Andrea Hammack This “Listen to This” from me will be short as there’s only one artist I want to focus on this week. Nathan Nzanga, “a first-generation Congolese-American storyteller with a whole lot of love to share,” according to his website nzangamusic.com, was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He uses all elements of genres which have influenced him, including folk, soul, gospel and musical theater and refers to himself as a “SoulPop Storyteller” rather than just a rapper. I can agree with this title as he is most definitely a storyteller, and an intense one at that. The song, or more seemingly the spoken word, “Enough” caught my attention immediately and is something I was compelled to talk about. I won’t be too wordy, as I would advise you listen yourself, but if my words can influence anyone to take the time to listen, I’ll be glad to use my influence. Now, “Enough” is not just a track, but is an entity in itself, consisting of music and dialogue, accompanied by a film comprised of interviews of himself gathered over a decade. Just at 13:30 in length, “ENOUGH” screams at viewers that seemingly innocent actions can cause major problems for a lot of people in the world right now and shows how a little “bit of love” can go a long way. Not to give anything away, but Nzanga portrays the harsh reality of not only Black people in America but the system itself. And throughout, he pushes for understanding on both sides. I’ll come back to the desperate plea that is “Enough,” but I also want to point out how beautiful the first song in the video is. “Truce” is a simple piano-focused track that was released as a single in 2016. “I need a bit of love, need a little trust, need some love, lotta love right now / there’s been pain from the start, lotta love in my heart, need to change but I don’t know how,” Nzanga sings. This song is a much calmer and simpler take on the topics discussed in the film, unlike the second and last song. “Enough” is desperation, frustration and the longing for someone to listen. Most of the song is yelled with a strained voice, begging for someone to finally notice it. Again, Nzanga realizes not everything is one-sided in most situations and has a dialogue showing how both sides can be frustrated with the ongoing conversation on human rights. But he doesn’t glorify the actions of those in authority (no matter how honest intentions might be). Nathan Nzanga is easily going to be one of the most important artists of this generation. When you see these interviews over the years and listen to what he has to say, you can tell the wisdom this young man has been carrying with him is not some new occurrence. After listening to just the few songs I have, I am excited to dive into the rest of his discography. I believe anyone reading this should do the same. It is so important to have minds like his showing up and striving to make change, even through something as simple as storytelling.
Staff Writer
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