Jamila Woods
HEAVN
(Jagjaguwar)
Jamila Wood's critically acclaimed HEAVN was initially released in 2016. A great record, distributed freely for a time on SoundCloud, has been re-released by JagJaguar which is an indie label of choice! There's a new video for Woods' paean to Chicago's Lake Shore Drive, 'LSD' featuring Chance the Rapper in a neighbourhoody project set up with students from Chicago schools to write, storyboard and take key roles in the creation of the video. It's a great video, you can feel the heat in the gardens and the shadows on the sidewalk and that unexpectant certain calm buzz a cookout brings out, and shot in the color of memory I think, it's all great, except maybe that Chance guy... taking his eye off the grill there for a bit while delivering his couplets. What about dinner?
Video for LSD featuring Chance The Rapper in fantastic Champion Dungaree Shorts...
Anyway last year we raved about Jamila Woods, this sort of lyrical musical polymath woman who can do anything with words, inspire anyone with her words and music. HEAVN is her hometown homespun collection of spacey, psychedelically r'n'b hip hop songs. A love song for Chicago for sure. We'd first seen her sing on the Donnie The Trumpet Video, Sunday Candy, which is beyond brilliant. And then Blk Girl Soldier her poignant dance rock song with a beautiful and funny detail video. She is so entertaining while saying so much.
Making of LSD
Always wondered why the record never seemed to make it to the UK and now hopefully Heavn and Jamila Woods will.