Jamila Woods’ LEGACY! LEGACY!
on its 5th anniversary, here’s an homage to an album full of tributes
Chicago singer-songwriter and poet Jamila Woods released her sophomore album LEGACY! LEGACY! on May 10, 2019 (5 years ago today).
i’m happy to have the cassette in my collection. admittedly, the playback quality is a little warped, with sound fading in and out on most tracks. i received it this way, but i can’t recall at the moment whether i purchased it online or at a local record shop.
this is the only cassette that i have this issue with, so i do believe it’s a random mechanical error. tape quality aside, this is a gorgeous conceptual album paying homage to legendary artists of color with each song title.
there are 12 people spotlighted on LEGACY! LEGACY! and 13 tracks total, as the closer is a house remix of track 1 “BETTY” (in reference to funk pioneer Betty Davis).1
Woods explained every song in an interview with Pitchfork, so you can read that for more precise context on how she pulled inspiration from each person. i like how the album and song titles are stylized in all-caps, signaling the importance and urgency evoked by giving credit where it’s due.
in addition to referencing iconoclasts, Woods masterfully honors the history of Black American music by melding genres across the album (from rock to R&B and everything in between). the essence of each featured musician is cleverly captured. for instance, there are nods to jazz and blues within the instrumentation, as well as songs named after Miles Davis and Muddy Waters, respectively. elsewhere, “SUN RA” reinvigorates the melodic space age jazz and esoteric philosophies of its namesake.
when it comes to literary heroes like Octavia Butler, Zora Neale Hurston, and Nikki Giovanni, their impact is fittingly more evident in the lyric composition.
You will never know everything, everything
I will never know everything, everything
You will never know everything, everything
And you don't know me so you up the creek
- “ZORA”
similarly, the song about visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat channels the cathartic energy of frenetically putting paint on canvas, crafting something that runs the risk of never receiving fair recognition in your lifetime. knowing there’s a possibility of being misunderstood and misinterpreted by the masses. accepting that you’re rarely asked the questions that matter, even though the work speaks for itself.
ARE YOU MAD? YES I’M MAD!
WHAT MAKE YOU MAD? I CAN’T RECALL. I PLEAD THE FIFTH, WRITING’S ON THE WALL.
- “BASQUIAT”
there are so many notable moments i wish to spotlight here.2 the unwavering self-determination and confidence of Eartha Kitt are apparent through the line, “who gonna share my love for me with me?”. the timeless swagger of Miles Davis and his resistance to yielding to mainstream (read: white) ideals are both harnessed through the following lyrics, some of my favorites on the album:
the spine of the cassette’s paper insert says, “what will your legacy be?”3 Woods gives these legends their flowers tenfold and simultaneously reaffirms her own legacy as a trailblazing artist who consistently speaks truth to power. throughout her discography, she frequently gives reverence to those in her lineages — familial, artistic, or otherwise.
i listened to this album on streaming many times to prepare for this piece, and honestly, i couldn’t get enough. it’s a scholarly labor of love that welcomes repeat listening. you can play this multiple times in a row and find new aspects to engage with every time. i suggest you add LEGACY! LEGACY! to your required listening for the weekend (or whenever you read this).
as mentioned to Pitchfork, the remix for “BETTY” is dedicated to Chicago choreographer Boogie McClarin.
but i’ll save some for you to explore on your own.
i just learned that this paper is called a J-card. the more you know 🌈