Black Artists and Directors You MUST Know

As many of us know, February is Black History Month! This month gives us an opportunity to learn, share, and celebrate black culture, heritage, and its impact. In honor of this momentous month, I’ve compiled a list of my 10 favorite black artists and 5 favorite black-directed movies. 

Starting off with music: These artists are my favorite of all time and their music styles and genres vary greatly, so hopefully you can find at least one person you like!

1. Ty Dolla Sign

– Ty is a Los Angeles raised R&B singer. His voice is absolutely insane and he is quite literally a lyrical genius. It has been said that if Ty is featured on a song, you know it’s about to be good. With that sentiment in mind, he recently released a full length album (with a tracklist containing 25 songs!!) called Featuring Ty Dolla Sign. It includes features from Post Malone, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, and so many more. My favorite of his albums is Beach House 3 (deluxe). Both of those are definitely worth checking out.

2. H.E.R

– If you’re really into R&B, H.E.R is the perfect person to listen to. With her self-titled album released in 2017, she has already won numerous awards, including a grammy. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she was signed by 14 years old and most famous for her persona as a female R&B artist with a guitar. Her album I Used to Know Her was released in 2019 with features from Bryson Tiller and YBN Cordae. She also released a number of singles including “Comfortable” which features on the soundtrack of the movie Photograph.

3. Roddy Ricch

Roddy Ricch is a born and raised Compton rapper most famous for his recent album Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial. His hit single “The Box” topped charts and earned him numerous award nominations. Although he is relatively well known for his new music, his older albums are worth the listen. Feed tha Streets and Feed tha Streets II aren’t as popular, but in my opinion, contain some of his best music. Unfortunately, Feed tha Streets is not available on Spotify, so I can’t include songs from that album on the playlist that will be linked, but definitely check it out regardless!

4. Jhené Aiko

– Most known for her rather tumultuous and public relationship with Big Sean, Aiko made a name for herself and turned heads with the release of her album Chilombo in 2020. Jhené classifies her style of music as R&B sound healing, emphasizing that not only does her music help her, but also others. Her music has been said to have helped people sleep, relieve their anxiety, study, or get through a hard time. Her song “Sativa” featuring Swae Lee had a huge turnout, landing her on a number of playlists and becoming a lot of people’s favorite. In my opinion, she is one of the best artists of all time. The combination of her lyrics, range, and production provide an out-of-body experience when listening to her music.

5. Jazmine Sullivan

– Jazmine Sullivan is a Philadelphia-born R&B/Soul singer. She released her debut album Fearless in 2008 landing her multiple grammy nominations. Her most recent album Heaux Tales, put out in 2021, helped her earn her place in various R&B Top Hits playlists as well as giving her more recognition. Her single “Pick Up Your Feelings”, also on Heaux Tales, is a song EVERYONE must hear. Her vocals are insane. 

6. Chika

– Relatively new to the scene, Alabama rapper Chika was featured on 2020’s XXL Freshman list. With only one album out, 7 songs, she has already proven her capability in the Rap genre. Industry Games was released in 2020 and from start to finish is a full listen. There is not one bad song on it!! Better known for her vine stardom, Chika includes references to this time in her song “Balencies”. Not only is she extremely talented vocally and lyrically, she is also extremely funny. Her instagram and twitter never disappoint!

7. Pop Smoke

– Pop Smoke rose to stardom when his hit single “Dior” reached the playlists of every teenager across the U.S. Featured on his album Meet the Woo, “Dior” put Pop in the running for King of New York—seeing as though he is from Brooklyn. In 2020 he released Meet the Woo 2 (Deluxe), which debuted at #7 on US Billboard 200,  shortly before his untimely passing February 19th, 2020. At only 20 years old he was on his way to becoming one of the most popular artists in the industry. In late 2020, his album Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon was released, a different style from his previous albums, but nonetheless amazing! It includes features from Lil Tjay, Quavo, 50 Cent, Karol G, PnB Rock, and so many more! The deluxe version contains 34 songs and each one is worth your time, I promise. 

8. Nipsey Hussle

– Another artist taken from us too soon, Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed in 2019 at the age of 33. Encompassing a new-wave, but old school style of music, Nipsey quickly gained popularity and respect as he dropped album after album. Not only was he a rapper, but he also opened his own label, clothing brand, and he acted! Nipsey Hussle was revered as an all-around person, known by everyone and loved by those who had the privilege of meeting him. His song “Racks in the Middle” featuring Roddy Ricch landed him a Grammy, unfortunately after his death, to which Roddy reluctantly accepted on his behalf stating that Nipsey should have been there to receive it. He was honored at the 2019 Grammys and his death still affects the industry and numerous artists to this day.  

9. Jaden Smith

– Jaden Smith is a very familiar name, obviously known as Will and Jada Smith’s son, but he has not used his parent’s fame to reach success. Jaden has worked hard to make a name for himself, ridding himself of “Smith” in his stage name. His latest album CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3 was released in 2020 and is one of his best works, in my opinion. Including features from Raury and Justin Bieber, this album encompasses the feeling of driving to the beach on a bright, sunny day. 

10. Blxst

– Finally, the last artist I will be talking about is Blxst. He is a Los Angeles based producer and song-writer who released his debut album, No Love Lost (Deluxe), in 2020. Blxst has a new unique approach to the rap genre, making feel good music that doesn’t get old! With features such as Ty Dolla Sign and Bino Rideaux, his songs have already made Top Rap playlists. The album doesn’t have one bad song!

I will also link a playlist containing my favorite songs from these artists as well as amazing songs by other talented black performers. Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OxqMN5pgU4HSrs45kQ3VP?si=pXts8SVhRP6sau2T6hOfOQ

Now for the movies!! The rise in black director and actor recognition has paved the way for certain movies to achieve the hype they deserve. It is obvious that a lack of representation is present in the nominations at award shows, so many talented BIPOC go unnoticed. Here are my 5 favorite movies by black directors.

1. Us

– This is only Jordan Peele’s second movie he has directed, the first being Get Out, and it racked in over $170,000,000! The movie follows a family on vacation as they are tormented by people who look exactly like them. Categorized in the horror genre, this movie will leave you paranoid! Not only is it simply ingenious, but every time you watch it you notice something new that adds to the plot. 

2. Boyz n the Hood​

– Directed by John Singleton, the movie follows Tre who is navigating life in South Central Los Angeles. Torn between his friends’ life of drugs and crime and listening to his father and girlfriend, Tre struggles with love and loss. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr, Ice Cube, and Nia Long, this movie is one of the best films ever made and is highly recognized to this day. It is definitely worth the watch.  

3. BlacKkKlansman

– Directed by the respected Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman follows an African American detective and his journey in infiltrating his town’s chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Starring John David Washington, Adam Driver, and Topher Grace, this movie collected $93.4 million in box office revenue. Not only is the concept of the film already interesting, knowing it is a true story makes it even more engrossing. At the academy awards Spike Lee won for best director and the movie also won best picture among many other wins, so this movie should be at the top of your watchlist.

4. Straight Outta Compton

– This movie is relatively well-known, but not many people have seen it! Directed by Felix Gary Gray, or F. Gary Gray, it addresses the rise and struggle of hip-hop group N.W.A. from Compton, California. The movie follows Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy E., and DJ Yella—produced with the help of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre—depicting the revolution started by the music they released, which proved extremely controversial at the time as well as today. Whether you are into this music or not, Straight Outta Compton is an amazing movie and you should definitely check it out! I also included some of their music on the playlist linked above!

5. Moonlight

​- Directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight is a type of coming-of-age film that follows a young man and his journey is finding himself with the advice from Juan, a drug-dealer. This film is an extremely important watch because it explores the life and hardships of an African American LGBTQ+ male. The representation of LGBTQ+ people in the media is already low, let alone the representation of LGBTQ+ BIPOC, so making this film was a huge risk as well as a step in the right direction. It is amazing.

(He is also the director of If Beale Street Could Talk which is worth checking out as well). 

I hope at least one of these movie descriptions catches your interest and motivates you to watch! Either way, it is important we educate ourselves on the history of the black community and their different experiences. We must celebrate everything that makes us unique without forgetting the hardships and traumatization the black community is subjected to on a day-to-day basis.