for my people who have spent all day at work trying to put on a brave face while it feels like the world burns around them.
This is for my people who feel like they didn’t get enough time to mourn the last one before the next one happened.
This is for my people who work in news and feel like the option of unplugging and self-care isn’t a realistic one.
This is for my people in the streets, on the front lines, and in the trenches.
This is for my people who just want to be free.
1. Jamila Woods — Blk Girl Soldier
I’m moved by its recognition of the contributions of Black women. I’m moved by both its acknowledgement of the legacy we inherited from all of the Black women fighters who came before us, and of the legacy carried forward by the Black girls pledging to continue to fight. The struggle is exhausting. This song gives me the resolve to keep pushing, it reminds me that it’s my duty, that I owe it to the past and future generations. It reminds me of our collective strength, and the history holding me up. — Dominique Matti, Writer
2. Common & John Legend- “Glory”
It reminds me of how far we’ve come on days it seems like nothing has changed. It also makes me feel connected. — Natasha Smith, Mother, digital goddess, dancer.
3. Donny Hathaway — “Lord Help Me”
A reminder that when I’ve done everything I know to do, I can always call on God to step in. — Loryn Wilson Carter , Digital strategist and womanist wife in DC.
4. Janelle Monáe — “Sally Ride”
As a queer Black femme theoretical astro/physicist there aren’t a lot of pop songs that speak directly to my experience. Having the amazing Janelle Monáe include the narrative of this physicist and national hero — who had to stay closeted for the sake of national homophobic narrative — in her Afro-Futuristic scifi opera just makes me really feel seen and heard. That’s a feeling I rarely experience. The song captures so much of my lonely life in physics, while also giving me a place in the story, bridging a gap that often feels formidable. — Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Theoretical physicist at the University of Washington-Seattle and Editor in Chief of The Offing.
5. 12 Years a Slave cast — Roll Jordan Roll
In 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetal Ejiofor, sings comes into this song with so much pain as he’s singing in that field. It breaks my heart watching it and hearing the agony in his voice but it’s powerful. He sings his pain in a beautiful way. — Heather Barmore, Deputy Director of Digital Communications at theDemocratic National Convention.
6. Esperanza Spalding — Black Gold
It’s a reminder. It’s a witnessing. — Mia Birdsong, Black woman freedom fighter; optimist; conjurer.
The song reaffirms your blackness for all its value and reminds you to hold up your head with dignity. — Raymond Nelson, graduate student
7. Maze — Golden Time of Day
It’s part of my morning routine. — Neal Carter, Senior Partner at Nu View Consulting
It is so full of genuine love & compassion. — Mica Grimm, Founder of Black Lives Matter, Minneapolis
9. Nina Simone — Sinnerman
It’s spiritually powerful and Nina’s vocals are drenched in healing vibes. — Ezinne Ukoha, Writer
10. Corinne Bailey Rae — Put Your Records On
It calls to mind the carefree innocence of childhood youth, on hazy summer days spent with the people I love and who love me. It inspires me to love myself and to take the day as it is, as it comes. — CC, Hmong, queer, and on a continuous journey on self-examination and civil rights.
11. Georgia Anne Muldrow — Roses
I’m always lifted by this song in times of despair and uncertainty. It’s freeing seeing Georgia just illustrate this beautiful vision of expression and spirituality with a community of folks. I’m not even religious, but it gets me every time. — Justin Good, Bay Area legend.
12. Earth, Wind & Fire — Keep Your Head To The Sky
The mellowness, the meaning, the message. — Jos, Black Queer Educator
It is a blissful reassurance. It reminds you that, no matter what your circumstances are, you’re never alone. That’s comforting. — Liam, 20 year old student in the UK watching helplessly as my peers across the water fight for survival.
It’s soft and comforting. About a love that endures when you need it most. — Brooke,Black girl. Digital Associate. Politico. Beyonce Stan.
14. Empire Cast — Powerful
The song speaks for itself. “This is an era for change.” — Ashleigh, fearful mother and girlfriend
15. Marian Hill — Breathe into Me
The smooth beats calm the mind. It’s a good song to realign your breathing as well. — Michael, college student studying biology.
It articulates the isolation, the seeking for home, the communal necessity of existing Black in a white supremacist world. — Janae Williams
17. Bill Withers — Lovely Day
Just reminds me to look to those I love to find beauty in all this madness — Kelsey, Librarian
18. Aretha Franklin — Bridge Over Troubled Water
Aretha Franklin’s voice alone is just so comforting like a warm hug. Throughout the song, she’s being told don’t worry about the troubled water, just leave it alone. Why? Because a bridge will be formed to help her over the water. What’s best about sharing this song, it fits for any belief or religion. You are left to your own interpretation of who is telling he or you to leave the troubled water alone. The lyrics are so comforting and just so encouraging to keep preserving and that you are not alone in your time of trouble. — Shameka Kelley, 23, growing and learning.
19. Janelle Monae — Neon Valley Street
“It’s such a pity that the city’s just a danger zone” it’s a beautiful song about love coming into your heart. — Megan, Here for the revolution
20. Musiq — Moment in Life
It’s a reminder of what joy feels like and evokes nostalgia, as well as hope for the future. — Tiara, Public Health Professional
21. Sufjan Stevens — Death With Dignity
In the wake of my grandmother’s death, this was one of the few songs I could listen to and just cry. The lyrics discuss death in an indirect but poetic way, but the most soothing part is Sufjan Stevens’s voice and guitar work. The song has a melancholy feel and makes me feel like it’s okay to grieve and cry, but I can listen to it now that I’ve healed because it’s also got a more upbeat tone to it. — Sarah, Student at Macalester College
22. The XX — You Got The Love
Helpful reminder that the movement and the people in it have what I need to thrive. Kirin Kanakkanatt — First gen south asain middle class able bodied queer femme
23. Marvin Gaye — What’s Going On
Because I want to know what’s going on — Rashid, Melanated Indigenous native American
No matter how old this song is, it still is a true reflection of what is going on today. This song helps heal the anger that I’ve been feeling these past couple of days. This song is so well loved by so many people that hopefully it can help other people come together and heal. — Lauren, Proud United States Navy Sailor, 100% Geechee, and lowkey Sailor Scout (Sailor Moon reference)
24. Deniece Williams — Black Butterfly
It just feels necessary. — Pepper Potts, Advanced Year MSW Student
25. Tupac — Keep Ya Head Up
It’s one of my favorite Tupac songs, so uplifting and real. — Symmie, Student in and outside the classroom
26. Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Erykah Badu — AfroBlue
This song humanizes black people and empowers us by celebrating the solace to be had in our very existence. — Kita from the future
27. Laura Mvula — Green Garden
I love Laura Mvula . Her music is calming/ happy at the same time and gets me in my #carefreeblackgirl mood. I cant really describe it but this song reminds me of cool Sunday mornings and that space is healing to me. — Barbz, Black ahealer, self appointed granny and femme magician.
— Submitted by Carmen, Unapologeticly Black
29. Janelle Monae — Electric Lady
It’s about celebrating all women (particularly Black women) in all of their essence. — IndiiBleu, Queer woman of color, Visual Artist and honest, yet flawed being.
30. Mos Def ft Georgia Anne Muldrow — Roses
The chorus just has so much emotion behind it. Its my track for healing because it brings me to a place that allows me to reflect on my happy moments. When your suffering from general sadness or suffering from MDD like myself, it’s so important to imprint those happy or content moments in your mind so you can recall on them during the hard moments when you’re down. You allow the opportunity to remind yourself that it has been better than it is right now and it won’t always be this bad. I’m not particularly spiritual, so when I listen to this song I imagine she’s talking about the spirit of peace. — Nomad Nae , Lifestyle and Travel blogger, general man about town
And because after Black healing comes #BlackJoy …
31. O.T. Genasis — Cut It
It gives me a black summer cook out vibe & I love it. — Nana, Black feminist
Go HERE for the youtube videos of each song, as well as the full Spotify playlist at the end.
