“Almeda” — Solange
Solange’s 2019 album release, When I Get Home celebrates her Houston hometown, her identity, and is her spectacular follow-up to 2016’s A Seat At The Table. Complete with her trademark blend of R&B, psychedelic soul, and contemporary jazz fusion, Solange sings about Black ownership, Black culture, and how it can never be “washed away” on the album’s ninth track. In the song’s first verse, Solange powerfully commemorates her heritage. “Black skin, black braids / Black waves, black days / Black baes, black days / These are black-owned things / Black faith still can’t be washed away,” she sings. “Almeda” also features contributions from Playboi Carti and The-Dream. Overall, with empowering lyricism, visceral instrumentals and a remarkable music video that features scenes from Solange’s coinciding film, When I Get Home, “Almeda” is an unforgettable tribute to Black womanhood in the modern era.