Salaam Remi — the iconic hip hop, reggae, R&B, soul, and more producer who has frequently worked with Nas, Black Thought, Amy Winehouse, Jazmine Sullivan, and many others since launching his career in the mid 1980s — has released a new protest album, Black On Purpose. It opens with a Malcolm X speech and closes with one from Sandra Bland, it includes a stunning "Strange Fruit" cover sung by the late Betty Wright, and it's got a stacked, multi-genre cast of guests including Black Thought, Common, Busta Rhymes, Nas, Chronixx, Stephen Marley, Bilal, CeeLo Green, Super Cat (a rare new recording by the dancehall legend), Jennifer Hudson, Anthony Hamilton, Doug E. Fresh, Spragga Benz, James Posyer, Mack Wilds, Mumu Fresh, Case, D-Nice, Teedra Moses, and Syleena Johnson.

In addition to "Strange Fruit," it has creatively reworked covers of James Brown's "Say It Loud," Syl Johnson's "Is It Because I'm Black," and Bob Marley's "Black Progress" (with Bob's son Stephen Marley on vocals). The original Black On Purpose songs include references to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black victims of police brutality, calls for racial justice and freedom, messages of hope, protest march chants, celebrations of Black excellence, and incisive takedowns of racism – both systemic and in everyday life.

"We couldn’t gather in the way we were used to when we needed each other most," Salaam said. "Now we are more than likely going to be in for another round of quarantine and we will need each other and music more than ever. … We were Black before the election and we will be Black after the election."

"Salaam Remi’s new project Black On Purpose is what the world needs," added Jennifer Hudson.

It's very powerful stuff, and it's a fantastic listen. Stream it, check out the full track list, and watch some accompanying videos below…

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TRACKLIST

1 Black on Purpose Intro
feat. Malcolm X

2 No Peace
feat. Busta Rhymes, Mumu Fresh, Black Thought, Doug E. Fresh

3 Say It Loud (Everybody Black Re-Flip)
feat. Cee Lo Green

4 Comin' Outta the Rain
feat. Bilal

5 Black Love
feat. Teedra Moses & D-Nice

6 Home Vacation (Family Over Everything)
feat. Mack Wilds

7 Really Real Out Here4:13
feat. Black Thought & Common

8 Until This Day
feat. Case

9 Strange Fruit (Reprise)
feat. Betty Wright & James Poyser

10 Is It Because I'm Black (Extended)
feat. Stephen Marley, Anthony Hamilton, Cee Lo Green, Black Thought, Syleena Johnson, B. Trenton

11 Afrikan Children
feat. Chronixx & Black Thought

12 Push Time
feat. Super Cat

13 Yonder
feat. Nas & Jennifer Hudson

14 Black Progress
feat. Stephen Marley, Black Thought, Spragga Benz

15 Live From Soul in the Horn

16 Tear It Down
feat. Mumu Fresh

17 Black on Purpose Outro
feat. Sandra Bland
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