Don’t let the album title fool you – Jamila Woods is not claiming a dignified position within the R&B community through her new album LEGACY! LEGACY! Her sophomore album is a tribute towards distinguished individuals who historically fought against the persecution of people of color. It calls upon their respective legacies as a source of inspiration, citing the impact of their lives as a potential catalyst for the change needed to reach prospective equality.

Jamila Woods’ music is socially perceptive and deeply introspective, often calling upon self-love, social justice, and racial transgression as talking points for her layered narratives. Her calm, powerful voice is like something out of a melodic dream. She fills rooms with a soulful ambiance that drowns out any competing noise with intense vitality and emotion. Although she is consistently expressive and rousing vocally, her supporting instrumentals are fairly volatile. They encourage sedative reflection, but often jump between boom-bap, funk, and psychedelic styles. Those styles culminate into an immersive, flowing collection on LEGACY! LEGACY! that leaves listeners calm yet hyper-focused on the complex narrative booming from Woods’ golden pipes.

Jamila Woods’ résumé outside of music speaks volumes about her passion for civil rights. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and Theater & Performance Studies from Brown University, while she also has extensive experience as a writer and a poet. These rich experiences arm Woods with the knowledge and skills necessary to be an agent for change within the R&B community. As a subject matter expert, she uses her music to poetically and informatively harp on history, feminism, and identity within African American culture, all the while promoting self-respect and adoration for her roots within the City of Chicago.

Favorite Tracks: BALDWIN, GIOVANNI, BETTY, EARTHA, ZORA