Is the new Tina Turner statue in Tennessee accurate in its representation of her?
Why did someone set fire to a bus belonging to Ice Cube’s entourage?
Will Motown Records sue Taylor Swift for using The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” for her song, “Wood?”
Lady Wray just came out with her latest album, Cover Girl, an amalgam of ’60s soul, hip-hop, and gospel exclusively produced by Leon Michels. Her decade-long musical partnership with Michels has crystallized into a solid second act for Wray, who came along in the ’90s as the young R&B marvel Nicole Wray. Back then Missy Elliott signed her as the first artist on her Goldmind Inc. label and they were the future of R&B. As Lady Wray, the California native has distinguished herself by remixing sounds from the past. The sounds of Cover Girl are not reheated tropes but a study in jubilation. Wray and Michels do a hip-hop inspired tribute to The Clark Sisters on “Hard Times,” which is really a remix of their gospel classic “You Brought The Sunshine.” Wray channels vintage R&B flavor to make something old and new at the same time. “Where Could I Be” has some of the lurching drama of Screaming’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” but Wray is firm in her gospel repertoire and pulls up a song of survival from a place of exhaustion. She spoke on that focus with Cover Girl in a press statement.
“I’ve gravitated more towards love and self-care with this album. Piece of Me was realizing that I was going to be a mother and all those feelings were on my heart. Now I’m able to sit back and be a real boss. I got my career, my motherhood, and my marriage by the horns. I’ve grown into this more self-aware and beautiful flower for Cover Girl.”
Wray and Michels have cultivated a sound that brings up nostalgia, kind of like Leon Bridges debuting with Sam Cooke on his back and October London’s blatant embrace of Marvin Gaye. Wray has tapped that foundational music from the past longer and her personality won’t allow her to be in the shadow of a particular singer. Cover Girl digs into heritage sounds but the album is very much a 2025 release from Wray’s unique voice. Check out the stream and see if your city is on her North American tour list this fall.
Tour Dates
10/7 – Montreal, QC @ Bar le Riz
10/8 – Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
10/14 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
11/6 – San Diego, CA, CA @ Quartyard
11/7 – Riverside, CA @ Farm House Collective
11/8 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
11/9 – San Francisco @ The Chapel
11/11 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
11/12 – Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl
Watch Rapsody give a performance of her Madlib-produced “Daddy’s Girl” and be schooled again on why she is so underrated. As usual the North Carolina emcee has some memorable lines and this time the standouts are about sexism, and the autonomy of her pen and Kanye West’s love of Hitler. It was last year when she released her fourth studio album, Please Don’t Cry. Madlib’s low-key jazzy production sounds like dinner music underneath Rapsody’s verbal barbs and it works. She’s currently touring with Joey Bada$$ on his Dark Aura Tour that also has Ab-Soul as a guest.
Public Enemy’s surprise album, Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025, released over the summer, will be released on CD and vinyl next month. Their 16th album is the first in five years and was their way of thanking fans. “This album is a give-back to all of our fans with gratitude and appreciation,” says Chuck D, “we see and appreciate you.” “We’re bringing our beats to the world with this album,” adds Flavor Flav. It’s been three plus decades since the group released their groundbreaking political missives It Takes A Nation Of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear Of A Black Planet. Both albums were a response to a late ’80s and early ’90s world but they are even more relevant in 2025. Black Sky has the same spirit of truth as Chuck D and Flavor Flav are still observing the world’s shortcomings. They also take the time to celebrate music so the album is not all social critiques.
The vinyl release of Black Sky Over The Projects: Apartment 2025 has three versions: “Earth” (Barnes & Noble/Natural Black Swirl Opaque Mix vinyl), “Wind” (MVDShop.com/Light Gray Marble Opaque Mix vinyl, Exclusive Artist-Signed Edition), and “Fire” (Zia Records/Blood Orange Opaque Mix vinyl). Pre-order the CDHERE (CD) and the vinylHERE. You can also pre-order the CD and vinyl via Amazon. Both versions will be available on October 10th.