Mourning [A] BLKstar – Let ‘Em Eat (ft. Fatboi Sharif)

Back in March we introduced Flowers of the Living, the new album from Cleveland’s Mourning [A] BLKstar coming next month on Don Giovanni Records, released to coincide with the Afrofuturist collective’s ten-year anniversary. “If lead single ‘Stop Lion 2’ is indicative of the album in its entirety, MAB draw on the full breadth of creativity and expertise gained across this decade,” we wrote, “bringing to life a sound packed with detail yet unafraid to spread its wings and take its time.” And take its time the track did, with space given equal footing next to any instrument or vocal, something which not only typified the confidence of the outfit but had real thematic resonance too. “Not only does space represent stillness, contentment, and mindfulness, it’s also the fulcrum of collectivism and free expression, and a key tenet of the Black ecstatic lineage,” as the press release put it. “Space has always been politicized, and to view it from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, even in a conceptual sense, is a rebuke of fascist oppressors and an affirmation of love and self-belief.”

Alongside the core members of Mourning [A] BLKstar—LaToya Kent (lead vocals), James Longs (lead vocals), Dante Foley (drums), Theresa May (trumpet), Pete Saudek (guitar, keys), Jah Nada (bass, production) and RA Washington (lead vocals, drum machines, production)—the album boasts a number of guests too. Latest single ‘Let ‘Em Eat’ sees New Jersey rapper Fatboi Sharif join the fray, adding a verse to the closing minutes of a track which pivots from bright, affirming beginnings into something else entirely. “The song is about perseverance—about acknowledging the journey, the time spent, and not worrying about any outside noise,” as Kent describes, and for three quarters of the runtime this is delivered with an assured, defiant air (“we are here to stay / though we have conquered on the way,” as one of the verses states, “we are the truth / we are the power / we are the one / we will devour / we held our hands up to the sky / we reach above, now we survive”). But true to the visionary, boundary-pushing spirit of the project, the closing minute shifts the vibe entirely, slowing right down to give space to Fatboi Sharif’s striking wordplay.

Watch the video directed by Ananda Prioleau below:

Flowers of the Living is out on the 16th May via Don Giovanni Records and you can pre-order it now.