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Liner Notes by RAP FACULTY:

Lanita Jacobs
“Lying on the Truth” by Rance Allen Group

Nao Bustamante
“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers
Has been playing in my head in the mornings. ‘When I wake up in the morning, love; And the sunlight hurts my eyes; And something without warning, love; Bears heavy on my mind…’

Francille Wilson
“This Joy,” “Georgia on my Mind,” “Ella’s Song” 

d. Sabela Grimes
“Ella’s Song” by Sweet Honey in the Rock
“Be Real Black for Me” by Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack
What could exceed being REAL and being BLACK for someone….including myself?
“Maggot Brain” by Funkadelic
This. This is the sonic texture of cosmic blackness. Ancient ephemera that lingers throughout recent and forthcoming futures.
“Inner City Boundaries” by Freestyle Fellowship
Just to remind folk that LA is Black AF, Jazz AF, Hip Hop AF and the Blues give light and litter the atmosphere in Leimert Park Village…all day, e’ryday! “Once we have the knowledge of self as a people then we could be free…” NUFF SAID!!
“Journey In Satchidananda” by Alice Coltrane
This. The deepest, widest, clearest, funkiest path to achieve the ultimate goal of this spiritual journey. Blue Black. Triple consciousness. Truth-Consciousness-Bliss.

Taj Frazier
“Turiya & Ramakrishna” by Alice Coltrane, “Little Africa,” “Father Figure,” “No Commas,” “Ballroom”

Annette Kim
“Revelations” by Mos Def/Yasiin Bey
Sign of the times – this gem is not available on Spotify because of contract disputes but you can hear it on Youtube!

Jenny Lin
“Pull up the People” by M.I.A.
Inspired by ’90s hip hop, South London beats, punk graphic design, and her Tamil roots, M.I.A. defies borders and shout outs in banging slang to fellow refugees and oppressed people of the world.

Edgar Arcenaux
“Don’t wanna go the other way” and “Levels”

Jonathan Crisman
“The Chocolate Conquistadors” by BADBADNOTGOOD & MF DOOM
“I like to imagine that he’s singing to the city of Los Angeles”

David Sloane
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams
Feeling happy, soooo…